(Credit; AP Photo/Kathleen Lange)
BALTIMORE (AP) – The Chesapeake Bay Program says it will release new data on underwater grasses.
Bay grasses are an important indicator of bay health. Submerged grasses provide food and habitat for a number of species, add oxygen to the water and improve water clarity.
The program says it plans to release geographic data on grasses in the bay and the region’s rivers on Thursday. The program says it also will host a teleconference to discuss areas that had significant decreases and explain possible reasons for the losses.
The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership that has directed bay restoration efforts since 1983. Program partners include the states of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
