What is the Chesapeake Bay?
Q: What is the Chesapeake Bay?
A: The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean and is surrounded by Maryland and Virginia.
Q: How big is its watershed?
A: Its watershed covers 64,299 square miles (166,534 km2) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Q: How long is it?
A: The Chesapeake Bay is about 200 miles (300 km) long from the Susquehanna River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean.
Q: What is its width at its narrowest point?
A: At its narrowest point between Kent County's Plum Point (near Newtown) and the Harford County shore near Romney Creek, it is about 2.8 miles (4.5 km) wide.
Q: What is its width at its widest location?
A: At its widest location it is 30 miles (50 km) wide.
Q: How deep on average does it reach?
A: The bay reaches 46 feet (14 m) deep on average.
Q: Are there any bridges over it?
A: Yes, there are two bridges over it - The Chesapeake Bay Bridge crosses the bay in Maryland from Sandy Point (near Annapolis) to Kent Island; while The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel in Virginia connects Virginia Beach to Cape Charles.
