The overall Chesapeake Bay earned a grade of C (50%). The Chesapeake Bay Watershed Health, which includes ecology, society, and economy indicators, scored C+ (57%).
As 2025 marks a critical deadline for Chesapeake Bay restoration goals, this year's report card provides essential data and trends analysis to assess progress.
The report card informs leaders and policymakers as they chart the strategy for the next phase of restoration and conservation goal setting.
The overall Bay score had a five-point decrease from last year and there were decreases in almost all indicator scores.
One possible cause for last year's downturn was the extreme rainfall patterns and extreme heat. While parts of the watershed experienced drought, brief but intense downpours also caused runoff into Bay waters.
“The Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card has become a flagship reference for conservation practitioners working to improve the environmental quality of the Chesapeake Bay, policymakers charged with the regional economic development driven by the bay’s resources, and a wide range of industries dependent upon a healthy bay,” said Dr. Fernando Miralles-Wilhelm, President of UMCES. “This year’s report underscores the importance of continued investment and highlights the progress we’ve made over the last decade.”
Despite the decrease this year, the Bay continues to show long-term improvement compared to past decades.
Six regions are trending upwards; the Elizabeth, James, Patapsco and Back Rivers, Upper Western Shore, Upper Bay, and Lower Bay. Most indicators are also improving over time, specifically Dissolved Oxygen, Aquatic Grasses, Total Phosphorus, and Total Nitrogen.
Improving trends can be attributed to management and restoration efforts at the regional, state, and local levels.
Regionally, wastewater treatment plants have been upgraded, and programs have been put in place to reduce nutrient and sediment input.
State efforts include seagrass restoration, oyster plantings, and watershed planning. Communities play a huge role in improving Bay health through local resource management activities.
Further engagement with diverse organizations across the watershed and collaborative efforts will help improve the bay for the environment and people.
“In furthering our engagement efforts, UMCES cohosted a workshop on April 1 with Chesapeake Bay Foundation, to bring together bay practitioners and knowledge holders,” said Dr. Bill Dennison, Vice President for Science Application at UMCES. “This will allow for more collaboration and a more effective report card in the future.”
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed score was moderate, with a good score for Ecology indicators and moderate scores for Society and Economy.
The economic indicators showed a positive grade for job growth, but had a poor income equality score, meaning that although there are more jobs, there are still strong disparities in the amount of income people are earning.
The most concerning societal indicator was heat vulnerability—communities may be under heat stress due to hotter air temperatures, less tree canopy cover, and more paved surfaces.
“There was a substantial upturn in the overall Bay Health score in 2024, and it came down a little this year. Over the long term, though, there is still an improving trend from the 1980s until now,” said Dr. Heath Kelsey, Director of UMCES Integration and Application Network. “We think extreme weather may have had some impact on the scores this year.”
Continued support for the efforts of the Chesapeake Bay Program, researchers, community groups, and conservation organizations is vital to manage, protect, and restore the Bay and Watershed.
As UMCES celebrates its centennial year, a 1925 Chesapeake Bay Report Card was created to reflect back on Chesapeake science and look forward to the future of a healthier and more vibrant Bay and Watershed.
Visit the UMCES Chesapeake Bay Report Card webpage for more information.
Statements On Report Card
"The EPA is dedicated to fostering collaboration among federal, state, and local partners to continue the lasting progress made on the health and economic revival of the Chesapeake Bay, which contributes close to $3 billion to local economies every year," said EPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Administrator Amy Van Blarcom-Lackey. "As we celebrate moving the needle towards a cleaner, healthier estuary, we must work to ensure the Bay's long-term viability and prosperity for future generations."
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation President and CEO Hilary Harp Falk issued the following statement on the report card--
“The health of the Chesapeake Bay isn’t just an environmental issue. It’s a quality-of-life issue for nearly 19 million people. This report card reflects the progress we’ve made, and the serious challenges that remain. This is the moment to push forward—not pull back.
“The Bay has long inspired bipartisan leadership. Congress must stand up to reckless rollbacks and fully fund the coordinated efforts across federal agencies to clean up the Bay. At the same time, state leaders must rise to the moment by recommitting to clean water goals with bold and urgent action.
“For more than 40 years, science and partnership have been fundamental to Bay restoration success. But the system remains out of balance and the federal/state Chesapeake Bay partnership is under threat. The choices we make today will determine whether our communities and economies thrive tomorrow.
“The extreme weather of 2024 is not an anomaly—it’s a warning. Climate change is accelerating, and with it comes more flooding, pollution, and ecological stress. The Trump administration’s proposed budget cuts threaten the world-class science and partnership at the heart of the effort.
“Science has always been the backbone of Chesapeake Bay restoration. The latest report card highlights not only improvements, but also where the Bay is struggling. New research, including the Comprehensive Evaluation of Systems Response (CESR), show us that targeting efforts where they’re most needed will make Bay cleanup more effective and efficient.
“There is tremendous value in our academic and scientific communities, which is why CBF is proud to be deepening our partnership with UMCES. We must support our scientists.”
Visit DEP’s Chesapeake Bay Watershed webpage to learn more about cleaning up rivers and streams in Pennsylvania's portion of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Click Here to sign up for regular updates on Pennsylvania’s progress.
How Clean Is Your Stream?
The draft 2024 report has an interactive report viewer that allows you to zoom in to your own address to see if the streams near you are impaired and why.
Click Here to check out your streams. Click Here for a tutorial on using the viewer.
[Posted: June 10, 2025] PA Environment Digest
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