Every year, resource managers watch measurements of water clarity worsen. What’s driving this decline? What, they ask, is snuffing out the light in the Bay? Sediment is one suspect, a prime suspect. The research of two scientists aims to understand just how significant its role might be. more . . .

It's not much more than a plastic circle attached to the end of a rope. But despite its humble structure, the Secchi disk holds its own among oceanographic instruments. more . . .

Sediment comes in different sizes and shapes. Some of it is sticky, some of it sinks, some of it floats. What part do these properties play in the Bay's declining water quality? more . . .

Keala Cummings endured sweltering temperatures, wading through mud, and the stings of cutting grass to research how plants in a freshwater marsh capture sediment. more . . .