Through this project, the WCCOG partnered with municipalities, organizations, and residents to engage and train the public in the tools used to protect public health near areas of high shellfish resources, and to describe the economic value of shellfish to Washington County’s economy. These gauges allowed the DMR to convert restricted harvest areas into rainfall conditional areas in nine river systems with significant clam or aquaculture resource. The DMR partnered on a similar project in 2008 with the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership to install online gauges in Western Maine. The same data available to the DMR is also available to the public via Weather Underground. DMR also has a pollution reporting hotline and automated website that rain gauge monitoring volunteers use to report rainfall totals. DMR staff members view each weather-reporting station online through the Weather Underground website ( ) in order to determine rainfall amounts. The rain gauges provide real-time rainfall data through Internet service provided at the host site. Maine DMR staff installed the new gauges towns are responsible for physical maintenance and reporting any outages to the DMR. Who Will Maintain Equipment, and Gather New Data? The new online rain gauges will add coverage where there is none and redundancy in the event of equipment failure. Potential locations have high shellfish resources with little to no rain gauge coverage. For a map of previously-existing and NEW rain gauge locations, click here. While most Maine counties have enough coastal online gauges, Washington County lacks adequate coverage in some areas. The additional rainfall data helps pinpoint areas actually affected by non-point source pollution, and helps shellfish managers more effectively manage resources. Click here to learn more about this process. ![]() ![]() During a heavy rainfall event of two inches (2") or more of rain in 24 hours or less, it may be necessary for the DMR to enact emergency closures of shellfish harvesting areas. Better data helps the DMR more effectively administer the shellfish sanitation program, provide access to safer shellfish resources, and minimize economic loss due to unnecessary closures.Ī lot of rain in a relatively short period of time can transport non-point source pollution through storm water runoff, negatively affecting the health of bivalve shellfish. The addition of new rain gauges expands rainfall data collection capacity and help the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) more accurately determine when flats need to be closed and when they can be kept open for harvesting. The WCCOG partnered with the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry (DACF) via a Coastal Communities Grant to install 11 new rain gauges throughout Washington County. Rain Gauge Locations in Washington County.Bold Coast Scenic Byway Corridor Management Plan.Online GIS - Written Instruction Guides.Cherryfield Comprehensive Plan Update 2019.
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