The Chesapeake Bay Program is a financial assistance program administered by the Fulton County Conservation District. The District applies for funds to the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) annually to implement a variety of agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) including, but not limited to, conservation planning, manure management planning, conservation tillage, cover crops, streambank fencing, stabilized stream crossings, watering systems, etc. For more information about the Chesapeake Bay Program, please contact Ag Specialist, Shannon Wray, at 717-325-6089 or shannon@fultoncountyconservationdistrict.org.
AFTER: Same barnyard after a variety of conservation Best Management Practices (BMPs) were installed to reduce sediment and nutrient inputs to the stream.
Chesapeake Bay Area Facts:
- The Chesapeake Bay watershed is 64,000 square miles and has 11,600 miles of tidal shoreline, including tidal wetlands and islands.
- Approximately 17 million people live in the watershed; about 10 million people live along its shores or near them.
- Formed about 12,000 years ago as glaciers melted and flooded the Susquehanna River valley, the Chesapeake Bay is North America’s largest estuary and the world’s third largest.
- The average depth of the Bay, including tributaries, is about 21 feet.
- There are more than 100,000 streams, creeks or rivers in the watershed, including 150 major rivers.
- More than 500 million pounds of seafood is harvested from the Bay every year.
- The Bay supports 3,600 species of plant and animal life, including more than 300 fish species and 2,700 plant types.
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