Our Research
Four rivers—Little River, the Passagassawakeag, the Goose River, and the Wescott Stream— drain into Belfast Bay, which makes the health of the bay a good measure for the health of the watershed, the 9,000 acres of land and waters around us. Learn more about watersheds.
For five months every year, BBWC measures the quality of water in the bay. The data are collated and shared with various entities for comparison to other data and used to document changes resulting from climate change or other environmental conditions.
Water Quality​
What do we test?
The current water quality parameters measured are: dissolved oxygen, pH (acidity/alkalinity), conductivity (which can indicate pollutants), salinity, turbidity (water clarity), and temperature.
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Where do we sample?
Sample sites include four onshore (docks) and five offshore locations in and around Belfast Bay. More locations are being discussed for the future.
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When do we do it?
Samples are taken during high tide approximately every other week beginning the first week of June through the first week of October. Both onshore and offshore events occur each of those weeks.
Our results
The results are entered into spreadsheets and a computer program by the Belfast High School’s Chemistry of the Ocean for sharing with various organizations and the public. Results are entered into a computer program by the Belfast Area High School Chemistry of the Ocean students and shared by the public and interested organizations.
The team is also working with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) who will review and approve the overall program to ensure consistent and accurate sample results. After approval of the plan, the data will be uploaded into the DEP's database for sharing with various experts and other interested parties.
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Microplastics
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In 2025, a new collaborative initiative is underway to monitor microplastics in the wastewater of Belfast. Spearheaded by the BBWC, Penobscot Bay Waterkeepers, Friends of Harriet L. Hartley Conservation and the City of Belfast Wastewater Treatment Plant, this project harnesses local analytical resources to confront a global environmental challenge at the community level.
Microplastics are tiny plastic fragments from clothing, packaging, cooking utensils and everyday consumer products that often slip through wastewater systems and eventually end up in waterways like Belfast Bay. Their presence in aquatic environments poses serious risks to marine life and ecosystem health.
This partnership highlights how grassroots organizations and municipal stakeholders can unite through science, collaboration, and shared commitment to safeguard their local environment. The goal is to better understand the types and estimate quantities of plastic particles leaving households and entering natural systems, while experimenting with practical approaches for data collection.
The first sample was collected in February 2025 at the city’s discharge point and was transported to the Shaw Institute in Blue Hill, Maine for analysis. A powerful technology called “Pyrolysis GC-MS” was used that heats plastic until it decomposes, then identifies its chemical composition. This method can detect even the smallest microplastics offering insight into both quantity and type.
Early results from just half pint of wastewater effluent revealed the presence of polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), nylon 66, and styrene-butadiene rubber. Based on this sample, a roughly estimated three ounces of microplastics may be leaving the Belfast district daily from the wastewater facility after treatment. These findings illustrate how even minimal samples can yield meaningful data about pollution sources and scale.
Maine Healthy Beaches
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​The Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) partners with local municipalities and state parks to monitor 60 participating beaches spanning approximately 200 miles from Kittery to Acadia National Park. Maine Healthy is a statewide effort to monitor water quality and protect public health at Maine's participating coastal saltwater beaches. BBWC's water quality program is working with the DEP to become part of this program.
