ST. THOMAS - With heavy rains flooding the Virgin Islands on Monday morning, scientists at the Environmental Protection Agency Community Action for a Renewed Environment Land and Sea Research seminar only had to look out the window to see the obvious effects of runoff and sedimentation on the ocean.

Brown runoff spilled into the sea as heavy rain fell, leaving long fingers of coffee-colored residue streaming into the blue of the Caribbean Sea.

But those scientists must work hard to find the more subtle effects of the runoff, such as how it affects corals and other sea life.

Discussions on the nuanced and complex relationship between islands and the surrounding marine ecosystems dominated the discussion at the seminar, where members of the Coral Bay Community Council met with local scientists to discuss land use impacts to coastal environments on St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix.

The Coral Bay Community Council recently received a $300,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency to mitigate storm water runoff in Coral Bay.

The grant is to study the watershed and create a plan to stop sedimentation of the bay. The organization is seeking another grant to complete work that will be necessary to implement the planned changes.

As part of the grant, engineers were hired to study the runoff in the area and make changes to guts, roads and settling ponds to stop sedimentation of Coral Bay.

Discussion of the research so far revealed that the many construction sites in Coral Bay and poor drainage have led to heavy sediment runoff.

Scientists also discussed the watersheds, land use and ocean health, impacts of sediment on mangroves and stormwater monitoring.

"Research very conclusively shows that development delivers a lot of harmful sediment to the ocean," said Sharon Coldren, president of the Coral Bay Community Council. "We haven't taken the trouble to keep it out of the ocean."

Many ideas emerged to capture storm runoff during discussion at the symposium. For example, runoff could be collected to provide a fresh water source, sediment collection ponds could be constructed and roads and culverts could be improved.

Some simple ideas can be implemented by private citizens.

"We need lots and lots of plantings," Coldren said. "Any time you have bare dirt you increase stormwater runoff."

Coldren said the community is supportive of efforts to stop storm water runoff.

"The people of coral bay are very interested in doing this in their neighborhoods," she said.

Monday's seminar at the University of the Virgin Islands was sponsored by the Coral Bay Community Council and the Virgin Islands Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. Other partners include Eckerd College, the Island Green Building Association of St. John and the Virgin Islands Marine Advisory Service.