Chesapeake 2000 Agreement - Chesapeake Bay Program

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Chesapeake 2000 logo In June 2000, Chesapeake Bay Program partners adopted the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, a strategic plan to achieve a vision for the future of the Chesapeake Bay. A vision that includes abundant, diverse populations of living resources, fed by healthy streams and rivers, sustaining strong local and regional economies, and our unique quality of life.

Chesapeake 2000 is one of the most aggressive and comprehensive watershed restoration plans ever developed. The agreement is the result of a comprehensive three-year stakeholder-driven process involving more than 300 scientists, resource managers, policymakers and citizens from all parts of the Bay watershed.

To restore an ecosystem as complex as the Chesapeake Bay requires work on many fronts. The agreement details nearly one hundred commitments important to Bay restoration, organized into five strategic focus areas.

	Protecting and Restoring Living Resources - Chesapeake 2000 aims to restore, enhance and protect the finfish, shellfish and other living resources, their habitats and ecological relationships to sustain all fisheries and provide for a balanced ecosystem.
	Protecting and Restoring Vital Habitats - The Bay Program aims to preserve, protect and restore those habitats and natural areas that are vital to the survival and diversity of the living resources of the Bay and its rivers.
	Improving Water Quality - Improving water quality in the Bay and its rivers is the most critical element in ensuring the future health of Chesapeake Bay.
	Managing Lands Soundly - Because pollutants on land are easily washed into streams and rivers, our actions on land ultimately affect the Bay.
	Engaging Individuals and Local Communities - To contribute to Bay restoration, we have to first be concerned about resource stewardship in our own communities, homes and backyards.

Bay Restoration by the numbers…

Under the guidance of the Chesapeake 2000 agreement, Bay Program partners have continued to improve the health of the Bay and its watershed through on-the-ground restoration programs. Here are a few examples of pollution-fighting measures put in place since 2000.

Miles of streamside buffers planted: 3,335 through 2004
Miles reopened to migratory fish: 606 miles
Additional wastewater flow treated with advanced nutrient removal technology: 158 million gallons per day
Shad stocked in the Bay and tributaries: 153 million
Acres of land preserved: 527,000 acres*
Acres of restored, enhanced and created wetlands: 11,000 acres
Water trails opened: 1,669 miles (2000-2004)
Brownfield sites redeveloped: 414
New boat waste pumpout facilities installed: 57
Public access sites opened or enhanced: 50

* Note: Recent methodology revisions have been made to preserved land data. This is the best estimate available of progress since 2000.

Additional Information:

Keystone Commitments: Chesapeake Bay Program: Keystone Commitments to Restore the Bay (105 kb)
Chesapeake 2000: A Watershed Partnership
- Chesapeake 2000: A Watershed Partnership Agreement (also in .pdf format - 95kb)
Chesapeake 2000 Background Materials
- Directive 98-2, Chesapeake 2000 ( 14 kb)
Prior Chesapeake Bay Agreements:
- 1983 Chesapeake Bay Agreement - (14 kb)
- 1987 Chesapeake Bay Agreement - (32 kb)

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For more information, contact the Chesapeake Bay Program Office:
410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109, Annapolis, MD 21403 / Tel: (800) YOUR-BAY / Fax: (410) 267-5777.