Field Activity Details for field activity 2023-025-FA

Other ID: Marsh Island New Bedford - CED/AIM/EG

Status: Completed

Organization(s): USGS, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

Funding Program(s): Aerial Imaging & Mapping (AIM) (LQ000GU1400), Biochemical Processes & Budget (LQ00.U0D01), Estuarine Processes, Hazards, and Ecosystems ?mid-Atlantic (LQ00UHB)

Principal Investigator(s): Meagan Eagle, Sandra Brosnahan, Neil Kamal Ganju

Affiliate Investigator(s):

Information Specialist(s): Olivia De Meo, Emily Tacke, Meagan Eagle, Jennifer Cramer, Robert Bales

Data Type(s): Location-Elevation: Navigation, Location-Elevation: LIDAR, Location-Elevation: Transects, Imagery: Photo, Time Series: Geochemical Monitoring, Sampling: Geology, Sampling: Chemistry, Time Series: Mooring (physical oceanography)

Scientific Purpose/Goals: Monitor the hydrodynamics and sediment supply to a newly engineered system. Buzzards Bay Coalition and their partners have just completed Phase I of this project to create an engineered salt marsh on a former fill area. Sediment supply is a key factor in salt marsh sustainability with rising sea-level, this site provides a unique opportunity to study the establishment of the engineered system under the natural forcing of the tides and water flow.

Vehicle(s):

Start Port/Location: Fairhaven, MA

End Port/Location: Fairhaven, MA

Start Date: 2023-10-25

End Date: 2023-12-31

Equipment Used: Spectra Precision SP80, YellowScan Mapper +, Aeropoint targets, Altum-PT, In-Situ AquaTroll 200 (CTD), Sampling scoop, Water sampler, Bottom platform

Information to be Derived: Time-series data of water level, currents, flow/discharge, waves, turbidity, and other water-quality parameters (temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, dissolved oxygen, pH, fDOM, blue-green algae). Supplemental water samples will be collected and analyzed for total suspended-sediment concentration and loss-on-ignition. Grain-size distribution will be determined from sediment samples collected the marsh creek bed. Aerial mapping will provide full elevation coverage and multispectral orthoimage data. Biochem time-series sensor data are groundwater well CTD measurements.

Summary of Activity and Data Gathered: We deployed three instruments on two fence-post mounted platforms and one bed-mounted platform. All platforms are under the footbridge in the center of the channel on the seabed. The first fence-mounted platform contains a Sontek IQ+, which measures water velocity and flow every 15 minutes. This yields a volumetric water flux over each tide, and any net flux in/out during storms and rainfall events. Adjacent to this, connected with a power cable, is a submersible battery on a bed mounted fiberglass grate, weighted down with ~ 60 lbs. On the second platform, we have a YSI EXO2, which measures water depth, turbidity, salinity, pH, oxygen, fluorescent dissolved organic material, and chlorophyll every 15 minutes. Along with water samples, we can convert the turbidity signal to suspended sediment, and with the flow data, compute sediment fluxes in/out of the system. This platform also has an RBR Dwave, which measures wave height and period. We will conduct site visits every ~3 months to switch out the instruments, download data, and add battery power. Water samples were collected in December of 2023. Disturbance at the site will be minimal as the platforms will stay in place and the instruments will be temporarily removed. Water sampling will continue to be conducted multiple times a year from the footbridge with a handheld sampler. These instruments will remain on-site for the duration of the experiment, which ideally will last until the system is completely vegetated and in a quasi-equilibrium.

Staff: Jennifer Cramer, Emily Tacke, Robert Bales, Jin-Si Over, Steven Suttles

Affiliate Staff:

Notes: This will be an ongoing study and would like it to be an event type field activity. Multiple Information specialists due to group overlap.

Location:

Marsh Island site New Bedford Harbor, Acushnet River, Fairhaven, MA..

Platform(s):

Publications

Portals/Viewers

Data Acquired