Sprawl development. © Nikki Davis
What Happens on the Land Matters to the Bay
A profound relationship exists between the water of the Chesapeake Bay and the 64,000 square miles of land comprising the Bay's watershed. Approximately 100,000 rivers and streams run into the Bay. This tributary system directly connects farms, forests, and developed communities in six states and the District of Columbia with the Chesapeake.
Before European settlers began to arrive some 400 years ago, these lands were largely forested with scattered American Indian settlements. Untouched lands absorbed and filtered rainwater as it ran across the land to the Bay. Today, with about 17 million residents in the watershed (a number that grows by about 120,000–150,000 each year), there are significantly greater stresses and less filtering capacity in the ecosystem we call home.
The Chesapeake Bay's land-to-water ratio is 15:1—larger than any other coastal estuary in the world. When the land suffers from pollution and poor management the Bay's water quality also worsens.
The Bay cannot be saved unless we take better care of the land within its watershed.
CBF firmly believes it is possible to restore the Bay. The continuing loss of natural filters and vital ecosystems makes restoration of the Bay, and the achievement of the goals of the Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint, much more difficult to achieve. Smart, sustainable land use is an essential part of the Bay's recovery.