Chesapeake Bay Health

I've been living an hour or so from the Chesapeake Bay for about 25 years now. It's a gorgeous body of water, stretching from north to south beyond the horizon. It glitters in the sun and there's usually a line of supertankers waiting to make their way under the Bay Bridge spans.

All that's just fine. But each new report details worsening conditions. Despite what seem to me to be significant efforts on the parts of citizens, we're just not making significant progress in saving the Chesapeake.

I'm determined to understand this a bit more. To learn why it's so difficult to make a difference in the life of this bay. And to discover what we can realistically do - as individuals - to make things out.

First up - What is the Chesapeake Bay?

Second - What are indicators of Bay health?