What Types of Bay Grasses Grow in the Chesapeake Bay?
Salinity is the main factor that determines where a particular bay grass species can grow. For example: • Eelgrass and widgeon grass prefer the high-salinity waters of the lower Bay. • Redhead grass and sago pondweed grow in the fresh and brackish waters of the upper Bay. Learn more about the most common underwater bay grass species in the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. How Do Bay Grasses Grow? Just like plants on earth, underwater grasses go through photosynthesis, so they need sunlight to grow. Sunlight must be able to pass through the water to reach bay grasses at the bottom, or the grasses cannot produce enough food and energy to grow. In recent decades, bay grass growth has been hindered by stormwater runoff that is polluted with nutrients and sediments. • Excess suspended sediment clouds the water, preventing sunlight from reaching bay grasses. • Excess nutrients fuel the growth of algae blooms, which also block sunlight from reaching bay grasses. • Unusual weather events, i
