Tracking changes in the Damariscotta River Estuary and Johns Bay
Coastal Rivers’ estuary monitoring initiative collects data that help us understand changing estuary water quality and habitat conditions. Volunteers test for transparency, dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature and total nitrogen.
In the Damariscotta River Estuary, monitoring takes place twice a month from May through October, at seven different locations between Great Salt Bay and Walpole.
In Johns Bay, a HOBO data logging buoy collects continuous data on conductivity/salinity, temperature, level, and dissolved oxygen.
How you can protect water quality in the estuary
- Maintain and routinely pump out your septic system.
- Report any illicit or questionable discharges to your Local Plumbing Inspector.
- Property owners should maintain wide and multi-layered vegetative buffers along waterways.
- If you use fertilizers, make sure they cannot enter waterways.
- Control storm run-off with plantings and infiltration areas. Use erosion-control mulch or gravel on roads, walk-ways and driveways to stop water from carrying sediment into water bodies.
- If you see clearing of vegetation along the shorefront that may be in violation of shoreline protection regulations, report it to the town code enforcement officer.
