Digital Commons Network^™

Developing Cost Effective Monitoring For Rainbow Smelt Using Edna, Jacob Aman, Michael T. Kinnison Phd, Vaughn Holmes, Claire Gottsegen

Publications

Environmental DNA (eDNA) tools developed at the University of Maine were successfully deployed in four coastal streams in Casco Bay, Maine in spring 2018 to detect the presence of anadromous rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax), the first full application of this emerging technique. Field methods were refined and tested at sites with documented high (2) and low (2) spawning productivity. Samples were collected below known spawning areas immediately upstream of estuarine tidal influence 2-3 times each week during the spawning season. Three replicate samples were collected in the field at each site, as well as a contamination control, and all samples …

Nutrient Pollution In Casco Bay (Fact Sheet), Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Casco Bay Nutrient Council

Publications

NUTRIENT POLLUTION IN CASCO BAY: AN EMERGING ISSUE • Nutrient pollution is emerging as one of Casco Bay’s most challenging problems. We usually think of “nutrients” as things that make food nutritious, but when we add excess nutrients to coastal waters, it boosts plant growth, which has many unintended consequences. • Due to our region’s relatively low population, Casco Bay’s water quality is generally excellent compared to other coastal bays close to urban and suburban areas. However, the Bay is beginning to experience effects of excess nutrients. • In Casco Bay, nutrient pollution is principally caused by excess nitrogen entering …

Nutrient Pollution In Casco Bay, Maine: State Of The Science And Recommendations For Action, Curtis Bohlen Phd, Marti Blair, Victoria Boundy

Publications

The Casco Bay Nutrient Council, a group with wide representation including local and state government, wastewater treatment and stormwater management professionals, researchers, community development organizations, and water quality advocacy organizations, was convened in 2017 to develop recommendations to policymakers, regulators, and funders on how best to assess, understand, convey and reduce the negative impacts of nutrients on Casco Bay.

While in common usage “nutrients” are things that make food nutritious or healthy, nutrients in Casco Bay refers to nitrogen, phosphorus, and silica. These chemical elements boost plant growth in aquatic ecosystems and such effects can lead to negative impact on …

Surface Water Ambient Toxics Monitoring Program 2017-2018, Maine Department Of Environmental Protection

Publications

Maine’s Surface Water Ambient Toxics (SWAT) monitoring program was established in 1993 (38 MRSA §420-B) and is administered by the Department of Environmental Protection to determine the nature, scope and severity of toxic contamination in the surface waters and fisheries of the State. The authorizing statute states that the program must be designed to comprehensively monitor the lakes, rivers and streams, and marine and estuarine waters of the State on an ongoing basis. The program must incorporate testing for suspected toxic contamination in biological tissue and sediment; may include testing of the water column; and must include biomonitoring and the …

Cape Elizabeth Culvert And Habitat Assessment Study, Steve Harding, Jake Aman, Matthew Craig, Robert Malley, Maureen O'Meara

Publications

Executive Summary:

In early 2017, Jake Aman, representing the Wells National Estuary Research Reserve (WNERR), met with the Cape Elizabeth Public Works Director and Town Planner to talk about culverts. Jake shared aerial photos of culverts located in the Spurwink Marsh where scouring of adjacent habitat areas was evident. He inquired if the town was considering any culvert replacements, in which case WNERR and The Nature Conservancy might be able to partner with the town to promote a habitat sensitive replacement. The outcome of the meeting was a jointly sponsored assessment of major town culverts, including those located in the …

Long Reach Lane At Long Marsh, Harpswell, 2018 Post-Project Monitoring Report; Year 5 Of 5, Matthew Craig

Publications

No abstract provided.

Improved Estimates Of Tributary Nitrogen Load To Casco Bay, Maine, Whitley Gray

Publications

Over the past two decades, total nitrogen (TN) concentrations have increased in Casco Bay (CBEP 2015). The sources of the increased nitrogen are poorly understood but occur with simultaneous population growth and land use changes. The total riverine nitrogen load to Casco Bay was previously estimated by Liebman and Milstead (2012) using the United States Geologic Survey’s (USGS) SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes (SPARROW) model. The SPARROW model uses watershed characteristics, regional monitoring data and nitrogen source data to estimate nitrogen loading but was not validated using measurements of nitrogen in the Casco Bay watershed. This study attempts to …

Eelgrass Distribution In Casco Bay 2018, Seth Barker

Publications

Eelgrass, Zostera marina, is one of many marine and estuarine flowering plants that grow in intertidal and subtidal locations around the world. In Maine, only one other flowering plant occupies similar habitats, Widgeon Grass, or Ruppia maritima. The focus of this project is the distribution of eelgrass in Casco Bay. Monitoring eelgrass distribution over a large geographic area and identifying potential factors responsible for changes in distribution is no small task, but most efforts to preserve the ecology of an area begin with these basic steps. Though direct cause and effect relationships are often difficult to support, enough is known …

Annual Report 2018, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

Publications

CBEP has been collaborating for over 25 years with a multitude of partners working hard to protect Casco Bay. 2018 brought us new and exciting collaborations.

The Casco Bay Nutrient Council, convened by CBEP, met for almost two years and produced a report that laid a path forward for all partners to tackle nutrient pollution.

CBEP worked closely with the EPA to establish the Casco Bay Monitoring Network, made up of over 20 member organizations, aimed at coordinating and upgrading monitoring in the Bay. The Network is currently updating the Casco Bay Monitoring Plan.

CBEP is an active participant in …

American Lobster Settlement Index, Update 2018, Richard Wahle Phd, Noah Oppenheim

Publications

With US lobster landings looking like they may be either stabilizing or slipping off their 2016 all-time high, and Canadian landings surging ahead, many in the industry and management on both sides of the border are wondering how the landscape may change for the future of North America’s most valuable fishery. Even as 2018 landings are still being tallied in some sectors, Maine reported a 7% uptick from its 16% downturn in 2017. Canadian harvests on the other hand have been booming, with Gulf of St. Lawrence fisheries reporting double-digit increases over the past few years. Widespread declines in settlement …

Fishway Assessment And Cost Analysis Report, Royal River, Yarmouth, Me, Inter-Fluve

Publications

This study provides a detailed assessment of the fish passage potential at the Bridge Street and East Elm Street dams on the Royal River in the town of Yarmouth, Maine. The study also identifies four alternative approaches to enhance fish passage at each dam, and summarizes analyses to compare the relative costs of the identified alternatives at each site. The target native fish community identified for the study included alewife, American eel, American shad, blueback herring, sea‐run brook trout, rainbow smelt, sea lamprey, and striped bass.

Lgbtq+ History In Maine: A Documentary History Reader, Ashley Towle

Publications

No abstract provided.

Wallace Shore Road In Harpswell, Tidal Restriction Restoration 2017 Monitoring Report, Year 3 Of 5, Post-Project, Matthew Craig

Publications

No abstract provided.

Casco Bay Community Guidebook, Building A Resilient Future, Greater Portland Council Of Governments

Publications

No abstract provided.

Royal River Fish Passage Studies Summary Report, Royal River Watershed, Yarmouth, North Yarmouth, New Gloucester, Pownal, Durham, Gray, And Auburn, Maine, Gza Geoenvironmental, Inc.

Publications

No abstract provided.

Long Reach Lane At Long Marsh, Harpswell, 2016 Post-Project Monitoring Report, Year 3 Of 5, Matthew Craig

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No abstract provided.

Casco Bay Climate Change Vulnerability Summary Report, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Natural Choices, Waterview Consulting

Publications

The Casco Bay region is vulnerable to seven important climate stressors highlighted by the US Environmental Protection Agency: warmer summers; warmer winters; warmer waters; increased drought; increased storminess (evident in higher total precipitation, frequency and intensity); sea level rise; and ocean acidification (US EPA 2014). These climate stressors do not operate in isolation. Compounding their impacts are factors such as population growth, habitat fragmentation and destruction, and resource depletion that can further tax ecosystems and species.

About The Casco Bay Estuary Partnership 2017 (Fact Sheet), Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

Publications

In 1990, Casco Bay was designated an "estuary of national significance" and included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program, which protects nationally significant estuaries threatened by pollution, development, or overuse.

Through collaboration with its partners, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (SBEP) mobilizes collective action to strengthen the Bay's ecological and economic vitality, fostering a shared commitment to Casco Bay. It focuses scientific expertise and financial resources on helping watershed communities address regional challenges such as water pollution, habitat degradation, and adaptation to climate change.

Annual Report 2017, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

Publications

No abstract provided.

The Economic Contribution Of Casco Bay, Ryan Wallace

Publications

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Casco Bay is an ecological and environmental treasure to the people who live and work there, to the visitors it attracts, and to the diverse wildlife and living resources that make the Bay and watershed their home. However, the Bay also makes significant economic contributions in the form of jobs, provision of natural resources, and the provision of services. The natural amenities provided by Casco Bay also play a very important role in attracting and retaining high-skilled workers to the region that support a growing innovation-based regional economy. The Casco Bay Watershed Region is home to one-quarter of …

Recent Accomplishments 2017 (Fact Sheet), Casco Bay Estuary Partnership

Publications

No abstract provided.

Casco Bay’S Vulnerability To Climate Change (Fact Sheet), Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Natural Choices, Waterview Consulting

Publications

From day to day, the weather is always changing—sometimes cooler, sometimes warmer, sometimes wetter, sometimes drier. However, long-term data on conditions over the past century reveal clear trends in Casco Bay’s climate, and these trends are expected to continue far into the future. With climate change increasingly affecting the Casco Bay ecosystem and people who live and work around the Bay, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) carried out a vulnerability assessment to identify the most important climate-related risks. The assessment also determined the most effective ways for CBEP and local communities to respond to the changes in order to ensure …

Casco Bay Climate Change Vulnerability Report, Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Natural Choices, Waterview Consulting

Publications

The Casco Bay region is vulnerable to all seven of the climate stressors identified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA): warmer summers; warmer winters; warmer waters; increased drought; increased storminess (evident in higher total precipitation, frequency and intensity); sea level rise; and ocean acidification (US EPA 2014). These climate stressors do not operate in isolation. Compounding their impacts are factors such as population growth, habitat fragmentation and destruction, and resource depletion that can further tax ecosystems and species.

Alewife Brook, Cape Elizabeth, River Herring Monitoring Summary 2015, Matt Craig

Publications

Alewife Brook in Cape Elizabeth, Maine is a small coastal stream, approximately 1.2 miles long, that runs from Great Pond to Casco Bay. Alewife Brook’s primary source is Great Pond, a 171 acre water body with a mean depth of four feet and a maximum depth of five feet (Maine DEP). Historic documents and anecdotes from local residents indicate that in past decades, the system has supported enough alewives (Alosa pseudoharengus) that local lobstermen harvested the anadromous fish during their annual migrations to Great Pond to spawn, for use as bait.

Ecogeomorphology Of Two Salt Marshes In Midcoast Maine, Beverly J. Johnson, Curtis C. Bohlen Phd, Cailene Gunn, Erin Beirne, Colin Barry, Matt Craig, Phillip Dostie

Publications

The coast of Maine is divided into 4 distinct geomorphologic sections arising from differences in the composition, orientation and structure of the bedrock (Kelley et al., 1988) (Figure 1). The salt marshes located in these 4 sections of the coast are somewhat distinct geomorphologically due to differences in geology, the sediment supply and composition, and the intensity and direction of wave energy. The Arcuate Embayments compartment (in the southwest region of the state) is characterized by resistant bedrock headlands separated by large sandy beaches and large back barrier marshes. Moving further east, the Indented Shoreline compartment is characterized by high …

Shellfish And Seaweed Aquaculture As A Mechanism For Economic Diversification In Maine Island And Coastal Communities, Erin Love

Publications

Lobster is an iconic species in Maine, and for good reason. In 2015 80% of the landed value of commercially harvested Maine seafood was attributed to lobster. In a changing marine environment, the lobster fishery may not always be as robust as it is now. Shellfish and seaweed aquaculture is one possibility for marine harvesters looking to diversify away from lobster (or other species) in order to supplement their income or to foster an alternative source of income should their current fishery become unviable in the future. We used interview and questionnaire data from Casco Bay to Penobscot Bay to …

Resiliency Assessment, Casco Bay Region Climate Change, U.S. Department Of Homeland Security

Publications

No abstract provided.

Climate Adaptation Resource Guide For Casco Bay Communities, Marina Schauffler

Publications

Adaptation planning allows communities to anticipate climate risks and minimize vulnerabilities, potentially reducing long-term costs and socio-cultural disruptions while strengthening ecological and community resilience. The following resources and organizations can support Casco Bay watershed communities in their efforts to anticipate and plan for the far-reaching impacts of climate change.

Paddling Guide To The Presumpscot River, Final Report, Matt Craig, Carol Gay

Publications

From the proposal: The primary objective is to showcase the river as natural resource and recreational asset in support of: a) ongoing community efforts to revitalize riverfronts; b) recent efforts by industry, land trusts, and communities to increase hand carry boat access; c) ongoing efforts by agencies, industry, and NGOs to restore anadromous species to the river; and, d) recent work by local land trusts and towns to develop a regional set of land conservation priorities for the watershed. The map/guide will build upon and incorporate existing regional recreational assets such as the Sebago to the Sea trail.

The Economic Value Of A Restored Fishery On The Presumpscot River, Rachel Bouvier, Friends Of The Presumpscot River

Publications

No abstract provided.