Benthic Program

Chesapeake Bay Long-Term Benthic Monitoring and Assessment Program in Maryland. Established 1984.

Long-term benthic monitoring has been part of Maryland's Water Quality Monitoring Program for the Chesapeake Bay since 1984. The Chesapeake Bay Long-Term Benthic Monitoring Program (LTB) component measures water quality, sediment quality, and the abundance and richness of benthic invertebrates. The Program is supported by a partnership between the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. EPA Chesapeake Bay Program.

Versar's Role:
Scientists from what is now the Columbia, MD, office of Versar, Inc., have studied, monitored, and helped preserve the Chesapeake Bay since 1976. They have conducted components of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program since its inception in 1984. In addition to facilitating the Maryland partnership, Versar coordinates closely with scientists at Old Dominion University and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, who implement the Program in the Virginia portion of the Bay for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.

Chesapeake Bay Benthic Monitoring Program