Since 1992, beds in that area have declined by 63 percent. The Bay has suffered a series of high flows which are partially responsible for reversing what had been an increasing trend in Bay grasses during the late 1980s and early 1990s. We' ve got to focus on practices that will withstand those storms. It's so big and complex that we shouldn't be surprised if it doesn't all behave in the same way. Concern over recent losses may fuel efforts to incorporate goals for grass recovery in a new Bay Agreement, which is to be signed next year.
Light is the ultimate factor that is going to influence growth.
But the existing nutrient reduction goals may not be sufficient for grasses in some places. The Bay Program is completing a new study that establishes the amount of sunlight different plants need in different parts of the Bay, and the study could be used to set nutrient and sediment reductions for specific sites. Historically, thick grass beds are estimated to have covered 600,000 acres of the Bay, growing at depths of more than 6 feet. The loss of grasses also removes a critical component of the Bay ecosystem. Grass beds provide food for waterfowl, and habitat for juvenile fish, clams and crabs.