Water Clarity

Discover how clear water helps sunlight reach underwater plants and animals, and how pollution can block the sun’s rays.

Clear water is critical to underwater life. Bay grasses need sunlight to grow, and fish need sunlight to see. But what factors cause water clarity to fluctuate? Adam Davis from the Chesapeake Research Consortium explains, and uses a secchi disc to measure water clarity in Spa Creek. (Matt Rath)

Water clarity is a measure of the amount of sunlight that can penetrate through the water. In general, clear water is an indicator of a healthy Chesapeake Bay.