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Data

The USGS collects multiple types of data in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Data Catalog contains a list and links of all the types of Chesapeake information from USGS. Some of the most relevant data related to streams and rivers is highlighted in the “tracking status and trends indicators of stream health”. Land cover, use, and change data are also highlighted.

Filter Total Items: 118

Aggregated Data Records Describing USDA Conservation Practices Implemented Within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

This data release contains aggregated data records documenting the implementation of USDA conservation practices on farms within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The data are supplied as annual totals aggregated by county, and by eight digit hydrologic unit code (HUC-8) watershed. The initial data release covers 2007-2017, and updates are planned for December of each year. The data provided here, an

Inputs and Selected Predictions of the CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW Models for the Chesapeake Bay Watershed

The CBTN_v5 and CBTP_v5 SPARROW models were developed to support inferences about causes of observed changes in nitrogen and phosphorus (respectively) fluxes in Chesapeake Bay tributaries between 1992 and 2012. Model inputs and outputs are included in three files, which are described below. Detailed documentation of the SPARROW modeling technique is available at https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publicatio

Estimated effect of best management practice implementation in the Chesapeake Bay watershed from 1985 to 2014

This metadata record documents 3 sets of comma delimited tables representing the amount of reported best management practice (BMP) implementation within the Chesapeake Bay watershed as well as output data from scenarios of the Chesapeake Bay Program Phase 5.3.2 Watershed Model. The scenario data were used to estimate the effects of BMPs on water quality. The data are organized by three themes (chi

Implementation of conservation tillage and cover crops in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, 1985 to 2012

Conservation tillage practices and cover crops are used throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed to reduce soil loss and improve water quality. Implementation of these Best Management Practices (BMPs) were reported to the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) by each state in the watershed (New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and Virginia). Estimates of acres of implementation per CBP

Land Use Land Cover, 1998 - 2013, Clarksburg (Montgomery County, MD)

This dataset contains digitized land use/land cover (LULC) polygons for years between 1998 and 2013 for six watersheds within and near the Clarksburg Special Protection Area located in Montgomery County, Maryland, USA. Each polygon is representative of the LULC for a specific year within 500-foot buffered watersheds. Watershed boundaries for Cabin Branch (CB), Crystal Rock (CR), Soper Branch (SB),

Datasets and metadata for estimates of nitrate loads and yields from groundwater to streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed based on land use and geology

This USGS data release contains datasets, metadata, and figures associated with estimating nitrate loads and yields from groundwater to streams in the Chesapeake Bay watershed based on land use and geology. There are three shapefiles with associated metadata and figures representing the shapefiles: Catchments_GWcontribN.shp: NHDPlus catchment estimates of groundwater contribution of nitra

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads and trends measured at the Chesapeake Bay River Input Monitoring stations: Water years 1985-2017

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads, and changes in loads, in major rivers across the Chesapeake Bay watershed have been calculated using monitoring data from the Chesapeake Bay River Input Monitoring (RIM) stations for the period 1985 through 2017. Nutrient and suspended-sediment loads and changes in loads were determined by applying a weighted regression approach called WRTDS (Wei

Difficult Run Floodplain Sediment and Nutrient Retention Ecosystem Service Datasets, Fairfax County, Virginia

Datasets used to quantify and value the ecosystem service of sediment and nutrient retention for floodplains within the Difficult Run watershed located in Fairfax County, Virginia. Geospatial datasets include a digital elevation model (DEM), a hydrologically conditioned DEM, output from the USGS Stream Channel and Floodplain Metric Toolbox, and field data sets used to develop regression models to

Effects of local shoreline and subestuary watershed condition on waterbird use: influences of geography, scale, and season in the Chesapeake Bay

In many coastal regions throughout the world, there is increasing pressure to harden shorelines to protect human infrastructures against sea-level rise, storm surge and erosion. This study examines waterbird community integrity in relation to shoreline hardening and land use characteristics at three geographic scales: (1) the subestuary scale characterized by seven shoreline types: bulkhead, ripr

Estrogen Equivalents of Surface Water in the Upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed (2008 - 2011)

Intersex in small- and largemouth bass has been observed in the upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed since 2003. This observation is indicative of exposure to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals. In order to complement biological data sets and better identify the spatial and temporal nature of this end-point, discrete grab water samples were collected throughout the upper Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended-sediment loads and trends measured at the Chesapeake Bay Nontidal Network stations: Water years 1985-2016

Degassing thermal features at Yellowstone National Park include spectacular geysers, roiling hot springs, bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, frying pans, and areas of passive degassing characterized by steaming ground. Most of these features are readily identified by visible clouds of steam that are occasionally accompanied by a strong rotten egg odor from emissions of hydrogen sulfide gas. Gas composi

Potential contaminant sources and other landscape variables summarized for NHDPlus Version 2.1 catchments within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed (ver. 2.0, June 2021)

This dataset consists of 262 variables which describe various known and suspected point and non-point sources of contaminants and endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Contaminant data was summarized to the NHDPlus Version 2.1 catchment level (1:100K). Contaminant data summarized span a time range of 2001 to 2016 and include regulated facilities, pesticides