Ecological Effects of Climate

Change on the Chesapeake Bay

Beth McGeeDirector of Science &

Agricultural Policy

Blue Planet Forum

April 25, 2017

Climate Change and

the Bay

Increased frequency and

intensity of storms

More flooding

Increased loads of

pollutants

Climate change

…and may also increase droughts

From USGS VA Water Science Center

Rising temperatures

1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 201013

13.5

14

14.5

15

15.5

16

16.5

17

17.5

18

year

Tem

pera

ture

(

C)

VIMS pier

CBL pier

Mean annual water temperature at the Chesapeake Biological Laboratory

(mid-bay) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (lower-bay)

Species that are already stressed by high summer

temperatures may be greatly reduced or eliminated.

Dense eelgrass beds – June 2005 Bare, unvegetated sand – December 2005

Species’ shifts

Warm water holds

less oxygen

Sea level rise

Coastal flooding, disappearing islands and

marsh

1989

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

1938 1957

Climate Change and

the Bay

Sea Level Rise Over

Last 30-40 yrs

GSLR ~1.75 mm/yr or 0.6 ft/century

more than 3x the global average

https://coast.noaa.gov/slr/

Sea Level Rise in the

Future

Multiple benefits of

pollution reduction efforts

On a more optimistic note...Implementing the practices in VA’s Bay clean up plan

will reduce GHG emissions and increase resiliency

Multiple benefits

• Filter pollutants

• Reduce GHG

• Reduce flooding

• Reduces “heat island”

effect

Green Infrastructure

The End

Chesapeake Clean Water and Ecosystem

Restoration Act (HR 3852/S 1816)

• Adopts the Bay TMDL and requirements for watershed implementation plans

• Establishes consequences for failing to develop adequate plans or implement them

• Creates a federal minimum standard for controlling stormwater runoff

• Authorizes over $ 2 billion to help meet the pollution reduction goals

• Creates a watershed-wide nutrient trading program

THANK YOU!