The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles, encompassing parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia.
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Is all of Maryland in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
The Chesapeake Bay watershed spans more than 64,000 square miles, encompassing parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia.

How many watersheds are in Maryland?
The delineation breaks the state up into 138 watersheds whose boundaries generally represent drainage divides between 3rd order rivers or streams. These watersheds are identified via an 8-digit numeric code.
What is the main watershed in Maryland?
Chesapeake Bay watershed
The Chesapeake Bay watershed (drainage basin) extends about five hundred miles south from the headwaters of Otsego Lake, near Cooperstown, New York to the Atlantic Ocean and Suffolk, Virginia. It extends east from mountain streams near Blacksburg, Virginia to Berlin, Maryland (near Ocean City).
Why is the Chesapeake Bay important to Maryland?

The Chesapeake Bay’s ecosystem impacts the quality of the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat. It’s wetlands protect communities from extreme weather such as erosion, flood waters and storm surges. And the trees that sprawl from the Bay shores and forests cool our communities.
How much of Maryland is in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
The watershed runs about 524 miles, from New York to Virginia, while the area itself totals some 64,000 square miles in parts of six states: Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia.
Where is Chesapeake Bay Maryland?
The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula (including the parts: the Eastern Shore of Maryland / Eastern Shore of Virginia and the state of Delaware) with its mouth of the Bay at the south end located between Cape Henry and Cape Charles.
Where is the Chesapeake Bay area?
The Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches approximately 524 miles from Cooperstown, New York, to Norfolk, Virginia. It includes parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia. The area of the watershed is about 64,000 square miles.
Is Philadelphia in the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
Although Pennsylvania doesn’t border the Chesapeake Bay, more than half of the state lies within the watershed. Pennsylvania contains two major rivers that are part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: the Susquehanna, with 21,000 square miles, and the Potomac, with 1,600 square miles.
How many states does the Chesapeake Bay touch?
six states
The Chesapeake Bay watershed stretches from Cooperstown, New York, to Norfolk, Virginia, and includes parts of six states—Delaware, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia—and the entire District of Columbia.
What river flows into Chesapeake Bay?
Major rivers that empty into the Bay include the James, York, Rappahannock, Potomac, Patuxent, Patapsco, and Susquehanna from the west and the Pocomoke, Wicomico, Nanticoke, Choptank, and Chester from the east.