Simply Science

First Debris From Japanese Earthquake/Tsunami Reaches Olympic Peninsula

2011-12-16T13:19:00.000-08:00

By Arwyn Rice, Peninsula Daily News

The first piece of debris that could be identified as washing up on the West Coast from the March 11 tsunami in Japan — a large black float — was found on a Neah Bay beach two weeks ago, Seattle oceanographers Curtis Ebbesmeyer and Jim Ingraham said Tuesday night.
Since then, the two researchers, known as DriftBusters Inc. — who have used flotsam to track wind and water currents in the Pacific since 1970 — have learned that the black, 55-gallon drum-sized floats also have been found on Vancouver Island.

Oceanographer Jim Ingraham answers questions about the islands of debris

from the March 11 Japan tsunami that are slowly floating toward the

Pacific Northwest. Behind him is a float, found east of Neah Bay, that is
believed to be the first identified piece of wreckage to arrive via

ocean currents. Photo by Arwyn Rice/Peninsula Daily News.

Ebbesmeyer and Ingraham spoke to more than 100 people at Peninsula College and brought the float with them, along with examples of other items that may be showing up on beaches in the next year.
Tons of debris washed out to sea when a tsunami struck northern Japan after a massive magnitude-9.0 earthquake March 11.
About a quarter of the 100 million tons of debris from Japan is expected to make landfall on beaches from southern Alaska to California, possibly in volumes large enough to clog ports, Ebbesmeyer said.
Using models from a historic shipwreck that occurred 20 miles off Neah Bay, Ebbesmeyer and Ingraham have determined the path of debris that comes into that area off the Washington coast.
They said debris will be snagged by currents leading into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and that a large portion of it will end up on beaches from the mouth of the Elwha River to Port Townsend.
Many ocean models have shown that the massive congregation of flotsam that washed away from devastated Japanese coastal cities is in the middle of the Pacific and won’t make landfall in the U.S. for another year or two.
Most of it is exactly where those models predicted, but those models don’t take into account wind and flotsam with large areas exposed to the wind, said Ebbesmeyer, who became famous for his and Ingraham’s ocean research into currents after large spills of Nike shoes and bath toys from container ships in the 1990s.
Flotsam in a current travels an average of seven miles per hour, but it can move as much as 20 mph if it has a large area exposed to the wind, he said.
The float that was found in Neah Bay sits well above the water, has a very shallow draft and is lightweight, exactly what Ingraham’s computer model said would show up first.
It was found by Surfrider beach cleanup crews working on a Makah-owned beach on the strait, a few miles east of Neah Bay, Ebbesmeyer said.
The black floats are seen in the middle of the Pacific by the hundreds, and are not something that has been seen on Eastern Pacific beaches before, he said.
The floats are included in masses of black blobs supporting huge rafts of debris that include fishing boats, houses and possibly human bodies, Ebbesmeyer said.
Many of those bodies and parts of bodies will likely begin washing up in about a year, some simply as feet in athletic shoes, similar to those found in Puget Sound over the last decade, he said.
Ebbesmeyer has done extensive research on those feet, and said that many more may be found in coming years.
Athletic shoes make the perfect floats to preserve parts of bodies, Ebbesmeyer said, and there are still thousands of people missing from tsunami-stricken areas of Japan.
Shoes with remains or other possibly human remains found on beaches should be reported to the appropriate authorities, either police, sheriff’s deputies or park rangers, he said.
If the debris has any kind of identifiable marking, such as numbers or Japanese writing, it may be traceable, Ebbesmeyer said.
“All debris should be treated with a great reverence and respect,” he said.
Families in Japan are waiting to hear of any items that may have been associated with their loved ones and may travel to the U.S. to meet those who found these mementos, he added.
Items that wash up may include portions of houses, boats, ships, furniture, portions of cars and just about anything else that floats, he said.
The rafts of debris include whole houses which may still contain many personal items, and the Japanese are known for storing important personal mementos in walls, Ebbesmeyer said.
Even the smallest of traceable items may be the only thing associated with one of those people who were lost during the disaster, he said.
Contact Ebbesmeyer at CurtisEbbesmeyer@comcast.net for assistance in translation and to track tsunami debris back to its Japanese origins.
“I have a translator to read things in Japanese,” he said.
Large items still in the water should be reported to the Coast Guard, as they may represent a hazard to boats and ships, he said.
Some shipping lanes have already been rerouted to avoid the worst of the debris, he said.
People should also be aware of the possibility of radiation contamination, he said.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant leaked a large amount of radiation into the water in the wake of the tsunami, and no one knows what levels of contamination there are in the currents, and the items being carried in those currents, he said.
Ebbesmeyer suggested local police take steps to have sensitive Geiger counters available to scan items — just to be safe.
The event was unprecedented, and no one knows yet what levels of radiation, if any, items have picked up, he said.

This article was originally published in the Penensula Daily News.

Narragansett Bay Journal, Winter Issue #21

2011-12-16T12:33:00.000-08:00

The Winter issue of the Narragansett Bay Journal was distributed to subscribers on December 7th. This issue focused on solid waste across a broad set of topics. We have solicited articles from many organizations to give our readers a broad selection of important and timely issues we face in the Narragansett Bay Region.

The Narragansett Bay Journal welcomes contributions from our readers and we encourage folks to send their story ideas, letters, articles, photographs, drawings, poems, cartoons, etc to Lesley Lambert at lesley@nbep.org.

Below you will find a link to the complete issue as well as links to each individual article. Most of the material published in the Narragansett Bay Journal may be reprinted free of charge with permission. Please contact Lesley if you would like to reprint any of these articles.

"Stroking Monet" a junk assemblage by Tom Deininger.
Read about his work in the Urban Nature in Art article

Download the complete issue here

Individual Articles

King Tide: The Mightiest of All Tides

2011-11-04T08:19:00.000-07:00

The king tide nearly washed over the bridge in Wickford R.I.
To view more photos of the effects of the
king tide in R.I. click here.

Do you live by the shore? During the past week did you notice a significant rise in sea level? If so, what you witnessed was most likely the result of a king tide. The term “king tide” refers to a remarkably high tide. This king tide – like all others – offers us a preview of what our coastlines will look like as the sea level rises. To put things in perspective, mean high tide in Newport, Rhode Island is generally measured at 3.6 feet; however, during a king tide, this level can rise to 5.2 feet. Not only have high tides been extremely high in the past two months, but the rate at which sea level rises has been increasing over the past 100 years. Because of this, our coastlines are being inundated with more salt water. And areas at or below sea level are experiencing more flooding than they have in the past.

Like all tides, the king tide is influenced by the relationship of the distance between the Moon, Sun, and Earth. During its 28-day cycle around the earth, the moon’s gravitational pull exerts a significant force on the oceans. When the moon and sun are in a parallel line with the earth, the gravitational pull of the moon and sun create spring tides. These are the stronger tides we see during the full and new moon phase. When the earth is in between the sun and moon—a new moon—the spring tide is lower than when the sun and moon are on the same side of the earch. However, when the moon is perpendicular (90º) to the line of the sun and earth, we experience weaker tides, known as the neap tides.

The tidal cycle during a lunar month.

Although the east coast experiences two high and two low tides every day, the height of the tide changes each time. We experience two spring tides each month (during the full and new moon) but a king tide only comes along twice a year. The summer king tide generally tends to take place during the day while the winter king tide most often occurs at night, which garners it less notice. However, this year the king tide also occurred during sunlight hours, raising more awareness of the potential effects sea level rise will have in the coming century. To be more exact, this year, in North Kingstown, the king tide took place on October 26, 27, and 28 at 7:46AM, 8:37AM, and 9:28AM, respectively.

The Phrase King Tide originated in New Zeeland, Australia and other Pacific nations, possibly because they experience greater effects from tides due to their location in the vast open Pacific Ocean. The island nation of Tuvalu is also located in the middle of the Pacific and is made up of low-lying atolls that has been extremely affected by the combination of king tides and sea level rise.

Here in New England the king tide was easily seen and impacted many coastal areas. In Rhode Island, citizens were invited to post photos on the R.I. Sea Grant Facebook page of the effects of this tide. Perhaps the most remarkable photos were those that displayed the disparity between low and extremely high tides (from a king tide) in Wickford, Jamestown, and along the Pawtuxet River, among other locales.

On Long Wharf in Boston, MA the king tide actually covered much of the wharf and flooded the streets.Watch the video above to see what the Wharf looked like on October 28th.

While king tide – along with its high and strong waves in the summer – may attract many adventurers, it is a force not to be reckoned with, as its strength can be deadly.

Restoration Celebration!

2011-09-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Pawtuxet River Restoration Commemoration

On Friday, September 30^th, the Pawutxet River Restoration Team will be cutting the ribbon to celebrate the restoration of the Pawtuxet River. In August, the Pawtuxet River Authority and its partners demolished the obsolete Pawtuxet Falls Dam, restoring natural flows to the river and opening passage for native migratory fish which have been absent from the river for 300 years!

The agenda begins at 10 A.M. on Broad Street Bridge in Pawtuxet Village, overlooking the restored Falls. The Narragansett Indian Tribe will offer an invocation to the River and blessing for the return of the fish runs. A speaking program features state, federal and local environmental leaders and restoration partners, including Governor Lincoln Chaffee, U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, EPA regional administrator Curt Spalding, RIDEM Director Janet Coit, and Jonathan Stone, executive director of Save The Bay. Finally, a group of canoeists and kayakers will paddle down the Pawtuxet River and into Narragansett Bay--a new "Blueways" water trail made possible by the dam removal.

Following the events on the bridge, the Pawtuxet Restoration Team will host a reception at the Aspray Boat House in Pawtuxet Park--just south of the bridge--beginning at noon, with a light lunch provided.
This event is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.

About the Restoration:

Demolition began on the Warwick side where fish
passage is targeted for best low-flow conditions.

In August 2011, the waters of the Pawtuxet River rushed over the natural bedrock falls at the river's mouth, flowing freely into the salt water of Narragansett Bay for the first time in 300 years. The river restoration was the result of the largest ecological dam removal project yet undertaken in Rhode Island, led by the Pawtuxet River Authority and Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, with funding and technical assistance from more than a dozen federal, state and private organizations (see list below).

The purpose of the project is to improve the ecosystems of the Pawtuxet River watershed and Narragansett Bay by restoring populations of native migratory fish, such as river herring and American shad, which have been blocked from fully accessing their natural spawning habitat for hundreds of years. Herring and shad are important components of marine and freshwater ecosystems, providing abundant food for bluefish, striped bass, largemouth bass, herons, ospreys and many other predators-even harbor seals, which winter in the Bay. The dam removal will directly benefit Rhode Island's $200 million fishing industry, provide modest flood reduction for homes and businesses, improve water quality in the lower Pawtuxet River, and restore boating access between the river and the Bay.

Excavator putting an engineered steel plate into place.

Throughout the month of August, contractors used excavators fitted with hydraulic hammers to break up the 150 foot concrete spillway of Pawtuxet Falls Dam, removing it from the river as rubble. The concrete dam was built in 1924, replacing an earlier timber dam. The project restores seven miles of free-flowing river habitat to one of the state's largest and most historic rivers, increasing its velocity and reducing its depth along its downstream reach by two to three feet. Biologists estimate that more than 100,000 herring and shad will return annually to spawn in the Pawtuxet now that the dam has been removed. To speed the river's recovery, RIDEM biologists will stock herring and shad into the river, while PRA's construction contractors will install native wetland plants and trees along newly exposed riverbanks.

The Pawtuxet River restoration project was made possible through a collaboration of more than a dozen federal, state, local and private organizations which provided funding, technical assistance, and volunteer work. The construction and planting phases cost approximately $600,000, funded primarily by the USDA Natural Resources conservation Service under its Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program and R.I. Dept. of Environmental Management under the Narragansett Bay and Watershed Restoration Bond Fund.

Project Partners
Pawtuxet River Authority & Watershed Council
Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
R.I. Dept. of Environmental Management
R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council
The Rhode Island Foundation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
American Rivers
Save the Bay
R.I. Saltwater Anglers Association
Friends of the Pawtuxet
Pawtuxet Village Association

City of Cranston

City of Warwick

Restore America's Estuaries

R.I. Rivers Council

R.I. Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership

Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet

EA Engineering, Science & Technology Inc.

SumCo Eco-Contracting

Hunters Garage

For more information about the event, contact:

Rita L. Holahan, Pawtuxet River Authority,

(401) 935-0723

Thomas Ardito, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program

(401) 575-6109

Narragansett Bay Journal, Fall Issue #20

2011-09-19T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Fall issue of the Narragansett Bay Journal was distributed to subscribers on September 7th. This issue focused on sustainability across a broad set of topics. With 16 articles, this is one of our largest issues yet! We have solicited articles from many organizations to give our readers a broad selection of important and timely issues we face in the Narragansett Bay Region.
The Narragansett Bay Journal welcomes contributions from our readers and we encourage folks to send their story ideas, letters, articles, photographs, drawings, poems, cartoons, etc to Lesley Lambert at lesley@nbep.org.
Below you will find a link to the complete issue as well as links to each individual article. Most of the material published in the Narragansett Bay Journal may be reprinted free of charge with permission. Please contact Lesley if you would like to reprint any of these articles.

Fall 2011, Complete Issue
Individual Articles

The Local Catch can be found at many of the Farmers Markets
throughout Rhode Island. To learn more read the article
The Changing Face of Agriculture and Smart Growth.

The next issue is set to come out December 7th, and will focus on solid waste. The issue will highlight the coastal clean-up that will take place on National Estuaries Day (September 24th), an update on the health of Narragansett Bay beaches, and the trash TMDL. Other articles include resource recovery, recycle-a-bike efforts, urban trash art, and reducing trash during the holidays. If you have any suggestions for articles, contributors, photographs, drawings, poems, etc, please send them to Lesley Lambert at lesley@nbep.org!

Click here to sign up to receive the electronic edition of the Narragansett Bay Journal.

Nature, Art and History at the Norman Bird Sanctuary

2011-09-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

Tucked away on Third Beach Road in Middletown, R.I. is a natural haven known as the Norman Bird Sanctuary (NBS). In 1949 Mabel Norman Cerio willed approximately 235 acres of land, a portion of her original Paradise Farm in Middletown, Rhode Island, "for the propagation, preservation and protection of birds, and where birds and bird life may be observed, studied, taught and enjoyed by lovers of nature and by the public generally so interested in a spirit of humanity and mercy." Over the years, NBS has grown to include more than 325 acres of diverse habitats, and its mission remains true to Mabel Norman Cerio's original vision.
With seven miles of trails, a visitor’s center, beach education center, natural history museum, vegetable garden, chicken coup, and gift shop, the NBS offers entertainment and education to every visitor. With camp programs, field trips, garden workshops, harvest fairs and more, the Norman Bird Sanctuary is a leader in environmental education in Rhode Island.

Exploring the beach.

This summer NBS received a grant from The Rhode Island Foundation’s Newport County Fund to turn their original small garden plot into an educational, multi-garden area called The Good Gardens and to provide education programs on gardening to community organizations. A partnership with the Martin Luther King Jr. Center (MLK) in Newport was established. This partnership has brought the children of the MLK Center out to the Sanctuary to learn about gardening and how the coastal environment played a role in Native American gardening. Each week a new group of students from kindergarten through grade 6 take a field trip to NBS. The field trip begins with a tour around the touch tanks in the Third Beach Education Center where the NBS has collected many specimens of local fish as well as some tropical species that have traveled north on the Gulfstream and come into our estuary. Then they head over to Third Beach to explore the shore. After collecting the coolest things they could find, the children learn about what they found.

Listening to the sound of the ocean through a whelk shell.

The counselors also show the children how Native Americans used the natural resources. For example, the purple inside of a quahog shell was used as currency known as wampum. The Native Americans also used seaweed to fertilize their crops, shells to make gardening tools, and whelk egg casings as baby rattles.
After exploring the beach the camp returns to the Sanctuary to investigate the farm. They learn about vegetables, herbs and fruits, and how they are grown. NBS has used a Native American technique known as “three sisters” in their garden. The three sisters are corn, squash and beans. Corn is planted in the middle, beans are next so they can grow up the corn and squash are planted around the base of the corn. The bean vines produce nitrogen in the soil—providing nutrients to all the plants.

Corn, squash and green beans grow very well
together and make up the three sisters.

After learning how the garden grows, the children got a taste of the ripe vegetables they found in the garden. Although not all children willingly eat vegetables, some found they actually enjoyed zucchini, tomatoes broccoli and cucumbers. In fact, some children began asking their parents to pick up zucchini and squash at the MLK pantry!
Aside from the hands-on outdoor experience this partnership offers to the children in Newport, it will also provide funding and technical assistance to install a garden center at the Martin Luther King Center.
This past year NBS also developed a partnership with Central Falls High School, where the students were given the opportunity to take field trips to the Sanctuary, learn about the plants, animals and natural history of the area. They brought their knowledge back to the city with them. After cleaning up their neighborhood park they planted trees and a peace garden with the students from other Central Falls schools. The students at Central Falls High School confidently spread their environmental literacy through a YouTube video.
But children’s education is not all they do at the Norman Bird Sanctuary. There are many events for adults as well. In September they will host a number of events for families and adults. Something of That Nature, an art show inspired by nature and the Norman Bird Sanctuary, will be held at the Third Beach Education Center September 9th through the 11th. The event is free and open to the public. As is their international coastal clean up on September 24th.

These mushrooms were found in New
Hampshire, but mushrooms thrive in
moist areas, so you are bound to see a
lot on the hike!

The Norman Bird Sanctuary will also host a Mushroom Walk in the Woods on Saturday the 17th for $10-members, $12-non-members. They also offer field trips for homeschooling, story-time in the garden, bird walks, and garden classes. Their annual fall Harvest Fair is scheduled for October 1st – 2nd. To learn more about these special events go to www.normanbirdsanctuary.org.
Whether you are an avid birder, a natural explorer, or just want a place to walk around in nature, the Norman Bird Sanctuary offers the perfect place for you to observe, learn and enjoy some of the natural habitats and resources our state has to offer.

Crabs and Mangroves in Jobos Bay Puerto Rico

2011-08-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Mangrove System in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico.

One Coastal Fellow at the University of Rhode Island, Ryann Rossi, is currently working on a fascinating 3-part project with her mentor, Brita Jessen, out of both the Bay Campus at URI and Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico. Rossi’s work for Jessen’s dissertation at the Graduate School of Oceanography at URI is entitled “Ecological Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in a Coastal Mangrove System.” Jessen’s dissertation consists of three parts, one of which we discussed in detail with her and Rossi. They are studying the effects of agriculture and urban sprawl, and the associated nutrients they bring on mangrove systems in southern Puerto Rico.

Nutrients may sound good for humans, but for our ecosystems they can often mean bad news. An abundance of nutrients are introduced to ecosystems by fertilizers and pollution. They can wreak havoc upon the natural state of the environment. While the effects of nutrients on the environment have frequently been studied in developed countries such as the United States, there is a lack of studies of the problem in less developed countries such as Puerto Rico. Not only are Jessen and Rossi studying nutrient cycling in an area that has been virtually unexamined, they are studying in an area of growth and dynamism – Puerto Rico is rapidly being affected by urbanization and agricultural development. Monsanto and Pioneer – two of the largest agricultural industries in the world – have recently announced they will be expanding their facilities in Puerto Rico. Since 2003 more than 50 pharmaceutical facilities and 49 medical device companies have set up shop, and more than $4 billion has been invested in biotechnology manufacturing facilities. As the urbanized areas in Puerto Rico switch over from septic systems to sewage systems, there may be a lessening of nutrient overload from human sanitation; however, urbanization and agricultural development will likely outpace the improvements made by the transition to sewage systems.

Ryann Rossi eating lunch in the field.

The particular environment in which Jessen and Rossi are conducting their studies is the mangrove system. Mangroves are natural barriers between the sea and land and are natural carbon sinks, meaning they accumulate and store carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the sea, land and atmosphere. Like the salt marshes and wetlands here in Rhode Island, they too are feeding and nursery grounds for countless species. Tropical areas typically have lower nutrient concentrations, and thus, clearer waters than temperate regions. In order to accommodate for the lack of data, Jessen and Rossi are adapting their research from work done by Jessen’s graduate advisor, Dr. Scott Nixon. Their studies are similar to those that have been conducted in salt marshes all over the coastlines of America.

Nutrient enrichment stimulates microbial activity, which increases the rate of decomposition of materials such as leaves, seaweed and dead fish. Another key player in the decomposition of organic materials are crabs. And in Puerto Rico, there are many species. Crabs are “shredders” and the primary consumers of mangrove leaves. In the words of Rossi, crabs are “ecosystem engineers.” By this she means that they alter the habitat by increasing the rate of decomposition of mangrove leaves and other decaying material. They also dig burrows, which mix sediments and bring oxygen to roots in the peat-based sediment.In order to examine the effects of nutrient overload in the relatively unstudied ecosystem of mangroves, Jessen and Rossi have created a group of mini-ecosystem testing grounds in Jobos Bay to determine how various levels of nutrients will affect the mangrove systems. They have simulated the effects of both agriculture and urban development, while maintaining several control plots. In the urban testing areas, they are using a water-based fertilizer with a nitrogen to phosphate ratio of 16:1, while the agriculturally effected plots, use a water-based fertilizer with a nitrogen to phosphate ratio of 50:1. Both ratios are similar to what is found to contribute in temperate areas. The control plots maintain their natural nitrogen to phosphate ratios.

A quarter compared to the size of a
hole dug by a crab (ecosystem engineers).

Jessen and Rossi’s research not only tests the effects of agricultural development and urbanization on mangroves, but also – within the different test plots – what exactly is leading to the decomposition of leaves. In other words, is it microbial activity from the increased nutrients or the feeding of crabs that primarily contributes to the breakdown of leaves and increases the stability of the peat-based sediment? Jessen and Rossi know that fertilizers (nutrients) speed up microbial processes and thus, increase degradation rates with increasing levels of pollution. Sea level rise and the ability of the coastline of Puerto Rico to handle it is also an issue of concern.

In order to test the effects of anthropogenic growth, Jessen and Rossi have placed yellow leaves (those that are about to fall off the plant) inside mesh “litter” bags in each testing site so that only microbes (not crabs) can feed on them. Each bag contains approximately four grams of leaves, about 7-9 leaves. Three bags were left at each site during their last visit in early July. They’ll return to Jobos Bay in early August to weigh the bags to see how much has been broken down by microbial degradation during the interim. They will then compare the amount of microbial breakdown of the leaves within the bags to the amount of degradation of leaves that have been exposed to crabs. The crab-exposed yellow leaves have been marked by Rossi’s careful work of tying strings to each one. The final weights of the exposed and contained leaves will allow the pair to make a comparison between the amount of microbial (inorganic) decomposition and organic degradation by crabs.

Jessen and Rossi are highly enthusiastic about their research and experiences in Puerto Rico. They are very grateful to their funders, some of whom include The Nature Conservancy, the R.I. and Puerto Rico Sea Grants and the U.S. Forest Service. The URI Coastal Institute and National Estuarine Research Reserve in Jobos Bay, Puerto Rico have provided fellowships for both.

Jessen is always looking for willing and motivated students to volunteer to work with her on her exciting dissertation studies. If you have an interest, please contact her at bjessen@gso.uri.edu.

Brita Jessen of Boston, MA attended Wellesley College for her undergraduate studies and is currently studying biological oceanography under the guidance of Professor Scott Nixon. Ryann Rossi of Malta, NY will graduate from URI with a B.S. in marine biology in 2013.

Elizabeth Gooding & Lesley Lambert

Destructing Pawtuxet Falls Dam

2011-08-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Demolition is about to begin on the Pawtuxet Falls Dam in Pawtuxet Village! SumCo Eco Contracting is setting up their staging ground this week and will begin diverting the water and removing the dam on Monday, August 8th.
The Pawtuxet Project Team has set up a blog to chronicle the demolition of the dam, the planting and growth of the plants that will be installed to stabilize the bank. We will be posting pictures regularly to produce a time-laps series of the area. This blog will also provide the public an opportunity to ask questions and get answers about the project. Please visit our blog at http://pawtuxet-falls-dam-destruction.blogspot.com/ and become a follower to get up-to-date information about the project.

The sections of dam you see here will be removed down to the bedrock.
This stretch of the Pawtuxet River is almost entirely bedrock so the river will
still have a cascading effect over the rocks after the concrete dam is removed.
And fish will be able to swim back up to their spawning grounds!

WPWA Survey for Aquatic Invasive Plants

2011-07-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Volunteers paddle among
nuisance pond plants

The Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association (WPWA) – in conjunction with URI Watershed Watch, RI Natural History Survey, and RIDEM – hosted a two-part invasive species workshop this past week. The first part of the workshop was held at the Coastal Institute at URI’s Kingston Campus on Thursday, July 14^th from 6:00 to 8:30 PM. This portion of the workshop focused on educating volunteers about aquatic plant ecology, training them to identify the invasive plants, and discussing with them all that a survey entails. The second part of the workshop took place on Saturday, July 16^th from 9:00AM to 12:00 noon at the Kingston Community Center at Asa Pond in South Kingston.

A view finder allows you to look
under the surface of the water

It was here that the volunteers reviewed and put into practice the identification skills they developed in part one of the workshop. The volunteers learned how to conduct the survey from boats, canoes, and kayaks. Anyone with access to a boat was welcome to join in the free survey. Plant identification guides and other necessary materials were provided free of charge. One such material involved in the survey were viewfinders, which are essentially see-through cylinders that allowed participants to view the submerged aquatic vegetation without any glare from the sun. Secchi disks were used to test the turbidity of the water. Volunteers gathered samples from the pond and placed them in bags labeled with their location and then marked that location on a map of the pond.

Native floating heart (white flowers)

Invasive species can have a significant impact on the ecosystems they invade and Asa Pond is no exception. While plants are generally considered beneficial to aquatic ecosystems, as they lower the water temperature through shading and prevent erosion, invasive plants can disrupt the natural ecosystem when they out-compete native species. According to Elizabeth Herron, who has worked for the URI Watershed Watch since 1992, the most common submerged invasives in the Rhode Island are – in decreasing order of abundance – variable leaf milfoil and fanwort. These species are particularly prolific because they can reproduce from fragments; in other words, a piece of one of these plants can grown into its own full-grown plant. Also, as may be the case with purple loosestrife overtaking native loosestrife and nymphoides peltata out-competing native floating heart, the bright colors of the invasives are more attractive to pollinators, which leads to more seeds being spread of the invasives and, thus, their proliferation.

Invasive yellow floating heart

Herbicides are the most effective means of combating the overabundance of invasive species and some have even been developed to specifically target invasives while leaving native plants unscathed. Unfortunately, herbicides can be very expensive and require a permit from the Department of Environmental Management; thus, they are not always a viable option for control of non-native species. Preventing the introduction of invasive species is generally the most desirable option; however, many people introduce invasives unknowingly and, education and outreach are important. Oftentimes, boats will introduce invasives when they are not properly washed. Similarly, plant fragments that remain in trail/bait buckets can lead to the introduction of invasives to areas where they’ve not previously been seen. Protocol for cleaning boats and buckets is currently being established. WPWA is currently working with groups in Connecticut to get support for invasive aquatic plant monitoring.

Variable Milfoil is an invasive species

The good news is that despite the heavy public use of Asa Pond, no invasive aquatic plants were detected during the survey. Still, throughout Rhode Island there is much work to be done in terms of preventing the spread of aquatic invasive plants, but through educational public outreach events such as the two-part workshop, progress can be made. If improvements are to be made it will require hard work on the part of volunteers and stakeholders throughout the watershed. If the turnout for this year’s workshop is any indication, there are many citizens concerned with the health of their watershed.

Invasive water chestnut

Stingrays and Skates

2011-07-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

Atlantic Stingray

Some people are scared of stingrays, some people like them, and then there are those very few people who live for stingrays. We had the opportunity to meet one such researcher from the University of Rhode Island and his Coastal Fellow who is following in his footsteps. John (Jack) Szczepanski was preparing for a joint meeting of ichthyologists and herbatologists in Minneapolis, when he and his Coastal Fellow, Peter Schooling (Marine Affairs - URI ’13) took a break from their preparations and research to share a brief lunch with us and discuss their interests and research.

Szczepanski gave us some basic details about sting rays to get us started. Stingrays are elasmobranches; like skate rays and sharks they have a skeleton made entirely of cartilage. Certain rays have reinforced jaws which allow them to consume hard species such as crabs, whelks, and snails. Stingrays have strong chemoreception and use their sense of smell to find their food. They store urea in their tissues to control salt intake because unlike most fish they don’t filter out the salt water, rather they store all the nutrients, which makes them taste bad and smell like ammonia. Stingrays are commonly used as lobster bate. They are also sometimes used as faux sea scallops in the Midwest and many species of rays are eaten in certain cultures. Electric rays, which are often found in Rhode Island, appear large and blobby and have an electric organ-muscle. The poisonous barbs on a stingray’s tail (that famously and tragically killed Steve Irwin) can break off and likely do not grow back.

Electric Ray (the red area is the
electric field emitted)

Generally, stingrays move inland during their remarkably long (11 month!) gestation period. An egg case is absorbed in the side of the mother stingray, who eventually gives a live aplacental birth. This type of reproduction is known as ovoviparity; in other words, the ray embryos develop in eggs that are held within the mother until they are ready to hatch. Some rays are rather large when they are born. For example, bull nose rays are generally between 18 and 30 cm at birth. Stingrays do not have a set breeding season. In contrast to stingrays, skates lay eggs, which is one of the major differences between the two otherwise similar species.

Szczepanski with the stingray
that stung him in the hand
on his honeymoon!

Large groups of stingrays (particularly the eagle ray and bull nose ray) migrate north from tropical waters in the summer. They are new but no longer uncommon in RI and have been seen in Narragansett Bay as early as May. Their migration this far north that early in the season may be indicative of climate change. Szczepanski believes their migration patterns may also be indicative of ecological changes because they are generally not commercially fished. Much of Szczepanski’s research takes places in Delaware Bay, which serves as a breeding ground for sharks that are sand-born and then spend the rest of their adult lives offshore. Delaware is very species rich, but comparisons can still be made to RI despite our fewer and smaller populations. Perhaps the most important correlation that can be drawn between the two water bodies is that they are both estuaries – breeding grounds/nurseries for numerous species.

Szczepanski with a stingray
on his honeymoon.

Szczpanski has gone out on many surveys to assess populations of stingrays (including one on July 20, 2010 while he was on his honeymoon and ended up getting stung in the hand!) While out on the boat, he measures the disk width from wing tip to wing tip and length from nose to pelvic fins, determines the sex of the stingray, and then checks for its stomach contents. Szczepanski then weighs and identifies the food from the belly of the stingray. Skates can have their stomach pumped to remove the contents for measurement. Little skates, which are common in Rhode Island eat a variety of food. Among other things, Szczepanski is trying to determine if their diets are more specific in Delaware, where they have a greater variety of food to choose from, than in Rhode Island. Clear nose skates, which are also common in Rhode Island tend to feed on squid, wheat fish, worms, crabs, shrimp, and more. Bull nose rays eat anything from whelks to mud snails and hermit crabs and sometimes even razor clams. Cow nose rays have strong jaws and plate-like teeth which are used for crushing. They, too, eat razor clams. Szczepanski believes that the mechanisms stingrays use to find food are – in order of importance – smell, sight, and electroreception.

Over the course of two years, Szczepanski will perform more than 20 surveys per bay (about one every month) in the Delaware and Narragansett Bays. He hopes to monitor how many stingrays are caught during each trip and their weights and species type. His work takes a serious dedication because he has almost no funding aside from his graduate studies research allowance. Szczepanski says he is grateful to have the cooperation of fishermen who allow him to examine the stingrays caught in their nets.

Elizabeth Gooding

LiDAR

2011-07-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

The Changing Water’s Edge - 06/23/2011 – 8:30AM-12:30PM

Simulated LiDAR Survey

On June 23, 2011, experts, researchers, and governments officials came together to discuss the potential effects and implications of sea level rise. Every aspect of sea level rise and its results were examined during the four hour meeting held at Save the Bay in Providence. The meeting was composed of three major sections: maps and resources for local managers, case study presentations and discussions, and a view from the private sector.

Rhode Island does not have a plan to deal with sea level rise; however, it is crucial that one be developed, as the Newport Tide Gauge shows that the rate at which the sea level is rising is increasing. Planning is currently in Phase 1, consisting of data consolidation as well as the identification and quantification of vulnerable assets. Storm surge and spring high tide in Wickford can be viewed as precursors of impacts from sea level rise.

The LiDAR data was collected on May 2, 2011 and the product delivery is expected by the fall of2011. The deliverables should include raw point cloud data as well as classified points that specify ground, non-ground (trees, buildings, etc.,) water, and noise (ie. birds.) The existing data from 1997-2009 consists of maps of different scales, formats, and quality. Those maps have been compiled to make one accurate map available for viewing on ArcGIS. The information derived from LiDAR data can help standardize the accuracy of our understanding of the terrain of Rhode Island. It has such precise resolution, its margin of error is only +/- 6inches. The previous map had a margin of error of greater than +/- 3 feet.Recently a LiDAR(Light Detection and Ranging) survey of RI took place. The data from these surveys can provide a foundation for elevation data of the state, which can allow for predictions of areas that will be most impacted by sea level rise. LiDAR has a number of benefits. First of all, it is very precise, recording over 100,000 points per second. It has the ability to get multiple returns from a single pulse: in other words one pulse could detect a bird, the trees over which it is flying, and the ground beneath that tree canopy. The two major LiDAR products are digital surface models and digital elevation models, the latter of which can create bare earth digital elevation models(DEMs) which are used to calculate the areas impacted by sea level rise. The bare earth DEMshave 10 foot cell sizes and are hydroflattened, showing neither contour lines nor bathymetry.

A one foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

LiDAR data will be particularly useful when examining the state’s tidal marsh areas. The total area and actual location of tidal marshes is important for a number of reasons. Tidal marshes are quite vulnerable to sea level rise and their locations and total area can change as a result of sea level rise. Many roads are blocking their retreat and if those roads are not moved, the marshes will inevitably be inundated. South County is a prime example of where this is likely going to be an issue. In order to model the potential effects of sea level rise, Kevin Ruddock of the Nature Conservatory presented models of how a 1 feet, 3 feet, and 5 feet sea level rise would impact different areas of the state. He depicted the scenarios using SLAMM (Sea Levels Affecting Marshes Model.) This modeling program takes into account inundation, erosion, overwash, saturation, and accretion on the topography of the state. It presents data on a1:12,000 scale.

Following the presentation and discussion of the compelling SLAMM maps, there was a discussion with North Kingstown town officials. After a short break, panelists from Bristol,Newport, and Warwick discussed the potential impacts of sea level rise in their respective areas. Diane Williamson, the Community Development Director in Bristol, discussed concerns regarding storm surge and the infrastructure in the Poppasquash/Hope Street infrastructure where culverts are being blocked by the receding seawall. There is a question of whether or not to repair the road, as it is at such a risk for flooding, it may be a waste of money.

A three foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

In terms of flooding, she succinctly said it “hits you at home because it is your home.” Her talk was followed by a presentation by Newport Planning Director, Paige Bronk. He discussed how storm surge is also a concern in the area, as Newport lies well within a 100-year floodplain. Storm surge threatens retail business on Thames Street; however, due to the historic nature of those buildings, raising them remains controversial. Bronk called for a stronger state building code that will consider flooding. He also encouraged zoning relief for properties at risk of coastal flooding. Finishing this portion of the meeting, Janine Burke from the Warwick Sewer Authority discussed how the floods of 2010 presented a true challenge to the wastewater infrastructure in the city. She provided forceful pictures and statistics about how the Sewer Authority faced an unprecedented challenge from the floods; her office was evacuated on March30^th and water levels there rose to six feet. The floods tested pumping stations that were “built like submarines,” completely wiping out six of them. The biggest impact of the floods could be seen in sanitary sewer overflows and electrical system problems. As a result of the floods, the wastewater treatment employees are now actively involved in emergency planning. Burke suggested that in planning for climate change, the following are major points to be addressed:energy efficient initiatives, renewable energy, consideration of future hydrology, and avoidance of construction in floodplains.

A five foot sea level
rise in Wickford Harbor

Finishing up the day, Sandy Taft, Director of US Climate Change Policy for National Grid discussed adjusting to climate change and addressing the risks associated with it. He said we must consider the impact of weather – wind, water, and temperature – on infrastructure. Taft suggested looking at long term threats and prioritizing based on how long each asset will be in place. In terms of flood types, he mentioned four types: coastal/tidal, fluvial/river, groundwater, and flash flooding and that they have been focusing on river flooding. While Federal Emergency Management Agency ranks areas in terms of risk as either low, medium, or high, the maps being used to categorize those areas may be outdated or based on historical events and therein lies several problems which we all face. LiDAR is a very helpful data source but National Grid found that sometimes it is not enough. For example, LiDAR cannot record inside a structure and therefore National Grid has had to conduct surveys of the equipment inside a building to determine if they will be flooded based on their elevation. Once flood implications are understood, several construction alternatives can be deployed which Taft described as avoidance, resistance, resilience, and reparability. Since National Grid is a UK-based company, Taft shared the different data sources that are made available in the UK versus the US and, as a result, the different internal design standards deployed.

Overall, the day was hugely informative for all of those involved. The speakers highlighted the extent to which sea level rise will have far-reaching implications, many of which are often not immediately obvious.

Elizabeth Gooding

Dams, Culverts and Stream Crossings, Oh My!

2011-06-27T11:21:00.000-07:00

River Herring (a.k.a Alewife)
Alosa pseudoharengus spend
their life in the ocean and
travel up rivers to breed.

Imagine being a river herring. After spending a few years growing up in the Atlantic Ocean, it is time to return to the river you were born in. Your senses bring you back to the mouth of the Pawtuxet River where you swam out into the Narragansett Bay, tasting saltwater for the first time, just a few short years ago. You are ready to return to your hatching grounds with your school so you can repeat the process like so many ancestors before you.

The portion of Pawtuxet Falls Dam you see
here is slated to be removed this summer. The
removal will restore the connectivity of the river
to the Bay, and minimally decrease flooding in the area.

But to your dismay, a huge waterfall pours down in front of you (remember, you are a fish, less than a foot long). You cannot jump over the dam, and you cannot swim around it. Just then a large blue bucket scoops you out of the river. You sit in the bucket, afraid of what lies ahead. Then, without notice, you are dumped back into the river! But now you are upstream of the dam. You have just a short way to go to get back to your spawning ground. But you are not in the clear yet. Just up ahead you sense your way. You must pass through a dark and dingy tunnel, under a large strip of concrete with huge hunks of metal barreling overhead. The culvert you are passing through is a stream crossing, where a road passes over the stream. It has been a wet spring so there is just enough flow for you to pass safely. Had it been a dry spring, this culvert would be full of sticky mud and swimming through it would be impossible.

As you can see, this culvert can pass fish.
(Photos courtesy of NRCS)

Despite the odds, you have made it to your spawning ground! Unfortunately, only a few of your kind made it this far. Your school has decreased in numbers, but you make the best of it, and hope the weather and predators will be kind to your young.

No fish could jump high enough to make it into this culvert!

Your job is done. You follow the flow of the river back out to Narragansett Bay where you meet up with the rest of your school and return to life at sea.

While dams once powered the Industrial Revolution, and culverts allow us to pass safely over streambeds, these man-made obstacles can prevent wildlife from accessing their native habitats. In Rhode Island there are more than 671 dams. While some dams hold back water for us to drink, or maintain the level of a lake or pond, others serve no purpose. In fact, 180 dams in Rhode Island are classified as hazardous to life or the environment in the event of failure. The owner of the dam is responsible for maintaining their dam, however, many of the historical dams in Rhode Island have no identified owner because the mills they once powered are long gone. Despite the difficulties of ownership and strained fiscal situations, the watershed organizations and associations continue to work toward restoring the natural flow and environmental connectivity of the rivers. In some cases this means building a fish ladder, or installing a bypass channel that will allow fish and other animals to move upstream without having to leave the river. But when possible, the dam is just removed. By removing a dam all together, we not only re-establish the connection between the river and the Bay, but we eliminate maintenance cost.

If the culvert in the red square is repaired it would
open more than 17 miles of habitat in the
Pawcatuck River watershed to fish and wildlife.

The culverts that carry the streams under our roads were not always designed with fish and wildlife in mind. There are more than 2,780 miles of river within the Narragansett Bay Watershed. This does not include the streams or brooks that may flow through your backyard or neighborhood. Nonetheless, these streams and brooks play a significant role in feeding the rivers, connecting habitats and providing food and shelter to our fish and wildlife. The Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) has identified 4,353 stream crossings in Rhode Island. They have inventoried more than 950 stream crossings in 12 watersheds in Rhode Island so far. The inventory identifies the characteristics of the crossings and assesses the quality of the crossing based on standards developed by the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Extension program in the College of Natural Sciences. Within the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed alone, more than 150 culverts are classified as severe barriers, meaning they do not support the needs of fish and wildlife.

As part of this project, NRCS is working with landowners and other organizations to identify potential restoration projects. Landowners with culverts on their property are encouraged to apply for grants under the Wildlife Habitat and Incentives Program to fund the restoration of their ineffective culverts. To learn more about this project visit the Rivers and Streams Continuity Project at UMass Extension.
Lesley Lambert

A Nutrient Budget For The Bay

2011-06-18T08:54:00.000-07:00

When we think about budgets we usually think in terms of dollars and cents. Do I have enough money to pay the bills, go grocery shopping and go out to the movies? But we can’t calculate the health of an individual or an ecosystem using dollars. One way to think about the health of an ecosystem though is in terms of supply and demand for nutrients. How much nutrients or food does your dog need to eat to stay healthy? And how much is too much?

Everything needs nutrients to stay alive. Animals must eat to survive, and so do plants, algae, fungus and bacteria. Animals soak up necessary nutrients as they digest the fruits, vegetables and meat we eat. Plants and other sedentary (non-moving) life forms take in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus from their environment—water, earth and air. When an animal takes in too much nutrients, the excess is expelled so it can be recycled in the environment and reused by other organisms.

Instead of using dollars to calculate a nutrient budget, we use increments of phosphorous and nitrogen compounds. We can calculate how much nutrients (or food) is needed for an individual to survive by evaluating how much we take in and how much is lost to the environment, and examining the health of that individual.

We can also come up with a nutrient budget for an ecosystem by evaluating the point and non-point sources of nutrients entering the system, and measuring how it is being used and where the excess is going.

Consider the Narragansett Bay ecosystem for a moment. The rivers that feed the Bay also bring all that washes into them. This includes all the stormwater that is not soaked up by the trees, grass and plants, all the water from washing our cars and watering our lawns, and all the discharge from wastewater treatment plants. When it rains, the trash, sediment, heavy metals and nutrients that collect on roadways, sidewalks and lawns are washed into storm drains that flow into nearby rivers, wastewater treatment plants or just directly into the Bay. In Rhode Island, only a few treatment plants take stormwater, so much of it is not treated at all before it reaches the rivers or Bay. The Bay essentially becomes the dumping ground for all this pollution. So how much nutrients and pollution is too much for the Bay to handle? And how do we know?

Nayatt Point in Barrington, R.I. is already loaded with seaweed.
Conimicut Point has already raked the beach to remove the
seaweed, and the summer has just begun.

In a healthy system, everything lives in balance with each other. Fish kills and shellfish die offs are one type of clue that nutrient levels may be too high. The big stinking mats of seaweed that wash onto our beaches are also evidence of too much nutrients. To figure out just how much is too much, we must first calculate how much is going in.

Graduate student, Jason Krumholz, is calculating the nutrient budget for the Narragansett Bay. He is testing whether recent reductions to the amount of nutrients going into the Bay –through wastewater treatment plant upgrades and point source restoration (Read our blog on wastewater treatment plant upgrades)- are enough to change the amount of phytoplankton growing in the Bay, which might decrease the amount of organic material being decomposed at the bottom of the Bay, allowing for higher levels of dissolved oxygen throughout the Bay, making the Bay a healthier place for creatures to live.

Jason Krumholz makes tiny adjustments
on the nutrient analyzer.

Since 2006 Jason has been collecting seasonal monthly water samples at 13 stations around the Bay and analyzing them for concentrations of nitrates, nitrites, ammonia, phosphate, silica and total nitrogen. He also works with other researchers and state agencies to analyze data from the wastewater treatment plants, river loading data, and a number of fixed monitoring stations throughout the bay. From this data, he can calculate the total amount of nutrients coming into the Bay. The next step is to figure out where all of those nutrients are going. Some of it washes out to the ocean with the tides, some sinks into the sediment to be used later, and some is released back into the atmosphere, but most of it gets used up by the organisms living in the Bay.

Jason Krumholz and his intern Rossi Ennis
working in their lab at the URI Bay Campus in Narragansett.

Jason is already seeing decreases in dissolved inorganic nitrogen, so one might expect to also see decreases in total nitrogen, but this does not seem to be the case. “It is a bit puzzling” Says Jason. “The Bay is doing something else. We are still seeing high levels of phytoplankton” (microscopic algae) which leaves the same possibility for low levels of dissolved oxygen and potential for fish kills. But we can’t expect to see changes over night. In many similar ecosystems, response to reduction in nutrient loading has taken several years to manifest. As the Bay adjusts to the lower levels of nutrients coming in, the species of phytoplankton may shift to ones that can live well with lower levels. But only time will tell.

We can all help make the Bay cleaner though. Jason suggests using diligence and being a mindful consumer. Be conscientious about the fertilizers you use, purchase detergents without phosphates, and pick up after your pet!

BioBlitz 2011

2011-06-17T09:13:00.000-07:00

Students from Community Preparatory
School look for wildflowers.

Joslin Farm in Scituate, R.I. hosted the 2011 RINHS BioBlitz, an event in which scientists, artists, and avid outdoor enthusiasts survey the area in an attempt to create a list of existing species within the boundaries. A 24-hour event, the BioBlitz began at 3pm on June 10 and ended on Saturday, June 11. Participants were given specific groups of animals or plants to identify such as birds, bats, and butterflies. The Rhode Island Natural History Survey hosted the event that drew a crowd ranging from third graders to senior citizens. It served as an example of how wildlife can interest anyone at any age and from any walk of life.

Boys from Central Falls School look at
mushrooms under microscopes.

Amongst those participating in the taxonomic survey, were a group of students from Central Falls and a group of sixth grade girls from Community Preparatory School in Providence. The girls and boys were excited as they began identifying species and anxiously awaited their sleepover in tents. Wildflowers were a popular draw amongst the Community Prep students. The younger students use simplified taxonomy books to make their identifications.

The ZooCrew were drawing what
they saw under the microscopes.

Tents peppered the area around
Science Central.

Susannah Brooks, director of ZooCrew,
and ZooCrew volunteer, Carina Barceline,
sign in for the night.

Members of the Roger Williams Park Zoo’s ZooCrew also showed up to provided assistance in the identification. The ZooCrew is comprised of over 60 youth members who commit 50+ hours of their time every summer to volunteer for environmental causes.

Kai and Lori-Anne sign-in eager to start
finding crickets and other bugs.

For Kai Lima, attending with his mother Lori-Anne, it was the prospect of finding crickets that he found exciting. Frances Toppings, a member of the RINHS, looked forward to not only identifying species, but also sketching them. Carl Sawyer, an expert plant identifier, enjoyed his job and described it by saying, “the more I do this, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” He kept busy checking off identified species on the master list, which reached a total of 914 species. This year the ants/bees and wasps categories totaled a record of 12 and 24 species respectively. More than 83 types of beetles were identified compared to a previous record of 69.

Insect identification occurred under
the Science Central tent.

As we wandered though the various tents, we came upon one spider specialist identifying a Wolf Spider with an egg sack that he explained held up to 200 eggs. As he examined the spider another spider crawled up his leg. Interestingly, most spiders must be dead in order to be identified because one must be able to identify mouth structures and other body parts and that is often impossible when a spider is crawling around.

190 outdoor enthusiasts registered to participate in the event with approximately 150 people on-site observing or recording at any given time. About 40 of the participants were students between 3^rd and 12^th grade. Providence Water hosted and Roger Williams Park Zoo sponsored the event. Bioblitz has been an annual event in different locales since 2000.

If you are interested in learning more about BioBlitz, check out the following articles.
In 24 cold, wet hours, R.I. BioBlitz counts 906 species on Scituate watershed land / Video, Providence Journal

Nature Lovers Blitz Scituate Searching For Life, EcoRI News

Also be sure to visit the RI Natural History Survey Facebook page!

Why Are Wastewater Treatment Plants So Important?

2011-06-15T05:55:00.000-07:00

Wastewater treatment plants do just as they say. They treat the water that goes down our drains before releasing it back into the environment. Wastewater treatment plants have evolved considerably over time. Their first, and most important purpose is to clear the water we use in our homes of solid materials. This process of screening and settlement is known as primary treatment. Although this removes the largest debris items, the wastewater is still full of organic material, which doesn’t smell great and, if dumped directly into our water bodies, can contaminate them and consume available oxygen as it decomposes. This is why virtually all treatment plants in the U.S. use a process of aeration to encourage the growth of beneficial microorganism which break down the biological material in the waste, in a process called secondary treatment. In many cases the water is then discharged, often after sterilization with Ultra Violet light which kills potentially disease causing bacteria and viruses. This was the case here in Rhode Island until about 2005. However as city populations grow, more and more nutrients are going into the wastewater treatment facilities and being discharged into our waterways. These excess nutrients act like fertilizer to the plants and algae living in the water. Unfortunately, too much fertilizer in the Bay is a bad thing. Phytoplankton (tiny microscopic plants) begin to bloom uncontrollably, blocking out sunlight needed by other plants lower in the water column. Once the algae reaches maximum capacity it begins to die off in mass numbers. The dead cells sink to the bottom where bacteria decompose the cells, using up oxygen in the process. As the bacteria pull oxygen out of the water, the fish, shellfish and other organism in the area begin to suffocate. Those that cannot swim away eventually die, providing more food for the oxygen-consuming bacteria.

However, recent advancements in technology and awareness have brought about new technologies which can treat wastewater to remove these nutrients is done in the third phase, known as tertiary treatment. Click here to download an article about wastewater treatment in Rhode Island, and learn “what happens after you flush.”

Countless fish and shellfish
died in Greenwich Bay in 2003
when dissolved oxygen reached
critically low levels for an
extended period of time.

Following the Greenwich Bay fish kill in 2003, Rhode Island passed a law requiring a 50 percent reduction in nitrogen discharges coming out of wastewater treatment plants in the Upper Bay. To date, nine wastewater treatment facilities in the Narragansett Bay Watershed have completed their upgrades, with three more following closely behind. However, the largest treatment facility in Rhode Island, Fields Point, is still under construction.

As these upgrades come on line, we can expect to see conditions clear up in Narragansett Bay. But it won’t happen over night. The Bay, and the creatures living in it will have to adjust to the cleaner waters. Scientists throughout the region are studying various parameters that will likely be affected and improved over time so we can have a baseline understanding of the current conditions and assess the improvements over time.

Come back soon to read about the Nutrient Budget being developed for Narragansett Bay!

Pawtuxet Falls Dam Removal Project Update

2011-06-07T11:56:00.000-07:00

To learn more about the Pawtuxet River
Watershed, click here.

The Pawtuxet River is the second largest source of fresh water to the Narragansett Bay. The Pawtuxet River watershed is the largest watershed in the state. It comprises the Scituate Reservoir and its tributaries, the North Branch of the Pawtuxet, the Pocasset River, the Big River and its tributaries, the Flat River Reservoir and its tributaries -- the South Branch of the Pawtuxet, and the main stem of the Pawtuxet. In total, the watershed contains 64 ponds, 93 brooks, 7 tributary rivers, and 18 dams.
The first dam on the river, Pawtuxet Falls, is located at the mouth of Pawtuxet Cove. The concrete dam you see today was constructed in 1924 by the Providence Water Supply Board. The concrete structure replaced the previous wooden structure and was built at the same time Scituate Reservoir was being constructed in the upper watershed. The Scituate Reservoir currently supplies drinking water to nearly two-thirds of the state's population.
With the second largest volume of water in Rhode Island and a substantial drop in elevation from its headwaters to Narragansett Bay, the Pawtuxet River watershed became a center of textile manufacturing plants. Numerous impoundments were created along the river and its tributaries, and along the banks were a series of mills and mill villages, many of which now have historical significance. In the late 19th century, this development was so intensive that an urban area emerged in the eastern Coventry-West Warwick area. Factories and villages both discharged their effluent and waste in the river, degrading water quality in the lower portions of the watershed.

Click here to download a flyer
about the project and meeting

With poor water quality and dams peppering the river, migrating fish such as river herring, American shad and Atlantic salmon could not reach their fresh water spawning grounds. But there is a light at the end of the story! The Pawtuxet River Authority and its partners are working to remove portions of the concrete dam at Pawtuxet Falls, which will open seven and a half miles of river to migrating fish.
On June 21st at 7pm, the Pawtuxet River Authority will host a public meeting at Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet to update stakeholders on the progress of the dam removal project. Although construction has not yet begun, permits and contracting are underway. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend the public meeting.

If you would like to be added to the stakeholder mailing list so you can receive information about future meetings and updates on construction progress contact Lesley Lambert at lesley@nbep.org.

Algae vs. Plants

2011-06-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Diagram of algae

Plants and algae are both photosynthetic. Both are also considered eukaryotes, consisting of cells with specialized components. They both also have the same life cycle called alternation of generations. However, algae are not plants. So, what are they? They are merely members of the Kingdom Protista. Plants compose their own kingdom, Kingdom Plantae. While plants and algae may sometimes appear to be quite similar visually, they in fact have a number of differences between them. In terms of where they live, how they survive and reproduce, and what composes them, plants and algae are vastly different.

Did you know that seaweed is not a plant? First of all, algae may be unicellular, colonial, or multi-cellular. Plants, on the other hand, are only multi-cellular. Holdfasts, stapes and blades compose multi-cellular algae. In comparison, plants have roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds and cones. The roots of plants not only hold them in place, they nourish them. Plants possess vascular systems, which allow for the uptake and transport of water and nutrients. In contrast, each cell in algae must obtain its own nutrients from water for survival.

Diagram of plant vascular system

Clearly, plants cannot move, as they are rooted to the ground. On some algae, holdfasts, which are comparable to the roots of plants, hold them in place. Some algae drift with the water currents. Some algae are actually actively mobile. Dinoflagellates, for instance, whip themselves through the water with a tail-like structures called flagella. Other algae may move by pushing their bodies forward in a crawling motion.

Algae

Typically algae are found in water; although, they may be found on land or snow and, strangely enough, even growing in rocks or marine animals or on the fur of some rainforest animals such as sloth. Plants are generally found on land; however, they can also live in water, such as eelgrass in marine systems and water lilies in fresh water.

Reproduction could not be more different for plants and algae. Plants have complex, multi-cellular reproductive systems and some even require the assistance of wind, birds, or bugs for pollination. Algae, comparatively, can reproduce through tiny spores or even by replication or the growth of broken pieces.

Eelgrass is a submerged aquatic vegetation (plant)

Despite all of their differences, algae and plants can often appear deceptively similar. So, next time you’re on the beach and you come across what appears to be a plant, take a second glance because it may in fact be algae.

~Elizabeth Gooding

Simply Science

2011-06-02T08:30:00.000-07:00

This common stonefly has a very
low tolerance for pollution, so finding
one is an indication of good water quality.

Most folks don't know what diatoms are, or the role they play in climate change. The average person does not know that samples from a sediment core can tell us how many times throughout history the Bay had too little oxygen to support fish, or that you can measure the health of a wetland by the presence of certain bugs.

Healthy vernal pools can be identified by the presence of
wood frogs (Rana sylvatica) and spotted salamanders.
This is an egg mass of wood frogs found in a vernal pool
in the Arcadia Management Area in Exeter RI.

This blog is intended to explain how any why scientists measure the things they do. We will be meeting with researchers, watershed organizations and scientists throughout the Narragansett Bay Region who are studying the natural environment and how it changes over time in the face of human intervention and climate change. By conducting sound science, we are able to make informed decisions about development, restoration and management of our natural environment.
We hope this blog will help citizens understand the science behind the decisions made by local, state and federal organizations with regards to protecting and preserving the natural environment.

August Dissolved Oxygen Survey

2010-08-24T07:43:00.000-07:00

NBEP, Brown University and Save the Bay conducted a water quality survey on Thursday, August 19th, and results were much better than expected! The west passage (from the Warwick Neck south to the tip of Jamestown) was well mixed throughout the water column. The only area our boat saw dissolved oxygen levels below 3.0mg/L (milligrams per liter) was in Greenwich Bay, and even then, only at six of the 14 stations.

NBEP surveys all stations in Greenwich Bay, West Passage and meets up with the Brown boat at the southern station in Upper Bay.

NBEP surveys all stations in Greenwich Bay, West Passage and meets up with the Brown boat at the southern station in Upper Bay.

We not longer survey the Mount Hope Bay or most of the East Passage because low dissolved oxygen levels are rarely found and it is logistically very difficult to cover that area with our three boats. At the end of the summer all data will be posted to the Brown University's Insomniacs website.

Again we found Greenwich Bay to have patches of reddish colored water, and the Sea-bird was giving fairly high flourometry readings (Chlorophyll levels in the water measured in (μg/l, or micrograms per liter) , so we took some water samples with our fine mesh net to analyze back in the lab. Professor David Borkman was kind enough to come help identify the species, which he determined to be Procrocentrum micans, Dinophysis accuminata (not pictured below), and Sanguinium akashiwo.

Lesley and Chris collecting a water sample in Greenwich Cove.

Microscopic view of Sanguinium species.

Microscopic view of Prorocentrum species

Most folks know about eelgrass (Zostera marina), and it's benefits to estuarine critters, however, there is another species of seagrass living in Narragansett Bay. While surveying Apponoug Cove in Greenwich Bay, we came across large, floating patches of widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima). There are several species of seagrass found along the Atlantic Coast, however, many species such as turtle grass (Thalassia testudenum), and manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) are found only in the warmer waters, south of the Chesapeake Bay.

Underwater Video image of a healthy bed of Ruppia maratima at the mouth of Apponaug Cove.

Patch of R. maratima floating with seaweeds Polysiphonia and Ceramium in Apponaug Cove.

Seagrass is an important estuarine habitat for many reasons. Seagrass beds provide shelter, and feeding grounds for juvenile fish, crabs, shellfish, and birds, and act as a biological filters and erosion control by trapping sediments in its interconnected root structure known as rhizomes. Historically, the southwestern part of Greenwich Bay (Greenwich Cove) was known as Scallop Town because of its healthy beds of shellfish living in and among the seagrass. Unfortunately, seagrass beds have been in decline over the years and efforts to re-vegetate affected areas has had mixed results. Much research has gone into understanding the decline of seagrass beds throughout the Atlantic Coast and globally. Some of the major factors in the decline of seagrass has been attributed to the "wasting disease" of the 1930s, dredging, oil leakage from outboard motorboats, hurricanes, and increased macroalgae due to eutrophication (excessive nutrients in waterways). Boat props can also damage seagrass beds, so it is important to be aware of the area you are boating in, and avoid traveling through an area when you see plant life in your wake.

Biomass Survey

2010-08-13T13:40:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, our aerial survey was canceled this week due to unforeseen circumstances. This however, gave us time to do some biomass estimates. Because we analyze our aerial photography for percent cover of macroalgae, it is important to have a strong understanding of the density, or total biomass for each percent cover classification. Our analysis is based on five density classes (0=no cover, 1= 1-10%, 2=11-40%, 3=41-70%, 4=71-100%). Below you will find an image that helps us identify the density class for each picture.

Each block represents a percent cover which helps us determine the density of algae seen in each aerial photograph.

Everything you will need to do your own biomass estimates!

To measure biomass you will need:

1 quadrat (1/2 meter squared is ideal, but any size will do);
Measuring tape;
1 scale (one with a hanging clip that can weigh at up to 500 grams is ideal);
Box cutter or razor blade to cut macroalgae overhanging quadrant sample area;
Salad spinner to remove excess water from the macroalgae;
A zip-lock bag to hold and weigh the sample;
paper and pencil to record your readings, and;
A camera to capture images of your findings!

Step by step instructions on measuring biomass:
Kids, be sure to have an adult help you out!

We sampled Sandy Point on Tuesday, and the Wilson Park Fishing Area (pictured here) and Bissel Cove on Wednesday.

First, you will need to select the area you wish to measure. Find a shoreline and define the area by starting at one end, along the water's edge and walking to the opposite end, counting each step (you will need to measure your steps to get exact length). Do the same thing perpendicular to the water's edge and multiply both sides to get the area of your shoreline.

Take your quadrat and drop it at random within your sample area.

Quadrat laid along shore at random.

Using your box cutter or razor blade, cut along the edge of your quadrat to trim away pieces of macroalgae that are not in your selected area. If a piece is only half in your selected area you will need to carefully cut away the section that is not in your area.

Using a razor blade, carefully cut away excess macroalgae from your sample.

Note: Be sure to have an adult help you with the sharp blade!

A salad spinner is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of excess water.

Next, you will need to clean and dry your sample. We use a salad spinner to get rid of excess water, but sometimes we need to clean the sample of sand, snails and shells first. Be sure to remove everything from your sample that is not macroalgae or your readings will be off!

Once you have cleaned and dried your sample you will need to separate it into the different types of macroalgae. Make a pile for each of the classes (green, red and brown)

Our sample has been separated. Notice we did not find any brown algae so only green and red are shown.

Note: distinguishing color can be trickier than you think! A good rule of thumb; dying algae can lose its color, but greens and browns will never look red. Also, there are few browns you will see in the waters of Narragansett Bay and are most often found attached to rocks; if there are bubbles or air pockets on it, it is a brown algae.

Once you have your sample separated, you will need to weigh each sample. First weigh the bag so you can subtract that weight from your total. Weigh each color separately and record your measurements on a piece of paper. Once you have measured all three individually, put all three in the bag and measure the total. This will help verify your measurement and account for any evaporation.
Note: some samples may be too large to measure all in one, so you will need to break it into two part measurements.

Weigh the algae using a hanging scale and plastic bag.

Repeat these steps four more times to get a total of five samples. Using these numbers you will be able to calculate the total biomass of your shoreline. You will need to calculate the area of your shoreline and your quadrat as well as the percent of the total for each color and sample. Below are some equations you will need for your calculations.

Area = length multiplied by height. (Be sure to use consistent measurements, for example meters (m) and centimeters (cm) OR foot (ft) and inches (in) for all calculations.

M² = length(meters) x height (meters)

Average weight = sum of all samples divided by total number of samples

Grams (g) = {[sample 1(g)] + [sample 2(g)] + [sample 3(g)]} ÷ 3 (samples)

Percent = individual sample weight divided by total sample, multiplied by 100%

% = Green sample (g) ÷ total sample weight (g) x 100 percent

Total cover = total area multiplied by average weight, divided by sample area

M² = total area of shoreline(meters squared) x average weight (grams)
÷ area of quadrat (meters squared)

August Video Survey

2010-08-06T12:08:00.000-07:00

We had another great video survey this week! However, the currents were strong which made getting sediment samples difficult because the sediment grab kept on getting swept on its side, causing it to drag sideways along the seafloor, collecting sediment on the top, rather than closing around a proper sample. For many of the stations four times was the charm!

Dropping the sediment grab.

Collecting a sediment sample.

An improper sediment grab
(notice the mud sitting on top of the grab).

While Shelley, from URI was gathering sediment samples with her crew, Chris and Lesley were collecting water samples, measuring water quality with a YSI at both surface and bottom depths, and dropping the underwater video camera to get a look at the seafloor.

Setting up the underwater video camera.

Collecting a water sample.

Dropping the YSI for a water quality reading.

Our survey finished up with a family of swans crossing our path in the Greenwich Bay Marina. Although not as majestic looking, baby swans are hardly ugly ducklings!

Family of Swans crossing the shipping channel in Greenwich Cove.

July Aerial Survey

2010-07-29T09:03:00.000-07:00

The NBEP crew had our third aerial survey Monday July 12th. As expected, many areas of the bay were cloudy with hypoxia and macroalgae was seen just about everywhere. When oxygen levels drop in marine waters sulfur precipitates out, causing the water to become cloudy. The Seekonk River was streaked red with phytoplankton which may be a dinoflagellate or diatom (like the dinoflagellate Gynodinium we found in May), however we were not able to obtain a sample to identify it.

The wrack line at Conimicut was loaded with a filamentous Ulva.

Ground truthing showed expected results: Ulva is heavily coating the northern parts of the Bay, however, the species are changing. While in the past we have seen the big sheets of Ulva (commonly known as sea lettuce) covering beaches, the filamentous Ulva was found in big mats along the shores of Conimicut.

Also, this time last year we were seeing the brown seaweed Punctaria mixed into the Ulva, but this year the red seaweed Grinnellia has taken its place.

Seafloor (Benthos) Survey

2010-07-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

On June 21, in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island’s Cell & Molecular Biology department, we completed a videotaping survey throughout six different locations in Narragansett Bay. We will be surveying six locations throughout Greenwich Bay. Click on the map below to see our locations marked in yellow.[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=103382247568443412834.00048af7f4a77de62dac3&t=h&ll=41.671466,-71.435667&spn=0.02943,0.021252&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

Liquid Nitrogen Storage Tank.

Sediment samples

A GPS, in correlation with the program Chartview Pro, was used to track the exact locations that we surveyed so we can return to them each time. At each of the six locations, we used the SeaViewer Underwater camera to capture video clips of the benthic regions in the Bay. We used a YSI to measure temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and chlorophyll at surface and bottom depths (click on yellow icons above to see our readings). A Niskin water sampler was used to take water samples at the bottom, as well as a sediment grab which plunges into the ground to collect sediment samples. The sediment samples were preserved in a liquid nitrogen storage tank. Both sediment and water samples will be tested by the molecular biology students.

Aghardiella (a red branching seaweed) with
Ulva (green "sea lettuce) underneath.

After viewing the video footage, we found a plethora of interesting marine life living in the sediment in the Bay. For instance, single-celled algae was found, as well as the red algae Aghardiella species and Gracilaria species. Ctenophores, commonly referred to as “comb jellies” were also abundant at the surface and benthic regions in the Bay. Amphipods, tunicates, and crabs were among the other species found within the sediment.

Aghardiella (a red branching seaweed)

June Aerial Survey

2010-06-30T12:42:00.000-07:00

On June 22nd the crew took a helicopter survey and found many areas of Narragansett Bay to be heavily loaded with algae. Some areas, particularly the coves in Greenwich Bay, had a milky hue to them which is indicative of low dissolved oxygen. Much of Greenwich Bay and Allen Harbor had bright red streaks in the water.

The red streaks in the water are patches of the dinoflagellate Gynodinium.

Certain types of phytoplankton (microscopic algae) grow very quickly and form thick, visible patches. Some of these phytoplankton blooms are harmful to plants, animals and humans, and are known as harmful algal blooms (HAB). After we landed we traveled down to Allen Harbor to collect a water sample to take back to the lab and look at under the microscope. Fortunately, the red phytoplankton we saw was not a HAB. A fellow professor here at the URI Bay campus identified it to be a harmless species of Gymnodinium, a dinoflagellate. There are however, several species of Gymnodinuim that produce toxins that cause shellfish poisoning. These red-tide events often coincide with high concentrations of nutrients, especially iron and high temperatures.

For more information on dinoflagellates
go to www.keweenawalgae.mtu.edu/

After our aerial flights we go out to the beaches to identify the algae species seen from the air. As expected, we found the northern part of the Bay (north of Conimicut) loaded with the green algae Ulva species (sea lettuce). Conimicut and many areas south to Narragansett beach have a wide variety of red, green and brown algae.

The green seaweed Ulva and brown seaweed Fucus cover Bold Point.

A mix of reds, greens and browns were found at Sabin point.

Meet the Science Research Team of 2010

2010-06-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

Every year NBEP hires at least one intern to help us out with our summer research. Whether we hire through the RI Department of Environmental Management or the University of Rhode Island, our interns must have a strong interest in the environment and have at least two years of higher education schooling in marine or environmental sciences.

The Veterans

Dr. Chris Deacutis

Dr. Chris Deacutis — Has been the Chief Scientist for NBEP since 1993. Prior to joining the NBEP team, Chris worked with RI Department of Environmental Management in the Division of Water Resources. It was his research and suggestion of hypoxic problems in Narragansett Bay that sparked the efforts of the Insomniacs in 1999. From the summer of 1999 to 2003 Chris organized and coordinated nighttime dissolved oxygen surveys. Since 2004 Chris has been collaborating with Brown University and the University of Rhode Island to conduct daytime dissolved oxygen surveys throughout the summer.

Lesley Lambert

Lesley Lambert — After graduating from Roger Williams University in 2005 with a major in Marine Biology and a minor in Economics, I began working with NBEP in 2006 as an RIDEM intern and had the great fortune to continue with the program, becoming Project Coordinator. I have recently become the Digital Communication Manager, so in addition to conducting the summer research and mentoring our interns, I am now in charge of maintaining our website, designing the Narragansett Bay Journal, and other outreach materials and events.

2010 Interns:

Rebecca Sacks

Rebecca Sacks — Becca is a senior at the University of Rhode Island, majoring in Marine Biology. She began working with us during the spring semester while maintaining a full course schedule. In the past four months she has received experience in analyzing aerial photographs as well as algae identification and biomass estimates through ground truthing. We look forward to having Becca on our team and showing her the ropes of working in the local environmental field.

Bart Johnsen-Harris

Bart Johnsen-Harris — Bart is a Junior at Brown University majoring in Environmental Studies. Aside from his strong interests in environmental policy, he is also an outstanding piccolo player and bass singer for Brown's Wind Symphony and "Bear Necessities" a cappella group. Bart will be assisting us on our boat surveys this summer.

We will post our 2011 interns when they come on board next week!

First Water Quality Survey of the Summer

2010-06-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

The NBEP science team embarked on our first water quality survey of the season on June 8th. We used the R.I. Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) boat and left from the East Greenwich Bay Marina. We were able to take measurements at 28 of our 30 fixed sites throughout Greenwich Bay and the west passage of Narragansett Bay before a squall came about and forced us to go in and get out of the inclement weather.

Sudden Squall

The north western part of Greenwich Bay was found to be just at the hypoxic level at 2.9mg/L of dissolved oxygen. However, the southern parts of Greenwich Bay and much of the rest of the Bay was well mixed and oxygen levels were sufficiently high. The squall likely mixed the water and oxygenated it further.

Marine animals breath oxygen too and when oxygen levels drop below 3mg/L there is not enough oxygen to go around. Creatures that live on the bottom of the bay such as oysters, littlenecks, and marine worms are at a greater risk during hypoxic events because they cannot move to a different area. Schooling fish such as menhaden are also affected by hypoxia because they are often chased into coves by predators such as striped bass and the school will use up the oxygen faster than it can be produced by photosynthesis or mixed into the water at the surface from the air.

Our next water quality survey will occur in the second week of July, however we hope to do a video survey next week to look at the sediments throughout Greenwich Bay.

Our captain Heather and intern Bart.

Lesley and Becca work on gathering the data.