Projects

To support the study of the risk of runoff from artificial turf fields into the Quinnipiac River's watershed.

To support the study of sediment accretion and elevation change in the Quinnipiac marshes, and for a wildlife-exclusion experiment to test the hypothesis that herbivory is preventing vegetation from recolonizing mudflat areas.

To support the study of benthic algae to detect seasonal variation in species composition, as well as testing copper content in situ algal samples and conducting mesocosm copper uptake experiments to test the bioremediation potential of various algal species.

To support the study of several sites along the Quinnipiac River to determine whether endocrine disruptors are present and then trace their source.

To support the study of plasticizers and other chemical pollutants from industrial point sources in Wallingford and North Haven with an emphasis on the pollutant's impact to indigenous fish populations in the Quinnipiac River.

To continue to work on scientifically validated Stream Team assessment program, to redesign the program to use a larger poll of personnel who will learn to perform rapid assessment  in the field to collect baseline and annual data, develop a bioassessment protocol for the salt marsh in the lower river that can be performed by teams, and enlarge citizen "eyes on the river," the Adopt-the-River program, but reorganizing adopters so that they are convened together at least once per year to learn skills of river protection and restoration and to report progress to officials.

To test the hypothesis that Cytec is discharging into the Quinnipiac a large amount ot polymeric formaldehyde which a) has not been accounted for in the permitting process; b) becomes bioavailable over time; c) has great potential to accumulate in sediments and organisms.

To analyze and report on a comparison of effluent monitoring data to permit requirements for industrial National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit holders in the Quinnipiac River Watershed.

To support the project entitled Comparison of Sediment Contaminants in the Branford River and the Quinnipiac River and their effects on the Benthic community.  This proposed research is an investigation of the sediment contaminant load of five sites in the Quinnipiac River and three sites within the Branford River.