Water Quality Testing with Girls Inc.

On the morning of August 9, 2017, I ventured out into Lynn to help out a Girls Inc. group with water quality. I was asked to come as a guest scientist and was able to share some knowledge I've gained over the years and in my time at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay. The students from Girls Inc. were a part of the Beach Sisters group and had been going to different areas on the Lynn coast to sample water. Most of the girls were very excited to get out into the field and do some water quality testing!

Our first stop was off a small pier in Lynn. Here various stations were set up and after some water was collected and the girls paired up and cycled through the tests with each pair testing for nitrate, phosphate, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and salinity. A variety of instruments were used such as a refractometer and hydrometer to test salinity, thermometers, a pH probe, secchi tube for turbidity and various chemical test kits to measure other parameters. I was very impressed with everyone as they knew exactly what they were doing with all the instruments available on site. A plankton tow was also used to collect plankton from the surface water to be viewed under the small microscopes we had on site.

Setting up testing stations

Checking salinity with a refractometer

Checking turbidity with the secchi tube

Using a Van Dorn water sampler

At this site, we were able to use a Van Dorn water sampler. The purpose of this instrument is to collect water from below the surface. This provided the girls the opportunity to compare the differences between the surface sample and the one taken below. Although the current was pretty strong when we got there and were not able to sample at the bottom of the water column, the girls understood the purpose of the device and they were able to investigate the differences between the water samples taken at different depths.

Van Dorn water samplers take water sample from below the surface!

Once we finished up at the pier, we were off to our next stop which ended up being a marshy area in Lynn. We ventured up a small path and found the marsh. Here, the girls were able to note the various plants such as marsh lavender. Similar to the first site, stations were set up and then those who were brave to march on the marshy mud went out to collect water. There was a marsh panne where water was also collected. We set up a trap with some pretzels in the panne and were able to catch a couple of small mummichogs. The girls noticed the water was saltier in the panne than it was in the marsh, which was expected, but it demonstrated again how easily water quality can change even when the samples are taken a short distance from each other.

Setting up water quality testing

Brave volunteers collecting our first water sample

Walking back to dry land

Collecting water from the marsh panne

Checking the trap

One of many mummichogs!

A larger mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Overall I had a blast with the Girls Inc. group. It was great to see young high schoolers get excited about science and I was very happy to teach them some facts about water quality and marine biology. I am hoping these types of projects help lead some of these girls into the STEM field because with their natural curiosity, I know they'll go far!

-Diana

Not Quite Clean Enough: Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s 2016 Beach Water Quality Report Card

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay released its annual water quality report card on the Boston Harbor region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket on Friday, May 27, 2016 just in time for Memorial Day.

This year’s report includes a comparative analysis of five years of water quality data for 15 beaches in nine communities that include Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

In 2015, overall water quality on all of the Boston Harbor Region’s public beaches was down from a high of 96% in 2014 to 92% in 2015, primarily as a result of frequent summer storms. Though total rainfall was actually up slightly from 2014, in 2015 there were more than 30 summer days with some rain, which adversely affected water quality on beaches in Lynn, Revere, East Boston, Dorchester and Quincy.

“Though the overall numbers are down a bit this year, the report card still contains good news for many of our beaches, including those in South Boston which are still the cleanest urban beaches in the country,” said Save the Harbor’s spokesman Bruce Berman. “However the persistent pollution problems at King’s Beach on the Lynn/Swampscott line and at Tenean Beach in Dorchester and other area beaches continue to jeopardize the public’s health and prevent residents from enjoying the benefits of our $5 billion investment in clean water. While we are pleased that Boston Water and Sewer has identified several significant sources of bacterial contamination in Dorchester, we look forward to working with local state and local government to finish the job we began together 30 years ago.”

City Point, M Street, and Pleasure Bay in South Boston and Nantasket Beach and Winthrop Beach topped the list this year, with perfect scores of 100%. Of the 15 beaches in the report, which was based on data collected during the 2015 swimming season, 7 earned primary beach safety scores of 95% or more while 6 scored 85% or higher.

King’s Beach in Lynn and Swampscott scored just 75% and Tenean Beach in Dorchester scored just 71%, failing to meet the state swimming standard more than once every 5 days during the 2015 swimming season.

“Scores like this are simply unacceptable to the people who rely on these beaches for recreation, especially given the publics $5 billion investment in clean water. We hope this report will provide decision makers the information they need to begin the next round of investments in improved water quality on beaches that consistently lag behind,” said Patricia A. Foley, President of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay

Funds to improve water quality in beachfront communities and waterfront neighborhoods from Nahant to Nantasket were authorized in the 2014 Environmental Bond Bill but have not yet been appropriated.

“The Baker-Polito Administration remains committed to ensuring the state’s beaches remain not only accessible for all to use, but also safe for public enjoyment,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Water Quality Report Card serves as a good barometer of the excellent results the state and its partners are achieving to ensure the Commonwealth’s beaches remain among the cleanest and most beautiful in the nation, and we remain committed to work with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay and other stakeholders to protect and improve these spectacular natural resources for generations to come."

“Investments in clean water and urban beaches are good for the region,” said Foley. “They strengthen our economy and improve the quality of life for all our residents, many of whom can’t afford to get away to Cape Cod or Cape Ann.”

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay would like to thank Dr. Jim Shine and Dr. Judy Pederson, Co- Chairs of our Beaches Science Advisory Committee, Kelly Coughlin and David Wu of the MWRA, DCR’s Dennis Fitzgerald and Save the Harbor policy interns Eileen Dalessandro, and Brittany Angelo for their help with this report.

For more information on Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Beaches Report Card, contact Bruce Berman on his cell at 617-293-6243 or email bruce@bostonharbor.com

You can download the 2016 report card and the data on which it is based at http://www.savetheharbor.org/Content/beachesreportcard/

You can make a contribution to support our work here.

2014 Beaches Report Card

 

On Monday, June 30, 2014 Save the Harbor/Save the Bay released its third annual Beaches Water Quality Report Card on the Boston Harbor Region’s public beaches from Nahant to Nantasket that are managed by the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

The report card is based on an in-depth analysis of thousands of samples taken by the DCR and the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) in 2013. The samples were collected at 34 testing sites on public beaches in 9 communities including Nahant, Lynn, Revere, Winthrop, East Boston, South Boston, Dorchester, Quincy and Hull.

The report card is based on methodology developed by Save the Harbor/Save the Bay’s Beaches Science Advisory Committee (BSAC), Co-Chaired by Dr. Judy Pederson of MIT’s Sea Grant Program and Dr. Jim Shine of the Harvard School of Public Health. 

2014 Results
Overall, water quality continues to be very good on most Boston Harbor region public beaches, however overall beach safety decreased sightly from 92.90% in 2012 to 90.45% in 2013, primarily as a result of wet weather.

Here is a snapshot of the results:

·         For the third year in a row, South Boston received the top Overall Beach Safety score of beaches tested daily with 99.15%, followed by Constitution Beach in East Boston with 97.05% and Pleasure Bay with 95.61%.

·         For weekly tested beaches, Nantasket Beach in Hull tied with Savin Hill Beach in Dorchester to top the list with 100% Overall Beach Safety in 2013, followed by a tie for second between Short Beach in Revere and Winthrop Beach with 94.12%.

·         Revere Beach scored 93.75% in 2013, down from 100% in 2012, and Nahant scored 91.18% in 2013, a slight increase from 2012—both beaches are tested weekly.

·         Wollaston Beach in Quincy, tested daily, scored 88.27% in 2013, down from 93.20% in 2012.

·         King’s Beach in Lynn and Swampscott scored 83.12% in 2013, down from 86.40% in 2012, while Malibu Beach in Dorchester scored 76.47% in 2013, down from 88.89% in 2012.

·         Tenean Beach in Dorchester scored at the bottom of the list with 62.96% in 2013, down from 81.82% in 2012.

According to Bruce Berman, Director of Strategy, Communication's and Programs at Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, the decrease in overall beach safety in 2013 is fairly easy to explain. "Bacterial pollution on these beaches is most often caused by storm water discharges that accompany summer showers, squalls and storms. 2013 was a very rainy year, with 20.88 inches of rain,  nearly twice as much rain as in in the summer 2012, which was fairly dry with just 12.07 inches of rain."

Save the Harbor is also pleased to note that Boston Water and Sewer's continued commitment to addressing illegal connections has resulted in improved water quality at Constitution Beach in East Boston, which achieved an overall beach safety rating of 97.05% in 2013, a substantial improvement over previous years despite the wet weather. 

Though water quality on many of the region's public beaches is great, Save the Harbor continues to be concerned about water quality at King's Beach in Lynn and Swampscot, and at both Tenean Beach and Malibu Beach in Dorchester, and to a lesser extent at Constitution Beach in East Boston and Wollaston Beach in Quincy. In 2014 Save the Harbor will continue to work with these communities to help them secure the resources they need to address these problems.

Beach Flagging and Posting Accuracy

Flagging accuracy continued to be a problem on area beaches in 2013, as it was in 2012 when we were forced to flunk the flags. You can find a nice piece on this subject by Larry Harmon of the Boston Globe by following this link.

Overall flagging accuracy decreased slightly in 2013 from 2012. While blue flag accuracy remained fairly high, more than 50% of the red flags were still wrong on area beaches in 2013, as a result of the 24 hour delay between when the samples are taken and the results posted.

In early June, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health amended the beach flagging protocol to reduce the number of incorrect red flags flown on the beaches. Save the Harbor supports that change, which you can read about here. We are confident that the new posting policy will improve the accuracy of the red flags, but also note that it will not improve water quality on these beaches.

In 2014, Save the Harbor will continue to advocate for additional public investment to help local communities address persistent pollution problems that continue to close beaches in Lynn, Dorchester and Quincy. We will also continue to work with the Metropolitan Beaches Commission, and with DCR, MWRA, EPA, DEP, DPH and our Beaches Science Advisory Committee to develop more accurate models to better predict when to post or flag a beach.  

You can download the 2014 Beaches Report Card, see the data and learn more about the methodology on which the report card is based at:

www.savetheharbor.org/Content/beachesreportcard

For more information on Save the Harbor / Save the Bay’s Beaches Report Card, contact Bruce Berman on his cell at 617-293-6243 or email bruce@bostonharbor.com

Save the Harbor / Save the Bay would like to thank Dr. Jim Shine and Dr. Judy Pederson, Co-Chairs of our Beaches Science Advisory Committee, Kelly Coughlin of the MWRA, DCR’s Gary Briere, and Save the Harbor’s water quality analyst Jacqueline Sussman and policy intern Yudan Jiang for their help with this report.