A Comprehensive Wetland Program for Fringing Salt Marshes in the Ory K River, Maine Pamela A
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University of New England DUNE: DigitalUNE Environmental Studies Faculty Publications Environmental Studies Department 5-31-2007 A Comprehensive Wetland Program For Fringing Salt Marshes In The orY k River, Maine Pamela A. Morgan University of New England, [email protected] Jeremy Miller Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Christopher Cayce Dalton Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Michele Dionne Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Follow this and additional works at: http://dune.une.edu/env_facpubs Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Monitoring Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Plant Sciences Commons, and the Systems Biology Commons Recommended Citation Morgan, Pamela A.; Miller, Jeremy; Dalton, Christopher Cayce; and Dionne, Michele, "A Comprehensive Wetland Program For Fringing Salt Marshes In The orkY River, Maine" (2007). Environmental Studies Faculty Publications. Paper 3. http://dune.une.edu/env_facpubs/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Environmental Studies Department at DUNE: DigitalUNE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Environmental Studies Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DUNE: DigitalUNE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Comprehensive Wetland Program for Fringing Salt Marshes in the York River, Maine A Final Report Submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency by: Dr. Pamela Morgan1 Jeremy Miller2 Christopher Cayce Dalton2,3 Dr. Michele Dionne2 1 University of New England Department of Environmental Studies 11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford ME 04009 2 Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells ME 04090 3 Town of York 186 York Street, York ME 03909 May 31, 2007 Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................5 Introduction .................................................................................................................. 6 Background ............................................................................................................. 6 Fringing salt marshes .......................................................................................... 6 A Functions and Values Approach ......................................................................... 7 The Need for Indicators of Salt Marsh Function ....................................................... 7 Connecting to Resource Management at the Local Level ........................................... 7 The York River Marshes in a Larger Context ........................................................... 8 Objectives ................................................................................................................ 8 Study Sites .................................................................................................................... 9 Methods........................................................................................................................ 9 Physical Characteristics of Fringing Salt Marsh Sites .................................................... 9 Sampling Design ................................................................................................. 9 Elevation ..........................................................................................................10 Salinity .............................................................................................................10 Aboveground Production of Salt Marsh Vegetation .......................................................10 Benthic Invertebrates ................................................................................................ 11 Nekton (Fish and Macrocrustaceans) .......................................................................... 1 Plant Diversity ........................................................................................................ 13 Land Use ...............................................................................................................14 Indicator Development ............................................................................................. 15 Nekton ...................................................................................................................16 Plant Diversity ........................................................................................................16 Results & Discussion ..................................................................................................... 17 Field Sampling and Data Analysis .............................................................................. 17 Functions and Values ......................................................................................... 17 Physical characteristics of fringing salt marsh sites ........................................... 17 Elevation ............................................................................................... 17 Salinity .................................................................................................. 18 Aboveground Production of Salt Marsh Vegetation ............................................ 18 Biomass ................................................................................................ 18 Stem Densities of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens and Juncus gerardii ..19 Plant Heights of Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens and Juncus gerardii ....19 Benthic Invertebrates ....................................................................................19 Nekton (Fish and Macrocrustaceans) ..............................................................3 Species Caught, Life Histories and Feeding Guilds ......................................3 Densities of Individuals and Biomass Densities ...........................................4 Plant Diversity ............................................................................................ 6 Land Use .........................................................................................................7 Indicator Development .......................................................................................7 Aboveground Production of Salt Marsh Vegetation ............................................ 31 Benthic Invertebrates ....................................................................................3 Nekton (Fish and Macrocrustaceans) ..............................................................33 University of New England & Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Plant Diversity ............................................................................................. 35 Summary .................................................................................................... 35 Management Discussion and Analysis .........................................................................37 Federal Laws, Regulations and Designations .........................................................37 Introduction ................................................................................................37 Clean Water Act ...........................................................................................37 Coastal Zone Management Act .......................................................................38 Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge ..........................................................39 US Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf of Maine Coastal Program .............................39 North American Wetland Conservation Act ......................................................39 Maine State Laws, Regulations and Designations ...................................................39 Maine Coastal Program ............................................................................... 40 Natural Resources Protection Act ..................................................................41 Mandatory Shoreland Zoning Law (38 MRSA §§435 to 449) .............................. 4 Other State Laws ......................................................................................... 4 Maine Growth Policy ....................................................................................43 Municipal Land and Water Management .............................................................. 44 Existing Blueprint: Town Comprehensive Plan ................................................. 44 Municipal Tools: Planning, Zoning and Enforcement ....................................... 46 Conclusion ........................................................................................................47 Management Recommendations ...........................................................................48 References Cited ...........................................................................................................50 Appendix 1: Tables ....................................................................................................... 53 Appendix 2: Monitoring Plan .........................................................................................65 A Comprehensive Wetland Program for Fringing Salt Marshes in the York River, Maine 3 4 University of New England & Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Executive Summary The overall goal of this project was to assist the Town of York, Maine, in its efforts to monitor and protect the fringing salt marshes along the York River. In particular, the project focused