In the late 1970s and early 1980s the newly created Chesapeake Bay Program instituted an intensive research project to determine the causes of the degradation in Chesapeake Bay water quality as well as the fish, shellfish, and other living resources and their habitat. Eutrophication, brought on by excessive nutrients entering the Bay, was identified as the primary problem. Consequently, an extensive program to affect significant reductions of nutrients entering the Bay was instituted. Four years after completion of the research phase of the Bay Program, reduction of excess nutrients was further emphasized when the Executive Council signed the 1987 Bay Agreement. This document called for reducing the controllable amount of nutrients reaching the Bay by 40% by the turn of the century. The report is an overall summary of the tributary strategies. Details on how the strategies were developed, how they were reviewed and refined by citizen involvement, and how the strategies will be specifically implemented are contained in the individual tributary strategies developed by each Bay Program jurisdiction.

"October, 1994." Cover title.