Potential ecological risk from copper exposure was greater
than for cadmium in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Potential
ecological risks from copper exposures were reported to be
greatest in the C and D Canal area, with relatively high risk
also predicted in the Middle River. Other areas where potential
ecological risks from copper exposures were judged to be moderate
were the Choptank River and Potomac River. For the
other 14 basins, the ecological risk from copper exposures was
either low or data were insufficient to assess ecological risk.
As reported above for copper, the area with the highest potential
ecological risk from cadmium exposures was the C and
D Canal area. Low to moderate potential ecological risk from
cadmium exposures to the most sensitive trophic group (fish)
was reported in the Potomac River, upper mainstem bay, West
Chesapeake watershed, Choptank River, and Chester River. In
the other 12 basins, ecological risk from cadmium exposures
was either low or insufficient data were available for assessing
ecological risk.