Rappahannock Tributary Summary

A summary of short and long-term trends in tidal water quality and associated factors.

Photo Credits: Justin Critzer / CC 2.0

Tributary Summaries

The  Integrated Trends Analysis Team  produces tributary summaries for the Chesapeake Bay’s twelve major tributaries using tidal monitoring data. This data is collected from more than 130 monitoring stations throughout the mainstem and tidal portions of the Bay. These summaries use water quality sample data to summarize:

  1. Investigate how tidal water quality (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a, Secchi depth) has changed over time.
  2. Identify which factors may influence water quality changes over time.
  3. Determine how those factors influence water quality.

Water Quality Status

01 / 06
Dissolved oxygen (mg per liter) concentrations required by different species and communities. Ranges from 6 to 0, depending on the species/community. For example, striped bass require 5-6 mg per liter whereas worms can survive in 1mg per liter of dissolved oxygen.
A figure showing the geographic characteristics of the five designated uses in the Chesapeake Bay: Deep-Channel Seasonal Refuge Use, Open-Water Aquatic Life Use, Shallow-Water Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Use, Migratory Spawning and Nursery Use, and Deep-Water Seasonal Aquatic Life Use. Oblique and horizontal cross-sectional views are presented.

Long-Term Water Quality Parameters (1985-2021)

All short and long-term trends are adjusted for flow to explain some variation in the water quality parameters and to better measure the results of management actions by separating out seasonality and precipitation.

01 / 06

Short-Term Water Quality Parameters (2012-2021)

01 / 06

Factors Affecting Trends

01 / 05

Climate Change

The need for effective BMPs has become even more important as the effects of pollution are being amplified by climate change. As a result of the changing climate, the Chesapeake Bay watershed is experiencing an increase in precipitation, temperatures, and climatic variability, which shapes Chesapeake Bay tributary recovery trends. Climate impacts are exacerbated by local non-climate stressors (e.g., land-subsidence, land use change, growth and development). Efforts aimed to increase understanding of climate change impacts on water quality patterns can help explain lagging progress in meeting water quality standards and transform monitoring findings into actionable information.

Bay 101: Climate Change

For the Community

Beyond this study, many other conservation and watershed organizations are working towards a healthier Chesapeake Bay. One organization active in the Rappahannock watershed is Friends of the Rappahannock.

Friends of Rappahannock is a non-profit, grass-roots conservation organization that is committed to being the voice and active force of a healthy and scenic Rappahannock River.

They educate on the safety of fish consumption, have programs on river stewardship, and host recreational, community-oriented, and educational events. Their vision includes a community where citizens partake in personal stewardship over river resources and local governments manage land use and runoff to protect and enhance riparian habitats, downstream waters, scenic viewsheds, and historical resources.

Click the link below to their website where you will also find a river cam and 2023 annual report.

Citation

Tauqir, A., Gunnerson, A., Sullivan, B., Gootman, K. 2023. Rappahannock Tributary Summary Storymap. Chesapeake Bay Program, Annapolis MD.

For a detailed list of references please refer to the Rappahannock Tributary Summary. The summary and appendices are available by  Clicking Here,  titled Rappahannock Summary, Appendices.