The Wells Reserve is collaborating with NOAAs National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to determine the extent of eutrophication in five northeastern reserves.

ASSETS (Assessment of Estuarine Trophic Status) is the method being used to make these determinations, based largely on the System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) data from each of the reserves.

Today and tomorrow, the Wells NERR is hosting a workshop where preliminary study findings are being presented and where training for reserve managers and others on using the ASSETS approach with their data.

State and regional coastal resource managers and policy makers are attending to learn how ASSETS can be used to evaluate the relative success of current assessment and management policies.

The project team consists of Suzanne Bricker from NCCOS; Michele Dionne, from the Wells NERR; Cayce Dalton, former SWMP tech at WNERR now under contract for this project; and Fred Dillon, a former research assistant at Wells NERR also under contract for this project.