CHESAPEAKE BAY (WAVY) — The Chesapeake Bay Foundation said overall gains in underwater grasses in the Chesapeake Bay mask troubling declines in several of its rivers, including parts of the James River.
Underwater grasses across the Chesapeake Bay reached their highest point since 2018, according to 2025 survey results released recently by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Maryland Department of Natural Resources. The foundation notes that underwater grasses are strong indicators of the Bay’s overall health.
The survey catalogued 89,385 acres of underwater grasses, an increase of more than 6,000 acres compared to 2024 results, which approaches the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s 2030 interim goal of 90,000 acres, though the foundation notes much work remains to meet the long-term goal of 196,600 acres of underwater grasses by 2040…