Welcome to Salem Sound! Why it Matters ★ Located on Massachusetts’ North Shore Monitoring water quality in Salem Sound to inform decision making ★ Rich maritime history Estuarine habitats, such as salt marshes From estuarine In 2019-2020 we collected water ★ Six coastal communities and eelgrass, are home to thousands of samples from 12 stations and ★ 2 species including commercially important Highly urbanized, with 2,590 people/mile looked at the organisms living in fisheries on which many communities ★ 9,044 acres of coastal embayment sediments at 7 other stations. monitoring to habitat depend for their well-being. Monitoring ★ More than 106,255 acres of watershed Stations were in the Danvers River, water quality is a necessary first step to Aerial view of Salem Sound, MA. near the wastewater treatment Salem Sound has always been a hub of identify a problem, but it is only the first plant outfalls, over eelgrass areas, restoration, building activity, characterized by urban harbors and step. With this information, communities and in Salem Harbor. can take action and realize the benefits: industrialized riverfronts. The result is loss of Map showing sampling station locations. important habitats and degraded water quality. Water - yellow circles; Sediment - red triangles; sustainable ecosystems that support Star - South Essex Sewer District discharge resilience in Salem Initial results confirm: recreation, provide food, and protect us ★ Rivers discharge pollutants into open waters. from storms. ★ Seasons, tides, and weather impact estuaries and the animals that Sound is a priority in an live there. ★ Wastewater treatment plants may not be wholly responsible. What You Can Do Tailored monitoring programs will help us get a clearer picture of what is effort to turn back time Aerial imagery of Cat Cove, Salem Harbor from 1954 (DOT) and 2012 (DEP) Collins Cove suffered habitat loss from erosion. Join Salem Sound Coastwatch’s showing approximate eelgrass edge (yellow). Source: Carr & Ford, 2017. Source: SSCW. really going on in the system. We need this information to plan and dedicated volunteers to help with rebuild resilient habitats. monitoring. Each year many volunteers Causes of habitat loss and poor water quality receive training and participate in monitoring, restoration, beach cleanups in Salem Sound and other efforts to bring back the Sound. ★ Wastewater outfalls ★ Marinas and mooring fields ★ Erosion ★ Riverine discharge ★ Stormwater and nutrient runoff South Essex Sewage Discharge Plant in Salem Sound’s ports and harbors are home to thousands of moorings, often causing scouring and Salem Harbor. Source: The Salem News eelgrass loss. Source: CZM. Scan to see other Salem Sound monitoring efforts.