Brad Chase

Working on the Crane River in Danvers

The monitoring component of this project documented temporal and spatial characteristics of smelt spawning runs along Massachusetts Bay during 1988-1995. Biological parameters of smelt populations and water chemistry data were also recorded. The project has since focused on resource restoration and diagnosis of causal factors influencing smelt population reductions. A three-year project on smelt restoration in the Crane River, Danvers, was conducted during 1995-1997. Smelt eggs were transferred from donor populations and success was monitored in terms of egg survival and returning adults.

The Neponset River

The project is now about to conduct a project in the spring of 2002 to relate water chemistry conditions to degraded spawning substrates in seven rivers of Massachusetts Bay that support smelt runs. Final program outcome will be mapping and characterization of all smelt spawning habitat along Massachusetts Bay, and recommendations for restoration and habitat remediation.

Status: field work on monitoring and Danvers River project complete. Reporting expected 2002.