Reporting regions from the Patuxent River north to the Back River scored the worst in 2007. Why?
Low scores in this region of the Bay are likely due to the large population living on watersheds that drain into relatively small rivers. While each region scored poorly in 2007, the indicator scores underpinning the Bay Health Index did differ slightly between regions. For example, the Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity scores ranged from 3% (Patuxent River) to 21% (Lower Western Shore, MD), and the aquatic grasses scores ranged from 2% (Patapsco and Back Rivers) to 23% (Lower Western Shore, MD).
