Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Marshfield Harbor, Rivers, And Waterways Management Plan, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Marshfield Waterways Committee

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

This Waterways, Rivers and Harbors Plan is an initiative of the Marshfield Waterways Committee (the Waterways Committee) whose mission is to “recommend procedures, policies and regulations to the Board of Selectmen of the Town of Marshfield on matters affecting the safety, navigation, recreational activities, fishing interests, natural resources and the planning and management of Marshfield's waterways.”

This plan provides recommendations to address safe navigation, natural resource protection, improvements to public access, safe recreational boating, protection of working waterfronts and related infrastructure, improvements to water quality, preparation for impacts from changes in sea level and climate, opportunities for collaboration, and clarification …

Study On Investment In Water And Wastewater Infrastructure And Economic Development, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

The Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management in the John W. McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies at the University of Massachusetts Boston was tasked by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Advisory Board (MWRAAB) with asking and answering a very fundamental question relating to public infrastructure: “What is the relationship between investment in water and wastewater infrastructure and economic growth?” To do so, Center staff not only researched the positive results of investing in infrastructure, but also took time to consider what failing to invest in adequate water and wastewater infrastructure might mean. Additionally, the Center …

Conservation Mooring Study, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

Most boaters who moor their vessels in Massachusetts waters have traditionally employed free swinging moorings that use heavy bottom chain. In important sensitive habitats such as eelgrass beds, these types of moorings often have negative impacts on the benthic habitat – from the circular movement of the chain around the anchor point, and/or from the anchor itself.

This document objectively describes the different characteristics of conventional moorings versus conservation moorings designed to minimize disruption to the benthic habitat. This report includes discussions on the following topics:

• Technologies available
• Ecological impacts
• Functional differences
• Economical differences
• Regulatory issues

These comparisons, along with …

Nantucket Shellfish Management Plan, Matthew Herr, Frank Dutra, Tara Riley, Sarah Oktay, Peter Boyce, Doug Smith, Carl Sjolund, Jake Kritzer, Cormac Collier, Dave Fronzuto, Kristin Uiterwyk, Jack Wiggin, Dale Leavitt, Steve Bliven, Allison Novelly, Dan Hellin

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

Nantucket’s shellfisheries are significant both locally and nationally. Locally, commercial and recreational shellfishing are critical to the Island’s history, culture, and economy. Nationally, the Island’s largest commercial shellfishery — the Nantucket bay scallop fishery is one of the last wild-harvest bay scallop fisheries in the country, but there is growing concern over the health of the overall population and the sustainability of the fishery. Given the importance of the shellfisheries on Nantucket and the drastic decline of bay scallop populations elsewhere along the Atlantic coast, there is a compelling interest in ensuring that the Town’s shellfish are managed to sustain …

Identification Of Outer Continental Shelf Renewable Energy Space-Use Conflicts And Analysis Of Potential Mitigation Measures, Flaxen Conway, Madeleine Hall-Arber, Michael Harte, Daniel Hudgens, Thomas Murray, Carrie Pomeroy, John Weiss, Jack Wiggin, Dawn Wright

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The ocean accommodates a wide variety of uses that are separated by time of day, season, location, and zones. Conflict can and does occur, however, when two or more groups wish to use the same space at the same time in an exclusive manner. The potential for conflict is well known and the management of ocean space and resources has been, and is being, addressed by a number of State, regional, and Federal organizations, including, among others, coastal zone management agencies, state task forces, and regional fisheries management councils. However, with new and emerging uses of the ocean, such as …

A Model To Relate Environmental Variation To Npdes Permit Violations At Thermoelectric Facilities On The Taunton River, Seth Delevan Sheldon

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

Large thermoelectric facilities are issued permits to discharge high volume, high temperature effluents as part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES). Once-through cooled power plants are especially dependent on large quantities of cool water to operate. When ambient temperatures are high or streamflow is very low, power plant managers must reduce (i.e., "dial back") energy generation in order to avoid violating their NPDES permit limitations. Sudden dial-back can have human health impacts when electricity is no longer available to provide cooling or other vital services. A superior system of electricity and environmental management would reduce the probability of …

Green Boston Harbor Project (Gbh), Community Environmental Stewardship: Applied Research, Education And Outreach, Anamarija Frankić

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The GBH methodology is derived from a 1500 year old Native Hawaiian Ahupua’a approach. This approach defines sustainable relationships among land, water and humans from the tops of islands to the coral reefs and open ocean. GBH seeks a similar interconnection between the City of Boston and Boston Harbor: from watersheds to the harbor and its coastal habitats and islands.

Nantucket Shellfish Management Plan, Kristin Uiterwyk, Steve Bliven, Dan Leavitt, Jack Wiggin, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Nantucket’s shellfish resources are an important part of the Island’s history, culture, and economy. Nantucket waters support one of the country’s last wild-caught bay scallop fisheries. Elsewhere along the Atlantic coast, fishing pressure, habitat loss, and disease have severely depleted bay scallop populations. Although Nantucketers continue to make a living harvesting shellfish from the Island’s waters, many do so with concern for the future of the resources and the habitats that support them. Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) provided technical assistance to the community to develop a Shellfish Management Plan (SMP) that addresses issues of water quality, habitat loss, climate change, …

Coastsweep: The Massachusetts Coastal Cleanup Program, Dennis N. Leigh, Kristen Uiterwyk, Jack Wiggin, Schanna James, Allison Novelly, Robin Lacey, Anne Donovan, Arden Miller, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

Through this project, volunteers in communities throughout Massachusetts turn out in large numbers each September and October for COASTSWEEP, the statewide coastal cleanup program sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and coordinated by the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) of the University of Massachusetts Boston. COASTSWEEP is part of the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) organized by Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Through the efforts of the ICC, volunteers from all over the world collect marine debris and record information about the trash they collect. This information is then analyzed and used to identify sources of debris and …

The Urban Harbors Institute, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Office of Community Partnerships Posters

The Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) is a public policy and applied-science research center focused on issues affecting urban waterfronts and coastal and ocean resources. Our mission is to increase understanding of the marine environment, improve management practices, and promote informed decision making at the local, state and national levels. UHI employs a multidisciplinary approach in all its research and education projects, blending science, policy, and management.

The Implications Of Water Insecurity For Fragile And Failing States: The Case Of Pakistan, Jennifer Norins

Graduate Masters Theses

As we become more firmly established in the 21st century, the international system faces a number of increasingly more difficult challenges that pose threats to global security and human progress. Among these challenges, water scarcity and failing states have each received prominent attention in both the academic and policy realms. Water serves a number of critical purposes for human survival and socio-economic activity. The threat of water scarcity is becoming increasingly salient and the capacity of states to ensure water security, and other securities which water security supports, is being tested. Fragile and failing states also occupy significant space in …

A Model For Relating Environmental Variation To Water Permit Violations At Thermoelectric Facilities, Seth Sheldon

Interdisciplinary Perspectives: a Graduate Student Research Showcase

A regression model is presented which relates cooling water withdrawal rates and discharge temperatures at two mid-size thermoelectric facilities to electricity demand and ambient air temperature using historical data. Both facilities employ open-loop cooling systems, which have substantial water demands. Open-loop facilities comprise roughly one third of U.S. generation capacity. High water demands put facilities and downstream aquatic habitats at risk during heat waves and droughts, and put facility managers in a position to decide between reducing their power generation and violating their permit limits. National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits place limits on cooling water withdrawals and effluent …

Science Tools To Implement Ecosystem Based Management In Massachusetts (Draft), Mrag Americas, Incorporated, Massachusetts Ocean Partnership, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

In this report we provide a framework for implementing ecosystem based management (EBM) and suggest a range of science information tools and their appropriate application to the decision making process. These tools can be broadly classified as modeling tools, decision analysis tools, and indicators. Modeling tools allow the user to organize data, communicate scientific findings to management and stakeholder audiences, and test alternative management scenarios. When used unwisely, however, models can preclude options, present unusable scenarios, generate results in scales that differ from management needs, and impose huge time, data, and technical requirements (Manno et al., 2008). Decision analysis tools …

Plymouth-Carver Sole Source Aquifer: Regional Open Space Plan, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The second largest sole source aquifer in Massachusetts, the Plymouth-Carver Sole Source Aquifer (the Aquifer) covers 140 square miles underlying the towns of Plymouth, Carver, Kingston, Wareham, Plympton, Middleborough, and Bourne. The Aquifer contains over 500 billion gallons of fresh water (USGS 1992), and serves as a critical water resource for residential, commercial, and agricultural uses in the area. Though its resources are vast, they are not unlimited, nor are they unaffected by contamination.

On August 7, 1990, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a notice announcing that the Plymouth-Carver Aquifer satisfies all criteria for designation as a sole source …

An Application For A State Designated, Federally Approved No Discharge Area For Boston Harbor, Ma, City Of Boston Environment Department, City Of Quincy Harbormaster, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Charles River Watershed Association

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The municipalities surrounding Boston Harbor are requesting that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts designate the waters of Boston Harbor as a No Discharge Area (NDA) pursuant to the Clean Water Act, Section 312(f)(3). An NDA is a body of water in which the discharge of vessel sewage, whether treated or not, is prohibited. The No Discharge Area would be called the Boston Harbor No Discharge Area.

While the waters of Boston Harbor are under the jurisdiction of a number of different municipalities, water quality issues affect the harbor as a whole. Past efforts to clean up the harbor have occurred across …

Climate. Renewables: Old Problem, New Answers, Michael Eckhart

New England Journal of Public Policy

The article offers information on the first Agricultural Renewable Energy Forum to be held in New York on December 3, 2008.

Water. World Water, A Crisis Of Global Governance?, Robert Weiner

New England Journal of Public Policy

In a global world, how can water, a necessary and increasingly scarce resource, be managed? We understand that water is a basic need. Do we also share the belief that water is a basic right? Does the international community share beliefs about water that may be the foundation of an international regime or system of global governance for the equitable implementation of global water policy? And finally, what international body or bodies might handle the disputes that arise as our population and need for water increase? The author tackles these questions and looks at models to guide us.

Water. Global Water Outlook To 2025: Averting An Impending Crisis, Mark W. Rosegrant, Ximing Cai, Sarah A. Cline

New England Journal of Public Policy

IFPRI and IWMI's report uses computer modeling to project water demand and availability through to 2025 and predicts the likely impact of changes in water policy and investment, making specific recommendations for specific locations around the globe. The report argues that if current water policies continue, farmers will find it difficult to meet the world’s food needs. Hardest hit will be the world’s poorest people. The authors call for: International commitment to sustainable use of water, through appropriate policies and investments; Wider application of existing water saving technologies; The removal of inappropriate incentives and reform of institutions which hinder effective …

Water. Commons Or Commodity?: The Future Of Water, Marcia Brewster

New England Journal of Public Policy

This article by Marcia Brewster is taken from the proceedings of the EPIIC Symposium at Tufts University in February 2005.

Water. The Geopolitics Of Water, Paul Michael Wihbey, Ilan Berman

New England Journal of Public Policy

In the great geo-strategic game known as the Middle East, peace politics get much of the press and the attention of policy leaders. On occasion, oil takes center stage but often for the wrong reason (see, e.g., "The End of the Oil Era and the Price of Oil"). What is important to understand is that water is in fact the key strategic resource in the region and if you follow the flow of water, you'll follow the politics and policy machinations that lie at the heart of the Israeli-Syrian dialogue. IASPS Fellow in Strategy Paul Michael Wihbey co-authored an analysis …

Human Development And Resources Use In The Coastal Zone: Influences On Human Health, Robert E. Bowen, Anamarija Frankic, Mary E. Davis

Environmental, Earth, and Ocean Sciences Faculty Publication Series

Coastal watersheds and nearshore marine areas are the most valuable and dynamic places on Earth. Human population growth is great in these regions, which are home to some of the most sensitive habitats in the world. Coastal areas provide more than half of the overall service value derived from the global environment (Costanza et al., 1997). Natural (e.g., hurricanes and tsunamis) and human pressures on this environment require it to constantly adjust. More than any other area, the global coast has defined the progress of human culture and continues to be a singular influence in how humans connect to the …

Improving Links Between Science And Coastal Management: Results Of A Survey To Assess U.S. State Coastal Management Science And Technology Needs, Jeff Benoit, Chantal Lefebvre, Dan Hellin, Regan Maund

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

In Winter 2003/2004 the Coastal States Organization (CSO) sponsored a national survey of state coastal resource managers to better understand their science and technology needs. The web-based survey was sponsored by CSO with funding provided by the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET) at the University of New Hampshire. This survey builds upon a previous survey conducted by CSO in 1999. CSO contracted with the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) at UMass-Boston to prepare the survey questions and final report. The University of New Hampshire Survey Center was contracted to conduct the survey and analyze the results.

Two …

Boston Harbor South Watersheds 2004 Assessment Report, Neponset River Watershed Association, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston, Boston Harbor Association, Fore River Watershed Association, Weir River Watershed Association

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

This report includes assessments covering the four individual watersheds that discharge into Boston Harbor from south of the City of Boston — the Neponset, Weir, Fore and Back River Watersheds — plus an assessment for those portions of the City of Boston which border the Harbor itself south of the Charles River, hereinafter referred to as “Boston Inner Harbor Watershed.” The companion to this report is the “Boston Harbor South Watersheds 2004-2009 Action Plan,” which spells out a comprehensive set of responses needed to remedy problems identified here.

This document does not cover the two major watersheds that discharge to …

State Coastal Observations And Monitoring Needs: Results Of A Survey To Assess Coastal Management Needs (Draft Report), Jeff Benoit, Chantal Lefebvre, Dan Hellin, Regan Maund, Jack Thigpen

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The success of the U.S. Coastal Ocean Observing System will be measured, in part, by how well the needs of the coastal management community are being addressed. The results of this survey indicate that the two most important management issues facing coastal programs are land use and habitat change. It is essential that the planning and implementation of the USCOOS take this fact into account and place a priority on addressing these high priority management needs. This can only be accomplished through the direct long-term involvement of the coastal management community with USCOOS efforts at the national and regional levels. …

Final Report: An Assessment To Determine The Most Suitable Location And Design For The Development Of A City-Run, Boat Sewage Pumpout Facility To Service Commercial And Recreational Vessels That Utilize The Waters Within The Jurisdiction Of The City Of Boston, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

This report presents the findings of a site and equipment feasibility study, as well as, a permit overview for the installation of a vessel sewage pumpout system for servicing commercial and recreational vessels in the City of Boston. As part of the analysis, we reviewed a number of sites located within the City of Boston’s jurisdiction in Boston Harbor. We contacted facilities that have made recent investments in commercial grade pumpouts to learn more about the available technology. In analyzing the permit process, we reviewed local zoning requirements and had conversations with relevant City and state officials.

The project, as …

Building A Vision For Our Weir River Estuary: An Inventory Of Open Space And Public Access Around The Weir River Area Of Critical Environmental Concern And Summary Of The Weir River Estuary Visioning Workshop, Chantal Lefebvre

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The Weir River Estuary Park Open Space and Public Access Inventory is a planning document designed to provide collective information on public open space and water access opportunities around the Weir River Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). It catalogs what is known about all undeveloped lands and accessways around the estuary and draws from existing reports and plans, interviews with government officials, and comments conveyed during a day-long public visioning workshop in May 2003. The inventory is intended as a support document to augment existing open space plans, master plans, and harbor management plans in Hingham, Hull, and Cohasset …

Rockport Municipal Harbor Plan: Issues, Goals And Policies, Rockport Harbor Planning Committee, Town Of Rockport, Massachusetts, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

This first phase of the plan for Rockport and its four (4) major harbor areas was developed to ensure growth, prosperity, and preservation of Rockport’s important resources through responsible and reasonable future use and management of the harbors and their shorelines.

The Plan has been prepared by the Town of Rockport to identify existing problems and to establish consensus about the character and quality of the harbors in the future. The Plan responds to a specific list of issues raised by the Harbor Planning Committee in a participatory planning process.

The Harbor Planning Committee is an ad hoc committee of …

Institutional Structure Of The New Jersey Coastal Zone Management Program, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

A discussion paper prepared as part of a series of focus groups on the topic of the Institutional Structure of the New Jersey Coastal Zone Management Program.

The federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (CZMA), since amended, was established to help states and territories to develop and implement comprehensive coastal management programs formed around “enforceable policies”— the establishment of guiding principles and policies that are supported by a regulatory program. These enforceable policies also drive planning, funding, and outreach efforts by a state’s program.

Increasing Involvement In And Awareness Of Coastal Zone Management In New Jersey, Urban Harbors Institute, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

A discussion paper prepared as part of a series of focus groups on the topic of the Increasing Involvement in and Awareness of Coastal Zone Management in New Jersey.

Among the requirements of the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) for state coastal management programs are procedures for public participation and intergovernmental coordination in program development and implementation.

The CZMA was one of a number of environmental statutes passed by Congress in the early 1970s that made public participation a cornerstone of the program. Most government programs have since adopted this philosophy, and experience over the past several decades confirms …

Gulf River Estuary Natural Resources Inventory, Chantal Lefebvre, Dan Hellin, Chris Crawford

Urban Harbors Institute Publications

The purpose of this analysis is to inventory the present assemblage of natural resources in the vicinity of the Gulf River estuary as well as to provide information on land use, recreational use, and pollution threats and concerns. The inventory summarizes existing research and the knowledge and experience of local experts and residents who are most familiar with the Gulf River’s natural environment. It could be used as the first step toward producing a resource management plan for the Gulf River estuary.

The analysis was initiated and funded by the Gulf River Association and prepared to serve as a reference …