Abstract:
This is a data table, in comma-delimited, ASCII format, which contains information about selected physical properties, particularly grain size, of 4,255 surficial sediment samples from the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Samples were collected on a 1-km grid by the Maryland Geological Survey between June 1976 and August 1984.
Purpose:
One component of the Chesapeake Bay Earth Science Study (CBESS) was a baseline inventory of Chesapeake Bay bottom sediments, particularly of those properties or features (e.g. sediment type, water content, sulfur content, carbon content) that affect the distribution of toxic substances. The project, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was a cooperative effort between the states of Maryland and Virginia. The Maryland Geological Survey and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science were responsible for sampling and analyzing sediments deposited in the waters of their respective states. Information contained in this data set is for Maryland only.
