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 2015 aerial imagery, as well as SAV beds that were too small to be visible
on the imagery. 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 2015 by:
Rebecca Golden, Brooke Landry, Mark Lewandowski, and Angel Willey of Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD-DNR) for Susquehanna Flats; the Chester, Choptank, Elk, Honga, and Severn rivers; and Chincoteague, Sinepuxent, Isle of Wight, and Assawoman bays
Brian Sturgis of the National Park Service (NPS) for Chincoteague and Sinepuxent bays
Bo Lusk of The Nature Conservancy for Cobb and South bays
Sarah Witcher of Baltimore County for Baltimore County
Peter McGowan of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for Poplar and Tilghman islands
Eugene McCord of the Chesapeake Bay Federation for the Bohemia River
Jesse Iliff of the South River Federation for the South River
Margaret Enloe, Tom Harten, Pierre Henkart for the Choptank, Patuxent, and Severn Rivers
Corey Holbert, Kathleen Knick, and Paul Richardson of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) for the Great Wicomico, Poquoson, Occohannock, Pocomoke, Rappahannock Mattaponi, Pamunkey, York rivers; Spider Crab, Cobb, and South bays; and Dameron marsh
