Management Plan - National Estuarine Research Reserve System

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Appendix Fcommon to shallow embayments and bays lacking a good supply of freshwater from land drainage.3. Lagoonal: An estuary of this type is characterized by low rates of water movement resulting froma lack of significant freshwater influx and a lack of strong tidal exchange because of the typically narrowinlet connecting the lagoon to the sea. Circulation whose major driving force is wind, is the major limitingfactor in biological productivity within lagoons.B. Tides. This is the most important ecological factor in an estuaryas it affects water exchange and its vertical range determines the extent of tidal flats which may be exposedand submerged with each tidal cycle. Tidal action against the volume of river water discharged into anestuary results in a complex system whose properties vary according to estuary structure as well as themagnitude of river flow and tidal range. Tides are usually described in terms of the cycle and their relativeheights. In the United States, tide height is reckoned on the basis of average low tide, which is referred toas datum. The tides, although complex, fall into three main categories:1. Diurnal: This refers to a daily change in water level that can be observed along the shoreline. There isone high tide and one low tide per day.2. Semidiurnal: This refers to a twice daily rise and fall in water that can be observed along theshoreline.3. Wind/Storm tides: This refers to fluctuations in water elevation to wind and storm events, whereinfluence of lunar tides is less.C. Freshwater. According to nearly all the definitions advanced, it is inherent that all estuaries needfreshwater, which is drained from the land and measurably dilutes seawater to create a brackish condition.Freshwater enters an estuary as runoff from the land either from a surface and/or subsurface source.1. Surface water: This is water flowing over the ground in the form of streams. Local variation in runoffis dependent upon the nature of the soil (porosity and solubility), degree of surface slope, vegetational typeand development, local climatic conditions, and volume and intensity of precipitation.2. Subsurface water: This refers to the precipitation that has been absorbed by the soil and stored belowthe surface. The distribution of subsurface water depends on local climate, topography, and the porosityand permeability of the underlying soils and rocks. There are two main subtypes of surface water:a. Vadose water: This is water in the soil above the water table. Its volume with respect to the soil issubject to considerable fluctuation.b. Groundwater: This is water contained in the rocks below the water table, is usually of more uniformvolume than vadose water, and generally follows the topographic relief of the land being high hills andsloping into valleys.Group III—ChemicalA. Salinity. This reflects a complex mixture of salts, the most abundant being sodium chloride, and isa very critical factor in the distribution and maintenance of many estuarine organisms. Based on salinity,there are two basic estuarine types and eight different salinity zones (expressed in parts per thousand-ppt.)1. Positive estuary: This is an estuary in which the freshwater influx is sufficient to maintain mixing,resulting in a pattern of increasing salinity toward the estuary mouth. It is characterized by low oxygenconcentration in the deeper waters and considerable organic content in bottom sediments.2. Negative estuary: This is found in particularly arid regions, where estuary evaporation may exceedfreshwater inflow, resulting in increased salinity in the upper part of the basin, especially if the estuarymouth is restricted so that tidal flow is inhibited. These are typically very salty (hyperhaline), moderatelyoxygenated at depth, and possess bottom sediments that are poor in organic content.3. Salinity zones (expressed in ppt):a. Hyperhaline—greater than 40 ppt.b. Euhaline—40 ppt to 30 ppt.c. Mixhaline—30 ppt to 0.5 ppt.(1) Mixoeuhaline—greater than 30 ppt but less than the adjacent euhaline sea.(2) Polyhaline—30 ppt to 18 ppt.(3) Mesohaline—18 ppt to 5 ppt.(4) Oligohaline—5 ppt to 0.5 ppt.d. Limnetic: Less than 0.5 ppt.218 Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
Appendix FB. pH Regime: This is indicative of the mineral richness of estuarine waters and falls into three maincategories:1. Acid: Waters with a pH of less than 5.5.2. Circumneutral: A condition where the pH ranges from 5.5 to 7.4.3. Alkaline: Waters with a pH greater than 7.4.Management Plan: Appendix F219
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Wells National Estuarine Research R
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Table of ContentsAcknowledgments..
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Representation on the Reserve Manag
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Objectives and Strategies.. . . . .
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XIII. Volunteer Plan.. . . . . . .
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xiiWells National Estuarine Researc
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I. OverviewIntroduction to the Rese
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Exhibits and Interpretive Trails; P
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The Wells Reserve requires specific
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II. IntroductionThe Value of Estuar
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Figure II.3. Biogeographic regions
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1.2.3.Address coastal management is
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Department of of CommerceNational O
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16 Wells National Estuarine Researc
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III. Wells NERR SettingPhysical Set
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Figure III.3. The two principal wat
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Wells Reserve campus and adjacent s
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230 bird species and at least 32 ma
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landscapes are assuming a suburban
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IV. Strategic Plan29
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Objective 2: Optimize educational u
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V. Accomplishments33
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Figure V.2. Chris Feurt, the CTP Co
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Figure V.4. The barn complex was co
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◊With partners (U.S. Fish and Wil
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VI. Administration41
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RMAManagerEducationResearch & Stewa
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◊The York County Audubon Society,
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The Reserve Manager serves as the c
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Figure VI.4. An October sunrise gra
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VII. Facilities andConstruction51
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◊Make facilities available to par
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Figure VII.2. The Reserved Life Est
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Killing House (early 1900’s)This
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Estate and are currently privately
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VIII. Public Access61
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Figure VIII.2. An artist at work by
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Figure VIII.4. A family enjoys a wa
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IX. Education and Outreach67
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Strategies◊ Work with partners to
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K-12 EducationThe Wells Reserve edu
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signs of wildlife, water quality mo
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irds, beach exploration, seasonal m
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X. Research and Monitoring77
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Figure X.1. Jeremy Miller (right) a
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System-wide Monitoring ProgramThe N
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tions concerning the sustainability
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permit, the Research Department als
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XI. Stewardship87
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◊◊◊◊◊Protect pristine hab
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Reserve cooperates with the followi
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will monitor this site (and others
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Figure XI.6. The Wells Reserve Stew
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XII. Reserve Boundary andAcquisitio
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Proposed Changes to the Reserve and
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Figure XII.2 (top): The main stems
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By expanding its boundary the Wells
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forests, and wetlands. It has habit
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Conservation EasementThe Wells Rese
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XIII. Volunteers109
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Figure XIII.1. Beach Profiling volu
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XIV. Communications113
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images, and cultivates interest in
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AppendicesAppendix A: Memoranda of
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Appendix A: Memoranda ofUnderstandi
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Appendix A-1Management Plan: Append
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Management Plan: Appendix A127
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Management Plan: Appendix A131
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Appendix B: ConservationEasementsMa
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Appendix B-1Management Plan: Append
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Management Plan: Appendix B153
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Appendix C: State of MaineLegislati
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Page 185 and 186: Management Plan: Appendix C171
Page 189 and 190: Appendix D: Rules forPublic UseMana
Page 191 and 192: Appendix Das part of the Reserve. T
Page 193 and 194: Appendix D(a) No person shall remov
Page 195 and 196: Appendix D(a) Third through fifth g
Page 197 and 198: Appendix E: NaturalResource LawsMan
Page 199 and 200: Appendix Ecomponents of the Program
Page 201 and 202: Appendix Eability of these areas to
Page 203 and 204: Appendix ETowns experiencing less g
Page 205 and 206: Appendix Emust be in place before a
Page 207 and 208: Appendix F: FederalRegulations—NE
Page 209 and 210: Appendix Ffor resource management p
Page 211 and 212: Appendix F(b) The biogeographic cla
Page 213 and 214: Appendix Fzone. Key land and water
Page 215 and 216: Appendix Fminor construction projec
Page 217 and 218: Appendix Finterests therein, for an
Page 219 and 220: Appendix Fagencies and/or private o
Page 221 and 222: Appendix Fand the additional compon
Page 223 and 224: Appendix FResearch Reserve System.(
Page 225 and 226: Appendix FDC 20235. The following m
Page 227 and 228: Appendix FThis typology system refl
Page 229 and 230: Appendix Fthe boring clam Playdon,
Page 231: Appendix FC. Inlet type. Inlets in
Page 235 and 236: Appendix G:CZMA—Section 315Manage
Page 237 and 238: Appendix GIn developing the guideli
Page 239 and 240: Appendix H:Wells National Estuarine
Page 241: Appendix HWells National Estuarine
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