The content has not been reviewed for scientific accuracy or edited in any manner. Scientists suspect a link between high nutrient levels in water and the occurrence of algal blooms and the occurrence of Pfiesteria-like organisms. Nutrients enter the Chesapeake Bay from water that is washed off the land surface, chiefly in the aftermath of storms. Nutrients also seep into the ground water from the land surface and make their way into the rivers and streams that flow into the bay, or directly into the bay itself.
Ground water is an important source of surface water and nutrients.
The USGS has determined that about 50 percent of the water in streams comes from ground water, but the amount can be as low as 27 percent or as high as 85 percent. The amount of ground water varies according to the type of rock and sediment beneath the land surface. Up to one-half of the nitrogen entering the bay travels through ground water. It is possible that about 10 to 20 percent of the phosphorus entering the Chesapeake Bay also travels through ground water. Travel time of the ground water can be as short as one year or as long as 60 years.