Quicktime, 320x240 pixels, 7.4 Mb Quicktime, 240x180 pixels, 4.6 Mb Windows Media, 320x240 pixels, 6.4 Mb Windows Media, 240x180 pixels, 3.6 Mb

Welcome to Wavebreaking News………brought to you by NOAA’s National Ocean Service.

Investigating the Steamship Portland

A team of scientists and archeologists visited the wreck site of the steamship Portland in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Their goal was to investigate one of the Northeast’s most tragic shipwrecks and develop a plan to manage the wreck as a cultural resource. The Portland sank during a gale in 1898, losing all 192 passengers. Using remotely operated vehicles to view and film the wreck, the crew found the sunken ship teeming with marine life. They discovered china, as well as heavy earthenware that provided a glimpse into life aboard the doomed vessel. They also began to unravel the mystery of one of the region’s most famous shipwrecks, trying to understand how and why the steamer sank.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

The National Ocean Service is helping to restore the eroding marshes of Maryland’s Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Using tide measurements and global positioning system technology to determine land elevation, scientists and engineers predict areas that are susceptible to erosion during tidal flooding. This allows them to locate the best sites to plant wetland vegetation that will help to prevent erosion. Blackwater is one of the largest and most important wildlife refuges on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Since its creation in 1933, the refuge has lost over 100 acres per year, or nearly half of its original 17,000 acres.

Portfields Port Selection

New Bedford, Massachusetts, Tampa, Florida, and Bellingham, Washington were chosen as the first sites for a national Portfields Restoration Project under the leadership of the National Ocean Service. This is an opportunity to redevelop and revitalize waterfronts around the nation’s harbors. New Bedford, the nation’s largest handler of perishable goods, plans to conduct dredging, restore habitat, and enhance piers and bulkheads. Tampa, one of the largest cargo ports in the nation, seeks to clean up and redevelop contaminated properties and bring employment to nearby communities. Finally, Bellingham, intends to restore contaminated sites as well as salmon habitat, and transform its waterfront into a mixed-use area. These projects will start in 2004.

Contaminants in the Great Lakes

Researchers in the Great Lakes have determined that concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, are still high in the region. That’s the conclusion of a 12-year study on sediments and zebra mussels at 25 sampling sites, including protected areas. PCBs were once used as insulators in electrical transformers, but are no longer produced due to their toxicity and slow rate of degradation. PCBs accumulate in fatty tissue of marine and aquatic organisms, which in turn can cause toxicity in humans who consume fish and invertebrates.

Images for the above story are courtesy of Ian Hartwell and Gunnar Laurenstein, National Status and Trends Program and Pat Van Hoof, Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab.

Thanks for watching...and for making Wavebreaking News part of your coastal stewardship experience.

(top)