State of the Science of Salinity Risks in the Chesapeake Bay and Its Tributaries: Connecting Monitoring, Modeling and Management
May 26, 2026 - May 27, 2026Shepherdstown, WV
This workshop is scheduled to convene in-person on Tuesday-Wednesday, May 26-27, 2026 at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) in Shepherdstown, WV. If you would like to attend the workshop virtually, please register below. You will receive an invitation to the Zoom meeting on the morning of Day 1 (May 26th).
Register to attend workshop virtually
The Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) will host a workshop to assess the state of the science of salinization in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, gain a better understanding of long-term trends and the magnitude and frequency of extreme salinity events, and identify effective ways to anticipate and manage changes in salinization. The workshop will result in a comprehensive document that describes the state of the science of salinization risks in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and guidance for monitoring, modeling, and management from headwaters to coastal waters.
- Workshop Participants (as of May 19th)
Workshop Agenda: STAC Salinity Risks Workshop Agenda_May 22
Presenter-shared resources
Workshop presenters have shared optional background articles and resources for participants. These materials are organized by session and are intended to provide additional context before and after the workshop.
Session I: Salinity Trends & Pulses in the Watershed
- Rosemary Fanelli (USGS)
- Predictive Modeling Reveals Elevated Conductivity Relative to Background Levels in Freshwater Tributaries within the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, USA
- Regional high‑frequency monitoring revealed chloride concentrations in exceedance of ecological benchmarks in urban streams across the Delaware River Basin, USA
Session II: Salt Water Intrusion & Estuarine/Tidal Risks
- Raymond Najjar (PSU): Identification and Characterization of Surface Water Intakes on the Chesapeake Bay
- Y. Joseph Zhang (VIMS)
- Machine learning prediction of saltwater intrusion to support coastal water resource management
- Assessment of salinity intrusion in the James and Chickahominy Rivers as a result of simulated sea-level rise in Chesapeake Bay, East Coast, USA
- A 3D unstructured-grid model for Chesapeake Bay- Importance of bathymetry
- Holly Michael (UDEL)
- The hidden influence of terrestrial groundwater on salt marsh function and resilience
- Terrestrial Groundwater Drives Coastal Ecosystem Shifts
- Surface Water-Groundwater Connections as Pathways for Inland Salinization of Coastal Aquifers
- Marsh Migration Into Forests and Farms- Effects on Soil Biogeochemistry Along the Salinity Gradients
- Groundwater and soil moisture data collected in the coastal critical zone of the Delmarva Peninsula, United States
- Effects of Marsh Migration on Flooding, Saltwater Intrusion, and Crop Yield in Coastal Agricultural Land Subject to Storm Surge Inundation
- Drivers of barrier island water-table fluctuations and groundwater salinization
- Beyond the Wedge- Impact of Tidal Streams on Salinization of Groundwater in a Coastal Aquifer Stressed by Pumping and Sea‐Level Rise
Session III: Food, Water, Infrastructure
- Kate Tully (UMD)
- Coastal stressors reduce crop yields and alter soil nutrient dynamics in low-elevation farmlands
- Effects of saltwater intrusion on candidate restoration species in coastal agricultural fields
- Farming carbon- The link between saltwater intrusion and carbon storage in coastal agricultural fields
- Management strategies for reducing phosphorus levels in saltwater-intruded agricultural fields
- The Invisible Flood- The Chemistry, Ecology, and Social Implications of Coastal Saltwater Intrusion
- Rebecca Murphy (NVRC): Virginia Salt Management Strategy Toolkit
Session IV: Management Strategies & Freshwater Salinization Syndrome
- Jason Dubow (Maryland Dept of Planning): Maryland’s Plan to Adapt to Saltwater Intrusion and Salinization
- Pinki Mondal (UDEL)
- Fluctuating soil salinity across natural and managed landscapes of the coastal mid-Atlantic facing rapid sea-level rise
- Non-linear spectral unmixing for monitoring rapidly salinizing coastal landscapes
- The spread and cost of saltwater intrusion in the US Mid-Atlantic
- A global review of the impacts of saltwater intrusion on soils and ecosystems
- link to Project WICCED – An Investigation of Saltwater Intrusion in the Complex Coastal Environment of Delaware
- Link to RISING Mid-Atlantic – Community-driven solutions for salt-impacted coastal lands
- link to RISCC Project – Risks, Impacts, & Strategies for Coastal Communities
- Adam Bosch (NYC DEP): Salinity Trends in the New York City Watersheds
- Rabia Chaudhry (DC Water): DC Water’s Strategy to Improve Water Supply Resilience
- Camryn Arnstein (MDE)
- Abby Hileman (IWLA)
- Lauren McPhillips (PSU): Impacts of Deicer Salt on Water Quality Performance of Stormwater Bioretention Systems with Varied Vegetation and Hydrology
Workshop Steering Committee:
* STAC Member
- Sujay Kaushal, UMD, Co-Chair
- Stanley Grant, VT, Co-Chair
- Steven Bieber, MWCOG
- Caitlin Bolton, MWCOG
- Rosemary Fanelli, USGS
- KC Filipino*, HRPDC
- Kaylyn Gootman, EPA
- Conor Keitzer, UMCES
- Lew Linker, EPA
- Paul Mayer, EPA
- Steven Nelson, WSSC
- Greg Noe*, USGS
- Lisa Ragain, MWCOG
- Megan Rippy, VT
- Peter Tango, USGS
If you have any questions, please contact Meg Cole, STAC Coordinator, at colem@chesapeake.org.