MEDOMAK RIVER Reflecting on the Success of Remediating Fecal Pollution Using a Collaborative Task Force Julie Keizer, Town Manager, Waldoboro ME Maggie Burns, Hydrologist, FB Environmental Associates Photo by: Melissa Smith Maine DMR Julie Keizer, Town Manager Town of Waldoboro, Maine Maggie Burns, Hydrologist FB Environmental WALDOBORO MEDOMAK RIVER MEDOMAK Photo by: Julie Keizer Photo by: Melissa Smith Maine DMR SOFTSHELL CLAMS Photo by: Julie Keizer VALUE OF SOFTSHELL CLAMS IN WALDOBORO: Year Pounds (Live) Value 2007 935,455 $1,296,841 2008 894,930 $1,118,548 2009 353,571 $391,813 2010 611,145 $747,529 2011 1,030,154 $1,406,147 2012 653,879 $914,055 2013 726,879 $1,144,579 2014 410,005 $752,623 2015 847,192 $2,223,605 2016 980,592 $2,108,897 1.5 – 2.2 million in value 2017 910,903 $1,604,253 FILTER FEEDERS Clams clean our waters OCEAN POLLUTION BACTERIA CLASSIFICATION OF MAINE WATERS Freshwater Marine FRESHWATER CLASSIFICATION CLASS AA: East Machias River, CLASS A: Ellis River, Andover ME CLASS B: Androscoggin River, Machias ME Rumford ME CLASS C: Capisic Brook, Portland ME MARINE CLASSIFICATION CLASS SA: Dennys Bay, Pembroke CLASS SB: Atkins Bay, Phippsburg ME ME CLASS SC: Casco Bay, Portland ME Photo from: City of Portland SHELLFISH CLASSIFICATION Conditionally Approved: Harvesting is allowed except during specified conditions. Example: Rainfall and Seasonal closures. Conditionally Restricted: Depuration and/or relay harvesting allowed except during specified conditions. Prohibited: No harvesting allowed or water use allowed for processing. Restricted: Depuration and/or relay harvesting only. MAINE DEP: Freshwater Class A: above Wagner’s Bridge Road and all tributaries Class B: Head of Tide to Wagner’s Bridge Road MAINE DMR: Marine Waters Conditionally Approved: WS26C1 and WS26D Prohibited: WS26A1 BRIEF HISTORY Photo by: Melissa Smith Maine DMR 1 9 9 0 ’ s 2001 2002 2003 - 2004 2008 - 2009 2013 2014 • River not • Lagoon and land • DMR imposes • Maine DEP survey work in • Elevated bacteria • The Medomak Task Force • Paired three-day wet/dry meeting class application conditional direct watershed area following rain persists begins (January 2013) weather studies in village • Wastewater treatment facility rainfall closures around conditional • Maine DMR (with Maine • DMR increases routine • DMR sampling reduced to treatment facility constructed period of 2 closures DEP assistance) conducts sampling (goal = six times per year discharges • Wastewater weeks on • Involved UMaine another survey in once/month) • Sampling upstream of US effluent directly discharge Medomak River Cooperative Extension conditional areas • Volunteers sampled on Rte 1 continued to Medomak terminated days 1 and 3 post-rain • Canine detection River estuary August 20, 2001 (events > 1”/24hrs). DMR survey samples on days 5 and 7. • Sampling upstream of US MEDOMAK RIVER PROJECT TIMELINE Rte 1 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 • Watershed-based • As part of the WBMP, the • Task Force submits • Paired E. coli and • Subgroup designed 2015 Management Plan task force completes proposal for Maine DEP microbial source tracking sampling; sampling of published storm event sampling in 604(b) funds for (MST) sampling small tidewater tributary June Watershed-Based • Monthly routine DMR streams • Gabby Hillyer, UMaine, Management Plan sampling continued • Routine DMR sampling = SANITARY SURVEY WORK (Winslow’s conducts drifter study to • Monthly routine DMR increased to monthly (12 Mills Road, Village Area, Depot Street, model hydrodynamic sampling continued times per year) Deb’s Diner Drainage, Orff Brook, flushing • Sampling upstream of US Benner Brook, Skyview Ridge Mobile • DMR continues routine Rte 1 continued Home Park) sampling • Beaver dams removed = UNDER 604(b) PLANNING GRANT 1 9 9 0 ’ s 2001 2002 2003 - 2004 2008 - 2009 2013 2014 • River not • Lagoon and • DMR imposes • Maine DEP survey work in • Elevated bacteria • The Medomak Task Force • Paired three-day wet/dry meeting class land conditional direct watershed area following rain persists begins (January 2013) weather studies in village • Wastewater application rainfall closures around conditional • Maine DMR (with Maine • DMR increases routine • DMR sampling reduced to period of 2 closures DEP assistance) conducts six times per year treatment treatment sampling (goal = weeks on • Involved UMaine another survey in once/month) • Sampling upstream of US facility facility Medomak River Cooperative Extension conditional areas • Volunteers sampled on Rte 1 continued discharges constructed days 1 and 3 post-rain • Canine detection effluent • Wastewater (events > 1”/24hrs). DMR survey directly to discharge samples on days 5 and 7. Medomak terminated • Sampling upstream of US River estuary AugustMEDOMAK 20, RIVER PROJECT TIMELINE Rte 1 2001 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 • Watershed-based • As part of the WBMP, the • Task Force submits • Paired E. coli and • Subgroup designed 2015 Management Plan task force completes proposal for Maine DEP microbial source tracking sampling; sampling of published storm event sampling in 604(b) funds for (MST) sampling small tidewater tributary June Watershed-Based • Monthly routine DMR streams • Gabby Hillyer, UMaine, Management Plan sampling continued • Routine DMR sampling = SANITARY SURVEY WORK (Winslow’s conducts drifter study to • Monthly routine DMR increased to monthly (12 Mills Road, Village Area, Depot Street, model hydrodynamic sampling continued times per year) Deb’s Diner Drainage, Orff Brook, flushing • Sampling upstream of US Benner Brook, Skyview Ridge Mobile • DMR continues routine Rte 1 continued Home Park) sampling • Beaver dams removed = UNDER 604(b) PLANNING GRANT 1 9 9 0 ’ s 2001 2002 2003 - 2004 2008 - 2009 2013 2014 • River not • Lagoon and land • DMR imposes • Maine DEP survey work in • Elevated bacteria • The Medomak Task Force • Paired three-day wet/dry meeting class application conditional direct watershed area following rain persists begins (January 2013) weather studies in village • Wastewater treatment facility rainfall around conditional • Maine DMR (with Maine • DMR increases routine • DMR sampling reduced to treatment facility constructed closures DEP assistance) conducts six times per year closures sampling (goal = discharges • Wastewater • Involved UMaine another survey in once/month) • Sampling upstream of US effluent directly discharge period of 2 Cooperative Extension conditional areas • Volunteers sampled on Rte 1 continued to Medomak terminated weeks on days 1 and 3 post-rain • Canine detection River estuary August 20, 2001 Medomak (events > 1”/24hrs). DMR survey River samples on days 5 and 7. • Sampling upstream of US MEDOMAK RIVER PROJECT TIMELINE Rte 1 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 • Watershed-based • As part of the WBMP, the • Task Force submits • Paired E. coli and • Subgroup designed 2015 Management Plan task force completes proposal for Maine DEP microbial source tracking sampling; sampling of published storm event sampling in 604(b) funds for (MST) sampling small tidewater tributary June Watershed-Based • Monthly routine DMR streams • Gabby Hillyer, UMaine, Management Plan sampling continued • Routine DMR sampling = SANITARY SURVEY WORK (Winslow’s conducts drifter study to • Monthly routine DMR increased to monthly (12 Mills Road, Village Area, Depot Street, model hydrodynamic sampling continued times per year) Deb’s Diner Drainage, Orff Brook, flushing • Sampling upstream of US Benner Brook, Skyview Ridge Mobile • DMR continues routine Rte 1 continued Home Park) sampling • Beaver dams removed = UNDER 604(b) PLANNING GRANT ABDEN GLEN 1 9 9 0 ’ s 2001 2002 2003 - 2004 2008 - 2009 2013 2014 • River not • Lagoon and land • DMR imposes • Maine DEP survey work in • Elevated bacteria • The Medomak Task • Paired three-day wet/dry meeting class application conditional direct watershed area following rain persists Force begins (January weather studies in village • Wastewater treatment facility rainfall closures around conditional • Maine DMR (with Maine • 2013) DMR sampling reduced to treatment facility constructed period of 2 closures DEP assistance) conducts six times per year • DMR increases routine discharges • Wastewater weeks on • Involved UMaine another survey in • Sampling upstream of US sampling (goal = effluent directly discharge Medomak River Cooperative Extension conditional areas Rte 1 continued once/month) to Medomak terminated • Canine detection • Volunteers sampled on River estuary August 20, 2001 survey days 1 and 3 post-rain (events > 1”/24hrs). DMR samples on days 5 and 7. MEDOMAK RIVER PROJECT TIMELINE • Sampling upstream of US Rte 1 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 • Watershed-based • As part of the WBMP, the • Task Force submits • Paired E. coli and • Subgroup designed 2015 Management Plan task force completes proposal for Maine DEP microbial source tracking sampling; sampling of published storm event sampling in 604(b) funds for (MST) sampling small tidewater tributary June Watershed-Based • Monthly routine DMR streams • Gabby Hillyer, UMaine, Management Plan sampling continued • Routine DMR sampling = SANITARY SURVEY WORK (Winslow’s conducts drifter study to • Monthly routine DMR increased to monthly (12 Mills Road, Village Area, Depot Street, model hydrodynamic sampling continued times per year) Deb’s Diner Drainage, Orff Brook, flushing • Sampling upstream of US Benner Brook, Skyview Ridge Mobile • DMR continues routine Rte 1 continued Home Park) sampling • Beaver dams removed = UNDER 604(b)Photo PLANNING by: Julie GRANT Keizer Photo by: Bridie