Estuaries and Chesapeake Bay

What are estuaries?

• Bodies of water where rivers meet a large lake or the ocean

• Areas where freshwater mixes with saltwater

• Habitats for diverse wildlife and fish species

• All of the above

Which of the following is NOT an example of an estuary?

• Bays

• Lagoons

• Rivers

• Sounds

What functions do estuaries perform?

• Providing habitat for organisms

• Filtering out pollution and sediments

• Supporting a variety of life

• All of the above

What is the largest estuary in the United States?

• Chesapeake Bay

• Delaware Bay

• San Francisco Bay

• Puget Sound

What is the biggest problem facing the Chesapeake Bay?

• Trash and sediment from upriver

• Chemical contamination

• Excess nutrients and sediment

• Dredging and filling wetlands

What percentage of the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries are impaired?

• 50%

• 70%

• 90%

• 100%

How can the conditions of the Chesapeake Bay be improved?

• Better management of activities on the land

• Increasing coastal development

• Removing limits on fishing

• Introducing more invasive species