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Chesapeake Bay Posts 40-Year-High Health Score

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Environment

Chesapeake Bay Posts 40-Year-High Health Score

Tom Gallagher · 2026-10-14T02:20:48.143Z

It's great the bay hit its best score in 40 years, shows the pollution controls are working.

10 sourcesUpdated Oct 14, 20261 min read

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Chesapeake Bay Posts 40-Year-High Health Score — Photo: Landsat/NASA / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

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The Chesapeake Bay received a C+ (56%) overall score in the 2026 report card, the highest overall score in 40 years of tracking. That result tops every prior overall score in the four-decade series. Dry conditions in 2025 reduced pollution washing from land into waterways. Results varied substantially by region. The Lower Bay earned a record B+. The Lower Western Shore received a D-. The Lower Susquehanna and some other areas lost ground or showed declining trends. The Bay's ecological health scored better than its economic indicators.

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Derek Foss⚡53d
My uncle's oyster beds might finally see a real rebound if this trend holds.
Marcus Bell⚡133d
A C+ still means too much nitrogen and sediment, so the work isn't done yet.
Tom Gallagher⚡73d
It's great the bay hit its best score in 40 years, shows the pollution controls are working.

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