Bay Hypoxia - Better than Average

 I guess it's better to be better than average. MDDNR, June 2021 Chesapeake Bay Hypoxia Report

Data collected by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Old Dominion University show that dissolved oxygen conditions in the Chesapeake Bay mainstem of Maryland and Virginia were better than average in June 2021. The hypoxic water volume — areas with less than 2 mg/l oxygen — was 0.21 and 1.28 cubic miles during early and late June monitoring cruises, compared to historical early and late June averages (1985-2020) of 0.89 and 1.31 cubic miles. The early June report ranks as the best on record, and late June was slightly better than average.

So the early June report really was much better than usual, but by late June the system had worsened to just barely better than average, not a particularly high bar. The nature of averages is that about half the years are better, and half are worse. The late June report looks pretty much like most years, very low oxygen in much of the deeper waters of the central channel of the upper and mid Bay:

From what I've seen at the beach, we have not had a severe "crab jubilee", which is caused by the wind transporting that deep, low oxygen water up into the shallow waters of the western or eastern shores. Usually, it takes a few days of strong southwest breeze to do that on our side. The conditions are primed for it, we just haven't had the right weather.

The Bay Foundation takes the shine of DNR triumphalism, and delivers a backhanded shot at Pennsylvania in the process: CBF Issues a Statement on the June Dead Zone Assessment

After reviewing the findings, Beth McGee, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Director of Science and Agricultural Policy, issued this statement.

“The smaller than average dead zone is an indication that efforts to reduce pollution are succeeding. However, that there is a dead zone at all underscores the need to accelerate efforts to reduce pollution across the region, and most importantly in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth is far off-track for meeting its 2025 commitment.

“The states have determined that more than 80 percent of that pollution reduction necessary to meet the 2025 deadline needs to come from agriculture. It is essential that the states and federal government increase investments in agricultural conservation practices that will not only reduce pollution, but help the region respond to climate change.”

Actually, there's no proof that there was ever a time in the recent period of the Bay that there was no hypoxia.