Westport
in Brief!
EverythingWestport.com
Wednesday,
February 15, 2012
photos/EverythingWestport.com
Westport River Watershed Massachusetts Estuaries Project
Report Coming to Westport.
Aren’t We All on the Same Side?
|
Westport River Watershed
Massachusetts Estuaries Project Report Coming to Westport. EverythingWestport.com Wednesday, February 01, 2012 Public meeting scheduled for March 8th at Macomber School. The
Massachusetts Estuaries Project (MEP) Report for the Westport River Watershed
will be released to the public and made available on the MEP website: http://www.oceanscience.net/estuaries/.
All
are encouraged to attend. This
report is the result of a collaborative effort between many groups,
principally UMass Dartmouth and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental
Protection (MassDEP). This project was developed to
help guide towns in their assessment and management of their coastal rivers
and bays, which is required by the federal Clean Water Act. Many bays have
pollution levels that are greater than what the bay can handle, and this may
lead to poor water quality and loss of fish, shellfish and eelgrass. This
decline in health has environmental, social, and economic impacts. For the
Westport River, the pollutant of concern is nitrogen. Preliminary
results of the study show that the Westport River is experiencing a level of
nitrogen pollution that is threatening the health of the river and its
ecosystem. This is important information because the River is a critical
component of not only the Town of Westport, but of the region as well. As the
River lives, so does the culture, economy, ecology, history, and community of
Westport. Even if you are one who rarely sees or uses the Westport River, its
value influences the Town’s welfare by supplying beneficial “services” to the
area. The waters, marshes, and wetlands of the River provide sediment and
flood control, water filtration, tourism, commercial fishing, recreation,
economic and education opportunities, ecological diversity, and esthetic
value. For
most of its existence, the River has been able to deal with the amount of
nitrogen entering its waters while experiencing few negative impacts.
Unfortunately, this is no longer true. The loss of eelgrass from areas of the
River where it was once healthy is a key indicator of declining water
quality, as are the summer algal blooms and periodic fish kills. The
MEP report provides a significant opportunity for the community to engage in
helping to “clean up” the River. The work of the Westport River Watershed
Alliance has provided the critical water quality data, much like a doctor’s
report. However, the Town of Westport must determine the approaches and means
for restoring the River to healthy conditions. The involvement of the
community, through support, participation, interest, and awareness will go a
long way towards achieving solutions to the pollution. Our efforts will
benefit not only the River and its watershed, but the residents and visitors
of this area as well. There
will be numerous opportunities in the coming months to learn about and/or get
involved in the nutrient management planning process. The Westport Estuaries
Project Committee has been working on behalf of the Town to monitor and
assist in the Project as it progresses, and will speak about some of the
initiatives that are being discussed to address nitrogen management in the
watershed. Aren’t We All on the Same Side? Betsy White WRWA Advocacy Director Wednesday,
February 15, 2012 As I
follow the saga of “how do we manage nitrogen pollution in our estuaries”, it
brings to mind an image of the Tilt-a-Whirl-a ride at an amusement park that
goes backwards, forwards, and sideways, and you never know what direction you
will be going in from one second to the next. That
seems to be the current approach to nitrogen management planning, as numerous
groups, organizations, and people weigh in on this critical issue. There are
so many opinions, yet very little cooperation. Why?
Have we lost sight of what really matters? Aren’t we all working for a
cleaner, healthier ecosystem? Yet, too many of the stories in the papers are
about who is battling who. Too many voices are at odds and too little is
getting done. We are sabotaging our own efforts to make a difference at a
time when making a difference is critical to our environmental, economic, and
social health. A lot of people are working too hard to have their efforts
forgotten or put on hold because of a lack of direction and consensus. We
live in an environmentally resource-rich area, but we are also rich with the
skills, knowledge, and dedication of the people who live and work here. Let’s
take advantage of these resources by working together, listening to each
other, and putting aside issues that have no place in this endeavor to
improve the water quality of our waters. Let’s not compromise our ability to
do the best we can do while we are able to do it. Let’s not have to pick
sides because we all want the same thing - clean water. What do we have to
lose? Betsy
White WRWA
Advocacy Director © 2012 Community Events of Westport. All rights
reserved. EverythingWestport.com |
