W&M ScholarWorks Reports 6-1-1975 The Chesapeake Bay: A Study of Present and Future Water Quality and Its Ecological Effects Volume II: Analysis and Projection of Ecological Conditions Morris H. Roberts Jr. Virginia Institute of Marine Science Donald F. Boesch Virginia Institute of Marine Science Michael E. Bender Virginia Institute of Marine Science Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wm.edu/reports Part of the Marine Biology Commons Recommended Citation Roberts, M. H., Boesch, D. F., & Bender, M. E. (1975) The Chesapeake Bay: A Study of Present and Future Water Quality and Its Ecological Effects Volume II: Analysis and Projection of Ecological Conditions. Special Reports in Applied Marine Science and Ocean Engineering (SRAMSOE) No. 91. Virginia Institute of Marine Science, William & Mary. https://doi.org/10.21220/V5RR0S This Report is brought to you for free and open access by W&M ScholarWorks. 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Hargis, Jr. M :{/ Director ,,::f/ / i;;j\)'_,, / .. ,,, June 1975 ·------------------+--------+*,3 0 L========76=·====:--:===-=-7-5========-::-:--:=7=4·==============73:::;:•=============::.I THE CHESAPEAKE BAY: A STUDY OF PRESENT AND FUTURE WATER QUALITY AND ITS ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS Volume II: Analysis and Projection of Ecological Conditions by Morris H. Roberts, Jr. Donald F. Boesch and Michael E. Bender Special Report No. 91 in Applied Marine Science and Ocean Engineering Virginia Institute of Marine Science Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062 William J. Hargis, Jr. Director June 1975 Final Report to National Corrnnission on Water Quality Table of Contents Page List of Figures. • • • • . • • . • • • . • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • iv List of Tables. • • . • . • . • • • • • • • . • . • . • . • • . • • • • . vi Chapter XI. Biological, Ecological and Environmental Characteristics of the Chesapeake Bay... 1 A. Introduction. • . • . • • • 1 B. Ecological Segmentation of the Bay.. 17 C. Biological Characteristics.......... 18 1. Producers. • • . • • • . • • • . • . 18 2. Zooplankton. • . • . • • . • 35 3. Benthos. • . • . • . 43 4. Finfishes and Fisheries Products........................ 60 5. Fecal Pathogens................. 78 6. Wetlands. • • . • . • 86 7. Wildlife. 97 D. Perturbations....................... 125 1. Natural.......... • . • . • • . • . 125 2. Man-induced Perturbations....... 128 E. Undisturbed Setting................. 135 F. Absence of the Act.................. 139 Literature Cited. • . 143 Chapter XII. Description of Recreational and Aes- thetic Characteristics................. 156 A. Preva!l!ng ~onditions: Capacity and L1.m1. ta t1.ons. 156 1. Bo~ti~g........................ 158 2. S!1.1DI!11.n~. 159 3. P1.cn1.ck1.ng..................... 160 4. Camping........................ 160 5. Hunting. • . • . • • • • • • • . • . • . 160 6. Fishing........................ 161 B. Factors other than Water Quality Aff~c~i~g Availability of Fac1l1t1es......................... 163 C. Recreational and Aesthetic Disamenities related to Water Qua 1 i t y • • • • • • • • • • . • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 164 1. Feca 1 Pathogens. • • • . • • . • . 164 2. Algal and Macrophytic Scums.... 165 3. Floating Debris................ 166 4. Odor, Taste and Color. • • . • . • . 16 7 ii Page Chapter XII (Cont'd.) C. Recreational and Aesthetic Disamenities related to Water Quality (cont'd.) 5. Turbidity..................... 168 6. Aquatic Biota................. 168 7. Waterfowl and Wildlife........ 169 8. Surfactants and Foaming Materials. • . • • . • • . • . • • . • 169 Literature Cited.............. 170 Chapter XIII. Environmental Impact Assessment and Projections........................... 171 A. Ecosystem Changes Resulting from Effluent Control.................. 171 1. Introduction. • . • . • . 171 2. Primary Producers............. 173 3. Primary Consumers............. 180 4. Secondary Consumers........... 181 5. Effects on the Stinging Nettle........................ 183 6. Effects on Aquatic Birds...... 183 7. Fecal Pathogens............... 184 8. Recreational and Aesthetic Support Characteristics....... 192 B. Ecosystem Impacts Resulting from Residual Disposal................. 195 A. Air........................... 195 B. Land. • . • . 196 Literature Cited.............. 199 iii List of Figures Page Figure XI-1 Monthly variation of temperature at a station in the mid-Bay ..•........••.••.•.•.. 3 XI-2 Average! surface salinity distribution in Chesape!ake Bay during the spring months ..... 5 XI-3 Averagei surface salinity distribution in the Cheisapeake Bay during the fall months ... 6 XI-4 Longitudinal salinity distribution along axis of Chesapeake Bay during a period of high ri.ver inflow (upper panel) and low river i.nflow (lower panel) ................. 7 XI-5 Longitudinal distributions of dissolved oxygen along axis of Chesapeake Bay ...••.... 9 XI-6 Longitudinal distributions of dissolved oxygen along axis of Chesapeake Bay ......••. 10 XI-7 Surface nitrate concentrations (N03 + N02) in uppE?r Chesapeake Bay during spring and early surnrner .•.........................•...• 13 XI-8 Surface? nitrate concentrations (N03 + NOz) in uppe~r Chesapeake Bay during summer and early f:all .•....•........................... 14 XI-9 Generalized sediment distribution in the Chesape~ake Bay. • . • . 15 XI-10 The ecological zones of the Chesapeake Bay according to the Venice System ..•...••.•..•. 20 XI-11 Distribution of rooted aquatic plants in the Chesapeake Bay .••.•...•..............•..••.. 33 XI-12 Average? settled volume and total dry weight of zooplankton per cubic meter for poly­ haline Chesapeake Bay .•.............•..•.... 40 XI-13 Biomass and production of population of the dominant zooplankter Acartia tonsa in the Patuxent River estuary .............•..•..... 41 iv List of Figures (Cont'd.) Figure Page XI-14 Location of 35 studies of macrobenthos conducted in the Chesapeake Bay System •.•.•. 44 XI-15 Range of "typical" values of the diversity index H' for macrobenthos in the Chesapeake Bay s y :s t em . • . 54 XI-16 Location of major dredged channels and dredge spoil disposal sites in Chesapeake Bay. • . • . 5 9 XI-17 Location of public oyster grounds in Maryland and Virginia with the location of condemned areas superimposed ....•......•. 74 XI-18 Graphical presentation of migratory periods, egg production periods, and periods when young occupy nests for water-oriented birds found in Chesapeake Bay ..•.................. 106 XI-19 Locations of major known bird rookeries in the Chesapeake Bay ......................... 113 XI-20 Population changes in 11 duck species based on U.Sff breeding census data ...•............ 120 XI-21 Population changes for waterfowl in the Atlantic flyway states based on mid-winter cenSUSE?S • ..•••..•.••....••...•.•..•••••••••• 122 XIII-1 Projected recoverability of condemned shell­ fish growing areas in the upper Chesapeake Bay under BPT/BAT standards ................ 187 XIII-2 Projected recoverability of condemned shell­ fish growing areas in the lower Chesapeake Bay under BPT/BAT standards ............•.... 188 V List of Tables Table Page XI-1 The Venice System for classification of brackish waters and the approximately corresponding reach numbers of Chesapeake Bay's mathematical model used in this study .. ,.................................•... 19 XI-2 Dominant diatoms in lower Chesapeake Bay by seascJn . .•••.••....••..••••.••....•••••••• 21 XI-3 Dominant phytoplankters in total phyto- plankton samples, by season ................ 22 XI-4 Mean annual surface chlorophyll a (ug/1) for 7 sec tors of the lower Bay ...... ~ .......... 26 XI-5 Dominant zooplankters characteristic of estuarine zones during winter-spring and summer - jc a 11 . 37 XI-6 Studies of macrobenthos in the Chesapeake Bay sys tern. 45 XI-7 Zonation of dominant macrobenthos in the polyhaline zone............................. 50 XI-8 Dominant macrobenthos of the mesohaline zone......................................... 51 XI-9 Dominant macrobenthos of the oligohaline zone . .. .,.. 52 XI-10 Dominant macrobenthos in tidal fresh waters....................................... 53 XI-11 Landings for major fisheries products in 1971 for Chesapeake Bay waters with the ranking for the top 15 species in parentheses ....••. 62 XI-12