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There starts to be coal production going on in mines in the Potomac and Susquehanna Rivers. Waste from these coal mines flow into the streams and rivers and makes the water toxic.
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The Cull Law is passed.
It sets a minimum size for oysters to be kept. any oyster under 2.5 inches has to be thrown back -
The regional population reaches 3 million
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Lots of sewage and industrial waste is being dumped into the Bay.
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Seventy percent of the original forestland in the area has been cleared. Less than thirty percent of it remains.
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The federal Public Health Service investigates pollution from the canning industry that is getting into the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay
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The University of Maryland Chesapeake Biological Laboratory is founded. It conducts the first water quality survey of the Bay. The survey says that Bay is clean, except in heavily industrialized areas.
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After WWI a large migration of african-americans came to D.C., Baltimore, Richmond, and Newport News
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The blue crab population is experiencing a decline.
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Regional population reaches 5 million.
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The first multi-state conference on the Bay’s health is held.
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Hundreds of thousands of people move to the area to work in gun factories and build more houses
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Use of Chemical fertilizers become popular around the chesapeake bay and begin polluting the bay
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The fish population decreses rapidly due to fishermen
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Many wetlands are drained which cause more pollutants to enter the bay
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A new oyster disease hits the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay. It is called MSX.
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There is a severe shortage of oysters. Oysters used to make up the bulk of the Chesapeake Bay seafood industry. But now they only make up 10% of it.
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Hurricane Agnes hits the area. It washes away lots of underwater grasses and brings huge amounts of sediment and pollutants into the Bay.
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The federal government passes the Federal Clean Water Act.
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A toxic chemical, called Kepone, is found in the James River in Virginia
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Lots of laws are passed to help the Chesapeake Bay. The health of the Chesapeake Bay even becomes a major issue in the presidential campaigns.
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Maryland’s oysters are destroyed by the Dermo disease.
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Phosphate detergent is banned. It is known to cause algae blooms
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The oyster harvest in Maryland is at an all time low. Only 80,000 bushels are harvested. This is only 4% of the level it was at in 1884.
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The regions population reaches 12 million