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# Maryland Bay Grasses Expand 13% to 41,419 Acres
- URL: https://www.theamericanquorum.com/state-news-maryland-2026-09-17-b/
- Published: 2026-09-17T12:43:38.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T12:43:38.000Z
- Description: Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay underwater-grass coverage grew by 4,620 acres in 2025, reaching 41,419 acres. The gain improved habitat and water-quality indicators, though the state remains well below its restoration target.
- Author: News Desk
- Tags: State News, Maryland, Virginia

Underwater grass coverage in Maryland’s portion of the Chesapeake Bay expanded by 4,620 acres in 2025, rising nearly 13% to 41,419 acres. The [Maryland Department of Natural Resources reported](https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2026/09/08/marylands-chesapeake-bay-underwater-grasses-expanded-nearly-13-in-2025/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) that coverage increased from 36,799 acres in 2024, a broad rebound that reached both fresh and moderately salty waters.

The result is an encouraging ecological indicator, but not a declaration that Bay restoration is complete. Maryland’s total represents about 36% of the state’s 114,065-acre restoration target. Bay-wide, scientists mapped an estimated 89,385 acres—up 7% from 2024 and just below the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement’s 90,000-acre interim milestone for 2030, according to the [Virginia Institute of Marine Science survey summary](https://www.vims.edu/newsandevents/topstories/2026/2025-chesapeake-bay-sav-survey.php?ref=theamericanquorum.com).

Maryland’s largest gains occurred in the middle Bay’s moderately salty waters, where submerged aquatic vegetation increased by 3,560 acres, or roughly 17%. DNR found substantial growth around Tangier Sound and several Eastern Shore tributaries. The mouth of the Choptank rose from 3,214 to 4,951 acres, while the Little Choptank expanded from 157 to 684 acres. Fresh and low-salinity Maryland waters added a combined 1,059 acres.

The improvement was not uniform. The Honga River and Lower Central Chesapeake Bay segment together lost 1,277 acres, and Mattawoman Creek declined by about 200 acres even while retaining most of its local target. DNR cautioned that species such as widgeon grass can spread quickly when light, salinity and other conditions align, then contract sharply when conditions deteriorate. A single strong year therefore does not guarantee a lasting upward trend.

Scientists track these grasses because they are both habitat and a measure of water conditions. Maryland’s [SAV monitoring program](https://dnr.maryland.gov/waters/bay/pages/sav/about.aspx?ref=theamericanquorum.com) explains that VIMS uses aircraft and satellite imagery to map grass beds throughout the Bay, supplemented by on-the-water observations. The plants provide nursery and shelter areas for fish and blue crabs, absorb nutrients, trap suspended sediment, add oxygen and help stabilize shorelines.

A separate [DNR ecological overview](https://news.maryland.gov/dnr/2024/07/31/underwater-grasses-are-key-to-chesapeake-bay-health/?ref=theamericanquorum.com) notes that underwater grasses can also dissipate wave energy, store carbon and reduce local acidity. Their dependence on sunlight makes them sensitive to cloudy water, nutrient pollution, sediment runoff, algal blooms and storm-driven changes. That sensitivity is why annual acreage is useful as a Bay-health signal rather than simply a count of plants.

The geographic pattern also matters for management. Statewide growth can mask local losses that affect tributary fisheries, shoreline resilience and boating conditions. Restoration decisions therefore depend on the segment-level maps and species mix, not only the statewide percentage. Continued aerial surveys provide the consistent year-to-year baseline needed to separate temporary expansion from durable recovery.

For Maryland, the 2025 figures show measurable progress and substantial remaining distance. Seven river or Bay segments met or exceeded their individual grass-restoration goals, yet statewide acreage remains below two-fifths of the long-term target. The practical test will be whether water clarity and habitat protection allow the new beds to persist through wetter years, warmer conditions and shifting salinity rather than becoming a one-year spike.