Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Acoustic monitoring report 2022
Olstad TA and Meyer E. 2025. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument: Acoustic monitoring report 2022. Science Report. NPS/SR—2025/305. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2313208
This study arose from Technical Assistance Request 17695 submitted by Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (KAWW) in 2020. As park managers and partners embarked on planning efforts for facilities, roads, and trails, they sought an acoustic inventory to better understand baseline conditions and sources of noise throughout the unit. In winter 2022, the National Park Service (NPS) Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) successfully gathered acoustic data at 3 sites in KAWW: near Grondin Road, Katahdin Loop Road Entrance, and Haskell Gate. Overall, existing ambient sound levels (LA50) at sites within KAWW during the sample period ranged from 27.5–30.5 dB during the day and 21.0–31.2 at night, with the lowest daytime levels at Haskell Gate and lowest nighttime levels at the Loop Road entrance. Natural ambient sound levels (LAnat) ranged from 25.8–27.4 dB during the day and 19.7–30.5 dB at night. Impacts, defined as the difference in dB between the existing LA50 and natural LAnat, were between 0.7–4.5 dB. Across all the monitoring locations, noise was present 19–48 percent of the time. The most common noise sources were over-snow vehicles and aircraft, with both most commonly audible at the Loop Road entrance. Natural sounds included wind, precipitation, and birdcalls.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Olstad, Tyra; Meyer, Erik
- Date of Issue
- 2025-05
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2313208
- Units
- KAWW , NRSS , NSNSD
- Keywords
- Acoustic monitoring, baseline ambient, natural sound, noise, sound level, soundscape