Water Sector News
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Chesapeake falls to a D-plus in Bay Foundation’s annual report card
Jan 11, 2019
https://www.bayjournal.com/blog/post/chesapeake_falls_to_a_d_plus_in_bay_foundations_annual_report_card
The Chesapeake Bay Foundation downgraded the health of the nation’s largest estuary Monday from a C-minus to a D-plus, blaming the dip in its latest report card on increased pollution from extraordinary amounts of rainfall in 2018.
![Record amounts of rainfall in 2018 increased the amount of pollution washing into the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. (Dave Harp)](https://www.bayjournal.com/images/article_images/large/DWH1712061016_Cvr.jpg)
Record amounts of rainfall in 2018 increased the amount of pollution washing into the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers. (Dave Harp)
“The Bay suffered a massive assault in 2018,” said CBF President Will Baker. Chronically wet weather throughout the six-state watershed washed more water-fouling nutrients into the Bay, reversing what had been several years of sustained gains in reducing pollution.
Only two years ago, the Annapolis-based environmental group had bumped the Bay’s health grade up to C-minus, declaring the estuary to be in the best shape since it began issuing periodic report cards in 1998.