Currents of Change Workshop

Currents of Change

Environmental Status & Trends of the Narragansett Bay Region

May 1, 2009

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Major Sections

• Estuarine waters

• Fresh waters

• Living resources

• Watershed lands

• Ecosystem management

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Estuarine Waters

Currents of Change Workshop

Estuarine Indicators

• Hypoxia

• Chlorophyll

• Beach Closures

• Shellfish Restrictions

• Toxics in fish tissue (sidebar)

Currents of Change Workshop

Pollution Gradients

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Hypoxia

Currents of Change Workshop

Shellfish Restrictions

Currents of Change Workshop

Fresh Waters Indicators

• Bacterial impairments

• Dissolved oxygen impairments

• Nutrient impairments

• Chloride

• Low flow

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Water Quality in NBR

Currents of Change Workshop

Hunt River at Forge Rd.,

N. Kingstown, RI

July 7, 2007

Currents of Change Workshop

Living Resources Indicators

• Estuarine fish

• Wetlands

• Invasive species

• Seagrass

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Eelgrass Distribution

Currents of Change Workshop

Watershed Lands Indicators

• Land Use/Land Cover

• Impervious Surface

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

Land UseChange

Currents of Change Workshop

Impervious Surface

Currents of Change Workshop

Coastal Development

Currents of Change Workshop

Ecosystem Management Indicators

• Water Quality Management Actions

• Environmental Expenditures

• Environmental Reporting

Currents of Change Workshop

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

Currents of Change Workshop

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.

Currents of Change Workshop

“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

Currents of Change Workshop

Status & Trends Report and Workshop Results at

www.nbep.org

Labor In Vain Brook, Somerset MA