Chesapeake Bay

The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Virginia and Maryland. The Chesapeake Bay's watershed covers 64,299 mi² (166,534 km²) in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia. More than 150 rivers and streams drain into the Bay.

Related Topics:
Estuary - Atlantic Ocean - Virginia - Maryland - Watershed - Mi² - Km² - District of Columbia - New York - Pennsylvania - Delaware - West Virginia

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The main stem of the Bay itself is about 189 miles (304 km) long, from the Susquehanna River in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the south. At its narrowest point (near Annapolis, Maryland, the Bay is 4 miles (6.4 km) wide; at its widest point, near the mouth of the Potomac River, it is 30 miles (48.3 km) wide. Total shoreline for the Bay is 11,684 miles (18,804 km), and the surface area of the Bay and its major tributaries is 4,479 mi² (11,600 km²).

Related Topics:
Mile - Km - Susquehanna River - Annapolis - Potomac River

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The narrowest point of the Bay is spanned by the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel spans a 23 mile (37 km) section of the Bay at near its mouth.

Related Topics:
Chesapeake Bay Bridge - Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

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