Coastal Water Quality

An important purpose of the Coastal Program is to protect and improve coastal water quality. Our work focuses on how our use of the land and water affects water quality, and how we can best reduce any harmful impacts.

We support the following programs:

Maine Clean Boatyards and Marinas: a collaborative partnership among industry, state and federal agencies, and environmental organizations dedicated to promoting best management practices in boatyards and marinas
Water Quality, Phytoplankton, and Horseshoe Crab volunteer monitoring programs: community-based volunteers collect water samples to look for bacteria and toxic phytoplantkton or survey known horseshoe crab spawning sites to assist with state monitoring efforts
Maine Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO): an educational program for land use decision makers that addresses the relationship between land use and natural resource protection, with a focus on water resources, nonpoint source pollution, and stormwater runoff

For more information, please contact Matt Nixon (207-624-6226; Matthew.E.Nixon@maine.gov).

Reports and Resources

Shellfish

From the Keeping Clam Flats Open workshops, January 2012

Handouts

Presentations from Speakers:

Municipal Shellfish Programs - by Chad Coffin, President, Maine Clammers Association
A Clammers Perspective - by Joe Porada, Chair, Frenchman Bay Regional Shellfish Committee
Impacts of Land use on Clam Flats - by LaMarr Clannon, Education Coordinator, Nonpoint Education For Municipal Officials
The Value of Clamming, by Dr. Brian Beal, Professor of Marine Ecology, University of Maine at Machias

Maine Coastal Program

Coastal Water Quality

Reports and Resources

Shellfish

Beach Health/Water Quality Monitoring Reports

Beach Circulation and Pollution Transport Studies

Stormwater and Low Impact Development

Quick Links to Coastal Program Highlights: