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 2016 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. All ground survey data supplied to VIMS are tabulated in the ground survey table.

Ground survey data were obtained in 2016 by:

• Rebecca Golden, Brooke Landry, Mark Lewandowski, and Angel Willey of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (MD-DNR) for Smith Island; Susquehanna Flats; the Chester, Gunpower, Magothy, and Sassafras rivers; and Chincoteague, Sinepuxent, Isle of Wight, and Assawoman bays

• Sarah Witcher of Baltimore County for Baltimore County

• Eugene McCord and John Page Williams of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for the Bohemia and Severn rivers

• Chris Jones of George Mason University for the Potomac River

• Sean Doyle of DC Fisheries and Wildlife Division for the Potomac River

• Patricia Delgado of Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary for the Patuxent River

• Cassie Gurbisz, Dave Harp, Tom Harten, Corinne Irwin, and Drew Koslow for the Choptank, Honga, Miles, Patuxent, and Potomac rivers

• Karen Duhring, Corey Holbert, Lisa Kellogg, Bob Orth, and Paul Richardson of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) for the Back, Chickahominy, James, Poquoson, Potomac, Mattaponi, York rivers; Harris and Hungars creeks, Mobjack Bays; and Dameron Marsh