Storms, Heat To Blame For Decreased Chespeake Bay Grasses

BALTIMORE - An annual aerial survey of Chesapeake Bay grasses has found they continued to decline last year, and researchers are again blaming a pair of 2011 storms.

Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee dumped mud and debris into the bay, and surveyors said Thursday that is the mostly likely cause for the 24 percent drop.

"Literally millions and millions of tons of mud came in [to the bay] with Tropical Storm Lee, particularly. And that clouded the water. These plants need sufficient light to grow," says from Lee Karrh, biologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and chair of the the Chesapeake Bay Program's work group on grasses.
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