The Chesapeake Bay - Landsat photo

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers 64,299 square miles (166,534 km²) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.^[1] More than 150 rivers and streams drain into the Bay. Download high resolution version (1024x768, 163 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x768, 163 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Landsat program is the longest running enterprise for acqusition of imagery of Earth from space. ... For other meanings, see Estuary (disambiguation) Río de la Plata estuary An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... This article is about the U.S. state. ... A drainage basin is the area within the drainage basin divide (blue outline), and drains the surface runoff and river discharge (green lines) of a contiguous area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (≈1,609 m) in length. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol km², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... ... This article is about the state. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State of Delaware. ... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Official language(s) none (de facto English) Demonym West Virginian Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Largest metro area Charleston metro area Area  Ranked 41st in the US  - Total 24,230 sq mi (62,755 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ...

The Chesapeake Bay is about 200 miles (300 km) long, from the Susquehanna River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south. At its narrowest point between Kent County's Plum Point (near Newtown) and the Harford County shore near Romney Creek, the Bay is 2.8 miles (4.5 km) wide; at its widest point, just south of the mouth of the Potomac River, it is 30 miles (50 km) wide. Total shoreline for the Bay and its tributaries is 11,684 miles (18,804 km), and the surface area of the bay and its major tributaries is 4,479 square miles (11,601 km²). “Miles” redirects here. ... “km” redirects here. ... The Susquehanna River (originally Sasquesahanough per the 1612 John Smith map) is a river located in the northeastern United States. ... Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. ... Harford County is a county located in the northeastern region of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ...

The bay is spanned in two places. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge crosses the bay in Maryland from Sandy Point (near Annapolis) to Kent Island; the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia connects Virginia Beach to Cape Charles. Not to be confused with Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. ... City nickname: Americas Sailing Capital Location in the state of Maryland Founded 1649 Mayor Ellen O. Moyer (Dem) Area  - Total  - Water 19. ... A map of Kent Island from 1970 Location of Kent Island within Maryland Kent Island is the largest island in the Chesapeake Bay, and a historic place in Maryland. ... Articles with similar titles include Chesapeake Bay Bridge. ... Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... Cape Charles is a town located in Northampton County, Virginia. ...

The word Chesepiooc is an Algonquian word commonly believed to mean "Great Shellfish Bay;" however, a reconstruction of Virginian Algonquian implies that the word may mean something like "Great Water" or it might just be the name of a village at the mouth of the bay.^[2] The Algonquian (also Algonkian) languages are a subfamily of Native American languages that includes most of the languages in the Algic language family (others are Wiyot and Yurok of northwestern California). ...

Geology

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge.

The Chesapeake Bay is the ria, or drowned valley, of the Susquehanna, meaning that was where the river flowed when sea level was lower. It is not a fjord, as the Laurentide Ice Sheet never reached as far south as the northernmost point on the bay. The Bay was formed starting about 10,000 years ago when rising sea levels at the end of the last ice age flooded the Susquehanna river valley.^[1] Download high resolution version (1391x973, 134 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Download high resolution version (1391x973, 134 KB) This work is copyrighted. ... Not to be confused with Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. ... Georges River, in the southern suburbs of Sydney (Australia) is a ria, or drowned river valley. ... Fjord in Sunnmøre, Norway Geirangerfjord, Norway A fjord (or fiord) is a long, narrow estuary with steep sides, made when a glacial valley is filled by rising sea water levels. ... The Laurentide ice sheet was a massive sheet of ice that covered hundreds of thousands of square miles, including most of Canada and a large portion of the northern United States, between ~ 90,000 and ~ 18,000 years before the present day. ...

The Bay's geology, its present form and its very location have also been affected by a bolide impact event at the end of the Eocene (about 35.5 million years ago), forming the Chesapeake Bay impact crater. Parts of the bay, especially the big parts by the coastline of Calvert County, Maryland, are lined by cliffs as the result of receding waters millions of years ago. These cliffs, generally known as Calvert Cliffs, are famous for their fossils, especially fossilized shark teeth, which are commonly found washed up on the beaches next to the cliffs. Scientist's Cliffs is a beach community in Calvert County, named so because of the cliffs' propensity for geological finds and numerous fossils. The term bolide (from the Greek βολις, bolis, missile) can refer to either an extraterrestrial body that collides with the Earth, or to an exceptionally bright, fireball-like meteor regardless of whether it ultimately impacts the surface. ... Artists impression of a major impact event. ... hfajhfiudshfas == == == --24. ... The Chesapeake Bay Impact Crater was formed by the impact of an extraterrestrial bolide that hit about 35. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Calvert Cliffs State Park is a state park in Calvert County, Maryland, situated on the Chesapeake Bay. ... A fossil Ammonite Fossils are the mineralized remains of animals or plants or other traces such as footprints. ... For other uses, see Shark (disambiguation). ... Calvert County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ...

Much of the bay is quite shallow. At the point where the Susquehanna River flows into the bay, the average depth is 30 feet (9 m), although this soon diminishes to an average of 10 feet (3 m) from the city of Havre de Grace for about 35 miles (56 km), to just north of Annapolis. On average, the depth of the bay is 21 feet or about 7 meters (including tributaries);^[3] over 24% of the bay is less than 2 m (6.6 ft) deep.^{[citation needed]} Location in Maryland Coordinates: County Harford County Incorporated 1785 Mayor John P. Correri, Jr. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... This article is about the unit of length. ...

The climate of the area surrounding the bay is primarily humid subtropical, with hot, very humid summers and cold to mild winters. Only the area around the mouth of the Susquehanna River is continental in nature, and the mouth of the Susquehanna River and the Susquehanna flats often freeze in winter. It is exceedingly rare for the surface of the bay to freeze in winter, as happened most recently in the winter of 1976-1977.^[4] Humid subtropical climates are characterized by hot, humid summers and cool to mild winters. ...

Since the bay is an estuary, it has fresh water and brackish water. Brackish water has 3 salinity zones, oligohaline, mesohaline, and polyhaline. The salinity is measured in parts per thousands (ppt). The fresh water zone runs from the mouth of the Susquehanna River to north Baltimore. The oligohaline zone has very little salt. Salinity varies from 0.5ppt-10ppt and freshwater species can survive there. The north end of the oligohaline zone is north Baltimore and the south end is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The mesohaline zone has a medium amount of salt and runs from the Bay Bridge to the mouth of the Rapahannock River. the salinity ranges from 10.7ppt-18ppt. The polyhaline zone is the saltiest zone and some of the water can be as salty as sea water. It runs from the mouth of the Rappahannock River to the mouth of the bay. The salinity ranges from 18.7ppt-36ppt. 36ppt is as salty as the ocean. Polyhaline is a salinity category term applied to brackish estuaries and other water bodies with a salinity of between 18 and 30 ppt (parts per thousand). ... Baltimore redirects here. ... The Rappahannock at sunset The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia in the United States, approximately 184 mi (294 km). ...

History

Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón was the first European to explore and map the Chesapeake Bay. He established a short-lived Spanish mission settlement, "San Miguel de Guadalupe", in the early 16th century near the future site of Jamestown. Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón (1475? - 1526) Spanish explorer A licentiate and sugar planter on Hispaniola, Lucas Vásquez de Ayllón commanded six vessels with 500 colonists, supplies and livestock, sailing from Santo Domingo in mid-July, 1526. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... At Jamestown Settlement, replicas of Christopher Newports 3 ships are docked in the harbor. ...

Captain John Smith of England explored and mapped the bay between 1607 and 1609. The "Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail", the United States' first-ever all-water National Historic Trail, was created in July 2006. The bill passed by voice vote in the House of Representatives and by unanimous consent in the Senate.^[5] John Smith (1580-1631) was an English soldier and sailor, now chiefly remembered for his role in establishing the first permanent English colony in North America, and his brief association with the Native American princess Pocahontas. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... Trail Map Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail is a series of water routes in the United States extending approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km) along the Chesapeake Bay, the nations largest estuary, and its tributaries in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and in the District of Columbia. ... National Historic Trail is a designation for a protected area in the United States containing historic trails and surrounding areas. ...

The Chesapeake Bay was the site of the Battle of the Chesapeake in 1781, during which the French fleet defeated the Royal Navy in the decisive naval battle of the American Revolutionary War. Combatants France Great Britain Commanders Comte de Grasse Sir Thomas Graves Strength 24 ships 19 ships Casualties none some ships damaged The Battle of the Chesapeake, also known as Battle of the Virginia Capes, was a crucial naval battle in the American Revolutionary War which took place near the mouth... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... This article is about military actions only. ...

Today, the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant uses water from the bay to cool its reactor. The Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant (CCNPP) is a nuclear power plant located on the western shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Calvert County, Maryland. ...

The bay is also known for the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, a dog breed developed in this area. The Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a breed of dog that was developed along the Chesapeake Bay to hunt waterfowl under adverse weather and water conditions, often having to break ice during the course of many strenuous multiple retrieves. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Watershed

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The largest rivers flowing into the bay, from north to south, are:

• Susquehanna River
• Patapsco River
• Chester River
• Choptank River
• Patuxent River
• Potomac River
• Rappahannock River
• Nanticoke River
• York River
• Back River
• James River

The Susquehanna River (originally Sasquesahanough per the 1612 John Smith map) is a river located in the northeastern United States. ... The Patapsco is a river in central Maryland which flows into the Chesapeake Bay in Baltimore, Maryland. ... The Chester River is a River Flowing throught the Eastern shore of Maryland. ... The Choptank River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay which flows from its source in eastern Delaware south-southwest, flowing through Caroline County, Maryland and its county seat Denton, and then flowing along the boundary between Talbot County on the north and west and Caroline and Dorchester Counties on... The Patuxent River near Bowie, Maryland. ... The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States (USA). ... The Rappahannock at sunset The Rappahannock River is a river in eastern Virginia in the United States, approximately 184 mi (294 km). ... Map of the rivers of the Eastern Shore of Maryland with the Nanticoke and its watershed highlighted. ... The York River is a navigable estuary, approximately 40 mi (64 km) long, in eastern Virginia in the United States. ... The Back River is an estuarine inlet of the Chesapeake Bay between the independent cities of Hampton and Poquoson in the Hampton Roads area of southeastern Virginia. ... The James River at Cartersville The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 660 km (410 miles) long including its Jackson River source and drains a watershed comprising 27,019 km² (10,432 square miles). ...

Fishing industry

A skipjack, part of the oystering fleet in Maryland

A charter fishing boat on the Chesapeake Bay

The bay was once known for its great seafood production, especially blue crabs, clams and oysters. The plentiful oyster harvests led to the development of the skipjack, the state boat of Maryland, which is the only remaining working boat type in the United States still under sail power. Other characteristic bay area workboats include:^[6] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The name Skipjack has several meanings: Skipjack the block cipher designed by the NSA. Skipjack tuna, a fish of the Scombridae (tuna) family. ... For other uses, see Oyster (disambiguation). ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 319 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 319 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... This article is about Callinectes sapidus. ... For other uses, see Clam (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Oyster (disambiguation). ... The skipjack is a type of sailboat developed on the Chesapeake Bay for oyster dredging. ...

• the log canoe
• the pungy
• the bugeye
• the Chesapeake Bay deadrise

Today, the body of water is less productive than it used to be, because of runoff from urban areas (mostly on the Western Shore) and farms (especially on the Eastern Shore), overharvesting, and invasion of foreign species. The bay though, still yields more fish and shellfish (about 45,000 short tons or 40,000 tonnes yearly) than any other estuary in the United States. The log canoe is a type of sailboat developed in the Chesapeake Bay region. ... The pungy is a type of schooner developed in and peculiar to the Chesapeake Bay region. ... The bugeye is a type of sailboat developed in the Chesapeake Bay for oyster dredging. ... The Cheapeake Bay deadrise is a type of work boat used in the Chesapeake Bay. ... Runoff flowing into a stormwater drain Surface runoff is water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources, that flows over the land surface, and is a major component of the water cycle[1][2]. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called overland flow. ... Cities with at least a million inhabitants in 2006 An urban area is an area with an increased density of human-created structures in comparison to the areas surrounding it. ... Western Maryland is the portion of U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. ... The Eastern Shore of Maryland is composed of the states nine counties east of Chesapeake Bay. ... Lantana invasion of abandoned citrus plantation; Moshav Sdey Hemed, Israel The term invasive species refers to a subset of introduced species or non-indigenous species that are rapidly expanding outside of their native range. ... For other uses, see Fish (disambiguation). ... Cooked mussels Shellfish is a term used to describe shelled molluscs and crustaceans used as food. ... Look up ton in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the metric tonne. ...

The bay is famous for its rockfish, also known as striped bass. Once on the verge of extinction, rockfish have made a significant comeback due to legislative action that put a moratorium on rockfishing, which allowed the species to repopulate. Rockfish are now able to be fished in strictly controlled and limited quantities. Rockfish may refer to one of the following fishes: Striped bass, a member of the Moronidae family (temperate basses). ... Binomial name Morone saxatilis (Walbaum, 1792) The striped bass Morone saxatilis is a member of the temperate bass family native to North America but widely introduced elsewhere. ...

Oyster farming is a growing industry for the bay to help maintain the bay's productivity as well as a natural effort for filtering impurities in the bay in an effort to reduce the disastrous effects of man-made pollution. Raw sewage and industrial waste flows into the U.S. from Mexico as the New River passes from Mexicali, Baja California to Calexico, California Water pollution is a large set of adverse effects upon water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater caused by human activities. ...

In 2005, local governments began debate on the introduction to certain parts of the bay of a species of Asian oyster, to revive the lagging shellfish industry. For other uses, see Oyster (disambiguation). ...

Deteriorating environmental conditions

Tidal wetlands of the Chesapeake Bay

In the 1970s, the Chesapeake Bay contained one of the planet's first identified marine dead zones, where hypoxic waters were so depleted in oxygen they were unable to support life, resulting in massive fish kills. Large algae blooms, nourished by the runoff of farm and industrial waste throughout the watershed, prevent sunlight from reaching the bottom of the bay. The resulting loss of aquatic vegetation has depleted the habitat for many of the bay's animal creatures. One particularly harmful algae is Pfiesteria piscicida, which can affect both fish and humans. The depletion of oysters due to overharvesting and damaged habitat has had a particularly harmful effect on the quality of the bay. The bay's oyster industry has also suffered from two diseases: MSX and Dermo.^[7] Oysters serve as natural water filters, and their decline has further reduced the water quality of the bay. Water that was once clear for metres is now so turbid that a wader may lose sight of his feet before his knees are wet. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1126 KB) Summary Tidal wetlands of w:Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA. Photo credit and copyright: Jennifer Schmidt. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 1126 KB) Summary Tidal wetlands of w:Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA. Photo credit and copyright: Jennifer Schmidt. ... A subtropical wetland in Florida, USA, with an endangered American Crocodile. ... This page is about the oceanic phenomenon; see The Dead Zone for the novel by Stephen King. ... It has been suggested that Anoxic sea water, Oxygen minimum zone, and Hypoxic zone be merged into this article or section. ... For the programming language, see algae (programming language). ... Wastewater is any water that has been adversely affected in quality by anthropogenic influence. ... Nymphaea alba, a species of water lily. ... Pfiesteria piscicida is a dinoflagellate responsible for many blooms in the 1980s and 1990s on the coast of North Carolina. ... For other uses, see Oyster (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Oyster (disambiguation). ... Turbidity standards of 5, 50, and 500 NTU Turbidity is a cloudiness or haziness of a fluid, or of air, caused by individual particles (suspended solids) that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air. ...

Efforts of federal, state and local governments, working in partnership through the Chesapeake Bay Program, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and other nonprofit environmental groups, to restore or at least maintain the current water quality have had mixed results. One particular obstacle to cleaning up the bay is that much of the polluting substances arise far upstream in tributaries lying within states far removed from the bay itself. The Chesapeake Bay Program is the regional partnership that directs and conducts the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay. ... The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the United States largest regional conservation organization, is dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers. ... Water quality is the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water, characterized through the methods of hydrometry. ... Look up tributary in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

It has been estimated that in pre-colonial times, oysters could filter all the water in the Bay in about 3.3 days, but in 1988 it was calculated that depletion of oyster beds had increased this time to 325 days.^[8] Efforts at oyster farming is one method Marylanders are using to clean up the pollution.

Tourism

The Chesapeake Bay is still a main feature for tourists who visit Maryland and Virginia each year. Fishing, crabbing, swimming, boating and sailing are still extremely popular activities enjoyed on the waters of the Chesapeake Bay. This tourist attraction has a major economic impact on Maryland's economy.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Chesapeake Bay

• Delmarva Peninsula
• Dead zone (ecology)
• Chesapeake, a novel by author James A. Michener
• Chessie (sea monster)
• The National Estuarine Research Reserve System
• List of islands in Maryland (with the islands in the Bay)

Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ... Sediment from the Mississippi River carries fertilizer to the Gulf of Mexico Dead zones are hypoxic (low-oxygen) areas in the worlds oceans, the observed incidences of which have been increasing since oceanographers began noting them in the 1970s. ... Chesapeake is a novel by James A. Michener, published by Random House in 1978. ... James Albert Michener (February 3, 1907? - October 16, 1997) was the American author of such books as Tales of the South Pacific (for which he won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948), Hawaii, The Drifters, Centennial, The Source, The Fires of Spring, Chesapeake, Caribbean, Caravans, Alaska, Texas, and Poland. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The National Estuarine Research Reserve System was established by the United States Government to develop a partnership between individual states and the Federal Goverment Agency, NOAA, to coordinate the preservation of a network of protected areas spanning the coastal United States. ... This is a list of islands in Maryland, sorted by county: Maryland State Archives Categories: | | ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 346th day of the year (347th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the United States largest regional conservation organization, is dedicated to the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributary rivers. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... With 1925 origins as a research station on Solomons Island, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) is one the University System of Marylands two scientific research centers. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 78th day of the year (79th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Saving The Chesapeake Bay
• Chesapeake Bay Foundation
• Chesapeake Research Consortium
• Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay
• Chesapeake Bay Program
• Chesapeake Bay Journal
• Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network
• Chesapeake Community Modeling Program
• Chesapeake Bay Bridge (near Annapolis, MD)
• Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel
• Maryland Sea Grant
• Scientist's Cliffs
• National Geographic- Saving The Chesapeake
• National Geographic- Exploring The Chesapeake Then and Now
• National Geographic Magazine Jamestown/Werowocomoco Interactive
• John Smith Water Trail Blog - Musings and Meanders on the Chesapeake Bay
• Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Water Trail
• Sailing the Chesapeake Bay
• NutrientNet, an online nutrient trading tool developed by the World Resources Institute, designed to address water quality issues in the Chesapeake Bay and elsewhere. See also the PA NutrientNet website designed for Pennsylvania's nutrient trading program.

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Topics	Cities | Government | History | People | Congressional Delegations | Congressional Maps Image File history File links Flag_of_Maryland. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... Official language(s) None (English, de facto) Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Largest metro area Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area Area  Ranked 42nd  - Total 12,407 sq mi (32,133 km²)  - Width 101 miles (145 km)  - Length 249 miles (400 km)  - % water 21  - Latitude 37° 53′ N to 39° 43′ N... Annapolis redirects here. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... The following is the list of incorporated places in Maryland. ... The Great Seal of Maryland. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Maryland to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... Congressional districts for representation in the United States House of Representatives are determined after each census. ...
Regions	Allegheny Mountains | Atlantic Coastal Plain | Baltimore‑Washington Metro Area | Blue Ridge | Chesapeake | Cumberland Valley | Delaware Valley | Delmarva Peninsula | Eastern Shore | Piedmont | Ridge and Valley | Southern Maryland | Western Maryland | Western Shore This list of regions of the United States includes official (governmental) and non-official areas within the borders of the United States, not including U.S. states, the federal district of Washington, D.C. or standard subentities such as cities or counties. ... The Allegheny Mountain Range (also spelled Alleghany and Allegany) -- informally, the Alleghenies -- is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States. ... The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the rather flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico). ... It has been suggested that National Capital Region (United States) be merged into this article or section. ... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shining Rock Wilderness Area Appalachian Mountain system The Blue Ridge is a mountain chain in the eastern United States, part of the Appalachian Mountains, forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania. ... Counties comprising The Cumberland Valley Region The Cumberland Valley is a geographic region that lies between South Mountain and the Ridge and Valley Province of central Pennsylvania and western Maryland, United States. ... The Delaware Valley is a term used widely to refer to the metropolitan area centered on the city of Philadelphia in the United States. ... Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ... The Eastern Shore of Maryland is composed of the states nine counties east of the Chesapeake Bay. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. ... Southern Maryland counties. ... Western Maryland is the portion of U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. ... Western Maryland is the portion of U.S. state of Maryland that consists of Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett counties. ...
Cities	Annapolis | Baltimore | Bethesda | Bowie | College Park | Columbia | Cumberland | Ellicott City | Frederick | Gaithersburg | Germantown | Greenbelt | Hagerstown | Laurel | Rockville | Salisbury | Silver Spring | Takoma Park | Towson | Waldorf | Westminster The following is the list of incorporated places in Maryland. ... Annapolis redirects here. ... Baltimore redirects here. ... Bethesda is an urbanized, but unincorporated, area in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a church located there, the Bethesda Presbyterian Church, built in 1820 and rebuilt in 1850, which in turn took its name from Jerusalems Pool of Bethesda. ... Motto: Growth, Unity and Progress Location of Bowie in the State of Maryland Coordinates: Country United States State Maryland County Prince Georges County Established 1916  - Mayor G. Frederick Robinson Area    - City 41. ... College Park is a city in Prince Georges County, Maryland, USA, United States. ... Portal:Cumberland, Maryland Top * Places * Culture * Media * Companies * Education * History * People * Religion * Sports * Trans* Tourism For other places with the same name, see Cumberland (disambiguation). ... Main Street, Ellicott City Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. ... Location in Maryland Coordinates: , Country State County Frederick Founded 1745 Government  - Mayor William J. Holtzinger (R)  - Board of Alderman Marcia Hall (D) Alan E. Imhoff (R) David P. Koontz (D) Donna K. Ramsburg (D) C. Paul Smith (R) Area  - Total 20. ... Location in the State of Maryland Coordinates: , Country State County Montgomery Founded 1802 Incorporated April 5, 1878 Government  - Mayor Sidney A. Katz Area  - City 10. ... Germantown is an unincorporated, but urbanized Census-Designated Place in Montgomery County, Maryland in the USA. It is the sixth most populous Census-Designated Place in Maryland. ... Location in Maryland Coordinates: County Prince Georges County Incorporated 1937 Government  - Mayor Judith F. Davis (D) Area  - City 15. ... This article is about a city in the State of Maryland. ... Motto: Progressio Per Populum (Progress Through People) Location of Laurel in Maryland Coordinates: Country United States State Maryland County Prince Georges County Incorporated 1870 Mayor Craig A. Moe City Council Ward 1: Janis L. Robison Ward1: Gayle Snyder Ward2: Frederick Smalls (Pr. ... Location in the State of Maryland Coordinates: , Country State County Montgomery Founded 1717 Incorporated 1860 Government  - Mayor Larry Giammo Area  - Total 13. ... Nickname: Location in Maryland Coordinates: , County Founded 1732 Incorporated 1854 Government  - Mayor Barrie Parsons Tilghman Area  - City 29. ... Not to be confused with Silver Springs. ... Location Location in Maryland Coordinates , Government Country State County United States Maryland Montgomery Founded Incorporated 1883 1890 Mayor Kathryn H. Porter Geographical characteristics Area     City 5. ... Towson is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. ... Waldorf is an unincorporated community in Charles County, Maryland. ... Location in Maryland. ...
Counties	Allegany | Anne Arundel | Baltimore City | Baltimore County | Calvert | Caroline | Carroll | Cecil | Charles | Dorchester | Frederick | Garrett | Harford | Howard | Kent | Montgomery | Prince George's | Queen Anne's | St. Mary's | Somerset | Talbot | Washington | Wicomico | Worcester List of Maryland counties and independent city* Allegany County: formed in 1789 from part of Washington County. ... Allegany County is a county in the western portion of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Anne Arundel County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Baltimore redirects here. ... For other uses of Baltimore, see Baltimore (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Caroline County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Carroll County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Cecil County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Charles County is a county in the south central portion of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Frederick County is located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. ... Garrett County is the westernmost county of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Harford County is a county located in the northeastern region of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Howard County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.. It is considered part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. ... Kent County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, on its Eastern Shore. ... Montgomery County of the U.S. state of Maryland is situated just north of Washington, D.C. and Southwest of Baltimore. ... Not to be confused with Prince George County, Virginia. ... Queen Annes County is a county located on the Eastern Shore of the U.S. state of Maryland. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Somerset County is the southernmost county in the U.S. state of Maryland, located on the states Eastern Shore. ... Talbot County is a county located in the state of Maryland. ... Washington County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ... Wicomico County is located in the southeastern part of the state of Maryland. ... Worcester County (pronounced locally as either Wis-ter or Wuhr-ster) is the easternmost county located in the U.S. state of Maryland. ...

	v • d • e Commonwealth of Virginia Richmond (capital)
Topics	Climate | Colleges and universities | Colony | Congressional Districts | Delegations | Demographics | Economy | Geography | Government | Governors | History | Historic Landmarks | Homes | Music | People | Police | Politics | Rights | Rivers | School divisions | Scouting | Slogan | Sports teams | State Fair | State parks | Symbols | Transportation | Tribes Image File history File links Flag_of_Virginia. ... This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... Nickname: Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra (Thus do we reach the stars) Location in the Commonwealth of Virginia Coordinates: , Country State Government  - Mayor L. Douglas Wilder (I) Area  - City 62. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... See Virginia state entry. ... A map of the Colony of Virginia. ... Virginia congressional districts since 2003 The Commonwealth of Virginia has had 23 congressional districts, although it currently has 11. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Virginia to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... This is a list of Governors of Virginia since Virginia became a U.S. state following the American Revolutionary War. ... The recorded History of Virginia began with settlement of the geographic region now known as the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States thousands of years ago by Native Americans. ... This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in Virginia, of which there are 118. ... Historic houses in Virginia is a link page for any stately home or historic house in Virginia. ... Virginias musical contribution to American culture has been diverse, and includes Piedmont blues musicians and later rock and roll bands, many centered at such college towns as Blacksburg, Charlottesville (home of Dave Matthews Band) and Richmond. ... The politics of Virginia reflect a commonwealth in transition from a largely rural, conservative state to an increasingly diverse and cosmopolitan state with growing suburban areas that increasingly vote Democratic. ... The Virginia Declaration of Rights is a declaration by the Virginia Convention of Delegates of rights of individuals and a call for independence from Britain. ... This is a list of rivers in the U.S. state of Virginia. ... This is a complete list of school divisions in the state of Virginia. ... Scouting in Virginia has a long history, from the 1910s to the present day, serving thousands of youth in programs that suit the environment in which they live. ... Virginia is for Lovers balloon. ... The following is a List of professional sports teams in Virginia. ... Carnival rides at the fair The Virginia State Fair is held annually at the end of September, at the former State Fairgrounds (now known as The Richmond International Raceway Complex) located in eastern Henrico County, just outside of the City of Richmond, VA. Competitive weight pumpkins at the State Fair... This is a list of state parks in Virginia, containing state parks and other related state-managed lands and facilities in the U.S. state of Virginia. ... This page details the status of Native American tribes living in the US state of Virginia. ...
Regions	Allegheny Mountains | Atlantic Coastal Plain | Blue Ridge | Chesapeake Bay | Delmarva Peninsula | Eastern Shore | Hampton Roads | Middle Peninsula | Northern Neck | Northern Virginia | Piedmont | Ridge‑and‑valley Appalachians | Shenandoah Valley | South Hampton Roads | Southside | Southwest Virginia | Tennessee Valley | Tidewater | Tri-Cities | Virginia Peninsula This list of regions of the United States includes official (governmental) and non-official areas within the borders of the United States, not including U.S. states, the federal district of Washington, D.C. or standard subentities such as cities or counties. ... The Allegheny Mountain Range (also spelled Alleghany and Allegany) -- informally, the Alleghenies -- is part of the Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States. ... The Atlantic Coastal Plain is the rather flat stretch of land that borders the Atlantic Ocean (including the Gulf of Mexico). ... Blue Ridge Mountains, Shining Rock Wilderness Area Appalachian Mountain system The Blue Ridge is a mountain chain in the eastern United States, part of the Appalachian Mountains, forming their eastern front from Georgia to Pennsylvania. ... Delmarva Peninsula map The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by portions of three U.S. states: Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. ... The Eastern Shore of Virginia is on the Atlantic Coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia. ... This view from space in July 1996 shows portions of each of the Seven Cities of Hampton Roads which generally surround the harbor area of Hampton Roads, which framed by the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel visible to the east (right), the Virginia Peninsula subregion to the north (top), and the... The Middle Peninsula is, as its name implies, the middle of three peninsulas on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia. ... The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas on the western shore of Chesapeake Bay in Virginia, USA. This peninsula is bounded by the Potomac River on the north and the Rappahannock River on the south. ... Map of Northern Virginia Northern Virginia (NoVA) consists of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties and the independent cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Manassas, and Manassas Park. ... The James River winds its way among piedmont hills in central Virginia. ... The Ridge-and-valley Appalachians are a belt within the Appalachian Mountains extending from northern New Jersey westward into Pennsylvania and southward into Maryland, West Virginia, and Virginia. ... Canoeing on the Shenandoah River near Winchester, VA. The Shenandoah Valley region of western Virginia, from Winchester to Staunton, is bounded by the Blue Ridge mountains to the East and the Allegheny mountains to the West. ... South Hampton Roads is a region located in the extreme southeastern portion of Virginia in the United States. ... Southside is the colloquial name given to a broad swath of southeastern and/or south-central Virginia, USA. The term Southside can be used in two senses: It can refer to the south side of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. ... Southwest Virginia at its greatest geographical definition Southwest Virginia is a mountainous region of Virginia in the westernmost part of the commonwealth. ... The Tennessee Valley is the drainage basin of the Tennessee River and is largely within the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... The Tidewater region of Virginia is the southeastern portion of the Commonwealth of Virginia, centered on Hampton Roads. ... The Tri-Cities of Virginia (also known as the Tri-City area or the Appomatox Basin) is an area in the Greater Richmond Region which includes the three independent cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, and Hopewell and portions of the adjoining counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Prince George in south... The Virginia Peninsula is a peninsula in southeast Virginia, bounded by the York River, James River, Hampton Roads and Chesapeake Bay. ...
Metro areas	Alexandria |