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2011 Maine Water Conference
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Augusta Civic Center, Augusta, Maine
Concurrent Sessions
Session 1. All day session
River Restoration in Maine and the Region
Chairs: Barbara S. Arter, Science Information Coordinator, Diadromous Species Restoration Research Network, Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental & Watershed Research, University of Maine; Noah Snyder, Associate Professor, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Boston College; Dr. Karen Wilson, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Environmental Science, University of Southern Maine.
Description: In the next few years, Maine will become the leader in restoring diadromous fish habitat and passage through the removal and improvement of several large and small dams and other efforts throughout the region. What are our next steps once these projects are completed? What other forms of restoration do we need to consider? What are the other diadromous species habitat requirements that need to be addressed? What is the science that informs our restoration actions? How do we assess the success of restoration efforts? This session will describe the tools and science available for native coldwater and diadromous species habitat restoration. Topics of interest include but are not limited to: stream eco-hydro-geomorphic interactions; monitoring for restoration success; measures of restoration success; Atlantic salmon critical habitat; small dam and road crossing inventory and passage improvement efforts; water quality as habitat; high summer water temperatures; toxins from urban effluent; fisheries management and stocking; and riparian integrity. We welcome presentations exploring work throughout the state and beyond. Organized by DSRRN.
AM Sessions
Evidence of marine-derived nutrient uptake in Atlantic Salmon nursery stream communities
Margaret Guyette, Department of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Developing and testing refinements for a fish assemblage assessment index for large rivers in Maine: Incorporating diadromous species to better assess restoration success
Chris Yoder, Midwest Biodiversity Institute & Center for Applied Bioassessment and Biocriteria, Columbus, OH
The absent native comes home: Ecosystem effects of alewife restoration
Theodore Willis, Karen Wilson;
University of Southern Maine, Gorham, ME
PM Sessions
Cross-boundary migrations of river herring connect ocean fisheries and local river restoration
Adrian Jordaan, Michael Frisk and Carolyn Hall;
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stonybrook University, Stony Brook, NY
Restoring Geomorphic Resilience in Maine Rivers
Noah P. Snyder, Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA
Biological analysis used to evaluate changes in fluvial geomorphology from stream connectivity restoration efforts in Downeast Maine
Ben Naumann, Project SHARE, Eastport, ME
Development of Design Standards and Criteria and Monitoring Protocols for Fish Passage Restoration Projects
Melissa Belcher (student), University of Massachusetts, Department of Environmental Conservation, Amherst, MA
Session 2. All day session
Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative - Research Projects
Chair: Ruth Hallsworth
Description: Producing knowledge and linking it to actions that meet human needs while preserving the planet’s life-support systems is emerging as one of the most fundamental and difficult challenges for science in the 21st century. There is growing consensus that traditional methods of generating and using knowledge must be fundamentally reorganized to confront the breadth, magnitude, and urgency of many problems now facing society. Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative, a partnership between the University of Maine (UMaine), the University of Southern Maine (USM) and other institutions of higher education, seeks to transform Maine’s capacity for addressing these scientific challenges in ways that directly benefit Maine and other regions. The program of research will also help Maine increase economic activity and technological innovation in ways that sustain the State’s remarkable “quality of place”.
AM Session
An Introduction to Maine's Sustainability Solutions Initiative
Kathleen Bell, School of Economics, UMaine and Laura Lindenfeld,
Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center/Dept. of Communication & Journalism, UMaine
The Illusory Timelessness of the Belgrade Lakes Region: Historical Research Informing Science and Public Policy
James R. Fleming; Colby College, Waterville, ME
Developing Our Energy Future: Residential Heating With Wood in Hancock County, Maine
Gray Cox, Dan Cass, Davis Taylor;
College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME
Mainers' Power-up: Tradeoffs Between Wind and Water
Megan Wibberly (student), Caroline Noblet, Mario Teisl, Shannon McCoy;
School of Economics, Dept of Psychology, University of Maine, Orono, ME
PM Session
Elucidating Complex Relationships Among Factors Influencing Mercury Fish Tissue Contamination
Linda C. Bacon (student), Aria Amirbahman, Stephen A. Norton, Barry F. Mower; Bureau of Land and Water Quality - Maine DEP, Civil & Environmental Engineering - University of Maine, Earth Sciences - University of Maine, Orono, ME
Demographic, Economic, and Land Use/Land Cover Change Projections for Use in Planning and Water Resource Management
Yuseung Kim, Charles Colgan, Jack Kartez;
Muskie School, University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME
Using Lumped Parameter Drainage-basin Models to Assess Lake Level in a Managed Lake System
A. S. Reeve, Shaleen Jain, Matt Legere, Jean MacRae, Firooza Pavri,
John Peckenham, Misa Saros, Mike Scott, Anna Springsteen; University of Maine, Orono, ME; University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME
Theoretical Frameworks for Integrating Communication Research & Stakeholder Engagement
Damon Hall, Linda Silka, Laura Lindenfeld; University of Maine, Orono, ME
Facilitating Organizational Innovation: Strengthening Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Network through Communication Research
Colleen Budzinski, Laura Lindenfeld;
Dept. of Communication & Journalism, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Problemscaping Maine: Reaching out to Communities to Inform Research?
Karen Hutchins (student), Kathleen Bell, Jessica Leahy, Laura Lindenfeld,
Linda Silka;
University of Maine, Orono, ME
Session 3. Morning session
Innovations in Water Resources Outreach & Education
Chairs: Catherine Schmitt, Communications Coordinator, Maine Sea Grant;
Beth Bisson, Assistant Director for Outreach and Education, Maine Sea Grant
Description: Many of today’s science issues are multi-disciplinary and complex. From climate change to human health to landscape conservation, interdisciplinary research is placing new demands on outreach and education professionals. How do you keep up with the latest developments while implementing sustained outreach plans? How can education programs enhance literacy about basic scientific principles and follow the process of scientific discovery at the same time? This session includes presentations on innovative natural resources outreach and education programs and projects that have or continue to tackle the big topics.
Educational Outreach and Student Involvement in Long-Term Monitoring for the Montsweag Brook Restoration Project
Dan Creek, W. Donald Hudson, Lynne Flaccus; Montsweag Brook Restoration Project, Chewonki Foundation
Social Capital and Social Network Changes in a School-Centered Research Program that Promotes Community Management of Drinking Water Sources
Teresa E. Thornton (student), Dr. Jessica Leahy
School of Forest Resources, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Watershed studies in schools to support student understanding of systems concepts
Bill Zoellick, Beth Bisson, Sarah Nelson; SERC Institute, Maine Sea Grant, Sen. George J. Mitchell Center
Session 4. Morning session
Green Remediation - Practical Considerations
Chair: W. David McCaskill, P.E., Senior Environmental Engineer, Division of Technical Services, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
A few years ago, US EPA and state waste management officials introduced the term "Green Remediation" with respect to petroleum and hazardous waste soil, and groundwater site clean-ups. What does this mean and can it be done on a practical level here in Maine? The concepts range from "whole-site" approach to specific on-site or near site remediation efforts to reduce the high carbon appetite of traditional off-site "muck and truck" soil removal. The purpose of this session is to highlight recent "greenish" remediation projects and to explore some practical thinking on what can be done in the future here in Maine.
From landfill to best management practice, a beneficial re-use application of water treatment residuals
Bjorn Lake, Aria Amirbahman, Civil & Environmental Engineering, UMaine; Jim Hart, Kennebec Water District
Bio-pile siting, construction, operation, maintenance, and application on petroleum contaminated sites. Rangeley and Gardiner, Maine bio-pile examples
Nicholas O. Sabatine, P.G., Erik P. Phenix, C.G., John K. Cressey, John B. Rand; Ransom Environmental Consultants
An Emerging Contaminant – 1,4-Dioxane: Transport, Fate and Treatment at a New England Superfund Site
Charles A. Crocetti, Timothy M. White, Scott R. Nerney
Sanborn, Head & Associates, Inc., Concord NH
Session 5. Morning session
Water and Land Conservation: Interactions and New Models
Chair: Mark Berry, Executive Director, Downeast Lakes Land Trust
Description: Healthy water and land are tightly entwined, but experience different economic, political, practical, and regulatory environments that affect conservation opportunities. For this session, talks will feature:
- Interactions between land and water conservation, including:
- Water & aquatic habitat conservation through large landscape conservation;
- Forest conservation, ecologically based forest management, and water;
- Implications of water quality influences that are outside the control of land managers; and,
- Water quality and aquatic habitat restoration on conserved lands.
- Economics of ecosystems services markets: opportunities and uncertainties.
Tools and strategies for protecting forests and enhancing water quality in the Crooked River watershed in southwestern Maine
Ethel Wilkerson, John Gunn, Bill VanDoren, Paul Barten, Lee Dassler, Therese Tepe
Temporal and Spatial Distributions of Conserved Lands in Maine
Spencer Meyer (student), Michelle L. Johnson, Robert J. Lilieholm, and Christopher S. Cronan
Using Bayesian Belief Networks to Identify At-Risk Aquatic Resources under Alternative Future Development Scenarios
Michelle L. Johnson (student), Christopher S. Cronan, Dave Owen, Spencer R. Meyer, and Robert J. Lilieholm
Session 6. Morning session
Maine’s Water Resources Research Institute Grants Program: Success Stories
Chair: John Peckenham, Director, Maine Water Resources Research Institute
Description: The 54 Water Resources Research Institutes (WRRI) across the US and territories “represent cooperative agreements between public universities and federal and state government that engender lasting partnerships among state universities; federal, state, and local governments; businesses and industries; and non-governmental organizations aimed at solving problems of water supply and water quality at local, state, regional, and national levels”. The Institutes are administered by the US Geological Survey and typically located at land grant universities. Maine’s USGS WRRI is located at the University of Maine’s Mitchell Center. A key focus of the Maine WRRI program is a competitive grant program designed to provide funding for research and information transfer regarding Maine’s water resources. Specifically, the Maine program:
- Sponsors research that addresses water problems or expands understanding of water and water-related phenomena in Maine;
- Aids in the entry of new research scientists into the field;
- Trains future water scientists; and,
- Distributes the results of sponsored research to Maine’s water managers and the public.
This session will feature talks that describe previously-funded or in-progress projects that are part of the WRRI grants program.
Part I. Introduction & Background
Collaboration between U.S. Geological Survey and Water Research Insititutes
Robert Lent, Maine Geological Survey
A Short History of the Maine Water Resources Research Institute
John Peckenham, Director, Maine Water Resources Research Institute
Part II. Recent Successful Projects
Monitoring Contaminant Exposure of Endangered Species: Lethal, Non-lethal and Surrogate Approaches
Adria Elskus, USGS Research Unit; School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine
Changing Climate and Regional Hydrology
Shaleen Jain, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Maine
Spatiotemporal Database Integration of Mercury Research in Maine
Melinda Neville (graduate student), Kate Beard, Spatial Information Science & Engineering, University of Maine
Session 7. Afternoon session
Developed, Urbanizing, and Undeveloped Watersheds
Chair: Dave Owen, Associate Professor, University of Maine School of Law
Description: Maine has an increasing number of impaired streams in urban and suburban areas. According to recent watershed research, development also is probably impacting streams outside of urban or suburban areas, with adverse water quality impacts expected even where development levels are still low. This session will consider some of the scientific, engineering, and policy questions raised by this growing challenge. Talks may address biophysical mechanisms of impairment; biophysical relationships between impaired urban watersheds and associated terrestrial or aquatic habitats; social and economic values associated with urban watersheds; engineering, economic, and policy responses to urban stream impairment; and mechanisms for preventing urbanization-related degradation in lightly or non-impacted watersheds.
Life’s a Ditch: Monitoring Stormwater Restoration in the Long Creek Watershed
Christopher Cayce Dalton, FB Environmental Associates and Danna Truslow, Truslow Resource Consulting
Urban Impaired Streams in Maine: Unveiling the Maine Statewide Impervious Cover TMDL
Forrest Bell, Principal, FB Environmental Associates
Municipal Stormwater Management Programs in Northern New England
Fred Dillon, Rod Melanson, Keisha Payson and Doug Roncarati
Shoreland Zoning and Beyond: Municipal Planning Issues and Water Resources
Brenda Zollitsch, David Ladd, Phil Ruck; Bangor Area Stormwater Group, Maine DEP, CES Inc.
Session 8. Afternoon session
Spanning Boundaries and Disciplines: Integrating Social and Natural Sciences for Effective Water Resource Management
Chair: Kathleen P. Bell, Associate Professor, School of Economics, University of Maine
Description: Water resource management necessitates consideration of human and natural systems. This session will feature research projects and programs that integrate social and natural sciences to address water resource management issues. How can we better integrate knowledge of natural and human systems in the context of water resource management? Under what conditions does integration of social and natural sciences enhance water resource management? Collectively, the presentations will speak to the challenges and opportunities of spanning boundaries and disciplines to emphasize the dynamics of coupled natural and human systems.
Maine Tidal Power Initiative: Social and Ecological Research for the Responsible Development of Tidal Power
Teresa R. Johnson and Gayle Zydlewski,
School of Marine Sciences, University of Maine
Integrating Social Science into Natural Resources Conservation to Enhance Management of Vernal Pools
Jessica Spelke Jansujwicz (student), Aram J.K. Calhoun, Robert J. Lilieholm, University of Maine
Does a rising tide really lift all boats? Exploring the Social Feasibility of Restoring the New Meadows ‘Lakes’
Matt Craig and Vanessa Levesque, University of Maine, University of Southern Maine
"Google Street View" for Maine Lakes: Creating public-domain shoreline images for research, public policy, and education
Whitney King, Philip Nyhus, Herbert Wilson, Russell Cole
Departments of Chemistry, Biology, Environmental Studies, Colby College, Waterville, ME
Session 9. Afternoon session
Groundwater Geochemistry: Natural and Human Influences
Chair: Bruce Hunter, Hydrogeologist, Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Description: Groundwater is the drinking water of choice for more than half the people in Maine. It is also used as process water for some industries. The taste, odor, usability and appearance of the water depend on its chemistry, which is determined by the geochemical processes in the groundwater from which it comes. Talks in this session will discuss aspects of groundwater geochemistry. Topics may include, but are not limited to:
- Natural contaminants such as arsenic, manganese, uranium or other radiological elements;
- Mobilization of natural contaminants by human activity, such as mobilization of arsenic by de-oxygenated groundwater;
- Non-toxic chemistry such as high iron, sulfates and calcium;
- Landfill generated changes in groundwater geochemistry; and,
- Seawater intrusion.
Biological Controls on Groundwater Chemistry
Richard S. Behr, Richard H. Heath; Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management, Augusta, ME
Detecting and Deliniating Groundwater Contamination at a Leaking Waste Disposal Site Using Microbial Community Profiles
Paula J. Mouser, University of Maine, Orono, ME
Groundwater Quality of New England Crystalline Bedrock Aquifers
Sarah M. Flanagan, Joseph D. Ayotte, Gilpin R. Robinson, Jr.; U.S. Geological Survey
Effect of Proximity, Slope, Soil and Overburden on
Transport of Road Salt
Mark Holden, John Hopeck; Bureau of Land and Water Quality, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Augusta, ME
Session 10. Afternoon session
Wetland Ecology and Conservation
Chair: Alysa Remsburg, Assistant Professor of Ecology, Unity College
Description: Maine’s wetlands are remarkably abundant and diverse, providing critical ecosystem services such as erosion control, water storage, groundwater recharge, and wildlife habitat. How effective are local, state, and federal policies at protecting these natural resources? How does ecological research contribute to effective conservation action? This session will address related topics such as wetland restoration, vernal pool management, landowner responses to conservation efforts, ecology of threatened wetland species, and wetland resource modeling. Presentations may focus on conservation in a wide array of wetland types: riparian zones, brackish marshes, and the variety of freshwater wetland ecosystems.
Sherman Marsh, Newcastle, Maine: The role of serendipity in the recovery of a salt marsh
Karen Wilson, Dept of Environmental Science, University of Southern Maine
Hydrological and chemical environment of Maine’s circumneutral wetlands supporting Shrubby Cinquefoil (Dasiphora fruticosa), host plant of the state endangered Clayton’s Copper butterfly (Lycaena dorcas claytoni)
Sarah Drahovzal, Student, Dept of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine
Using Automated Audio Recording Devices to Improve Listener-Based Amphibian Surveys
Amanda F. Shearin, Student, Dept. of Wildlife Ecology, University of Maine
Science in Translation: A Mixed Methods Approach to Describe Local Decision Maker Attitudes to Vernal Pool Conservation in Maine
Bridie McGreavy, Student, Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, University of Maine
Session 11. Afternoon session
Models and Monitoring: Current Research in Freshwater Science and Management
Chairs: Melinda Neville, Dept. of Ecology and Environmental Sciences and Dept. of Spatial Information Engineering, University of Maine
Description: Emerging threats continue to challenge freshwater hydrology, chemistry, and biotic integrity. Many factors play a role in our understanding of these processes, but because they are often heterogeneous and affected by stochastic events, these environmental interactions are challenging to model. With their focus on modeling and monitoring changes in climate, hydrology, biodiversity, and water quality, the talks in this session describe scientific data, models, and interpretation that characterize current threats to water resources.
Impervious Surface and Temperature Thresholds for Stream Biota
Tom Danielson, Leon Tsomides, Doug Suitor
Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Augusta, ME
Understanding the Interactive Effects of Climate Change and Air Pollution on Lake Ecosystems: Implications for Declining Water Clarity in Acadia National Park
Kristin E. Strock (student), Jasmine E. Saros, Bill Gawley and Alan Ellsworth; School of Biology and Ecology and Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Acadia National Park, USGS Water Science Center
Modeling and Mapping Hydrological Risks
Jae Ogilvie, Mark Casonguay, Paul A. Arp
Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick
Prioritizing Critical Lands for Healthy River Function in the Penobscot River Watershed
Colin Apse, Joshua Royte, Daniel Kusnierz, Binke Wang; The Nature Conservancy, Penobscot Indian Nation
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