District launches research vessel

Jeff Benson

The Orange County Sanitation District christened its new $1.3-million

ocean research vessel Nerissa Saturday at the Newport Harbor Nautical

Museum in Newport Beach.

The district plans to use it to collect water samples and monitor

the effects of wastewater discharge on the marine environment.

The new vessel will protect local marine life by testing a

35-square-mile stretch of coastal waters, from Crystal Cove to Seal

Beach. It will also test the wastewater discharge released 200 feet

below the surface from an outfall pipe 4 1/2 miles off the coast of

Huntington Beach, district spokeswoman Sonja Wassgren said.

“I think the vessel itself is actually a testament to how the

sanitation district is committed to protecting marine life,” Wassgren

said. “Our program is a national leader and this is one more way to

solidify and show it.”

The white, 58-foot boat will house the equipment the district uses

to monitor the waters, including an echo sounder, radar, deck crane,

VHF radio, a plotter with a global positioning system and a large

instrument wench that can lower marine apparatuses to collect water

samples, Wassgren said.

The vessel will conduct three types of monitoring -- core

monitoring, regional studies and in-depth studies.

Through core monitoring, crew members will take measurements and

water samples so they can analyze data and see the effects of treated

wastewater on marine life.

The district will also work with other agencies to study water

conditions from Point Conception in Santa Barbara County to Cabo

Colnett in Mexico.

“By comparing our monitoring results with other agencies in the

Bight, it helps to get a regional perspective on what’s happening in

the ocean,” Wassgren said.

And the district will conduct special in-depth studies, such as

wave transportation mechanisms, not addressed in routine monitoring,

she said.

Orange County Coastkeeper founder and executive director Garry

Brown suggested the boat’s christening at Newport Harbor Nautical

Museum.

“The water in front of Newport Beach and Huntington Beach is

probably some of most studied and monitored water in the country,”

Brown said. “This boat is brand new and [specified] by the district

to do the type of testing they do. Not only do they do the type of

testing they did in past, but now they’re doing even more testing.

They’ll have their own boat, and it allows them the flexibility to do

their testing almost on call if something happens.”

The crew will test for pH, oxygen and bacteria levels at different

water depths, Brown said.

The crew will spend as much as 12 hours per day on the boat, where

they will also be able to eat and sleep comfortably, Wassgren said.

“It’s a beautiful boat,” Wassgren said. “It’s all specifically

designed to be a research vessel, and its custom designed and built

to use the monitoring equipment we have. It gives us the flexibility

we need and keeps the crew safe.”

When selecting from one of 640 names for their new ocean research

and monitoring vessel, members of the Orange County Sanitation

District’s Environmental Assessment District ultimately decided on

“Nerissa.” In Greek mythology, Nerissa, the sister of a goddess,

lived on the bottom of the ocean and rendered protection and

assistance to the sailors who passed by.

“The name just fits,” Wassgren said.