The Chesapeake Bay ([/ˈtʃɛsəpiːk/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English "Help:IPA/English") *[CHESS-ə-peek](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Pronunciation_respelling_key "Help:Pronunciation respelling key")*) is an [estuary](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estuary "Estuary") in the U.S. states of [Maryland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryland "Maryland") and [Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia "Virginia"). The Bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the [Atlantic Ocean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean "Atlantic Ocean") by the [Delmarva Peninsula](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delmarva_Peninsula "Delmarva Peninsula") with its mouth located between Cape Henry and Cape Charles.[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-twsT16-2) With its northern portion in Maryland and the southern part in Virginia, the Chesapeake Bay is a very important feature for the ecology and economy of those two states, as well as others. More than 150 major rivers and streams flow into the Bay's 64,299-square-mile (166,534 km2) [drainage basin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drainage_basin "Drainage basin"), which covers parts of six states ([New York](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_(state) "New York (state)"), [Pennsylvania](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsylvania "Pennsylvania"), [Delaware](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware "Delaware"), Maryland, Virginia and [West Virginia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia "West Virginia")) and all of [Washington, D.C.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C. "Washington, D.C.")[\[2\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-twsT16-2)[\[3\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-fs102-98-3) The Bay is approximately 200 miles (320 km) long from its northern headwaters in the [Susquehanna River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susquehanna_River "Susquehanna River") to its outlet in the [Atlantic Ocean](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Ocean "Atlantic Ocean"). It is 2.8 miles (4.5 km) wide at its narrowest (between [Kent County's](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_County,_Maryland "Kent County, Maryland") Plum Point near Newtown and the [Harford County](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harford_County,_Maryland "Harford County, Maryland") shore near Romney Creek) and 30 miles (48 km) at its widest (just south of the mouth of the [Potomac River](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potomac_River "Potomac River")). Total shoreline including tributaries is 11,684 miles (18,804 km), circumnavigating a surface area of 4,479 square miles (11,601 km2). Average depth is 21 feet (6.4 m), reaching a maximum of 174 feet (53 m).[\[4\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-297bathysurveys-4) The Bay is spanned twice, in Maryland by the [Chesapeake Bay Bridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge "Chesapeake Bay Bridge") from [Sandy Point](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Point_State_Park "Sandy Point State Park") (near [Annapolis](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annapolis "Annapolis")) to [Kent Island](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kent_Island,_Maryland "Kent Island, Maryland") and in Virginia by the [Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge-Tunnel "Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel") connecting [Virginia Beach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Beach,_Virginia "Virginia Beach, Virginia") to [Cape Charles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Charles,_Virginia "Cape Charles, Virginia"). Known for both its beauty and bounty, the Bay has become "emptier", with fewer crabs, [oysters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oysters "Oysters") and [watermen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterman_(occupation) "Waterman (occupation)") in past years.[\[5\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-twsT13-5) Recent restoration efforts begun in the 1990s have been ongoing and show potential for growth of the native oyster population.[\[6\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-6)[\[7\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-7) The health of the Chesapeake Bay improved in 2015, marking three years of gains over the past four years, according to a new report by the University of Maryland.[\[8\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay#cite_note-8)