Water Resource Program, Acadia National Park, Maine

National Park Service

Program concerning the Water Resources of Acadia National Park in Maine. Acadia National Park is the only National Park in the northeastern United States. With more than 40,000 acres it is one of the largest publicly owned and protected natural areas in the region. Northern coniferous and temperate deciduous forest meet and overlap at Acadia, resulting in a rich and diverse flora of approximately 1200 species, and more than 330 bird and 50 mammal species. Acadia NP has more 52 miles of spectacular rocky shoreline with steep cliffs, sand and boulder beaches, and tidal pools containing abundant marine life. Located along the mid-coast of Maine, Acadia National Park (ANP) contains at least 22 named lakes and ponds, more than 25 perennial and intermittent streams, and numerous wetlands located partially or entirely within it's boundaries. Six lakes within or adjacent to the park are designated public drinking water sources for several surrounding communities. All these water bodies are exposed to impacts resulting from development within and adjacent to park lands, including sewage disposal, and non-point source pollution. Other impacts to ANP water resources may come from oil or hazardous waste spills, landfill activity, high visitor use, and atmospheric deposition. Lake monitoring by park staff began in the late 1970's, in cooperation with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). These efforts consisted primarily of monitoring secchi disk transparency and surface temperature in several selected lakes on Mount Desert Island. This program continues today, with monitoring expanded to include measurement of a larger variety of chemical and physical parameters. Additional studies and monitoring include benthic stream macroinvertebrate sampling (1997-present), bacterial monitoring of ANP swim beaches (1993-1996), water resource baseline data and analysis of acid deposition impacts (1985, '87, '94), and mercury contamination in freshwater aquatic habitats (1995-1997). A major research initiative at the watershed scale was started in 1999 to comprehensively assess the impacts of atmospheric deposition and mercury cycling on park resources. The water resource program at Acadia NP is a collaborative effort involving the National Park Service's Water Resource Division, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the US Geological Survey the University of Maine at Orono, and park natural resource staff. A Water Resource Management Plan has recently been completed and a Freshwater Monitoring Plan is being developed to provide program direction and management guidance on major water-related issues, which are complicated by overlapping jurisdiction and management objectives between state, town, and park interests.

Water Resource Program, Acadia National Park, Maine

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