considered as presumptive, because organisms respond to a variety 

 of environmental factors in the field. 



The underlying objective of the DAMOS mussel watch program 

 is to detect any potential for far-field impacts of dredged 

 material disposal; this objective is accomplished by monitoring 

 tissue uptake of selected trace metal and hydrocarbon compounds 

 as an indicator of off-site transport of particulate-associated 

 contaminants. To date, all mussel monitoring studies associated 

 with dredged material disposal at the containment sites in Long 

 Island Sound have shown the effects of disposal on trace metal 

 and hydrocarbon tissue uptake are very limited spatially and of 

 short duration (i.e., associated with the immediate disposal 

 event and then a return to background levels) . These results 

 support the interpretation that sites in Long Island Sound are 

 being effectively managed as containment sites, and any far-field 

 impacts of dredged material disposal are non-existent or 

 undetectable. 



19 



