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Currents of Change

Currents of Change. Environmental Status & Trends of the Narragansett Bay Region May 1, 2009. Narragansett Bay Region. Geographic scope: N. Bay estuary, N. Bay watershed, Wood-Pawcatuck & Salt Ponds watersheds To capture major influences on estuary: physical; biological; political

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Currents of Change

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  1. Currents of Change Environmental Status & Trends of the Narragansett Bay Region May 1, 2009

  2. Narragansett Bay Region • Geographic scope: • N. Bay estuary, N. Bay watershed, Wood-Pawcatuck & Salt Ponds watersheds • To capture major influences on estuary: physical; biological; political • 2,066 s.m. area; 50% in Mass.; 48% R.I.; 2% CT • Bay area: 192 s.m. with 95% in R.I. • Population: 2 million in 102 municipalities

  3. Major Sections • Estuarine waters • Fresh waters • Living resources • Watershed lands • Ecosystem management

  4. General Findings • Control of point sources improving for currently regulated pollutants • Control of non-point sources ineffective • Land use impacts significant • Observed changes in temperature and flow are likely linked to climate change • Environmental information is of variable quality and coverage, and often inconsistent across state lines • Trends are difficult to discern for many reasons • Environmental monitoring and management approaches often do not measure ecosystem function and structure

  5. Estuarine Waters

  6. Estuarine Indicators • Hypoxia • Chlorophyll • Beach Closures • Shellfish Restrictions • Toxics in fish tissue (sidebar)

  7. Pollution Gradients

  8. Estuarine Conclusions • Hypoxia: Serious problem degrades habitat in upper NB; driven by nutrients, correlated with June river flows • Beach closures correlated with local stormwater • Shellfish restrictions also correlated with stormwater • Observed shifts in chlorophyll concentrations • Fish tissue: Mercury & PCBs high but consistent with MA & CT

  9. Hypoxia

  10. Shellfish Restrictions

  11. Fresh Waters Indicators • Bacterial impairments • Dissolved oxygen impairments • Nutrient impairments • Chloride • Low flow

  12. Fresh Water Conclusions • Bacterial problems in half of NBR’s rivers; limited problem in lakes • DO and nutrients are localized problems in rivers and lakes • Chloride is increasing, but below standards • Low riverine flow is an emerging issue of real concern throughout NBR

  13. Water Quality in NBR

  14. Hunt River at Forge Rd., N. Kingstown, RI July 7, 2007

  15. Living Resources Indicators • Estuarine fish • Wetlands • Invasive species • Seagrass

  16. Living Resources Conclusions • Resident demersal fish declining, possibly due to fishing & climate change • Wetlands acreage declining at low rate; function/quality is largely unassessed • Invasive species are widespread in the NBR • Seagrass has declined historically; now stable, possibly beginning recovery

  17. Eelgrass Distribution

  18. Watershed Lands Indicators • Land Use/Land Cover • Impervious Surface

  19. Watershed Lands Conclusions • Conversion of land increasing: 24% of NBR is developed (1/3 of uplands) • Sprawl increasing; 14% of NBR covered by impervious surface • Coastal areas have seen significant growth as population shifted from urban areas • Land use driving water quality and other ecosystem impacts • Better interstate information and analysis are needed

  20. Land UseChange

  21. Impervious Surface

  22. Coastal Development

  23. Ecosystem Management Indicators • Water Quality Management Actions • Environmental Expenditures • Environmental Reporting

  24. Ecosystem Management Conclusions • Significant investments in point source control (WWTFs, CSO, etc.) • Investments in land protection increasing • Agency staff stable or declining • Federal contribution to state programs increasing • Reporting insufficient to fully measure environmental outcomes

  25. Needs Identified • Improve indicators/fill information gaps • Better align indicators with ecosystem values • Develop effective system for tracking and reporting ecosystem condition based on interstate and organizational collaboration Objectives: • to better assess environmental progress • To improve effectiveness of management and stewardship efforts.

  26. “Despite growing environmental challenges facing the United States, the current system of collection and delivery of information about environmental trends is unable to meet current and future needs of decision makers.” From “State of the Nation’s Ecosystems 2008” - the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment

  27. Status & Trends Report and Workshop Results at www.nbep.org Labor In Vain Brook, Somerset MA

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