United States . Office of Office of Environmental Research and Water Protection Agency Development EPA/822/F-97/004April 1997 &EPA Waquoit Bay ------- The watershed consists of freshwater streams and ponds, saltwater ponds and marshes, pine and oak forests, barrier .beaches and open estuarine waters. What is an eco9ogicaS risk assessment? n ecological risk assessment evaluates the potential.adverse effects of human activities on tthe plants and animals that make up ecosystems. The risk assessment ^process provides a way to develop, organize and present scientific information so that it is relevant to environmental decisions. When conducted for a particular place such as a watershed, the ecologi- cal risk assessment process can be used to identify vulnerable and valued resources, prioritize data collec- tion activities, and link human activities with their potential effects. Risk assessments provide a focal point for cooperation among local communities and state and federal government agencies, and a basis for comparing different management options. ------- Why is Waquoit Bay special? aquoit Bay is a shallow Cape Cod estuary fed by grpundwater and freshwater streams. Because the Bay is close to the mixing zone between the warm waters of the Gulf Stream and the colder waters of the Labrador Current, many important fish species are found in the Bay. Alewives, bluefish, striped bass, winter flounder, menhaden, and tautogs all reside in the Bay for at least part of the year. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has designated Waquoit Bay as an Area of Critical Environ- mental Concern. The Bay has also been designated as a National Estuarine Research Reserve. These designations help reduce existing and future human disturbances to the Bay's watershed. Federal, state and local resource agencies, various regional and local citizen interest groups, and academic organiza- tions, are worMng, together to preserve and restore the quality of the Waquoit Bay estuary and its associated freshwater ponds and rivers. Cape Cod, Massachusetts with the Waquoit Bay area high- lighted. The Waquoit Bay watershed covers 53km? (21m2) on the south shore of Cape Cod. Many Federally-protected birds, such as the Least Tern (pictured here) nest or forage along Washbyrn Island in Waquoit Bay. ------- How can this valuable resource be protected? a he waters of Waquoit Bay and its associated rivers and ponds show signs of degradation such as eutrophication, habitat loss and resource depletion. Stressors in the Waquoit Bay watershed result from land use practices along the coast and from upland areas. This ecological risk assessment will analyze the stressors and resulting ecological effects in the Waquoit Bay watershed. The assessment Key stressors under evaluation are? nutrient enrichaient..... (nitrogen loading)*' suspended sediments changes in water flow patterns inputs of toxic chemicals 1 physical .alterations of habitat? •,"'"*",'' j }< -? i* t \ ? it* - promotes community awareness of ecological problems in the watershed and will provide information to resource managers, including government officials, organizations and the public so they can make more ecologically informed decisions. These activities promote environmentally beneficial results. IHiow is the ecological risk assessment being done? Interested organizations collectively developed a management goal and a scientific study approach. Because many of the ecological effects observed in the Waquoit Bay watershed are related to loss of the once extensive eelgrass beds, the risk assessment research will focus on the causes of this loss, and ways to halt or reverse it. Relationships between nutrient enrichment and eelgrass loss are being analyzed. This will provide information to estimate risks associated with la.nd-ujse decisions. A report describing the management goals for the Waquoit Bay watershed and the analysis plan for the assessment will be available upon completion of the analysis described above. ------- Eelgrass beds, once extensive in Waquoit Bay are home to numerous fish, shellfish and other invertebrates. Eelgrass is highly susceptible to water quality conditions, requiring clear water that allows light to penetrate for photosynthesis. How will the results be used? I he Waquoit Bay Ecological Risk Assessment will help resource managers predict how changes in land use and human activity in the watershed will impact eelgrass growth. This will enable resource managers to make decisions based on more informa- tion. This project is co-sponsored by the USEPA's Office of Water and Office of Research and Development as an effort to bring the science of risk assessment into the local community decision-making process. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency thanks the following for their participation in this case study: Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod Cape Cod Commission -- Citizens for the Protection of Waquoit Bay Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection National Marine Fisheries Service National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration US Fish arid Wildlife Service Waquoit Bay Watershed Intermunicipal Committee US Geological Survey Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Buzzards Bay Project Town of Mashpee Town of Falmouth For more information, please contact Patti Tyler US EPA - Region I ,_,- 60 Westview Street Lexington, MA 02173 (617) 860-4342 Maggie Geist Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve EO. Box 3092 Waquoit, MA 02536 (508) 457-0495 x!03 COVER PHOTO: WBMERR ------- |