Valerie A. Cappola, Ph.D. Kenneth M. Levitt USACE New England District.
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Transcript of Valerie A. Cappola, Ph.D. Kenneth M. Levitt USACE New England District.
![Page 1: Valerie A. Cappola, Ph.D. Kenneth M. Levitt USACE New England District.](https://reader036.fdocuments.us/reader036/viewer/2022062722/56649f2f5503460f94c48f3d/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Kennebec River Dredging:
Agency Collaboration Complicated by Public
PerceptionValerie A. Cappola, Ph.D.
Kenneth M. LevittUSACE New England District
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Kennebec River Federal Navigation Project, Maine
• 27 ft MLLW• At lest 500 ft wide • Extends ~ 13 miles from River entrance to city of Bath
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Specific Project Areas
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elongate and rock-bound large tidal ranges extreme discharge seasonality Doubling Point channel
• bedload convergence zone Bluff Head placement site
• an erosional area
Kennebec River Estuary
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Nearshore Placement Area Jackknife Ledge Placement Area
sand expected to remain in nearshore system
help to indirectly re-nourish beaches due to sediment gyre
Goldschmidt et al. 1991
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Multiple Competing River Uses Bath Iron Works Shellfish harvest Lobster fishing Recreation
• boating, fishing, beaches
Bed & Breakfasts
Heavily utilized in the summer
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Request for Dredging November 2010
• Notified about need for dredging
Surveyed channel December/January 2010/2011 February 2011 & May 2011
February 2011• USS Spruance – sea trials
EA/Coordination• WQC, CZM, Biological Opinion,
contract out the work
Dredge
September 1, 2011• USS Spruance departs BIW
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Major Concerns• closures to shellfish
harvest • interference with
recreation• noise concerns• inability to set
lobster traps and burial of traps
Dredge in August, outside typical dredge window
(www.newmainetimes.com)Dredging the Kennebec: A significant lossPosted Wednesday, August 3, 2011 in Investigation
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State & Federal Agencies Cooperation State and US EPA- worked to correct water
quality classification description for in-river placement area
NMFS- biological opinion for Atlantic Salmon, Shortnose Sturgeon & Atlantic Sturgeon• incidental take statement of 27 shortnose sturgeon• no take of Atlantic salmon (not expected to be
present)• no conference is necessary for Atlantic sturgeon, but
report any interactions• observed no takes or interactions with any species
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Public Actions Letters in response to public notices
• questioned the water quality classification at the Bluff Head placement site
• potential economic impacts to fishermen (shellfish and lobster)
• potential impacts to commercial and recreational fishing, and tourism
• potential environmental impacts to lobsters, clams, endangered species and marine mammals (harbor seals)
Requested minimal dredging or placement of dredged material upland or at Portland Disposal Site
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Obstacles Associated With Project Clarification of the water quality classification
• Governor signed an emergency bill DEP WQC- appeal to the State of Maine
Board of Environmental Protection • denied (July 22, 2012)
Federal injunction• July 29, 2011 the Court denied the Plaintiffs’ motion for
a preliminary injunction NMFS - 60 Day Notice Letter Regarding Legal
Violations in NMFS’ Biological Opinion, August 2011 F/NER/2011/00691• no impacts to endangered species
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Monitoring USACE conducted pre and post-dredge surveys of
the nearest shellfish beds to determine if any• bacterial contamination resulting in closure of
shellfish beds• increased sedimentation
Pre-dredge monitoring - July 28, 2011 • grain size distribution • fecal coliforms • water quality profiles• sediment cores • surface/underwater images
Post-dredge August 25,2011
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Monitoring Results
no coliform colonies found
no shellfish closures
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After Project Completion
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Lessons Learned
Don’t always assume the science wins over public perception
Work with other agencies especially to help explain their responses to the public in relation to potential impacts from dredging not as matter of fact responses
If possible, try to keep ahead of any misinformation to alleviate public concerns