Information Ownership, Use and Distribution

The information presented on this website is considered public, and may be used for non-commercial, scientific and educational purposes. To use this website’s imagery, video and audio material, please review our Image and Video Usage Policy, described below. These Terms of Use also include additional information about copyrights.

Any communication or material transmitted to this website via electronic mail or otherwise, including any data, questions, comments, suggestions or the like, will be treated as public information.

Copyright

While most of the information on this website is in the public domain and therefore available for non-commercial use, some information is not. The use of certain information or documents on this website may require written permission from the copyright holder under copyright law. These copyright conditions will be noted alongside that information or within those documents. Furthermore, certain images on this website are being used with permission from the Chesapeake Bay Program. To use this website’s imagery, video and audio material, please review our Image and Video Usage Policy, described below.

The commercial use of the information presented on this website and documents available from this server may be protected under U.S. and foreign copyright laws.

Image and Video Usage Policy

Government organizations, nonprofit organizations and educational institutions may use the images and videos on this website for educational or informational purposes. To do so, please submit a message through our Contact Us form with the following information:

  • Name of organization requesting permission.
  • Contact person, including email address, phone number and mailing address.
  • Description of image, video or audio material and where it is located.
  • Intended use of image, video or audio material.
  • Duration of use.

Chesapeake Bay Program content should be attributed as “courtesy Chesapeake Bay Program.” This attribution should be located next to the content or placed in the production credits.

Please note: This policy does not apply to the presentations, fact sheets, or infographics that are available for download on this website, which can be used without attribution.

Information Accuracy

The information presented on this website comes from a range of local, state, regional, federal, academic, industrial and other partners. The Chesapeake Bay Program makes every effort to maintain accurate, complete, useful and timely information on our web products.

System Monitoring

This system is monitored to ensure its proper operation, verify the functioning of applicable security features, and other comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent its security features, or to utilize this system for anything other than its intended purposes are prohibited, and may result in criminal prosecution.

Public-domain Software

Links are provided to the public-domain software developed by or for this website. No warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the Chesapeake Bay Program as to the accuracy and functioning of these programs or related program materials.

Links to Protect Local Waterways Webpages

You are welcome to link to any of the pages on this website. There is no need to request permission to do so. We will identify materials we have used from outside sources, and ask that others do the same when using information published by Protect Local Waterways.

Disclaimer of Endorsement

The information and documents posted on this website may contain hyperlinks or other pointers to information that is created and maintained by other public or private institutions. These links and pointers are provided for the information and convenience of the user. The Chesapeake Bay Program does not control or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, usefulness, timeliness or relevance of this outside information. Furthermore, the inclusion of links or pointers to particular items is not intended to reflect their importance, nor to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered, on these outside sites, or the organizations sponsoring these sites.

Liability

None of the Chesapeake Bay Program partners, nor any of their employees, contractors or subcontractors, make any warranty, expressed or implied, nor assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information or data contained within this website. Reference within this site to any specific commercial products, processes or services, or the use of any trade, firm or corporation name, is for the information and convenience of the user, and does not constitute endorsement, recommendation or favoring by the Chesapeake Bay Program.