Northern Mariana Islands Monitoring Program Tracks Compliance with Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control
The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is taking steps to ensure compliance with its coastal nonpoint pollution control program, which aims to mitigate the impacts of nutrient pollution on water quality.
Monitoring Program
The monitoring program uses video transects and point-quadrat surveys to assess benthic cover in various habitats. Invertebrate belt transects and biodiversity checklists are also completed to gauge the health of marine ecosystems. Permit enforcement is a key component of the monitoring program, with two CNMI agencies - DEQ and CRM - working together to ensure compliance with management measures and Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Permit Enforcement
Permits for activities such as earth moving, erosion control, wastewater systems, and confined animal facility operations are tracked through a GIS-integrated database to monitor implementation. CRM regulates activities in “Areas of Particular Concern” and “Major Siting” areas, including hotel construction and marine sports. Enforcement officers from both agencies patrol the island regularly to identify illegal activities and bring them into compliance.
Changes to Regulations
Recent changes to regulations have increased the ability of enforcement officers to fine lawbreakers for littering and illegal dumping.
Measuring Program Effectiveness
The primary measure of effectiveness of this program is the detection of water quality maintenance or improvement resulting from the implementation of management measures and BMPs. Preliminary analysis of monitoring data has shown the ability to detect statistically significant variation in both chemical/physical and biocriteria water quality parameters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the CNMI Coastal Nonpoint Pollution Control Program is designed to ensure compliance with federal regulations and mitigate the impacts of nutrient pollution on water quality. The monitoring program tracks permit enforcement, regulates activities in sensitive areas, and measures program effectiveness through detection of water quality maintenance or improvement.
References
- Aronson, R. B., P. J. Edmunds, W. F. Precht, D. W. Swanson, and D. R. Levitan (1994). Large-scale long-term monitoring of Caribbean coral reefs: simple, quick, inexpensive techniques. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 421.
- Burr, S. (1996). Long-Term Marine Monitoring Plan for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. DEQ.
- Telesnicki, G. J., and W. M. Goldberg (1995). Effects of turbidity on the photosynthesis and respiration of two South Florida reef coral species. Bulletin of Marine Science 57(2): 527-539.
Appendix: Case Study - Rainfall and NPS Pollution Correlations
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Non-point source pollution is a major concern for CNMI’s surface and marine waters. In order to plan infrastructure development projects, data are necessary for watershed assessments on a regional basis. This case study presents an analysis of the relationship between bacteria levels and rainfall events.
Analysis
Nine sample sites on Saipan were analyzed for high fecal bacterial counts (and beach closures). The goal was to understand what may be causing the various violations and beach closures. Two types of pollution were identified: point source and non-point source pollution.
The analysis tested two hypotheses: if non-point source pollution is the cause of high bacteria levels, then bacteria levels should be related to rainfall events; and if point source pollution is the cause, then bacteria levels should not be dependent on rainfall events.
Results
Weekly rainfall data was supplied by USGS and entered into the DEQESL water quality results spreadsheet. The analysis showed a significant relationship between rainfall and bacteria levels, suggesting that non-point source pollution may be a contributing factor to high bacteria levels in Saipan’s waters.