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Title
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A Mat of Invasive Cladophora in Little Narragansett Bay
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Description
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The Cladophora monoculture in the bay has been increasingly noticed by residents of Stonington, Conn., and neighboring Westerly, R.I., for more than a decade, as it continues to foul beaches with piles of smelly, decaying seaweed, and fill the bay itself with floating mats that wash up in the summer on every beach in the area. Even though recently updated wastewater treatment plants are doing a better job of removing nitrogen than before recent upgrades, the nutrient load entering the bay is still too high due to changing conditions there. This, combined with ever warming ocean temperatures, is continuing to fuel the Cladophora explosion on the bottom and surface of the Bay. In addition, natural shifting of the Sandy Point sandbar, the spit of land that was connected the Napatree Point before the 38 Hurricane, has restricted tidal flows into the bay, further fueling the algae growth.
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Date
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August 20, 2013 – August 20, 2013
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Location - Physical Location
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Sandy Point Conservation Area and Nature Preserve
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Name
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Calden Bates
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cites
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Jamie Vaudrey/UConn Photo, "Researcher Unveils Tool for Cleaner Long Island Sound"
