Seagrass Snapshot Map - September 2024
In September 2024, thirty-nine volunteer Water Reporters participated in the Seagrass Snapshot, a community effort to track eelgrass beds during three extreme low tides on September 18, 19, and 20. These tides exposed many eelgrass beds, allowing our volunteers to observe and document them. We focused on both beds that had lost eelgrass and those still thriving, aiming to create a detailed snapshot of the Bay’s eelgrass.Below is a map of all the photos submitted by Water Reporters during the Seagrass Snapshot. We recommend viewing it on an iPad, desktop computer, or laptop. The map is interactive—feel free to explore!
Volunteer Water Reporters Catherine Tarpy, Rick Frantz, John Contas, and Harry Nelson, uploaded these images of eelgrass to our Water Reporter App.
Read more: Tracking Eelgrass: The Seagrass Snapshot
How to use the map:
- Each dot is clickable: Click a dot to see information about the site. The photo will be at the bottom of the popup and may take a moment to load. Scroll down if needed.
- View larger photos: Clicking the photo will open a larger version in a new tab.
- Multiple reports in one dot: If a dot contains more than one report, use the arrows (< >) at the bottom left of the popup to see each report.
- Exit a popup: Click the “x” at the top right to close the popup and explore another site.
- Zoom in/out: Scroll or use the “+” and “-” buttons in the top left corner of the map.
- Click and drag: Navigate around the map by clicking and dragging to move the view.
- Return to default mode: Click the home icon in the top left corner of the map to reset the view.
- Search locations: Use the search function in the top right corner of the map to explore specific locations.
- Explore DEP-mapped eelgrass beds: The light pink and light green patches represent eelgrass beds mapped by the DEP. You can click these areas for more data.
What the colors mean:
- Green circles: Eelgrass was visible.
- Orange circles: No eelgrass was seen.
- Yellow circles: Inconclusive. It was unclear whether eelgrass was present.
Why Photograph Eelgrass?
The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) last mapped eelgrass beds in Casco Bay in 2022, revealing a 54% decline since 2018. This loss spurred action from government agencies, scientists, advocates, and the community.
Friends of Casco Bay is in year one of a two-year pilot project, led by the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, to study eelgrass. We’re focusing on three key beds, examining water quality, green crabs, and other factors to understand why eelgrass is disappearing and how we can restore it. Water Reporters are helping this effort by providing on-the-ground documentation of eelgrass, giving us an up-to-date snapshot of the health of these critical ecosystems.
Learn more about eelgrass.