Distribution of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Chesapeake Bay and Tributaries and Chincoteague Bay - 1994 by Robert J. Orth, Judith F. Nowak, Gary F. Anderson, David J. Wilcox, Jennifer R. Whiting, and Leah S. Nagey College of William and Mary School of Marine Science Virginia Institute of Marine Science Gloucester Point, VA 23062

Funded by:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Grant CB003909-03)
National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (Grant No. NA470Z0287-01)
College of William and Mary, School of Marine Science, Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (C400-95-019)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (14-48-0005-93-9038)
Allied-Signal Foundation

Final Report Submitted to:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Chesapeake Bay Program Office
Annapolis, MD 21403

CONTENTS

• TABLES

• FIGURES

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• SAV SPECIES

• METHODS
  • Introduction
  • Aerial photography
  • Mapping process
  • SAV Perimeter digitization and quality assurance procedures
  • Calculation of 1991-1994 SAV Areas
  • Organizational procedures for analysis and discussion
  • Ground surveys and other databases

• RESULTS
  • Data presentation
  • 1994 Summary
  • 1991 to 1994 Summary
    • Upper Bay Zone
    • Middle Bay Zone
    • Lower Bay Zone
  • Discussion of Chesapeake Bay Program segments arranged within zones
    • Upper Bay Zone
      • Northern Chesapeake Bay (CB1)
      • Northeast, Elk and Bohemia, and Sassafras rivers (ET1, ET2, ET3)
        • Northeast River (ET1)
        • Elk and Bohemia rivers (ET2)
        • Sassafras River (ET3)
      • Upper Chesapeake Bay and Upper Central Chesapeake Bay (CB2, CB3)
        • Upper Chesapeake Bay (CB2)
        • Upper Central Chesapeake Bay (CB3)
      • Bush, Gunpowder, Middle, Back, and Patapsco rivers (WT1,WT2, WT3, WT4, WT5)
        • Bush River (WT1) and Back River (WT4)
        • Patapsco River (WT5)
        • Gunpowder River (WT2) and Middle River (WT3)
      • Chester River (ET4)
      • Magothy River (WT6)
    • Middle Bay Zone
      • Severn and South, Rhode, and West rivers (WT7, WT8)
        • Severn River (WT7)
        • South, Rhode, and West rivers (WT8)
      • Eastern Bay (EE1)
      • Middle Central Chesapeake Bay (CB4)
      • Choptank River and Lower Choptank River (ET5, EE2)
        • Choptank River (ET5)
        • Lower Choptank River (EE2)
      • Patuxent River (LE1, RET1, TF1)
        • Upper Patuxent River (TF1)
        • Middle Patuxent River (RET1)
        • Lower Patuxent River (LE1)
      • Nanticoke, Wicomico, Manokin, Big Annemessex, and Pocomoke rivers (ET6, ET7, ET8, ET9, ET10)
        • Nanticoke River (ET6), Wicomico River (ET7), and Pocomoke River (ET10)
        • Manokin River (ET8) and Big Annemessex River (ET9)
      • Tangier Sound (EE3)
      • Potomac River (LE2, RET2, TF2)
        • Lower Potomac River (LE2)
        • Middle Potomac River (RET2)
        • Upper Potomac River (TF2)
      • Lower Central Chesapeake Bay (CB5)
    • Lower Bay Zone
      • Rappahannock River (LE3, RET3, TF3)
        • Upper Rappahannock (TF3) and Middle Rappahannock River (RET3)
        • Lower Rappahannock River (LE3)
      • Western Lower Chesapeake Bay (CB6)
      • Eastern Lower Chesapeake Bay (CB7)
      • Mobjack Bay (WE4)
      • York River (LE4, RET4, TF4)
        • Lower York River (LE4)
        • Upper York River (TF4) and Middle York River (RET4)
      • James River (LE5, RET5, TF5)
        • Lower James River (LE5)
        • Upper James River (TF5) and Middle James River (RET5)
      • Mouth of Chesapeake Bay (CB8)
  • Discussion of Chincoteague Bay

• LITERATURE CITED

• APPENDICES
  • A. Species of submerged aquatic plants found in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries
  • B. USGS 7.5 minute quadrangles for Chesapeake Bay and Chincoteague Bay showing distribution, abundance, and ground truthing of SAV in 1994.
    
    • Map Legend
  • C. Number of square meters of SAV for individual beds and totals for density categories for each USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle in 1994
  • D. 1994 SAV ground-survey data listed by USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle and by 1994 SAV bed.
    
    • Key
  • E. Total hectares of SAV by density class for CBP segments of Chesapeake Bay and for Chincoteague Bay for 1991-1994, with the percentage of the segment total