meeting on coastal water quality remote sensing: assessing the current needs and capabilities...
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Meeting on Coastal Water Meeting on Coastal Water Quality Remote Sensing: Quality Remote Sensing:
Assessing the Current Needs Assessing the Current Needs and Capabilitiesand Capabilities
Shellfish Shellfish ApplicationsApplicationsNOAA Coastal Services CenterNOAA Coastal Services Center
Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
October 7, 2003October 7, 2003
PresenterPresenter
John “Rusty” McKay, Section HeadJohn “Rusty” McKay, Section HeadMaryland Department of the Environment (MDE)Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)Technical and Regulatory Services AdministrationTechnical and Regulatory Services AdministrationCompliance Monitoring ProgramCompliance Monitoring ProgramTechnical Studies SectionTechnical Studies Section
BackgroundBackgroundExperience:Experience:
19 years conducting water quality19 years conducting water qualitymonitoring of shellfish growing waters onmonitoring of shellfish growing waters onMaryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay,Maryland’s portion of Chesapeake Bay,Atlantic Ocean, and coastal bays.Atlantic Ocean, and coastal bays.
Education:Education: B.A. Geography 1999B.A. Geography 1999University of Maryland Baltimore CountyUniversity of Maryland Baltimore CountyEmphasis in GIS and Remote SensingEmphasis in GIS and Remote Sensing
Maryland Department of the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE)Environment (MDE)
MISSIONMISSION::To Protect and restore the quality of Maryland's air, land, To Protect and restore the quality of Maryland's air, land, and water resources, while fostering economic and water resources, while fostering economic development, healthy and safe communities, and quality development, healthy and safe communities, and quality environmental education for the benefit of the environment, environmental education for the benefit of the environment, public health, and future generations.public health, and future generations.
VISIONVISION::To ensure a clean environment and excellent quality of life To ensure a clean environment and excellent quality of life for all Marylanders.for all Marylanders.
MDE GoalsMDE GoalsMDE’s15-fold goals aim to meet futureMDE’s15-fold goals aim to meet futureenvironmental challenges by continuingenvironmental challenges by continuingto improve and build new partnershipsto improve and build new partnershipsbetween governments, businesses andbetween governments, businesses andcommunities. Specifically, the goals thatcommunities. Specifically, the goals thatpertain to the TSS are:pertain to the TSS are:
5.5. Ensure that Water is Clean and Safe for Harvesting Ensure that Water is Clean and Safe for Harvesting of Fish and Shellfish of Fish and Shellfish
6.6. Improve and Protect Maryland’s Water QualityImprove and Protect Maryland’s Water Quality 13.13. Utilize Information Technology to Optimize and Utilize Information Technology to Optimize and
Enhance Environmental and Administrative Enhance Environmental and Administrative OperationsOperations
Technical Studies Section Technical Studies Section (TSS)(TSS)Who We Are and What We DoWho We Are and What We Do
Formed to conduct Formed to conduct specialized water specialized water quality studies and to quality studies and to integrate GIS integrate GIS technology into technology into Maryland’s Shellfish Maryland’s Shellfish ProgramProgram
Comprised of a staff Comprised of a staff of 4 professionals of 4 professionals with GIS backgrounds with GIS backgrounds and a wealth of field and a wealth of field experienceexperience
Specialized StudiesSpecialized Studies
Dye Tracer Studies to determine tidal Dye Tracer Studies to determine tidal dispersion of pollutants.dispersion of pollutants.
Sinepuxent Bay Assateague Island Visitors
Center WWTP Study August 2000
Specialized StudiesSpecialized Studies
Dye Tracer Studies to determine time of Dye Tracer Studies to determine time of travel and contributiontravel and contribution
Technical support to projects of other Technical support to projects of other Administrations within MDEAdministrations within MDE
Susquehanna River SRBC’s Susquehanna Drinking Water Intake Study 2001-2002
Northeast River Town of North East, MD SWA
Fall 2002
Bacterial Source Tracking Bacterial Source Tracking (BST)(BST) TSS developed field TSS developed field
methods and conducted methods and conducted all field activities in a all field activities in a one year collaborative one year collaborative study with Salisbury study with Salisbury University on developing University on developing the use of DNA the use of DNA fingerprinting of bacteria fingerprinting of bacteria for BST. These methods for BST. These methods have lead to subsequent have lead to subsequent research that is currently research that is currently being used in Maryland’s being used in Maryland’s TMDL efforts.TMDL efforts.
Shellfish TMDLShellfish TMDL About to conclude our 2nd year of monitoring in three About to conclude our 2nd year of monitoring in three
Chesapeake Bay tributaries identified on Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay tributaries identified on Maryland’s 2002 303(d) List of impaired waterways using BST 2002 303(d) List of impaired waterways using BST techniques-SCATtechniques-SCAT
Physical water quality parameters measured at Physical water quality parameters measured at surface and bottom at each station included:surface and bottom at each station included: TemperatureTemperature pHpH D.O.D.O. ConductivityConductivity SalinitySalinity TurbidityTurbidity Secchi DepthSecchi DepthSupplemental information collected included: airSupplemental information collected included: airtemperature, wind speed & direction, and tidal state temperature, wind speed & direction, and tidal state
Scat SamplingScat Sampling
Collected animal scat throughout the Collected animal scat throughout the watershed to build a 500 isolate library watershed to build a 500 isolate library to be compared against isolates from to be compared against isolates from the water samples collected.the water samples collected.
Environmental Emergency Environmental Emergency ResponseResponse
Patuxent River Oil Patuxent River Oil Spill. 120K gallons Spill. 120K gallons of #4 & #6 oil.of #4 & #6 oil.
Shoreline Shoreline Contamination Contamination Assessment Teams Assessment Teams (SCAT).(SCAT).
Swanson Creek, Chalk Point Power Plant, April 2000
Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB) MonitoringMonitoring
Collect routine HAB Collect routine HAB samples in Maryland’s samples in Maryland’s coastal bays as part of coastal bays as part of a mandated a mandated surveillance programsurveillance program
Conduct intensive HAB Conduct intensive HAB surveys to support surveys to support regulatory decisions regulatory decisions involving shellfish and involving shellfish and beach closuresbeach closures
Microcystis Bloom, Sassafras River, Aug 2003
Fish KillsFish Kills
MDE is responsible MDE is responsible for the for the investigation of investigation of both algae both algae complaints and fish complaints and fish kills.kills.
TSS staff provide TSS staff provide support to the fish support to the fish kill duty roster and kill duty roster and assist with assist with investigations.investigations.
GIS MappingGIS Mapping
Maryland’ Shellfish Maryland’ Shellfish ProgramProgram
Maryland, as with every other shellfish Maryland, as with every other shellfish producing state, adheres to the National producing state, adheres to the National Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) guidelines Shellfish Sanitation Program (NSSP) guidelines also known as the Model Ordinance. The also known as the Model Ordinance. The regulations of the Model Ordinance are regulations of the Model Ordinance are enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)Administration (FDA)
The Model Ordinance requires harvesting The Model Ordinance requires harvesting states to have in place three major elements to states to have in place three major elements to their Shellfish Programs. These elements their Shellfish Programs. These elements include a include a classification unitclassification unit, , a patrol unita patrol unit, , and a and a sanitary control unitsanitary control unit. .
Maryland’s Shellfish Maryland’s Shellfish ProgramProgram
Maryland Department of the EnvironmentMaryland Department of the Environment
Maryland Department of Natural Maryland Department of Natural ResourcesResources
Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Department of Health and Mental HygieneMental Hygiene
MDE’s Shellfish ProgramMDE’s Shellfish Program Required to identify Required to identify
and eliminate and eliminate pollution sources with pollution sources with shoreline surveysshoreline surveys
Conduct Conduct bacteriological bacteriological surveillance with surveillance with routine monitoringroutine monitoring
Monitor shellfish for Monitor shellfish for bacteriological bacteriological contamination and contamination and chemical constituentschemical constituents
Soft-shelled and Razor clam collections, Patuxent River, May 2000
Shoreline SurveyShoreline SurveyMDE conducts shorelineMDE conducts shorelinesurveys of all waterfrontsurveys of all waterfrontproperty and alongproperty and alongmajor drainage basinsmajor drainage basinsthat flow into shellfishthat flow into shellfishharvesting areas. Theseharvesting areas. Thesesurveys are conducted surveys are conducted as door to door surveysas door to door surveyslooking for anything looking for anything that may pose an impact that may pose an impact to water quality with to water quality with emphasis on sanitary emphasis on sanitary violations.violations.
Failing Onsite Waste System
Sanitary ViolationsSanitary Violations
Failing onsite wasteFailing onsite waste
systems, direct systems, direct pipes, pipes,
gray water gray water discharges.discharges.
Agricultural SourcesAgricultural Sources
Surveyors evaluate Surveyors evaluate
animal waste animal waste
management management
practices.practices.
Routine MonitoringRoutine Monitoring
MDE monitors over 700 monitoring MDE monitors over 700 monitoring stations in shellfish growing waters stations in shellfish growing waters for bacterial levelsfor bacterial levels
Five regionally based monitoring Five regionally based monitoring teams sample the monitoring network teams sample the monitoring network twice monthly 8-10 months out of the twice monthly 8-10 months out of the yearyear
Today’s SituationToday’s Situation
Maryland has an emerging Maryland has an emerging shellfish aquaculture industry that shellfish aquaculture industry that is beginning to tax staff resources. is beginning to tax staff resources. The continued growth of this The continued growth of this industry will require that new industry will require that new methodologies that can add methodologies that can add efficiency into the Program be efficiency into the Program be explored. explored.
Off-Bottom Shellfish Off-Bottom Shellfish AquacultureAquaculture
Near-shore harvest of Near-shore harvest of
shellfish grown in shellfish grown in
restricted harvesting restricted harvesting
waters. Concern is waters. Concern is
that the industry that the industry could could
develop rapidly develop rapidly
exceeding staffing exceeding staffing
resources.resources.
Remote Sensors Of Remote Sensors Of InterestInterest
Thermal IR/ ThemographyThermal IR/ Themography Chlorophyll ProductionChlorophyll Production Soil MoistureSoil Moisture FluorescenceFluorescence Oil/PetroleumOil/Petroleum
PlatformsPlatforms
Land Land base/handheldbase/handheld
BoatsBoats Fixed wing aircraftFixed wing aircraft Helicopter Helicopter Airships--- under Airships--- under
development for development for Homeland Security.Homeland Security.
ThermographyThermography Develop thermal Develop thermal
signature library of signature library of known point and non-known point and non-point pollution sourcespoint pollution sources
Include failing septic Include failing septic
systems, direct pipes, systems, direct pipes, illegal discharges, illegal discharges, animal waste animal waste management practices management practices or effectiveness of or effectiveness of BMPBMP
Forward Looking Infra-Red
Pending Project Using FLIRPending Project Using FLIR
TSS is collaborating TSS is collaborating
with NOAA’s with NOAA’s
Cooperative Oxford Cooperative Oxford
Laboratory to conduct Laboratory to conduct
a pilot project using a pilot project using
Forward Looking Forward Looking
Infrared Imaging Infrared Imaging (FLIR).(FLIR).
Goal and ObjectiveGoal and Objective
Develop a more thorough method of Develop a more thorough method of detecting pollution sources impacting detecting pollution sources impacting water qualitywater quality
Promote a less invasive survey Promote a less invasive survey method---PASSmethod---PASS
Continue to help promote the shellfish Continue to help promote the shellfish industry in Marylandindustry in Maryland
Provide a tool in the field for staff to Provide a tool in the field for staff to assist in collections or to direct assist in collections or to direct monitoring activitiesmonitoring activities
How Could We Use How Could We Use Remote SensingRemote Sensing
Shoreline SurveyShoreline Survey HAB Monitoring/DetectionHAB Monitoring/Detection Environmental Emergency Environmental Emergency
ResponseResponse Hydrographic Dye StudiesHydrographic Dye Studies Supplement Routine and TMDL Supplement Routine and TMDL
MonitoringMonitoring
NeedsNeeds
FundingFunding Data/ImageryData/Imagery Equipment: Thermal Cameras, Equipment: Thermal Cameras,
Computers & Software, Video and Computers & Software, Video and Digital Cameras, Photo/Video Digital Cameras, Photo/Video Analysis Analysis
Services: Flight TimeServices: Flight Time Staff: GIS Techs, Thermography Staff: GIS Techs, Thermography
Techs, Field TechsTechs, Field Techs
BenefitsBenefits
Better coverageBetter coverage Increased FrequencyIncreased Frequency Efficient use of staff resourcesEfficient use of staff resources Overcomes property access issuesOvercomes property access issues Public perceptionPublic perception Techno-deterrentTechno-deterrent
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