ANNAPOLIS, Md. - The Chesapeake Bay received a C+ grade on its latest report card, marking the highest overall health score recorded in 40 years.
The annual report card, published by the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES), assessed conditions from the 2025 calendar year. The broader Chesapeake Bay Watershed also earned a C+ grade (56%) for moderate socio-environmental health supported by strong performance in the ecology category, which earned a B grade.
Out of 23 reporting regions in the watershed, 22 scored in the C range and only one achieved a B- grade. The Upper James region posted the highest score with a B-, while the Choptank region recorded the lowest with a C-. Among the three overall categories evaluated, ecological health performed highest with a B, whereas economic indicators lagged lowest at a C.
For the first time this year, researchers calculated long-term water quality trends across the entire watershed, revealing a significant positive trajectory overall.
Read the full report card online.
The Source: Information in this article comes from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.