Coastal acidification monitoring as part of the monitoring network in Casco Bay National Estuary Program Tech Transfer meeting Boston, MA November 3, 2017 Matthew Liebman, US EPA Region 1 Curtis Bohlen, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership Ocean and Coastal Acidification (OA) is happening now in Casco Bay and the Gulf of Maine EPA is helping NEPs monitor and understand variability in estuaries Nutrient enrichment and OCA are threatening shellfish industry CBEP like many NEPs have established monitoring networks to inform managers about conditions and options
Background: Ocean Acidification is caused by increases in CO 2 emissions absorbed by the ocean Omega, or calcium carbonate (aragonite) saturation is a good measure of impact of OCA
Coastal acidification is the process where coastal sources, including nutrients, modify and enhance ocean acidification Mollusk shells in estuaries are dissolving Doney et al. PNAS 2007; Doney Science 2010; Kelly et al. Science 2011
ph in Casco Bay is also declining
What is the variability of carbonate saturation? What are the drivers? Nutrients, riverine inputs? Are shellfish impacted? Can we mitigate impacts? EPA has funded installation of sensors at eight NEPs as of 2017 Casco Bay (April 2015) Massachusetts Bay (October 2017) Long Island Sound (December 2016) Barnegat Bay Tampa Bay Coastal Bend and Bays (2015, Corpus Christi, TX) Santa Monica Bay San Francisco Bay
CO 2 and ph sensors installed in a location in Casco Bay that may allow us to better understand drivers such as stratification, nutrient enrichment, freshwater influence. Friends of Casco Bay maintain a nutrient station there with historical data. Results: In 2015 we saw a potential influence of end of spring bloom on aragonite saturation
CBEP Monitoring Network has established an inventory and a mapping tool to document activities to share resources and opportunities
Results from monitoring in Casco Bay may assist the newly formed Nutrient Council which will evaluate options for nutrient control Karenia mikimotoi an invasive red tide observed in Casco Bay for first time this summer While Aquaculture is growing dramatically in Casco Bay
Thanks to our partners: Friends of Casco Bay University of New Hampshire Southern Maine Community College MassBays National Estuary Program Long Island Sound Study and UConn
UNH has installed four instruments: Satlantic SEAFET ph sensor (owned by CBEP); Sunburst Submersed Automated Monitoring Instrument (SAMI) for CO 2 (owned by UNH); Aanderaa Optical Oxygen Optode sensor (owned by CBEP); and Seabird conductivity (salinity) and temperature sensors (owned by UNH). Sensors housed in a cage: Attached via a davit within a secure box at the pier in about 1 to 5 meters of water (depending on tide). Rests on the bottom and are about ½ meter off the bottom and always submerged.
Water Rangers: Water Data and Pollution Reporting at Your Fingertips NEP Technical Transfer Conference 2017 Jason Kudulis Mobile Bay National Estuary Program
Community Action Committee Establish and support water quality monitoring programs to engage grassroots watershed groups and citizens. Provide support and assistance to build capacity among groups. Support with WMP efforts. Anyone monitoring is invited to sit at the table.
Green dots are active, red dots are inactive.
Water Rangers Water data and pollution reporting at your fingertips. Web-based and smartphone app. Groups, filtering, gamification, etc...
Similar platforms Challenges/Successes Connectivity to other data repository Investment spurred further development from third parties Garnering widespread use Local groups taking action and ownership of local waterways
Thank you! jkudulis@mobilebaynep.com 251-459-8872
Developing a Critical Coastal Habitat Monitoring Initiative for Tampa Bay Friday, November 3 rd Ed Sherwood Senior Scientist
Coastal Habitats: A TBEP CCMP Priority Tampa Bay: An Urban Estuary (~2/3 of watershed developed) 2017 CCMP Update BH-1: Implement the Tampa Bay Habitat Master Plan BH-8: Continue & enhance habitat monitoring CC-1: Improve bay habitat resiliency to climate change https://indd.adobe.com/view/cf7b3c48-d2b2-4713-921c-c2a0d4466632
Setting the Stage Define Goal (w/ TAC & Board Support): Develop a long term monitoring program to assess the status, trends, and ecological function of habitats in response to climate change to better manage them in the future. Water Develop Methods, QAPP & Get EPA Approval Liner belt transects & random plots for species composition & contributions Target static and transitional habitat ecotones Collect associated abiotic & biotic measures Find Your Ideal Sites (Pretty difficult in TB) Natural emergent tidal wetland zonation Minimal historical disturbance/alteration Protected from future impacts
Get Muddy & Monitor Upper Tampa Bay Park Archie Creek Big Bend Little Manatee River Phase 1: 2014-15 Phase 2: 2016-17 Manatee River
Bask in the Baseline Assessment & Contemplate the Future High emissions SLR 2100 (1 m) Low emissions SLR 2100 (70 cm) Existing SLR since 1900 (19 cm)
Expand our Partnerships & Reach & Extend our Results https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wukouxfotwi EPA R4 Wetland Program Development Grant http://maps.wateratlas.usf.edu/blue-carbon/
Conclusions Define a clear goal for monitoring Engage the science & management communities in methodology creation Tricky: Site selection & monitoring dense habitats Integrate with other initiatives to ensure future need Secure sustainable partnerships / funding sources to maintain monitoring program into the future
National Estuary Program 2017 Technical Transfer Conference DEVELOPING A MONITORING PLAN WITHOUT MONITORING Prassede Vella Staff Scientist
MassBays large, diverse, complex Encompasses 3 major bays (~1650 sq.mi) 1100 miles from Salisbury to Provincetown Outer edge defined by Stellwagen Bank Watershed area draining into the bays >7,000 sq.mi 47 estuarine embayments 50 communities, 1.7 million people Many challenges!!!!
CCMP priorities: a network of healthy and resilient estuaries Goal: MassBays provides regular and locally informed State of the Bays reporting that reflects the unique characteristics and documents progress toward targets for planning area embayments. STATE OF THE BAYS REPORTING
CCMP priorities: a network of healthy and resilient estuaries Goal: MassBays provides new resources for research and management in the Bays. DEVELOPING A MONITORING PLAN Inventory of monitoring programs Include government, research, and citizen monitoring programs Spatial representation - develop maps Conduct a gap analysis
What are communities concerned about? Are the waters safe to swim? Are the waters safe to fish? Is the condition of habitats and living resources improving? What is at stake from ecosystem degradation?
We identified 21 programs that We identified 69 citizen monitoring water programs quality Sampling points are located in most of the embayments Program questions and objectives vary Data sets have varied time frames, parameters, spatial extents, field collection and analytical methods
Develop strong partnerships, collect better data Management Committee, regional coordinators and stakeholders Focus on citizen scientists address their needs, put their data to use September 2016: Citizen science coordinators network Demystify QAPPs - working with EPA and DEP to simplify Help citizen groups analyze and share their data
Findings lead to more questions! Define clear monitoring goals that address the concerns of stakeholders and inform decisionmaking Expand and nurture sustainable partnerships with local communities and citizen science groups - share results, triumphs and hurdles How do we bring all the data together? How do we make sense of all these data?