Long Island Sound Report Card 2016

New monitoring initiative for your bays and harbors Healthy waters, How you can help

Though they are not healthy communities depicted in this report During the recreational season fecal bacteria is Reduce water usage card, bays and harbors measured at the 200+ beaches that line the Sound to Less water means improved water treatment determine if the water quality meets the EPA guidelines at plants, plus less wear and tear on pipes. Long Island Sound around the Sound are for safe swimming. Exposure to fecal bacteria in critically important. recreational water can lead to a variety of illnesses including viral, parasitic, and bacterial infections. Eliminate or reduce fertilizer use Prevents nutrient runoff from polluting your The bays and harbors of Long Island Fecal bacteria levels are also measured in waters waterways. Report Card 2016 Sound – home to many beaches, where shellfish are harvested for human consumption parks, and marinas – are often the because consuming the bacteria in shellfish can lead Keep litter out of waterways to illness. The loss of beach days and shellfish harvests Grading the water quality and ecosystem health of the Urban Sea places where the public comes into Trash and debris are hazards to wildlife. has a direct negative impact on local economies direct contact with Sound waters. and livelihoods around the Sound. Investing in our Each bay and harbor (“embayment”) wastewater infrastructure keeps our beaches and Go native has its own unique hydrology shellfish healthy and accessible for public enjoyment. Natural vegetation and forested buffers (not influenced by a number of factors a lawn) along a stream, ditch, or waterfront including depth, tidal flushing, and This Report Card does not include data or grades for help filter pollutants. the presence of tributary streams bacteria levels in Sound waters. For data on bacteria and rivers. Measuring water quality levels at Sound beaches, visit SoundHealthExplorer.org. Pump out your septic system conditions in embayments requires a A properly maintained septic system different approach than the one used prevents costly repairs and untreated sewage to measure open water conditions. discharge into your local waterways. Every This Report Card only reports on 3-5 years is recommended. open water conditions. Care for your pipes To learn more about the health of Properly dispose of harmful chemicals, Sound bays and harbors, the Long household grease, and used cooking oil. The Island Sound Funders Collaborative pipes in your house protect the water you and Save the Sound have initiated drink and play in. a Sound-wide embayment study. A coalition of interested monitoring groups, scientists, and representatives of regulating agencies are Pollution affects shellfish harvests and local economies. collaborating on the study with the goal of gathering “apples-to-apples” data from a network of monitoring groups around the Sound. About the Long Island Sound Report Card

Visit longislandsound.ecoreportcard.org for information on The study is designed to measure specific methodologies, indicators, thresholds, grading, and human impact on, and the relative subregion designations. health of, the bays and harbors This Report Card was produced by Save the Sound, a bi-state of Long Island Sound. Standard program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment, and published Operating Procedures are provided in October 2016 using 2015 data. Funding was provided by the and must be followed in their entirety by participating groups to ensure Top: Harbor Watch at sunrise conducting Long Island Sound Funders Collaborative. Science direction was provided by Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D. and Jason Krumholz, Ph.D. consistent comparisons of embayments. The study was piloted by three water sampling. Bottom left: Mystic groups in the 2016 summer monitoring season and is open to participation Aquarium and Clean Up Sound and Harbors The Report Card provides a geographic assessment of annual (CUSH) surveying seaweed. Bottom right: Long Island Sound ecosystem health for 2015. by any interested, qualifying group or community on the Sound starting in Data provided courtesy of: Save the Sound measuring dissolved oxygen. the 2017 monitoring season. The findings of the embayment study – to be Cover photo is Five Mile Point Lighthouse, in New Haven, CT. published in future Report Cards – will further deepen our understanding of the Sound and inform our actions to preserve and protect it. longislandsound.ecoreportcard.org ~ savethesound.org

New York City Department of Environmental Protection New monitoring initiative for your bays and harbors Healthy waters, How you can help

New York City Department of Environmental Protection Water Quality Water quality illustrates the story of Long Island Sound’s ecological health Reducing nutrients that enter the Sound Indicators Long Island Sound is our nation’s great urbanized estuary. Western Narrows - Eastern Narrows Long Island Sound The primary pollutant that threatens the current and future F C-C QUEBEC health of the Sound is excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen, Dissolved oxygen en There is a gradient en xyg Wat The Westernyg Narrows received an F (51%), the gen o er x Thex yEastern Narrows received a C- (70%), a d c entering the water from our wastewater treatment plants, O O e la d lv r from west to east e d o i worstv grade of the Sound, because nutrient e s t Dissolved oxygen is critical to the l y A moderatelylv poor grade, reflecting degraded water s septic systems, fossil fuel burning, and fertilizer use. High o i o ME s D of unhealthy (F) to s s VT i s survival of fish and shellfish. Low levels levels and water clarity are very poor. This area is i Western D quality, due to poor nutrient levels. This region has

D nitrogen loads can overfertilize coastal waters, causing the Eastern a

Narrows l healthy open Sound of dissolved oxygen can stress fish, Narrows l Score densely developed, and has very little exchange Score urban and suburban development and the water has y growth of excess seaweed and phytoplankton. Oxygen is h water quality (A-). Montpelier shellfish, and other marine life living p with the Atlantic Ocean. o Nu Nu little exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. Nu r consumed as these plant-like organisms and the animals that on the bottom, reducing growth and N lo The Western Narrows, u h t C NH feed on them respire, die, and decompose; in some cases reproduction, and at low enough rie home of the highly nts levels results in mortality. populated New York causing a perilous low oxygen condition, called “hypoxia.” Connecticut Lebanon New ATLANTIC OCEAN High nutrient levels can lead to fish die-offs, harmful algae London City metropolitanP area, scored very poorly, River hos rus blooms, loss of coastal marshes, and increased ocean reflectingp ha overy high load of nutrients and very Concord acidification which is harmful to shellfish. poor water clarity. In addition to the polluting Keene River

Water clarity Quinnipiac impacts of dense population and development, the western end of the Sound is further In response to the threat from excess nutrients, over the Water clarity is a measure of how far Albany past decade communities around the Sound have made a Eastern Block Island impacted by having only minor flushing and Worcester light penetrates through the water. Housatonic River Sound MA substantial investment in nutrient removal technology at Bridgeport tidal exchange with New York Harbor. Springﬁeld Clear water allows fish to find prey and Providence Orient Point wastewater plants in New York and Connecticut, as well helps underwater plants to thrive. NY As you move east, you generally move toward RI as an investment in tracking the response in the Sound Central CT Hartford through water quality monitoring. The good news is that this Connecticut a lower density of people and toward stronger tidal flushing from the Atlantic Ocean at the Major watersheds investment appears to be working. Dissolved oxygen levels

HudsonRiver D Southeast Coast have generally improved in the western Sound over the past Sound’s east end, which is reflected in better UN Bridgeport SO Thames River Chlorophyll a Western ND New York LA Connecticut River decade, but there is still work to be done. grades. It is important to note that these IS NG LO South Central Coast Chlorophyll a measures the amount New Jersey grades are for open water conditions only. Housatonic River Eastern NJ Southwest Coast With continued leadership from the U.S. Environmental of phytoplankton (microalgae) in the Narrows Port Je erson Communities on bays and inlets in any part water column. Too much algae in the NYC 0 20 40 Miles New York City Protection Agency (EPA), state and local governments around of the Sound can experience water quality Long Island water reduces water clarity, and problems similar to the Western and Eastern 20 40 Kilometers the Sound are currently working on additional measures to decomposing algae leads to reduced New York N Narrows due to low tidal flushing rates continue reducing nitrogen inputs. Please review the back dissolved oxygen. City Long Island 0 5 10 20 Miles combined with high pollutant loads. We will Above: Major watersheds of Long Island Sound. page for actions that individuals, families, and businesses can have more information on these hyperlocal take to help with this effort. Western 10 20 Kilometers conditions in future Report Cards. East River Narrows Nutrients Nu Western Narrows Eastern Narrows Western Central Eastern Nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) Western + Central Eastern are the building blocks for life, but too B B A- 0 n -- en en Westernge Long Island Sound received a B (83%) B Centralyg Long Island Sound received a Easternyg Long Island Sound received an A- much in a natural system can lead to xy B x x O O O d d d e A e e becausev most indicators scored well. Nutrients C B+v (88%). Although nutrients are still a (92%),v the best grade of the Sound. This problems. Our communities contribute l C A l l o o o s s s s s s excess nutrients to the Sound from i Central causei for concern in this region, increased Eastern regioni has a lower population and a mix of continue to be a problem which leads to D Eastern D Western D LIS LIS LISLIS 25 wastewater, septic systems, fertilizer, Score occasional reduced dissolved oxygen levels. This Score exchange with the Atlantic Ocean leads Score rural, suburban, and agricultural uses, and has and fossil fuel burning. Nitrogen region is less developed than the Narrows but still to water quality generally supportive of a lot of exchange with the Atlantic Ocean. Nu Nu Nu fertilizes excessive growth of plant- densely populated. aquatic life. like organisms (phytoplankton and Habitat characteristics Key Issues seaweed), leading to algae blooms. 50

High dissolved oxygen Low dissolved oxygen Depth in meters As these organisms and the animals that feed on them respire, die, and Fish migration corridor No dissolved oxygen How are the scores calculated? 90–100%: All water quality indicators meet desired levels. Quality of 60–70%: Some or few water quality indicators meet desired levels. decompose, oxygen in the water is water in these locations tends to be very good, most often leading to Quality of water in these locations tends to be poor, often leading to Seagrass presence Seagrass loss Physical Processes depleted. Our other indicators capture This Report Card compares water quality indicators (dissolved oxygen, Exchange with preferred habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. degraded habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Water clarity Chlorophyll a/phytoplankton 75 the impact of high nutrient inputs nutrients, chlorophyll a, and water clarity) to scientifically derived thresholds or ocean water (low DO, high chlorophyll a, low water goals. These indicators are combined into an overarching Water Quality Index, 80–90%: Most water quality indicators meet desired levels. Quality of 0–60%: Very few or no water quality indicators meet desired levels. Silty/muddy bottom Floatable debris/trash Scale of tidal mixing clarity). When conditions are very which is presented as a subregion percent score. The Sound-wide scores are water in these locations tends to be good, often leading to acceptable Quality of water in these locations tends to be very poor, leading to habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. unacceptable habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Sandy bottom Sediment toxicants Tidal range bad, we sometimes see fish kills and derived by combining the regional scores for each indicator and weighting harmful algal blooms. them based on the area of water in that region. For more information about 70–80%: There is a mix of good and poor levels of water quality indicators. Quality of water in these locations tends to be fair, leading to marginal, and methods, please visit longislandsound.ecoreportcard.org. This Report Card is based on data collected in 2015. Variation of habitat characteristics, key issues, and physical processes of Long Island Sound from west to east. occasionally degraded conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Illustrations by Integration & Application Network at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Water Quality Water quality illustrates the story of Long Island Sound’s ecological health Reducing nutrients that enter the Sound Indicators Long Island Sound is our nation’s great urbanized estuary. Western Narrows - Eastern Narrows Long Island Sound The primary pollutant that threatens the current and future F C-C QUEBEC health of the Sound is excess nutrients, particularly nitrogen, Dissolved oxygen en There is a gradient en xyg Wat The Westernyg Narrows received an F (51%), the gen o er x Thex yEastern Narrows received a C- (70%), a d c entering the water from our wastewater treatment plants, O O e la d lv r from west to east e d o i worstv grade of the Sound, because nutrient e s t Dissolved oxygen is critical to the l y A moderatelylv poor grade, reflecting degraded water s septic systems, fossil fuel burning, and fertilizer use. High o i o ME s D of unhealthy (F) to s s VT i s survival of fish and shellfish. Low levels levels and water clarity are very poor. This area is i Western D quality, due to poor nutrient levels. This region has

D nitrogen loads can overfertilize coastal waters, causing the Eastern a

High dissolved oxygen Low dissolved oxygen Depth in meters As these organisms and the animals that feed on them respire, die, and Fish migration corridor No dissolved oxygen How are the scores calculated? 90–100%: All water quality indicators meet desired levels. Quality of 60–70%: Some or few water quality indicators meet desired levels. decompose, oxygen in the water is water in these locations tends to be very good, most often leading to Quality of water in these locations tends to be poor, often leading to Seagrass presence Seagrass loss Physical Processes depleted. Our other indicators capture This Report Card compares water quality indicators (dissolved oxygen, Exchange with preferred habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. degraded habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Water clarity Chlorophyll a/phytoplankton 75 the impact of high nutrient inputs nutrients, chlorophyll a, and water clarity) to scientifically derived thresholds or ocean water (low DO, high chlorophyll a, low water goals. These indicators are combined into an overarching Water Quality Index, 80–90%: Most water quality indicators meet desired levels. Quality of 0–60%: Very few or no water quality indicators meet desired levels. Silty/muddy bottom Floatable debris/trash Scale of tidal mixing clarity). When conditions are very which is presented as a subregion percent score. The Sound-wide scores are water in these locations tends to be good, often leading to acceptable Quality of water in these locations tends to be very poor, leading to habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. unacceptable habitat conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Sandy bottom Sediment toxicants Tidal range bad, we sometimes see fish kills and derived by combining the regional scores for each indicator and weighting harmful algal blooms. them based on the area of water in that region. For more information about 70–80%: There is a mix of good and poor levels of water quality indicators. Quality of water in these locations tends to be fair, leading to marginal, and methods, please visit longislandsound.ecoreportcard.org. This Report Card is based on data collected in 2015. Variation of habitat characteristics, key issues, and physical processes of Long Island Sound from west to east. occasionally degraded conditions for aquatic plants and animals. Illustrations by Integration & Application Network at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. New monitoring initiative for your bays and harbors Healthy waters, How you can help

New York City Department of Environmental Protection