2017 Bohemia River Water Quality Report Card
| 2017 Bohemia River Water Quality Report Card |
Friends of the Bohemia measured tidal water quality of the Bohemia River by boat once a month between June and October of 2016. The water quality report card is a summary of the results. The map below shows the results as grades (think school report card!) at each of our six sampling sites. We measured dissolved oxygen, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus), chlorophyll, water clarity, and submerged aquatic vegetation.
Overall we scored a B (67%), while the Bay as a whole scored a C-. Although it is encouraging that our water quality scored higher than the Bay as a whole, we cannot point to other places in the Bay as the source of our problems. Across the board, the water quality parameters we measured were worse at our upstream sites than at the mouth of our river.
Compared to last year our overall score was the same, a B. Our percentage score increased from 61% to 67%. When broken down into individual parameters we saw a lot of improvement. Our scores for dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, nitrogen, and water clarity all improved. Phosphorous was the only score that decreased. This trend of increasing scores in most areas and declining scores for phosphates was also seen in the Sassafras River. It did not appear to be specific to any of our sites, and was likely a region-wide trend.
When looking at individual parameters our best scores were nitrogen and dissolved oxygen; both scored A’s. Our worst scores, like last year, were water clarity and aquatic plant coverage. These are closely tied as cloudy water leads to fewer aquatic plants. Our phosphorous score was also low. Phosphorous mostly enters rivers through fertilizer. In the Bohemia watershed our soils have an excess of phosphorus and lack nitrogen, but many fertilizers contain both. Testing soil and using fertilizer designed for your specific soil type and only when necessary on your lawn or farm, can help.
Our scores this year are good compared to other parts of the Chesapeake Bay, but future results depend on all of us and the actions we take today.
Overall we scored a B (67%), while the Bay as a whole scored a C-. Although it is encouraging that our water quality scored higher than the Bay as a whole, we cannot point to other places in the Bay as the source of our problems. Across the board, the water quality parameters we measured were worse at our upstream sites than at the mouth of our river.
Compared to last year our overall score was the same, a B. Our percentage score increased from 61% to 67%. When broken down into individual parameters we saw a lot of improvement. Our scores for dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, nitrogen, and water clarity all improved. Phosphorous was the only score that decreased. This trend of increasing scores in most areas and declining scores for phosphates was also seen in the Sassafras River. It did not appear to be specific to any of our sites, and was likely a region-wide trend.
When looking at individual parameters our best scores were nitrogen and dissolved oxygen; both scored A’s. Our worst scores, like last year, were water clarity and aquatic plant coverage. These are closely tied as cloudy water leads to fewer aquatic plants. Our phosphorous score was also low. Phosphorous mostly enters rivers through fertilizer. In the Bohemia watershed our soils have an excess of phosphorus and lack nitrogen, but many fertilizers contain both. Testing soil and using fertilizer designed for your specific soil type and only when necessary on your lawn or farm, can help.
Our scores this year are good compared to other parts of the Chesapeake Bay, but future results depend on all of us and the actions we take today.
| 2016 Bohemia River Water Quality Report Card |
