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APNEP Conference Proceedings 2011 | 2004 
2011 Agenda | Speaker Bios | Title | Author(s) | Abstract | | Loads of Nutrients in Selected Streams of the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin: Description, Trends, and Comparisons | Tim Spruill Hydrologist | Nutrients are known to be an important factor in the health of both freshwater and estuarine ecosystems, particularly when too much nitrogen or phosphorus is released into these systems. Publically available streamflow and nutrient data from the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources and from the U.S. Geological Survey were analyzed for selected streams draining portions of the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin (primarily the Neuse River Watershed). These data are compared with previous world-wide and U.S. East and Gulf Coast estimates from the 1970s-1990s. Long-term (1973-2005) and recent (1997-2008) trends in total nitrogen and phosphorus are examined in the context of complexities of interpreting such data and evaluating their utility in water-quality management. The need for continued long-term monitoring is discussed. | | Strategic Habitat Areas in the APNEP Region of North Carolina | Christine Jensen Marine Fisheries Biologist
NC Division of Marine Fisheries Anne Deaton
Habitat Protection Section Chief
NC Division of Marine Fisheries | The identification and designation of Strategic Habitat Areas (SHAs) for marine and coastal fishery species is a critical component in the implementation of North Carolina’s Coastal Habitat Protection Plan. Strategic Habitat Areas are defined as “specific locations of individual fish habitat or systems of habitats that have been identified to provide exceptional habitat functions or that are particularly at risk due to imminent threats, vulnerability, or rarity.” Strategic Habitat Areas have been identified for most of the APNEP region through a scientifically-based process that considered existing habitats, human alteration factors, biological data, and input from regional experts. Strategic Habitat Area nominations include areas that have already been protected by other designations, as well as areas not currently recognized in any way. Once SHAs are designated, resource managers may address gaps in existing conservation and management efforts and take steps to prevent further alteration of the system as a whole. The nomination of SHAs can provide guidance for conservation projects focused on conservation/land acquisition, enhancement, or restoration. A network of designated SHAs providing habitat connections throughout North Carolina’s coastal waters will help maintain a healthy ecosystem and ensure that the complex life history needs of all fishery species are met. | | Coastal Carbon Sequestration by Shellfish Reefs | Dr. Joel Fodrie Assistant Professor
UNC Institute of Marine Sciences | There is increasing appreciation for the role of natural ecosystems in sequestering anthropogenically released CO2. In particular, coastal habitats can be hot-spots of CO2 removal due to the combination of high primary production and deposition rates. While recent attention has focused on vegetated marine habitats as carbon sinks (e.g. saltmarsh, mangrove), shellfish reef environments may also contribute significantly to the sequestration of carbon. Over these biogenic reefs, phytoplankton, particulate/dissolved carbon are filtered (concentrated), repackaged and deposited as carbon-rich shells, feces, and pseudofeces in an accreting reef matrix. New oyster-reef data within North Carolina indicate that > 25 Mg (tonne) C ha-1 yr-1 can be sequestered within this biogenic habitat. These data compare favorably with other notable estuarine ‘blue carbon’ sinks (mean: 1.2 Mg C ha-1 yr-1; max record: 17.3 Mg C ha-1 yr-1), although our preliminary data also suggest that oyster-reef sequestration rates are mitigated by landscape setting and water depth. Because shellfish reefs are among the most imperiled habitats on the planet (> 85% losses), there is extra incentive for gathering entirely novel data on emergent reef properties such as accretion rates (vis-Ã -vis sea-level rise) and carbon storage as we continue to face global climate change. | | Using Ecosystem Restoration to Build Climate Change Resilience into a Coastal Habitat Complex | Dr. Brian Boutin Climate Adaptation Project Director
The Nature Conservancy | Located between the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, the Albemarle Peninsula is a low-lying landscape containing more than 540,000 acres of coastal conservation lands. However, extensive ditching and draining of wetlands in concert with it’s extremely low elevation has left the peninsula vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, particularly sea level rise, threatening these conservation investments. Many impacts of sea level rise – increased shoreline erosion, rapid habitat transitions, saltwater intrusion, and a rising water table – have already become visible. Recognizing the urgency to build the resilience of the landscape to future change, The Nature Conservancy partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure that, as the ecosystems of the region are altered by climate change, they are transformed into ones that remain complex and provide a suite of ecosystem services. This partnership aims to address climate stressors through implementing long-term adaptive management strategies that contribute most to the resilience of both the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems on the peninsula, including reestablishing a natural hydrologic regime in drained wetlands, managing the transition of habitats through strategic plantings of salt – and flood-tolerant vegetation, and using oyster reefs, submerged aquatic vegetation, and marsh grasses to abate shoreline wave energy. | | Basic Observation Buoy Workshop, Construction, and Deployment for Schools in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound Region | David Sybert Education Associate
UNC Coastal Studies Institute | The UNC Coastal Studies Institute, along with partners from NC Sea Grant and NOAA’s Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, have implemented an estuarine observing project that utilizes Basic Observation Buoys (BOB) constructed, deployed and maintained by six schools in northeastern North Carolina. Students from these schools learn important scientific concepts and experience real world challenges while learning about the area where they live. Curriculum created in conjunction with the project engage students in a manner that highlights STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and encourages career paths in related fields. The BOB units carry a suite of environmental sensors that collect meteorological and water quality data for up to a week at a time before required maintenance. The six schools are located in five different counties along the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, and the data collected from their buoys will be shared with the SECOORA BOB network. This is the first year of a legacy project that will increase the amount of water quality data available for one of the largest estuarine systems in the United States and allow students and teachers to identify trends in local systems while relating them to national and global trends in water quality issues. | | Virginia Healthy Waters Initiative | Dr. Todd Janeski Manager
Virginia Healthy Waters Initiative
VA Commonwealth University & Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation | The Virginia’s Healthy Waters initiative is designed to raise awareness about the need to protect high-function stream resources before they become impacted by changes in land use. Traditional water quality programs have focused on costly methods of rehabilitating degraded waters. In contrast, the Healthy Waters Initiative focuses on taking a systems approach to identify and protect the resources with highest ecological integrity and diversity. Virginia Healthy Waters Initiative data helps prioritize protection efforts and can be integrated into land-use decision making and voluntary conservation efforts. This program seeks to reduce the number of streams that will become degraded and have an overall positive, long-term impact on the interconnected health of Virginia’s waters from the mountains to the ocean. Virginia’s Healthy Waters Initiative works collaboratively with state, federal, regional agencies as well as local stakeholders to identify opportunities to implement the healthy waters initiative. Virginia and North Carolina are cooperating to identify Healthy Water Resources in our shared resources, including the Chowan basin. Specifically, we are working with the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program and the Nature Conservancy to develop a pilot Healthy Waters planning effort that will identify and prioritize healthy waters for regional, state and local conservation efforts. | | Water Science at Work: A Sampling of USGS Activities in Eastern North Carolina | Mary Giorgino Water Quality Specialist
U.S. Geological Survey North Carolina Water Science Center | Water—the estuaries, coastal rivers, wetlands, and groundwater—defines the Albemarle-Pamlico region and is an invaluable resource to its human and non-human inhabitants. As the second largest estuary in the United States, the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary is nationally significant. However, its waters are subject to multiple pressures including landscape and climate change, competing uses, pollution, and natural but catastrophic events like hurricanes. For more than 100 years, the U.S. Geological Survey has worked in collaboration with local, State, and other Federal agencies to provide the data and science needed to promote wise management of the region’s water resources. This overview of recent activities will include: documenting storm tide from Hurricane Irene; monitoring and modeling dissolved-oxygen dynamics in the Roanoke River; investigating nutrient loadings, trends, and sources; and evaluating the quality and sustainability of drinking-water supplies. | | Linking Landuse to Patterns in Coastal Stream Discharge and Loading of Nutrients and Suspended Solids | Dr. Michael Piehler Associate Professor
UNC Institute of Marine Sciences | Coastal streams transport landscape-derived materials to estuarine receiving waters. Their high level of connectivity to surrounding watersheds makes them indicators of impacts resulting from changing land uses. Coastal streams in the New River Estuary, NC, USA have been monitored for three years, during which water samples were collected during base – and throughout storm-flow. Samples were analyzed for nutrient and total suspended solid (TSS) concentrations, and flow was measured continuously. This research determined that in developed watersheds, loading of some constituents (nitrate, ammonium, TSS) and stream discharge increased, as did the relative importance of storm flow delivery, when compared to reference watersheds. Determining the impacts of land use and precipitation patterns on material delivery by coastal streams is requisite for quantifying and mitigating degradation resulting from watershed development. | | Ecosystem Assessment of the Albemarle Pamlico Estuarine System | Dr. Lindsay Dubbs Postdoctoral researcher
UNC Institute of Marine Sciences | “The State of Sounds 2011: An Assessment of the Albemarle Pamlico Ecosystem” is the first assessment of the condition of the Albemarle Pamlico Estuarine System (APES) to be completed in 20 years. This presentation will provide insights on the process of completing the assessment, highlight important information about the condition of the APES revealed by the assessment, and present guidance on how to use the assessment as a resource. | | Human Population Distribution in the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin, 1990-2010 | Dr. Tom Crawford Associate Professor of Geography
East Carolina University | Indicator results presented here report geographical patterns of total human population amounts and change summarized at the basin and sub-basin levels for 1990-2010. Human populations alter the environment in myriad ways. Selected impacts associated with human population and their behaviors include: loss of natural land covers (e.g. wetlands and forests), natural habitat fragmentation, increased impervious surface, point and non-point source water pollution, water withdrawal, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and reduced health of terrestrial and aquatic species populations. Historical evolution of settlement patterns is driven by multiple factors such as demographic processes (i.e. human fertility, mortality, and migration), geographical accessibility, land economics, natural landscape environmental opportunities and constraints, and institutional land policies governing where settlement may occur. The spatially varying nature of these factors causes an uneven distribution of human population such that it is important to report human population patterns at multiple geographical scales of increasing spatial resolution that range from the entire Albemarle-Pamlico basin to individual sub-basins. | | Successes of the Coastal Habitat Protection Plan | Jessi Baker Habitat Alteration Permit Reviewer
NC Division of Marine Fisheries Kevin Hart
Habitat Alteration Permit Reviewer
NC Division of Marine Fisheries | The 1997 Fisheries Reform Act required the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources develop a Coastal Habitat Protection Plan (CHPP) with a goal of long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries (N.C.G.S. 143B-279.8). The CHPP was adopted in 2004 and updated in 2010. The plan describes NC’s coastal fisheries habitats (water column, soft bottom, hard bottom, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), wetlands, and shell bottom), the latest scientific information on habitat needs, ecosystem and fisheries benefits, threats, and status. Management and research recommendations are provided for the associated state agencies, commissions and interested parties to implement. The plan has fostered interagency cooperation between the states resource commissions (Marine Fisheries Commission, Coastal Resource Commission, Environmental Management Commission, and Wildlife Resource Commission). CHPP successes include coordinated rulemaking, increased compliance monitoring, changes to the coastal stormwater rules, identification of Strategic Habitat Areas, coastwide SAV mapping, designation of anadromous fish spawning areas, and expanded oyster reef restoration. The 2010 CHPP provided updated explanations of new threats, including sea level rise, invasive species, energy development, and endocrine disrupting chemicals. CHPP and APNEP staff work closely on common habitat protection and restoration goals, in a beneficial manner for North Carolina’s coast. | | Seasonal Variation of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in Currituck Sound | Dr. Maurice Crawford Associate Professor of Marine and Environmental Science
Elizabeth City State University | I collected core samples over a ten month period from a bed of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) near Bells Island in Currituck Sound, NC. Plant samples were sorted by species, divided into leaves and roots/rhizomes, weighed and then dried at 60°C for three days. Biomass (g/m2) was calculated based on the dried weights. The three species that dominated the samples were wild celery (Vallisneria americana), widgeon grass (Ruppia maritima) and redhead grass (Potamogeton perfoliatus). Total biomass in the SAV bed peaked in September and October. I found that the species that accounted for more than half of the biomass varied by month. Wild celery was the dominant species during August and September; widgeon grass during April and May while redhead grass was the dominant in July. The overall patterns of peak biomass are similar to the SAV communities studied by Moore et al (1998) in the Chesapeake although the values for mean SAV biomass were generally lower in the Currituck Sound. I plan to expand this work to other sites in the Currituck Sound to see if this pattern is consistent and to better understand the life history of oligohaline SAV in North Carolina. | | Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Map for North Carolina and Southern Virginia Coastal Waters | Scott Gentry Project Manager
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program | A map of submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) for North Carolina and southern Virginia estuarine coastlines was completed in August 2011. SAV serves multiple habitat functions for fish, shellfish, and crustaceans, including providing dissolved oxygen, filtering pollutants out of the water, and providing shelter for protection and spawning. Knowing the location of SAV is important for assessing habitat condition and determining where to direct resources for conservation efforts. The map classifies SAV based on density, with waterfowl impoundments and aquaculture vegetation classified as such. Led by the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program with many state and federal partners, this effort is the first to detail the location of submerged aquatic vegetation in the region. | | The First Complete Mapping of North Carolina’s Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Resources | Dr. Donald Field Fishery Biologist (Research)
NOAA/NOS – Center for Coastal Fisheries and Habitat Research | A cooperative effort involving federal, state, local and academic personnel has recently finished the first ever complete mapping of North Carolina’s Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) resources (Including Back Bay, VA). The mapping effort was conducted using state-of-the-art digital aerial imagery supported by a concerted field verification effort that collected more than 1000 points throughtout the state. The imagery and final SAV map will serve a broad spectrum of needs for the NC coastal management community and will also provide a valuable baseline for future monitoring efforts. The GIS data for the final map product are presently available on-line at the APNEP website. The imagery, mapping, and field verification procedures are described. | | Short-term erosion of Wetland Shorelines in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System | Dr. D. Reide Corbett Professor
Dept. of Geological Sciences/Institute for Coastal Science & Policy
East Carolina University Dr. J.P. Walsh Associate Professor
Dept. of Geological Sciences/Institute for Coastal Science & Policy
East Carolina University | Shoreline erosion has been recognized as a problem with important human and ecological ramifications (e.g., property and marsh loss) in coastal zones. Previous studies have typically focused on oceanfront shorelines; however the rate of shoreline erosion along protected mainland shorelines can exceed that of oceanfront areas. In the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES), prior research has focused on long-term changes in the estuarine shoreline. For example, work has shown the highest rates of shoreline erosion (from 1 m yr-1 to as high as 3 m yr1) occur along the exposed sound areas and at the mouths of major sub-estuaries (e.g., Pamlico River mouth), and elsewhere rates are commonly 0.25 m yr-1. The goal of this research was to quantify changes in estuarine wetland shorelines over telescoping time periods (weeks to months to decades) and associated with individual storm events. Although accretion was locally measured at several of the study sites during bi-monthly surveys, generally net erosion is dominating the change throughout the system and slow stay erosion from regular wave action appears to be controlling change based on this preliminary dataset. | | Landscape-Scale Hydrologic and Wetlands Restoration in Coastal North Carolina: Benefitting Coastal Water Quality and Water Management Needs | Erin Fleckenstein Coastal Scientist
NC Coastal Federation | In an effort to restore water quality and oyster habitat in the Pamlico Sound, the North Carolina Coastal Federation is spearheading the development of a landscape-scale hydrologic restoration plan that will redirect agricultural drainage water within a 42,000-acre Hyde County Drainage District. Hydrologic modifications within the district and water management techniques that include pumping agricultural drainage waters into coastal waterways exacerbate water quality and oyster habitat declines in Pamlico Sound. Led by NCCF, a group of landowners, farmers, fishermen, researchers, resource agencies and others have identified, planned, and begun implementing several projects that will revolutionize water management within the drainage district. By modeling historic flows, the group has developed a plan that redirects drainage water into impoundments using the land to retain, filter and treat the runoff. This restoration design lends itself to provide other unique benefits and opportunities; marrying the needs of the farmers for water management with water quality improvements and needed migrating shorebird habitat. This work represents the advancement and integration of agricultural drainage practices with environmentally sound objectives. The lessons learned and methods used have potentially wide spread application. | | Integrating and Enhancing Strategic Landscape Conservation in Eastern North Carolina and Southeastern Virginia | Peter Campbell Wildlife Biologist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | In 2009, the Department of Interior (DOI) adopted a new business model that relies on the Strategic Habitat Conservation (SHC) framework and a national network of Landscape Conservation Cooperatives (LCCs) to more effectively fulfill its mission of protecting and managing priority natural. The SHC framework is founded on the principles of Adaptive Management and includes five elements; biological planning, conservation design, conservation delivery, monitoring and research. LCCs are large geographic areas designed to encourage the development and implementation of science-based conservation actions by engaging multiple interests across a broad conservation community. The boundary of the DOI Eastern NC/Southeastern VA SHC Team comprises the northern third of the South Atlantic LCC. The Team, which has over twenty years of experience working together and in collaboration with partners to accomplish its conservation goals, is now engaging stakeholders to develop a new plan to apply the SHC framework within the Coastal Plain and Piedmont of southern Virginia and eastern North Carolina. The plan will identify our conservation targets, threats to those targets, and the objectives and strategies that must be implemented in order to achieve target goals. Our vision is to establish a viable network of public and private lands and waters that will sustain resilient populations of priority fish, wildlife, and plants, and the habitats on which they depend. While the Team is primarily focused on protecting and managing important natural resources, to realistically achieve its vision we acknowledge that we must engage both traditional and non-traditional partners to create objectives and strategies that balance natural resource, cultural, social and economic interests. We intend to fully cross-walk and integrate strategies from our SHC Strategic Plan with that of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program’s (APNEP) new Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP). The Team’s can provide APNEP with further information in the areas of biological planning and conservation design while APNEP can provide the Team with important data and expertise in the areas of monitoring and community engagement. | | Shad in the Classroom | Liz Baird Director of Education
NC Museum of Natural Sciences Melissa Dowland Teacher Education Specialist
NC Museum of Natural Sciences | “Shad in the Classroom” is a collaborative project that provides students with an understanding of the science process, inspiration for careers in science, and a desire to protect our waterways, particularly in the APNEP region, through hands-on experience raising American Shad from egg to releasable fry. The objective of this project is to build an understanding of the life history of shad and an appreciation for our natural world. The project has two primary components: 1. Classroom project: Equipping classrooms to raise the shad, providing the shad eggs, assisting with the release. 2. Teacher training: one day training on the process of raising shad, overnight canoe workshop on the Roanoke to learn about the ecosystem. | | Engaging APNEP Communities on Climate Change | Dr. Jessica Whitehead Regional Climate Extension Specialist
NC Sea Grant and SC Sea Grant Consortium | For APNEP’s vision of identifying and monitoring climate risks and protecting the region by enhancing climate change resilience, it will need to obtain local support by engaging the public on the need for such work. Local level knowledge is vital to determining the factors that influence community and ecosystem resilience to climate impacts and the appropriate actions for communities to prevent damage from or take advantage of those impacts. One way of gaining such knowledge and trust is to engage communities through locally based climate extension. In the Town of Plymouth, North Carolina Sea Grant is using interviews and structured diagramming based on current flooding infrastructure vulnerabilities to facilitate a discussion of climate adaptation needs in a community where climate change alone is not sufficient motivation for adaptation planning. Vulnerability and Consequences Adaptation Planning Scenario (VCAPS) process allows local decision-makers to synthesize their concerns about climate impacts, consequences, and decisions in a structured diagram that help town decision-makers understand the potential impacts and decisions they will need to make as sea level rises. Lessons learned from the ongoing Plymouth case study will be valuable and applicable as APNEP continues to expand its work on building a climate ready estuary. | | Ferrymon: Highlights from a Decade of Intensive Ferry-Based Monitoring of the Pamlico Sound System | Dr. Nathan Hall Postdoctoral Research Associate
UNC Institute of Marine Sciences Dr. Benjamin Peierls Postdoctoral Research Associate
UNC Institute of Marine Sciences | For over a decade FerryMon has used NC-DOT ferries as platforms to monitor Pamlico Sound and a key tributary estuary, the Neuse River. Before FerryMon, very little water quality data existed for much of Pamlico Sound despite its tremendous economic, social, fisheries and recreational value and the increasing impacts of multiple natural and anthropogenic stressors. FerryMon measures key indicators of water quality (temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH and dissolved nutrient concentrations) with the temporal and spatial resolution necessary to determine the ecological integrity and understand the complex dynamics of these systems. For example, FerryMon data are used to assess compliance of the chlorophyll a standard for the Neuse River estuary TMDL and have documented water quality impacts to Pamlico Sound from hurricanes. FerryMon provides critical ground-truthing measurements for satellite-based remote sensing enabling researchers and managers to “scale-up” to an unprecedented regional view of water quality conditions. FerryMon has been used to test newly developed instrumentation that provides class-level characterization of the phytoplankton assemblage, information critical to the early detection of harmful algal blooms. Additionally, FerryMon is currently equipped to measure dissolved CO2 to help fill the knowledge gap surrounding global C fluxes at the land-sea margin. | | Estuarine Shoreline Mapping Project: Preliminary Results | Lisa Cowart Environmental Specialist
NC Division of Coastal Management | The goal of the ESMP is to create a continuous estuarine shoreline and to quantify the mileage of shoreline types and number of shoreline structures, with the intention of further understanding the effects of development along the shoreline and the effects of permitted activities on coastal residents and the environment. A detailed methodology was created and the estuarine shorelines were digitized using the most recent available aerial photography for each county. To date, 17 of the 20 CAMA counties have been digitized. Of the 17 counties digitized, five have been QA/QC’ed by DCM staff and are considered complete. There are three counties that have yet to be digitized and the digitization process is expected to be completed by December 2011. A basic statistics and summary analysis has been performed on the five completed counties. The analysis includes calculations of length of five distinct shoreline types, length of the types of modified shoreline, and the number of modified structures. In order to highlight the potential use of the data, an expanded analysis was performed for Washington County, which will be applied to the other counties as they are completed. | | Charting the Course: An Overview of APNEP’s Ecosystem-Based Approach to Regional Planning and Environmental Management | Dr. Bill Crowell Director
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program Dr. Dean Carpenter Program Scientist
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program | Recognizing the need to incorporate advanced scientific principles into its environmental management efforts, APNEP adopted an ecosystem-based management (EBM) approach in late 2009. As a first step to realizing this approach, APNEP has incorporated EBM principles into its Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. This presentation will provide an overview of ecosystem-based management, discuss the ecosystem-based planning process behind APNEP’s new plan, and propose near-term action steps to facilitate the transition to ecosystem- based management in the region. | | The State of Central Coast North Carolina Marshes | Dr. Christine Voss Postdoctoral Research Associate
UNC-CH Institute of Marine Sciences | The in situ persistence of coastal marsh habitat as sea level rises depends on the ecophysiologically based responses of the dominant macrophytes to inundation. Establishing plugs of dominant marsh macrophytes in experimental planters placed at six elevations in two contrasting North Carolina marshes served to expose plants to a range of differing inundation periods, thereby creating conditions that anticipate responses to varying sea level. Both Spartina alterniflora and Juncus roemerianus exhibited significant trends of decreasing growth with increasing inundation and their growth response patterns to inundation period were strikingly similar. J. roemerianus response differed little between inundation regime whether exposed to regular semi-diurnal tides or via irregular, meteorologically driven flooding. Currently, central coast North Carolina marsh elevations already induce sub- optimally long inundation, producing less vigorous growth of live plants and failing to achieve maximal levels of production of above – and below-ground biomass to contribute indirectly (above) and directly (below) to elevating the marsh surface and thereby providing resilience to sea-level rise. Since in situ persistence of coastal marshes is unlikely in this region, transgression landward remains a mechanism that could allow these marshes to continue to provide their valuable ecosystem services indefinitely into the future. | | Capacities and Flows of Aquatic Ecosystem Services in the Albemarle-Pamlico Basin | Dr. Paul Angermeier Research Scientist and Professor
USGS Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit
Virginia Tech Dr. Amy Villamagna Lecturer
Sustainable Development & Conservation Biology Program
University of Maryland | Ecosystem services (ES) provide a crucial management nexus among ecological function, socioeconomic value, and biological conservation. However, ES are not commonly incorporated into resource-planning decisions in private or public sectors. ES assessments often focus on the flow of societal benefits but ignore spatio-temporal variation in the biophysical capacity of ecosystems to provide services. We have developed a new framework to quantify and map ES, which we are applying to the Albemarle-Pamlico basin (APB) of NC and VA. Our framework distinguishes among the capacity of an ecosystem to provide services, the flow of benefits to humans, and the ecological and social demands on ES. Collectively, these features enable us to more clearly assess landscape-level sustainability. We will present current findings on spatial variation in the capacity and flow of selected aquatic ES; our maps illustrate that ES capacity and flow vary greatly and independently across landscapes. We will also examine the extent to which lands managed by federal, state, county, and municipal entities within the NC portion of the APB can protect regulating and cultural services. | | Ecosystem Services: History and Significance with an Application to Oyster Restoration | Dr. Andy Keeler Professor
East Carolina University
Program Head, UNC Coastal Studies Institute | The concept of ecosystem services has been widely adopted as an appropriate paradigm for modeling and measuring the interaction between the natural and economic systems. This presentation discusses the history and importance of ecosystem services from the standpoint of environmental economics. It identifies the strengths and weaknesses of ecosystem services as an organizing principle for multidisciplinary research, and discusses the ways that ecosystem services can affect environmental policy decisions. Illustrative examples are drawn from oyster restoration in estuarine environments. | | Identifying and Prioritizing Important Natural Resources in North Carolina: The Conservation Planning Tool | Allison Schwarz Weakley Conservation Planner
NC Natural Heritage Program | The N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources has developed a Conservation Planning Tool to identify, evaluate, and prioritize an interconnected network of important natural resources required to maintain healthy and sustainable ecosystems statewide. Through the One NC Naturally initiative, this tool is used to inform planning and funding decisions, and to coordinate and guide conservation efforts. The tool consists of a series of assessments conducted using the best available, most current data and information on biodiversity and wildlife habitat, forestry and farmland, water resources, and open space and conservation lands in the state. These assessments are used by state and local governments, regional councils of governments, conservation organizations, and the state’s trust funds to inform planning and decision- making for land use, conservation, watershed, parks and recreation, and transportation projects; to identify preservation and restoration sites for mitigation; and to support grant applications for land acquisition. The assessments are also used to promote a greater understanding of the importance and location of natural resources in the state, and to develop strategies to manage and protect these important resources at the local, regional, and state levels. | | Strategies for Managing North Carolina’s Estuarine Shoreline | Lisa Schiavinato Law, Policy and Community Development Specialist
North Carolina Sea Grant Joseph Kalo, J.D. Graham Kenan Professor of Law
University of North Carolina School of Law | The NC Coastal Resources Law, Planning and Policy Center and its partners are currently conducting a study on emerging issues that will impact the state’s estuarine shoreline. The objectives of this study are to: (1) identify the emerging natural resource issues that will impact North Carolina’s estuarine shoreline for the next 15-20 years; (2) provide technical information on the factors associated with them; and (3) recommend management strategies on how to address these issues. Research on these emerging issues and the development of recommendations on how to address them would benefit not only state agencies and local governments, but also those that live in coastal communities. A statewide advisory committee has been convened to provide technical support to assist the Center and develop recommendations for a final report. This session will present the work accomplished to date on the study. | | Promoting Awareness and Stewardship of APNEP’s Estuarine Shorelines and Habitats | Whitney Jenkins Coastal Training Program Coordinator
NC Coastal Reserve/National Estuarine Research Reserve | The Albemarle Pamlico National Estuary Program (APNEP) region has an estimated 8,100 miles of estuarine shoreline. These shorelines along the Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds have been identified as one of the top three most threatened areas from sea level rise in the United States. To combat declining environmental quality along our estuarine shorelines, the N.C. Coastal Reserve/National Estuarine Research Reserve (Reserve), which is part of the N.C. Division of Coastal Management, received funding from APNEP to conduct an education campaign on estuarine shorelines in the Summer of 2011. This campaign was complementary across multiple target audiences that the Reserve is experienced in working with: K-12 teachers and students, coastal decision-makers, and the public (including estuarine-front property owners). The goal of this campaign was to teach the value and function of estuarine habitats, how these habitats may be affected by sea level rise, and alternative methods (other than bulkheads) of estuarine shoreline stabilization. The presentation will detail all aspects of the campaign: curricula for 3rd-5th graders, teacher workshop, coastal decision-maker workshop, public field experiences, and social media campaign on Twitter and Facebook. | | An Online Environmental Dashboard for Albemarle-Pamlico Sound | David Jasinski Vice President
Chesapeake Environmental Communications Dr. Kirk Havens Director
Coastal Watersheds Program
Virginia Institute of Marine Science | Natural resource protection agencies need information on ecosystem health in a format that is timely, actionable and easily accessible by a wide audience. To address this need, we have developed a prototype interactive online “dashboard” for displaying graphs and maps of indicators of ecosystem health for the Albemarle-Pamlico estuarine complex. The dashboard was developed using open source solutions such as MySQL database, Google Maps API and Google Charts API and is viewable on all popular web browsers. Because the dashboard is database driven, updating content is as simple as updating tables in the database. Users can view indices of water quality, nutrient loads, habitat and fisheries status and trends at geographic scales ranging from Sound-wide to station specific. Information on basin specific land use and 303(d) impairments is also viewable. The target audience of the dashboard ranges from an interested public to environmental managers. The current version of the dashboard is a prototype and meant to showcase what will be possible in a final version. Funding from the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation and the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program supported this work. | | Development of Protocols to Monitor Changes in Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in North Carolina’s Estuaries | Dr. Joseph Luczkovich Associate Professor
East Carolina University | The first-ever aerial survey of North Carolina revealed the third largest extent of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) in U.S. coastal waters. But is SAV coverage stable, declining, or increasing? Both intra-annual variability and turbid water conditions make it difficult to reliably detect SAV with aerial remote sensing tools alone. Here, we present data evaluating two boat-based detection methods using a single-beam echosounder and low-light video camera to classify SAV percent cover at four sites (2 low-salinity and 2 high-salinity). Both video and echosounder methods will require high sampling effort (statistical power) to detect a 10% change in the SAV percent cover. Echosounder surveys were quicker to collect and analyze than video surveys, so these were repeated monthly at the test sites. SAV changed more than 10% within a single year at all sites; thus, time of year for inter-annual aerial and boat-based surveys is critical. Peak period of SAV cover was May and June for high salinity sites and August and September for low salinity sites. Detecting SAV changes of more than 10% cover will be possible, if sentinel sites are surveyed at peak periods. Cost estimates for various power levels and SAV change with each method will be presented. | | Charting the Course: The 2012-2022 Draft CCMP | Scott Gentry, P.E. Project Manager
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program Dr. Bill Crowell Director
Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program | Elements of the new draft APNEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP) will be presented and discussed. The CCMP is based on the incorporation of ecosystem-based management principles and a simple ecosystem model. The proposed plan has goal and ecosystem outcomes and is presented in 5 components: Indentify, Restore, Protect, Engage, and Monitor. | | Implementation of Ecosystem Based Management in APNEP: Assessing Progress and Accomplishments | Dr. Carl Hershner Director
Center for Coastal Resources Management
Virginia Institute of Marine Science | Ecosystem Based Management is not easy, but it is supposed to improve the effectiveness of large scale environmental management programs like APNEP. This talk will review the progress made in applying EBM principals to the new APNEP Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan. Theoretical advantages will be assessed against observable accomplishments as an early assessment of the value of the program’s year-long implementation effort. Remaining challenges and key steps in sustaining the approach will be identified. |
2004 Agenda | Speaker Bios | Title | Author(s) | Abstract | | EstuaryLive | Doug Coker NC National Estuarine Research Reserve | EstuaryLive is a live, interactive Internet-based field trip allowing teachers and students from all over the world the opportunity to experience a field trip and other experiences in the estuary. Participating classes have the opportunity to ask questions and have them answered while watching the broadcast. Please join us to learn more about EstuaryLive, as well as the technology and partnerships behind the program. | | Teacher Institute | Judy Pope NC Office of Environmental Education | Twenty-five North Carolina teachers and media coordinators participated in the June 2004 Environmental Education Institute "Environmental Education in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds Region" that was held at Trinity Center in Salter Path. Participants enjoyed a wide range of curriculum-related experiences presented by environmental educators from various divisions of the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources and other partnering agencies. Learn more about what can happen when various government agencies, non-profits, environmental education centers, and universities work together to bring environmental education skills and resources to our teachers. | | Citizens' Monitoring Network | Allen Clark Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program | The Citizens' Monitoring Network (CMN) is a monitoring and outreach program of the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program (APNEP). This network of private citizens monitors ambient surface water quality in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuary and its tributaries. The CMN focuses upon three areas of activity: 1) baseline monitoring, 2) targeted monitoring and surveys, and 3) water quality education. Program participants receive support in many forms: water quality education and training, equipment and supplies, data management and analysis, and network opportunities. Participants in the CMN primarily monitor "vital signs" of the estuary. Specifically, volunteers monitor dissolved oxygen, pH, salinity, air and water temperatures, and turbidity to gauge the general health or quality of water in the estuary. Using basic, but accurate water quality test kits, citizen volunteers analyze water samples, observe qualitative factors such as weather conditions and other visual indicators, and record their results. Occasionally, program volunteers gather water samples for specific pollutants such as bacteria and nutrients. All data collected are forwarded to the program office where staff compiles the information and enters the data into report form for citizen and government agency use. Often, these monitoring efforts serve as useful supplements to existing governmental activities. | | Partnership for the Sounds | Tom Stroud Partnership for the Sounds | Partnership for the Sounds (PfS) is a non-profit organization that was formed in the waning years of the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine Study. In large part because of the public education generated by APES, several regional communities saw potential in developing ecotourism facilities centered on the rich natural environment of the estuary. These communities combined their efforts to create PfS, which has since opened several facilities that provide environmental education about the A-P and promote sustainable development in economically-challenged areas. | | One NC Naturally Program Update | Bill Ross Secretary, NC DENR Richard Rogers NC Office of Conservation & Community Affairs | Currently, there are 14 local and regional open space planning efforts encompassing 92 counties across North Carolina. These local and regional efforts will provide invaluable information to be used in the development of the One North Carolina Naturally statewide conservation plan. Consistent data from each of these Regional Plans is being incorporated into the One North Carolina Naturally decision support tool, and the data will be continually updated. | | Supporting Land Conservation in North Carolina | Kate Dixon Land for Tomorrow Coalition | The Land for Tomorrow Coalition, a group of 8 nonprofit organizations across our state, is working to address the conservation needs of North Carolina. LFT has two major goals: 1) to increase public awareness of the importance of land conservation to NC's future, and 2) obtain increased funding from state and local governments and private sources. LFT has spent the last year researching public opinion and investigating funding options. Kate will share information from a report with different recommendations for 9 critical property types being prepared for the upcoming legislative session. | | North Carolina Conservation Mapper | Jeff Brown NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis | A description and demonstration of the forthcoming One North Carolina Naturally Conservation Lands Mapper, an Internet mapping application that features an updated inventory of lands managed for conservation purposes in North Carolina. The presentation will include descriptions of the data and functions and other tools under development that will support conservation efforts. | | Northern Coastal Plain – Open Space Planning | Brandon Shoaf Albemarle Commission Gene Foxworth Mid. East Commission Chris Lukasina Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments | Planners in 3 eastern regions share their progress and experiences in their open space planning efforts. Panel discussion moderated by NC DENR Secretary Bill Ross | | Southern Coastal Plain – Open Space Planning | Judy Hills East Carolina Council of Governments Scott Pohlman NC Natural Heritage Program | Planners for the Southern Coastal Plain will share progress and experiences in their open space planning efforts. | | Facilitating Local and Regional Open Space Planning Goals and Needs | Bill Ross Secretary, NC DENR Richard Rogers NC Office of Conservation & Community Affairs | Discussion on the challenges to implementation of the One NC Naturally Plan and coordination of conservation | | Southern Watershed Area Management Program | Eric Walberg Hampton Roads Planning District Commission | The Southern Watershed Area Management Program (SWAMP) was initiated as a joint project of the Cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and the Virginia Coastal Program. The program's purpose is the development of a coordinated management plan for the watersheds of Back Bay, the North Landing River and the Northwest River. The following are the goals for the project: • Protect and Enhance Water Quality and Conserve Natural Resources. • Preserve Open Lands for the Protection and Enhancement of Water Quality. • Ensure the Compatibility of Recreational Activities and Commerce with Natural Resource Protection. • Maintain Rural Character of the Southern Watershed Area while providing for Rural Residential Development. • Sustain and Encourage Agricultural and Forestry Activities. The project has resulted in the development of Memorandums of Agreement between the local, regional, state and federal agencies responsible for management of the Southern Watershed Area on wetlands mitigation, water quality protection, boater safety and general watershed management issues. In addition, the Cities of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach have included elements of SWAMP in their Comprehensive Plans. Funding was obtained in the current fiscal year through the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program to improve coordination with Currituck and Camden Counties. | | NC OneMap | Jeff Brown NC Center for Geographic Information and Analysis | NC OneMap, launched in June 2004, is a statewide framework for geographic information that is designed to serve the best available data from local, state, or federal government agencies for users to search, discover, view, and interactively create maps. The NC OneMap Internet map viewer uses OpenGIS protocols to find and integrate data from numerous on-line sources. Each participating data provider stores and controls the release of its own data. To assure data reliability, data will be adequately and uniformly documented with metadata. | | Neuse/White Oak and Tar-Pamlico Basinwide Plans | Cam McNutt NC Division of Water Quality | Basinwide water quality planning is a non-regulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting the quality of North Carolina's surface waters. The NC Division of Water Quality prepares Basinwide water quality plans for each of the 17 major river basins in the state. While the Division of Water Quality prepares these plans, their implementation and the protection of water quality entail the coordinated efforts of many agencies, local governments and stakeholder groups in the basins. Specific river basins to be discussed are the White Oak, Neuse, and Tar-Pamlico and their relevant water quality. | | Roanoke, Chowan, and Pasquotank Basinwide Plans | Jennifer Everett NC Division of Water Quality | Basinwide water quality planning is a non-regulatory, watershed-based approach to restoring and protecting the quality of North Carolina's surface waters. The NC Division of Water Quality prepares Basinwide water quality plans for each of the 17 major river basins in the state. While the Division of Water Quality prepares these plans, their implementation and the protection of water quality entail the coordinated efforts of many agencies, local governments and stakeholder groups in the basins. Specific river basins to be discussed are the Roanoke, Chowan and Pasquotank and their relevant water quality. | | Bunn High School Stormwater Bio-Retention Project | Charles Bass Franklin County, Soil & Water District | Highlights of a demonstration project in the Tar-Pamlico watershed. The project was completed in June 2004. The purpose of the retention area is to be an educational and teaching tool for students, faculty, and the community. The retention area also through its biological design helps to "clean" stormwater runoff from the heavily used Bunn High School parking areas and grounds. The partners for the project were Bunn High School faculty and students, Franklin County Cooperative Extension Service, Bill Lord with the Neuse Team, and Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District. | | Pactolus Elementary School Stormwater Wetland | James Rhodes Pitt County Planning Department | Over concerns of stormwater and impending NPDES Phase II requirements, Pitt County applied for grant funding from the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program for construction of a stormwater wetland adjacent to Pactolus Elementary School. The current site's runoff from the buildings and parking lots is routed offsite via a concrete channel to a nearby creek. Anticipated benefits of the stormwater wetland include improved water quality, fulfilling requirements of the recently enacted Tar-Pamlico Stormwater Rule, and availability of an outdoor classroom for the school. | | NC Coastal Non-Point Source Pollution Program | Gloria Putnam NC Division of Water Quality | An introduction to the federally mandated, fully approved NC Coastal Nonpoint Source Program. To accomplish its mission the program partners with many other agencies to implement water quality protection and improvement measures throughout the coastal region. The program addresses nonpoint source pollution from various sources, including agriculture, forestry, urban areas, and marinas. Current and past projects include those focused on education and outreach, interagency coordination, and "on the ground" projects. Some of these projects and the origins and purpose of the program will be discussed. | | Marina Pump-out Grants | Mike Lopazanski NC Division of Coastal Management | The Division of Coastal Management (DCM) believes boaters should be able to get a sewage pumpout for your boat as easily as they can get other common boating services, such as fuel. So DCM is working to make pumpout and dump stations readily available through the Marine Sewage Pumpout and Dump Station Grant Program. The program, established as a result of the federal Clean Vessel Act of 1992, provides financial assistance to marinas and other boat-docking facilities for the installation and renovation of pumpout and dump stations in North Carolina. Using funding from the US Fish & Wildlife Service, DCM has made grants of up to $10,000 available on a yearly basis to private and commercial marinas, gas/service docks, fish houses/seafood dealers and other boat docking facilities in the 20 coastal counties. A 25 percent match is required of the marinas. A 25 percent match also is required of local governments installing pumpouts at public docks. | | Clean Marina Program | Mike Lopazanski NC Division of Coastal Management | The Clean Marina program is designed to show that marina operators can help safeguard the environment by using management and operations techniques that go above and beyond regulatory requirements. Clean Marina is a voluntary program that began in the summer of 2000. Marina operators who choose to participate must complete an evaluation form about their use of specific best management practices. The N.C. Clean Marina program is a partnership between Marine Trades Services, the N.C. Marine Trade Association, the Division of Coastal Management, the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program, NC Coastal Nonpoint Source Pollution Program, NC Sea Grant and N.C. Big Sweep. | | Total Maximum Daily Loads | Brian Jacobson NC Division of Water Quality | An overview of the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Program. This Federal program is authorized under the Clean Water Act to address waters that are not meeting designated uses. The program has two parts, first, the development of a list of all waters not meeting uses or where standards are violated. This list is referred to as the Section 303(d) list, after the section of the Clean Water Act, which mandates its development. Secondly, the program is responsible for the development of TMDLs or management plans, which can be used as a guide to restore uses of the impaired water bodies. Public participation is a required and integral part of the TMDL process. As the Modeling & TMDL Unit develops the current North Carolina 303(d) List, the public is given a chance to review the report and provide comments. All TMDLs developed for the Division of Water Quality are available for comment for a period of 30 to 45 days. The Modeling & TMDL Unit typically schedules meetings toward the end of a TMDL project. These meetings are noticed on our web site, through legal advertisements and through email list-serves and are open to the public. | | NC Nutrient Strategy | Rich Gannon NC Division of Water Quality | In 1995, the NC Division of Water Quality completed a nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for the Tar-Pamlico River Basin and implemented Phase II of the basin's nutrient strategy. The ensuing ten years have included a nationally recognized point-nonpoint source "trading" program and voluntary nonpoint source implementation, followed by rules for the major nonpoint sources addressing agriculture, urban stormwater, riparian buffer protection, and fertilizer management. This presentation will highlight progress made during the last ten years of implementation and describe objectives for the next ten years. | | FerryMon | Joe Ramus Duke University Marine Lab | Three NC ferries which cross the Pamlico Sound and the lower Neuse River have been equipped with automated water quality monitoring systems since late 2000. The program addresses the meager ration of water quality data for the Pamlico Sound which was realized following Hurricane Floyd flooding. The continuous flow, sonde-based systems monitor surface waters for temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and chlorophyll biomass. Refrigerated discrete samplers take water samples for subsequent quantification of diagnostic photopigments, colored dissolved organic matter and total suspended solids. Data logged from the ferries is automatically downloaded to computers by cell telephone modem. The purpose of FerryMon is to fast track analysis of water quality status (including natural variability) and trends driven by land use practices, regulatory action and climate change. To demonstrate the efficacy of FerryMon, an analysis of logged salinity data shows the effects of the breach forced through Hatteras Island by Hurricane Isabel in September 2003, and the subsequent closure of that breach by November 2003. | | NC Division of Water Quality's Ambient Monitoring Program | Garcy Ward and Jason Green NC Division of Water Quality | Within the Albemarle Pamlico system there are 5 river basins; Pasquotank, Chowan, Roanoke, Tar/Pamlico, and Neuse. NC DWQ Response Team staff working from Washington and New Bern, along with Washington regional office staff are responsible for sample collection and data reporting for over 80 sites within these basins. The agency develops management strategies, based on this data. It is also available to the public for various other uses. Many stations are monitored in conjunction with others such as US Geological Survey, and local universities. These stations are part of DWQ's statewide ambient monitoring program, which originated over 25 years ago. | | Neuse Estuary Monitoring and Research Program | Joann Burkholder NCSU Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology | The Neuse Estuary Monitoring and Research Program (NEMReP) of NC State University's Center for Applied Aquatic Ecology (CAAE ) has been in operation since 1993. Frequent sampling of multiple stations (weekly to biweekly from April – October, monthly in November – March with more intensive sampling during fish kills, algal blooms, and major storms) for approximately 40 parameters makes NEMReP's data set the most detailed for the Neuse in the past decade. In 1999 we added a series of automated platform stations to provide real-time remote monitoring data, taken hourly, of meteorological and physical/chemical conditions (accessible at www.waterquality.ncsu.edu). Automated winch-driven continuous profilers are used at these sites to take physical/chemical casts of the entire water column upon command. We are working to quantify major non-point sources of nutrients and other pollutants in the Neuse watershed, and to evaluate potential drivers of trends in pollutant loadings such as changes in land use, waste inputs, and climatic factors (hurricanes, droughts). Our analyses through 2003 indicate that total nitrogen loading to the Neuse Estuary has not changed significantly over the past decade, except for the influence of a 100-year drought during 2000-2002. Algal biomass as chlorophyll a has not changed significantly overall, but has increased ~60% at some stations. In contrast, ammonium concentrations linked to certain non-point pollution sources have increased ~500% in the past decade. These trend analyses suggest that, as recently accomplished for major point sources in the watershed, additional reductions in non-point pollution will be needed to make more progress in improving water quality in the Neuse Estuary. Such progress requires an informed citizenry. Toward that goal, the CAAE is complementing other programs in water quality education outreach through use of the RV Humphries, in a program called "The Floating Classroom." | | NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program | Bonnie Duncan, Jeff Schaffer, and Tracy Morris NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program | In July 2003, a Memorandum of Agreement between the US Army Corps of Engineers, the NC Department of Transportation (DOT) and the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources (NC DENR) was signed establishing the Ecosystem Enhancement Program (EEP). The functions of the NC Wetlands Restoration Program, along with the compensatory mitigation resources of the NC DOT, have merged to become the EEP. NC DENR administers this non-regulatory program. The focus of the EEP is to restore, enhance and protect the state's wetlands, waterways and watershed functions through watershed planning and implementation of projects in advance of permitted impacts. Watershed planning works to identify watershed assets, as well as key factors contributing to degradation of watershed function, with a focus on water quality, hydrology and habitat. These planning efforts yield targeted watersheds and specific recommendations for stream and wetland restoration, enhancement and preservation and stormwater BMPs. EEP implements high quality projects of each of these types, according to forecasted future permitted impacts. For more information, please go to the NC Ecosystem Enhancement Program website at: http://www.nceep.net/. | | Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Habitat Mapping Using Aerial Photography | Elizabeth B. Noble and Kyle M. Hall Elizabeth City State University Dean Carpenter Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program | Elizabeth City State University (ECSU), as part of the SAV Habitat Cooperative Mapping Project, is presently mapping SAV in Albemarle and Currituck sounds, Kitty Hawk Bay, North Carolina and Back Bay, Virginia, using aerial photography. Color aerial photography was taken of Back Bay, Currituck Sound and Kitty Hawk Bay in October 2003, at 12,000' AMT (scale 1:24000). Specifications developed by NOAA (Finkbeiner et al. 2001) and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) (Orth et al. 2001) for best identifying SAV using remotely sensed data were followed. The ECSU Remote Sensing Lab has rectified and mosaiced the photographs, and begun to photo-interpret spectral signatures and digitize SAV habitat. Water clarity and atmospheric field studies were conducted prior to photographic missions. Field surveys of SAV distribution, abundance and species composition, and water chemistry were conducted prior to and after obtaining photography. ECSU is continuing to conduct field surveys for signature development and spatial accuracy assessments. | | Phragmites australis Mapping and Removal | Michele Droszcz NC National Estuarine Research Reserve | Phragmites australis, a large non-native reed, has the ability to out compete native species and create monospecific stands. The NC Coastal Reserve worked with multiple agencies to consolidate existing research and management practices on the removal of Phragmites australis from brackish marshes. Six removal methods were used in a side-by-side demonstration and the results were monitored throughout the year. | | Aquatic Weed Removal Program | Rob Emens NC Division of Water Resources | The presence of invasive and noxious aquatic weeds negatively impacts the well being of North Carolina citizens and our environment. Aquatic weeds have proven to be costly, destructive, and an economic burden. Economic impacts of aquatic weed infestations can be far-reaching and include damage to agriculture, industrial and municipal water use, navigation, and recreation. Hydrilla arrived in 1981 and Eurasian watermilfoil, alligatorweed, creeping waterprimrose, giant salvinia, and parrotfeather have invaded North Carolina waters over the past 20 years. The growth patterns of some species seem to be cyclic while others spread steadily wherever conditions are suitable. In response to the onset of these noxious aquatic weeds, DENR implemented an Aquatic Weed Control Program within the Division of Water Resources. This program has thwarted the spread of these invasive plants and has been guided by the NC Aquatic Weed Control Council. The Council was appointed by the Secretary of DENR and is comprised of state & federal agencies, and public utilities. The continuation of water resource management efforts is essential to maintain a critical level of control over the current noxious aquatic weeds and the ones that are to come. | | Riparian Corridor Conservation Plan for the Upper Tar River | Chuck Peoples Tar River Land Conservancy | The Tar River Land Conservancy (TRLC), with funding from the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program (APNEP) developed a riparian corridor conservation design plan for the Upper Tar River headwaters in Person and Granville Counties. The Upper Tar River Basin is recognized as one of the most ecologically significant watersheds on the eastern seaboard due to its rich aquatic diversity. The project involved field reconnaissance and mapping of stream buffer condition; geographic information system (GIS) layer acquisition, development, and analysis; creation of buffer area classification criteria and categories; classification and prioritization of individual ownership parcels; and production of final planning maps. The resultant outputs coupled with recent state funding sources enable TRLC to strategically target our conservation work on the "best of the best" preservation class sites and to focus our restoration efforts on prioritized sites which are prime candidates for federal programs administered by the NRCS such as the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program. | | Assessment of Natural Areas of the Albemarle-Pamlico Region | Steve Hall and Mike Schafale NC Natural Heritage Program | The NC Natural Heritage Program has previously conducted extensive surveys for natural areas in the APES project region. However, in some cases the information obtained from these surveys is now 10 to 20 years out of date. In 2003, we undertook a GIS-based analysis of both individual natural areas and their surrounding landscapes. Site boundaries were modified according to changes we could detect in recent aerial photos. Landscapes were analyzed for integrity with respect to individual ecosystems. One important goal was to target specific areas and species groups for new ground surveys. | | Wetland Mapping and Functional Assessment | Melissa Carle NC Division of Coastal Management | To improve management of freshwater wetlands in the Coastal Plain, the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management (DCM) developed GIS-based methods to map wetlands and assess wetland functions. Thirteen distinct wetland types are mapped using soils, hydrography, and two sets of classified satellite imagery (1988 and 1994) to update National Wetlands Inventory (NWI) data. Hydrogeomorphic (HGM) class is noted and modifiers are included to indicate if a wetland has been drained, cleared, or cutover. Overall accuracy for this method is 81%. This is an improvement over the NWI data, which tends to exclude moderately wet wetlands and wet pine plantations. The North Carolina Coastal Region Evaluation of Wetland Significance (NC-CREWS) is a GIS-based assessment model used to predict the relative ecological significance of wetlands based on the functions that they perform within their watersheds. NC-CREWS rates wetlands based on three major functions: hydrology, water quality, and habitat. Major functions are divided into subfunctions, which are assessed using parameters related to wetland and watershed characteristics. Ratings for the major functions are combined to generate an overall prediction of wetland significance. Wetland type and NC-CREWS data have been generated for 37 counties in the Coastal Plain. Datasets for the 20 Coastal Zone Management counties are available for download on DCM's website: http://www.nccoastalmanagement.net/Wetlands | | US Army Corps of Engineers Restoration Projects | Charles R. Wilson US Army Corps of Engineers | In the past, the Corps of Engineers conducted restoration to mitigate impacts from traditional flood control and navigation projects. Now ecosystem restoration is a major mission for the Corps and the Wilmington District, in partnership with the state of North Carolina, is applying expanded authorities to restore degraded ecosystems. Our restoration designs incorporate ecosystem concepts and consider site context to promote ecological functions and sustainable projects that fit into the matrix of the surrounding environment. Where earlier designs focused largely on marsh establishment, we now incorporate multiple habitat features such as trees, shrubs, marshes, SAV, and oysters to increase ecological value. Our successful ecosystem restoration projects at Wilmington Harbor Island 13, Roanoke Island Festival Park, and Newport River Army Reserve will be presented as case studies. Our General Investigation (GI) authority that was historically used to investigate basin-wide solutions for flood and navigation problems can now also address ecosystem restoration needs at the watershed scale. We are currently in the early planning phase of watershed studies in the Neuse River, Tar River Basin/Pamlico Sound, and Currituck Sound. These studies will investigate ecosystem restoration alternatives that may include large-scale SAV, oyster, wetland and stream restoration. | | Clean Water Management Trust Fund Projects in the Albemarle-Pamlico Region | Leland Heath Clean Water Management Trust Fund | Created in 1996, the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) makes grants to local governments, state agencies and conservation non-profits to help finance projects that specifically address water pollution problems. The presentation will focus on projects (acquisition, restoration/stormwater and wastewater) within the Albemarle - Pamlico region. Presentation will highlight projects from each funding category, funding criteria and statutory language. Questions such as match requirements and partners, scoring and targeting of projects will be discussed. The presentation will also describe the mini-grants program. | | Fishery Management Plans | Louis Daniel NC Division of Marine Fisheries | A brief introduction to the North Carolina Fisheries Reform Act of 1997 will be discussed, followed by a more detailed discussion on the requirement in the Act to develop Fishery Management Plans (FMP). Methods for determining priority species, FMP structure, and process will be presented along with recent legislative changes, progress, and plans for the future. | | NC Coastal Habitat Protection Plans | Mike Street NC Division of Marine Fisheries | The North Carolina General Assembly passed the Fisheries Reform Act in1997. The Act includes a provision to prepare Coastal Habitat Protection Plans (CHPPs) for the "long-term enhancement of coastal fisheries associated with each habitat…." The CHPP builds on several earlier high-level studies that recognize land use practices, stormwater runoff, habitat loss, and fishing gear effects as major issues affecting coastal fish habitats. The CHPP is a scientific document that describes and classifies the habitat systems; evaluates the functions, status, and trends of the habitats; identifies existing and potential threats; and recommends actions to protect and restore the habitats. The CHPP focuses on six basic fish habitats: the water column, wetlands, shell bottoms, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), soft bottoms, and hard bottoms. The CHPP shows that the habitats are interconnected and the vast majority of important fisheries stocks utilize a variety of habitats at different times in their life cycle. Therefore, management must take a systems approach. The plan's 19 recommendations come under four goals: improve effectiveness of existing rules and programs, develop a system of Strategic Habitat Areas to protect the very best existing fish habitats, enhance habitat and protect it from physical impacts, and enhance and protect water quality. The draft plan has been presented to the North Carolina Coastal Resources, Environmental Management, and Marine Fisheries commissions for adoption by the end of 2004. | | Fishing Gear and By-Catch Reductions | Blake Price NC Division of Marine Fisheries | Fishery bycatch can be defined as the unwanted or unmarketable (i.e., spoiled, regulatory discard) catch that is discarded from commercial and recreational fishing operations. The quantification of these data remains a concern among fishery managers in North Carolina. There is currently no directed program to completely quantify fishery discards and associated discard mortality. However, there are numerous fishery-dependent, and fishery-independent studies, which offer valuable information and enable managers to make better decisions. In conjunction with these studies, the establishment of quotas, size limits, seasonal closures, gear restrictions, and gear modifications provide necessary management tools that assist in sustaining long-term fisheries and habitat. In this talk we explore past, present, and future bycatch research projects and provide examples of management tools that have been implemented in North Carolina fisheries to reduce incidental bycatch. | | Mercury in Fish Tissue – NCDWQ/ESS Monitoring Efforts | Mark Hale NC Division of Water Quality | The North Carolina Division of Water Quality Environmental Sciences Section (ESS) routinely monitors mercury in fish tissue as part its statewide fish tissue survey program. ESS first detected consistently elevated mercury levels in fish in 1992 during routine statewide sampling. ESS found elevated levels in most bass samples collected in the Waccamaw River drainage. ESS continued to sample outward from the Waccammaw River basin to determine the extent of elevated mercury levels and to confirm if other fish species contained elevated levels. A picture began to emerge of high levels of mercury in picsivorous fish associated with systems on the coastal plain of the state. These were namely low ph, low productivity blackwater systems mainly east of I-95. The DWQ will continue to monitor mercury in fish across NC and has several studies scheduled including monitoring 6 stations around a dismantled chlor-alkali plant, further monitoring of marine species, and monitoring for low-level ambient mercury levels. | | Mercury in fish from relatively undisturbed water bodies in Virginia | Alex Barron VA Department of Environmental Quality | In recent years, there has developed an increasing understanding that certain types of water bodies including swamps and blackwater rivers can have natural environmental conditions such as low pH, low dissolved oxygen levels and high concentrations of organic matter that promote the accumulation of mercury into the food chain. This often results in elevated levels of mercury in fish species in these environments. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has recently begun to monitor mercury levels in fish from water bodies such as swamps and blackwater rivers that do not have significant impact from industrial or municipal dischargers and which would normally be thought of as being unlikely to contain contaminated fish. These recent monitoring efforts have discovered several water bodies where certain species of fish do show elevated levels of mercury, high enough to warrant the issuance of a fish-consumption advisory. Virginia is investigating this issue further. One of the possibilities being considered is the potential for atmospheric deposition of mercury into these mercury sensitive waters to play a significant role in the bioaccumulation of mercury into fish. | | Salt Water Fishing License and Fishing Data | Michael Buhl NC Division of Marine Fisheries | Information critical to accurately characterizing and effectively managing our marine and estuarine fisheries includes harvest and fishing effort estimates. The North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries has several data collection programs to help estimate commercial and recreational catch and effort including the commercial Trip Ticket Program and the National Marine Recreational Fisheries Statistics Survey (MRFSS). The passage of legislation in 2004 authorizing a Saltwater Fishing License in North Carolina will allow the Division for the first time to accurately measure the number of recreational fishermen angling in coastal waters instead of relying on census based estimates. This information will give fisheries managers more complete data with which to develop resource management policy and to make effective and timely fisheries management decisions. | | North Carolina Oyster Restoration Efforts | Mike Street NC Division of Marine Fisheries | The oyster population in N.C. is experiencing a 130-year decline due to harvest pressure, water quality, disease and climatic conditions. The Oyster Rehabilitation Program was initiated in 1947 to address the oyster harvest decline by enhancing depleted oyster beds. The Program has evolved over the past 50+ years improving techniques, materials and equipment. Research into the establishment of a network of no-take oyster sanctuaries is underway providing protected habitat for development of a robust native "brood stock". An oyster shell recycling project is underway based on volunteer efforts to recover post consumer oyster shells making them available for oyster habitat restoration. Public education on the status of the State's estuaries and the importance of oysters in nursery habitat creation, water quality and water clarity are associated benefits of the project. | | Williston Creek Oyster Restoration Project | Rachael Wagaman NC Coastal Federation | Polluted runoff is responsible for closing thousands of acres of once productive shell fishing grounds all along the North Carolina coast. It's a primary reason why the state's oyster population has declined by more than 90 percent in the last 100 years. Oysters filter pollutants from the water and help to restore water quality and marine habitat. Oyster habitat provides bottom habitat for economically important species and provides numerous ecological functions related to oyster production. The Williston Creek oyster restoration project was designed to increase the oyster population and ultimately enhance surrounding water quality as part of the ongoing restoration of ~5,100 acres of the 6,000 acre North River Farm, which began in 2002 and will continue over the next 5-10 years. Through volunteer support, 2 acres of new oyster habitat were created in Williston Creek and seeded with 300,000 juvenile oysters in July 2004. The reef will continue to be monitored by volunteers over the next 2 years to document reef establishment and changes. This project is the first oyster habitat project that is concurrent with the restoration of a 250 acres North River farmland parcel and will lay the groundwork for future projects that can take advantage of the renewed water quality in the river. | | Citizen's Oyster Gardening Demonstration Project and CCC Oyster Hatchery | Skip Kemp Carteret Community College, Aquaculture Technology Program | This demonstration project sponsored by the Neuse and Tar-Pamlico River Basin Councils of The Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Program has gotten off to a great start with three training workshops, which attracted over 100 participants. The COGP website is live and online and includes all training materials from the workshops as well as project and partners' information. The first version of the training manual was produced and distributed to gardeners at the workshops and water-testing kits were also distributed to gardeners. The CCC Aquaculture Program was involved in a campus-wide building project that necessitated the demolition of the building, which formerly housed the oyster hatchery. The facility was moved onto the lawn of the campus in an attempt to continue the project however only two batches of eyed-larvae were produced. The oyster hatchery operations and the backyard remote setting system are described. The hatchery will gear up in a new facility for production of oyster eyed-larvae to supply gardeners and other oyster restoration projects during the summer. Look for the second round of oyster gardening training workshops to be held during the last week of March 2005. |
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