| Conservation Target |
Key Attribute
(Category) |
Indicator |
Current Indicator Measurement |
Rating Comments:
(Poor, Fair Good Very Good) |
Current Rating and Date |
Desired Rating and Date |
| Salt marshes |
Characteristic community
(Condition)
|
% of salt marsh acreage dominated by native salt marsh vegetation
|
-
|
Poor:
Extensive Phragmites throughout system
Fair:
Widespread small patches
Good:
Most marshes with no Phragmites
Very Good:
No Phragmites
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Characteristic community
(Condition)
|
% salt marsh occurrences occupied by characteristic and ecologically significant animal species (mummichog & ribbed mussel)
1
|
-
|
Poor:
Absent
Fair:
Present in low numbers
Good:
Abundant
Very Good:
Very abundant
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Characteristic habitat structure
(Condition)
|
Ratio of Spartina alterniflora (low) marsh to Spartina patens (high) marsh
|
-
|
Poor:
Clear longterm loss trend
Fair:
Most marshes appear stable
Good:
Stable at regional scale
Very Good:
Dynamic but stable over 25 years
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Characteristic habitat structure
(Condition)
|
Diverse habitat types: high & low marsh, fringes, sinuous creeks, bare ground, pools & pannes.
|
-
|
Poor:
One community type dominates across system
Fair:
Simplified structure across system
Good:
Mosaic of diverse communites across system
Very Good:
Mosaic of diverse communites across system
|
Good
Jan 11, 2007
|
Very Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Ability to migrate
2
(Landscape Context)
|
Percent natural buffer in 100 year sea level edge + 50 meters
3
|
-
|
Poor:
<50
Fair:
50-75
Good:
75-90
Very Good:
>90
|
Very Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Ability to migrate
4
(Landscape Context)
|
Percent of upland edge not armored (natural shoreline)
5
|
-
|
Poor:
<70
Fair:
>70
Good:
>80
Very Good:
>95
|
Very Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Nutrient regime
6
(Landscape Context)
|
NHEP freshwater (FW) & saltwater (SW) quality trends
|
-
|
Poor:
FW and SW nutrients increasing
Fair:
Stable or very slight > in nutrients
Good:
FW & SW nutrients trending down
Very Good:
FW & SW nutrients trending down
|
Fair
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Sediment regime
(Landscape Context)
|
Accretion rate (mm per year) relative to sea level rise
|
-
|
Poor:
Substantially less than sea level rise + subsidence
Fair:
Slightly less than sea level rise + subsidence
Good:
Equal to sea level rise + subsidence
Very Good:
Slightly greater than sea level rise + subsidence
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Salt marshes |
Tidal flooding regime
7
(Landscape Context)
|
% salt marsh receiving natural tidal flooding regime
|
-
|
Poor:
Extensive SW flow alterations.
Fair:
Significant alterations affecting portion of marshes
Good:
Minor SW flow alteration w/natural collapse and fill
Very Good:
No ditches, dikes, berms, etc.
|
Good
8
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
9
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Recruitment and growth
10
(Condition)
|
Biomass metric tons (NHEP 5yr mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
<500
Fair:
500-1000
Good:
1000-1500
Very Good:
>1500
|
Fair
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Recruitment and growth
(Condition)
|
% acres in >60% density classes (NHEP 5yr mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
<30
Fair:
30-50
Good:
50-70
Very Good:
>70
|
Fair
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Nutrient regime
11
(Landscape Context)
|
Level of epiphytic fouling & macro algae growing within eelgrass beds
|
-
|
Poor:
Extensive fouling causing mortality throughout system
Fair:
Low-med. fouling causing mortality throughout system
Good:
Fouling occurs but does not cause extensive mortality
Very Good:
Fouling occurs but does not cause extensive mortality
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Water clarity
12
(Landscape Context)
|
Mean annual incidence of low transparency (<1m @ hi. tide)
|
-
|
Poor:
> 30%
Fair:
0.3
Good:
< 30%
Very Good:
< 20%
|
Fair
13
Jan 15, 2005
|
Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Water clarity
14
(Landscape Context)
|
Average depth of deep water edges (@ mean low water)
|
-
|
Poor:
< 10'
Fair:
> 10'
Good:
>15'
Very Good:
>20'
|
Fair
|
Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Water temperature regime
15
(Landscape Context)
|
Cumulative peak degree days at index sites
16
|
-
|
Poor:
>5 days above 27C
Fair:
1-5 days above 27C
Good:
Similar to 20 year mean (use proxy)
Very Good:
Similar to 50 year mean (use proxy)
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Eelgrass meadows |
Minimum dynamic area
17
(Size)
|
Acres of eelgrass meadows (5 year mean)
18
|
-
|
Poor:
<1,200 ac
Fair:
>1,200 ac
Good:
>2,000 ac
Very Good:
>3,000 ac
|
Good
Aug 6, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Characteristic community
19
(Condition)
|
Presence of viable populations of all native species (oyster, softshell clam, gem clam, razor clam, ribbed mussel, blue mussel)
|
-
|
Poor:
One or more native species extinct from the system
Fair:
All native species present, some with poor viability
Good:
All native species present, variable viability
Very Good:
All native species present and robust
|
Fair
20
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Recruitment and growth
21
(Condition)
|
Oyster disease index, 3 year mean (MSX)
22
|
-
|
Poor:
>15
Fair:
6-15
Good:
5.0
Very Good:
0.0
|
Fair
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Recruitment and growth
23
(Condition)
|
Number of oyster beds with > 5% Dermo infection
24
|
-
|
Poor:
>3
Fair:
2-3
Good:
1-2
Very Good:
0.0
|
Poor
Dec 1, 2006
|
Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Recruitment and growth
25
(Condition)
|
Predator density. Green crab / Asian shore crab abundance index (CPUE)
26
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
>50 CPUE
Good:
<50 CPUE
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Recruitment and growth
27
(Condition)
|
Spatfall at index sites (rolling 5-year average)
|
-
|
Poor:
0 spat per shell
Fair:
5-10 spat per shell
Good:
10-20 spat per shell
Very Good:
> 20 spat per shell
|
Very Good
28
Jan 7, 2007
|
Very Good
29
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Prey resources
30
(Landscape Context)
|
Plankton community survey data
31
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Very Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Sediment regime
32
(Landscape Context)
|
Siltation rate at index stations
33
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
34
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
35
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Minimum dynamic area
(Size)
|
Live oyster reef acreage
|
-
|
Poor:
<200 ac
Fair:
>200 ac
Good:
>500 ac
Very Good:
> 1,000 ac
|
Poor
Dec 1, 2006
|
Fair
|
| Filter feeding bivalves |
Population size
(Size)
|
Soft shell clam biomass
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
36
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Tidal flat community |
Characteristic community
(Condition)
|
Benthic integrity index (EPA revised)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Slight deterioration
Good:
Stable
Very Good:
Improving
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Tidal flat community |
Nutrient regime
37
(Landscape Context)
|
NHEP and Coastwatch saltwater quality trends (2 year mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Slight deterioration
Good:
Stable
Very Good:
Improving
|
Fair
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Tidal flat community |
Nutrient regime
38
(Landscape Context)
|
% acreage with Ulva cover
|
-
|
Poor:
Very High
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
Low
|
Good
39
Aug 15, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Tidal flat community |
Water quality-toxics
(Landscape Context)
|
GOMC Gulfwatch mussel bioassays (PAHs)
|
-
|
Poor:
Toxicity concentrations very high
Fair:
Good:
Very Good:
Toxicity concentrations very low
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Tidal flat community |
Minimum dynamic area
40
(Size)
|
Acres of tidal flats
|
-
|
Poor:
Fair:
Below minimum size threshold
Good:
Above minimum size threshold
Very Good:
|
Good
41
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Macro invertebrates |
Recruitment and growth
42
(Condition)
|
Number of YOY lobster and horseshoe crab (rolling 5-year mean)
43
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Macro invertebrates |
Water quality-toxics
(Landscape Context)
|
GOMC Gulfwatch mussel bioassays (PAHs)
|
-
|
Poor:
Toxic concentrations very high
Fair:
Good:
Very Good:
Toxic concentrations very low
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Macro invertebrates |
Water temperature regime
44
(Landscape Context)
|
Lobster disease index
45
|
-
|
Poor:
Disease widespread
Fair:
Episodic outbreaks
Good:
Very low levels
Very Good:
Disease absent
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Macro invertebrates |
Population size
46
(Size)
|
Lobster CPUE trend (3 year mean / historic. mean)
47
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Stable over 3 years
Good:
Stable over 10 years
Very Good:
Stable over 10 years
|
Good
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Macro invertebrates |
Population size
(Size)
|
Horseshoe crab survey trend (3 year mean / historic. mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Stable over 3 years
Good:
Stable over 10 years
Very Good:
Stable over 10 years
|
Good
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Characteristic community
48
(Condition)
|
# diadromous fish species present and viable
|
-
|
Poor:
<5 species present
Fair:
>5 present, some but not all viable
Good:
7-8 present, most but not all viable
Very Good:
All 8 species present and viable
|
Fair
Aug 15, 2006
|
Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Recruitment and growth
49
(Condition)
|
Rainbow smelt egg deposition survey data (NHFG, 3 year mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Recruitment and growth
50
(Condition)
|
Number of juvenile fish successfully emigrating to estuary (NHFG seine survey trend)
51
|
-
|
Poor:
Decreasing for most runs
Fair:
Stable across system-most runs
Good:
Stable and increasing- most runs
Very Good:
Increasing all runs
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Connectivity (SW to FW)
52
(Landscape Context)
|
% of miles of historic freshwater habitat currently accessible
|
-
|
Poor:
<30%
Fair:
30-60%
Good:
60-90%
Very Good:
>90%
|
Poor
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Freshwater flow regime
53
(Landscape Context)
|
Deviation from annual mean low flow (cubic feet/second) compared to natural range of variation in July-Sept
54
|
-
|
Poor:
Flow >25% of optimal
Fair:
Flow within 25% of natural range of variation
Good:
Flow within 15% of natural range of variation
Very Good:
Flow within 10% of natural range of variation
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Prey resources
55
(Landscape Context)
|
Prey density index
56
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Diadromous fish |
Water quality - DO
57
(Landscape Context)
|
Milligrams per litre of dissolved oxygen, mean value June-Sep
58
|
-
|
Poor:
<5 mg/l
Fair:
5-6 mg/l
Good:
>6 mg/l
Very Good:
>9 mg/l
|
Fair
59
Jan 11, 2007
|
Very Good
60
|
| Diadromous fish |
Population size
61
(Size)
|
NHF&G fish passage count data (3 year mean)
62
|
-
|
Poor:
Decreasing for most runs
Fair:
Increasing for some runs
Good:
Increasing or stable for all runs
Very Good:
Increasing for all runs
|
Poor
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Recruitment and growth
63
(Condition)
|
Number of osprey fledged per year (3 year mean)
|
-
|
Poor:
<10
Fair:
>10
Good:
>15
Very Good:
>20
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Habitat availibity
(Landscape Context)
|
Percent natural buffer in 100 year sea level edge + 50 meters
64
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
-
|
-
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Habitat availibity
(Landscape Context)
|
Healthy beaver populations
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
-
|
-
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Prey resources
(Landscape Context)
|
NHF&G fish passage count data (3 year mean)
65
|
-
|
Poor:
Decreasing for most runs
Fair:
Increasing for some runs
Good:
Increasing or stable for all runs
Very Good:
Increasing for all runs
|
Poor
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Prey resources
(Landscape Context)
|
Benthic integrity index (EPA revised)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Slight deterioration
Good:
Stable
Very Good:
Improving
|
Good
Aug 15, 2006
|
Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Prey resources
(Landscape Context)
|
Population size for key fish species
66
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Prey resources
(Landscape Context)
|
Mussel tissue contamination level (lead, mercury, PCBs)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining
Fair:
Stable
Good:
Improving
Very Good:
Negligible concentrations
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Good
|
| Shorebirds & Piscivorous birds |
Population size
(Size)
|
Annual bird survey results (3 year means / historic means)
|
-
|
Poor:
Declining -key sp.
Fair:
Key species stable
Good:
Key species Increasing
Very Good:
Key species Abundant
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Benthic fish assemblage |
Recruitment and growth
(Condition)
|
NHF&G Survey data: % of catch > 10 cm
|
-
|
Poor:
< 5%
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Benthic fish assemblage |
Habitat availibity
67
(Landscape Context)
|
Acres of eelgrass meadows (5 year mean)
68
|
-
|
Poor:
<1,200 ac
Fair:
>1,200 ac
Good:
>2,000 ac
Very Good:
>3,000 ac
|
Good
Dec 1, 2006
|
Very Good
|
| Benthic fish assemblage |
Water temperature regime
69
(Landscape Context)
|
Num. of consecutive days winter spawning bottom temp exceeds 10 C
70
|
-
|
Poor:
-
Fair:
-
Good:
-
Very Good:
-
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
| Benthic fish assemblage |
Population size
(Size)
|
Recreational catch per unit effort (CPUE)
|
-
|
Poor:
CPUE approaching 0.0
Fair:
CPUE > 0.5
Good:
CPUE > 1.5
Very Good:
CPUE > 2.0
|
Fair
71
Dec 1, 2006
|
Good
|
| Benthic fish assemblage |
Population size
(Size)
|
Spawning stock biomass (NOAA-GOM stock)
|
-
|
Poor:
< 5 Mill. Lbs
Fair:
5-10 Mill. Lbs
Good:
10-20 Mill. Lbs
Very Good:
>20 Mill. Lbs
|
Fair
Feb 15, 2004
|
Very Good
|
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