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NH Coastal Adaptation Workgroup
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Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative
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Think Blue Exeter!
Exeter has gone to the DUCKS! Exeter has launched a new educational outreach program about the harmful effects of stormwater pollution. Keep an eye & an ear to local TV & radio for the ducks & THINK BLUE EXETER!
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Street Team Needed!
PREP needs some street team volunteers to help us out with promotion & staffing for our upcoming events!
Could you represent PREP at the Clean Water Community Table at an event?
if you're interested in volunteering for PREP! |
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Welcome to Your Estuaries Partnership News!
Have you been out on or in the water this summer? Kayaking in Great Bay? Fishing off the coast? Swimming at Pirate's Cove? The hot weather we've been having has certainly made the typically freezing waters of the Gulf of Maine a lot more tolerable. You know what else likes warmer waters? Algae, nuisance invasive marine species & seaweeds. These things, though a natural part of the ecosystem cycle, can be a problem if left unchecked.
This month we feature the important work that goes into detecting invasive marine species. Every three years a team scours the coast of New England from Maine to Rhode Island. They inspect the rocky intertidal areas, docks, piers and pilings for invasive marine species in order to understand what's out there, what's newly introduced and what our native species might be up against. This survey helps natural resource managers and others understand the changes in the environment and the trends over time.
So as you enjoy our coastal waters be on the look out for something growing that you've never seen before, snap a photo and let us know on our Facebook wall or via email. We'd love to have as many invasive investigators on the lookout as we can!
From all of us at PREP, thank you for reading and most importantly for caring,
 Jill Farrell Community Impact Program Manager
The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) |
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Feature Story
Researchers Sweep Through NH on New England-Wide Rapid Assessment
Searching for Non-Native Species on NH's Coast
On the morning of August 5th a team of researchers will descend upon the rocky coast of New Hampshire's Seacoast searching out non-native marine species that can threaten our native populations of shellfish and damage our waterfront structures like piers, docks and pilings as well as threaten public health through disease and pathogens.
The one-day New Hampshire sweep is part of a 6-day, 19 site location effort to  collect, identify and catalog all marine organisms in coastal waters from Maine's mid-coast to Cape Cod and Rhode Island. There's a particular focus on identifying on introduced (non-native) species.
The research team consists of researchers from universities and agencies who were recruited by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Sea Grant, a research program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. PREP gave financial support to the effort to ensure that NH's coast was included in the wider study.
The researchers and scientists donate their time and work over 16 hours a day for six straight days. The team has approximately 75 minutes at each site to unload their gear, find, identify and collect as many organisms as possible. There are two snorkelers in
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Invasive Sheath tunicate found in 2010 on the rocks at Ordiorne Point
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the water photographing and collecting organisms from underneath the docks and floats. About a month ago the team deployed 5 sets
of 'settling plates' at the survey sites that they will collect and will show any newly settled animals and alga. At the end of the site day the team will then go into the lab and further identify samples collected, by around midnight (or later), they will have compiled a full species list for the sites visited that day. This information is very important in helping natural resource managers prevent and control future invasions of non-native species.
Surveys in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010 revealed over 30 introduced marine (non-native) organisms, several of which were identified for the first time in New England coastal waters. The presence of these species can tell us a lot about the changing conditions of our coastal environment - warming waters, differing water quality conditions, levels of pollution and more. The colonial sea squirt, (Didemnum vexillum) first discovered in 2000's survey, is now a dominant member of the benthic ecosystem community, it grows on top of all other sea life in the estuary and coast. It's important to keep track and try and control non-native organisms like this before they begin to out-compete and eventually eradicate our native species. This Rapid Assessment Survey is a vital part of understanding and better managing our coastal ecosystem.
The team will be at the UNH Judd Gregg Coastal Marine Lab in New Castle at 8:00am on August 5th and then travel to the Hampton State Pier/Hampton River Marina at 10:15am. In the evening, the team will return the lab of University of New Hampshire Professor of Marine Biology Dr. Larry Harris for further assessment.
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Watershed Watch
Our Watershed Watch feature is dedicated to sharing our partners' and others latest research and reports. If you have, or know of a report you would like us to feature in an upcoming issue of Downstream, please contact us and we will be happy to include it.
Capturing a Snapshot of NH's Water Quality
By: EPSCoR, Plymouth State University & Others
On July 16th, more than 50 volunteers spread out to over 87 different New Hampshire rivers and streams to simultaneously collect water samples. This effort is the first of its kind in NH and  aims to get a snapshot of water quality throughout the state to provide a better understanding of NH's various water resources and how to better respond to pressures of development and pollution.
"We have pretty good data around the state, but it's often collected at different times," said Mark Green, an assistant professor of hydrology at PSU who developed the project. "So if you coordinate a lot of people to dip a bottle at a similar time, that's the best way to compare the way different land uses impact water quality."
To read more about this project and keep up to date on the data collected CLICK HERE.
Daylighting Streams: Breathing Life Into Urban Streams and Communities
By: American Rivers
The headwaters of any watershed starts at often the smallest of streams, seeps, springs and brooks. These small streams are vitally important to entire ecosystem of river systems and important habitat for some of our smallest most vulnerable amphibian and fish species. With development and urbanization these smaller streams are often filled in, piped out, buried and built around.
This report discusses the relatively new practice to revitalize these small streams through 'daylighting'. Locally, in Dover, Berry's Brook was daylighted and saw light for the first time in over 100 years. The Berry's Brook project is a perfect example of the success of daylighting streams.
Video Graphic: Tidal Flooding Impacts & How to Prepare
By: NOAA Coastal Services Center
This video graphic lays out how coastal tidal flooding can affect businesses, the economy and public safety. It goes through the effects of extreme high tides, also referred to as King Tides, and the dangers of flooding and sea level rise. The second part looks at how to prepare and adapt to these changing conditions.
Click on the Infographic to Explore
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PREP's Clean Water Champion
Doug Grout - NH Fish & Game Department
PREP's Clean Water Champion is a monthly feature that
profiles people and partners working to make a difference around our watershed. This month we caught up with Doug Grout, Chief of Marine Fisheries with the NH Fish and Game Department. Doug has been actively involved in state and regional marine fisheries issues for over 20 years. His expertise ranges from the science to the policy to the work of restoration and his devotion and commitment to the marine resources of our state cannot be understated. Doug also serves on PREP's Management Committee and Technical Advisory Committee and we are very fortunate to have such a strong champion among us.
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PREP: How long have you been a champion for clean water?
Doug: Probably ever since my father first put a fishing rod in my hand or took me for my first swimming lesson (which was at a pond not a pool).
PREP: How'd you get started in protecting clean water?
Doug: Most likely through my jobs at Fish and Game. Clean water is the foundation of good habitat for fish and other aquatic resources.
PREP: What's your favorite thing to do with or on water?
Doug: I love to fish, swim, and boat both in fresh and saltwater.
PREP:What's been your proudest moment as a clean water champion?
Doug: Having the honor of giving then Secretary of Interior, Bruce Babbitt a tour of the Lamprey River and the Wiswall Dam area during a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Following that celebration he committed $150,000 in funds to a fish passage project at Wiswall Dam.
PREP: What's one simple thing you would tell somebody to do to protect the places around the Seacoast they love?
Doug: How you live your life has daily effects on the water ways that surround you. Think about things you can do in the way you live your life to minimize impacts on to those waters so that you and others can enjoy using them now and in the future.
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 The Clean Water Community Calendar
As the Community for Clean Water, one of PREP's goals is to keep you informed on the latest outings, conferences, workshops and FUN happening around our watershed so that you, your family, friends & neighbors can get involved!
Below is our run-down for August. If you have, or know of an event that you would like us to feature in an upcoming issue of Downstream, please contact us!
Land Conservation & Estate Planning Workshop
7:00pm-9:00pm
New Durham Public Library, New Durham, NH
Join the Moose Mountains Regional Greenways Director of Land Conservation Keith Fletcher and Kathryn Williams, Estate Planner to discuss conservation easements, trusts and other ways to ensure the legacy of your land.
Event is free. Pre-Registration is suggested.
Phenology Monitoring Training
9:00am - 11:30am
Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center at the Great Bay Discovery Center, 89 Depot Rd., Greenland, NH
Phenology is the study of the seasonal timing of cyclical life events, such as animal migration; insect emergence; plant leafing, blooming and color changing; egg-laying; and emergence from hibernation. Join NH Sea Grant in the Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center for this informative and hands-on training that will teach you how to collect important climate change data in your own backyard! Space is limited to 20 participants.
Contemporary Coastal Issues Sail aboard the
Gundalow with NH Port Authority's Geno Marconi
Evenings throughout the summer
Gundalow docks, Prescott Park, Portsmouth, NH
This series is FREE FOR TOWN BOARDS, COMMISSIONS &
COMMITTEE MEMBERS!
Join Director of NH Port Authority, Geno Marconi, aboard the Gundalow Piscataqua for a sunset sail and get an insider's view of the working waterfront.
Call the Gundalow Office 603-433-9505 to reserve your spot on these cruises.
Sail Portsmouth - Tall Ship Parade of Sail
Main Ship Pier, 555 Market Street, Portsmouth
The US Coast Guard Tall Ship Eagle returns to Portsmouth with a grand parade of sail entrance into Portsmouth Harbor. The Eagle is 300 feet  long with a 148-foot tall mainmast and a crew of 120. Visit the Eagle in port all weekend with tours.
Click here for more info on the Eagle's schedule and tour openings.
Be part of the parade of sail aboard the Gundalow Piscataqua with a special scheduled sail Friday! Visit the Gundalow Website for info and tickets for this special event.
6:00pm-8:00pm
Exeter Public Library, 5 Chestnut St., Exeter, NH
PREP has partnered with the NH Rivers Council to host this workshop. The Workshop is intended to train Seacoast volunteers interested in monitoring local rivers for invasive species like rock snot, mitten crab and milfoil. The 2-hour training is geared towards anyone who has in interest in their local rivers' health, Local River Advisory Committees and local boards are strongly encouraged to attend.
For more info and to register visit the NH Rivers Council Website
Saturday, August 10th
11th Annual Woods, Water & Wildlife Festival
Branch Hill Farm, 307 Applebee Rd., Milton Mills, NH 
Join the Moose Mountains Regional Greenways in this fantastic, family-friendly celebration of the natural world. Take a hayride to the river, observe and learn about NH wildlife, explore the corn maze, take a discovery walk, watch demonstrations of traditional skills, try your hand at fishing, do crafts with your kids, and more!
$5/person, $10/family; Free to kids 12 and under and to MMRG members.
Saturday, August 17th
Beach Cleanups
10:00am - Cape Neddick Beach, York, ME.
Saturday August 21st
Beach Cleanup
Saturday, August 24th
GBNERR's Bayviews Program: Birds, Bats & Butterflies: Keeping Common Wildlife Common
7:00pm
Hugh Gregg Coastal Conservation Center at the Great Bay Discovery Center, 89 Depot Rd., Greenland, NH
NH Coverts Project and 'Speaking for Wildlife' volunteer Jean Eno will highlight wildlife species commonly seen in NH. Learn how diverse habitats in our state support species such as American woodcock, painted turtle, pileated woodpecker, wood frogs, little brown bats and other captivating creatures.
No registration is required, and light refreshments are served. Donations gladly accepted for all programs.
Save the Dates & Upcoming Conferences
September 10th - 12th
National Conservation Training Center Training: Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment
3 Days; 8am-5pm
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, Maine
Join the Wells Reserve, the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and the Maine Community Foundation for this valuable training. This course is designed to guide conservation and resource management practitioners in two essential elements in the design of climate adaptation plans. Specifically, it will provide guidance in identifying which species or habitats are likely to be most strongly affected by projected changes; and understanding why these resources are likely to be vulnerable. Vulnerability Assessments are a critical tool in undertaking any climate change planning or implementation.
CLICK HERE for more info, details on course credit, cost & to register.
October 8th - SAVE THE DATE
RARGOM Annual Science Meeting
Holiday Inn at the Portsmouth, NH Traffic Circle
The 2013 Regional Association for the Research on the Gulf Of Maine (RARGOM) Annual Science Meeting will look back at 2012, a remarkable year in the Gulf of Maine. According to NOAA, 2012 was the warmest year ever in the Gulf and over a broad swath of the North Atlantic, and the high temperatures impacted the physical conditions, biological processes, animal distributions, and fisheries in the region. This meeting will attempt to synthesize the causes and consequences of the 2012 "ocean heat wave" and consider what lessons we can take from 2012 about how the Gulf of Maine will change in the coming century.
November 21st - 22nd
Maine Stormwater Conference - REGISTRATION OPEN
South Portland, Maine
The conference will showcase effective planning, design, maintenance, and funding approaches to address water quality needs, as well as a discussion of the current legal climate related to stormwater.
CLICK HERE to view the conference agenda, speakers & to register
STATE OF OUR ESTUARIES ROLL OUT EVENTS:
If your club, organization, neighborhood or group would like to host a State of Our Estuaries Roll Out Event in 2013, please e-mail us and we'll be in touch to organize a date!
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