Narrow River Water Quality: Trends and Findings Spanning a Quarter

Century!

Veronica M. Berounsky, Ph.D. & Annette DeSilva Narrow River Preservation Association Annual Meeting

October 3, 2017

PhotobyJohnMcNamara

Topicstobecovered•  TheRiverWatchvolunteer

monitoringprogram–overview•  AreviewofTwentyFiveYearsof

DataTrends•  Observa@onsandFindings•  Indica@onsofImprovements(or

not)•  Whohasusedthedataandhow

ithasbeenused•  PartnersandFunding•  NarrowRiverVolunteers

Lookingback25yearsago…

….attheworldandatNarrowRiver

RiverWatch–BackgroundInforma@on

•  1991-TheNarrowRiverStormwaterManagementProject-Aspartofthisproject,fundswereallocatedforci@zenwaterqualitymonitoring.

•  1992-“RiverWatch”officiallybeginswith10monitoringloca@onsandispartoftheURIWatershedWatchProgram

•  2016–Completed25yearsofvolunteermonitoringoftheNarrowRiver!–14sites

WatershedWatch&RiverWatchGoals:

•  Topromoteac@veci@zenpar@cipa@oninwaterqualityprotec@on.

•  Toeducatethepublicaboutwaterqualityissues.

•  Toobtainmul@-yearsurfacewaterqualityinforma@oninordertoascertaincurrentcondi@onsandtodetecttrends.

•  Toencouragesoundmanagementprogramsbaseduponwaterqualityinforma@on.

MonitoringLoca@onsYellowcirclesonmap(startedin1992unlessotheryeargiven):•  NR1-GilbertStuartStream•  NR2-UpperPond•  NR3-LowerPondA•  NR4-LowerPondB•  NR5-LaceyBridge•  NR6-MeVatuxetBeach•  NR7-EndoftheNarrows•  NR8-Middlebridge•  NR9-PeVaquamscuVCove•  NR10-SpragueBridge•  NR11-MeVatuxetBrook(1996)•  NR12-MumfordBrook(2000)•  NR13-LakesideDock(2004)•  NR14-LakesideOu`all(2004)

NarrowRiveris7mileslonganditswatershedislocatedinNorthKingstown,South

Kingstown&NarraganseV

Whatismonitored?•  MonitoringSeason:May–Oct•  Temperature•  Salinity•  DissolvedOxygen•  Chlorophyll•  Bacteria•  Nutrients•  pH

Photo by NRPA OverTwentyFiveyears:•  325monitoringdays•  TotalFieldMeasurements=~42,250•  TotalLabAnalyses=~12,250

Howdowepresent25yearsofdata?

For this presentation, the data averages (over 25 years) are displayed for all parameters with the exception of bacteria data, which is displayed as the Geometric mean (a type of mean or average)

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Oxy

gen

(mg/

L)

Date

Dissolved Oxygen at Mettatuxet Beach (NR6)

Theexampleaboveplotsalloftheoxygendataforonesitefor25years.

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10

20

30

Gilbert Stuart Stream Mettatuxet Brook

Tem

pera

ture

(Deg

rees

C

elsi

us)

Temperature at Freshwater Sites Averages from 1992-2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

Temperature

0 5

10 15 20 25 30

Tem

pera

ture

(Deg

rees

C

elsi

us)

Temperature of Saltwater Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

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10 15 20 25 30

Salin

ity (p

arts

per

th

ousa

nd)

Salinity at Saltwater Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

The Narrow River is an estuary, not just a river, and has flows of both freshwater and salt water. The sites in the River show a increase in salinity as you go south to the mouth of the River. Also there are freshwater streams entering at various points.

Diagram by David Smith (2008)

DissolvedOxygen

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Gilbert Stuart Stream Mettatuxet Brook Dis

solv

ed O

xyge

n (m

illig

ram

s pe

r lite

r)

Dissolved Oxygen at Fresh Water Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016 Min 92-03 Min 04-16

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Upper Pond Lower Pond A

Lower Pond B

Lacey Bridge

Mettatuxet Beach

End of the Narrows

Middle Bridge

Sprague Bridge

Pett Cove Dis

solv

ed O

xyge

n (m

illig

ram

s pe

r lite

r)

Dissolved Oxygen at Saltwater Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016 Min 92-03 Min 04-16

Shellfishing Ban due to high

bacteria levels•  “Since1959,theNarrowRiverhas

failedtomeetstatestandardsfortotalcoliformbacterialevels”

•  “In1979,partsoftheNarrowRiverwereclosedtoshellfishing”

•  “Beginningin1994,theen@reexpanseoftheNarrowRiverwasclosedtoshellfishingandremainsclosedtodayduetohighcoliformbacterialevels.”

fromTheNarrowRiverSpecialAreaManagementPlan,CRMC,April1999

OldEdgewateroucallpipe

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Feca

l col

iform

s pe

r de

cilit

er

Geometric Mean Fecal Coliform Bacteria at Saltwater Sites

1992-2003 2004-2016

Shellfish standard: 14 fecal coliform per 100 mL

Gilbert Stuart Stream Lakeside Outfall

Mettatuxet Brook Mumford Brook

1997-2006 48 287 496 4967 2007-2016 13 67 61 947

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100

Feca

l Col

iform

Bac

teria

(M

PN p

er d

ecili

ter)

Geometric Mean Fecal Coliform Bacteria at Freshwater Sites

1997-2006 2007-2016

Shellfish standard: 14 fecal coliform per 100 mL Bacteria

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Ente

roco

cci p

er d

ecili

ter

Geometric Mean Enterococci

2007-2011 2012-2016

Swimming standard: 35 enterococci per 100 mL

24 336

599

2715

10 110 262

1904

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1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

Gilber Stuart Stream

Lakeside Outfall Mettatuxet Brook

Mumford Brook

Ente

roco

cci (

MPN

per

de

cilit

er)

Geometric Mean Enterococci Bacteria at Freshwater Sites

2007-2011 2012-2016

Swimming standard: 33 enterococci per 100 mL

Bacteria

Swimming standard: 35 enterococci per 100 mL

What are Nutrients? •  Substances that are necessary for plants and animals to grow, such as nitrogen and phosphorus

Why do we worry about Nutrients? •  Nutrients lead to algal blooms which decrease

sunlight and which are harmful to eelgrass beds •  Decaying algae depletes dissolved oxygen which

can form hypoxic (low oxygen) conditions and harm fish and shellfish and other organisms

Where do Nutrients come from? •  From streams, groundwater, rain, and the air •  Stormwater runoff picks up nutrients and bacteria

from lawns, roads, and pet waste •  Excess fertilizer use leads to runoff of excess

nutrients to the River

TotalNitrogenmeansthesumofallformsofthenutrient,nitrogen

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Gilbert Stuart Stream

Lakeside Outfall

Mettatuxet Brook

Mumford Brook

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l Nitr

ogen

(m

icro

mol

es p

er li

ter)

Total Nitrogen at Freshwater Sites Averages from 1997-2006 and from 2007 to 2016

1997-2006 2007-2016

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Tota

l Nitr

ogen

(mic

rom

oles

per

lite

r) Total Nitrogen at Saltwater Sites

Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

Ammoniaisaninorganicformofnitrogenproducedbydecayingorganicmader,excretedbyanimals,andfoundcomingfromleakingsep@csystems

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10 A

mm

onia

(mic

rom

oles

pe

r lite

r)

Ammonia at Saltwater Sites Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

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10

Gilbert Stuart Steam

Lakeside Outfall Mettatuxet Brook

Mumford Brook

Am

mon

ia (m

icro

mol

es

per l

iter)

Ammonia at Freshwater Sites Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

Nitrateandnitriteareinorganicformsofnitrogenthatappeartogetherandcomefromgroundwater.Theyalsoresultfromthenitrifica@on(conversion)ofammoniawithoxygen.

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Nitr

ate+

nitr

ite (m

icro

mol

es

per l

iter)

Nitrate+Nitrite at Saltwater Sites Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

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Gilbert Stuart Steam

Lakeside Outfall Mettatuxet Brook Mumford Brook

Nitr

ate+

nitr

ite

(mic

rom

oles

per

lite

r) Nitrate+Nitrite at Freshwater Sites

Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

TotalPhosphorusmeansthesumofallformsofthenutrient,phosphorus

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Tota

l Pho

spho

rous

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icro

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es p

er li

ter)

Total Phosphorous at Saltwater Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

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Gilbert Stuart Stream

Lakeside Outfall Mettatuxet Brook Mumford Brook

Tota

l Pho

spho

rous

(m

icro

mol

es p

er li

ter)

Total Phosphorous at Freshwater Sites Averages from 1997-2006 and from 2007 to 2016

1997-2006 2007-2016

Dissolvedinorganicphosphoruscomesfromfer@lizers,organicwaste,anderosionofrocksandsediments0

0.5

1

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Gilbert Stuart Steam

Lakeside Outfall Mettatuxet Brook

Mumford Brook

Am

mon

ia

(mic

rom

oles

per

lite

r) Dissolved Phosphorous at Freshwater Sites

Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

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Dis

solv

ed p

hosp

horo

us

(mic

rom

oles

per

lite

r)

Dissolved Phosphorous at Saltwater Sites Averages from 2006-2011 and from 2012 to 2016

2006-2011 2012-2016

Chlorophyllisaplantpigmentandisameasureofhowproduc@vetheecosystemis(howwellplantsaregrowing)

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Chl

orop

hyll

(mic

rogr

ams

per l

iter)

Chlorophyll at Saltwater Sites Averages from 1992 to 2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

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Gilbert Stuart Stream Mettatuxet Brook

Chl

orop

hyll

(mic

rogr

ams

per l

iter)

Chlorophyll at Freshwater Sites Averages from 1992-2003 and from 2004 to 2016

1992-2003 2004-2016

2017Observa@ons&Findings•  Averagetemperaturesinrecentyearsarehigherateverysitetheninearlieryears.•  Averagedissolvedoxygenlevelsarehigherinearlieryears,butrecentyearsares@llhighenoughto

supportlife,despiteoccasionallowoxygenmeasurements•  TherearemeasurableincreasesinsalinityassitesareclosertothemouthoftheRiver.•  FecalcoliformbacterialevelsarelowinrecentyearsinthepondsanddowntoLacyBridgeandforthe

streamsandoucall,buthigherinrecentyearsfortherestoftheriver.•  Enterococcibacterialevelsarelowerinmorerecentyears,asopposedtoearlieryears,forbothsalt

watersitesandfreshwaterinputs•  Averagetotalnitrogenishigherinrecentyearsatallsites,exceptforruralUpperPond,andsitescloseto

themouthhavelowernitrogen•  Averageammonialevelsinrecentyearsarealwayslower,insomecasesabouthalfthevaluesseenin

earlieryears.•  AveragenitrateplusnitritevaluesintheRiveritselfarelow,lessthen4umolsandvaluesofrecentyears

aremuchlowertheninearlieryears.•  Averagetotalphosphoruslevelsarelow,2umolorless,eveninthefreshwatersitesandthereisnot

muchdifferencebetweenolderyearsandrecentyears•  AveragedissolvedphosphoruslevelsarelowerintherecentyearsatallsitesexceptPedaquamscud

Cove,GilbertStuartStream,andMedatuxetBrook.•  Averagechlorophyllvaluesarebetween3-11ug/LfortheRiversitesandthefreshwatersiteswhichcan

beclassifiedasoligotrophicorslightlymesotrophic,whichmeansagoodlevelofproduc@onandnotaproblem.Chlorophyllvaluesinrecentyearsareallhigherthenearlieryears,buts@llnoteutrophic.

Whatdothesetrendsmean?•  IncreasingtemperaturesaretypicalasindicatorsofglobalwarmingL•  Goodthatdissolvedoxygenlevelsarehighenoughtosupportlife,despiteoccasionallowoxygenmeasurements

J•  IncreasesinsalinityatsitesthatareclosertothemouthoftheRiverindicatesufficientinflowofRISoundwater

(andwithlowernutrientlevels)J•  FecalcoliformbacterialevelssuggestthepondsanddowntoLacyBridgeandthestreamsandoucallare

improvingJ,buttherestoftherivermayhavesomeproblemsL•  Enterococcibacterialevelsarelowerinmorerecentyearsindica@ngimprovementsandswimmingcon@nuesto

besafeJ•  Highertotalnitrogenvaluesinrecentyears(exceptforUpperPond)suggeststhattheincreaseinhomes,lawns

anddrivewaysiscounterac@ngtheimprovementofmunicipalsewersfororganicnitrogenL•  LowerrecentammonialevelsindicateimprovementsJ•  Lowerrecentnitrateplusnitritevaluesindicatesomeimprovementspar@cularlyduetoBMPsandmunicipal

sewersJ•  Lowtotalphosphoruslevelsthataresimilarforallyearsindicatestherehasnotbeenaproblemwithphosphorus

J•  Lower,recentdissolvedphosphoruslevelsaregoodJbutproblemsmayexistatPedaquamscudCove,Gilbert

StuartStream,andMedatuxetBrookL•  Althoughchlorophyllvalueshaveincreasedinrecentyears,theyares@llatagoodlevelofproduc@onandnota

problemJ•  Notpartofthisstudybutanotherstudyshowsthatsince2012eelgrasshasreturnedtoNarrowRiverJ•  Streams(par@cularlyMumfordBrookandMedatuxetBrook)andtheoucallarebringinginbacteriaand

nutrientsandotherpartsofourdatashowsthatanermajorrainevents,weseeelevatedlevelsofbacteriaandnutrients-sostormwateriss@llasourceL

WhohasusedtheRiverWatchdata?

How has the data has been used?

EdgewaterBMPsystemoucall.Installedin2010.Thesandfilterslowsdowntheflowofstormwater,keepsitinthesunlight,andfiltersittoreducetheamountofbacteriaandnitrogen.

Circuit Drive Detention Ponds 2004

OuthouseremovednearGilbertStuartStream

MedatuxetDeten@onPond-2006

WhatcanwedoaboutnutrientsandbacteriaenteringtheRiver?

•  DON’Tfeedthebirds•  DON’Tdumptrash,wasteorlawnclippingsintotheRiverordownstormdrains

•  DokeeppetwasteawayfromtheRiver

RiverWatchFundingandPartnersFunding:•  RIDEM’sAquaFund–fundedfirst3yearsofRiverWatch.•  TownsofNarragansed,NorthKingstown,SouthKingstown•  EPAequipmentgrant•  2007–TheWashingtonTrustCo.•  USFish&Wildlife•  RhodeIslandRiversCouncil•  NRPAPartners:•  URIWatershedWatchOffice

–  Recruits&trainsnewvolunteers–  Suppliesthemanualandalltheequipment–  Schedulethecollec@ons–  Compilesdataintothedatabaseetc.–  AnalyzetheData–  Createchartsandgraphs

•  EricPeterson,dataanalyst•  DaniellePerry,SCIwriteintern•  VolunteerMonitors

RiverWatchhasexpandedourknowledgeofthe

condiHonoftheNarrowRiver.Thevolunteer

monitorsarethe“eyesontheRiver”.

NRPAgreatlyappreciatesthesupportprovidedforRiverWatch

Al Blott Abby Davis Abby Moylan Aiden Capaldi Alan Tsakares Alison Chatham Amanda Smith Annette DeSilva Annette LaRosa Annie Hall Austin Vierra Barb Boutin Barbara Smith Barry Devine Barry Martasian Ben Rauh Bette Carey Betty Vanderbilt Bob Burgess Bob Palmer Bob Schelleng Brent Plante Brett Cook Brian Mattiucci Bridget Peterson

Bruce Smith Carol Sarubbi Celia Humphreys Christopher Wakefield Claire Hoey Connie Alexander Craig Stedman Craig Wood Dan Deney Dana Sarubbi Daughter Arcand Dave Adelman Dave Hamel David Cordingley David Owens David Poisson David Smith Debbie Kaprielian DeeDee Chatham Dorothy Mann Dudley Mann E. Shanley Earl Davey Earl Noblet Edmond Culhane

Elaine Stedman Eleanor Earle Elizabeth Castro Eric Gauger Eric Kohlsaat Eric Peterson Ernest Flewwelin Ethan Davey Evan Sylvia Flo Abilheira Fraser Vaughn George Maris Harriet Powell Harry Quan Hayden Radke Heather Levin Heidi Travers Hossam Zaki Howard Reed Ian Gordon Isabell Abilheira Jack Hall Jaimie Holmes Jamie Radke Jeff Bouton

Jeff Kaprielian Jeffrey Egan Jen Temple Jennifer Carey Jennifer Kohlsaat Jerold Ehrlich Jesse Grande Jessica Brown Jessica Greer Jim Friday Jim Mattiucci Joe Merlino John Dick John Hall John Hoey John Noblet John Peterson John Riccitelli John Scott John Wingate Jora Ehrlich Joyce Anderson Judith Paolucci Judy Wallace Julie Vincelette

Julie West Julie Westcott Karin Palmer Katherine Estes Kathryn Grande Keia Finnegan Kelly Vaughn Kelsea Kruger Ken Kaprielian Ken McShane Kevin McCarthy Larry Radke Laura Reed Leigh Stedman-Riccitelli Linda Bealer Linda Oliver linda Owens Linda Rivers Lisa Sisson Liz Hill Lynn Arcand Lynn Finnegan Lynn Wolslegal Madge McCarthy Marc Lamson

Marie Hoey Mark Sullivan Mark Vincelette Marty Moran Mary Burgess Mary Joyce McAuley Mary Madden Maryann Hannigan Meagan Arcand Meagan Merlino Melissa Hughes Melissa Trapp Michael Gardner Muriel Benjamin Nancy Flewwelin Nancy Gibb Neil Kelly Norman Waldheger Omar Zaki Pam O'Neill Pat Kreger Pat Maris Patricia Federico Patrick Day patrick Mus

Paula Bonzagni Perry Moylan Pete Curtis Peter Travers Peter Vanderbilt Poisson Ray Ward Robert Schelleng RoseMarie Pomarico Rosemary Smith Rozi Moylan Sam Day Sandra Skaradowski Sandy Crevier Sarah Quan Sarah Wheaton Stephen Vincelette Steve Bonzagni Steve Boyle Steve Carey Steven Deney Sue Davis

Sue Van Ness Susan Hall Susan Lambert T. Gursky Taiyo Johnson Ted Meleney Thomas Capaldi Tom Roberts Veronica Berounsky Victoria Hathaway Vida Wynne Griffin Will Cumer Willa Kammerer Zachary Benfamin

187 Volunteers!

7800+VolunteerHours!

2017VolunteerMonitors(#=YearsasaVolunteerMonitor)

•  Shelby&BobLefoley(1)•  MelissaCampbell(1)•  ForrestandSusanSancomb(1)•  LynnAlmond(1)•  EnzoGravante(1)•  VanessaAnderson(1)•  RodrigueSpineVe(1)•  JesseandKathrynGrande(2)•  HossamZaki(3)•  Eric&JenniferKohlsaat(3)•  ChristopherWakefield(3)•  JohnandEricPederson(5)•  JoyceAnderson(5)

•  Abby&PerryMoylan(8)•  CraigWood(8)•  Rosemary(11)andDavid(5+)

Smith•  TheSarubbiFamily(11)•  MarcLamson(12)•  TheKaprielianFamily(13)•  VeronicaBerounsky(14)•  JenniferCarey(20)•  AnneVeDeSilva(26)

ThankyoutoLindaGreen&ElizabethHerronoftheURIWatershedWatch

Program

28 Volunteers monitored the Narrow River in 2017! Thank you!

Thankyou!