The Importance of TidA t i thAssessment in the

and Orientation to thWetland AWetland A

Danielle Kreegera e e eegePartnership for the Delaw

Martha Maxwell-DoyleMartha Maxwell DoyleBarnegat Bay National Es

dal Wetlands and their D l E t e Delaware Estuary e Mid-Atlantic Coastal

AssessmentAssessment

ware Estuary

stuary Program

Delaware EstuaDelaware EstuaConference (20

Goals:Assess knowled

•Assess science amanagement ne

•Assess knowled

management ne

ary Scienceary Science 005)

dgeParticipation:

and eeds

dge

Hundreds, 10 States>240 Presentations to dateeeds

White Paper Top1. Contaminants (forms, sources, fates & e

2. Tidal Wetlands (status, trends and re

3. Ecologically Significant Species & Crit

4. Ecological Flows (effects of flow changes

5. Physical-Chemical-Biological Linkages5. Physical Chemical Biological Linkages

6. Food Web Dynamics (key trophic conne

7. Nutrients (forms, concentrations and bal

8. Ecosystem Functions (assessment and e

9. Habitat Restoration and Enhancement

10. Invasive Species (monitoring, managem

p Teneffects for different classes)

lative importance of different types)

tical Habitats (benthos, horseshoe crabs)

s on salt balance & biota)

s (e.g., sediment budgets, toxics & biota)s (e.g., sediment budgets, toxics & biota)

ctions among functional dominant biota)

ance of macro- and micronutrients)

economic valuation of ecosystem services)

t (science & policy)

ment & control)

Importance of f Tidal Wetlands

Tidal Wetlands

A Signature Trait of System

•Near Contiguous Band

Diverse: Freshwater Tidal Marshes•Diverse: Freshwater Tidal MarshesBrackish MarshesSalt Marshes

eses

Rutgers University

Delaware Estuary Delaware Estuary SpartSparttinatina MarshMarsh

Tidal Range up to 9’ Tidal Range up to 9’ Salinity <0.5 ppm Salinity <0.5 ppm y ppy pp

HiHiProduProdu

gh gh uctionuction

Nursery HabitatNursery Habitatyy

RecreationRecreation

Tidal Wetlands

A Signature Trait of SystemN C ti B dNear Contiguous BandDiverse:   Freshwater Tidal Marshes

Brackish MarshesSalt Marshes

Nature’s BenefitsFlood ProtectionWater QualityFish and WildlifeNatural AreasCarbon Sequestration

m

Wetland Benefits (Ecosystem Services)

Millenium Ecosystem Assessment 1º Service 2º Service

ProvisioningFood

G ti M t iProvisioning Genetic MateriaBiochemical Prod

Fiber and Fue

Sequestration

Regulating

Sediment Stabiliz

Storm Protection/ Wave Flood Protectio

Gas Regulatio

Water Quality

Cultural/ Spiritual

RecreationSpiritual and Inspir

Human Well Being Educational

Aesthetic ValuHabitat

BiodiversityProductionSupporting Production

Water Cycling/HydrologNutrient Cycling/Bioge

Processes

3º Service 4º Service

Fisheries Support

Algae and invertebrate productionl Ph it t l h

Livelihoodsals Phragmites control researchducts Research in Antifungal Agentsel Cellulose stock

n Carbon Carbon Caps,

mitigationMeet TMDLs for

Health

Healthzation Erosion control

Meet TMDLs for sediment

Attenuation/ on

Protect Property Values and infrastructure

on Carbon SequestrationOxygen production

Lives

y Sequestration, Filtering TMDLs: Nutrients, Pollutants

Bird watching, hunting, boatingational Native American Uses

University reasearch & school

Health

Healthprojects/trips

ueLandscape pictures, paintings,

open spaceWildlife, shellfish, insects

Maintain Plant CommunitiesPrimary ProductionPrimary Production

gic Regimeochemical Maintain trophic cycles, soil

building

Health

e.g., Carbon SequestrSome Literature

T t tl d l t 1 42 tTemperate wetlands accumulate 1.42 ton

Wetlands represent the largest compone

Average soil organic carbon density (DeWetlands: 35.6 kg m−2

Forests: 16.9 kg m−2Forests: 16.9 kg mAgricultural areas: 14.0 kg m−2

Conversion of agricultural lands to wetlag

In contrast to other wetlands, tidal salt mgreenhouse gases and store more carbo

ration

C h 1 1ns C ha-1 yr-1

ent of the terrestrial biological C pool,

enmark)

ands can enhance C sequestrationq

marshes release negligible amounts of on per unit area

Valuation of New Jersey’s Natural

Capital and Capital and Ecosystem Services

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

Slide from Bill Mates, NJDEP 14Kreeger

Tidal Wetlands

A Signature Trait of the Delaware Estuary SystemDelaware Estuary System

Ecological Values:

Structuralhabitat for fish and wildlifenurseries for imperiled taxu se es o pe ed ta

Functionalfood webwater qualityflood protection

Concerns:Degradation

exaa

Rich History as aRich History as a

1762 h i Phil d l hi th D l1762 map showing Philadelphia on the DelawRiver

Slide adapted from Jonathan Sharp’s

“Working River”Working River

ware

DegradationDegradation

Summer, 2006

Sudden Wetland DiebaSudden Wetland Dieba

Severely yStressed

35%

M

Angola Neck – Rehoboth Bay, DE

ck ck –– Marsh BrowningMarsh Browning

Minimally or Not

Stressed St essed17%

Moderately Stressed

48%

Slide from Chris Bason and Amy Jacobs

Tidal Wetlands

Ecological Values:

Structuralhabitat

Functionalfood webwater qualityflood protection

Concerns:Degradation

Conversion & Loss

Freshwater Tidal Wetlan

Past and Present

Pre-Settlement ?

1973 (Patrick et al.) 2310 ha

1981 (NWI) 9347 ha (all classes)597 ha (emergent)

1988 (Tiner & Wilen) 1000 ha

New data soon (NWI States LU/LC)New data soon (NWI, States, LU/LC)

Estimated < 5% remains

nd Acreage

Tidal Wetlands

Ecological Values:

Structuralhabitat

Functionalfood webwater qualityflood protection

Concerns:DegradationC i & LConversion & LossSea level riseSalinity rise

1992

20062006

Canary Creek Marsh, DE

Global chan

GCM average, all scenarios (TAR)All GCMs, all

scenarios (TAR)

TAR f ll ( ithTAR full range (with land ice uncertainty)

nges—future

(AR4)

(AR4)

Source:  Church et al. (2008)Slide:  Ray Najjar, PSU (2009)

Future regionalityocean c

Projected 21st century change in dynamic s(A2 scen(A2 scen

y due to changing currents

sea level from the GFDL CM2.1 model nario)nario)

Source: Yin et al. (2009)Slide:  Ray Najjar, PSU (2009)

Future regionalityocean c

y due to changing currents

Dynamic sea level changes over 21st

Century from 10 AR4 ymodels under the A1B scenario.

+ Subsidence

Source: Yin et al. (2009)Slide:  Ray Najjar, PSU (2009)

ShorelineSErosion

Courtesy D. Bushek, Rutgers

Courtesy J. Gebert, ACOE

Tidal Wetlands

Ecological Values:

Structuralhabitat

Functionalf d bfood webwater qualityflood protection

Concerns:DegradationConversion & LossS L l Ri

Storms

Sea Level Rise

Climate & Other Ch

••Marcellus ShaleMarcellus Shale••DredgingDredging

Wi hd lWi hd lAdded Co

••WithdrawalsWithdrawals••Wind FarmsWind FarmsWind FarmsWind Farms••Land Use ChangeLand Use Change••DevelopmentDevelopment••Emerging PollutanEmerging Pollutan

DK 30

Changes Together

••Ecological FlowsEcological FlowsDK 30

••Spills, NRDASpills, NRDAomplexity

ntsnts

Tidal Wetlands

Ecological Values:

Structuralhabitat

Functionalf d bfood webwater qualityflood protection

Concerns:Degradation Conversion and LossSea Level RiseStorms

** Sediment budget** Sediment budget

Tidal Wetlands

Concerns:DegradationDegradation Conversion and LossSea Level RiseStorms

Sediment budgetg

Living Shorellines 2008

S Wh t ASo What Ar W D i ?re We Doing?

What Can We D1. Build Resilien

Protect andProtect and

Do? ncy Conserve (CCMP)Conserve (CCMP)

Tidal marshes dneed to move:

1) horizontally1) horizontally(landward)

and/or

2) vertically(to keep pace)

Can they do it?

Slide adaptedd from Michael Craghan, Rutgers

Buffers Buffers Bu

2000

Land Uthe Low

1600

1800WETLANDSFOREST/SHRUBLANDAGRICULTURAL LANSALINE/FRESHWATECOMMERICAL/INDUS

1200

1400

tare

s)

600

800

1000

Are

a (h

ect

200

400

600

0100 200 300 40

D

uffers = ResiliencyUse in Tidal Marsh Buffer Zone inwer Estuary of NJ (LE3)

DNDER MARSHESSTRIAL/RESIDENTIAL

00 500 600 700 800 900 1000

Distance from Shoreline (100m zones)

What Can We Do2. Maintain, Enh

Do? hance, Restore..

Shovel Ready Projects !!

But Smartly…But Smartly

Regional RestorationRestoration

CoordinationUS Climate Change Science Program

Draft Prospectus Section 4.1

Coastal Elevations and Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise

http://www.climatescience.gov/

Restoration for the FR h i hRestore, conserve or otherwise enhance ecosystem structure and function, targetithat can sustain maximum natural capita

utureing areas l values

39Kreeger

Climate AdaptationAdaptation Planning

ID Vulnerabilities

Tidal MEcologicalValuation

Adaptation O tiOptions

R d tiRecommendationsand Reporting

Kree

Case Studies

Marshes Bivalve Shellfish

Drinking Water40eger

Tidal Wetlands AdaTidal Wetlands AdaGoal: Maximize long-term eco

Tough ChoicesWhere will wetlands will be• Where will wetlands will be

converted to open water?• Where can we save them ?• Where is strategic retreat

the best option?

aptation Planningaptation Planningsystem health and resiliency

DDelaware elaware EEstuary stuary LLivinivinShellfish as Nat

• Reduce wave energy • Trap siltp• Reduce bank erosion• Protect salt marsh

ng ng SShoreline horeline IInitiativenitiativeural Breakwaters

Slide from Dave Bushek, Rutgers

Living gShorelines

Delaware Estuary

120

80

100

ncr

ease

%20

40

60

Ele

vati

on

I0

Living Shorelines

Log Double Log Shellbag + Log

Control

Treatment

Changes in WetNatural versuNatural versu

Reference Wetla

Existing Wetlands

ction

Func

Restored We

time

tland Functionus Restoredus Restoredand Condition

etlands

Slide from Amy Jacobs (DE DNREC)

What Can We DoWhat Can We Do3. Monitor & Stud

o?o? dy

A Status, TrendsStatus, Trends

We CoulWe Coul

C

Bs, Vulnerability?s, Vulnerability?

ldn’t Sayldn t Say

D

Slide from Chris Bason (Center for Inland Bays, DE)

MonitoringInfrastructureInfrastructure

Th D l E tThe Delaware Estuary Watershed to Ocean Observing SystemObserving System(DEWOOS)A Pl i C fA Planning Concept from: Delaware River Basin CommissionUniversity of DelawareRutgers UniversityUS Geological SurveyUS Geological SurveyNOAAStates of New Jersey and DelawarePartnership for the Delaware EstuaryDE, NJ and PA Sea Grant

Included Wetland Component

Delaware Estuary WeDelaware Estuary WeAssessment Prog

FreshwTidal M

Salt M

etland Monitoring &etland Monitoring & gram (DEWMAP)water Marsh

arsh

Development of aStrategy for Tidal WetlaMonitoring & Assessme

What parameters to mp

How to measure spatia

How to detect precurso

How to set up a meanin

andent:

monitor?

al extent?

ors of wetland decline?

ngful sampling strategy?

National WetlanA tAssessment

NWM

Mid Atlantic WetMid-Atlantic WetMAW

STAC WetlandDEWDEW

• Focus on Tidal Marshe• NOW Link to Adjacen• NOW - Link to Adjacen

nd Monitoring & t W k Gt Work Group

MAWG

tland Work Grouptland Work GroupWWG

d Work GroupWWGWWGesnt Estuaries (Network)nt Estuaries (Network)

Guidance from E

Level IV

PA

Intensive monitoring at fixed stations

AcknowledTidal Wetland Component of the NatioDelaware Basin Pilot D i ll K d A J b 11/19/07Danielle Kreeger and Amy Jacobs, 11/19/07

The Delaware Estuary WeyAssessment Program (DE

• Sample Frameall tidal wetlands in the D

• Subpopulationsp pwetland type (oligohalinestate (DE, NJ, PA)( , , )

gementsnal Water Quality Monitoring Network

etland Monitoring and gEWMAP) :

Delaware Estuaryy

e, mesohaline, polyhaline)

DEWMAPD i

Design Component Exam

WetlWetlWetlHi tDesign: HistoWetl

Plan

Shor

Tier 1

Anth

Plan

PrimWetl

Tier 1

WetlInveIntegWild(mobHydrShor

Tier 2 Tier 2

SubsElevBudg

Wate

Tier 3/4

Wate

Biog

CarbElev

Tier 3

Budg

Plan

FuncFaun

mple Indicators Example Metrics

land Extent wetland acreage (hectares) per subpopulation and NWI attribute type land Buffer Condition adjacent land use (e.g., % natural vs. developed in 100m band) land Contiguousness connectivity (inter/intra); patch sizes and fragmentation

i Ch l i i f diff t b l ti & tt ib toric Change loss or gain in acreage for different subpopulations & attributes land Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratios

nt Community Integrity vegetation community/type (e.g., Phragmites vs. Spartina, high marsh vs. low marsh, bare soil, open water)

reline Condition edge status (e.g., hardening, erosion) hropogenic Alterations channel straightening, ditching, tide gates, groundwater withdrawals

vegetation community type (description of species assemblage) invasive species (percent cover of Phragmites) species list (floristic quality assessment index)

nt Community Integrity

vegetation structure board mary Production below and above ground biomass land Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratiosland Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratiosrtebrate Community grity (sessile species)

presence and relative abundance of functional dominant and bioindicator species

dlife Habitat Integrity bile species) evidence of fish and mobile shellfish; avian IBI

rological and reline Integrity

evidence of hydrological alterations or impairment (e.g. depressions, dikes, rip rap)g y , p p)

strate Integrity percent organic matter and sediment description vation and Sediment get

relative elevation, evidence of accretion or subsidence, wrack accumulation fixed monitoring stations in second order tidal creek (temperature, specific conductivity, pH, turbidity, DO, water level)

er Quality grab samples in tidal creek for dissolved nutrients and sestoner Quality grab samples in tidal creek for dissolved nutrients and seston quantity & quality, ebb & flood tides (TSS, chlorophyll, proximate biochemistry and stoichiometry)

geochemical Cycling sediment porewater nutrient concentrations, forms, stoichiometric ratios; denitrification rates

bon Storage carbon sequestration in belowground biomass; litter accumulation vation and Sediment Sediment Elevation Table (SET), elevation relative to sea level get

( )(in addition to Tier 2 metrics)

nt Community Integrity vegetation robustness (percent cover and stem counts per species) (in addition to Tier 2 metrics)

ctional Dominant na Integrity

invertebrate and vertebrate species lists along intertidal edge and high marsh, biofiltration capacity of bivalves

Satellite Data – Kearney and Riter Tie

Percent vegetation

er 1 1993

2006

CurrentF

Design Component Exam

WetlWetlWetlHi tFocus HistoWetl

Plan

Shor

Tier 1

Anth

Plan

PrimWetl

Tier 1

WetlInveIntegWild(mobHydrShor

Tier 2 Tier 2Rapid Assessments

SubsElevBudg

Wate

p

Tier 3/4 Wate

Biog

CarbElev

Tier 3

Tier 3/4Fixed Station Monitoring

Budg

Plan

FuncFaun

g

mple Indicators Example Metrics

land Extent wetland acreage (hectares) per subpopulation and NWI attribute type land Buffer Condition adjacent land use (e.g., % natural vs. developed in 100m band) land Contiguousness connectivity (inter/intra); patch sizes and fragmentation

i Ch l i i f diff t b l ti & tt ib toric Change loss or gain in acreage for different subpopulations & attributes land Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratios

nt Community Integrity vegetation community/type (e.g., Phragmites vs. Spartina, high marsh vs. low marsh, bare soil, open water)

reline Condition edge status (e.g., hardening, erosion) hropogenic Alterations channel straightening, ditching, tide gates, groundwater withdrawals

vegetation community type (description of species assemblage) invasive species (percent cover of Phragmites) species list (floristic quality assessment index)

nt Community Integrity

vegetation structure board mary Production below and above ground biomass land Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratiosland Morphology percent open water; edge to area ratiosrtebrate Community grity (sessile species)

presence and relative abundance of functional dominant and bioindicator species

dlife Habitat Integrity bile species) evidence of fish and mobile shellfish; avian IBI

rological and reline Integrity

evidence of hydrological alterations or impairment (e.g. depressions, dikes, rip rap)g y , p p)

strate Integrity percent organic matter and sediment description vation and Sediment get

relative elevation, evidence of accretion or subsidence, wrack accumulation fixed monitoring stations in second order tidal creek (temperature, specific conductivity, pH, turbidity, DO, water level)

er Quality grab samples in tidal creek for dissolved nutrients and sestoner Quality grab samples in tidal creek for dissolved nutrients and seston quantity & quality, ebb & flood tides (TSS, chlorophyll, proximate biochemistry and stoichiometry)

geochemical Cycling sediment porewater nutrient concentrations, forms, stoichiometric ratios; denitrification rates

bon Storage carbon sequestration in belowground biomass; litter accumulation vation and Sediment Sediment Elevation Table (SET), elevation relative to sea level get

( )(in addition to Tier 2 metrics)

nt Community Integrity vegetation robustness (percent cover and stem counts per species) (in addition to Tier 2 metrics)

ctional Dominant na Integrity

invertebrate and vertebrate species lists along intertidal edge and high marsh, biofiltration capacity of bivalves

RAM EffortsRAM Efforts• MidTRAM TrainingMidTRAM Training• QAPP

B i d• Buying and Building Gear

• Tests in Vicinity of Fixed Stationsof Fixed Stations

Fixed Station Effort• Site Selection• QAPP• Fall plans

- Biomonitoring- SET litesSET lites- WQ Meters

• SETs in 2010• SETs in 2010

ts

Fixed Station Asssessment Area

60

Tier 4 Example MetrWater Quality EBiogeochemical Cycling PC b St F

Tier 4 Fixed Station

Carbon Storage F

Station Location State Lead En

Tier 4 Fixed Station

1 Tinicum NWR PA PADEP/A

2 Christina River DE DNREC/

3 St. Jones River DE DNREC

4 Maurice River NJ Rutgers4 Maurice River NJ Rutgers

ricsElevation and Sediment BudgetPlant Community IntegrityF ti l D i t F I t it

s:

Functional Dominant Fauna Integrity

ntities Description

s:p

ANSP Oligohaline, freshwater tidal marsh

PDE Mesohaline, brackish tidal marsh

Euryhaline, Spartina salt marsh

Euryhaline Spartina salt marshEuryhaline, Spartina salt marsh

Heislerville WMA

Kree 62eger

DEWMAP Partners (s(Academy of Natural ScDNRECDNRECEPA HQ, Regions2 andNJDEP Coast Zone ProgNJDEP Coast Zone ProgPADEPPDEPDERutgers UniversityVillanova UniversityVillanova UniversityWetland Associates

Kree

so far))ciences

d 3gramgram

63eger

VisiThe Mid‐Atlantic Coasta

(MAC• Sample Frameall tidal wetlands in the sub‐regall tidal wetlands in the sub regMD including the Delaware Estu

• Subpopulations• Subpopulationswetland type (oligohaline, mstate (DE MD NJ PA)state (DE, MD, NJ, PA)

Capture diverse stressor graCapture diverse stressor gra

on:al Wetland AssessmentCWA)

gion from coastal NJ to coastalgion from coastal NJ to coastal uary

mesohaline, polyhaline)

adients and typesadients and types

MACWADelaware Est arEstuary

Barnegat Bayg y

DE Inland Bays

MD Coastal Bays

Others?Others?Other NJ Coastal

Wetland Monitoring Infor

RegiResto

S fState of EstuaryReporting

Fish and WildlifeManagement

WMWMa age e t

ClimateAdaptationAdaptation

Kree

rms Other NEP Programs

ionaloration RegulatoryRegulatory

Decision-Making

Water QualityManagement

MAMA

TargetedOn-the-Ground

Projects66eger

MACWAMACWAOne size fits all?

No: include both “CoreNo: include both  Coremetrics for both RAM 

‐ Compare only core mother sub‐regiona

‐ Use core + supplemewatershed specifi

e” and “Supplemental”e  and  Supplemental  and station monitoring

metrics for climate and almonitoring needsntal metrics for local or ic needs

DelawMACWA Examples

DelawEstu

Tier 1 limite

RAM Testing (Core & Supplemental) HQ 08RAM Testing (Core & Supplemental) HQ 08 

RAM Tests in Subwatersheds HQ 09 P

Full RAM Across Sample Frame future p

Tier 2 Rapid Assessments

Repeat in ? Years future p

Pilot Sites HQ 08 

Site Expansion to Network R ti F ll S l F

BB‐PDRepresenting Full Sample Frame

Site Upgrades (Core and Supplemental, Intensive)

31

Tier 3/4 Fixed Stations

Long‐Term Maintenance ?

MACWA Workgroup, Workshop and Data 

AnalysesBB‐PD

NEP’s will develop matrix of past, present

ware

Watershed

ware uary

Barnegat Bay DE Inland Bays Others

d misc ? ? ?

Funded BB‐PDE 09 CIB Completed ?Funded BB PDE 09 CIB Completed ?

Proposal BB‐PDE 09 CIB in progress? ?

roposals BB‐PDE 09? ? ?

roposals future proposals ? ?

Funded BB‐PDE 09 CIB in progress? ?

DE 09? BB‐PDE 09? ? ?

19? 319? ? ?

? ? ? ?

DE 09 BB‐PDE 09 ? ?

and future activities from this workshop

Summary

• Wetlands are a hallmark feature ofD l E t d t l id ADelaware Estuary and coastal mid‐Aparticularly tidal marshes

• These wetlands provide critical sersustain lives and livelihoods

• Improved efforts to monitor wetlanand trends will assist in managing asustaining them into the futuresustaining them into the future

• Sub‐regional coordination should si f ti d t d f diinformation products and funding 

f the Atl tiAtlantic, 

vices that 

nd status and 

strengthen