Collaborating for Solutions: Practical Sessions to Achieve Watershed Plans

June 19, 2024

The conference highlighted local case studies that apply and evaluate traditional and alternative methods to reduce nutrients in Cape Cod watersheds. Cooperation is key to managing watersheds spanning town boundaries, thus collaborating on solutions to achieve watershed goals was a major theme threaded throughout the day.

CONFERENCE MATERIALS

Conference Agenda

Speaker Biographies

Grant Opportunities to Fund Watershed Plans

Check out the Highlights from the 2024 Cape Coastal Conference!

PowerPoint Presentation
Keynote Presentation 
Clear Waters, Stronger Communities: Partnering for Sustainable Solutions
Jason Steiding, Department of Natural Resources, Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe
PowerPoint Presentation
Ways to Collaboratively Manage Watersheds on Cape Cod & Islands
Erin Perry, Cape Cod Commission and Andrew Gottlieb, Association to Preserve Cape Cod
PowerPoint Presentation
Title 5 Updates and Watershed Permitting
Lealdon Langley, Division of Watershed Management, MassDEP and Gerard Martin, Southeast Region, MassDEP
Visit the link, 314 CMR 21.00: Watershed Permit Regulations, to learn more about the regulations and the watershed permit related application status for Cape Cod towns.
PowerPoint Presentation
Better Understanding the Watershed Planning Process: Pleasant Bay Watershed Permit Case Study
Carole Ridley, Ridley & Associates, Inc., Mike Giggey, Wright-Pierce, Greg Berman, Town of Chatham, Mark Nelson, Horsley Witten Group
PowerPoint Presentation
Targeted Watershed Management Plans: Wellfleet Harbor and Lake Tashmoo, Tisbury
Scott Horsley, Water Resources Consultant
Watershed Planning Round Table Discussions to Collaboratively Advance Nitrogen Removal Strategies on the Cape & Islands
Conference attendees and speakers exchanged knowledge around the challenges related to watershed planning through small-group facilitated discussions. The Coastal Training Program is working to capture major themes and future action steps from these discussions to distribute to attendees, so stay tuned!

Onsite Denitrification Systems (Enhanced I&A): Lessons Learned from Implementation and Practical Support for Towns

PowerPoint Presentation
Getting the “N” Out- Not Painless, But Possible: Learning From Nitrogen Removing Septic System Data to Find a Path Forward
Sara Wigginton, Massachusetts Alternative Septic System Technology Center (MASSTC)
PowerPoint Presentation
Flowing Forward: Managing the Future of A/I Systems on Cape Cod
David Iorio Izzo, MASSTC
PowerPoint Presentation
The Shubael Pond Project, Cape Cod’s First Neighborhood Enhanced Innovative/Alternative System Project: Proof of Performance and Cost Analysis
Zenas Crocker, Barnstable Clean Water Coalition

Urine Diversion: Lessons Learned from Small-Scale Implementation in Falmouth and Larger Scale Implementation in Vermont

PowerPoint Presentation
Cape Cod, Urine Trouble
Hilda Maingay & Earle Barnhart, The Green Center
PowerPoint Presentation
Urine Diversion: Practical Experiences from Brattleboro, VT
Abraham Noe-Hays, Rich Earth Institute
PowerPoint Presentation
Considering Eco-Toilets for Nutrient Management on Cape Cod
Bryan Horsley, MASSTC

Regional Shellfish Efforts to Reduce Nitrogen and Challenges with Scaling-up Production on Cape Cod

PowerPoint Presentation
Challenges and Opportunities in Using Aquaculture for Nitrogen Bioextraction
Josh Reitsma, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant
PowerPoint Presentation
The Value of Oyster Farming: Issues Surrounding 208 Planning & Potential Economic Impacts
Michael DeVasto, Wellfleet Selectboard Member and Commercial Shellfish Grower
PowerPoint Presentation
Aquacultural Production and Nitrogen Removal in Falmouth, MA: Current Progress & Projections
Tom Duncan, Falmouth Water Quality Management Committee and Chuck Martinsen, Falmouth Marine & Environmental Services
PowerPoint Presentation
Incorporation of a Robust Shellfish Program into Mashpee’s Comprehensive Watershed Nitrogen Management Plan: Scaling, Initial Results, Difficulties and Future of the Program
Ashley Fisher and Christopher Avis, Mashpee Division of Natural Resources

Funding Opportunities for Watershed Plans: Grant Program Overviews and Panel Discussion

PowerPoint Presentation
Section 604(b) Water Quality Management Planning Grant Program Section and 319 Nonpoint Source Competitive Grants Program
Padmini Das and Judith Rondeau, Nonpoint Source (NPS) Management Section, MassDEP
PowerPoint Presentation
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program
Courtney Rocha, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
PowerPoint Presentation
Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Grants and Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program
Kathleen Mason, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management
PowerPoint Presentation
Southeast New England Program Watershed Implementation Grants (SWIG)
Thomas Ardito, Restore America’s Estuaries, Southeast New England Program, SNEP
PowerPoint Presentation
Panel Discussion with Participants about Watershed Funding Opportunities