Publications by Alexandra Fries

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Norwalk Harbor Report Card (Page 1)

Norwalk Harbor Report Card

Alexandra Fries, Bill Dennison, Caroline Donovan, Suzanne Webster, Vanessa Vargas-Nguyen ·
8 June 2015

The Norwalk Harbor report card is part of a larger effort to assess Long Island Sound health on an annual basis. The Long Island Sound and embayment report cards will provide a picture of overall health. Bringing embayment report cards together with the Long Island Sound report card communicates a complete picture of ecosystem health in the area. The report card provides a geographically specific assessment of annual Norwalk Harbor ecosystem health for 2013.

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Baltimore's Annual Healthy Harbor Report Card: 2013

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries, Heath Kelsey, Bill Dennison ·
28 May 2014

In 2013, Baltimore's streams, river and Harbor scored between 51% and 57%. While this is a failing score, it is an improvement over the 2012 scores, which ranged from 40% to 42%. These modest improvements show that we are headed in the right direction, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Without significant infrastructure repair and environment restoration, areas dominated by urban and suburban development will continue to have poor water quality.

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2013 Chesapeake Bay Report Card (Page 1)

2013 Chesapeake Bay Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Bill Dennison, Alexandra Fries, Tracey Saxby, Heath Kelsey ·
23 May 2014

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. In 2013, the report card includes five water quality indicators and two biotic indicators. In 2013, the overall grade for Chesapeake Bay is a 45%, a C. This means the Bay is in moderate health. Fisheries indicators as well as trajectories of reporting region health are also presented. For further details, visit the Report Card website.

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2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card (Page 1)

2012 Chesapeake Bay Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Bill Dennison, Heath Kelsey, Alexandra Fries ·
3 July 2013

This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of Chesapeake Bay. In 2012, the methods for the report card have changed to include five water quality indicators and two biotic indicators. In 2012, the overall grade for Chesapeake Bay is a 47%, a C. This means the Bay is in moderate health. Fisheries indicators as well as trajectories of reporting region health are also presented. For further details, visit the Report Card website .

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Updating Maryland's Sea-level Rise Projections

Boesch DF, Atkinson LP, Boicourt WC, Boon JD, Cahoon DR, Dalrymple RA, Ezer T, Horton BP, Johnson ZP, Kopp RE, Li M, Moss RH, Parris A and Sommerfield CK ·
26 June 2013

With 3,100 miles of tidal shoreline and low-lying rural and urban lands, "The Free State" is one of the most vulnerable to sea-level rise. Historically, Marylanders have long had to contend with rising water levels along the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and Coastal Bay shores. Shorelines have eroded and low-relief lands and islands (some previously inhabited) have been inundated.

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Baltimore Healthy Harbor Report Card 2012 (Page 1)

Baltimore Healthy Harbor Report Card 2012

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries ·
3 June 2013

This report card was developed to help lead private citizens, government, and businesses toward a healthy Baltimore Harbor, which is swimmable and fishable by 2020. The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, and Blue Water Baltimore, published this Healthy Harbor Report Card to help work toward clean, safe, and accessible streams and Harbor for everyone.

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Sampling and data analysis protocols for Mid-Atlantic non-tidal stream indicators (Page 1)

Sampling and data analysis protocols for Mid-Atlantic non-tidal stream indicators

Wicks EC, Fries AS and Kelsey RH ·
7 May 2013

This document provides guidelines for the successful production of non-tidal stream health report cards. Specifically, this document develops clear and consistent protocols for the identification, collection, and analysis of indicators to be used by report card-producing organizations in Mid-Atlantic rivers and streams.

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2012 Pipe Creek Report Card (Page 1)

2012 Pipe Creek Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries, Heath Kelsey, Katie Foreman ·
20 March 2013

Pipe Creek is a small tributary to Sandusky Bay on the south-central shore of Lake Erie. The Pipe Creek watershed is largely developed by a combination of urban and agricultural land uses. Pipe Creek is best known for its 97 acre State Wildlife Area located at the mouth of Pipe Creek, which was constructed in the early 1990s as a mitigation site for wetlands destroyed by development elsewhere.

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