GRANIT Metadata for Great Bay Estuary Assessment Zones
GRANIT Metadata for Great Bay Estuary Assessment Zones
Title:
Great Bay Estuary Assessment Zones
Time Period of Content:
Unknown
Initial Publication Date: 08/19/2016
Originator: NH Department of Environmental Services, Watershed Management Bureau, Water Quality Planning Section
Abstract:
For 305(b)/303(d) water quality assessments, NHDES uses assessment units to cover the Great Bay Estuary that are coincident
with the shellfish growing areas established by the NHDES Shellfish Program. Great Bay itself consists of seven different
assessment units. Nitrogen and eutrophication parameters are logically evaluated utilizing data from larger aggregates of
assessment units covering contiguous areas. Eutrophication effects are less localized than the bacteria pollution sources
that affect shellfish harvesting. Therefore, NHDES aggregated the assessment units in the Great Bay Estuary into 27
assessment zones. The assessment zones were developed in cooperation with the PREP Technical Advisory Committee. For the
Salmon Falls/Piscataqua River, the assessment zones cover both the New Hampshire and Maine sides of the main stem of the
river. The river is well mixed and data from both sides of the state line are needed to provide a comprehensive dataset
for assessments. However, the assessment determinations made by NHDES only apply to the New Hampshire side of the river.
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection makes its own assessment determinations for the Maine side of the Salmon Falls/Piscataqua River.
