NOAA’s National Status and Trends (NS&T) Mussel Watch Program conducted regional pilot studies to assess the magnitude and distribution of contaminants of emerging concern (CEC) in shellfish and sediment from different coastal zones. In 2015, oyster and surficial sediment samples ...

In 1999, the Chesapeake Bay Program completed a survey of existing data on chemical contaminants and the potential for bioeffects in 38 tidal river systems of Chesapeake Bay. This review led to the identification of 20 areas for which there ...

In the Tred Avon River, an important tributary of the Choptank River, we assessed the impacts of land use on the health of the aquatic ecosystem in a 3-year field study (2015-2017). In our analysis of information collected during the ...

This assessment explored linkages between land use and aquatic ecosystem health. Three watersheds (Corsica, Magothy, and Rhode rivers) with variable dominant land-use patterns (agriculture, suburban/residential, and mixed-use, respectively) were examined. The health of each habitat was assessed using a suite ...

In coastal and estuarine regions, land use can have a profound impact on aquatic ecosystem health. In the Chesapeake Bay watershed, agriculture and urbanization have transformed major portions of the landscape, though some areas of undeveloped land remain. This document ...

The purpose of this manual is to provide a framework for the assessment of ecosystem health that may be adapted, or used in whole or part for application to other regions. Methods are provided for all aspects from sampling design ...