SMART School: Bangor High School

Location: Bangor, Maine

Mentors: Cary James (cjames@bangorschools.net), Chris Packard (cpackard@bangorschools.net)

SMART student researchers: Madeline Ahola, Maher Alsamsam, Rowan Andrews, Maddie Brookings, Meaghan Caron, Hannah Dunn, Amara Ifeji, Lily McLaughlin, Melissa Tian, Marina Mohawass (Point Person, m.mohawass16@gmail.com)

Group meeting time: Tuesdays at 2:15 pm EST

Watershed: Penobscot River Watershed, mainly Kenduskeag Stream

Research sites:  

Note: We have chosen the following sites on the Kenduskeag Stream because they are located above and below very busy bridges or outfalls. These sites are very good to test for changes in water after rainfall events. 

Kenduskeag; 6 Mile Falls Bridge 44° 49′ 31″ N 68° 48′ 23″ W. This Location contains two sampling sites, above (Site 1) and below (Site 2) the 6 Mile Falls Bridge. 

Site 1
Site 2

Kenduskeag; Brown Brook outfall 44° 44′ 49″ N 68° 58′ 26″ W 14 km. Three sampling sites below Griffin Road Bridge: Site 3 is above Brown Brook outfall where it joins with the Kenduskeag Stream.  Site 4 is at the Brown Brook outfall and Site 5 is below Brown Brook outfall.

 
Sites 3, 4 & 5

Kenduskeag; Valley Avenue 44° 43′ 29″ N 68° 47″ W 10 km. Site 6 is below the I-95 Bridge, above the Arctic Brook outfall. Site 7 is at the outfall where Arctic Brook joins the Kenduskeag Stream. Site 8 is below Arctic Brook outfall.

Team goals and research topics: 

  • The Effects of Stormwater on Four Maine Oligotrophic Lakes and Their Susceptibility to Eutrophication from Hypolimnetic Phosphorus Release and Non-Native Plant Invasion
  • Analysis of Biological Contamination on Littoral Zones of Seven Recreational Freshwater Beaches in Maine
  • Removal of Heavy Metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn) from Synthetic Stormwater Using Bacterial Cellulose Encompassed Activated Carbon Fruit Peels
  • Continuing to Monitor the Water Quality of the Kenduskeag Stream
  • Creating a digital catalog for the identification of macroinvertebrates and invasive plants species.
  • Oxygen isotope ratio Analysis
  • Using Celluslose nanofibers and calcium carbonate to filter surfactants from stormwater

Student Resources