Nutrient Load Reduction: Challenges Facing the Chesapeake 2000 Agreement

Date of Award

8-7-2005

Document Type

Undergraduate Capstone Project

Degree Name

Master of Applied Science

Organizational Unit

University College, Environmental Policy and Management

Disciplines

Environmental Policy And Management

First Advisor

John Hill

Keywords

Blue Crab, 2000, Chesapeake Bay, Evaluation, Estuarine pollution, Prevention, Eutrophication, Non-point pollution, Nutrient reduction, Pollution prevention

Abstract

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States supporting a complex ecosystem that sustains many habitats and the organisms that depend on them. The bay also supports economic, recreational, and cultural activities to over 16 million people residing in the watershed. Changes within the watershed have caused excessive levels of nutrients, mainly nitrogen and phosphorous, to pollute the bay. The Chesapeake Bay Program, guided by a complex agreement, was created to address these and other issues and oversee the restoration of the bay. The most recent version of this agreement, the Chesapeake 2000, declares its continued commitment to restore the bay with over 100 goals to be met by the year 2010. Reports show that although intensive efforts have been made to promote nutrient reduction, very little reduction has actually resulted. This project described these efforts. The final results reveal obstacles affecting progress, shortcomings to current approaches and possible solutions for future implementation.

Publication Statement

Copyright is held by the author. Permanently suppressed.

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