Improving Regional and Improving Regional and Ecosystem-Based Ocean Ecosystem-Based Ocean

ManagementManagement

Bob Tudor, DRBCBob Tudor, DRBC

Urban Coast Institute, Monmouth Urban Coast Institute, Monmouth UniversityUniversity

April 14, 2008April 14, 2008

Basin Facts

● Largest un-dammed river east of the Mississippi – 330 miles

● 13,539 square mile drainage

● 17 million water users

● Largest freshwater port in the world

● Three reaches included in National Wild and Scenic River System

● World class trout fishery in the tailwaters of the NYC reservoirs

● Tremendous economic significance for the region.

Why an integrated regional approach in Why an integrated regional approach in the Delaware River Basin and Near-shore the Delaware River Basin and Near-shore Coast?Coast?

Manageable environmental problemsManageable environmental problems Shared Resource/Shared Sense of RegionShared Resource/Shared Sense of Region Management Issues transcend political Management Issues transcend political

and jurisdictional boundaries and require and jurisdictional boundaries and require vertical and horizontal coordinationvertical and horizontal coordination

Partnering: Need to leverage talents and Partnering: Need to leverage talents and resources of multiple partners, including resources of multiple partners, including private sector corporationsprivate sector corporations

Ecosystem-based Ecosystem-based Management Management

Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Ecosystem Structure, Function, and Key Key ProcessesProcesses

Interconnectedness among Systems: Interconnectedness among Systems: 1.1. Air, Land, and SeaAir, Land, and Sea2.2. River, Estuary, OceanRiver, Estuary, Ocean3.3. Physical, Chemical and BiologicalPhysical, Chemical and Biological

Interconnectedness among Sectors Interconnectedness among Sectors and Institutions:and Institutions:

1.1. Ecology, Society, EconomyEcology, Society, Economy2.2. Government, Academia, Private, Non-profitGovernment, Academia, Private, Non-profit

DRBC: Ecological FlowsDRBC: Ecological Flows

Reservoir Management for Multiple Reservoir Management for Multiple Objectives: Water Supply; Flood Objectives: Water Supply; Flood Mitigation and Ecological FlowMitigation and Ecological Flow

Ecology Endpoints: Trout, Dwarf Ecology Endpoints: Trout, Dwarf Wedgemussel, Warmwater Fishes, Wedgemussel, Warmwater Fishes, Oyster Oyster

Partners: Feds, States, TNC, TU, Partners: Feds, States, TNC, TU, DRF,DRF,PDE, Academy of Natural Sciences PDE, Academy of Natural Sciences

Penta-PCB Load by Source CategorySept 2001 through March 2003

9.22

6.56

5.26

4.00 3.903.47

2.34 2.19

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

6.00

7.00

8.00

9.00

10.00

Non-PointSource Runoff

PointDischarges

Delaware atTrenton

Schuylkill ContaminatedSites (revised)

All OtherTributaries

Atmosphericwet and drydeposition

CSOs

Source Category

577-

da

y P

enta

PC

B L

oad

(kg

)

PDE: Delaware Estuary PDE: Delaware Estuary Operational NeedsOperational Needs

Top Six Operational NeedsTop Six Operational Needs

1. Strengthen 1. Strengthen Linkages Between Science and Linkages Between Science and ManagementManagement

2. Develop a 2. Develop a Conceptual FrameworkConceptual Framework Describing the Describing the EcosystemEcosystem

3. Implement an 3. Implement an Ecosystem ManagementEcosystem Management Approach Approach

4. Grow the 4. Grow the MonitoringMonitoring Infrastructure and Link to Improved Infrastructure and Link to Improved Indicators and GoalsIndicators and Goals

5. Improve 5. Improve DataData Coordination, Compatibility, Quality, Sharing, Coordination, Compatibility, Quality, Sharing, Access and ArchivingAccess and Archiving

6. 6. EducateEducate Public and Build Public and Build Identity Identity for Defining Traits and for Defining Traits and IssuesIssues

PDE: Delaware Estuary PDE: Delaware Estuary Technical NeedsTechnical Needs

1. 1. ContaminantsContaminants (forms, sources, fates & effects for different classes) (forms, sources, fates & effects for different classes)

2. 2. Tidal WetlandsTidal Wetlands (status, trends and relative importance of different (status, trends and relative importance of different types)types)

3. 3. Ecologically Significant Species & Critical HabitatsEcologically Significant Species & Critical Habitats (oysters, (oysters, benthos, horseshoe crabs)benthos, horseshoe crabs)

4. 4. Ecological FlowsEcological Flows (effects of flow changes on salt balance & biota) (effects of flow changes on salt balance & biota)

5. Physical-Chemical-Biological Linkages (e.g., sediment budgets, toxics & biota)

6. 6. Food Web DynamicsFood Web Dynamics (key trophic connections among functional (key trophic connections among functional dominant biota)dominant biota)

7. 7. NutrientsNutrients (forms, concentrations and balance of macro- and (forms, concentrations and balance of macro- and micronutrients)micronutrients)

8. Ecosystem Functions (assessment and economic valuation of ecosystem services)

9. 9. Habitat Restoration and EnhancementHabitat Restoration and Enhancement (science & policy) (science & policy)

10.10. Invasive Species Invasive Species (monitoring, management & control) (monitoring, management & control)

Number of Cells = 141

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Physical 1a 2a 3a 4a 5a 6a 7a 8a 9a 10a 11a 12a 13a 14a 15a 16a 17a

Chemical 1b 2b 3b 4b 5b 6b 7b 8b 9b 10b 11b 12b 13b 14b 15b 16b 17b

Biological 1c 2c 3c 4c 5c 6c 7c 8c 9c 10c 11c 12c 13c 14c 15c 16c 17c

Physical 1d 2d 3d 4d 5d 6d 7d 8d 9d 10d 11d 12d 13d 14d 15d 16d 17d

Chemical 1e 2e 3e 4e 5e 6e 7e 8e 9e 10e 11e 12e 13e 14e 15e 16e 17e

Biological 1f 2f 3f 4f 5f 6f 7f 8f 9f 10f 11f 12f 13f 14f 15f 16f 17f

8g 9g 12g 13g 16g 17g

1h 2h 3h 4h 5h

1i 2i 3i 4i 5i 8i 9i 12i 13i 16i 17i

1j 2j 3j 4j 5j 6j 7j 8j 9j 10j 11j 12j 13j 14j 15j 16j 17j

Watershed Uplands**

Terrestrial

* Tidal buffers refer to upland areas immediately adjacent to tidal wetlands and shorelines that are at an elevation of less than 2 m above mean high tide. These are areas most susceptible to sea level rise and most important for managing the landward migration of shorelines and wetlands. ** Terrestrial areas are distinguished as being either riparian zone habitat (here termed "riparian buffers") or watershed uplands, which is here taken to include forests, meadows, and developed lands. The width of the riparian buffer will depend on the data source, with preference for the most widely adopted standards.

Aquatic

Approximately River Mile 58 to 82Approximately River Mile 82 to 133 Approximately River Mile 0 to 58

Pelagic

Benthic

Delaware River (above River Mile

133)

Other Rivers and Streams (below River Mile

133)

Conceptual Matrix for the Delaware Estuary Ecosystem

Socioeconiomic

Bay (>8 ppt)

Tidal Buffers*

Riparian Buffers**

Tidal Estuary

Freshwater

Nontidal Watershed

Freshwater (<1 ppt) Brackish (1-8 ppt)

Climate ChangeClimate Change Management Endpoints: Management Endpoints:

Drinking Water, DO, Sensitive Biological Communities, Drinking Water, DO, Sensitive Biological Communities, Phytoplankton Community CompositionPhytoplankton Community Composition

Drivers: Drivers: Sea Level Rise, Salinity Changes, Shifted Rainfall/Runoff Sea Level Rise, Salinity Changes, Shifted Rainfall/Runoff Patterns, Shifted Air Temperature and Solar RadiationPatterns, Shifted Air Temperature and Solar Radiation

Model Scaling and Linkages: Model Scaling and Linkages: Global Climate, Regional Climate, Regional Hydrologic, Global Climate, Regional Climate, Regional Hydrologic, Estuarine Hydrodynamic, and Regional Water QualityEstuarine Hydrodynamic, and Regional Water Quality

Scenario Assessment and ForecastingScenario Assessment and Forecasting Partners: NOAA (NWS,NOS,OAR); EPA; Rutgers; State Partners: NOAA (NWS,NOS,OAR); EPA; Rutgers; State

Resource Managers; PDEResource Managers; PDE

Investigator Affiliation Investigator Affiliation

A. Allen U.S. Coast Guard L. Atkinson Old Dominion University

A. F. Blumberg Stevens Institute of Technology

W. Boicourt University of Maryland

W. Brown University of Massachusetts

M. Bruno Stevens Institute of Technology

D. Chapman University of Delaware A. Cope NOAA Mount Holly WFO

A.Gangopadhyay University of Massachusetts

T. Herrington Stevens Institute of Technology

D. Holloway OPeNDAP E. Howlett Applied Science Associates

D. King University of Maryland J. Kohut Rutgers University

B. Lipphardt University of Delaware A.MacDonald Monmouth University

J. McDonnell Rutgers University J. Moisan NASA Wallops

J. O’Donnell University of Connecticut M. Oliver Rutgers University

O. Schofield Rutgers University H. Seim University of North Carolina

J. Titlow WeatherFlow Inc. D. Ullman University of Rhode Island

J. Wilkin Rutgers University R. Wilson SUNY, Stony Brook

W. Wittman Public Service Electric & Gas

M. Yarosh CIT

A. Voros NY/NJ COAST S. Glenn Rutgers University

Phased Deployment and Operation of the

Mid-Atlantic Regional Coastal Ocean Observing

System (MARCOOS)

30 Co-PIs, 20 Institutions

NWS WFOsStd Radar SitesMesonet StationsLR HF Radar SitesGlider AUV TracksUSCG SLDMB TracksNDBC Offshore PlatformsCODAR Daily Average Currents

MARCOOS Regional Theme 2: Ecological Decision Support - Fisheries

SST from Satellites Subsurface T from Gliders Forecast T from Models

Global Summer-Winter Temperature Difference Migratory Fish Populations

High Profile, Region Scale High Profile, Region Scale Problems (Problems (TechnicalTechnical and and InstitutionalInstitutional))

Ecological FlowsEcological Flows Contaminants: PCB LoadingsContaminants: PCB Loadings Consequences of Climate ChangeConsequences of Climate Change Sustainable FisheriesSustainable Fisheries Improve Improve DataData Coordination, Compatibility, Coordination, Compatibility,

Quality, Sharing, Access and ArchivingQuality, Sharing, Access and Archiving Grow the Grow the Monitoring and ModelingMonitoring and Modeling

Infrastructure and Link to Improved Indicators Infrastructure and Link to Improved Indicators and EBM Success Criteriaand EBM Success Criteria

Grow Institutional Capacity for Regional Grow Institutional Capacity for Regional Collaboration: DRBC, PDE, MACOORACollaboration: DRBC, PDE, MACOORA

Final ThoughtsFinal Thoughts Ecosystem-based management implies that:Ecosystem-based management implies that:1.1. We have measurements of ecosystem condition, and We have measurements of ecosystem condition, and 2.2. We have scientifically sound criteria to judge whether the We have scientifically sound criteria to judge whether the

ecosystem is impaired or not.ecosystem is impaired or not. Current state of ocean management using biological criteria is Current state of ocean management using biological criteria is

very inadequate. (Example- no recognized measure of benthic very inadequate. (Example- no recognized measure of benthic community diversity and biomass to measure health of this community diversity and biomass to measure health of this significant resource component)significant resource component)

MACOORA is making good progress on physical/chemical data MACOORA is making good progress on physical/chemical data front, more help is needed on spatial and temporal trends of front, more help is needed on spatial and temporal trends of biological communities.biological communities.

Need to link physical/chemical data to biological data to better Need to link physical/chemical data to biological data to better assess cause and effect relationships of ecosystem assess cause and effect relationships of ecosystem impairment.impairment.

Regional collaboration is needed among state and federal Regional collaboration is needed among state and federal managers and academic researchers to develop systems-managers and academic researchers to develop systems-based monitoring, data management, and assessment based monitoring, data management, and assessment capacity. capacity.