This interdisciplinary research program focuses on complex processes controlling structure, dynamics, and productivity of estuarine turbidity maxima (ETMs). ETMs are physical features located at the heads of estuaries where freshwater from rivers meets salt water from the sea. They trap sediment, detritus, zooplankton and fish early-life stages, and influence survival of fish like striped bass and white perch. Our integrated research program will incorporate coordinated field, laboratory, and numerical modeling efforts in the ETM region of upper Chesapeake Bay. It builds on extensive results of the Bio-physical Interactions in the Turbidity Maximum (BITMAX) program with new research to define and evaluate processes that make ETMs so biologically productive.

This program web site is under construction.