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Ramsdell, Cathy

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University of Southern Maine: Digital Commons@USM

University of Southern Maine USM Digital Commons Presentations Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) 2015 Citizens, Science and A Changing Bay (2015 State of the Bay Presentation) Cathy Ramsdell Friends of Casco Bay Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cbep-presentations Recommended Citation Ramsdell, Cathy, "Citizens, Science and A Changing Bay (2015 State of the Bay Presentation)" (2015). Presentations. 20. https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cbep-presentations/20 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) at USM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Presentations by an authorized administrator of USM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact jessica.c.hovey@maine.edu. Citizens,  Science and  A Changing Bay Cathy L Ramsdell, CPA, CGMA Executive Director & Casco Baykeeper Pro Tem Friends of Casco Bay State of the Bay 2015 Conference October 13, 2015 Casco Bay Estuary Partnership  Friends of Casco Bay • Formed by concerned citizens in 1989 • Mission: to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay • Focus on Water Quality • Three key strategies: • Science • Public Education and Outreach • Advocacy    Friends of Casco Bay • Staff of ten professionals  • Citizens are a core (corps) part of all we do  Casco Bay belongs to all of us!   Water Quality Monitoring Program • Quality Assured Project Plans for data collection      by staff and volunteers • Scientifically sound data shared with and used by  scientists, academics, policy makers • 24 years of data • Significant for State of Maine and Clean Water Act compliance reporting to federal government • Our work is essential for water quality classifications of regions of the Bay: upgrades = ultimate goal A Changing Casco Bay • How healthy is Casco Bay? • Report released April of this year  • Copies here and available on our website cascobay.org     Changes are happening faster than anyone could have expected  Award Winning Citizen Stewards Water Quality Monitoring Program • Program began in 1992 • Trained over 750 volunteers –  Citizen Stewards – to collect water quality data all over the Bay • Funding from Casco Bay Estuary Partnership and EPA has been essential to the success of this program Thank you, CBEP! Citizen Stewards Water Quality Monitoring Program • Synoptic and Spatial Coverage at Surface • Volunteers, now at 35 sites around the Bay • Twice a day: 7 a.m. and 3 p.m.  • 10 Saturdays, April – October  Diurnal fluctuations in pH and Dissolved Oxygen with respiration and photosynthesis  Health Index     Sampling & Monitoring by Staff   Water quality monitoring using data sondes  10 sites around the Bay, profiles (depth)   Episodic sampling – investigate anomalies   Stormwater sampling   Nitrogen sampling   Sediment grabs   Eelgrass monitoring, restoration collaborations   Mud pH measurements, buffering & predation collaborations on clam flats     Nitrogen • Essential nutrient • Too much = pollutant • Three sources of input to Casco Bay, in almost equal proportions: • Air deposition of pollutants in the atmosphere • Sewage treatment plants • Stormwater runoff containing fertilizers and other sources of nitrogen (and other contaminants)     The rise of SLIME • Too much nitrogen can cause nuisance – even harmful algae blooms • Decay of blooms results in bacterial uptake of dissolved oxygen and release of Carbon Dioxide • Eutrophication • Leading cause of COASTAL ACIDIFICATION • Casco Bay suffers from a double whammy from coastal and ocean acidification        Pesticides Detected in Stormwater  Running into Casco Bay    Mean pH of bottom water  over the past decade at our  three sentinel sites in Casco Bay    Sediment pH Pre-deployment After one week Close-up after one week  Change – the only certainty • Climate chaos / climate disruptions • Local effects, global effects • Increasing population in the region • Increasing tourism • Aging population means changes in demographics and changes in volunteering styles and giving patterns • Unknowns, unexpecteds, extremes   The Work of Friends of Casco Bay GOALS:  Increase citizen involvement to create more “ownership” and educate  Key monitoring and data collection efforts   Continue collaborations around the Bay, water and sediment sampling, outreach and education, and advocacy efforts especially on the local level   Responsive Shifts in Our Work • Citizen Stewards Water Quality Monitoring Program • Alkalinity and calcium carbonate saturation potential  • Sentinel Sites for profiles for long-term data sets • Increase frequency of electronic data collection – better statistical veracity • Nabbing Nitrogen initiative with volunteers • Mud flat pH and clam flat buffering collaborations • Eelgrass collaborations • Other Volunteer activities: Storm Drain Stenciling, Coastal Clean Ups, Slime Watchers • Advocacy/Policy and Public Education/Outreach work    Baykeeper boat and lighthouse 

Citizens, Science and A Changing Bay (2015 State of the Bay Presentation)

https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1019&amp;context=cbep-presentations

Citizens, Science and A Changing Bay (2015 State of the Bay Presentation)

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