Chesapeake Bay Benthic Monitoring Program

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Scientific Data

 

Data Sets

Four types of raw Benthic Monitoring Program data are available via this page: water quality, sediment parameters, abundance, and biomass.  Benthic index results are also included.  For Maryland, each year's data set includes sampling data from fixed (May and August-September) and random (August-September) locations. For Virginia, each year's data set includes sampling data from fixed (August-September) and random (August-September) locations.  The Data Dictionary for Maryland and Virginia provides details about the variables reported, collection methods, and study design.

 

Data Set Documentation

MD Data Dictionary (PDF)
VA Data Dictionary (PDF)
QA Plan (QAPP) (PDF)
Species List

The data sets are provided as comma-delimited text files.  You may view the files by clicking on the links in the following table; download options are explained below the table.

Maryland Data Sets
Year Sampling Events Sample Collection Water Quality Sediment Abundance Biomass B-IBI
2024 24_ev 24_smp 24_wq 24_sed 24_tx 24_bm 24_ibi
2023 23_ev 23_smp 23_wq 23_sed 23_tx 23_bm 23_ibi
2022 22_ev 22_smp 22_wq 22_sed 22_tx 22_bm 22_ibi
2021 21_ev 21_smp 21_wq 21_sed 21_tx 21_bm 21_ibi
2020 20_ev 20_smp 20_wq 20_sed 20_tx 20_bm 20_ibi
2019 19_ev 19_smp 19_wq 19_sed 19_tx 19_bm 19_ibi
2018 18_ev 18_smp 18_wq 18_sed 18_tx 18_bm 18_ibi
2017 17_ev 17_smp 17_wq 17_sed 17_tx 17_bm 17_ibi
2016 16_ev 16_smp 16_wq 16_sed 16_tx 16_bm 16_ibi
2015 15_ev 15_smp 15_wq 15_sed 15_tx 15_bm 15_ibi
2014 14_ev 14_smp 14_wq 14_sed 14_tx 14_bm 14_ibi
2013 13_ev 13_smp 13_wq 13_sed 13_tx 13_bm 13_ibi
2012 12_ev 12_smp 12_wq 12_sed 12_tx 12_bm 12_ibi
2011 11_ev 11_smp 11_wq 11_sed 11_tx 11_bm 11_ibi
2010 10_ev 10_smp 10_wq 10_sed 10_tx 10_bm 10_ibi
2009 09_ev 09_smp 09_wq 09_sed 09_tx 09_bm 09_ibi
2008 08_ev 08_smp 08_wq 08_sed 08_tx 08_bm 08_ibi
2007 07_ev 07_smp 07_wq 07_sed 07_tx 07_bm 07_ibi
2006 06_ev 06_smp 06_wq 06_sed 06_tx 06_bm 06_ibi
2005 05_ev 05_smp 05_wq 05_sed 05_tx 05_bm 05_ibi
2004 04_ev 04_smp 04_wq 04_sed 04_tx 04_bm 04_ibi
2003 03_ev 03_smp 03_wq 03_sed 03_tx 03_bm 03_ibi
2002 02_ev 02_smp 02_wq 02_sed 02_tx 02_bm 02_ibi
2001 01_ev 01_smp 01_wq 01_sed 01_tx 01_bm 01_ibi
2000 00_ev 00_smp 00_wq 00_sed 00_tx 00_bm 00_ibi
1999 99_ev 99_smp 99_wq 99_sed 99_tx 99_bm 99_ibi
1998 98_ev 98_smp 98_wq 98_sed 98_tx 98_bm 98_ibi
1997 97_ev 97_smp 97_wq 97_sed 97_tx 97_bm 97_ibi
1996 96_ev 96_smp 96_wq 96_sed 96_tx 96_bm 96_ibi
1995 95_ev 95_smp 95_wq 95_sed 95_tx 95_bm 95_ibi

Virginia Data Sets

Year Sampling Events Sample Collection Water Quality Sediment Abundance Biomass B-IBI
2019 19_ev 19_smp 19_wq 19_sed 19_tx 19_bm 19_ibi
2018 18_ev 18_smp 18_wq 18_sed 18_tx 18_bm 18_ibi
2017 17_ev 17_smp 17_wq 17_sed 17_tx 17_bm 17_ibi
2016 16_ev 16_smp 16_wq 16_sed 16_tx 16_bm 16_ibi
2015 15_ev 15_smp 15_wq 15_sed 15_tx 15_bm 15_ibi
2014 14_ev 14_smp 14_wq 14_sed 14_tx 14_bm 14_ibi
2013 13_ev 13_smp 13_wq 13_sed 13_tx 13_bm 13_ibi
2012 12_ev 12_smp 12_wq 12_sed 12_tx 12_bm 12_ibi
2011 11_ev 11_smp 11_wq 11_sed 11_tx 11_bm 11_ibi
2010 10_ev 10_smp 10_wq 10_sed 10_tx 10_bm 10_ibi
2009 09_ev 09_smp 09_wq 09_sed 09_tx 09_bm 09_ibi
2008 08_ev 08_smp 08_wq 08_sed 08_tx 08_bm 08_ibi
2007 07_ev 07_smp 07_wq 07_sed 07_tx 07_bm 07_ibi
2006 06_ev 06_smp 06_wq 06_sed 06_tx 06_bm 06_ibi
2005 05_ev 05_smp 05_wq 05_sed 05_tx 05_bm 05_ibi
2004 04_ev 04_smp 04_wq 04_sed 04_tx 04_bm 04_ibi
2003 03_ev 03_smp 03_wq 03_sed 03_tx 03_bm 03_ibi
2002 02_ev 02_smp 02_wq 02_sed 02_tx 02_bm 02_ibi
2001 01_ev 01_smp 01_wq 01_sed 01_tx 01_bm 01_ibi
2000 00_ev 00_smp 00_wq 00_sed 00_tx 00_bm 00_ibi
1999 99_ev 99_smp 99_wq 99_sed 99_tx 99_bm 99_ibi
1998 98_ev 98_smp 98_wq 98_sed 98_tx 98_bm 98_ibi
1997 97_ev 97_smp 97_wq 97_sed 97_tx 97_bm 97_ibi
1996 96_ev 96_smp 96_wq 96_sed 96_tx 96_bm 96_ibi
1995 95_ev 95_smp 95_wq 95_sed 95_tx 95_bm 95_ibi

Notes to the data
A few data items are missing due to collection or processing peculiarities.  Further information is given in the file missdoc.txt

In 2011 and 2018 there was a slight method change to salinity classification of random sites. Further information is described in MethodChange.txt

***No New taxa were found in Maryland sites in 2022
New taxa found in Maryland sites in 2018
New taxa found in Virginia sites in 2018

Downloading
Clicking on the data file name in the table above will display the file in your default text viewer.  You may then use your browser's "save as" function to save the file on your hard disk.  Alternatively, you may save directly by right-clicking (PCs) or option-clicking (Macs) on the link.  File sizes are less than 500 kb in all cases.  If you have difficulties downloading the data files, please contact us.

 

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Revised: July 15, 2025