The Massachusetts Estuaries Project is developing nitrogen thresholds to preserve and remediate coastal estuaries throughout Cape Cod and southeastern Massachusetts. These thresholds are adopted by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection as Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), which are regulatory limits under the federal Clean Water Act. 

During the course of developing the nitrogen thresholds/TMDLs for each estuary, the MEP Technical Team is developing a series of linked models that can be used to evaluate a variety of scenarios to meet the thresholds.  On March 18, the MEP Technical Team members conducted a workshop that reviewed how scenario runs are developed and provided information to towns in the MEP study area on how to request Technical Team assistance in completing the evaluation of a given scenario.  The MEP Scenario workshop was held at Barnstable Town Hall in Hyannis.  The agenda for the workshop is listed below along with a link to the taped results.

Aside from a review of selected scenario alternatives that the MEP Technical Team has completed, the workshop also provided suggestions on how to develop scenarios and contact information for requesting completion of scenario runs by the MEP Technical Team.  This information is also provided below. 
 

1. INTRODUCTION

Tom Cambareri, Cape Cod Commission (5 min)

2. SUMMARY OF MEP

Brian Howes, University of Massachusetts (15 min)

Overview of the Phases of the MEP, Development of the Technical Reports, Embayment Specific Thresholds and Scenarios

3. WATERSHED RELATED SCENARIOS and THE MEP WATERSHED MODULE

Ed Eichner, Cape Cod Commission and Roland Samimy, University of Massachusetts (20 min)

Development of Watersheds and Nitrogen Loading Module (issues, process, coordination with Towns)

4. HYDRODYNAMIC RELATED SCENARIOS and THE MEP WATER QUALITY MODULE

John Ramsey, Applied Coastal Research and Engineering (20 min)

Development of Characterization of Estuarine Circulation and Linkage to Estuarine Water Quality

5. NITROGEN ATTENUATION SCENARIOS

Brian Howes, University of Massachusetts (15 min)

Natural Attenuation Scenarios, N Source Relocation, Wetland Restorations

6. PROCESS FOR RUNNING SCENARIOS

Who to Contact, Contract Approach, Deliverables

sponsored by: Town of Barnstable, Town Manager
Three Bays Preservation, Inc.
Cape Cod Commission
School of Marine Science and Technology at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
United State Environmental Protection Agency

Video was recorded by the Town of Barnstable Information Technology Department.