ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science released its 19th annual Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card Tuesday, and 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%).
The overall Bay score had a five-point decrease from last year and there were decreases in almost all indicator scores, the center said. One possible cause 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, it said.
Noting 2025 marks a critical deadline for Chesapeake Bay restoration goals, the center said this year’s report card provides essential data and trends analysis to assess progress and inform leaders and policymakers as they chart the strategy for the next phase of restoration and conservation goal setting.
“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 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, the organization said. Six regions are trending upwards: the Elizabeth, James, Patapsco and Back Rivers, Upper Western Shore, Upper Bay and Lower Bay. It added 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, it said, adding 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 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, UMCES said. 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 Heath Kelsey, Director of UMCES Integration and Application Network. “We think extreme weather may have had some impact on the scores this year.”
For more information about the 2025 Chesapeake Bay and Watershed Report Card including region-specific data, visit chesapeakebayreportcard.org.
