Please note this event has reached capacity. Please email Sara Freshly at sfreshley [at] cascobay [dot] org to placed on the waitlist.
Join us for a StormwaterStroll on Friday, June 7, 2024 to celebrate Clean Water Week!
Are you curious about how the City of Portland and Friends of Casco Bay are working to keep stormwater pollution — all the pesticides, fertilizers, road salts, and other junk that stormwater carries — out of the Bay? Join us on Commercial Street to get up close to where the stormwater meets the sea. Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Portland’s Stormwater Program Coordinator Doug Roncarati will guide the StormwaterStroll, point out features such as stormwater outfalls and combined sewer overflow pipes, and share insights on the process, challenges, and improvements.
The Mingle
After the stroll, participants are invited to join the Mingle, hosted by Friends of Casco Bay, at Andy’s Old Port Pub to celebrate Clean Water Week and get your stormwater questions answered! There will be a cash bar. We’ll provide light appetizers.
Stroll: The group will stroll from Ocean Gateway to Portland Lobster Co. with a handful of stops along the way that will open your eyes up to stormwater infrastructure. We’ll walk approximately one mile.
Mingle at Andy’s Old Port Pub from 5 to 6 p.m. hosted by Friends of Casco Bay. Join us for some yummy appetizers as we lift our glasses to Clean Water Week.
Getting There:
Public transportation: The Greater Portland Metro’s Husky Line drops off at Hancock and Thames, adjacent to the Ocean Gateway Terminal at 3:05 p.m. and 3:40 p.m. You can view pick-up points for the Husky Line here. You can see the full Greater Portland Metro Schedule and Routes here.
Biking: A great way to bike to Ocean Gateway Pier is along the Eastern Promenade Trail. You can park at the Marginal Way Park and Ride and follow the Eastern Promenade Trail to Ocean Gateway Pier.
Please Note:
This event requires approximately one mile of walking with breaks built in. You can expect to need to stand for at least an hour.
We have a limited number of spaces available. The event is at capacity. If you would still like to attend, we will add you to our waitlist.
In case of heavy rain, wind, or thunder we will cancel this event and notify registrants via email.
Susan Woodman is eager to get to the beach during the lowest of low tides to glimpse her favorite eelgrass beds. It’s 6:47 a.m. and the tide is still way out. She can spot it in the distance. Susan began photographing the eelgrass meadows at Willard Beach about a year ago as a volunteer Water Reporter for Friends of Casco Bay. “It’s become like my garden,” she says. “It’s really quite pretty, like a field of very green grass.”
Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is a flowering marine plant that grows in shallow, coastal waters of Casco Bay and up and down the Atlantic seaboard. To the folks who named it, its long leaves looked like eels swimming in the water. For Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca, it conjures up images of ballerinas swaying together with the waves.
Eelgrass habitats are vital ecosystems.
Beyond its lovely green locks, eelgrass habitats are dynamic ecosystems that play an essential role in the health of our fisheries, oceans, and planet. The eggs and larvae of bivalves, especially blue mussels and clams, get their start in these natural nurseries. Young fish, such as herring, striped bass, shrimp, and lobster, find safe refuge amongst the tall green eelgrasses. Its rooted blades also hold sediment in place, buffering the shoreline from storm damage and trapping carbon and excess nitrogen. Because eelgrass needs clean, clear water to thrive, it is an important indicator of water quality – meaning, if you’ve got healthy eelgrass, you’ve got healthy water for fish and shellfish.
These superheroes seagrasses have been quietly keeping our oceans healthy, our fisheries abundant, and our coastlines intact.
At Willard Beach, Susan notices chunks of the eelgrass meadows are missing. She points to a series of scattered sections that had once been an unbroken expanse, now divided into patches like an archipelago of islands. Susan is certain the January storms that ravaged so much of Maine’s coast also caused significant damage to the eelgrasses at Willard Beach.
Something is happening to Casco Bay’s eelgrass. This vital ecosystem is in peril.
In 2018, Casco Bay’s eelgrass was mapped by Maine Department of Environmental Protection, revealing an extensive network of eelgrass beds. But four years later, when mapped again in 2022, 54% of all eelgrass beds in Casco Bay had disappeared – a huge loss in a short amount of time. Ivy notes, “We know eelgrass comes and goes in cycles. But a loss this catastrophic signals that something more is going on.”
What’s destroying the eelgrasses of Casco Bay? The problems offer us clues…and hope for the future.
Before attempting to restore eelgrass beds, we want to understand why they are failing. Without addressing the causes of failure, planting new eelgrass will not be successful.
Friends of Casco Bay scientists, Mike Doan and Heather Kenyon, will do what they do best – collect data on water temperature, water quality, nutrient concentrations, and light availability – to examine issues such as nitrogen loading and warming waters. While our partner organization Manomet will monitor the green crabs. Team Zostera divers will get us ready for phase two by studying the seed germination cycle of eelgrass. We are asking our volunteer Water Reporters to work with us to document eelgrass washed up on shore for signs of nutrient impairment, green crab damage, and other harm. Casco Bay Estuary Partnership is managing the project.
Next year, the project team will test methods for seeding eelgrass using seeds collected by Team Zostera. In coming years, Maine may need to consider seeding more heat-resistant varieties of eelgrass from regions to the south.
The hope behind the pilot project’s efforts is to start moving on solutions and restoration before it’s too late.
Everyone can be part of the solution for Casco Bay’s eelgrass habitats.
To be a friend to the amazing eelgrasses of Casco Bay, we recommend these actions:
Become a BayScaper by limiting your use of fertilizers, or better yet, opting out of fertilizing your lawn and garden to reduce excess nitrogen entering the watershed (this applies to all locations in the watershed, from Bethel to the beach). If your property is next to water, plant a buffer of native plants to reduce nitrogen runoff.
Walk carefully at low tide to avoid stepping on fragile eelgrass beds.
Boat smart in shallow waters. Propellers, anchors, and mooring chains can all damage eelgrass.
Install high, narrow ramps and docks to avoid shading eelgrass beds.
Use sustainable harvesting practices to prevent damage from aquaculture moorings, lobster traps, and shellfish/worming rakes.
You might also consider becoming a Water Reporter, like Susan.
Before the tide inches up over the Willard Beach eelgrass meadows, Susan bends her body over to get a closer look, holding a delicate green blade like the hand of a friend. She notes the length of the blades, the interesting bumps and holes in the sand, and wonders what else is living amongst the eelgrass. Susan enjoys volunteering as a Water Reporter with Friends of Casco Bay. “It feels as though you’re contributing something and looking after the beach.”
Water Reporters make a difference.
As a Water Reporter, Susan is providing an important service to Casco Bay. By photographing evidence of algal blooms, sea level rise, pollution, eelgrass, wildlife sightings, and other notable observations with an app on their smartphones, Water Reporters help us see how the Bay is changing over time. This helps us learn how our communities can make better choices. If you are interested in becoming a Water Reporter, sign up here.
While the future of eelgrass in Casco Bay is indeed in peril, Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca reminds us, “We do this work, because we’re hopeful.”
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that Maine DEP’s eelgrass mapping in 2022 was funded due to the passing of legislation that Friends of Casco Bay helped to pass. Maine DEP used temporary funds to do the mapping work for both 2018 and 2022. The bill that Friends of Casco Bay helped to pass will fund the future mapping of eelgrass across the Maine coast in five year cycles.
CascoBaykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Community Organizer Sara Freshley are joined by Staff Scientist Mike Doan for a casual conversation about the plight of eelgrass in Casco Bay and our eelgrass pilot project at our last Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper event of the season. Watch the video here.
Like coral reefs, eelgrass meadows provide a variety of critical services for our oceans and planet:
• Nursery habitat for fish, lobster, horseshoe crabs, and other shellfish
• Vital food source for birds and fish
• Stabilizes sediments, reducing erosion
• Raises pH levels and buffers the effects of ocean acidification
• Carbon capture, helping reduce the effect of climate change
We became alarmed when we learned that 54% of this critical habitat had disappeared between 2018 and 2022. This year we are partnering with other groups to launch an eelgrass pilot project to better understand what’s happening and explore how to restore eelgrass habitats. This is a collaborative project between Casco Bay Estuary Partnership, Friends of Casco Bay, Manomet, and Team Zostera.
EarthDay is on Monday, April 22, 2024. Here at Friends of Casco Bay, while every day is an opportunity to advocate for and protect clean waters and healthy communities, EarthDay is our reminder that collectively we can take positive actions to help nature and inspire hope.
In this spirit, here are 10 ways to show up, aid, and honor this one precious Earth we share.
1) Be the eyes of the Bay.
Become a Water Reporter. Volunteer Water Reporters help us act as the eyes of Casco Bay. Water Reporters use their smartphones to photograph algal blooms, sea level rise, pollution, eelgrass, wildlife sightings, and other notable observations from on and around the Bay. Their photos are shared with our staff through the Water Reporter app, creating an archive of observational data on how the Bay may be changing over time. Sign up here.
2). Learn about superhero seagrasses.
Attend our upcoming Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper: Eelgrass happening online Thursday, April 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Friends of Casco Bay is part of a two-year eelgrass pilot project to monitor eelgrass meadows, study why they are shrinking, and, ultimately, test restoration solutions. Register to attend and learn more about this vital marine plant and the pilot project.
3) Find out what you can do about stormwater pollution by watching our Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper video on stormwater. Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Community Organizer Sara Freshley have a conversation over coffee that focuses on the increasing impact stormwater has on Casco Bay and what Friends of Casco Bay is doing to help address this issue (sneak peek: it’s a lot!). They also share upcoming opportunities for you to use your voice to advocate for clean water.
4) Educate yourself about “forever chemicals” by watching our Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper video on PFAS in Casco Bay. PFAS are known as forever chemicals because they break down slowly in the environment. They are associated with serious health issues and can be found in many common products such as fast food packaging, nonstick pans, candy wrappers, and firefighting foam.
Ivy Frignoca and Community Organizer Sara Freshley have a casual conversation about our partnership with Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences to sample for PFAS in Casco Bay. Ivy shares insights from what we learned during our first year of PFAS monitoring in Casco Bay and we also talk about what’s next in 2024.
5) Clean up our watershed. Put your gloves on, grab a bag, and help clean up the Casco Bay watershed.
Here are four cleanup events happening soon:
Coastal Cleanuphosted by Mere Point Oyster Co. and Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust in Brunswick on Saturday, April 20.
EarthDay Beach Cleanuphosted by Casco Bay Cleanup Project and MaineHealth Sustainability Committee at the East End Beach in Portland on Monday, April 22.
Red Brook Cleanup Dayhosted by the Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited and Maine Fly Guys in South Portland on Saturday, May 4.
Thank you to the businesses and organizations hosting these events.
If none of these events work for you, host your own cleanup! Picking up waste anywhere in the watershed region is helpful to the Bay – it doesn’t have to be on the coast.
6) Celebrate sustainable cities
The City of Portland is celebrating EarthDay on Saturday, April 20 with live music, food trucks, e-bike demos, composting, stories and more. Info here.
7) Drink a beer for the Bay this April.
We are thrilled to announce that our Friends at Allagash Brewing Company have selected Friends of Casco Bay as their Charitable Partner this month! What this means is that their tasting room team forwards all funds their guests add to their tabs directly to us all April long. So if you’re looking for a tasty way to support us, head over to Allagash, enjoy a beer, and be sure to add a little extra when paying your tab!
8) Take personal action.
There are a myriad of ways to walk more gently on the earth, heal the wounds of pollution, and be part of the solutions. Here are just a few ideas:
• Remember to pick up after your pooch, and carry it out too.
• Green your ride by biking, walking, or carpooling.
Concerns about PFAS have surfaced as more of Maine’s lands and waters are tested. Before 2023, no one had gathered samples from the marine waters of Casco Bay yet. Last year, Friends of Casco Bay and Bigelow Laboratories for Ocean Sciences partnered up to test for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Casco Bay. We’ve gathered the results from our first year of samples and have learned some interesting things about PFAS along the way.
1. We found PFAS at all 18 sites we sampled in Casco Bay in 2023. While there are no safe limits set for marine waters, all of our samples were lower than Maine’s interim drinking water standards. [Update on 4/17/24: The EPA finalized new and more stringent standards for drinking water on April 9, 2024. We understand that drinking water regulations are not the best framework to compare to marine waters since we don’t drink bay water. We are discussing how to evaluate the 2023 PFAS results and hope this continued study will help inform setting standards for PFAS in marine waters.]PFAS levels appeared to dilute quickly at sites further offshore.
2. Research shows PFAS to have serious and long-term health consequences, including increased risk for kidney or testicular cancer, liver damage, high cholesterol, pregnancy complications, decreased fertility, lower birth weight in infants, and other potential health risks.* We know that PFAS-contaminated seafood affects human health so our sampling efforts in Casco Bay can help us better understand the risks.
3. PFAS have been manufactured since the 1940s. They are used to make products durable and resistant to water, flames, and stains. PFAS can be found in a wide range of products — microwave popcorn bags, candy wrappers, camping gear, smartphones, pesticides, yoga pants, cosmetics, cleaning products, shampoo — the list goes on. It can feel a bit overwhelming.
4. PFAS really are “forever chemicals.” Two of the top PFAS suspects, PFOA and PFOS showed up in higher concentrations at our Casco Bay test sites than any of the other PFAS compounds, even though these two were phased out in the US by 2016. This demonstrates just how persistent these chemicals are and the importance of bans.
5. It’s still safe for a lobster bake. The MaineDepartment of Environmental Protection collected and analyzed American lobster meat from across the coast of Maine in 2021.** Half of the sites had no detectable PFOS in lobster meat, while the rest showed very low concentrations that should not pose a risk to your next lobster feast according to Maine CDC. PFAS levels also tested low and are considered safe for Maine’s soft-shell clams, striped bass, and bluefish.**
6. Things are a bit fishy on the lower Presumpscot River. Maine CDC recommends anglers consume only four meals per year of any fish caught from the lower Presumpscot River due to PFAS.***
7. We dressed up special for the occasion. To avoid contaminating our samples, our scientists had to wear special clothing that didn’t contain any PFAS. We also had to stop using Sharpie markers and the write-in-the-rain paper we typically use because they both contain PFAS. Bigelow Laboratories has also developed very specific protocols in their labs for analyzing samples and is now certified to test water and sediment samples for PFAS for the state.
8. We’re looking for specific sources. For this next round of sampling in 2024, we’ll take our boat and PFAS sampling kits to 71 sites around Casco Bay and the watershed to better understand how PFAS are entering our waters. This information will help Maine’s state agencies protect local water quality.
9. Maine is taking action. In 2021, Maine passed groundbreaking bipartisan legislation banning all nonessential uses of PFAS in products used in Maine, some of the most stringent PFAS regulations in the country.
10. You can be part of the solution too. We believe the best way to address the PFAS crisis is to enact regulations that limit or eliminate PFAS at the manufacturing level. You can support legislation requiring manufacturers to report their use of PFAS and oppose bills that move us backward. For example, right now there is a proposal we’ve testified against that would exempt agricultural pesticides from reporting requirements and the ban on PFAS until 2030. Until better regulations go into effect, here are some things consumers can do to reduce their PFAS exposure.
Want to know more about PFAS in Casco Bay? Watch this video of our Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper webinar to hear a casual conversation on this complex topic with Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Community Organizer Sara Freshley.
From the deck of our Casco Baykeeper boat R/V Joseph E. Payne, science staff from our organization and Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences collected more than 100 PFAS samples at 18 sites across Casco Bay in 2023.
This is the most complete dataset yet of the concentrations of PFAS pollutants, so-called forever chemicals, in the waters of Casco Bay. Their results show widespread — but not alarming — levels of several of these chemicals across the region, highlighting the need for more research into the sources of PFAS and their possible impacts on the marine environment.
The first step in monitoring PFAS in Casco Bay
The results of this effort mark the first step of a multi-year, collaborative project to provide much-needed information on sources of these toxic chemicals and impacts to the coastal environment.
PFAS, which stands for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, have received significant attention in recent years, particularly in Maine. The state has emerged as a national leader in monitoring and regulating this persistent and commonly-used family of chemicals. However, until now, little had been done to track PFAS levels in Casco Bay’s marine waters.
A dynamic partnership
The latest results are the first phase of a multi-year study led by Bigelow Laboratory Senior Research Scientist Christoph Aeppli, Ph.D., in collaboration with Friends of Casco Bay staff. In 2023, the team collected water samples at Friends of Casco Bay’s seasonal monitoring sites. This year, the team plans to build upon this preliminary dataset to better understand the primary sources of PFAS into Casco Bay’s water and coastal sediment. That information, in turn, will help state agencies protect local water quality and respond to potential changes in federal regulations.
“We are delighted to partner with Bigelow Laboratory and their top-notch scientists,” says Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca. “The data we are collecting will complement existing monitoring of shellfish and fish tissues and discharges from wastewater treatment plants to give us a more complete understanding of PFAS levels in the Bay and whether there are areas that pose risks to the health of our waters and to people.”
As Dr. Aeppli notes, “PFAS compounds can travel through water, and we clearly have many different pathways for these chemicals to enter our waterways and flow into the estuary, including both small but powerful sources and widespread, diffuse sources.” Ivy offers, “Based on one year of study with six sampling events, we did not find alarming levels of certain PFAS compounds and cannot yet draw any conclusions from these results.” This year’s follow-up study will hone in on potential land-based sources.
PFAS found at all sites
PFAS were detected at all of the study’s monitoring sites. While there are no safe limits set for marine waters, all of our samples were lower than Maine’s interim drinking water standards. [Update on 4/17/24: The EPA finalized new and more stringent standards for drinking water on April 9, 2024. We understand that drinking water regulations are not the best framework to compare to marine waters since we don’t drink bay water. We are discussing how to evaluate the 2023 PFAS results and hope this continued study will help inform setting standards for PFAS in marine waters.] The levels appeared to dilute as offshore measurements were lower than those closer to shore.
The study did find elevated levels close to known sources, including the Brunswick Naval Air Station, an EPA Superfund site since 1987. Those levels decreased quickly further offshore. Levels were comparatively low in the waters around the heavily urbanized Portland area.
“Before, we didn’t even know how much PFAS there was or how long it takes to dilute in the water, and now we’ve identified some clear patterns across Casco Bay,” Dr. Aeppli said. “We can use that insight to begin a more in-depth study on the contributions of individual sources.”
The 2023 study was funded by Maine Sea Grant. All the samples were processed in Dr. Aeppli’s lab at Bigelow with a method capable of detecting 40 different PFAS compounds at concentrations akin to a single pinch of salt in a swimming pool.
The next phase will look at specific sources of PFAS
With a better understanding of the basic distribution and levels of PFAS across Casco Bay, Friends of Casco Bay and Bigelow Laboratory can now begin to focus on identifying the contributions of specific sources. They will also sample sediments to understand how these chemicals are accumulating in the near-shore environment. These efforts, which will continue through 2025, are supported, in part, by funding from the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
Conversations with the public about PFAS
Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Science and Advocacy Associate Heather Kenyon are leading a stakeholder process to discuss results and hone the selection of monitoring sites for further study. The stakeholders include experts working across fields such as wastewater and stormwater management and shellfish health.
“We are grateful for Bigelow Laboratory’s leadership and partnership,” said Executive Director Will Everitt. “By working together with Chris Aeppli and his team this year, we can do a deeper dive into how PFAS may be getting into the Bay and work with decision-makers about what actions we collectively have to take to protect our coastal waters.”
Learn more at our Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper webinar
Learn more about Friends of Casco Bay’s ongoing data collection of PFAS in Casco Bay this Thursday, March 21 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at our Coffee with the Casco Baykeeper webinar. Grab a cup of coffee and hop online to hear Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Community Organizer Sara Freshley discuss the results of this collaboration with Bigelow Laboratory.
Last Saturday’s Film Fest for Casco Bay was our most well-attended event of the year. As Executive Director Will Everitt said at the event, “This afternoon is about community.” We were able to share an afternoon with more than 350 Friends watching enlightening films, enjoying local food, and connecting with our mission to protect the health of Casco Bay. We were honored to share the stage with filmmaker Maximilian Armstrong, who joined us as our special guest at the event. Max created Seeds of Change, a film about an organic farmer in Maine who sets out to transform the prison food system. The film was an audience favorite.
Film Fest for Casco Bay was also our biggest fundraiser of the year. We send a special thank you to our Show Sponsors, including 98.9 WCLZ, TD Bank, Ocean Navigator, Custom Float Service, Dufour Tax Group, Martin’s Point Health Care, Portland Yacht Services/Portland Ship Yard, and Woodin & Company Store Fixtures, Inc. We appreciate all of our sponsors—you can see the complete list below.
There are so many people to thank for making this year’s Film Fest a success. Thank you to our volunteers for helping us host the event. Thank you to our raffle prize donors (see below). Thank you to the donors who helped us meet our $1,000 matching challenge at the event. And thank you to all the Friends who attended the event.
The Film Fest was extra delicious this year thanks to our food partners. Alga shared their fresh Casco Bay Seaweed Dip alongside Freeport Oyster Bar as they shucked oysters fresh from the Bay. We appreciate our longtime food and drink donations including: Oakhurst drinks, Cabot cheese, and Hansel’s Orchard Apples.
We are grateful to have Maine Outdoor Film Festival as our curating partner for this event. MOFF selected the 12 incredible films we showed at Film Fest for Casco Bay. If you are interested in seeing more of their films join MOFF for a special one-night only screening of Snow Day Dreams, an independent short film program that explores the dynamic cold weather living of Maine and beyond through 7 different stories at the State Theatre on December 14. This is an all-ages friendly event. Tickets are $10-20. For more information or specifics on the upcoming film programming please visit https://maineoutdoorfilmfestival.com/2023-snow-day-dreams/
Thank you to our raffle donors:
A&C Soda Shop ⋅ Black Point Surf Shop ⋅ Browne Trading Company ⋅ Kirsten and Charles Piacentini ⋅ Chase Leavitt Marine ⋅ Deborah Dawson ⋅ Edgecomb Potters ⋅ Eventide Oyster Co. ⋅ Gelato Fiasco ⋅ Go Go Refill ⋅ Hyperlite Mountain Gear ⋅ JoAnn Dowe ⋅ LeRoux Kitchen ⋅ Letterpress Books ⋅ Loyal Citizen Clothing ⋅ Malcolm F. Poole ⋅ Mexicali Blues ⋅ Ocean Navigator ⋅ Old Port Candy Co. ⋅ Portland Schooner Company ⋅ Portland Water District ⋅ Pretty Flours ⋅ Rocky Coast Cheesecake ⋅ Rosie’s ⋅ Sea Bags ⋅ Sebastian Milardo ⋅ Sherman’s Books ⋅ Skillin’s Greenhouses ⋅ The Cheese Shop of Portland ⋅ Thompson’s Point / Northern Hospitality ⋅ Toad&Co ⋅ Wildwood
Join Friends of Casco Bay and fellow Water Reporters to learn how to identify invasive species!
Water Reporters are invited to the shores of Casco Bay to learn from an invasive species expert, Jeremy Miller. Jeremy is a marine scientist at the Wells Research Reserve where he helps monitor invasive species in Maine.
Jeremy will give us a brief lesson about the types of invasive species he studies and how to identify them. Then we will head down to the beach and get our hands dirty as we look for examples – bryozoans, tunicates, and more! – in the intertidal zone and under the docks. This is a fun opportunity to learn about often overlooked marine animals.
RSVP by emailing keeper@cascobay.org.
If you’re not already a Water Reporter, please sign up and join us! We would love to see you at this event.
What: Invasive Marine Species Water Reporter Event When: Friday, July 14 from 1:00-2:30 p.m. Where:Friends of Casco Bay Office
Southern Maine Community College
43 Slocum Drive, South Portland, Maine.
Thank you to L.L.Bean, Ferris Olson Family Foundation for Ocean Stewardship, Allagash Brewing Company, and our members for their support of our Water Reporter program.
You’re invited to celebrate the healthy future of the Lower Presumpscot with Friends of Casco Bay and Friends of the Presumpscot River!
Where: Riverton Trolley Park and Allagash Brewing Company in Portland When: Thursday, July 13, 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Join us at Riverton Trolley Park on the banks of the Presumpscot to hear about how the new moratorium on industrial and wastewater discharges into the river supports the health of the Casco Bay watershed. After some brief remarks at the park, we will head to nearby Allagash Brewing to raise a toast and celebrate.
As this year comes to an end, let’s reflect and celebrate the many ways that we worked together to protect the health of Casco Bay in 2022. Here are our top ten stories of the year:
2) More Than 165 Volunteers Get Their Hands Wet for Casco Bay
Friends of Casco Bay volunteers took part in Nabbing Nitrogen, a Clean Water Act day of action, collecting 178 water samples from Portland Harbor in August. The samples are being analyzed for total nitrogen. The data from this community science event will support our advocacy to reduce nitrogen pollution into Casco Bay.
4) 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act
We celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act throughout the year, including at our members annual meeting in July. This foundational environmental law lies at the core of our advocacy to improve and protect the health of Casco Bay. Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca helped us understand how the Act works at events like, Listening to Casco Bay: the Clean Water Act, Climate Change, and More.
5) Will Everitt Takes the Helm
We hired Will Everitt to serve as our next Executive Director. Will is a familiar face, as he has served as our Communications and Development Director for the past 15 years and Interim Director from September 2021 to May 2022.
6) No Poop in the Bay: Friends of Casco Bay Relaunches Pumpout Program
After a two-year hiatus, our pumpout vessel, Headmaster, was back in the water for the boating season. Pumpout Coordinator Chris Gilday completed more than 300 pumpouts this season, keeping more than 11,000 gallons of sewage out of Casco Bay.
7) Water Reporter shows flooding on Chebeague wharf
Water Reporter Bill Danielson documented high tide in Casco Bay flooding over the edges of Chebeague’s Stone Wharf. High water events have become common at the wharf, leaving island residents to grapple with the need to raise the wharf in the face of rising sea levels. Bill is one of more than 400 volunteer Water Reporters who help us keep an eye on Casco Bay.
8) Protecting the Presumpscot protects the Bay
Friends of Casco Bay is working with Friends of the Presumpscot River and others to better understand water quality in the Presumpscot River, the largest river that flows into Casco Bay. “This magnificent river nourishes the estuary,” says Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca. “We need a healthy Presumpscot to have a healthy Casco Bay.”
9) Cinematic Celebration and We Are Water
We debuted We Are Water, a Friends of Casco Bay short film inspired by a Gary Lawless poem, at our Cinematic Celebration for Casco Bay. Friends of the Bay joined us in person and online for the celebration, an afternoon of films curated by Maine Outdoor Film Festival.
10) Algal Blooms and Softshell Clam Mortalities Reported in Eastern Casco Bay
Soaring temperatures this summer coincided with large algal blooms and reports of dead softshell clams in eastern Casco Bay. Casco Baykeeper Ivy Frignoca and Staff Scientist Mike Doan visited the sites of the algal blooms for further investigation.
We look forward to keeping you updated in the New Year. Thank you for being a Friend of Casco Bay.