DV-17-01 Estimating nitrogen loads in Casco Bay, Maine

UMaine Alert

Posted: April 19, 2024 - 1:32 PM

At approximately 9:24 a.m. on Friday, April 19, a University of Maine graduate student was struck by a university vehicle on Long Road at the University of Maine campus in Orono. The student reports that they are at a local hospital with minor injuries.

Emergency services, including the Orono Fire Department, University Volunteer Ambulance Corps, University of Maine Police Department, Orono Police Department and Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene.

The university vehicle involved in the incident was a Chevrolet Express van. It was being operated by a university employee.

Counseling services and support are available for students, faculty or staff who may have been affected. The Counseling Center can be reached at 207-581-1392 and the Dean of Students Office can be reached at 207-581-1406.

The scene has been cleared and Long Road is now accessible. An investigation is being conducted by the University of Maine Police Department with assistance from the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit. Any witnesses to the incident are encouraged to contact Lt. Noel Santiago at noel.santiago@maine.edu.

November 8, 2018

Whitley Gilbert
School of Marine Sciences
University of Maine

According to the U.S. Census, Portland, Maine is one of the fastest growing cities in New England. More people typically means changes in land use, such as more pavement and more wastewater, both of which affect coastal water quality. Excess nutrients in estuaries can cause eutrophication and disrupt marine food webs. However, data on nutrients in Casco Bay are lacking. Gilbert, a graduate student at the University of Maine, will quantify nutrient loading to Casco Bay from various sources and determine the relative influence of those sources on nutrient dynamics in the estuary. After establishing river discharge monitoring sites along representative tributaries of Casco Bay, she will collect nutrient samples during various river conditions/discharges (e.g. during storm events, base flow and snow melt) and different seasons. After integrating the discharge and nutrient data into a model of the bay, Gilbert and faculty advisor Damian Brady will share their results to inform decisions about managing land uses and allocating resources to improve downstream water quality.

Two-year project, $3,580 in Sea Grant funds