NEWSLETTER

Chesapeake Assessment Scenario Tool

CAST Newsletter: February 2025

Tips and information to facilitate environmental restoration efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed

Did You Know?

Did you know the CAST Data Update Frequency has been updated? Each year, various data are collected for inclusion in the annual Progress scenario. Some of these data are updated annually, while others are collected less frequently. The CAST Data Update Frequency spreadsheet includes information about which items get updated, how often, and by which major jurisdiction. This spreadsheet is now up-to-date on which items were updated this year, and can be downloaded by clicking on the CAST Data Update Frequency link on the TMDL Tracking page under Progress Reporting.

CAST Webinars and Training

Upcoming Webinars

This month's webinar will highlight the Ecosystem Benefits Browser. This interactive Browser ties together all the Chesapeake Bay Program's goals and outcomes related to abundant life, clean water, conserved lands, engaged communities, and climate change with CAST BMPs. Attend this webinar to learn how to use this, and other CAST resources, to develop a well-rounded plan for your watershed.

  • Topic: Ecosystem Benefits Browser
  • Time: February 20, 2025 at noon EST
  • Join Zoom Meeting
  • Meeting ID: 838 6648 5237
  • One tap mobile +13017158592,,83866485237#

In-person trainings are available upon request.

Available Training Videos

January's CAST webinar highlighted Modeling Conservation. Although models are typically used to track changes to the landscape, there is also value in the preservation of natural and agricultural land that can be quantified as well. Guest speaker, Ben Alexandro, from the Chesapeake Conservation Partnership, joined us to share some examples of programs in the watershed that support conservation and how to get involved. Then, we demonstrated a couple ways to use CAST data to quantify nutrient reduction benefits to preserving existing natural land.

This, and other past training videos on topics ranging from buffers to targeting nutrient reductions, are available in the Learning section of CAST under 'Free Training Videos'. Amongst the variety of training content available, there are also short videos on topics like 'Where do I start,' under CAST 101 - Getting Started.

Chesapeake Bay Watershed Success Story

DEC Announces Addition of More Than 190 Acres To Pharsalia Woods State Forest In Chenango County: Complements Recent and Future Easement Purchases and Supports Governor Hochul's 2025 State of the State Land Goals and New York's 30x30 Initiative. Read more about this success story on the New York State Department of Environmental Control's website.

Does your organization have a Chesapeake Bay Watershed success story you'd like to share? If you have a story you would like to see in the next CAST Newsletter, submit an article using the 'Contact Us' feature from any page of the CAST website.

Chesapeake Bay Program Deadlines

2024 Progress toward the Bay TMDL

The Chesapeake Bay Deadlines refer to the major jurisdictions' annual reporting of new BMPs implemented, and existing BMPs verified as functioning in the watershed. BMP implementation information is used to create annual progress scenarios using CAST and to make assessments and report out the estimated impacts of restoration efforts.

  • February 2025: Final progress run information available to jurisdictions - needed for outside reporting of progress on commitments to keep results relevant.
  • Early May 2025: 2024 Progress finalized and released on CAST. Progress may be delayed due to unresolved issues surrounding the verification assessments.

Updates to CAST

New features:

Stream restoration calculator fix for nutrient reduction credit population error.

Clarification of error message when selecting multiple BMPs to delete in Edit Scenario.

Updated 2024 base conditions are now available.

Miscellaneous bugs and fixes.

Note: CAST reports will still reflect the version number 7.14.0

A full list of changes is available on CAST's Upgrade History. The new CAST version is Phase 6 - 7.14.1.

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