Begin by reading about the current status of The Chesapeake Bay

 http://www.baystat.maryland.gov/

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay, its rivers and streams by restoring and maintaining the Bay's ecosystem, substantially improving water quality and watershed productivity, and helping to maintain a high quality of life for the people in the region.

The Chesapeake Bay is one of the Mid-Atlantic region's most distinctive geographical features and most valuable resources for seafood, transportation, industry, and recreation.  The Bay's 64,000-square mile watershed, which spans from New York to Virginia, is home to 17 million people.  Pollution is choking the life out of the Bay, its rivers, and streas.  The main culprit is nitrogen, which results mostly from:

• Improperly treated sewage from wastewater treatment plants
• Sprawling development that removes natural filters, such as trees and grass
• Runoff from farms that use pesticides
• Air pollution from coal-fired power plants