1. Integrating Innovative Technologies to Assess Shallow Water Habitats in Chesapeake Bay
Michael, B.D., Trice, T.M., Heyer, C.J., Stankelis, R.M., Preston, S.D.
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Resource Assessment Service
ERF October 17, 2005
Supported by Funds from:
NOAA Coastal Oceans Program (NERR)
EPA Chesapeake Bay Program

2. Presentation Summary
Considerations for new Shallow Water Monitoring technologies
New Chesapeake Bay water quality criteria
Evaluation of new technologies
Continuous monitors
Water Quality Mapping (DATAFLOW)
Expanding new technologies to address open and deep water habitats

3. Considerations For Incorporating New SWM Technologies in Existing Monitoring Program
Must help achieve primary monitoring objectives (assessing water quality criteria)
Cost-effective
Deployable near-term, sustainable long-term
Must help address areas of shallow water habitat in Bay and in tributaries
Measurements must be able to be spatially and temporally integrated with other monitoring components in data analyses
Must meet needs of partners

4. The New Bay Agreement Requires Restoration
Goals for 5 Designated and 3 Criteria
A. Cross Section of Chesapeake Bay or Tidal Tributary
B. Oblique View of the “Chesapeake Bay” and its Tidal Tributaries
Shallow Water
Open Water
Deep Water
Deep Channel
Habitat
Migratory Finfish
Spawning and
Nursery Habitat

5. Dissolved Oxygen Criteria
Minimum Amount of Oxygen (mg/L) Needed to Survive by Species
Dissolved Oxygen Criteria 6
Migratory Spawning & Nursery Areas
Striped Bass: 5-6
American Shad: 5 5
Shallow and Open Water Areas
White Perch: 5 4
Yellow Perch: 5
Hard Clams: 5
Deep Water 3
Alewife: 3.6 2
Crabs: 3
Bay Anchovy: 3
Deep Channel 1
Spot: 2
Worms: 1

6. Water Clarity Criteria
Photo Courtesy of VIMS

7. Microcystis Bloom in Potomac River
Chlorophyll Criteria
Microcystis Bloom in Potomac River

8. Application of Water-Quality Criteria
Dissolved
Oxygen
Chlorophyll a
Water
Clarity
Migratory
Spawning and
Nursery X
Shallow Water
Open Water
Deep Water
Deep Channel

10. Chesapeake Bay Shallow Water Monitoring Design
Consists of 2 Components
Continuous
Monitors
Continuous Monitors
All criteria
Shallow-water designated use
Water Quality Mapping
Shallow & open-water designated use
Existing Fixed Stations
All but shallow-water designated use

11. Continuous Monitoring Site Selection
2 sites per segment (if resources permit)
Purpose
Represents upstream and downstream conditions
Provides temporal resolution for evaluating WQ criteria
Calibration for water quality mapping
Event based monitoring – fish kills, algal blooms, hurricane impacts
Calibration
Weekly to biweekly calibration with full suite of nutrients, light attenuation, chlorophyll and TSS

12. Continuous Monitors
Generally, deployed April – October, over a 3-year period
A subset of meters are telemetered real-time to web site
Measures water quality parameters every 15 minutes
YSI 6600 EDS – Measures Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, Chlorophyll,
Water Temperature,Salinity, pH

13. Water Quality Mapping (DATAFLOW)
Purpose
Provides spatial resolution for evaluating new WQ criteria
Targeting SAV restoration activities
Determining factors in meeting SAV goals
Assessing habitat for fish and other living resources
Calibration
A minimum of 5 calibration sites/cruise with full suite of nutrients, light attenuation, chlorophyll and TSS
Long-term water quality site is one calibration point to foster integration between program

14. “Water Quality Mapping” Instrumentation
Monthly cruises, April – October, over a 3
year period
Measures water quality parameters every
4 seconds
YSI 6600 EDS – Measures Dissolved Oxygen, Turbidity, Chlorophyll,
Water Temperature,Salinity, pH

15. Maryland Chesapeake and Coastal Bays Monitoring Sites

16. Corsica River Fish Kill 9/25-29/05 Over 50,000 dead fish, multiple species, over a 5 day period

17. Corsica River
Cedar
Point
Sycamore
Point
Water Quality
Mapping
9/26/05

18. CBP Shallow Water Monitoring Integration with IOOS
Purpose
Provide relevant real-time data to coastal managers
Enhance spatial coverage for monitoring results
Develop partnerships to leverage resources
Pilot Project
Implement real-time DO, Chlorophyll, turbidity data at CBOS platforms
Develop consistent reporting formats
Provide information on regional IOOS web site

19. Proposed CBOS Sites – Maryland Pilot Project Summer 2005

20. Shallow Water Monitoring for 2006
Continued expansion in both MD and VA
Implement comprehensive Potomac assessment
Backing from scientific community (STAC SWM Workshop)
Incorporate design modifications to better address objectives
Develop new partnerships
Identify additional resources

21. Proposed 2006 Potomac Estuary Water Quality Criteria Monitoring Program
Minimum of 18 continuous monitoring sites, 4 water quality mapping teams covering entire tidal tributary over a 3-4 day period, 3 water quality buoys, 1 in each salinity segment to address open and deep water habitats

22. Developing Partnerships – Maryland DNR
EPA Chesapeake Bay Program
NOAA National Ocean Service
NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program
NOAA National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), Patuxent and Bush
Chesapeake Biological Laboratory, Patuxent and Upper Potomac
St. Mary’s College, Lower Potomac
Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Rhode
Harford County Government, Bush
Anne Arundel Government, Severn
National Aquarium in Baltimore, Patapsco