To the left is a satellite image of the Chesapeake Bay area. The black line superimposed on the satellite image marks the boundary of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The grey image on the right shows the details of Chesapeake Bay.
Click on image for full size
Courtesy of USGS (United States Geological Survey

Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay is very special place. It is the largest estuary in the United States.

Water from parts of 6 different states flows into Chesapeake Bay. Parts of New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and all of the District of Columbia have rivers and streams that empty out into Chesapeake Bay. Do you live near the Bay?

If you live near Chesapeake Bay, you know that there are tons of plants and animals that live in and around the Bay! In fact, the Bay watershed is home to more than 3,600 species of plants and animals!

Humans have to be careful to protect the life in the Chesapeake Bay area. To protect the life in the area, some people are planting new plants around the Bay and others are picking up trash around the Bay. Other people are measuring the Bay's water to make sure it is safe for fish and plants. The HIGH TIDE program helps high schools students to make measurements of the water in the Bay.

Last modified October 17, 2001 by Jennifer Bergman.

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