USGS Sealevel Rise Study
Much of the coast from Maine to Virginia is more likely to change than to simply drown in response to rising seas during the next 70 years or so, according to a new study led by the U.S. Geological Survey. … Continued
USGS Estuary Sediment Research
Two recent USGS investigations have measured sedimentation rates along the barely perceptible slope of rivers as they empty into estuaries. The findings could have important implications for the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay and other estuaries. The studies compared the … Continued
Salt Marsh Erosion Research
Waves from moderate storms, rather than violent events such as hurricanes, inflict the most loss on coastal wetlands, according to a study by Boston University and the United States Geological Survey. The biggest cause of salt marsh erosion is waves … Continued
2015 Chesapeake Bay Dead Zone Forecast
Scientists are expecting that this year’s Chesapeake Bay hypoxic low-oxygen zone, also called the “dead zone,” will be approximately 1.37 cubic miles – about the volume of 2.3 million Olympic-size swimming pools. While still large, this is 10 percent lower … Continued
Conowingo Dam Nears Maximum Sediment Storage Capacity
The Conowingo Dam on the Susquehanna River is at about 92 percent capacity for sediment storage according to new U.S. Geological Survey research. Since the dam’s construction in 1929, sediment and nutrients have been building up behind it, being … Continued