Ground surveys were accomplished by cooperative efforts from a number of agencies and individuals. Although not all areas of Chesapeake Bay were ground surveyed, the data did provide valuable supplemental information. The ground surveys confirmed the existence of some SAV beds mapped from the 2006 1:24,000 scale aerial photography, as well as SAV beds that were too small to be visible on the 1:24,000 scale photography. The surveys also provided species data for many of the SAV beds. Ground survey information supplied to VIMS researchers is included on the SAV distribution and abundance digital maps and included in the VIMS SAV GIS Database. The group that performed each survey is designated by a unique symbol to identify the different methods of sampling. In many cases the symbols on the SAV maps have been offset from the actual sampling point to avoid confusion with the mapped SAV bed. Where species information was available, it is included on the map. Because of space limitations on the maps, occasionally one or more survey points are combined where the information was duplicated. All ground survey data supplied to VIMS are tabulated in the ground survey table.

Ground survey data were obtained in 2006 by:

• Peter Bergstrom of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for Susquehanna Flats and Magothy, Patapsco, Severn, South, and Choptank rivers

• Cassandra Carr of Maryland Environmental Service (MES) for Hart-Miller Island

• Candace Croswell of Baltimore County Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management (BCDEPRM) for the Middle, Gunpowder, Back, and Patapsco rivers

• Chris Guy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for Eastern Bay

• Debbie Hinkle, Evamaria Koch, and Tim Carruthers of University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science - Horn Point Laboratory (HPEL) for Broad Creek, Choptank River, and Chincoteague Bay

• Nancy Rybicki of the United States Geological Survey Water Resources Division (USGS) for the Potomac River

• Tom Parham of Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD-DNR) for the Choptank, Little Choptank, Patuxent, St. Marys, and Big Annemessex rivers.

• Brian Sturgis of National Park Service (NPS) for Chincoteague and Sinepuxent bays

• Chris Tanner of St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) for St. Mary's River

• Terry Willis of Chester River Association (CRA) for the Chester River

• Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) for the Mattaponi, Pamunkey, Piankatank, Chickahominy, Back, York, and James rivers; Pocomoke and Tangier sounds; and Mobjack Bay

VIMS researchers made observations principally from small boats and by diving in areas identified from the aerial photographs.