Kittery Launches Spruce Creek Watershed-Based Management Plan Update
About the Spruce Creek Watershed-Based Management Plan
The original Spruce Creek Watershed-Based Management Plan (WBMP) was created by the Town of Kittery and FB Environmental (FBE) in 2008 . The plan, along with the updated version produced in 2014, focused on addressing the high bacteria levels in the Creek. As a result of this plan, more than 60 best management practices have been implemented in the Spruce Creek watershed, effectively reducing the number of bacteria that enters the water.
Why the WBMP is Being Updated
Despite the success of the original plan, a second water quality challenge has emerged in recent years that has threatened to reverse the restorative trend in the watershed: macroalgae. Large macroalgae blooms that were first reported in 2021 have become a recurring problem in the Creek each summer, limiting the recreational use of the waterbody and degrading the aquatic habitat for living organisms. The root cause of these blooms is likely nitrogen pollution coming from nonpoint sources such as runoff from agricultural and residential areas, along with discharge from septic systems.
To address these sources, the Town of Kittery has begun a project to update the Spruce Creek WBMP to focus on nitrogen pollution in addition to bacteria. This update includes plans for a watershed inventory survey on August 8, 2023, water quality monitoring for nitrogen throughout the summer, and volunteer monitoring to track the location and duration of macroalgae blooms.
The project will also include the development of an action plan to address the water quality issues identified, which will be presented at a public meeting to gather public input. The project will conclude in 2024, with updated analyses and action items presented in a new WBMP document.
Here’s How YOU Can Get Involved
There are several opportunities to get involved and assist in nutrient monitoring and macroalgae bloom tracking. Find a volunteer opportunity that works for you!
Spruce Creek Watershed Inventory Survey - August 8, 2023
Join the Town of Kittery and project team to help document watershed conditions and take pictures for the Spruce Creek Watershed Inventory. Volunteers are asked to meet at 9:00 AM at the Public Works Office (located at the end of the Town Hall parking lot at 200 Rogers Road). Volunteers will be divided into three groups alongside a Team Lead and assigned to different areas around Spruce Creek for approximately 4 hours.
For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Jessa Kellogg at the Kittery Public Works Department: JKellogg@kitteryme.org.
Spruce Creek Nitrogen Monitoring - Summer 2023
Join the Town of Kittery to conduct water quality monitoring for nitrogen along Spruce Creek and its tributaries. Sampling will take place throughout the summer at the start of rain events. Collecting samples from the "first flush" will help the Town and project team evaluate what pollutants are coming off of the landscape and into the water body, causing algal blooms.
Volunteers would be "on-call" and contacted on short notice to help collect samples. Training and supplies will be provided.
For more information, or to volunteer, please contact Jessa Kellogg at the Kittery Public Works Department: JKellogg@kitteryme.org.
Tracking Macroalgae Blooms - Summer 2023
Community members can also help track macroalgae blooms using the Water Reporter App when they’re out around town. To track macroalgae blooms via the app:
- Download the app on a mobile device.
- After creating a free account, community members can begin taking pictures of the blooms they see throughout the watershed with a description of the location, extent, and general appearance of the bloom.
The data collected from the Water Reporter App will allow Kittery and FBE to track the duration and location of macroalgae blooms throughout the watershed.
For more information, please contact Jessa Kellogg at the Kittery Public Works Department: JKellogg@kitteryme.org or Luke Frankel at lukef@fbenvironmental.com.