Study aims to see if oysters can cure Cockeast Pond

WESTPORT — A $525,967 grant will help scientists learn whether oyster colonies can cure Cockeast Pond’s high nitrogen woes.

UMass Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology (SMAST) researchers have been awarded the money by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to determine whether the development of oyster colonies can restore estuaries and salt ponds endangered by high nitrogen levels.

Partnering with the Westport River Watershed Alliance (WRWA), they will use the waters of Cockeast Pond as a natural laboratory to see if oysters can remove excess nitrogen to promote estuarine restoration.  WRWA has joined the team to enhance outreach efforts to other towns and to publicize the results.

If proven successful, the strategy, which uses the natural power of the oyster to cleanse water of nitrogen, could help reduce the need for high cost solutions such as expanded wastewater treatment systems.

This project follows a lengthy study by SMAST and WRWA on the conditions in Cockeast Pond, where the water quality has degraded significantly over decades. The first stage of the project will be to determine if the oysters will survive in the pond’s fluctuating temperature and salinity conditions, and then to measure reductions in nitrogen pollution and the corresponding rebounding of native aquatic species.

The grant is part of a $4.6 million program to develop innovative, cost-effective strategies to protect coastal waters in southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The UMass Dartmouth initiative, led by Dr. Brian Howes and Dr. Roland Samimy at SMAST’s Coastal Systems Program, will use the Westport River and Cockeast Pond (a coastal pond connected to the river) as a natural laboratory to test whether the development of oyster clusters can reduce nitrogen levels that destroy fish and other marine wildlife habitats. If proven successful, the strategy, which utilizes the natural power of the oyster to cleanse water of nitrogen, could help reduce the need for high cost solutions such as expanded wastewater treatment systems.

“Addressing the nitrogen problem along the SouthCoast, Cape Cod and the South Shore will cost billions of dollars if we only consider traditional strategies such as bigger wastewater treatment plants and more sewer lines,” said Dr. Brian Howes of SMAST. “We just don’t have the time or money for that course. It is, therefore, imperative that we find soft solutions that leverage nature, in this case the oyster, to make progress.”

“WRWA is proud to be affiliated with SMAST and to be a part of this important project. We are committed to good science and thoughtful advocacy in helping to improve the Westport River Estuarine System,” said Deborah Weaver, executive director of WRWA.

“UMass Dartmouth is continuing to establish itself as a leader in environmental research,” said Senator Michael Rodrigues (D- Westport). “We are facing a critical need for innovative ways to protect our natural resources. I look forward the SMAST research team’s recommendations on how best to protect our coastal waters.”

"The Westport River and its tributaries are critical to the quality of life in our community," said Rep. Paul Schmid (D-Westport), who is House chairman of the Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture. "I am looking forward to the results of this research and how the science can be used to protect our vital natural resource. This is one shining reason why UMass Dartmouth's This is one shining reason why UMass Dartmouth's ascendance to national research university status is critical to the region."