Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters Robert F. Chen Environmental , Earth and Ocean Sciences...G. Bernard Gardner Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125-3393...phone: (617)287-7451 fax: (617)287-7474 email: bernie.gardner@umb.edu Yong Tian Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences University of

Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-30

Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters Robert F. Chen Environmental , Earth and Ocean Sciences...G. Bernard Gardner Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA 02125-3393...phone: (617)287-7451 fax: (617)287-7474 email: bernie.gardner@umb.edu Yong Tian Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences University of

Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-30

Predicting Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter Distributions in Coastal Waters Robert F. Chen Environmental , Earth and Ocean...umb.edu G. Bernard Gardner Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Boulevard Boston, MA...02125-3393 phone: (617) 287-7451 fax: (617) 287-7474 email: bernie.gardner@umb.edu Yong Tian Environmental , Coastal and Ocean Sciences

Evolution of a Man-Made Plume in Coastal Waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Steinmaus, Karen L.; Bowles, Jeff; Woodruff, Dana L.

2006-12-19

The ability to understand the biogeophysical parameters that create ocean color in coastal waters is fundamental to the ability to exploit remote sensing for coastal applications. This article describes an experiment in which a controlled quantity of a single inorganic material with known absorption and scattering properties was released into a coastal environment. The plume experiment was conducted in conjunction with a Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) field collection campaign in and around Sequim Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington State. The objective of the field campaign was to identify and characterize features in the nearmore » shore environment from the standpoint of quantifying environmental parameters to improve operational planning in littoral regions. The aerial component of the mission involved imagery acquisitions from the NRL's PHILLS hyperspectral sensor, and two commercial IR cameras. Coincident satellite data was obtained from commercial sources. Ground truth activities included atmospheric profiles, ground, surface water, and in-water spectral measurements, panels for radiometric calibration, water column water optics, water samples and profiles from support vessels, in-situ tide and weather measurements, and beach and intertidal transects and surveys (via scientific dive teams). This field collection campaign provided a unique opportunity for a multisensor data collection effort in littoral regions, to identify and characterize features from multiple platforms (satellite, aerial, water surface and subsurface) and sensors. Data from this mission is being used as input to both radiative transfer and ocean transport models, for characterizing the water column and the near-shore, and quantitatively estimating circulation and transport in coastal environments.« less

CLASSIFYING COASTAL WATERS: HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND CURRENT FOCUS ON AQUATIC STRESSORS

EPA Science Inventory

Coastal ecosystems are ecologically and commercially productive habitats that are experiencing significant impacts associated with accelerated population growth in coastal zones. The Clean Water Act requires identification of impaired water bodies and determination of the causes ...

An approach to developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters using the SeaWiFS Satellite Data Record.

PubMed

Schaeffer, Blake A; Hagy, James D; Conmy, Robyn N; Lehrter, John C; Stumpf, Richard P

2012-01-17

Human activities on land increase nutrient loads to coastal waters, which can increase phytoplankton production and biomass and associated ecological impacts. Numeric nutrient water quality standards are needed to protect coastal waters from eutrophication impacts. The Environmental Protection Agency determined that numeric nutrient criteria were necessary to protect designated uses of Florida's waters. The objective of this study was to evaluate a reference condition approach for developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters, using data from Florida. Florida's coastal waters have not been monitored comprehensively via field sampling to support numeric criteria development. However, satellite remote sensing had the potential to provide adequate data. Spatial and temporal measures of SeaWiFS OC4 chlorophyll-a (Chl(RS)-a, mg m(-3)) were resolved across Florida's coastal waters between 1997 and 2010 and compared with in situ measurements. Statistical distributions of Chl(RS)-a were evaluated to determine a quantitative reference baseline. A binomial approach was implemented to consider how new data could be assessed against the criteria. The proposed satellite remote sensing approach to derive numeric criteria may be generally applicable to other coastal waters.

An Approach to Developing Numeric Water Quality Criteria for Coastal Waters Using the SeaWiFS Satellite Data Record

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Human activities on land increase nutrient loads to coastal waters, which can increase phytoplankton production and biomass and associated ecological impacts. Numeric nutrient water quality standards are needed to protect coastal waters from eutrophication impacts. The Environmental Protection Agency determined that numeric nutrient criteria were necessary to protect designated uses of Florida’s waters. The objective of this study was to evaluate a reference condition approach for developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters, using data from Florida. Florida’s coastal waters have not been monitored comprehensively via field sampling to support numeric criteria development. However, satellite remote sensing had the potential to provide adequate data. Spatial and temporal measures of SeaWiFS OC4 chlorophyll-a (ChlRS-a, mg m–3) were resolved across Florida’s coastal waters between 1997 and 2010 and compared with in situ measurements. Statistical distributions of ChlRS-a were evaluated to determine a quantitative reference baseline. A binomial approach was implemented to consider how new data could be assessed against the criteria. The proposed satellite remote sensing approach to derive numeric criteria may be generally applicable to other coastal waters. PMID:22192062

Atmospheric correction over coastal waters using multilayer neural networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Y.; Li, W.; Charles, G.; Jamet, C.; Zibordi, G.; Schroeder, T.; Stamnes, K. H.

2017-12-01

Standard atmospheric correction (AC) algorithms work well in open ocean areas where the water inherent optical properties (IOPs) are correlated with pigmented particles. However, the IOPs of turbid coastal waters may independently vary with pigmented particles, suspended inorganic particles, and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). In turbid coastal waters standard AC algorithms often exhibit large inaccuracies that may lead to negative water-leaving radiances (Lw) or remote sensing reflectance (Rrs). We introduce a new atmospheric correction algorithm for coastal waters based on a multilayer neural network (MLNN) machine learning method. We use a coupled atmosphere-ocean radiative transfer model to simulate the Rayleigh-corrected radiance (Lrc) at the top of the atmosphere (TOA) and the Rrs just above the surface simultaneously, and train a MLNN to derive the aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Rrs directly from the TOA Lrc. The SeaDAS NIR algorithm, the SeaDAS NIR/SWIR algorithm, and the MODIS version of the Case 2 regional water - CoastColour (C2RCC) algorithm are included in the comparison with AERONET-OC measurements. The results show that the MLNN algorithm significantly improves retrieval of normalized Lw in blue bands (412 nm and 443 nm) and yields minor improvements in green and red bands. These results indicate that the MLNN algorithm is suitable for application in turbid coastal waters. Application of the MLNN algorithm to MODIS Aqua images in several coastal areas also shows that it is robust and resilient to contamination due to sunglint or adjacency effects of land and cloud edges. The MLNN algorithm is very fast once the neural network has been properly trained and is therefore suitable for operational use. A significant advantage of the MLNN algorithm is that it does not need SWIR bands, which implies significant cost reduction for dedicated OC missions. A recent effort has been made to extend the MLNN AC algorithm to extreme atmospheric conditions

Recent Advances in Understanding the Sources of Methylmercury to Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mason, R. P.; Balcom, P.; Chen, C.; Gosnell, K. J.; Jonsson, S.; Mazrui, N.; Ortiz, V.; Seelen, E.; Schartup, A. T.; Sunderland, E. M.

2015-12-01

Understanding the sources of methylmercury (MeHg) to the food chain in coastal waters is important given the related health concerns from consumption of seafood containing elevated MeHg. While water column dissolved or particulate MeHg is the best predictor of bioaccumulation into pelagic organisms in coastal waters, there is debate concerning the dominant sources of MeHg to the water column, and how the relative importance of these sources vary with ecosystem characteristics. Potential sources include both external inputs from the watershed and offshore waters and internal sources (net methylation in sediments and the associated flux of MeHg to the water column and/or net MeHg production in the water column). We will report the results from our various studies in estuarine and coastal waters which have examined the distribution and partitioning of sediment and water column MeHg, and its formation and degradation, across a geographic range from Labrador, Canada to the Chesapeake Bay, USA. The ecosystems studied vary from shallow estuarine bays to deeper systems, and from salt wedge to tidally-dynamic systems. Additionally, both pristine and contaminated environments were examined. The studies examined the factors controlling the net production of MeHg in sediments, and in our more recent work, the potential formation of MeHg in the oxic water column of coastal waters. Sediment measurements (core and grab samples) included both solid phase and porewater MeHg and total mercury (HgT) and important ancillary parameters. Water column parameters included dissolved and particulate MeHg and HgT, TSS, nutrients, and DOC. Stable Hg isotope tracer incubations were used to assess the degree of methylation and demethylation in sediments and surface waters. Average suspended particle MeHg ranged from <5 to 120 pmol/g, and was 1-8% of HgT across sites. Mass balance estimates provide insights into the importance of external MeHg sources to coastal waters. We will use the

Coastal groundwater/surface-water interactions: a Great Lakes case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Neff, Brian P.; Haack, Sheridan K.; Rosenberry, Donald O.; Savino, Jacqueline F.; Lundstrom, Scott C.

2006-01-01

Key similarities exist between marine and Great Lakes coastal environments. Water and nutrient fluxes across lakebeds in the Great Lakes are influenced by seiche and wind set-up and set-down, analogous to tidal influence in marine settings. Groundwater/surface-water interactions also commonly involve a saline-fresh water interface, although in the Great-Lakes cases, it is groundwater that is commonly saline and surface water that is fresh. Evapotranspiration also affects nearshore hydrology in both settings. Interactions between groundwater and surface water have recently been identified as an important component of ecological processes in the Great Lakes. Water withdrawals and the reversal of the groundwater/surface water seepage gradient are also common to many coastal areas around the Great Lakes. As compared to surface water, regional groundwater that discharges to western Lake Erie from Michigan is highly mineralized. Studies conducted by the U.S. Geological Survey at Erie State Game Area in southeastern Michigan, describe groundwater flow dynamics and chemistry, shallow lake-water chemistry, and fish and invertebrate communities. Results presented here provide an overview of recent progress of ongoing interdisciplinary studies of Great Lakes nearshore systems and describe a conceptual model that identifies relations among geologic, hydrologic, chemical, and biological processes in the coastal habitats of Lake Erie. This conceptual model is based on analysis of hydraulic head in piezometers at the study site and chemical analysis of deep and shallow coastal groundwater.

Reflected GPS Power for the Detection of Surface Roughness Patterns in Coastal Water

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oertel, George, F.; Allen, Thomas R.

2000-01-01

Coastal bays formed by the barrier islands of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia are parts of a coastal region known as a "Coastal Compartment". The coastal compartment between the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays is actually the mosaic of landscapes on the headland of the interfluve that separates these large drainage basins. The coastal compartments form a variety of different-shaped waterways landward of the coastline. Shape differences along the boundaries produce differences in exposure to wind and waves. Different shoreface topographies seaward of the coastline also influence surface roughness by changing wave-refraction patterns. Surface-water roughness (caused by waves) is controlled by a number of parameters, including fetch, shielding, exposure corridors, water-mass boundary conditions, wetland vegetation and water depth in coastal bays. In the coastal ocean, surface roughness patterns are controlled by shoreface shoaling and inlet refraction patterns in the coastal ocean. Knowledge of wave phenomena in the nearshore and backbarrier areas is needed to understand how wave climate influences important ecosystems in estuaries and bays.

Coastal Zone Hazards Related to Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions and Groundwater Flooding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontar, Y. A.; Ozorovich, Y. R.; Salokhiddinov, A. T.

2009-12-01

Worldwide, as many as half a million people have died in natural and man-made disasters since the turn of the 21st century (Wirtz, 2008). Further, natural and man-made hazards can lead to extreme financial losses (Elsner et al, 2009). Hazards, hydrological and geophysical risk analysis related to groundwater-surface water interactions and groundwater flooding have been to a large extent under-emphasized for coastal zone applications either due to economical limitations or underestimation of its significance. This is particularly true for tsunamis creating salt water intrusion to coastal aquifers, even though most tsunami hazard assessments have in the past relied on scenario or deterministic type models (Geist and Parsons, 2006), and to increasing mineralization of potable water because of intensive water diversions and also the abundance of highly toxic pollutants (mainly pesticides) in water, air and food, which contribute to the deterioration of the coastal population's health (Glantz, 2007). In the wake of pressing environmental and economic issues, it is of prime importance for the scientific community to shed light onto the great efforts by hydrologists and geophysicists to quantify conceptual uncertainties and to provide quality assurances of potential coastal zone hazard evaluation and prediction. This paper proposes consideration of two case studies which are important and significant for future development and essential for feasibility studies of hazards in the coastal zone. The territory of the Aral Sea Region in Central Asia is known as an ecological disaster coastal zone (Zavialov, 2005). It is now obvious that, in order to provide reasonable living conditions to the coastal zone population, it is first of all necessary to drastically improve the quality of the water dedicated to human needs. Due to their intensive pollution by industrial wastes and by drainage waters from irrigated fields, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers can no longer be considered

Accuracy assessment of satellite Ocean colour products in coastal waters.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tilstone, G.; Lotliker, A.; Groom, S.

2012-04-01

The use of Ocean Colour Remote Sensing to monitor phytoplankton blooms in coastal waters is hampered by the absorption and scattering from substances in the water that vary independently of phytoplankton. In this paper we compare different ocean colour algorithms available for SeaWiFS, MODIS and MERIS with in situ observations of Remote Sensing Reflectance, Chlorophyll-a (Chla), Total Suspended Material and Coloured Dissolved Organic Material in coastal waters of the Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, North Sea and Western English Channel, which have contrasting inherent optical properties. We demonstrate a clustering method on specific-Inherent Optical Properties (sIOP) that gives accurate water quality products from MERIS data (HYDROPT) and also test the recently developed ESA CoastColour MERIS products. We found that for coastal waters of the Bay of Bengal, OC5 gave the most accurate Chla, for the Arabian Sea GSM and OC3M Chla were more accurate and for the North Sea and Western English Channel, MERIS HYDROPT were more accurate than standard algorithms. The reasons for these differences will be discussed. A Chla time series from 2002-2011 will be presented to illustrate differences in algorithms between coastal regions and inter- and intra-annual variability in phytoplankton blooms

CLASSIFYING COASTAL WATERS:CURRENT NECESSITY AND HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

EPA Science Inventory

Coastal ecosystems are ecologically and commercially valuable, productive habitats that are experiencing escalating compromises of their structural and functional integrity. The Clean Water Act (USC 1972) requires identification of impaired water bodies and determination of the c...

Decision making for multiple utilization of water resources in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Memon, Pyar Ali

1989-09-01

The Clutha is the largest river in New Zealand. The last two decades have witnessed major conflicts centered on the utilization of the water resources of the upper Clutha river. These conflicts have by no means been finally resolved. The focus of this article is on institutional arrangements for water resource management on the Clutha, with particular reference to the decision-making processes that have culminated in the building of the high dam. It critically evaluates recent experiences and comments on future prospects for resolving resource use conflicts rationally through planning for multiple utilization in a climate of market led policies of the present government. The study demonstrates the inevitable conflicts that can arise within a public bureaucracy that combines dual responsibilities for policy making and operational functions. Hitherto, central government has been able to manipulate the water resource allocation process to its advantage because of a lack of clear separation between its two roles as a policy maker and developer. The conflicts that have manifested themselves during the last two decades over the Clutha should be seen as part of a wider public debate during the last two decades concerning resource utilization in New Zealand. The Clutha controversy was preceded by comparable concerns over the rising of the level of Lake Manapouri during the 1960s and has been followed by the debate over the “think big” resource development projects during the 1980s. The election of the fourth Labour government in 1983 has heralded a political and economic policy shift in New Zealand towards minimizing the role of public intervention in resource allocation and major structural reforms in the relative roles of central and regional government in resource management. The significance of these changes pose important implications for the future management of the Clutha.

Ecology of coliphages in southern California coastal waters.

PubMed

Reyes, V C; Jiang, S C

2010-08-01

This study aims to investigate the ecology of coliphages, an important microbial pollution indicator. Specifically, our experiments address (i) the ability of environmental Escherichia coli (E. coli) to serve as hosts for coliphage replication, and (ii) the temporal and spatial distribution of coliphages in coastal waters. Water samples from three locations in California's Newport Bay watershed were tested for the presence of coliphages every 2 weeks for an entire year. A total of nine E. coli strains isolated from various sources served as hosts for coliphage detection. Coliphage occurrence was significantly different between freshwater, estuarine and coastal locations and correlated with water temperature, salinity and rainfall in the watershed. The coliphages isolated on the environmental hosts had a broad host-range relative to the coliphages isolated on an E. coli strain from sewage and a US EPA recommended strain for coliphage detection. Coliphage occurrence was related to the temperature, rainfall and salinity within the bay. The adaptation to a broad host-range may enable the proliferation of coliphages in the aquatic environment. Understanding the seasonal variation of phages is useful for establishing a background level of coliphage presence in coastal waters. The broad host-range of coliphages isolated on the environmental E. coli host calls for investigation of coliphage replication in the aquatic environment.

Seismic Characterization of Oceanic Water Masses, Water Mass Boundaries, and Mesoscale Eddies SE of New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorman, Andrew R.; Smillie, Matthew W.; Cooper, Joanna K.; Bowman, M. Hamish; Vennell, Ross; Holbrook, W. Steven; Frew, Russell

2018-02-01

The Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts, which separate Subtropical, Subantarctic, and Antarctic Intermediate Waters, are diverted to the south of New Zealand by the submerged continental landmass of Zealandia. In the upper ocean of this region, large volumes of dissolved or suspended material are intermittently transported across the Subtropical Front; however, the mechanisms of such transport processes are enigmatic. Understanding these oceanic boundaries in three dimensions generally depends on measurements collected from stationary vessels and moorings. The details of these data sets, which are critical for understanding how water masses interact and mix at the fine-scale (<10 m) to mesoscale (10-100 km), are inadequately constrained due to resolution considerations. Southeast of New Zealand, high-resolution seismic reflection images of oceanic water masses have been produced using petroleum industry data. These seismic sections clearly show three main water masses, the boundary zones (fronts) between them, and associated thermohaline fine structure that may be related to the mixing of water masses in this region. Interpretations of the data suggest that the Subtropical Front in this region is a landward-dipping zone, with a width that can vary between 20 and 40 km. The boundary zone between Subantarctic Waters and the underlying Antarctic Intermediate Waters is also observed to dip landward. Several isolated lenses have been identified on the three data sets, ranging in size from 9 to 30 km in diameter. These lenses are interpreted to be mesoscale eddies that form at relatively shallow depths along the south side of the Subtropical Front.

Water quality of surficial aquifers in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Crandall, C.A.; Berndt, M.P.

1996-01-01

The National Water Quality Assessment Program of the U.S. Geological Survey established the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit in 1991. The ground-water study-unit survey was conducted in 1993 to provide a broad over-view of water quality in surficial aquifers. Three land resource provinces were included in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study-unit survey: the Central Florida Ridge, the Coastal Flatwoods, and the Southern Coastal Plain. The U.S. Geological Survey sampled 37 wells in surficial aquifers, 18 in the Coastal Flatwoods and 19 in the Southern Coastal Plain. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection sampled 27 wells tapping surficial aquifers in the Central Florida Ridge as part of the background ground-water quality monitoring network from 1985 through 1989. The data were used to characterize water quality in surficial aquifers of the Central Florida Ridge. Results of the study-unit survey indicated that dissolved solids concentrations in ground water were mostly less than 100 mg/L (milligrams per liter). Higher medians of pH, specific conductance, and concentrations of calcium, bicarbonate, and dissolved solids were measured in samples from the Central Florida Ridge compared to the Southern Coastal Plain and Coastal Flatwoods, probably because of a greater percentage of carbonate minerals in aquifer materials. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency secondary maximum contaminant level for iron of 300 ug/L (micrograms per liter) in drinking water was exceeded in 15 of 45 samples. Concentrations of nitrate as nitrogen were less than 3.0 mg/L in most samples (74 percent), indicating little or no influence from human activity. Only five samples (9 percent) had concentrations above 10 mg/L, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level for nitrate concentration in drinking water. Significantly lower median concentrations of nitrate were measured in samples from polyvinyl chloride monitoring wells with diameters less

ASSESSING COASTAL WATERS OF AMERICAN SAMOA: TERRITORY-WIDE WATER QUALITY DATA PROVIDE A CRITICAL 'BIG-PICTURE' VIEW FOR THIS TROPICAL ARCHIPELAGO

EPA Science Inventory

The coastal waters of American Samoa’s 5 high islands (Tutuila, Aunu’u, Ofu, Olosega,and Ta’u) were surveyed in 2004 using a probabilistic design. Water quality data were collected from the near-shore coastal habitat, defined as all near-shore coastal waters including embayments,...

First report of Toxoplasma gondii sporulated oocysts and Giardia duodenalis in commercial green-lipped mussels (Perna canaliculus) in New Zealand.

PubMed

Coupe, Alicia; Howe, Laryssa; Burrows, Elizabeth; Sine, Abigail; Pita, Anthony; Velathanthiri, Niluka; Vallée, Emilie; Hayman, David; Shapiro, Karen; Roe, Wendi D

2018-05-01

Pollution of marine ecosystems with the protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia duodenalis can be studied using bivalve shellfish as biosentinels. Although evidence suggests that these parasites are present in New Zealand coastal waters, the extent of protozoal pollution has not been investigated. This study used optimised molecular methods to detect the presence of Cryptosporidium spp., G. duodenalis and T. gondii in commercially sourced green-lipped mussel (Perna canaliculus), an endemic species found throughout coastal New Zealand. A nested polymerase chain reaction was validated for detection of T. gondii DNA and applied to 104 commercially sourced mussels. Thirteen mussels were positive for T. gondii DNA with an estimated true prevalence of 16.4% using Bayesian statistics, and the presence of T. gondii in mussels was significantly associated with collection during the summer compared with that in the winter (P = 0.003). Consumption of contaminated shellfish may also pose a health risk for humans and marine wildlife. As only sporulated T. gondii oocysts can be infectious, a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction was used to confirm presence of a sporozoite-specific marker (SporoSAG), detected in four mussels. G. duodenalis assemblage B, known to be pathogenic in humans, was also discovered in 1% mussels, tested by polymerase chain reaction (n = 90). Cryptosporidium spp. was not detected in the sampled mussel haemolymph. Results suggest that New Zealand may have high levels of coastal contamination with T. gondii, particularly in summer months, and that naturally exposed mussels can ingest and retain sporulated oocysts, further establishing shellfish consumption as a health concern.

USING SPARROW MODEL RESULTS TO ASSIST WITH COASTAL WATER ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The National Coastal Assessment (NCA) has proposed a national strategy for research and monitoring in support of coastal water assessment that involves three tiers: Problem Characterization (Tier 1), involving probabilistic surveys to document broad-scale response properties; D...

19 CFR 4.66b - Pollution of coastal and navigable waters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Pollution of coastal and navigable waters. 4.66b Section 4.66b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... coastal and navigable waters. (a) If any Customs officer has reason to believe that any refuse matter is...

19 CFR 4.66b - Pollution of coastal and navigable waters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Pollution of coastal and navigable waters. 4.66b Section 4.66b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... coastal and navigable waters. (a) If any Customs officer has reason to believe that any refuse matter is...

19 CFR 4.66b - Pollution of coastal and navigable waters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Pollution of coastal and navigable waters. 4.66b Section 4.66b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... coastal and navigable waters. (a) If any Customs officer has reason to believe that any refuse matter is...

19 CFR 4.66b - Pollution of coastal and navigable waters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Pollution of coastal and navigable waters. 4.66b Section 4.66b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... coastal and navigable waters. (a) If any Customs officer has reason to believe that any refuse matter is...

19 CFR 4.66b - Pollution of coastal and navigable waters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Pollution of coastal and navigable waters. 4.66b Section 4.66b Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... coastal and navigable waters. (a) If any Customs officer has reason to believe that any refuse matter is...

Wading through Perceptions: Understanding Human Perceptions of Water Quality in Coastal Waters

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality perceptions influence people’s preferences for visiting coastal areas and willingness to participate in activities on or near the water. They also influence people’s social values for a waterbody, sense of place, support for protection of a waterbody, an...

Evaluating Radiometric Sensitivity of LandSat 8 Over Coastal-Inland Waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pahlevan, Nima; Wei, Jian-Wei; Shaaf, Crystal B.; Schott, John R.

2014-01-01

The operational Land Imager (OLI) aboard Landsat 8 was launched in February 2013 to continue the Landsat's mission of monitoring earth resources at relatively high spatial resolution. Compared to Landsat heritage sensors, OLI has an additional 443-nm band (termed coastal/aerosol (CA) band), which extends its potential for mapping/monitoring water quality in coastal/inland waters. In addition, OLI's pushbroom design allows for longer integration time and, as a result, higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Using a series of radiative transfer simulations, we provide insights into the radiometric sensitivity of OLI when studying coastal/inland waters. This will address how the changes in water constituents manifest at top-of-atmosphere (TOA) and whether the changes are resolvable at TOA (focal plane) relative to OLI's overall noise.

Hydrology and water budget for a forested atlantic coastal plain watershed, South Carolina

Treesearch

Scott V. Harder; Devendra M Amatya; Callahan Timothy J.; Carl C. Trettin; Hakkila Jon

2007-01-01

Increases in timber demand and urban development in the Atlantic Coastal Plain over the past decade have motivated studies on the hydrology, water quality, and sustainable management of coastal plain watersheds. However, studies on baseline water budgets are limited for the low-lying, forested watersheds of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The purpose of this study was to...

Hyrdology and water budget for a forested atlantic coastal plain watershed, South Carolina

Treesearch

Scott V. Harder; Devendra M. Amatya; Timothy J. Callahan; Carl C. Trettin; Jon Hakkila

2007-01-01

Increases in timber demand and urban development in the Atlantic Coastal Plain over the past decade have motivated studies on the hydrology, water quality, and sustainable management of coastal plain watersheds. However, studies on baseline water budgets are limited for the low-lying, forested watersheds of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. The purpose of this study was to...

Water resources of Lincoln County coastal area, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Frank, F.J.; Laenen, Antonius

1976-01-01

Water supplies for all municipalities in Lincoln County currently (1975) are obtained from surface-water sources. Because of rapid economic development of the coastal area, it is expected that additional water will be needed in the future. Additional water can be supplied (1) by reservoirs on major streams; (2) by the expansion, in some locations, of present surface-water facilities on small streams; and (3) locally, by an additional small volume of supplemental water from ground-water sources.

A new species of sea urchin associating clingfish of the genus Dellichthys from New Zealand (Teleostei, Gobiesocidae)

PubMed Central

Conway, Kevin W.; Stewart, Andrew L.; Summers, Adam P.

2018-01-01

Abstract A new species of clingfish, Dellichthys trnskii sp. n. is described on the basis of 27 specimens, 11.9–46.0 mm SL, collected from intertidal and shallow coastal waters of New Zealand. It is distinguished from its only congener, D. morelandi Briggs, 1955 by characters of the cephalic sensory system and oral jaws, snout shape, and colouration in life. A rediagnosis is provided for D. morelandi, which is shown to exhibit sexual dimorphism in snout shape. PMID:29674890

Toward a better guard of coastal water safety-Microbial distribution in coastal water and their facile detection.

PubMed

Xie, Yunxuan; Qiu, Ning; Wang, Guangyi

2017-05-15

Prosperous development in marine-based tourism has raised increasing concerns over the sanitary quality of coastal waters with potential microbial contamination. The World Health Organization has set stringent standards over a list of pathogenic microorganisms posing potential threats to people with frequent coastal water exposure and has asked for efficient detection procedures for pathogen facile identification. Inspection of survey events regarding the occurrence of marine pathogens in recreational beaches in recent years has reinforced the need for the development of a rapid identification procedure. In this review, we examine the possibility of recruiting uniform molecular assays to identify different marine pathogens and the feasibility of appropriate biomarkers, including enterochelin biosynthetic genes, for general toxicity assays. The focus is not only on bacterial pathogens but also on other groups of infectious pathogens. The ultimate goal is the development of a handy method to more efficiently and rapidly detect marine pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Application of Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Techniques to Evaluate Water Quality in Turbid Coastal Waters of South Carolina.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, K. A.; Ryan, K.

2014-12-01

Coastal and inland waters represent a diverse set of resources that support natural habitat and provide valuable ecosystem services to the human population. Conventional techniques to monitor water quality using in situ sensors and laboratory analysis of water samples can be very time- and cost-intensive. Alternatively, remote sensing techniques offer better spatial coverage and temporal resolution to accurately characterize the dynamic and unique water quality parameters. Existing remote sensing ocean color products, such as the water quality proxy chlorophyll-a, are based on ocean derived bio-optical models that are primarily calibrated in Case 1 type waters. These traditional models fail to work when applied in turbid (Case 2 type), coastal waters due to spectral interference from other associated color producing agents such as colored dissolved organic matter and suspended sediments. In this work, we introduce a novel technique for the predictive modeling of chlorophyll-a using a multivariate-based approach applied to in situ hyperspectral radiometric data collected from the coastal waters of Long Bay, South Carolina. This method uses a partial least-squares regression model to identify prominent wavelengths that are more sensitive to chlorophyll-a relative to other associated color-producing agents. The new model was able to explain 80% of the observed chlorophyll-a variability in Long Bay with RMSE = 2.03 μg/L. This approach capitalizes on the spectral advantage gained from current and future hyperspectral sensors, thus providing a more robust predicting model. This enhanced mode of water quality monitoring in marine environments will provide insight to point-sources and problem areas that may contribute to a decline in water quality. The utility of this tool is in its versatility to a diverse set of coastal waters and its use by coastal and fisheries managers with regard to recreation, regulation, economic and public health purposes.

Imbalance in Groundwater-Surface Water Interactions and its Relationship to the Coastal Zone Hazards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kontar, Y. A.; Ozorovich, Y. R.; Salokhiddinov, A. T.

2011-12-01

We report here some efforts and results in studying the imbalance in groundwater-surface water interactions and processes of groundwater-surface water interactions and groundwater flooding creating hazards in the coastal zones. Hazards, hydrological and geophysical risk analysis related to imbalance in groundwater-surface water interactions and groundwater flooding have been to a large extent under-emphasized for coastal zone applications either due to economical limitations or underestimation of significance of imbalance in groundwater-surface water interactions. This is particularly true for tsunamis creating salt water intrusion to coastal aquifers, even though most tsunami hazard assessments have in the past relied on scenario or deterministic type models, and to increasing mineralization of potable water because of intensive water diversions and also the abundance of highly toxic pollutants (mainly pesticides) in water, air and food, which contribute to the deterioration of the coastal population's health. In the wake of pressing environmental and economic issues, it is of prime importance for the scientific community to shed light onto the great efforts by hydrologists and geophysicists to quantify conceptual uncertainties and to provide quality assurances of potential coastal zone hazard evaluation and prediction under conditions of imbalance in groundwater-surface water interactions. This paper proposes consideration of two case studies which are important and significant for future understanding of a concept of imbalance in groundwater-surface water interactions and development and essential for feasibility studies of hazards in the coastal zone. The territory of the Aral Sea Region in Central Asia is known as an ecological disaster coastal zone. It is now obvious that, in order to provide reasonable living conditions to the coastal zone population, it is first of all necessary to drastically improve the quality of the water dedicated to human needs. Due

Diurnal changes in ocean color in coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnone, Robert; Vandermeulen, Ryan; Ladner, Sherwin; Ondrusek, Michael; Kovach, Charles; Yang, Haoping; Salisbury, Joseph

2016-05-01

Coastal processes can change on hourly time scales in response to tides, winds and biological activity, which can influence the color of surface waters. These temporal and spatial ocean color changes require satellite validation for applications using bio-optical products to delineate diurnal processes. The diurnal color change and capability for satellite ocean color response were determined with in situ and satellite observations. Hourly variations in satellite ocean color are dependent on several properties which include: a) sensor characterization b) advection of water masses and c) diurnal response of biological and optical water properties. The in situ diurnal changes in ocean color in a dynamic turbid coastal region in the northern Gulf of Mexico were characterized using above water spectral radiometry from an AErosol RObotic NETwork (AERONET -WavCIS CSI-06) site that provides up to 8-10 observations per day (in 15-30 minute increments). These in situ diurnal changes were used to validate and quantify natural bio-optical fluctuations in satellite ocean color measurements. Satellite capability to detect changes in ocean color was characterized by using overlapping afternoon orbits of the VIIRS-NPP ocean color sensor within 100 minutes. Results show the capability of multiple satellite observations to monitor hourly color changes in dynamic coastal regions that are impacted by tides, re-suspension, and river plume dispersion. Hourly changes in satellite ocean color were validated with in situ observation on multiple occurrences during different times of the afternoon. Also, the spatial variability of VIIRS diurnal changes shows the occurrence and displacement of phytoplankton blooms and decay during the afternoon period. Results suggest that determining the temporal and spatial changes in a color / phytoplankton bloom from the morning to afternoon time period will require additional satellite coverage periods in the coastal zone.

Analysis and parameterization of absorption properties of northern Norwegian coastal water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nima, Ciren; Frette, Øyvind; Hamre, Børge; Erga, Svein Rune; Chen, Yi-Chun; Zhao, Lu; Sørensen, Kai; Norli, Marit; Stamnes, Knut; Muyimbwa, Dennis; Ssenyonga, Taddeo; Ssebiyonga, Nicolausi; Stamnes, Jakob J.

2017-02-01

Coastal water bodies are generally classified as Case 2 water, in which non-algal particles (NAP) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) contribute significantly to the optical properties in addition to phytoplankton. These three constituents vary independently in Case 2 water and tend to be highly variable in space and time. We present data from measurements and analyses of the spectral absorption due to CDOM, total suspended matter (TSM), phytoplankton, and NAP in high-latitude northern Norwegian coastal water based on samples taken in spring, summer, and autumn.

Marine environmental risk assessment and acute water quality criterion for pentachlorophenol in coastal waters.

PubMed

Beiras, R; Tato, T

2018-04-07

Pentachlorophenol (PCP) is a organochlorine biocide that, unlike most other organochlorines, is still in use as timber preservative. Its water solubility, high toxicity, bioaccumulation potential, and the concentrations reported in estuarine waters (up to 0.1 µg L -1 ) indicate it may pose a risk in coastal environments. Aquatic environrmental regulations are commonly based on standard freshwater organisms that may not represent the sensitivity of marine species. The present study consists of a water quality criteira reevalutation of PCP in coastal waters based on toxicity tests conducted recording sensitive endpoints of marine species representative of coastal ecosystems, following QA/QC standard procedures. The toxicity thresholds (EC 10 ) found were 4.69 µg L -1 for Paracentrotus lividus sea-urchin embryos, 6.47 µg L -1 for Mytilus galloprovincialis mussel larvae, and 78.4 µg L -1 for Isochrysis galbana cells. Therefore, there is only one order of magnitude between the predicted no-effect concentration (PNEC) for early life stages of bivalves and echinoderms and the maximum concentrations actually recorded in coastal water, which yields a remarkable risk quotient for PCP in these highly productive marine habitats. In addition, we have reviewed the ecotoxicological data on PCP toxicity on marine species representative of the main systematic groups, from algae to chordates, and derived a probabilistic acute saltwater quality criterion of 2.66 µg L -1 , intended to protect 95% of the marine species. Lack of adequate protection for marine ecosystems in some current PCP national guidelines has been identified.

Climatology of meteorological ``bombs'' in the New Zealand region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leslie, L. M.; Leplastrier, M.; Buckley, B. W.; Qi, L.

2005-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to present a recently developed climatology of explosively developing south eastern Tasman Sea extra-tropical cyclones, or meteorological “bombs”, using a latitude dependent definition for meteorological bombs based on that of Simmonds and Keay (2000a, b), and Lim and Simmonds (2002). These highly transient systems, which have a damaging impact upon New Zealand, are frequently accompanied by destructive winds, flood rains, and coastal storm surges. Two cases are selected from the climatology and briefly described here. The first case study is the major flood and storm force wind event of June 20 to 21, 2002 that affected the Coromandel Peninsula region of the North Island of New Zealand. The second case was a “supercyclone” bomb that developed well to the southwest of New Zealand region during May 29 to 31, 2004, but which could easily have formed in the New Zealand region with catastrophic consequences. It was well-captured by the new high resolution Quikscat scatterometer instrument.

Ground-water use in the coastal plain of Maryland, 1900-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wheeler, J.C.; Wilde, F.D.

1989-01-01

This report presents groundwater withdrawal data from 1900 through 1980 for Maryland counties lying with the Coastal Plain physiographic province, as well as a summary section for the total Maryland Coastal Plain. The types of water use included are domestic, military, water supplier, industrial/commercial, and irrigation. The data were obtained from state and county reports, biannual pumpage reports submitted to the Maryland Water Resources Administration, communication with individual owners, and estimates based on existing published data. The amount of groundwater withdrawn from aquifers in the Maryland Coastal Plain in 1900 was approximately 26 million gallons per day (Mgal/d) compared to nearly 134 Mgal/d in 1980. Jurisdictions withdrawing more than 10 Mgal/d for most of the 80-year period were Anne Arundel and Baltimore Counties and Baltimore City. The greatest withdrawals for most of the early part of the period were for domestic and industrial/commercial uses; however, water-supplier use dominated after 1965. Groundwater use for irrigation became important in the Coastal Plain around 1960 and increased steadily from approximately 2 Mgal/d in 1960 to nearly 12 Mgal/d in 1980. (USGS)

Statistical robustness of machine-learning estimates for characterizing a groundwater-surface water system, Southland, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedel, M. J.; Daughney, C.

2016-12-01

The development of a successful surface-groundwater management strategy depends on the quality of data provided for analysis. This study evaluates the statistical robustness when using a modified self-organizing map (MSOM) technique to estimate missing values for three hypersurface models: synoptic groundwater-surface water hydrochemistry, time-series of groundwater-surface water hydrochemistry, and mixed-survey (combination of groundwater-surface water hydrochemistry and lithologies) hydrostratigraphic unit data. These models of increasing complexity are developed and validated based on observations from the Southland region of New Zealand. In each case, the estimation method is sufficiently robust to cope with groundwater-surface water hydrochemistry vagaries due to sample size and extreme data insufficiency, even when >80% of the data are missing. The estimation of surface water hydrochemistry time series values enabled the evaluation of seasonal variation, and the imputation of lithologies facilitated the evaluation of hydrostratigraphic controls on groundwater-surface water interaction. The robust statistical results for groundwater-surface water models of increasing data complexity provide justification to apply the MSOM technique in other regions of New Zealand and abroad.

Experimental data from coastal diffusion tests. [Smoke diffusion over coastal waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raynor, G S; Brown, R M; SethuRaman, S

1976-10-01

Data are reported from a series of seven experiments on the diffusion of smoke plumes over northeast Atlantic Ocean coastal waters in response to wind fluctuations and other meteorological variables. A qualitative description of smoke behavior during each experiment is included and photographs of the smoke are included to illustrate the type of diffusion observed. (CH)

Progress and limitations on quantifying nutrient and carbon loading to coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stets, E.; Oelsner, G. P.; Stackpoole, S. M.

2017-12-01

Riverine export of nutrients and carbon to estuarine and coastal waters are important determinants of coastal ecosystem health and provide necessary insight into global biogeochemical cycles. Quantification of coastal solute loads typically relies upon modeling based on observations of concentration and discharge from selected rivers draining to the coast. Most large-scale river export models require unidirectional flow and thus are referenced to monitoring locations at the head of tide, which can be located far inland. As a result, the contributions of the coastal plain, tidal wetlands, and concentrated coastal development are often poorly represented in regional and continental-scale estimates of solute delivery to coastal waters. However, site-specific studies have found that these areas are disproportionately active in terms of nutrient and carbon export. Modeling efforts to upscale fluxes from these areas, while not common, also suggest an outsized importance to coastal flux estimates. This presentation will focus on illustrating how the problem of under-representation of near-shore environments impacts large-scale coastal flux estimates in the context of recent regional and continental-scale assessments. Alternate approaches to capturing the influence of the near-coastal terrestrial inputs including recent data aggregation efforts and modeling approaches will be discussed.

Effects of a coastal golf complex on water quality, periphyton, and seagrass

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lewis, M.A.; Boustany, R.G.; Dantin, D.D.; Quarles, R.L.; Moore, J.C.; Stanley, R.S.

2002-01-01

The objective of this study was to provide baseline information on the effects of a golf course complex on water quality, colonized periphyton, and seagrass meadows in adjacent freshwater, near-coastal, and wetland areas. The chemical and biological impacts of the recreational facility, which uses reclaimed municipal wastewater for irrigation, were limited usually to near-field areas and decreased seaward during the 2-year study. Concentrations of chromium, copper, and organochlorine pesticides were below detection in surface water, whereas mercury, lead, arsenic, and atrazine commonly occurred at all locations. Only mercury and lead exceeded water quality criteria. Concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a were greater in fairway ponds and some adjacent coastal areas relative to reference locations and Florida estuaries. Periphyton ash free dry weight and pigment concentrations statistically differed but not between reference and non-reference coastal areas. Biomass of Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) was approximately 43% less in a meadow located adjacent to the golf complex (P < 0.05). The results of the study suggest that the effects of coastal golf courses on water quality may be primarily localized and limited to peripheral near-coastal areas. However, this preliminary conclusion needs additional supporting data. ?? 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Tsunami Modeling of Hikurangi Trench M9 Events: Case Study for Napier, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, C. R.; Nyst, M.; Farahani, R.; Bryngelson, J.; Lee, R.; Molas, G.

2015-12-01

RMS has developed a tsunami model for New Zealand for the insurance industry to price and to manage their tsunami risks. A key tsunamigenic source for New Zealand is the Hikurangi Trench that lies offshore on the eastside of the North Island. The trench is the result of the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North Island at a rate of 40-45 mm/yr. Though there have been no M9 historical events on the Hikurangi Trench, events in this magnitude range are considered in the latest version of the National Seismic Hazard Maps for New Zealand (Stirling et al., 2012). The RMS modeling approaches the tsunami lifecycle in three stages: event generation, ocean wave propagation, and coastal inundation. The tsunami event generation is modeled based on seafloor deformation resulting from an event rupture model. The ocean wave propagation and coastal inundation are modeled using a RMS-developed numerical solver, implemented on graphic processing units using a finite-volume approach to approximate two-dimensional, shallow-water wave equations over the ocean and complex topography. As the tsunami waves enter shallow water and approach the coast, the RMS model calculates the propagation of the waves along the wet-dry interface considering variable land friction. The initiation and characteristics of the tsunami are based on the event rupture model. As there have been no historical M9 events on the Hikurangi Trench, this rupture characterization posed unique challenges. This study examined the impacts of a suite of event rupture models to understand the key drivers in the variations in the tsunami inundation footprints. The goal was to develop a suite of tsunamigenic event characterizations that represent a range of potential tsunami outcomes for M9 events on the Hikurangi Trench. The focus of this case study is the Napier region as it represents an important exposure concentration in the region and has experience tsunami inundations in the past including during the 1931 Ms7

Bidirectional reflectance function in coastal waters: modeling and validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilerson, Alex; Hlaing, Soe; Harmel, Tristan; Tonizzo, Alberto; Arnone, Robert; Weidemann, Alan; Ahmed, Samir

2011-11-01

The current operational algorithm for the correction of bidirectional effects from the satellite ocean color data is optimized for typical oceanic waters. However, versions of bidirectional reflectance correction algorithms, specifically tuned for typical coastal waters and other case 2 conditions, are particularly needed to improve the overall quality of those data. In order to analyze the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of case 2 waters, a dataset of typical remote sensing reflectances was generated through radiative transfer simulations for a large range of viewing and illumination geometries. Based on this simulated dataset, a case 2 water focused remote sensing reflectance model is proposed to correct above-water and satellite water leaving radiance data for bidirectional effects. The proposed model is first validated with a one year time series of in situ above-water measurements acquired by collocated multi- and hyperspectral radiometers which have different viewing geometries installed at the Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory (LISCO). Match-ups and intercomparisons performed on these concurrent measurements show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the algorithm currently in use at all wavelengths.

Floating marine debris in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific (Chile).

PubMed

Thiel, M; Hinojosa, I; Vásquez, N; Macaya, E

2003-02-01

Herein we report on the abundance and composition of floating marine debris (FMD) in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific (off the Chilean coast) during the austral summer 2002. The observed FMD consisted mainly of plastic material (86.9%). Densities of FMD were highest between 20 degrees S and 40 degrees S, corresponding to the main concentrations of human population and activities. Low densities of FMD were found in the south between 40 degrees S and 50 degrees S (<1 item km(-2)). Generally, the highest densities were recorded in nearshore waters of major port cities (>20 items km(-2)), but occasionally high concentrations of debris were also found 50 km offshore. Densities of FMD in coastal waters of the SE-Pacific are of similar magnitudes as those found in coastal waters or inland seas of highly populated regions in the northern hemisphere, indicating the need for improved regulation and legislation in the countries of the SE-Pacific.

USGS ground-water flow model : an essential tool for managing the water supply of the Virginia Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Erwin, Martha L.; McFarland, Randolph E.; Scott, Bruce T.

1999-01-01

Virginia needs a reliable water supply to sustain its growing population and expanding economy. In 1990, the aquifers in the Coastal Plain supplied about 100 million gallons per day (mgd) to the citizens, businesses, and industries of Virginia. It is estimated that by the year 2000, demand will increase by another 10 mgd and likely will continue to increase in future years.Ground water is the only source of usable water in rural areas of the Coastal Plain and increasingly is being used to support a growing urban population. Current withdrawals have led to declining water levels in most Coastal Plain aquifers. Further declines are likely to occur, posing a threat that saltwater will move into parts of these freshwater aquifers.

Management-focused approach to investigating coastal water-quality drivers and impacts in the Baltic Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigouroux, G.; Destouni, G.; Chen, Y.; Bring, A.; Jönsson, A.; Cvetkovic, V.

2017-12-01

Coastal areas link human-driven conditions on land with open sea conditions, and include crucial and vulnerable ecosystems that provide a variety of ecosystem services. Eutrophication is a common problem that is not least observed in the Baltic Sea, where coastal water quality is influenced both by land-based nutrient loading and by partly eutrophic open sea conditions. Robust and adaptive management of coastal systems is essential and necessitates integration of large scale catchment-coastal-marine systems as well as consideration of anthropogenic drivers and impacts, and climate change. To address this coastal challenge, relevant methodological approaches are required for characterization of coupled land, local coastal, and open sea conditions under an adaptive management framework for water quality. In this paper we present a new general and scalable dynamic characterization approach, developed for and applied to the Baltic Sea and its coastal areas. A simple carbon-based water quality model is implemented, dividing the Baltic Sea into main management basins that are linked to corresponding hydrological catchments on land, as well as to each other though aggregated three-dimensional marine hydrodynamics. Relevant hydrodynamic variables and associated water quality results have been validated on the Baltic Sea scale and show good accordance with available observation data and other modelling approaches. Based on its scalability, this methodology is further used on coastal zone scale to investigate the effects of hydrodynamic, hydro-climatic and nutrient load drivers on water quality and management implications for coastal areas in the Baltic Sea.

Artesian water in the Malabar coastal plain of southern Kerala, India

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, George C.; Ghosh, P.K.

1964-01-01

The present report is based on a geological and hydrological reconnaissance during 1954 of the Malabar Coastal Plain and adjacent island area of southern Kerala to evaluate the availability of ground water for coastal villages and municipalities and associated industries and the potentialities for future development. The work was done in cooperation with the Geological Survey of India and under the auspices of the U.S. Technical Cooperation Mission to India. The State of Kerala, which lies near the southern tip of India and along the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, contains a total area of 14,937 square miles. The eastern part of the state is s rugged mountainous highland which attains altitudes of more than 6,000 feet. This highland descends westward through piedmont upland to s narrow coastal plain, which reaches a maximum width of about 16 miles in the latitude of Shertalli. A tropical monsoon rain-forest climate prevails in most of Kerala, and annual rainfall ranges from 65 to 130 inches in the southern part of the coastal plain to as much a 200 inches in the highland. The highland and piedmont upland tracts of Kerala are underlain by Precambrian meamorphic and igneous rocks belonging in large parabola-the so-called Charnockite Series. Beneath ahe coastal plain are semiconsolidated asunconsolidated sedimentary deposits whose age ranges from Miocene to Recent. These deposits include sofa sandstone and clay shale containing some marl or limestone and sand, and clay and pea containing some gravel. The sofa sandstone, sand, and gravel beds constitute important aquifers a depths ranging from a few tens of feet to 400 feet or more below the land surface. The shallow ground war is under water-able or unconfined conditions, but the deeper aquifers contain water under artesian pressure. Near the coast, drilled wells tapping the deeper aquifers commonly flow with artesian heads as much as 10 to 12 feet above the land surface. The draft from existing wells in the

Coastal inshore waters in the NW Mediterranean: Physicochemical and biological characterization and management implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flo, Eva; Garcés, Esther; Manzanera, Marta; Camp, Jordi

2011-07-01

The physicochemical and biological characteristics of coastal waters form a gradient extending from land to ocean. In the Mediterranean this gradient is particularly large, due to the sea's weak tides. Within coastal waters, those waters in contact with land are called coastal inshore waters (CIW), defined herein as between 0 and 200 m from the shoreline. Here we present the first physicochemical and biological characterization of CIW of the NW Mediterranean Sea. This case study is based on 19 years of data collected from coastal inshore (CIW; 0-200 m), nearshore (CNW; 200-1500 m), and offshore (COW; >1500 m) waters of the Catalan coast. Analyses of these data showed that the physicochemical and biological characteristics of CIW differ significantly from those of CNW and COW due to: (1) significantly higher concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients (nitrate = 11.07 μM, nitrite = 0.52 μM, ammonium = 6.43 μM, phosphate = 0.92 μM, silicates = 5.99 μM) and chlorophyll- a (=2.42 μg/L) in CIW than in either CNW or COW (in some cases up to one order of magnitude); (2) a greater variability of dissolved inorganic nutrients and chlorophyll- a in CIW than in CNW and COW, and (3) the presence of a mostly urban population and the effects of river inflows as a primary source of CIW variability but with minimal impact on CNW or COW. In addition, the risk of eutrophication was found to be highest in CIW, placing human and environmental interests at greater risk than in the outermost coastal waters. The results highlight the importance of considering the distinctive physicochemical and biological properties of CIW in future coastal waters studies. This is of major importance in assessments of eutrophication and coastal water quality, not only to identify the pressure-impact relationships but also to allow the timely detection of local environmental problems and thus avoid endangering the unique communities of CIW and ensuring the sustainability of human activities. In

Development of MODIS data-based algorithm for retrieving sea surface temperature in coastal waters.

PubMed

Wang, Jiao; Deng, Zhiqiang

2017-06-01

A new algorithm was developed for retrieving sea surface temperature (SST) in coastal waters using satellite remote sensing data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard Aqua platform. The new SST algorithm was trained using the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) method and tested using 8 years of remote sensing data from MODIS Aqua sensor and in situ sensing data from the US coastal waters in Louisiana, Texas, Florida, California, and New Jersey. The ANN algorithm could be utilized to map SST in both deep offshore and particularly shallow nearshore waters at the high spatial resolution of 1 km, greatly expanding the coverage of remote sensing-based SST data from offshore waters to nearshore waters. Applications of the ANN algorithm require only the remotely sensed reflectance values from the two MODIS Aqua thermal bands 31 and 32 as input data. Application results indicated that the ANN algorithm was able to explaining 82-90% variations in observed SST in US coastal waters. While the algorithm is generally applicable to the retrieval of SST, it works best for nearshore waters where important coastal resources are located and existing algorithms are either not applicable or do not work well, making the new ANN-based SST algorithm unique and particularly useful to coastal resource management.

The influence of submarine groundwater discharge on greenhouse gas evasion from coastal waters (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos, I. R.

2013-12-01

Coastal waters are thought to play a major role on global carbon budgets but we still lack a quantitative understanding about some mechanisms driving greenhouse gas cycling in coastal waters. Very little is known about the role of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in delivering carbon to rivers, estuaries and coastal waters even though the concentrations of most carbon species in groundwater are often much higher than those in surface waters. I hypothesize that SGD plays a significant role in coastal carbon and greenhouse gas budgets even if the volumetric SGD contribution is small. I will report new, detailed observations of radon (a natural groundwater tracer) and carbon dioxide and methane concentrations and stable isotopes in tidal rivers, estuaries, coastal wetlands, mangroves and coral reef lagoons. Groundwater exchange at these contrasting sites was driven by a wide range of processes, including terrestrial hydraulic gradients, tidal pumping, and convection. In all systems, SGD was an important source of carbon dioxide, DIC, and methane to surface waters. In some cases, groundwater seepage alone could account for 100% of carbon dioxide evasion from surface waters to the atmosphere. Combining high precision in situ radon and greenhouse gas concentration and stable isotope observations allows for an effective, unambiguous assessment of how groundwater seepage drives carbon dynamics in surface waters.

Impact of river basin management on coastal water quality and ecosystem services: A southern Baltic estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schernewski, Gerald; Hürdler, Jens; Neumann, Thomas; Stybel, Nardine; Venohr, Markus

2010-05-01

Eutrophication management is still a major challenge in the Baltic Sea region. Estuaries or coastal waters linked to large rivers cannot be managed independently. Nutrient loads into these coastal ecosystems depend on processes, utilisation, structure and management in the river basin. In practise this means that we need a large scale approach and integrated models and tools to analyse, assess and evaluate the effects of nutrient loads on coastal water quality as well as the efficiency of river basin management measures on surface waters and especially lagoons and estuaries. The Odra river basin, the Szczecin Lagoon and its coastal waters cover an area of about 150,000 km² and are an eutrophication hot-spot in the Baltic region. To be able to carry out large scale, spatially integrative analyses, we linked the river basin nutrient flux model MONERIS to the coastal 3D-hydrodynamic and ecosystem model ERGOM. Objectives were a) to analyse the eutrophication history in the river basin and the resulting functional changes in the coastal waters between early 1960's and today and b) to analyse the effects of an optimal nitrogen and phosphorus management scenario in the Oder/Odra river basin on coastal water quality. The models show that an optimal river basin management with reduced nutrient loads (e.g. N-load reduction of 35 %) would have positive effects on coastal water quality and algae biomass. The availability of nutrients, N/P ratios and processes like denitrification and nitrogen-fixation would show spatial and temporal changes. It would have positive consequences for ecosystems functions, like the nutrient retention capacity, as well. However, this optimal scenario is by far not sufficient to ensure a good coastal water quality according to the European Water Framework Directive. A "good" water quality in the river will not be sufficient to ensure a "good" water quality in the coastal waters. Further, nitrogen load reductions bear the risk of increased

Monitoring water quality in Northwest Atlantic coastal waters using dinoflagellate cysts

EPA Science Inventory

Nutrient pollution is a major environmental problem in many coastal waters around the US. Determining the total input of nutrients to estuaries is a challenge. One method to evaluate nutrient input is through nutrient loading models. Another method relies upon using indicators as...

Emerging organic contaminants in coastal waters: anthropogenic impact, environmental release and ecological risk.

PubMed

Jiang, Jheng-Jie; Lee, Chon-Lin; Fang, Meng-Der

2014-08-30

This study provides a first estimate of the sources, distribution, and risk presented by emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) in coastal waters off southwestern Taiwan. Ten illicit drugs, seven nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), five antibiotics, two blood lipid regulators, two antiepileptic drugs, two UV filters, caffeine, atenolol, and omeprazole were analyzed by solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (SPE-LC-MS/MS). Thirteen EOCs were detected in coastal waters, including four NSAIDs (acetaminophen, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, and codeine), three antibiotics (ampicillin, erythromycin, and cefalexin), three illicit drugs (ketamine, pseudoephedrine, and MDMA), caffeine, carbamazepine, and gemfibrozil. The median concentrations for the 13 EOCs ranged from 1.47 ng/L to 156 ng/L. Spatial variation in concentration of the 13 EOCs suggests discharge into coastal waters via ocean outfall pipes and rivers. Codeine and ampicillin have significant pollution risk quotients (RQ>1), indicating potentially high risk to aquatic organisms in coastal waters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remote sensing reflectance simulation of coastal optical complex water in the East China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Shuo; Lou, Xiulin; Zhang, Huaguo; Zheng, Gang

2018-02-01

In this work, remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) spectra of the Zhejiang coastal water in the East China Sea (ECS) were simulated by using the Hydrolight software with field data as input parameters. The seawater along the Zhejiang coast is typical Case II water with complex optical properties. A field observation was conducted in the Zhejiang coastal region in late May of 2016, and the concentration of ocean color constituents (pigment, SPM and CDOM), IOPs (absorption and backscattering coefficients) and Rrs were measured at 24 stations of 3 sections covering the turbid to clear inshore coastal waters. Referring to these ocean color field data, an ocean color model suitable for the Zhejiang coastal water was setup and applied in the Hydrolight. A set of 11 remote sensing reflectance spectra above water surface were modeled and calculated. Then, the simulated spectra were compared with the filed measurements. Finally, the spectral shape and characteristics of the remote sensing reflectance spectra were analyzed and discussed.

[Analysis on characteristics of red tide in Fujian coastal waters during the last 10 years].

PubMed

Li, Xue-Ding

2012-07-01

There were 161 red tide events collected during the last 10 years from 2001 to 2010 in Fujian coastal waters. Comprehensive analysis was performed using statistical methods and the results indicated the following characteristics of the temporal and spatial distribution of red tide in Fujian coastal waters: (1) Outbreaks of red tide often occurred between April and September, and the peak period was in May and June. Most red tide events lasted for 2 to 4 days, and the affected area was below 50 square kilometers. The first outbreak of red tide tended to occur earlier in recent years, and the lasting time became longer. (2) There were 20 species of organisms causing the red tides in Fujian coastal waters, among which 10 species were Bacillariophyta, 9 species were Dinophyta and 1 species was Protozoa. Prorocentrum donghaiense was the most frequent cause of red tides, followed by Noctiluca scintillans, Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros sp.. The species caused red tides obeyed the succession law and there were always new species involved. (2) In terms of spatial distribution, outbreaks of red tides mainly occurred in the coastal waters of Ningde, Fuzhou and Xiamen. The species causing red tides were Prorocentrum donghaiense and Noctiluca in the coastal waters in the north of Pingtan, Fujian Province, Skeletonema costatum and Chaetoceros in the coastal waters in the south of Pingtan, Fujian Province. The comprehensive analysis of the characteristics of red tides during the last 10 years is expected to provide scientific and reasonable basis for the prevention, reduction and forecast of red tides in Fujian coastal waters.

Declining oxygen in the global ocean and coastal waters.

PubMed

Breitburg, Denise; Levin, Lisa A; Oschlies, Andreas; Grégoire, Marilaure; Chavez, Francisco P; Conley, Daniel J; Garçon, Véronique; Gilbert, Denis; Gutiérrez, Dimitri; Isensee, Kirsten; Jacinto, Gil S; Limburg, Karin E; Montes, Ivonne; Naqvi, S W A; Pitcher, Grant C; Rabalais, Nancy N; Roman, Michael R; Rose, Kenneth A; Seibel, Brad A; Telszewski, Maciej; Yasuhara, Moriaki; Zhang, Jing

2018-01-05

Oxygen is fundamental to life. Not only is it essential for the survival of individual animals, but it regulates global cycles of major nutrients and carbon. The oxygen content of the open ocean and coastal waters has been declining for at least the past half-century, largely because of human activities that have increased global temperatures and nutrients discharged to coastal waters. These changes have accelerated consumption of oxygen by microbial respiration, reduced solubility of oxygen in water, and reduced the rate of oxygen resupply from the atmosphere to the ocean interior, with a wide range of biological and ecological consequences. Further research is needed to understand and predict long-term, global- and regional-scale oxygen changes and their effects on marine and estuarine fisheries and ecosystems. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Techniques for Producing Coastal Land Water Masks from Landsat and Other Multispectral Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joseph P.; Hall, Callie

2005-01-01

Coastal erosion and land loss continue to threaten many areas in the United States. Landsat data has been used to monitor regional coastal change since the 1970s. Many techniques can be used to produce coastal land water masks, including image classification and density slicing of individual bands or of band ratios. Band ratios used in land water detection include several variations of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). This poster discusses a study that compares land water masks computed from unsupervised Landsat image classification with masks from density-sliced band ratios and from the Landsat TM band 5. The greater New Orleans area is employed in this study, due to its abundance of coastal habitats and its vulnerability to coastal land loss. Image classification produced the best results based on visual comparison to higher resolution satellite and aerial image displays. However, density sliced NDWI imagery from either near infrared (NIR) and blue bands or from NIR and green bands also produced more effective land water masks than imagery from the density-sliced Landsat TM band 5. NDWI based on NIR and green bands is noteworthy because it allows land water masks to be generated from multispectral satellite sensors without a blue band (e.g., ASTER and Landsat MSS). NDWI techniques also have potential for producing land water masks from coarser scaled satellite data, such as MODIS.

Techniques for Producing Coastal Land Water Masks from Landsat and Other Multispectral Satellite Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spruce, Joe; Hall, Callie

2005-01-01

Coastal erosion and land loss continue to threaten many areas in the United States. Landsat data has been used to monitor regional coastal change since the 1970's. Many techniques can be used to produce coastal land water masks, including image classification and density slicing of individual bands or of band ratios. Band ratios used in land water detection include several variations of the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI). This poster discusses a study that compares land water masks computed from unsupervised Landsat image classification with masks from density-sliced band ratios and from the Landsat TM band 5. The greater New Orleans area is imployed in this study, due to its abundance of coastal habitats and ist vulnerability to coastal land loss. Image classification produced the best results based on visual comparison to higher resolution satellite and aerial image displays. However, density-sliced NDWI imagery from either near infrared (NIR) and blue bands or from NIR and green bands also produced more effective land water masks than imagery from the density-sliced Landsat TM band 5. NDWI based on NIR and green bands is noteworthy because it allows land water masks to be generated form multispectral satellite sensors without a blue band (e.g., ASTER and Landsat MSS). NDWI techniques also have potential for producing land water masks from coarser scaled satellite data, such as MODIS.

Coastal water monitoring using a vertical profiler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dong Guk; Seo, Seongbong; Park, Young-Gyu; Min, Hong Sik

2017-04-01

Using a profiler system, the Aqualog, composed of a moored wire and a carrier in which a CTD was installed, we have been monitoring coastal water in Korea since August 2016. With this monitoring system, we were able to observe rapid warming of surface water that resulted in large damage to fish farms. The profiles showed that the warming was associated with low salinity water due to the fresh water discharge from the Yangtze River. We also observed change in water properties due to a typhoon. Along the Korean coast there are many aquafarms, which are becoming more vulnerable to environmental change. With the data from the profiler we would be able to help the aquafarms to sustain.

How Historical Information Can Improve Extreme Value Analysis of Coastal Water Levels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Cozannet, G.; Bulteau, T.; Idier, D.; Lambert, J.; Garcin, M.

2016-12-01

The knowledge of extreme coastal water levels is useful for coastal flooding studies or the design of coastal defences. While deriving such extremes with standard analyses using tide gauge measurements, one often needs to deal with limited effective duration of observation which can result in large statistical uncertainties. This is even truer when one faces outliers, those particularly extreme values distant from the others. In a recent work (Bulteau et al., 2015), we investigated how historical information of past events reported in archives can reduce statistical uncertainties and relativize such outlying observations. We adapted a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo method, initially developed in the hydrology field (Reis and Stedinger, 2005), to the specific case of coastal water levels. We applied this method to the site of La Rochelle (France), where the storm Xynthia in 2010 generated a water level considered so far as an outlier. Based on 30 years of tide gauge measurements and 8 historical events since 1890, the results showed a significant decrease in statistical uncertainties on return levels when historical information is used. Also, Xynthia's water level no longer appeared as an outlier and we could have reasonably predicted the annual exceedance probability of that level beforehand (predictive probability for 2010 based on data until the end of 2009 of the same order of magnitude as the standard estimative probability using data until the end of 2010). Such results illustrate the usefulness of historical information in extreme value analyses of coastal water levels, as well as the relevance of the proposed method to integrate heterogeneous data in such analyses.

Human recreational exposure to antibiotic resistant bacteria in coastal bathing waters.

PubMed

Leonard, Anne F C; Zhang, Lihong; Balfour, Andrew J; Garside, Ruth; Gaze, William H

2015-09-01

Infections caused by antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) are associated with poor health outcomes and are recognised globally as a serious health problem. Much research has been conducted on the transmission of ARB to humans. Yet the role the natural environment plays in the spread of ARB and antibiotic resistance genes is not well understood. Antibiotic resistant bacteria have been detected in natural aquatic environments, and ingestion of seawater during water sports is one route by which many people could be directly exposed. The aim was to estimate the prevalence of resistance to one clinically important class of antibiotics (third-generation cephalosporins (3GCs)) amongst Escherichia coli in coastal surface waters in England and Wales. Prevalence data was used to quantify ingestion of 3GC-resistant E. coli (3GCREC) by people participating in water sports in designated coastal bathing waters. A further aim was to use this value to derive a population-level estimate of exposure to these bacteria during recreational use of coastal waters in 2012. The prevalence of 3GC-resistance amongst E. coli isolated from coastal surface waters was estimated using culture-based methods. This was combined with the density of E. coli reported in designated coastal bathing waters along with estimations of the volumes of water ingested during various water sports reported in the literature to calculate the mean number of 3GCREC ingested during different water sports. 0.12% of E. coli isolated from surface waters were resistant to 3GCs. This value was used to estimate that in England and Wales over 6.3 million water sport sessions occurred in 2012 that resulted in the ingestion of at least one 3GCREC. Despite the low prevalence of resistance to 3GCs amongst E. coli in surface waters, there is an identifiable human exposure risk for water users, which varies with the type of water sport undertaken. The relative importance of this exposure is likely to be greater in areas where a

Exploring Techniques for Improving Retrievals of Bio-optical Properties of Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-30

BRDF model was developed for coastal waters, and validated on the data of the two LISCO instruments, and its comparison with MODIS satellite imagery...in field conditions to validate radiative transfer modeling and assess possibilities for the separation of organic and inorganic particulate...to retrieve water components and compared with NOMAD and field CCNY data. Simulated datasets were also used to develop a BRDF model for coastal

Developing Data-driven models for quantifying Cochlodinium polykrikoides in Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Yongsung; Jang, Eunna; Im, Jungho; Baek, Seungho; Park, Yongeun; Cho, Kyunghwa

2017-04-01

Harmful algal blooms have been worldwide problems because it leads to serious dangers to human health and aquatic ecosystems. Especially, fish killing red tide blooms by one of dinoflagellate, Cochlodinium polykrikoides (C. polykrikoides), have caused critical damage to mariculture in the Korean coastal waters. In this work, multiple linear regression (MLR), regression tree (RT), and random forest (RF) models were constructed and applied to estimate C. polykrikoides blooms in coastal waters. Five different types of input dataset were carried out to test the performance of three models. To train and validate the three models, observed number of C. polykrikoides cells from National institute of fisheries science (NIFS) and remote sensing reflectance data from Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) images for 3 years from 2013 to 2015 were used. The RT model showed the best prediction performance when using 4 bands and 3 band ratios data were used as input data simultaneously. Results obtained from iterative model development with randomly chosen input data indicated that the recognition of patterns in training data caused a variation in prediction performance. This work provided useful tools for reliably estimate the number of C. polykrikoides cells by using reasonable input reflectance dataset in coastal waters. It is expected that the RT model is easily accessed and manipulated by administrators and decision-makers working with coastal waters.

Oceanic rafting by a coastal community

PubMed Central

Fraser, Ceridwen I.; Nikula, Raisa; Waters, Jonathan M.

2011-01-01

Oceanic rafting is thought to play a fundamental role in assembling the biological communities of isolated coastal ecosystems. Direct observations of this key ecological and evolutionary process are, however, critically lacking. The importance of macroalgal rafting as a dispersal mechanism has remained uncertain, largely owing to lack of knowledge about the capacity of fauna to survive long voyages at sea and successfully make landfall and establish. Here, we directly document the rafting of a diverse assemblage of intertidal organisms across several hundred kilometres of open ocean, from the subantarctic to mainland New Zealand. Multispecies analyses using phylogeographic and ecological data indicate that 10 epifaunal invertebrate species rafted on six large bull kelp specimens for several weeks from the subantarctic Auckland and/or Snares Islands to the Otago coast of New Zealand, a minimum distance of some 400–600 km. These genetic data are the first to demonstrate that passive rafting can enable simultaneous trans-oceanic transport and landfall of numerous coastal taxa. PMID:20843850

Oceanic rafting by a coastal community.

PubMed

Fraser, Ceridwen I; Nikula, Raisa; Waters, Jonathan M

2011-03-07

Oceanic rafting is thought to play a fundamental role in assembling the biological communities of isolated coastal ecosystems. Direct observations of this key ecological and evolutionary process are, however, critically lacking. The importance of macroalgal rafting as a dispersal mechanism has remained uncertain, largely owing to lack of knowledge about the capacity of fauna to survive long voyages at sea and successfully make landfall and establish. Here, we directly document the rafting of a diverse assemblage of intertidal organisms across several hundred kilometres of open ocean, from the subantarctic to mainland New Zealand. Multispecies analyses using phylogeographic and ecological data indicate that 10 epifaunal invertebrate species rafted on six large bull kelp specimens for several weeks from the subantarctic Auckland and/or Snares Islands to the Otago coast of New Zealand, a minimum distance of some 400-600 km. These genetic data are the first to demonstrate that passive rafting can enable simultaneous trans-oceanic transport and landfall of numerous coastal taxa.

Satellite-based virtual buoy system to monitor coastal water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Chuanmin; Barnes, Brian B.; Murch, Brock; Carlson, Paul

2014-05-01

There is a pressing need to assess coastal and estuarine water quality state and anomaly events to facilitate coastal management, but such a need is hindered by lack of resources to conduct frequent ship-based or buoy-based measurements. Here, we established a virtual buoy system (VBS) to facilitate satellite data visualization and interpretation of water quality assessment. The VBS is based on a virtual antenna system (VAS) that obtains low-level satellite data and generates higher-level data products using both National Aeronautics and Space Administration standard algorithms and regionally customized algorithms in near real time. The VB stations are predefined and carefully chosen to cover water quality gradients in estuaries and coastal waters, where multiyear time series at monthly and weekly intervals are extracted for the following parameters: sea surface temperature (°C), chlorophyll-a concentration (mg m-3), turbidity (NTU), diffuse light attenuation at 490 nm [Kd(490), m-1] or secchi disk depth (m), absorption coefficient of colored dissolved organic matter (m-1), and bottom available light (%). The time-series data are updated routinely and provided in both ASCII and graphical formats via a user-friendly web interface where all information is available to the user through a simple click. The VAS and VBS also provide necessary infrastructure to implement peer-reviewed regional algorithms to generate and share improved water quality data products with the user community.

A simulation-optimization model for effective water resources management in the coastal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spanoudaki, Katerina; Kampanis, Nikolaos

2015-04-01

Coastal areas are the most densely-populated areas in the world. Consequently water demand is high, posing great pressure on fresh water resources. Climatic change and its direct impacts on meteorological variables (e.g. precipitation) and indirect impact on sea level rise, as well as anthropogenic pressures (e.g. groundwater abstraction), are strong drivers causing groundwater salinisation and subsequently affecting coastal wetlands salinity with adverse effects on the corresponding ecosystems. Coastal zones are a difficult hydrologic environment to represent with a mathematical model due to the large number of contributing hydrologic processes and variable-density flow conditions. Simulation of sea level rise and tidal effects on aquifer salinisation and accurate prediction of interactions between coastal waters, groundwater and neighbouring wetlands requires the use of integrated surface water-groundwater mathematical models. In the past few decades several computer codes have been developed to simulate coupled surface and groundwater flow. However, most integrated surface water-groundwater models are based on the assumption of constant fluid density and therefore their applicability to coastal regions is questionable. Thus, most of the existing codes are not well-suited to represent surface water-groundwater interactions in coastal areas. To this end, the 3D integrated surface water-groundwater model IRENE (Spanoudaki et al., 2009; Spanoudaki, 2010) has been modified in order to simulate surface water-groundwater flow and salinity interactions in the coastal zone. IRENE, in its original form, couples the 3D shallow water equations to the equations describing 3D saturated groundwater flow of constant density. A semi-implicit finite difference scheme is used to solve the surface water flow equations, while a fully implicit finite difference scheme is used for the groundwater equations. Pollution interactions are simulated by coupling the advection

Modeling of Dense Water Production and Salt Transport from Alaskan Coastal Polynyas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Signorini, Sergio R.; Cavalieri, Donald J.

2000-01-01

The main significance of this paper is that a realistic, three-dimensional, high-resolution primitive equation model has been developed to study the effects of dense water formation in Arctic coastal polynyas. The model includes realistic ambient stratification, realistic bottom topography, and is forced by time-variant surface heat flux, surface salt flux, and time-dependent coastal flow. The salt and heat fluxes, and the surface ice drift, are derived from satellite observations (SSM/I and NSCAT sensors). The model is used to study the stratification, salt transport, and circulation in the vicinity of Barrow Canyon during the 1996/97 winter season. The coastal flow (Alaska coastal current), which is an extension of the Bering Sea throughflow, is formulated in the model using the wind-transport regression. The results show that for the 1996/97 winter the northeastward coastal current exports 13% to 26% of the salt produced by coastal polynyas upstream of Barrow Canyon in 20 to 30 days. The salt export occurs more rapidly during less persistent polynyas. The inclusion of ice-water stress in the model makes the coastal current slightly weaker and much wider due to the combined effects of surface drag and offshore Ekman transport.

Water-Level Changes in Aquifers of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, Predevelopment to 2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

dePaul, Vincent T.; Rice, Donald E.; Zapecza, Otto S.

2008-01-01

The Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system, which underlies a large part of the east coast of the United States, is an important source of water for more than 20 million people. As the population of the region increases, further demand is being placed on those ground-water resources. To define areas of past and current declines in ground-water levels, as well as to document changes in those levels, historical water-level data from more than 4,000 wells completed in 13 regional aquifers in the Atlantic Coastal Plain were examined. From predevelopment to 1980, substantial water-level declines occurred in many areas of the Atlantic Coastal Plain. Regional variability in water-level change in the confined aquifers of the Atlantic Coastal Plain resulted from regional differences in aquifer properties and patterns of ground-water withdrawals. Within the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain, declines of more than 100 ft were observed in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Regional declines in water levels were most widespread in the deeper aquifers that were most effectively confined?the Upper, Middle, and Lower Potomac aquifers. Within these aquifers, water levels had declined up to 200 ft in southern Virginia and to more than 100 ft in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and North Carolina. Substantial water-level declines were also evident in the regional Lower Chesapeake aquifer in southeastern New Jersey; in the Castle Hayne-Piney Point aquifer in Delaware, Maryland, southern Virginia and east-central North Carolina; in the Peedee-Severn aquifer in east-central New Jersey and southeastern North Carolina; and in the Black Creek-Matawan aquifer in east-central New Jersey and east-central North Carolina. Conversely, declines were least severe in the regional Upper Chesapeake aquifer during this period. In the Southeastern Coastal Plain, declines of more than 100 ft in the Chattahoochee River aquifer occurred in eastern South Carolina and in southwestern

Impacts of Potential Changes in Land Use, Climate, and Water Use on Water Availability, Coastal Carolinas Region, Southeastern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurley, L. N.; Garcia, A. M.

2017-12-01

Sustainable growth in coastal areas with rapidly increasing populations, such as the coastal regions of North and South Carolina, relies on an understanding of the current state of coastal natural resources coupled with the ability to assess future impacts of changing coastal communities and resources. Changes in climate, water use, population, and land use (e.g. urbanization) will place additional stress on societal and ecological systems that are already competing for water resources. The potential effects of these stressors on water availability are not fully known. To meet societal and ecological needs, water resources management and planning efforts require estimates of likely impacts of population growth, land-use, and climate. Two Soil and Water Assessment (SWAT) hydrologic models were developed to help address the challenges that water managers face in the Carolinas: the (1) Cape Fear and (2) Pee Dee drainage basins. SWAT is a basin-scale, process-based watershed model with the capability of simulating water-management scenarios. Model areas were divided into two square mile sub-basins to evaluate ecological response at headwater streams. The sub-basins were subsequently divided into smaller, discrete hydrologic response units based on land use, slope, and soil type. Monthly and annual water-use data were used for 2000 to 2014 and included estimates of municipal, industrial, agricultural, and commercial water use. Models were calibrated for 2000 to 2014 and potential future streamflows were estimated through 2060 based on a suite of scenarios that integrated land use change projections, climate projections and water-use forecasts. The approaches and new techniques developed as part of this research could be applied to other coastal areas that face similar current and future water availability demands.

Coastal Water Quality Modeling in Tidal Lake: Revisited with Groundwater Intrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, C.

2016-12-01

A new method for predicting the temporal and spatial variation of water quality, with accounting for a groundwater effect, has been proposed and applied to a water body partially connected to macro-tidal coastal waters in Korea. The method consists of direct measurement of environmental parameters, and it indirectly incorporates a nutrients budget analysis to estimate the submarine groundwater fluxes. Three-dimensional numerical modeling of water quality has been used with the directly collected data and the indirectly estimated groundwater fluxes. The applied area is Saemangeum tidal lake that is enclosed by 33km-long sea dyke with tidal openings at two water gates. Many investigations of groundwater impact reveal that 10 50% of nutrient loading in coastal waters comes from submarine groundwater, particularly in the macro-tidal flat, as in the west coast of Korea. Long-term monitoring of coastal water quality signals the possibility of groundwater influence on salinity reversal and on the excess mass outbalancing the normal budget in Saemangeum tidal lake. In the present study, we analyze the observed data to examine the influence of submarine groundwater, and then a box model is demonstrated for quantifying the influx and efflux. A three-dimensional numerical model has been applied to reproduce the process of groundwater dispersal and its effect on the water quality of Saemangeum tidal lake. The results show that groundwater influx during the summer monsoon then contributes significantly, 20% more than during dry season, to water quality in the tidal lake.

A numerical study on flow and pollutant transport in Singapore coastal waters.

PubMed

Xu, Ming; Chua, Vivien P

2016-10-15

Intensive economic and shipping activities in Singapore Strait have caused Singapore coastal waters to be under high risk of water pollution. A nested three-dimensional unstructured-grid SUNTANS model is applied to Singapore coastal waters to simulate flow and pollutant transport. The small domain (~50m resolution) Singapore coastal model is nested within a large domain (~200m resolution) regional model. The nested model is able to predict water surface elevations and velocities with high R(2) values of 0.96 and 0.91, respectively. Model results delineate the characteristics of circulation pattern in Singapore coastal waters during the Northeast and Southwest monsoons. The pollutants are modeled as passive tracers, and are released at six key sailing locations Points 1-6 in Singapore coastal waters and are named as Passive Tracers 1-6, respectively. Our results show that the rate of dispersion is twice as large for the Northeast monsoon compared to the Southwest monsoon due to differences in large-scale monsoons and small-scale local winds. The volume averaged concentration (VAC) diminishes faster and the local flushing time is shorter during the Northeast monsoon than the Southwest monsoon. Dispersion coefficients K and the VAC decreasing rate are maximum for Tracers 2 and 3 with shortest local flushing time due to the strong surrounding currents and abrupt bathymetry changes near Senang and St. John Islands. Dispersion coefficients K and the VAC decreasing rate are minimum for Tracer 1 due to weak currents induced by the semi-enclosed coastline near Tuas. It is found that both the lateral dispersion coefficient Ky and the compound dispersion coefficient K obey a "4/3-law", which defines a linear correlation between dispersion coefficients and 4/3-power of selected length scale. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of aerosol estimation on coastal water products retrieved from HICO images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patterson, Karen W.; Lamela, Gia

2011-06-01

The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) is a hyperspectral sensor which was launched to the International Space Station in September 2009. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been developing the Coastal Water Signatures Toolkit (CWST) to estimate water depth, bottom type and water column constituents such as chlorophyll, suspended sediments and chromophoric dissolved organic matter from hyperspectral imagery. The CWST uses a look-up table approach, comparing remote sensing reflectance spectra observed in an image to a database of modeled spectra for pre-determined water column constituents, depth and bottom type. In order to successfully use this approach, the remote sensing reflectances must be accurate which implies accurately correcting for the atmospheric contribution to the HICO top of the atmosphere radiances. One tool the NRL is using to atmospherically correct HICO imagery is Correction of Coastal Ocean Atmospheres (COCOA), which is based on Tafkaa 6S. One of the user input parameters to COCOA is aerosol optical depth or aerosol visibility, which can vary rapidly over short distances in coastal waters. Changes to the aerosol thickness results in changes to the magnitude of the remote sensing reflectances. As such, the CWST retrievals for water constituents, depth and bottom type can be expected to vary in like fashion. This work is an illustration of the variability in CWST retrievals due to inaccurate aerosol thickness estimation during atmospheric correction of HICO images.

Using Coastal Fog to Support Sustainable Water Use in a California Agricultural System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baguskas, S. A.; Loik, M. E.

2015-12-01

Impacts of climate change threaten California farmers in a number of ways, most importantly through a decline in freshwater availability, concurrent with a rise in water demand. The future of California's multibillion-dollar agricultural industry depends on increasing water use efficiency on farms. In coastal California, the growing season of economically important crops overlaps with the occurrence of coastal fog, which buffers the summer dry season through shading effects and direct water inputs. While the impacts of coastal fog on plant biology have been extensively studied in natural ecosystems, very few studies have evaluated its direct effects on the water and energy budgets of agricultural systems. The objective of this study was to develop a mechanistic understanding of the relationships between coastal fog and the water and energy budgets of croplands in order to improve estimates of crop-scale evapotranspiration rates, which has potential to curtail groundwater use based on local cloud meteorology. We established three sites on strawberry farms along a coastal-inland gradient in the Salinas Valley, California. At each site, we installed a passive fog collector and a micrometeorological station to monitor variation in microclimate conditions. Flow meters were installed in drip lines to quantify irrigation amount and timing. To assess plant response to foggy and non-foggy conditions, we collected measurements of photosynthesis and transpiration rates at the leaf and canopy-scale between June-September 2015. We found that canopy-level transpiration rates on foggy days were reduced by half compared to sunny, clear days (1.5 and 3 mmol H2O m-2 s-1, respectively). Whereas the amount of direct fog water inputs to the soil did not differ significantly between foggy and clear days, average photosynthetically active radiation between 0900-1100 hr. was reduced from 1500 to 500 μmol photons m-2 s-1 between these sampling periods. Our results provide convincing

Study on the cumulative impact of reclamation activities on ecosystem health in coastal waters.

PubMed

Shen, Chengcheng; Shi, Honghua; Zheng, Wei; Li, Fen; Peng, Shitao; Ding, Dewen

2016-02-15

The purpose of this study is to develop feasible tools to investigate the cumulative impact of reclamations on coastal ecosystem health, so that the strategies of ecosystem-based management can be applied in the coastal zone. An indicator system and model were proposed to assess the cumulative impact synthetically. Two coastal water bodies, namely Laizhou Bay (LZB) and Tianjin coastal waters (TCW), in the Bohai Sea of China were studied and compared, each in a different phase of reclamations. Case studies showed that the indicator scores of coastal ecosystem health in LZB and TCW were 0.75 and 0.68 out of 1.0, respectively. It can be concluded that coastal reclamations have a historically cumulative effect on benthic environment, whose degree is larger than that on aquatic environment. The ecosystem-based management of coastal reclamations should emphasize the spatially and industrially intensive layout. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Retrieval of aerosol properties and water leaving radiance from multi-angle spectro-polarimetric measurement over coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, M.; Zhai, P.; Franz, B. A.; Hu, Y.; Knobelspiesse, K. D.; Xu, F.; Ibrahim, A.

2017-12-01

Ocean color remote sensing in coastal waters remains a challenging task due to the complex optical properties of aerosols and ocean water properties. It is highly desirable to develop an advanced ocean color and aerosol retrieval algorithm for coastal waters, to advance our capabilities in monitoring water quality, improve our understanding of coastal carbon cycle dynamics, and allow for the development of more accurate circulation models. However, distinguishing the dissolved and suspended material from absorbing aerosols over coastal waters is challenging as they share similar absorption spectrum within the deep blue to UV range. In this paper we report a research algorithm on aerosol and ocean color retrieval with emphasis on coastal waters. The main features of our algorithm include: 1) combining co-located measurements from a hyperspectral ocean color instrument (OCI) and a multi-angle polarimeter (MAP); 2) using the radiative transfer model for coupled atmosphere and ocean system (CAOS), which is based on the highly accurate and efficient successive order of scattering method; and 3) incorporating a generalized bio-optical model with direct accounting of the total absorption of phytoplankton, CDOM and non-algal particles(NAP), and the total scattering of phytoplankton and NAP for improved description of ocean light scattering. The non-linear least square fitting algorithm is used to optimize the bio-optical model parameters and the aerosol optical and microphysical properties including refractive indices and size distributions for both fine and coarse modes. The retrieved aerosol information is used to calculate the atmospheric path radiance, which is then subtracted from the OCI observations to obtain the water leaving radiance contribution. Our work aims to maximize the use of available information from the co-located dataset and conduct the atmospheric correction with minimal assumptions. The algorithm will contribute to the success of current MAP

Pesticides in Ground Water of the Maryland Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Denver, Judith M.; Ator, Scott W.

2006-01-01

Selected pesticides are detectable at low levels (generally less than 0.1 microgram per liter) in unconfined ground water in many parts of the Maryland Coastal Plain. Samples were recently collected (2001-04) from 47 wells in the Coastal Plain and analyzed for selected pesticides and degradate compounds (products of pesticide degradation). Most pesticide degradation occurs in the soil zone before infiltration to the water table, and degradates of selected pesticides were commonly detected in ground water, often at higher concentrations than their respective parent compounds. Pesticides and their degradates often occur in ground water in mixtures of multiple compounds, reflecting similar patterns in usage. All measured concentrations in ground water were below established standards for drinking water, and nearly all were below other health-based guidelines. Although drinking-water standards and guidelines are typically much higher than observed concentrations in ground water, they do not exist for many detected compounds (particularly degradates), or for mixtures of multiple compounds. The distribution of observed pesticide compounds reflects known usage patterns, as well as chemical properties and environmental factors that affect the fate and transport of these compounds in the environment. Many commonly used pesticides, such as glyphosate, pendimethalin, and 2,4-D were not detected in ground water, likely because they were sorbed onto organic matter or degraded in the soil zone. Others that are more soluble and (or) persistent, like atrazine, metolachlor, and several of their degradates, were commonly detected in ground water where they have been used. Atrazine, for example, an herbicide used primarily on corn, was most commonly detected in ground water on the Eastern Shore (where agriculture is common), particularly where soils are well drained. Conversely, dieldrin, an insecticide previously used heavily for termite control, was detected only on the Western

Using Lagrangian Coherent Structures to understand coastal water quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorentino, L. A.; Olascoaga, M. J.; Reniers, A.; Feng, Z.; Beron-Vera, F. J.; MacMahan, J. H.

2012-09-01

The accumulation of pollutants near the shoreline can result in low quality coastal water with negative effects on human health. To understand the role of mixing by tidal flows in coastal water quality we study the nearshore Lagrangian circulation. Specifically, we reveal Lagrangian Coherent Structures (LCSs), i.e., distinguished material curves which shape global mixing patterns and thus act as skeletons of the Lagrangian circulation. This is done using the recently developed geodesic theory of transport barriers. Particular focus is placed on Hobie Beach, a recreational subtropical marine beach located in Virginia Key, Miami, Florida. According to studies of water quality, Hobie Beach is characterized by high microbial levels. Possible sources of pollution in Hobie Beach include human bather shedding, dog fecal matter, runoff, and sand efflux at high tides. Consistent with the patterns formed by satellite-tracked drifter trajectories, the LCSs extracted from simulated currents reveal a Lagrangian circulation favoring the retention near the shoreline of pollutants released along the shoreline, which can help explain the low quality water registered at Hobie Beach.

New Zealand geothermal: Wairakei -- 40 years

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

This quarterly bulletin highlights the geothermal developments in New Zealand with the following articles: A brief history of the Wairakei geothermal power project; Geothermal resources in New Zealand -- An overview; Domestic and commercial heating and bathing -- Rotorua area; Kawerau geothermal development: A case study; Timber drying at Kawerau; Geothermal greenhouses at Kawerau; Drying of fibrous crops using geothermal steam and hot water at the Taupo Lucerne Company; Prawn Park -- Taupo, New Zealand; Geothermal orchids; Miranda hot springs; and Geothermal pipeline.

Towards environmental management of water turbidity within open coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef.

PubMed

Macdonald, Rachael K; Ridd, Peter V; Whinney, James C; Larcombe, Piers; Neil, David T

2013-09-15

Water turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are commonly used as part of marine monitoring and water quality plans. Current management plans utilise threshold SSC values derived from mean-annual turbidity concentrations. Little published work documents typical ranges of turbidity for reefs within open coastal waters. Here, time-series turbidity measurements from 61 sites in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) and Moreton Bay, Australia, are presented as turbidity exceedance curves and derivatives. This contributes to the understanding of turbidity and SSC in the context of environmental management in open-coastal reef environments. Exceedance results indicate strong spatial and temporal variability in water turbidity across inter/intraregional scales. The highest turbidity across 61 sites, at 50% exceedance (T50) is 15.3 NTU and at 90% exceedance (T90) 4.1 NTU. Mean/median turbidity comparisons show strong differences between the two, consistent with a strongly skewed turbidity regime. Results may contribute towards promoting refinement of water quality management protocols. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modeling water exchange and contaminant transport through a Baltic coastal region.

PubMed

Engqvist, Anders; Döös, Kristofer; Andrejev, Oleg

2006-12-01

The water exchange of the Baltic coastal zone is characterized by its seasonally varying regimes. In the safety assessment of a potential repository for spent nuclear fuel, it is important to assess the consequences of a hypothetical leak of radionuclides through the seabed into a waterborne transport phase. In particular, estimates of the associated residence times in the near-shore coastal zone are of interest. There are several methods to quantify such measures, of which three are presented here. Using the coastal location of Forsmark (Sweden) as an example, methods based on passive tracers, particle trajectories, and the average age distribution of exogeneous water parcels are compared for a representative one-year cycle. Tracer-based methods can simulate diffusivity more realistically than the other methods. Trajectory-based methods can handle Lagrangian dispersion processes due to advection but neglect diffusion on the sub-grid scale. The method based on the concept of average age (AvA) of exogeneous water can include all such sources simultaneously not only boundary water bodies but also various (fresh)-water discharges. Due to the inclusion of sub-grid diffusion this method gives a smoother measure of the water renewal. It is shown that backward in time trajectories and AvA-times are basically equipollent methods, yielding correlated results within the limits set by the diffusivity.

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF COLORED DISSOLOVED ORGANIC MATTER (CDOM) IN SOUTHERN NEW ENGALND COASTAL WATERS

EPA Science Inventory

The concentration of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) is a primary factor affecting the absorption of incident sunlight in coastal and estuarine waters. CDOM is extracted from water-soluble humic substances and transported by runoff into lakes and coastal waters. CDOM is a...

The magnitude and origin of groundwater discharge to eastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Befus, Kevin; Kroeger, Kevin D.; Smith, Christopher G.; Swarzenski, Peter W.

2017-01-01

Fresh groundwater discharge to coastal environments contributes to the physical and chemical conditions of coastal waters, but the role of coastal groundwater at regional to continental scales remains poorly defined due to diverse hydrologic conditions and the difficulty of tracking coastal groundwater flow paths through heterogeneous subsurface materials. We use three-dimensional groundwater flow models for the first time to calculate the magnitude and source areas of groundwater discharge from unconfined aquifers to coastal waterbodies along the entire eastern U.S. We find that 27.1 km3/yr (22.8–30.5 km3/yr) of groundwater directly enters eastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico coastal waters. The contributing recharge areas comprised ~175,000 km2 of U.S. land area, extending several kilometers inland. This result provides new information on the land area that can supply natural and anthropogenic constituents to coastal waters via groundwater discharge, thereby defining the subterranean domain potentially affecting coastal chemical budgets and ecosystem processes.

Ground-water withdrawals from the Coastal Plain of New Jersey, 1956-1980

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vowinkel, E.F.

1984-01-01

Withdrawals and site data for wells with a pump capacity of 100 ,000 gallons per day or greater in the Coastal Plain of New Jersey are stored in computer files for 1956-80. The data are aggregated by computer into tables, graphs and maps to show the distribution of ground-water withdrawals. Withdrawals are reported by type of use and aquifer for each county in the Coastal Plain. Public-supply wells withdraw the largest quantity of ground water in the Coastal Plain, followed by industrial and agricultural wells. In 1980 public-supply withdrawals were about 280 million gallons per day; the maximum monthly rate was about 355 million gallons per day in July, and the lowest was about 215 million gallons per day in February. Average industrial withdrawals were about 65 million gallons per day. Ground-water withdrawals used for agriculture vary significantly during the year. In 1980, about 75 percent of the agricultural withdrawals occurred from June through September. Several aquifers are used as sources of water supply in the Coastal Plain. Five regional aquifers are the major sources of water for public-supply, industrial, or agricultural use. In decreasing order of withdrawals in 1980, in million gallons per day, they are: The Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system, 243; Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system, 70; Atlantic City 800-foot sand, 21; Englishtown aquifer, 12; and the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer system, 5. (USGS)

Influence of microorganism content in suspended particles on the particle-water partitioning of mercury in semi-enclosed coastal waters.

PubMed

Jang, Jiyi; Kim, Hyunji; Han, Seunghee

2014-02-01

It is known that particle scavenging of mercury (Hg) can be affected by the abundance of particulate organic matter in coastal waters. However, the role of living organic particles in Hg scavenging is not yet completely understood. In this study, we hypothesized that an abundance of living organic particles (i.e., phytoplankton and bacteria) would influence the particle-water partitioning of Hg in coastal waters. Surface seawater samples were collected from eight stations in Gwangyang Bay, Korea, in three seasons (November 2009, April 2010, and October 2010) for the determination of concentrations of suspended particulate matter (including chlorophyll-a and bacteria), and Hg in unfiltered and filtered waters. We found that more Hg partitioned toward particulate matter when phytoplankton biomass, indicated from the chlorophyll-a concentration in a particle, was higher. In the low algal season, when [chlorophyll-a]<0.6 μg L(-1), the bacterial number, instead of chlorophyll-a concentration in particle, showed a positive correlation with the particle-water partition coefficient of Hg. Overall, microbial abundance seems to play a critical role in particle scavenging of Hg in coastal water. Taking this result in light of Hg in pristine coastal zones, we predict that increases in algal biomass amplify the potential for algae to transfer Hg to marine food chains. © 2013.

Seismic Interface Waves in Coastal Waters: A Review

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-15

Being at the low- 4 frequency end of classical sonar activity and at the high-frequency end of seismic research, the propagation of infrasonic energy...water areas. Certainly this and other seismic detection methods will never replace the highly-developed sonar techniques but in coastal waters they...for many sonar purposes [5, 85 to 90) shows that very simple bottom models may already be sufficient to make allowance for the influence of the sea

Contribution of hydrolysis in the abiotic attenuation of RDX and HMX in coastal waters.

PubMed

Monteil-Rivera, Fanny; Paquet, Louise; Giroux, Romain; Hawari, Jalal

2008-01-01

Sinking of military ships, dumping of munitions during the two World Wars, and military training have resulted in the undersea deposition of numerous unexploded ordnances (UXOs). Leaching of energetic compounds such as hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) and octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) from these UXOs may cause adverse ecological effects so that the long-term fate of these chemicals in the sea should be known. The present study assesses the contribution of alkaline hydrolysis into the natural attenuation of RDX and HMX in coastal waters. Alkaline hydrolysis rates were shown to be unaffected by the presence of sodium chloride, the most common component in marine waters. Kinetic parameters (E(a), ln A, k(2)) quantified for the alkaline hydrolysis of RDX and HMX in deionized water (30-50 degrees C, pH 10-12) agreed relatively well with abiotic degradation rates determined in sterilized natural coastal waters (50 and 60 degrees C, variable salinity) even if the latter were generally slightly faster than the former. Furthermore, similar products (HCHO, NO(2)(-), O(2)NNHCH(2)NHCHO) were obtained on alkaline hydrolysis in deionized water and abiotic degradation in coastal waters. These two findings suggested that degradation of nitramines in sterilized natural coastal waters, away from light, was mainly governed by alkaline hydrolysis. Kinetic calculations using the present parameters showed that alkaline hydrolysis of RDX and HMX in marine waters at 10 degrees C would respectively take 112 +/- 10 and 2408 +/- 217 yr to be completed (99.0%). We concluded that under natural conditions hydrolysis should not contribute significantly to the natural attenuation of HMX in coastal waters whereas it could play an active role in the natural attenuation of RDX.

OCTS And Seawifs Bio-Optical Algorithm and Product Vaildattion and Intercomparison in US Coastal Waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brow, Chirstopher; Subramaniam, Ajit; Culver, Mary; Brock, John C.

2000-01-01

Monitoring the health of U.S. coastal waters is an important goal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Satellite sensors are capable of providing daily synoptic data of large expanses of the U.S. coast. Ocean color sensor, in particular, can be used to monitor the water quality of coastal waters on an operational basis. To appraise the validity of satellite-derived measurements, such as chlorophyll concentration, the bio-optical algorithms used to derive them must be evaluated in coastal environments. Towards this purpose, over 21 cruises in diverse U.S. coastal waters have been conducted. Of these 21 cruises, 12 have been performed in conjunction with and under the auspices of the NASA/SIMBIOS Project. The primary goal of these cruises has been to obtain in-situ measurements of downwelling irradiance, upwelling radiance, and chlorophyll concentrations in order to evaluate bio-optical algorithms that estimate chlorophyll concentration. In this Technical Memorandum, we evaluate the ability of five bio-optical algorithms, including the current SeaWiFS algorithm, to estimate chlorophyll concentration in surface waters of the South Atlantic Bight (SAB). The SAB consists of a variety of environments including coastal and continental shelf regimes, Gulf Stream waters, and the Sargasso Sea. The biological and optical characteristics of the region is complicated by temporal and spatial variability in phytoplankton composition, primary productivity, and the concentrations of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and suspended sediment. As such, the SAB is an ideal location to test the robustness of algorithms for coastal use.

Specific absorption and backscatter coefficient signatures in southeastern Atlantic coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostater, Charles R., Jr.

1998-12-01

Measurements of natural water samples in the field and laboratory of hyperspectral signatures of total absorption and reflectance were obtained using long pathlength absorption systems (50 cm pathlength). Water was sampled in Indian River Lagoon, Banana River and Port Canaveral, Florida. Stations were also occupied in near coastal waters out to the edge of the Gulf Stream in the vicinity of Kennedy Space Center, Florida and estuarine waters along Port Royal Sound and along the Beaufort River tidal area in South Carolina. The measurements were utilized to calculate natural water specific absorption, total backscatter and specific backscatter optical signatures. The resulting optical cross section signatures suggest different models are needed for the different water types and that the common linear model may only appropriate for coastal and oceanic water types. Mean particle size estimates based on the optical cross section, suggest as expected, that particle size of oceanic particles are smaller than more turbid water types. The data discussed and presented are necessary for remote sensing applications of sensors as well as for development and inversion of remote sensing algorithms.

77 FR 74923 - Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Estuaries, Coastal Waters, and South Florida...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-12-18

... proposing numeric water quality criteria to protect ecological systems, aquatic life, and human health from... Technical Support Section. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/wqssp/.everglades/docs/pctsd/IIIChapter.2.pdf... Water Quality Standards for the State of Florida's Estuaries, Coastal Waters, and South Florida Inland...

Analysis of Compound Water Hazard in Coastal Urbanized Areas under the Future Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shibuo, Y.; Taniguchi, K.; Sanuki, H.; Yoshimura, K.; Lee, S.; Tajima, Y.; Koike, T.; Furumai, H.; Sato, S.

2017-12-01

Several studies indicate the increased frequency and magnitude of heavy rainfalls as well as the sea level rise under the future climate, which implies that coastal low-lying urbanized areas may experience increased risk against flooding. In such areas, where river discharge, tidal fluctuation, and city drainage networks altogether influence urban inundation, it is necessary to consider their potential interference to understand the effect of compound water hazard. For instance, pump stations cannot pump out storm water when the river water level is high, and in the meantime the river water level shall increase when it receives pumped water from cities. At the further downstream, as the tidal fluctuation regulates the water levels in the river, it will also affect the functionality of pump stations and possible inundation from rivers. In this study, we estimate compound water hazard in the coastal low-lying urbanized areas of the Tsurumi river basin under the future climate. We developed the seamlessly integrated river, sewerage, and coastal hydraulic model that can simulate river water levels, water flow in sewerage network, and inundation from the rivers and/or the coast to address the potential interference issue. As a forcing, the pseudo global warming method, which applies the changes in GCM anomaly to re-analysis data, is employed to produce ensemble typhoons to drive the seamlessly integrated model. The results show that heavy rainfalls caused by the observed typhoon generally become stronger under the pseudo global climate condition. It also suggests that the coastal low-lying areas become extensively inundated if the onset of river flooding and storm surge coincides.

Modelling surface water-groundwater interaction with a conceptual approach: model development and application in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; Zammit, C.; McMillan, H. K.

2016-12-01

As in most countries worldwide, water management in lowland areas is a big concern for New Zealand due to its economic importance for water related human activities. As a result, the estimation of available water resources in these areas (e.g., for irrigation and water supply purpose) is crucial and often requires an understanding of complex hydrological processes, which are often characterized by strong interactions between surface water and groundwater (usually expressed as losing and gaining rivers). These processes are often represented and simulated using integrated physically based hydrological models. However models with physically based groundwater modules typically require large amount of non-readily available geologic and aquifer information and are computationally intensive. Instead, this paper presents a conceptual groundwater model that is fully integrated into New Zealand's national hydrological model TopNet based on TopModel concepts (Beven, 1992). Within this conceptual framework, the integrated model can simulate not only surface processes, but also groundwater processes and surface water-groundwater interaction processes (including groundwater flow, river-groundwater interaction, and groundwater interaction with external watersheds). The developed model was applied to two New Zealand catchments with different hydro-geological and climate characteristics (Pareora catchment in the Canterbury Plains and Grey catchment on the West Coast). Previous studies have documented strong interactions between the river and groundwater, based on the analysis of a large number of concurrent flow measurements and associated information along the river main stem. Application of the integrated hydrological model indicates flow simulation (compared to the original hydrological model conceptualisation) during low flow conditions are significantly improved and further insights on local river dynamics are gained. Due to its conceptual characteristics and low level of

Assessment of a bidirectional reflectance distribution correction of above-water and satellite water-leaving radiance in coastal waters.

PubMed

Hlaing, Soe; Gilerson, Alexander; Harmel, Tristan; Tonizzo, Alberto; Weidemann, Alan; Arnone, Robert; Ahmed, Samir

2012-01-10

Water-leaving radiances, retrieved from in situ or satellite measurements, need to be corrected for the bidirectional properties of the measured light in order to standardize the data and make them comparable with each other. The current operational algorithm for the correction of bidirectional effects from the satellite ocean color data is optimized for typical oceanic waters. However, versions of bidirectional reflectance correction algorithms specifically tuned for typical coastal waters and other case 2 conditions are particularly needed to improve the overall quality of those data. In order to analyze the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of case 2 waters, a dataset of typical remote sensing reflectances was generated through radiative transfer simulations for a large range of viewing and illumination geometries. Based on this simulated dataset, a case 2 water focused remote sensing reflectance model is proposed to correct above-water and satellite water-leaving radiance data for bidirectional effects. The proposed model is first validated with a one year time series of in situ above-water measurements acquired by collocated multispectral and hyperspectral radiometers, which have different viewing geometries installed at the Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory (LISCO). Match-ups and intercomparisons performed on these concurrent measurements show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the algorithm currently in use at all wavelengths, with average improvement of 2.4% over the spectral range. LISCO's time series data have also been used to evaluate improvements in match-up comparisons of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite data when the proposed BRDF correction is used in lieu of the current algorithm. It is shown that the discrepancies between coincident in-situ sea-based and satellite data decreased by 3.15% with the use of the proposed algorithm. This confirms the advantages of the proposed model over the current

Development of a coastal information system for the management of Jeddah coastal waters in Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayerle, R.; Al-Subhi, A.; Fernández Jaramillo, J.; Salama, A.; Bruss, G.; Zubier, K.; Runte, K.; Turki, A.; Hesse, K.; Jastania, H.; Ladwig, N.; Mudarris, M.

2016-04-01

This paper presents results of the development and application of a web-based information system, Jeddah CIS, for assisting decision makers in the management of Jeddah coastal waters, in Saudi Arabia. The system will support coastal planning, management of navigation and tackle pollution due to accidents. The system was developed primarily to nowcast in quasi-real time and to deliver short-term forecasts of water levels, current velocities and waves with high spatial and temporal resolution for the area near Jeddah. Therefor it will hasten response when adverse weather conditions prevail. The Jeddah-CIS integrates sensors transmitting in real time, meteorological, oceanographic and water quality parameters and operational models for flow and waves. It also provides interactive tools using advanced visualization techniques to facilitate dissemination of information. The system relies on open source software and has been designed to facilitate the integration of additional components for enhanced information processing, data evaluation and generation of higher water level, current velocity and wave for the general public. Jeddah-CIS has been operational since 2013. Extensions of the system to speed operations and improving the accuracy of the predictions to the public are currently underway.

Dispersal of fine sediment in nearshore coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Warrick, Jonathan A.

2013-01-01

Fine sediment (silt and clay) plays an important role in the physical, ecological, and environmental conditions of coastal systems, yet little is known about the dispersal and fate of fine sediment across coastal margin settings outside of river mouths. Here I provide simple physical scaling and detailed monitoring of a beach nourishment project near Imperial Beach, California, with a high portion of fines (40% silt and clay by weight). These results provide insights into the pathways and residence times of fine sediment transport across a wave-dominated coastal margin. Monitoring of the project used physical, optical, acoustic, and remote sensing techniques to track the fine portion of the nourishment sediment. The initial transport of fine sediment from the beach was influenced strongly by longshore currents of the surf zone that were established in response to the approach angles of the waves. The mean residence time of fine sediment in the surf zone—once it was suspended—was approximately 1 hour, and rapid decreases in surf zone fine sediment concentrations along the beach resulted from mixing and offshore transport in turbid rip heads. For example, during a day with oblique wave directions and surf zone longshore currents of approximately 25 cm/s, the offshore losses of fine sediment in rips resulted in a 95% reduction in alongshore surf zone fine sediment flux within 1 km of the nourishment site. However, because of the direct placement of nourishment sediment on the beach, fine suspended-sediment concentrations in the swash zone remained elevated for several days after nourishment, while fine sediment was winnowed from the beach. Once offshore of the surf zone, fine sediment settled downward in the water column and was observed to transport along and across the inner shelf. Vertically sheared currents influenced the directions and rates of fine sediment transport on the shelf. Sedimentation of fine sediment was greatest on the seafloor directly offshore

Albemarle Sound demonstration study of the national monitoring network for US coastal waters and their tributaries

Treesearch

Michelle Moorman; Sharon Fitzgerald; Keith Loftin; Elizabeth Fensin

2016-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) is implementing a demonstration project in the Albemarle Sound for the National Monitoring Network for U.S. coastal waters and their tributaries. The goal of the National Monitoring Network is to provide information about the health of our oceans and coastal ecosystems and inland influences on coastal waters for improved resource...

Use of SeaWiFS, MODIS, and MERIS in developing water quality numeric criteria for Florida’s coastal waters

EPA Science Inventory

Human activities on land often increase nutrient loads to coastal waters and may cause increased phytoplankton production, algal biomass, and eutrophication. The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency determined that numeric criteria were necessary to protect Florida's coastal wa...

Sea water in coastal aquifers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cooper, Hilton Hammond

1964-01-01

Investigations in the coastal part of the Biscayne aquifer, a highly productive aquifer of limestone and sand in the Miami area, Florida, show that the salt-water front is dynamically stable as much as 8 miles seaward of the position computed according to the Ghyben-Herzberg principle. This discrepancy results, at least in part, from the fact that the salt water in the Biscayne aquifer is not static, as explanations of the dynamic balance commonly assume. Cross sections showing lines of equal fresh-water potential indicate that during periods of heavy recharge, the fresh-water head is high enough to cause the fresh water, the salt water, and the zone of diffusion between them to move seaward. When the fresh-water head is low, salt water in the lower part of the aquifer intrudes inland, but some of the diluted sea water in the zone of diffusion continues to flow seaward. Thus, salt water circulates inland from the floor of the sea through the lower part of the aquifer becoming progressively diluted with fresh water to a line along which there is no horizontal component of flow, after which it moves upward and returns to the sea. This cyclic flow is demonstrated by a flow net which is constructed by the use of horizontal gradients determined from the low-head equipotential diagram. The flow net shows that about seven-eights of the total discharge at the shoreline originates as fresh water in inland parts of the aquifer. The remaining one-eighth represents a return of sea water entering the aquifer through the floor of the sea.

Skylab and ERTS-1 investigations of coastal land use and water properties. [Delaware Bay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Klemas, V. (Principal Investigator); Bartlett, D.; Rogers, R.

1974-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 multispectral scanner and Skylab's S190A, S190B, and S192 data products were evaluated for their utility in studying current circulation, suspended sediment concentrations and pollution dispersal in Delaware Bay and in mapping coastal vegetation and land use. Imagery from the ERTS-1 MSS, S190A and S190B cameras shows considerable detail in water structure, circulation, suspended sediment distribution and within waste disposal plumes in shelf waters. These data products were also used in differentiating and mapping twelve coastal vegetation and land use classes. The spatial resolution of the S190A multispectral facility appears to be about 30 to 70 meters while that of the S190B earth terrain camera is about 10 to 30 meters. Such resolution, along with good cartographic quality, indicates a considerable potential for mapping coastal land use and monitoring water properties in estuaries and on the continental shelf. The ERTS-1 MSS has a resolution of about 70-100 meters. Moreover, its regular 18-day cycle permits observation of important changes, including the environmental impact of coastal zone development on coastal vegetation and ecology.

Fluvial fluxes of water, suspended particulate matter, and nutrients and potential impacts on tropical coastal water Biogeochemistry: Oahu, Hawai'i

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoover, D.J.; MacKenzie, F.T.

2009-01-01

Baseflow and storm runoff fluxes of water, suspended particulate matter (SPM), and nutrients (N and P) were assessed in conservation, urban, and agricultural streams discharging to coastal waters around the tropical island of Oahu, Hawai'i. Despite unusually low storm frequency and intensity during the study, storms accounted for 8-77% (median 30%) of discharge, 57-99% (median 93%) of SPM fluxes, 11-79% (median 36%) of dissolved nutrient fluxes and 52-99% (median 85%) of particulate nutrient fluxes to coastal waters. Fluvial nutrient concentrations varied with hydrologic conditions and land use; land use also affected water and particulate fluxes at some sites. Reactive dissolved N:P ratios typically were ???16 (the 'Redfield ratio' for marine phytoplankton), indicating that inputs could support new production by coastal phytoplankton, but uptake of dissolved nutrients is probably inefficient due to rapid dilution and export of fluvial dissolved inputs. Particulate N and P fluxes were similar to or larger than dissolved fluxes at all sites (median 49% of total nitrogen, range 22-82%; median 69% of total phosphorus, range 49-93%). Impacts of particulate nutrients on coastal ecosystems will depend on how efficiently SPM is retained in nearshore areas, and on the timing and degree of transformation to reactive dissolved forms. Nevertheless, the magnitude of particulate nutrient fluxes suggests that they represent a significant nutrient source for many coastal ecosystems over relatively long time scales (weeks-years), and that reductions in particulate nutrient loading actually may have negative impacts on some coastal ecosystems.

A resilience framework for chronic exposures: water quality and ecosystem services in coastal social-ecological systems

EPA Science Inventory

We outline a tailored resilience framework that applies ecosystem service concepts to coastal social-ecological systems (SES) affected by water quality degradation. Unlike acute coastal disturbances such as hurricanes or oil spills, water quality issues, particularly those relate...

Water Column Variability in Coastal Regions

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

Bay off the HKUST campus. Endeco/YSI sondes were placed at 0.4 m depth below the surface and at 1 m off the bottom in 6 m of water to make...with colleagues at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology ( HKUST ) using these methods to examine coastal variability in southern China due...the University of Rhode Island in order to devote the year to an intensive set of field measurements at HKUST . Wendy Woods also spent the past year

Mathematical modelling of surface water-groundwater flow and salinity interactions in the coastal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spanoudaki, Katerina; Kampanis, Nikolaos A.

2014-05-01

Coastal areas are the most densely-populated areas in the world. Consequently water demand is high, posing great pressure on fresh water resources. Climatic change and its direct impacts on meteorological variables (e.g. precipitation) and indirect impact on sea level rise, as well as anthropogenic pressures (e.g. groundwater abstraction), are strong drivers causing groundwater salinisation and subsequently affecting coastal wetlands salinity with adverse effects on the corresponding ecosystems. Coastal zones are a difficult hydrologic environment to represent with a mathematical model due to the large number of contributing hydrologic processes and variable-density flow conditions. Simulation of sea level rise and tidal effects on aquifer salinisation and accurate prediction of interactions between coastal waters, groundwater and neighbouring wetlands requires the use of integrated surface water-groundwater models. In the past few decades several computer codes have been developed to simulate coupled surface and groundwater flow. In these numerical models surface water flow is usually described by the 1-D Saint Venant equations (e.g. Swain and Wexler, 1996) or the 2D shallow water equations (e.g. Liang et al., 2007). Further simplified equations, such as the diffusion and kinematic wave approximations to the Saint Venant equations, are also employed for the description of 2D overland flow and 1D stream flow (e.g. Gunduz and Aral, 2005). However, for coastal bays, estuaries and wetlands it is often desirable to solve the 3D shallow water equations to simulate surface water flow. This is the case e.g. for wind-driven flows or density-stratified flows. Furthermore, most integrated models are based on the assumption of constant fluid density and therefore their applicability to coastal regions is questionable. Thus, most of the existing codes are not well-suited to represent surface water-groundwater interactions in coastal areas. To this end, the 3D integrated

Bark water uptake promotes localized hydraulic recovery in coastal redwood crown

Treesearch

J. Mason Earles; Or Sperling; Lucas C. R. Silva; Andrew J. McElrone; Craig R. Brodersen; Malcolm P. North; Maciej A. Zwieniecki

2015-01-01

Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), the world’s tallest tree species, rehydrates leaves via foliar water uptake during fog/rain events. Here we examine if bark also permits water uptake in redwood branches, exploring potential flow mechanisms and biological significance. Using isotopic labelling and microCT imaging, we observed that water...

Coastal ground water at risk - Saltwater contamination at Brunswick, Georgia and Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krause, Richard E.; Clarke, John S.

2001-01-01

IntroductionSaltwater contamination is restricting the development of ground-water supply in coastal Georgia and adjacent parts of South Carolina and Florida. The principal source of water in the coastal area is the Upper Floridan aquifer—an extremely permeable and high-yielding aquifer—which was first developed in the late 1800s. Pumping from the aquifer has resulted in substantial ground-water-level decline and subsequent saltwater intrusion of the aquifer from underlying strata containing highly saline water at Brunswick, Georgia, and with encroachment of sea-water into the aquifer at the northern end of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The saltwater contamination at these locations has constrained further development of the Upper Floridan aquifer in the coastal area and has created competing demands for the limited supply of freshwater. The Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GaEPD) has restricted permitted withdrawal of water from the Upper Floridan aquifer in parts of the coastal area (including the Savannah and Brunswick areas) to 1997 rates, and also has restricted additional permitted pumpage in all 24 coastal area counties to 36 million gallons per day above 1997 rates. These actions have prompted interest in alternative management of the aquifer and in the development of supplemental sources of water supply including those from the shallower surficial and upper and lower Brunswick aquifers and from the deeper Lower Floridan aquifer.

The assessment of waters ecological state of the Crimea coastal near high-rise construction zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vetrova, Natalya; Ivanenko, Tatyana; Mannanov, Emran

2018-03-01

The relevance of our study is determined by the significant level of coastal sea waters pollution by sewage near high-rise construction zones, which determines the violation of the sanitary and hygienic of sea waters `characteristics and limits the possibilities for organizing recreational activities. The purpose of this study is to identify the ecological state of the marine aquatic area by the example of the Western Crimea near high-rise construction zones. The studies confirmed that the recreational and coastal area wastewater is intensely mixed with seawater, as a result, the pollution in the coastal strip of the sea in the area of deep water discharges sharply decrease. This happens because of water rapid rise to the surface and under the influence of the continuous movement of sea water huge masses with deep-water discharge, fresh wastewater is actively mixed with sea water. However, with no doubt, it is inadmissible to discharge sewage into the sea directly from the shore, but only at the estimated distance from the coast. The materials of the article can be useful for the management bodies and organizations involved in monitoring the quality of the coastal zone of the sea, teachers and students of higher educational institutions when assessing the ecological situation of the territories.

Bark water uptake promotes localized hydraulic recovery in coastal redwood crown

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), the world’s tallest tree species, rehydrates leaves via foliar water uptake during fog/rain events. Here we examine if bark also permits water uptake in redwood branches, along with potential flow mechanisms and biological significance. Using isotopic labeling...

The Effects Of Tides And Waves On Water-Table Elevations In Coastal Zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turner, Ian L.; Coates, Bruce P.; Acworth, R. Ian

1996-02-01

A resurgence of interest in the literature about coastal zones has highlighted the fact that ocean processes can have a significant influence on unconfined coastal aquifers, resulting in a net super-elevation of the water table at the land-ocean boundary to groundwater discharge. This theoretical and experimental notion appears to be less well recognized in the field of groundwater investigation, where it is more usual to assume that the coastal boundary is equivalent to mean sea level. Coastal over-height is due to the ability of a sloping beach face to `fill' (vertical infiltration) at a greater rate than it can `drain' (horizontal seepage). The results of a three-month monitoring of the groundwater profile within a narrow coastal aquifer at New South Wales, Australia, confirms the significance of tide and wave processes to groundwater elevation. The mean height of the water table on the upper beach face was about 1.2 m above mean sea level, rising to 2.0 m during a period of coincident spring tides, storm waves, and rainfall. This elevation was sufficient to temporarily reverse the direction of groundwater flow. Fourier analysis and cross-correlation are used to help distinguish the role of tides in maintaining groundwater super-elevation from the role of storm waves in further raising the coastal water table for periods of two to three days. The results of a simple numerical simulation demonstrate that estimated rates of groundwater discharge at the study site were halved when the effect of tides and waves was incorporated in the definition of the ocean boundary.

Estimating dissolved organic carbon concentration in turbid coastal waters using optical remote sensing observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherukuru, Nagur; Ford, Phillip W.; Matear, Richard J.; Oubelkheir, Kadija; Clementson, Lesley A.; Suber, Ken; Steven, Andrew D. L.

2016-10-01

Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) is an important component in the global carbon cycle. It also plays an important role in influencing the coastal ocean biogeochemical (BGC) cycles and light environment. Studies focussing on DOC dynamics in coastal waters are data constrained due to the high costs associated with in situ water sampling campaigns. Satellite optical remote sensing has the potential to provide continuous, cost-effective DOC estimates. In this study we used a bio-optics dataset collected in turbid coastal waters of Moreton Bay (MB), Australia, during 2011 to develop a remote sensing algorithm to estimate DOC. This dataset includes data from flood and non-flood conditions. In MB, DOC concentration varied over a wide range (20-520 μM C) and had a good correlation (R2 = 0.78) with absorption due to coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and remote sensing reflectance. Using this data set we developed an empirical algorithm to derive DOC concentrations from the ratio of Rrs(412)/Rrs(488) and tested it with independent datasets. In this study, we demonstrate the ability to estimate DOC using remotely sensed optical observations in turbid coastal waters.

Spatio-temporal distribution patterns of the epibenthic community in the coastal waters of Suriname

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willems, Tomas; De Backer, Annelies; Wan Tong You, Kenneth; Vincx, Magda; Hostens, Kris

2015-10-01

This study aimed to characterize the spatio-temporal patterns of the epibenthic community in the coastal waters of Suriname. Data were collected on a (bi)monthly basis in 2012-2013 at 15 locations in the shallow (<40 m) coastal area, revealing three spatially distinct species assemblages, related to clear gradients in some environmental parameters. A species-poor coastal assemblage was discerned within the muddy, turbid-water zone (6-20 m depth), dominated by Atlantic seabob shrimp Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Crustacea: Penaeoidea). Near the 30 m isobath, sediments were much coarser (median grain size on average 345±103 μm vs. 128±53 μm in the coastal assemblage) and water transparency was much higher (on average 7.6±3.5 m vs. 2.4±2.1 m in the coastal assemblage). In this zone, a diverse offshore assemblage was found, characterized by brittle stars (mainly Ophioderma brevispina and Ophiolepis elegans) and a variety of crabs, sea stars and hermit crabs. In between both zones, a transition assemblage was noted, with epibenthic species typically found in either the coastal or offshore assemblages, but mainly characterized by the absence of X. kroyeri. Although the epibenthic community was primarily structured in an on-offshore gradient related to depth, sediment grain size and sediment total organic carbon content, a longitudinal (west-east) gradient was apparent as well. The zones in the eastern part of the Suriname coastal shelf seemed to be more widely stretched along the on-offshore gradient. Although clear seasonal differences were noted in the environmental characteristics (e.g. dry vs. rainy season), this was not reflected in the epibenthic community structure. X. kroyeri reached very high densities (up to 1383 ind 1000 m-²) in the shallow coastal waters of Suriname. As X. kroyeri is increasingly exploited throughout its range, the current study provides the ecological context for its presence and abundance, which is crucial for an ecosystem approach and the

Effect of climate change on sea water intrusion in coastal aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherif, Mohsen M.; Singh, Vijay P.

1999-06-01

There is increasing debate these days on climate change and its possible consequences. Much of this debate has focused in the context of surface water systems. In many arid areas of the world, rainfall is scarce and so is surface runoff. These areas rely heavily on groundwater. The consequences of climate change on groundwater are long term and can be far reaching. One of the more apparent consequences is the increased migration of salt water inland in coastal aquifers. Using two coastal aquifers, one in Egypt and the other in India, this study investigates the effect of likely climate change on sea water intrusion. Three realistic scenarios mimicking climate change are considered. Under these scenarios, the Nile Delta aquifer is found to be more vulnerable to climate change and sea level rise.

Pharmaceuticals, alkylphenols and pesticides in Mediterranean coastal waters: Results from a pilot survey using passive samplers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munaron, Dominique; Tapie, Nathalie; Budzinski, Hélène; Andral, Bruno; Gonzalez, Jean-Louis

2012-12-01

21 pharmaceuticals, 6 alkylphenols and 27 hydrophilic pesticides and biocides were investigated using polar organic contaminant integrative samplers (POCIS) during a large-scale study of contamination of French Mediterranean coastal waters. Marine and transitional water-bodies, defined under the EU Water Framework Directive were monitored. Our results show that the French Mediterranean coastal waters were contaminated with a large range of emerging contaminants, detected at low concentrations during the summer season. Caffeine, carbamazepine, theophilline and terbutaline were detected with a detection frequency higher than 83% in the coastal waters sampled, 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-OP) and 4-nonylphenol diethoxylate (NP2EO) were detected in all coastal waters sampled, and diuron, terbuthylazine, atrazine, irgarol and simazine were detected in more than 77% of samples. For pharmaceuticals, highest time-weighted average (TWA) concentrations were measured for caffeine and carbamazepine (32 and 12 ng L-1, respectively). For alkylphenols, highest TWA concentrations were measured for 4-nonylphenol mono-ethoxylate and 4-nonylphenol (41 and 33 ng L-1, respectively), and for herbicides and biocides, they were measured for diuron and irgarol (33 and 2.5 ng L-1, respectively). Except for Diana lagoon, lagoons and semi-enclosed bays were the most contaminated areas for herbicides and pharmaceuticals, whilst, for alkylphenols, levels of contamination were similar in lagoons and coastal waters. This study demonstrates the relevance and utility of POCIS as quantitative tool for measuring low concentrations of emerging contaminants in marine waters.

Predictors of Success for Community-Driven Water Quality Management--Lessons from Three Catchments in New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyson, Ben; Unson, Christine; Edgar, Nick

2017-01-01

Three community engagement projects on the South Island of New Zealand are enacting education and communication initiatives to improve the uptake of best management practices on farms regarding nutrient management for improving water quality. Understanding the enablers and barriers to effective community-based catchment management is fundamental…

Sunscreen products as emerging pollutants to coastal waters.

PubMed

Tovar-Sánchez, Antonio; Sánchez-Quiles, David; Basterretxea, Gotzon; Benedé, Juan L; Chisvert, Alberto; Salvador, Amparo; Moreno-Garrido, Ignacio; Blasco, Julián

2013-01-01

A growing awareness of the risks associated with skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation over the past decades has led to increased use of sunscreen cosmetic products leading the introduction of new chemical compounds in the marine environment. Although coastal tourism and recreation are the largest and most rapidly growing activities in the world, the evaluation of sunscreen as source of chemicals to the coastal marine system has not been addressed. Concentrations of chemical UV filters included in the formulation of sunscreens, such as benzophehone 3 (BZ-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), TiO₂ and ZnO, are detected in nearshore waters with variable concentrations along the day and mainly concentrated in the surface microlayer (i.e. 53.6-577.5 ng L⁻¹ BZ-3; 51.4-113.4 ng L⁻¹ 4-MBC; 6.9-37.6 µg L⁻¹ Ti; 1.0-3.3 µg L⁻¹ Zn). The presence of these compounds in seawater suggests relevant effects on phytoplankton. Indeed, we provide evidences of the negative effect of sunblocks on the growth of the commonly found marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis (mean EC₅₀ = 125±71 mg L⁻¹). Dissolution of sunscreens in seawater also releases inorganic nutrients (N, P and Si forms) that can fuel algal growth. In particular, PO₄³⁻ is released by these products in notable amounts (up to 17 µmol PO₄³⁻g⁻¹). We conservatively estimate an increase of up to 100% background PO₄³⁻ concentrations (0.12 µmol L⁻¹ over a background level of 0.06 µmol L⁻¹) in nearshore waters during low water renewal conditions in a populated beach in Majorca island. Our results show that sunscreen products are a significant source of organic and inorganic chemicals that reach the sea with potential ecological consequences on the coastal marine ecosystem.

Monitoring bacterial contamination of piped water supply in rural coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Ahsan, Md Sabbir; Akber, Md Ali; Islam, Md Atikul; Kabir, Md Pervez; Hoque, Md Ikramul

2017-10-31

Safe drinking water is scarce in southwest coastal Bangladesh because of unavailability of fresh water. Given the high salinity of both groundwater and surface water in this area, harvested rainwater and rain-fed pond water became the main sources of drinking water. Both the government and non-government organizations have recently introduced pipe water supply in the rural coastal areas to ensure safe drinking water. We assessed the bacteriological quality of water at different points along the piped water distribution system (i.e., the source, treatment plant, household taps, street hydrants, and household storage containers) of Mongla municipality under Mongla Upazila in Bagerhat district. Water samples were collected at 2-month interval from May 2014 to March 2015. Median E. coli and total coliform counts at source, treatment plant, household taps, street hydrants, and household storage containers were respectively 225, 4, 7, 7, and 15 cfu/100 ml and 42,000, 545, 5000, 6150, and 18,800 cfu/100 ml. Concentrations of both of the indicator bacteria reduced after treatment, although it did not satisfy the WHO drinking water standards. However, re-contamination in distribution systems and household storage containers indicate improper maintenance of distribution system and lack of personal hygiene.

Monitoring Dissolved Oxygen in New Jersey Coastal Waters Using Autonomous Gliders

EPA Science Inventory

The coastal ocean is a highly variable system with processes that have significant implications on the hydrographic and oxygen characteristics of the water column. The spatial and temporal variability of these fields can cause dramatic changes to water quality and in turn the h...

A study on the influence of tides on the water table conditions of the shallow coastal aquifers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singaraja, C.; Chidambaram, S.; Jacob, Noble

2018-03-01

Tidal variation and water level in aquifer is an important function in the coastal environment, this study attempts to find the relationship between water table fluctuation and tides in the shallow coastal aquifers. The study was conducted by selecting three coastal sites and by monitoring the water level for every 2-h interval in 24 h of observation. The study was done during two periods of full moon and new moon along the Cuddalore coastal region of southern part of Tamil Nadu, India. The study shows the relationship between tidal variation, water table fluctuations, dissolved oxygen, and electrical conductivity. An attempt has also been made in this study to approximate the rate of flow of water. Anyhow, the differences are site specific and the angle of inclination of the water table shows a significant relation to the mean sea level, with respect to the distance of the point of observation from the sea and elevation above mean sea level.

Concentration and Variety of Carbapenemase Producers in Recreational Coastal Waters Showing Distinct Levels of Pollution

PubMed Central

Paschoal, Raphael P.; Campana, Eloiza H.; Corrêa, Laís L.; Montezzi, Lara F.; Barrueto, Lina R. L.; da Silva, Isadora R.; Castro, Laura de S.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Carbapenemase-producing bacteria cause difficult-to-treat infections related to increased mortality in health care settings. Their occurrence has been reported in raw sewage, sewage-impacted rivers, and polluted coastal waters, which may indicate their spread to the community. We assessed the variety and concentration of carbapenemase producers in coastal waters with distinct pollution levels for 1 year. We describe various bacterial species producing distinct carbapenemases not only in unsuitable waters but also in waters considered suitable for primary contact. PMID:28971868

Monitoring of hourly variations in coastal water turbidity using the geostationary ocean color imager (GOCI)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, J.; Ryu, J.

2011-12-01

Temporal variations of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in coastal water are the key to understanding the pattern of sediment movement within coastal area, in particular, such as in the west coast of the Korean Peninsula which is influenced by semi-diurnal tides. Remote sensing techniques can effectively monitor the distribution and dynamic changes in seawater properties across wide areas. Thus, SSC on the sea surface has been investigated using various types of satellite-based sensors. An advantage of Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), the world's first geostationary ocean color observation satellite, over other ocean color satellite images is that it can obtain data every hour during the day and makes it possible to monitor the ocean in real time. In this study, hourly variations in turbidity on the coastal waters were estimated quantitatively using GOCI. Thirty three water samples were obtained on the coastal water surface in southern Gyeonggi Bay, located on the west coast of Korea. Water samples were filtered using 25-mm glass fiber filters (GF/F) for the estimation of SSC. The radiometric characteristics of the surface water, such as the total water-leaving radiance (LwT, W/m2/nm/sr), the sky radiance (Lsky, W/m2/nm/sr) and the downwelling irradiance, were also measured at each sampling location. In situ optical properties of the surface water were converted into remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) and then were used to develop an algorithm to generate SSC images in the study area. GOCI images acquired on the same day as the samples acquisition were used to generate the map of turbidity and to estimate the difference in SSC displayed in each image. The estimation of the time-series variation in SSC in a coastal, shallow-water area affected by tides was successfully achieved using GOCI data that had been acquired at hourly intervals during the daytime.

Factors Affecting Nitrate Delivery to Streams from Shallow Ground Water in the North Carolina Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harden, Stephen L.; Spruill, Timothy B.

2008-01-01

An analysis of data collected at five flow-path study sites between 1997 and 2006 was performed to identify the factors needed to formulate a comprehensive program, with a focus on nitrogen, for protecting ground water and surface water in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Water-quality protection in the Coastal Plain requires the identification of factors that affect the transport of nutrients from recharge areas to streams through the shallow ground-water system. Some basins process or retain nitrogen more readily than others, and the factors that affect nitrogen processing and retention were the focus of this investigation to improve nutrient management in Coastal Plain streams and to reduce nutrient loads to coastal waters. Nitrate reduction in ground water was observed at all five flow-path study sites in the North Carolina Coastal Plain, although the extent of reduction at each site was influenced by various environmental, hydrogeologic, and geochemical factors. Denitrification was the most common factor responsible for decreases in nitrate along the ground-water flow paths. Specific factors, some of which affect denitrification rates, that appeared to influence ground-water nitrate concentrations along the flow paths or in the streams include soil drainage, presence or absence of riparian buffers, evapotranspiration, fertilizer use, ground-water recharge rates and residence times, aquifer properties, subsurface tile drainage, sources and amounts of organic matter, and hyporheic processes. The study data indicate that the nitrate-reducing capacity of the buffer zone combined with that of the hyporheic zone can substantially lower the amount of ground-water nitrate discharged to streams in agricultural settings of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. At the watershed scale, the effects of ground-water discharge on surface-water quality appear to be greatly influenced by streamflow conditions and the presence of extensive riparian vegetation. Streamflow statistics

Regional Jurassic geologic framework of Alabama coastal waters area and adjacent Federal waters area

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mink, R.M.; Bearden, B.L.; Mancini, E.A.

1989-01-01

To date, numerous Jurassic hydrocarbon fields and pools have been discovered in the Cotton Valley Group, Haynesville Formation, Smackover Formation and Norphlet Formation in the tri-state area of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida, and in Alabama State coastal waters and adjacent Federal waters area. Petroleum traps are basement highs, salt anticlines, faulted salt anticlines and extensional faults associated with salt movement. Reservoirs include continental and marine sandstones, limestones and dolostones. Hydrocarbon types are oil, condensate and natural gas. The onshore stratigraphic and structural information can be used to establish a regional geologic framework for the Jurassic for the State coastal waters and adjacent Federal waters areas. Evaluation of the geologic information along with the hydrocarbon data from the tri-state area indicates that at least three Jurassic hydrocarbon trends (oil, oil and gas condensate, and deep natural gas) can be identified onshore. These onshore hydrocarbon trends can be projected into the Mobile area in the Central Gulf of Mexico and into the Pensacola, Destin Dome and Apalachicola areas in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico. Substantial reserves of natural gas are expected to be present in Alabama State waters and the northern portion of the Mobile area. Significant accumulations of oil and gas condensate may be encountered in the Pensacola, Destin Dome, and Apalachicola areas. ?? 1989.

Phytoplankton community composition in nearshore coastal waters of Louisiana

EPA Science Inventory

Phytoplankton community compositions within near-shore coastal and estuarine waters of Louisiana were characterized by relative abundance, biovolume, and taxonomic identification to genus and species when possible. The range of total nitrogen was 0.5 to 1.3 mg L-1 and total phos...

Investigation of different coastal processes in Indonesian waters using SeaWiFS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendiarti, Nani; Siegel, Herbert; Ohde, Thomas

2004-01-01

SeaWiFS data were applied to investigate coastal processes in Indonesian waters around the most populated island of Java. Coastal processes due to wind forcing were studied the first time using SeaWiFS-derived chlorophyll and TSM concentrations in combination with AVHRR-derived SST in the period from September 1997 to December 2001. Upwelling events were studied along the southern coast of Java during the southeast monsoon (June to September). Satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations higher than 0.8 mg/ m3 and sea-surface temperatures lower than 28°C are indications of upwelling. Upwelling events influence the distribution and growth of phytoplankton and provide by that good feeding condition for zooplankton, larvae, juvenile and adult of pelagic fish. Coastal discharge into the western Java Sea contains organic and inorganic materials originating from different sources. Diffuse impacts, particularly from fish farms and aquaculture, as well as coastal erosion influence large coastal areas during the rainy season (December to March), and to a lesser extent during the dry season. Strong Citarum river discharge was observed during the transition phase from the rainy to the dry season (March and April), when the maximum amount of transported material reaches the sea. The river plume is evident from chlorophyll concentrations higher than 2.5 mg/ m3, and suspended particulate matter concentrations of more than 8 mg/dm3. The Sunda Strait is seasonally influenced by water transport from the Java Sea and from the Indian Ocean. The satellite data show that water transport from the Java Sea occurs during the pre-dominantly easterly winds period (June to September). This is characterized by warm water (SST higher than 29.5°C) and chlorophyll concentrations higher than 0.5 mg/ m3. This water transport influences the fish abundance in the Sunda Strait. High fish catches coincide with the presence of Java Sea water, while the surface currents lead to the migration of

Salmonella rarely detected in Mississippi coastal waters and sediment.

PubMed

Carr, M R; Wang, S Y; McLean, T I; Flood, C J; Ellender, R D

2010-12-01

Standards for the rapid detection of individual pathogens from environmental samples have not been developed, but in their absence, the use of molecular-based detection methods coupled with traditional microbiology techniques allows for rapid and accurate pathogen detection from environmental waters and sediment. The aim of this research was to combine the use of enrichment with PCR for detection of Salmonella in Mississippi coastal waters and sediment and observe if that presence correlated with levels of enterococci and climatological variables. Salmonella were primarily found in samples that underwent nutrient enrichment and were present more frequently in freshwater than marine waters. Salmonella were detected infrequently in marine and freshwater sediments. There was a significant positive correlation between the presence of detectable Salmonella and the average enterococcal count. An inverse relationship, however, was observed between the frequency of detection and the levels of salinity, turbidity and sunlight exposure. Results from this study indicated the presence of Salmonella in Mississippi coastal waters, and sediments are very low with significant differences between freshwater and marine environments. Using pathogenic and novel nonpathogenic molecular markers, Salmonella do not appear to be a significant pathogenic genus along the Mississippi Coast. © 2010 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2010 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Wind Stress Variability Observed Over Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Suslow, D. G.; Haus, B. K.; Laxague, N.; Williams, N. J.; Graber, H. C.

2016-02-01

The wind stress on the ocean surface generates waves, drives currents, and enhances gas exchange; and a significant amount of work has been done to characterize the air-sea momentum flux in terms of bulk oceanographic and atmospheric parameters. However, the majority of this work to develop operational algorithms has been focused on the deep ocean and the suitability of these methods in the coastal regime has not been evaluated. The findings from a two-part field campaign will be presented which highlight the divergence of nearshore wind stress observations from conventional, deep water results. The first set of data comes from a coastal region near a relatively small, natural tidal inlet. A high degree of spatial variability was observed in both the wind stress magnitude and direction, suggestive of coastal processes (e.g., depth-limited wave affects and horizontal current shear) modulating the momentum flux from the atmosphere to the ocean surface. These shallow-water processes are typically not accounted for in conventional parameterizations. Across the experimental domain and for a given wind speed, the stress magnitude was found to be nearly 2.5 times that predicted by conventional methods; also, a high propensity for stress steering off the mean azimuthal wind direction (up to ±70 degrees) was observed and linked to horizontal current gradients produced by the tidal inlet. The preliminary findings from a second data set taken in the vicinity of the macrotidal Columbia River Mouth will also be presented. Compared to the first data set, a similar degree of variability is observed here, but the processes responsible for this are present at a much larger scale. Specifically, the Columbia River Mouth observations were made in the presence of significant swell wave energy and during periods of very high estuarine discharge. The relative angle between the wind and swell direction is expected to be significant with regards to the observed momentum flux. Also, these

Drinking water contributes to high salt consumption in young adults in coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Talukder, Mohammad Radwanur Rahman; Rutherford, Shannon; Phung, Dung; Malek, Abdul; Khan, Sheela; Chu, Cordia

2016-04-01

Increasing salinity of freshwater from environmental and anthropogenic influences is threatening the health of 35 million inhabitants in coastal Bangladesh. Yet little is known about the characteristics of their exposure to salt (sodium), a major risk factor for hypertension and related chronic diseases. This research examined sodium consumption levels and associated factors in young adults. We assessed spot urine samples for 282 participants (19-25 years) during May-June 2014 in a rural sub-district in southwestern coastal Bangladesh and measured sodium levels of their potable water sources. The significant factors associated with high sodium consumption were determined from logistic regression analyses. Mean sodium content in tube-well water (885 mg/L) was significantly higher than pond water (738 mg/L) (P = 0.01). Fifty three percent of subjects were consuming sodium at levels above the WHO recommended level (≥2 g/day). The users of tube-well water were more likely to consume sodium above this recommended level than pond water users. Salinity problems are projected to increase with climate change, and with large populations potentially at risk, appropriate public health and behavior-change interventions are an urgent priority for this vulnerable coastal region along with targeted research to better understand sodium exposure pathways and health benefits of alternative water supplies.

Adaptation and application of multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) in US coastal waters.

PubMed

Pelletier, Marguerite C; Gillett, David J; Hamilton, Anna; Grayson, Treda; Hansen, Virginia; Leppo, Erik W; Weisberg, Stephan B; Borja, Angel

2018-06-01

The multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) is an extension of the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) that has been used extensively in Europe, but not in the United States. In a previous study, we adapted AMBI for use in US coastal waters (US AMBI), but saw biases in salinity and score distribution when compared to locally calibrated indices. In this study we modified M-AMBI for US waters and compared its performance to that of US AMBI. Index performance was evaluated in three ways: 1) concordance with local indices presently being used as management tools in three geographic regions of US coastal waters, 2) classification accuracy for sites defined a priori as good or bad and 3) insensitivity to natural environmental gradients. US M-AMBI was highly correlated with all three local indices and removed the compression in response seen in moderately disturbed sites with US AMBI. US M-AMBI and US AMBI did a similar job correctly classifying sites as good or bad in local validation datasets (83 to 100% accuracy vs. 84 to 95%, respectively). US M-AMBI also removed the salinity bias of US AMBI so that lower salinity sites were not more likely to be incorrectly classified as impaired. The US M-AMBI appears to be an acceptable index for comparing condition across broad-scales such as estuarine and coastal waters surveyed by the US EPA's National Coastal Condition Assessment, and may be applicable to areas of the US coast that do not have a locally derived benthic index.

Dependency of high coastal water level and river discharge at the global scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, P.; Couasnon, A.; Haigh, I. D.; Muis, S.; Veldkamp, T.; Winsemius, H.; Wahl, T.

2017-12-01

It is widely recognized that floods cause huge socioeconomic impacts. From 1980-2013, global flood losses exceeded $1 trillion, with 220,000 fatalities. These impacts are particularly hard felt in low-lying densely populated deltas and estuaries, whose location at the coast-land interface makes them naturally prone to flooding. When river and coastal floods coincide, their impacts in these deltas and estuaries are often worse than when they occur in isolation. Such floods are examples of so-called `compound events'. In this contribution, we present the first global scale analysis of the statistical dependency of high coastal water levels (and the storm surge component alone) and river discharge. We show that there is statistical dependency between these components at more than half of the stations examined. We also show time-lags in the highest correlation between peak discharges and coastal water levels. Finally, we assess the probability of the simultaneous occurrence of design discharge and design coastal water levels, assuming both independence and statistical dependence. For those stations where we identified statistical dependency, the probability is between 1 and 5 times greater, when the dependence structure is accounted for. This information is essential for understanding the likelihood of compound flood events occurring at locations around the world as well as for accurate flood risk assessments and effective flood risk management. The research was carried out by analysing the statistical dependency between observed coastal water levels (and the storm surge component) from GESLA-2 and river discharge using gauged data from GRDC stations all around the world. The dependence structure was examined using copula functions.

Sea water - basalt interactions and genesis of the coastal thermal waters of Maharashtra, India

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Muthuraman, K.

1986-01-01

The thermal waters close to the western coastal belt of India (in Maharashtra State) generally discharge Na-Ca-Cl and Ca-Na-Cl types of waters through the basic lava flows of late Cretaceous-early Tertiary age. Experimental work to study the reactions between the dilute sea water and basalt conducted in static autoclaves at selected elevated temperatures, indicates the possibility of producing chloride waters with relatively high calcium, similar to these thermal waters. In view of the increase in Ca in the resultant solutions during sea water-basalt reactions at elevated temperatures, the base temperatures computed by Na-K-Ca geothermometry would be far lower than themore » actual temperatures of the system. At lower temperatures (around 100/sup 0/C) absorption by K by basalt is possible and, hence, alkali geothermometry also may not be reliable for such systems. Anhydrite saturation temperature seems to be a reliable geothermometer for such coastal thermal water systems involving a sea water component. The results of the computer processing of the chemistry of some of these thermal waters using ''WATEQ'' are discussed. Two of these waters are oversaturated with diopside, tremolite, calcite and aragonite, indicating a rather low temperature of origin. In two other cases, interaction with ultramafic rocks is indicated, as these waters are oversaturated with diopside, tremolite, talc, chrysotile, sepiolite and its precipitate. There is no clear evidence to show that the thermal waters of the west coast of India emerge directly from either marine evaporites or oil field waters. It is proposed that the majority of these thermal waters should have originated through interaction of an admixture of sea water and meteoric water with the local basalt flows at some elevated temperatures.« less

A statistical model for water quality predictions from a river discharge using coastal observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S.; Terrill, E. J.

2007-12-01

Understanding and predicting coastal ocean water quality has benefits for reducing human health risks, protecting the environment, and improving local economies which depend on clean beaches. Continuous observations of coastal physical oceanography increase the understanding of the processes which control the fate and transport of a riverine plume which potentially contains high levels of contaminants from the upstream watershed. A data-driven model of the fate and transport of river plume water from the Tijuana River has been developed using surface current observations provided by a network of HF radar operated as part of a local coastal observatory that has been in place since 2002. The model outputs are compared with water quality sampling of shoreline indicator bacteria, and the skill of an alarm for low water quality is evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. In addition, statistical analysis of beach closures in comparison with environmental variables is also discussed.

Potable water scarcity: options and issues in the coastal areas of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, Atikul; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Karim, Rezaul; Sekine, Masahiko

2013-09-01

In the coastal areas of Bangladesh, scarcity of drinking water is acute as freshwater aquifers are not available at suitable depths and surface water is highly saline. Households are mainly dependent on rainwater harvesting, pond sand filters and pond water for drinking purposes. Thus, individuals in these areas often suffer from waterborne diseases. In this paper, water consumption behaviour in two southwestern coastal districts of Bangladesh has been investigated. The data for this study were collected through a survey conducted on 750 rural households in 39 villages of the study area. The sample was selected using a random sampling technique. Households' choice of water source is complex and seasonally dependent. Water sourcing patterns, households' preference of water sourcing options and economic feasibility of options suggest that a combination of household and community-based options could be suitable for year-round water supply. Distance and time required for water collection were found to be difficult for water collection from community-based options. Both household and community-based options need regular maintenance. In addition to installation of water supply facilities, it is necessary to make the residents aware of proper operation and maintenance of the facilities.

Monitoring Environmental Recovery at Terminated Produced Water Discharge Sites in Coastal Louisiana Waters

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Continental Shelf Associates, Inc.

1999-08-16

This report presents the results of a study of terminated produced water discharge sites in the coastal waters of Louisiana. Environmental recovery at the sites is documented by comparing pre-termination and post-termination (six months and one year) data. Produced water, sediments, and sediment interstitial water samples were analyzed for radionuclides, metals, and hydrocarbons. Benthic infauna were identified from samples collected in the vicinity of the discharge and reference sites. Radium isotope activities were determined in fish and crustacean samples. In addition, an environmental risk assessment is made on the basis of the concentrations of metals and hydrocarbons determined in themore » samples.« less

Occurrence and distribution of bacteria indicators, chemical tracers and pathogenic vibrios in Singapore coastal waters.

PubMed

Goh, Shin Giek; Bayen, Stéphane; Burger, David; Kelly, Barry C; Han, Ping; Babovic, Vladan; Gin, Karina Yew-Hoong

2017-01-15

Water quality in Singapore's coastal area was evaluated with microbial indicators, pathogenic vibrios, chemical tracers and physico-chemical parameters. Sampling sites were grouped into two clusters (coastal sites at (i) northern and (ii) southern part of Singapore). The coastal sites located at northern part of Singapore along the Johor Straits exhibited greater pollution. Principal component analysis revealed that sampling sites at Johor Straits have greater loading on carbamazepine, while turbidity poses greater influence on sampling sites at Singapore Straits. Detection of pathogenic vibrios was also more prominent at Johor Straits than the Singapore Straits. This study examined the spatial variations in Singapore's coastal water quality and provided the baseline information for health risk assessment and future pollution management. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Towards the development of a combined Norovirus and sediment transport model for coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, K.; O'Kane, J. P. J.

2009-04-01

Sewage effluent in coastal waters used for oyster culture poses a risk to human health. The primary pathogen in outbreaks of gastroenteritis following consumption of raw oysters is the Norovirus or "winter vomiting bug". The Norovirus is a highly infectious RNA virus of the Caliciviridae taxonomic family. It has a long survival time in coastal waters (T90 = 30 days in winter). Oysters selectively concentrate Norovirus in their digestive ducts. The virus cannot be removed by conventional depuration. The primary goal of the research is to quantify the risk of Norovirus infection in coastal waters through physically-based high-resolution numerical modelling. Cork Harbour and Clew Bay in Ireland provide case studies for the research. The models simulate a number of complex physical, chemical and biological processes which influence the transport and decay of the virus as well as its bioaccumulation in oyster tissue. The current phase of the research is concerned with the adsorption of the virus to suspended sediment in the water column. Adsorbed viruses may be taken out of the water column when sedimentation occurs and, subsequently, be added to it with resuspension of the bed sediment. Preliminary simulations of the Norovirus-sediment model indicate that suspended sediment can influence the transport of the virus in coastal waters when a high sediment-water partitioning coefficient is used and the model is run under calm environmental conditions. In this instance a certain fraction of the adsorbed viruses are taken out of the water column by sedimentation and end up locked in the bed sediment. Subsequently, under storm conditions, a large number of viruses in the bed are released into the water column by erosion of the bed and a risk of contamination occurs at a time different to when the viruses were initially released into the body of water.

Geochemistry of shallow ground water in coastal plain environments in the southeastern United States: Implications for aquifer susceptibility

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tesoriero, A.J.; Spruill, T.B.; Eimers, J.L.

2004-01-01

Ground-water chemistry data from coastal plain environments have been examined to determine the geochemical conditions and processes that occur in these areas and assess their implications for aquifer susceptibility. Two distinct geochemical environments were studied to represent a range of conditions: an inner coastal plain setting having more well-drained soils and lower organic carbon (C) content and an outer coastal plain environment that has more poorly drained soils and high organic C content. Higher concentrations of most major ions and dissolved inorganic and organic C in the outer coastal plain setting indicate a greater degree of mineral dissolution and organic matter oxidation. Accordingly, outer coastal plain waters are more reducing than inner coastal plain waters. Low dissolved oxygen (O2) and nitrate (NO 3-) concentrations and high iron (Fe) concentrations indicate that ferric iron (Fe (III)) is an important electron acceptor in this setting, while dissolved O2 is the most common terminal electron acceptor in the inner coastal plain setting. The presence of a wide range of redox conditions in the shallow aquifer system examined here underscores the importance of providing a detailed geochemical characterization of ground water when assessing the intrinsic susceptibility of coastal plain settings. The greater prevalence of aerobic conditions in the inner coastal plain setting makes this region more susceptible to contamination by constituents that are more stable under these conditions and is consistent with the significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of NO3- found in this setting. Herbicides and their transformation products were frequently detected (36% of wells sampled), however concentrations were typically low (<0.1 ??g/L). Shallow water table depths often found in coastal plain settings may result in an increased risk of the detection of pesticides (e.g., alachlor) that degrade rapidly in the unsaturated zone.

Theonellapeptolide IIIe, a new cyclic peptolide from the New Zealand deep water sponge, Lamellomorpha strongylata.

PubMed

Li, S; Dumdei, E J; Blunt, J W; Munro, M H; Robinson, W T; Pannell, L K

1998-06-26

The structure, stereochemistry, and conformation of theonellapeptolide IIIe (1), a new 36-membered ring cyclic peptolide from the New Zealand deep-water sponge Lamellomorpha strongylata, is described. The sequence of the cytotoxic peptolide was determined through a combination of NMR and MS-MS techniques and confirmed by X-ray crystal structure analysis, which, with chiral HPLC, established the absolute stereochemistry.

Ecological Condition of Coastal Ocean Waters along the U.S. Western Continental Shelf: 2003

EPA Science Inventory

The western National Coastal Assessment program of EPA, in conjunction with the NOAA National Ocean Service, west coast states (WA, OR, and CA), and the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project Bight ’03 program, assessed the ecological condition of soft sediment habita...

Development of Benthic Indicators for Nearshore Coastal Waters of New Jersey - A REMAP Project

EPA Science Inventory

EPA's National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is providing the first complete, consistent dataset on the condition of benthic communities in the nation's estuaries. Prior to NCA, New Jersey based its evaluation of the ecological condition of its coastal waters solely on dissolved oxyg...

Ground-water flow in the New Jersey Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Martin, Mary

1998-01-01

Ground-water flow in 10 aquifers and 9 intervening confining units of the New Jersey Coastal Plain was simulated as part of the Regional Aquifer System Analysis. Data on aquifer and confining unit characteristics and on pumpage and water levels from 1918 through 1980 were incorporated into a multilayer finite-difference model. The report describes the conceptual hydrogeologic model of the unstressed flow systems, the methods and approach used in simulating flow, and the results of the simulations.

[Algorithms of multiband remote sensing for coastal red tide waters].

PubMed

Mao, Xianmou; Huang, Weigen

2003-07-01

The spectral characteristics of the coastal waters in East China Sea was studied using in situ measurements, and the multiband algorithms of remote sensing for bloom waters was discussed and developed. Examples of red tide detection using the algorithms in the East China Sea were presented. The results showed that the algorithms could provide information about the location and the area coverage of the red tide events.

Resting Stage of Plankton Diversity from Singapore Coastal Water: Implications for Harmful Algae Blooms and Coastal Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trottet, Aurore; Wilson, Bryan; Sew Wei Xin, Genevieve; George, Christaline; Casten, Lemuel; Schmoker, Claire; Rawi, Nurul Syazana Binte Modh; Chew Siew, Moon; Larsen, Ole; Eikaas, Hans S.; Tun, Karenne; Drillet, Guillaume

2018-02-01

Resting strategies of planktonic organisms are important for the ecological processes of coastal waters and their impacts should be taken into consideration in management of water bodies used by multiple industries. We combined different approaches to evaluate the importance of resting stages in Singapore coastal waters. We used molecular approaches to improve the knowledge on Singapore biodiversity, we sampled and extracted cysts from sediments to evaluate the density of resting stages in Johor Strait, and we compared systematically information on Singapore planktonic biodiversity to existing published information on resting stages from these reported organisms. This is the first study evaluating the importance of resting stages in Singapore waters. Above 120 species reported in Singapore are known to produce resting stages though no previous work has ever been done to evaluate the importance of these strategies in these waters. The results from the resting stage survey confirmed 0.66 to 5.34 cyst g-1 dry weight sediment were present in the Johor Strait suggesting that cysts may be flushed by tidal currents into and out of the strait regularly. This also suggest that the blooms occurring in Singapore are likely due to secondary growth of Harmful Algae Bloom species in the water rather than from direct germination of cysts from sediment. Finally, we discuss the importance of these resting eggs for three main national industries in Singapore (shipping, marine aquaculture and provision of drinking water through seawater desalination). We argue that this study will serve as a baseline for some of the future management of Singapore waters.

Biotic variation in coastal water bodies in Sussex, England: Implications for saline lagoons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joyce, Chris B.; Vina-Herbon, Cristina; Metcalfe, Daniel J.

2005-12-01

Coastal water bodies are a heterogeneous resource typified by high spatial and temporal variability and threatened by anthropogenic impacts. This includes saline lagoons, which support a specialist biota and are a priority habitat for nature conservation. This paper describes the biotic variation in coastal water bodies in Sussex, England, in order to characterise the distinctiveness of the saline lagoon community and elucidate environmental factors that determine its distribution. Twenty-eight coastal water bodies were surveyed for their aquatic flora and invertebrate fauna and a suite of exploratory environmental variables compiled. Ordination and cluster analyses were used to examine patterns in community composition and relate these to environmental parameters. Biotic variation in the coastal water body resource was high. Salinity was the main environmental parameter explaining the regional distribution of taxa; freshwater and saline assemblages were evident and related to sea water ingress. Freshwater sites were indicated by the plant Myriophyllum spicatum and gastropod mollusc Lymnaea peregra, while more saline communities supported marine and brackish water taxa, notably a range of chlorophytic algae and the bivalve mollusc Cerastoderma glaucum. Site community differences were also related to bank slope and parameters describing habitat heterogeneity. A saline lagoon community was discerned within the matrix of biotic variation consisting of specialist lagoonal species with associated typically euryhaline taxa. For fauna, the latter were the molluscs Abra tenuis and Hydrobia ulvae, and the crustaceans Corophium volutator and Palaemonetes varians, and for flora they were the algae Ulva lactuca, Chaetomorpha mediterranea, Cladophora spp. and Enteromorpha intestinalis. One non-native polychaete species, Ficopomatus enigmaticus, also strongly influenced community structure within the lagoonal resource. The community was not well defined as specialist and

Understanding human impacts to tropical coastal ecosystems through integrated hillslope erosion measurements, optical coastal waters characterization, watershed modeling, marine ecosystem assessments, and natural resource valuations in two constrasting watersheds in Puerto Rico.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-Zayas, J.; Melendez, J.; Barreto, M.; Santiago, L.; Torres-Perez, J. L.; Ramos-Scharron, C. E.; Figueroa, Y.; Setegn, S. G.; Guild, L. S.; Armstrong, R.

2017-12-01

Coastal ecosystems are an asset to many tropical island economies. In Puerto Rico, however, many invaluable coastal ecosystems are at risk due to multiple social and natural environmental stressors. To quantify the role of anthropogenic versus natural stressors, an integrated multidisciplinary approach was applied in two contrasting watersheds in Puerto Rico. The Rio Loco (RL) watershed in Southeastern Puerto Rico is hydrologically modified with interbasin water transfers, hydroelectric generation, and with water extraction for irrigation and water supply. Intensive agricultural production dominates both the lower and upper portions of the basin. In contrast, the Rio Grande de Manatí (RGM) shows a natural flow regime with minor flow regulation and limited agriculture. The Surface Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was applied to each watershed to assess the effects of land use changes on water and sediment fluxes to coastal areas. From 1977 to 2016, forest areas increased in both watersheds due to the abandonment of farms in the mountains. However, in upper and lower RL, agricultural lands have remained active. Coffee plantations in the upper watershed contribute with high sediment loads, particularly in unpaved service roads. We hypothesize that water fluxes will be higher in the larger RGM than in RL. However, suspended sediment fluxes will be higher in the agriculturally active RL basin. A willingness-to-pay approach was applied to assess how residents from each watershed value water and coastal ecosystems revealing a general higher natural resources valuation in the RGM than in RL. Coastal ecosystems at each site revealed structural differences in benthic coral communities due to local currents influenced largely by coastal morphology. The optical properties of coastal waters are also being determined and linked to fluvial sediment fluxes. Stakeholder meetings are being held in each watershed to promote transfer of scientific insights into a sustainable coastal and

Remote Sensing of Selected Water-Quality Indicators with the Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) Sensor

EPA Science Inventory

The Hyperspectral Imager for the Coastal Ocean (HICO) offers the coastal environmental monitoring community an unprecedented opportunity to observe changes in coastal and estuarine water quality across a range of spatial scales not feasible with traditional field-based monitoring...

Determining return water levels at ungauged coastal sites: a case study for northern Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arns, Arne; Wahl, Thomas; Haigh, Ivan D.; Jensen, Jürgen

2015-04-01

We estimate return periods and levels of extreme still water levels for the highly vulnerable and historically and culturally important small marsh islands known as the Halligen, located in the Wadden Sea offshore of the coast of northern Germany. This is a challenging task as only few water level records are available for this region, and they are currently too short to apply traditional extreme value analysis methods. Therefore, we use the Regional Frequency Analysis (RFA) approach. This originates from hydrology but has been used before in several coastal studies and is also currently applied by the local federal administration responsible for coastal protection in the study area. The RFA enables us to indirectly estimate return levels by transferring hydrological information from gauged to related ungauged sites. Our analyses highlight that this methodology has some drawbacks and may over- or underestimate return levels compared to direct analyses using station data. To overcome these issues, we present an alternative approach, combining numerical and statistical models. First, we produced a numerical multidecadal model hindcast of water levels for the entire North Sea. Predicted water levels from the hindcast are bias corrected using the information from the available tide gauge records. Hence, the simulated water levels agree well with the measured water levels at gauged sites. The bias correction is then interpolated spatially to obtain correction functions for the simulated water levels at each coastal and island model grid point in the study area. Using a recommended procedure to conduct extreme value analyses from a companion study, return water levels suitable for coastal infrastructure design are estimated continuously along the entire coastline of the study area, including the offshore islands. A similar methodology can be applied in other regions of the world where tide gauge observations are sparse.

Sunscreen Products as Emerging Pollutants to Coastal Waters

PubMed Central

Tovar-Sánchez, Antonio; Sánchez-Quiles, David; Basterretxea, Gotzon; Benedé, Juan L.; Chisvert, Alberto; Salvador, Amparo; Moreno-Garrido, Ignacio; Blasco, Julián

2013-01-01

A growing awareness of the risks associated with skin exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation over the past decades has led to increased use of sunscreen cosmetic products leading the introduction of new chemical compounds in the marine environment. Although coastal tourism and recreation are the largest and most rapidly growing activities in the world, the evaluation of sunscreen as source of chemicals to the coastal marine system has not been addressed. Concentrations of chemical UV filters included in the formulation of sunscreens, such as benzophehone 3 (BZ-3), 4-methylbenzylidene camphor (4-MBC), TiO2 and ZnO, are detected in nearshore waters with variable concentrations along the day and mainly concentrated in the surface microlayer (i.e. 53.6–577.5 ng L-1 BZ-3; 51.4–113.4 ng L-1 4-MBC; 6.9–37.6 µg L-1 Ti; 1.0–3.3 µg L-1 Zn). The presence of these compounds in seawater suggests relevant effects on phytoplankton. Indeed, we provide evidences of the negative effect of sunblocks on the growth of the commonly found marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis (mean EC50 = 125±71 mg L-1). Dissolution of sunscreens in seawater also releases inorganic nutrients (N, P and Si forms) that can fuel algal growth. In particular, PO4 3− is released by these products in notable amounts (up to 17 µmol PO4 3− g−1). We conservatively estimate an increase of up to 100% background PO4 3− concentrations (0.12 µmol L-1 over a background level of 0.06 µmol L-1) in nearshore waters during low water renewal conditions in a populated beach in Majorca island. Our results show that sunscreen products are a significant source of organic and inorganic chemicals that reach the sea with potential ecological consequences on the coastal marine ecosystem. PMID:23755233

[Assessment of resource situation of Collichthys lucidus in coastal waters of the Yangtze estuary].

PubMed

Hu, Yan; Zhang, Tao; Yang, Gang; Zhao, Feng; Hou, Jun-li; Zhang, Long-zhen; Zhuang, Ping

2015-09-01

In order to assess the resource status of Collichthys lucidus in coastal waters of Yangtze estuary, the growth and population parameters were studied by the length frequency distribution method based on the bottom trawl investigation data from 2012 to 2013. Von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated by using the ELEFAN module in FiSAT II software while the natural mortality rate (M) was estimated via Pauly's empirical equation. Besides, the Beverton-Holt dynamic model was developed to predict the variation trend of C. lucidus resource in coastal waters of Yangtze estuary. The results showed that in 2012-2013, a total of 4201 samples of C. lucidus with body lengths ranging from 18 to 155 mm were collected from the coastal waters of Yangtze estuary. The growth parameter (K) and limit length (L.) were 1.1 and 162.75 mm while the total mortality rate (Z), the natural mortality rate (M) and the fishing mortality rate (F) were 4.040, 1.683 and 2.357, respectively. Moreover, the current exploitation (E) of C. lucidus in coastal waters of Yangtze estuary was 0.583 per year, which was larger than Fopt (0.5). Corresponding to the average stock of 576.02 t, the resource amount of C. lucidus reached up to 1.33 x 10(8) individuals. These indicated that C. lucidus has been overfished in Yangtze estuary area.

Assessing the Nation's Coastal Waters....Better

EPA Science Inventory

The USEPA has been assessing estuarine and coastal condition in the United States since 1999 via the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and National Aquatic Resources Surveys (NARS) programs. Approximately 1500 randomly selected coastal sites were surveyed annually during summers ...

Spatial distribution of dinoflagellates from the tropical coastal waters of the South Andaman, India: Implications for coastal pollution monitoring.

PubMed

Narale, Dhiraj Dhondiram; Anil, Arga Chandrashekar

2017-02-15

Dinoflagellate community structure from two semi-enclosed areas along the South Andaman region, India, was investigated to assess the anthropogenic impact on coastal water quality. At the densely inhabited Port Blair Bay, the dominance of mixotrophs in water and Protoperidinoids in sediments was attributed to anthropogenic nutrient enrichment and prey availability. A significant decrease in dinoflagellate abundance from inner to outer bay emphasize the variation in nutrient availability. The dominance of autotrophs and Gonyaulacoid cysts at the North Bay highlight low nutrient conditions with less anthropogenic pressure. The occurrence of oceanic Ornithocercus steinii and Diplopsalis sp. could evince the oceanic water intrusion into the North Bay. Nine potentially harmful and red-tide-forming species including Alexandrium tamarense complex, A. minutum were identified in this study. Although there are no harmful algal bloom (HABs) incidences in this region so far, increasing coastal pollution could support their candidature towards the future HABs initiation and development. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evidence of local and regional freshening of Northeast Greenland coastal waters.

PubMed

Sejr, Mikael K; Stedmon, Colin A; Bendtsen, Jørgen; Abermann, Jakob; Juul-Pedersen, Thomas; Mortensen, John; Rysgaard, Søren

2017-10-13

The supply of freshwater to fjord systems in Greenland is increasing as a result of climate change-induced acceleration in ice sheet melt. However, insight into the marine implications of the melt water is impaired by lack of observations demonstrating the fate of freshwater along the Greenland coast and providing evaluation basis for ocean models. Here we present 13 years of summer measurements along a 120 km transect in Young Sound, Northeast Greenland and show that sub-surface coastal waters are decreasing in salinity with an average rate of 0.12 ± 0.05 per year. This is the first observational evidence of a significant freshening on decadal scale of the waters surrounding the ice sheet and comes from a region where ice sheet melt has been less significant. It implies that ice sheet dynamics in Northeast Greenland could be of key importance as freshwater is retained in southward flowing coastal currents thus reducing density of water masses influencing major deep water formation areas in the Subarctic Atlantic Ocean. Ultimately, the observed freshening could have implications for the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.

Long-term spatiotemporal trends and health risk assessment of oyster arsenic levels in coastal waters of northern South China Sea.

PubMed

Wang, Xuefeng; Wang, Lifei; Jia, Xiaoping; Jackson, Donald A

2017-09-01

Long-term spatiotemporal trends and health risk assessment of oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea were investigated in order to help improve the quality and safety control and sustainable aquaculture for mollusks in China. Cultured oysters (Crassostrea rivularis) collected from the waters of 23 bays, harbors, and estuaries along the coast of northern South China Sea from 1989 to 2012 were examined for spatial patterns and long-term temporal trends of oyster arsenic levels. Single-factor index and health risk assessment were used to quantify arsenic exposure to human health through oyster consumption. Overall, arsenic was detected in 97.4% of the oyster samples, and oyster arsenic levels were non-detectable-2.51 mg/kg with an average of 0.63 ± 0.54 mg/kg. Oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea showed an overall decline from 1989 to 2012, remained relatively low since 2005, and slightly increased after 2007. Oyster arsenic levels in Guangdong coastal waters were much higher with more variation than in Guangxi and Hainan coastal waters, and the long-term trends of oyster arsenic levels in Guangdong coastal waters dominated the overall trends of oyster arsenic levels in the coastal waters of northern South China Sea. Within Guangdong Province, oyster arsenic levels were highest in east Guangdong coastal waters, followed by the Pearl River estuary and west Guangdong coastal waters. Single-factor index ranged between 0.27 and 0.97, and average health risk coefficient was 3.85 × 10 -5 , both suggesting that oyster arsenic levels in northern South China Sea are within the safe range for human consumption. However, long-term attention should be given to seafood market monitoring in China and the risk of arsenic exposure to human health through oyster consumption.

Hydrogeomorphic and Anthropogenic Influences on Water Quality, Habitat, and Fish of Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands

EPA Science Inventory

Great Lakes coastal wetlands represent a dynamic interface between coastal watersheds and the open lake. Compared to the adjacent lakes, these wetlands have generally warmer water, reduced wave energy, shallow bathymetry, higher productivity, and structurally complex vegetated h...

Land-based sources of marine pollution: Pesticides, PAHs and phthalates in coastal stream water, and heavy metals in coastal stream sediments in American Samoa.

PubMed

Polidoro, Beth A; Comeros-Raynal, Mia T; Cahill, Thomas; Clement, Cassandra

2017-03-15

The island nations and territories of the South Pacific are facing a number of pressing environmental concerns, including solid waste management and coastal pollution. Here we provide baseline information on the presence and concentration of heavy metals and selected organic contaminants (pesticides, PAHs, phthalates) in 7 coastal streams and in surface waters adjacent to the Futiga landfill in American Samoa. All sampled stream sediments contained high concentrations of lead, and some of mercury. Several coastal stream waters showed relatively high concentrations of diethyl phthalate and of organophosphate pesticides, above chronic toxicity values for fish and other aquatic organisms. Parathion, which has been banned by the US Environmental Protection Agency since 2006, was detected in several stream sites. Increased monitoring and initiatives to limit non-point source land-based pollution will greatly improve the state of freshwater and coastal resources, as well as reduce risks to human health in American Samoa. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of low oxygen concentrations on aerobic methane oxidation in seasonally hypoxic coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinle, Lea; Maltby, Johanna; Treude, Tina; Kock, Annette; Bange, Hermann W.; Engbersen, Nadine; Zopfi, Jakob; Lehmann, Moritz F.; Niemann, Helge

2017-03-01

Coastal seas may account for more than 75 % of global oceanic methane emissions. There, methane is mainly produced microbially in anoxic sediments from which it can escape to the overlying water column. Aerobic methane oxidation (MOx) in the water column acts as a biological filter, reducing the amount of methane that eventually evades to the atmosphere. The efficiency of the MOx filter is potentially controlled by the availability of dissolved methane and oxygen, as well as temperature, salinity, and hydrographic dynamics, and all of these factors undergo strong temporal fluctuations in coastal ecosystems. In order to elucidate the key environmental controls, specifically the effect of oxygen availability, on MOx in a seasonally stratified and hypoxic coastal marine setting, we conducted a 2-year time-series study with measurements of MOx and physico-chemical water column parameters in a coastal inlet in the south-western Baltic Sea (Eckernförde Bay). We found that MOx rates generally increased toward the seafloor, but were not directly linked to methane concentrations. MOx exhibited a strong seasonal variability, with maximum rates (up to 11.6 nmol L-1 d-1) during summer stratification when oxygen concentrations were lowest and bottom-water temperatures were highest. Under these conditions, 2.4-19.0 times more methane was oxidized than emitted to the atmosphere, whereas about the same amount was consumed and emitted during the mixed and oxygenated periods. Laboratory experiments with manipulated oxygen concentrations in the range of 0.2-220 µmol L-1 revealed a submicromolar oxygen optimum for MOx at the study site. In contrast, the fraction of methane-carbon incorporation into the bacterial biomass (compared to the total amount of oxidized methane) was up to 38-fold higher at saturated oxygen concentrations, suggesting a different partitioning of catabolic and anabolic processes under oxygen-replete and oxygen-starved conditions, respectively. Our results

Drinking water insecurity: water quality and access in coastal south-western Bangladesh.

PubMed

Benneyworth, Laura; Gilligan, Jonathan; Ayers, John C; Goodbred, Steven; George, Gregory; Carrico, Amanda; Karim, Md Rezaul; Akter, Farjana; Fry, David; Donato, Katherine; Piya, Bhumika

2016-01-01

National drinking water assessments for Bangladesh do not reflect local variability, or temporal differences. This paper reports on the findings of an interdisciplinary investigation of drinking water insecurity in a rural coastal south-western Bangladesh. Drinking water quality is assessed by comparison of locally measured concentrations to national levels and water quality criteria; resident's access to potable water and their perceptions are based on local social surveys. Residents in the study area use groundwater far less than the national average; salinity and local rainwater scarcity necessitates the use of multiple water sources throughout the year. Groundwater concentrations of arsenic and specific conductivity (SpC) were greater than surface water (pond) concentrations; there was no statistically significant seasonal difference in mean concentrations in groundwater, but there was for ponds, with arsenic higher in the dry season. Average arsenic concentrations in local water drinking were 2-4 times times the national average. All of the local groundwater samples exceeded the Bangladesh guidance for SpC, although the majority of residents surveyed did not perceive their water as having a 'bad' or 'salty' taste.

Experimental evidence of nitrogen control on pCO(2) in phosphorus-enriched humic and clear coastal lagoon waters.

PubMed

Peixoto, Roberta B; Marotta, Humberto; Enrich-Prast, Alex

2013-01-01

Natural and human-induced controls on carbon dioxide (CO(2)) in tropical waters may be very dynamic (over time and among or within ecosystems) considering the potential role of warmer temperatures intensifying metabolic responses and playing a direct role on the balance between photosynthesis and respiration. The high magnitude of biological processes at low latitudes following eutrophication by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs into coastal lagoons waters may be a relevant component of the carbon cycle, showing controls on partial pressure of CO(2) (pCO(2)) that are still poorly understood. Here we assessed the strength of N control on pCO(2) in P-enriched humic and clear coastal lagoons waters, using four experimental treatments in microcosms: control (no additional nutrients) and three levels of N additions coupled to P enrichments. In humic coastal lagoons waters, a persistent CO(2) supersaturation was reported in controls and all nutrient-enriched treatments, ranging from 24- to 4-fold the atmospheric equilibrium value. However, both humic and clear coastal lagoons waters only showed significant decreases in pCO(2) in relation to the controlled microcosms in the two treatments with higher N addition levels. Additionally, clear coastal lagoons water microcosms showed a shift from CO(2) sources to CO(2) sinks, in relation to the atmosphere. Only in the two more N-enriched treatments did pCO(2) substantially decrease, from 650 µatm in controls and less N-enriched treatments to 10 µatm in more N-enriched microcosms. Humic substrates and N inputs can modulate pCO(2) even in P-enriched coastal lagoons waters, thereby being important drivers on CO(2) outgassing from inland waters.

Experimental evidence of nitrogen control on pCO2 in phosphorus-enriched humic and clear coastal lagoon waters

PubMed Central

Peixoto, Roberta B.; Marotta, Humberto; Enrich-Prast, Alex

2013-01-01

Natural and human-induced controls on carbon dioxide (CO2) in tropical waters may be very dynamic (over time and among or within ecosystems) considering the potential role of warmer temperatures intensifying metabolic responses and playing a direct role on the balance between photosynthesis and respiration. The high magnitude of biological processes at low latitudes following eutrophication by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs into coastal lagoons waters may be a relevant component of the carbon cycle, showing controls on partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) that are still poorly understood. Here we assessed the strength of N control on pCO2 in P-enriched humic and clear coastal lagoons waters, using four experimental treatments in microcosms: control (no additional nutrients) and three levels of N additions coupled to P enrichments. In humic coastal lagoons waters, a persistent CO2 supersaturation was reported in controls and all nutrient-enriched treatments, ranging from 24- to 4-fold the atmospheric equilibrium value. However, both humic and clear coastal lagoons waters only showed significant decreases in pCO2 in relation to the controlled microcosms in the two treatments with higher N addition levels. Additionally, clear coastal lagoons water microcosms showed a shift from CO2 sources to CO2 sinks, in relation to the atmosphere. Only in the two more N-enriched treatments did pCO2 substantially decrease, from 650 µatm in controls and less N-enriched treatments to 10 µatm in more N-enriched microcosms. Humic substrates and N inputs can modulate pCO2 even in P-enriched coastal lagoons waters, thereby being important drivers on CO2 outgassing from inland waters. PMID:23390422

Perfluoroalkyl acids in the water cycle from a freshwater river basin to coastal waters in eastern China.

PubMed

Zhu, Xiaobin; Jin, Ling; Yang, Jingping; Wu, Jianfeng; Zhang, Beibei; Zhang, Xiaowei; Yu, Nanyang; Wei, Si; Wu, Jichun; Yu, Hongxia

2017-02-01

The distribution of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), one class of persistent organic pollutants, in groundwater, especially in confined aquifers remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of 12 PFAAs through a water cycle from the Huai River Basin to the Yellow Sea, including confined aquifers, unconfined aquifers, rivers, and coastal waters. We found the ubiquity of PFAAs in all types of samples, including those from confined aquifers (2.7-6.8 ng/L). Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were the major PFAAs in all samples, accounting for an average of 49.1% (0.8-84.8%) and 33.3% (6.3-92.2%) of total PFAAs, respectively. Comparing the concentration of PFOA with that of PFOS, we found a higher concentration of PFOA in rivers and a higher concentration of PFOS in confined aquifers. Short-chain perfluoropentanoic acid accounted for an average of 10.3% (1.9-24.6%) of total PFAAs in rivers and coastal waters. Branched isomers of both PFOA and PFOS were detected in most samples (36/42 and 39/42, respectively). One-way analysis of variance indicated a significant difference in the profiles of PFAAs among the different types of water samples. Principal component analysis suggested that rainwater and recent uses of PFAAs could be the major sources of PFAAs in confined aquifers, while recent and current uses of PFAAs could be the major source of PFAAs in unconfined aquifers, rivers and coastal waters. The risk quotients of PFOA and PFOS in groundwater and rivers were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than unity, indicating no immediate risks via drinking water consumption. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Water levels in major artesian aquifers of the New Jersey Coastal Plain, 1983

USGS Publications Warehouse

Eckel, J.A.; Walker, R.L.

1986-01-01

Water levels and changes in water levels in the major aquifers of the New Jersey Coastal Plain are documented. Water levels in 1,071 wells were measured in 1983, and are compared with 827 water level measurements made in the same wells in 1978. Increased groundwater withdrawals from the major artesian aquifers that underlie the New Jersey Coastal Plain have caused large cones of depression in the artesian heads. These cones are delineated on detailed potentiometric surface maps based on water level data collected in the fall of 1983. Hydrographs from observation wells show trends of water levels for the 6-year period of 1978 through 1983. The Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system is divided into the lower, middle, and upper aquifers. The potentiometric surfaces in these aquifers form large cones of depression centered in the Camden and Middlesex-Monmouth County areas. Measured water levels declined as much as 23 ft in these areas for the period of study. The lowest levels are 96 ft below sea level in Camden County and 91 ft below sea level in the Middlesex-Monmouth County area. Deep cones of depression in coastal Monmouth and Ocean counties in both the Englishtown aquifer system and Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer are similar in location and shape. This is because of an effective hydraulic connection between these aquifers. Measured water levels declined as much as 29 ft in the Englishtown aquifer system and 21 ft in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer during the period of study. The lowest levels are 249 ft below sea level in the Englishtown aquifer system and 196 ft below sea level in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer. Water levels in the Piney Point aquifer are as low as 75 ft below sea level at Seaside Park, Ocean County and 35 ft below sea level in southern Cumberland County. Water levels in Cumberland County are affected by large withdrawals of groundwater in Kent County, Delaware. Water levels in the Atlantic City 800 ft sand of the Kirkwood Formation define an

Modeling and water quality assessment during realisation of the coastal projects in Sochi region (Black sea coast of Russia)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prokhoda-Shumskikh, L.

2012-04-01

Sochi region is the unique subtropical resort on the Black Sea coast of Russia. Nowadays due to Sochi is the capital of the Olympic game 2014, the government of the Russian Federation accepts the special federal program of Black Sea coast development. Program foresees the existing and creation of new coastal recreational and touristic complexes along the Russian Black Sea coast, such as complex of yacht harbors, water centers (aqua-centers), network of port localities and etc. These coastal projects are different, but the main problems of the environmental impact assessment are the same. The environmental impact and the relative damage should be assessed at the stage of construction as well as at the stage of operation. The key problem for the recreation coastal zone is water quality management. The port localities network as example is considered. To increase the accuracy and informative of forecasts for the coastal zone conditions the system-dynamic model has been developed, what allows to estimate the quality of the sea water, including that in the semi-enclosed coastal water areas with the limited water exchange. The model of water quality in the coastal zone includes the equations of deposit concentration changes and chemical substances evolution in the studied areas. The model incorporates joint description of cycles of two biogenic elements - nitrogen and phosphorus. The system is completely defined by the biogeochemical reactions. The sizes of such water areas allow the applying the full mixing and zero-dimensional models of water quality. The circulation of water inside the area is taken into account additionally. Water exchange in the semi-enclosed coastal water areas is defined by the discharge through the open parts of area border. The novelty of the offered model is its adaptation to the specific conditions of semi-enclosed coastal water areas. At the same time, the model contains details of the biogeochemical processes to complete modelling of the

Hydrogeologic setting and potential for denitrification in ground water, coastal plain of southern Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Krantz, David E.; Powars, David S.

2000-01-01

The types and distribution of Coastal Plain sediments in the Patuxent River Basin may contribute to relatively low concentrations of nitrate (typically less than 1 milligram per liter) in stream base flow because of the chemical reduction of dissolved nitrate (denitrification) in ground water. Water chemistry data from synoptic stream base-flow surveys in the Patuxent River Basin show higher dissolved nitrate concentrations in the Piedmont than in the Coastal Plain section of the watershed. Stream base flow reflects closely the chemistry of ground water discharging from the surficial (unconfined) aquifer to the stream. Because land use in the sampled subbasins is virtually the same in each section, differences in the physical and geochemical characteristics of the surficial aquifer may explain the observed differences in water chemistry. One possible cause of lower nitrate concentrations in the Coastal Plain is denitrification within marine sediments that contain chemically reduced compounds. During denitrification, the oxygen atoms on the nitrate (N03-) molecule are transferred to a reduced compound and N gas is produced. Organic carbon and ferrous iron (Fe2+), derived from the dissolution of minerals such as pyrite (FeS2) and glauconite (an iron aluminosilicate clay), can act as reducing substrates; these reduced chemical species are common in the marine and estuarine deposits in Southern Maryland. The spatial distribution of geologic units and their lithology (sediment type) has been used to create a map of the potential for denitrification of ground water in the surficial aquifer of the Coastal Plain in Southern Maryland.

Water cycle meets media cycle: Hydrology engagement and social media in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collins, D. B.; Woods, R. A.

2012-12-01

The dispersal of scientific knowledge is an on-going challenge for the research community, particularly for the more applied disciplines such as hydrology. To a large degree this arises because key stakeholders do not readily follow the peer-reviewed scientific literature. Even publicly accessible technical reports may be out of sight from many in both the research and stakeholder communities. The challenge to science communication is further compounded by an increasing pressure to raise the hydrological literacy of the public, as water resource management decisions become increasingly collaborative. In these situations, the diversification of communication channels and more rapid interactions between stakeholders and scientists can be of great value. The use of social media in the communication and advancement of hydrological science in New Zealand is a case in point. Two such initiatives are described here: a hydrology blog and a crowd-sourcing data collection campaign using Facebook. The hydrology blog, Waiology (a variant of "hydrology" with the Greek prefix for water replaced by its Maori equivalent), was set up with two main goals in mind: to foster greater understanding and appreciation of hydrology among the New Zealand public, and to more rapidly share new hydrological knowledge within the New Zealand hydrological community. In part, it has also been an experiment to test whether this mode of engagement is worthwhile. Measuring the success of the initiative has proven difficult, but has led to a suite of metrics that collectively gauge popular and professional interest and use of the material. To name a few, this includes visit statistics (taking note of the institution of the visitor), subscriptions, and non-internet citations. Results indicate that, since the blog's inception in mid-2011, it has become a valued resource for the NZ hydrological community and an interesting website for the general public. The second example centered on the use of Facebook

Characterizing Groundwater Sources of Organic Matter to Arctic Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Connolly, C. T.; Spencer, R. G.; Cardenas, M. B.; Bennett, P. C.; McNichol, A. P.; McClelland, J. W.

2016-12-01

The Arctic is projected to transition from a runoff-dominated system to a groundwater-dominated system as permafrost thaws due to climate change. This fundamental shift in hydrology is expected to increase groundwater flow to Arctic coastal waters, which may be a significant source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) to these waters—even under present conditions—that has been largely overlooked. Here we quantify and elucidate sources of groundwater DOM inputs to lagoons along the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea coast using an approach that combines concentration measurements and radiocarbon dating of groundwater, soil profiles, and soil leachable dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Samples were collected in late summer, when soil thaw depths (active layer) were near their maximum extent. As anticipated, the radiocarbon age of bulk soil organic matter increased with depth (modern - 6,100 yBP), while the amount of extractable DOC decreased with depth within the active layer. However, amounts of extractable DOC increased dramatically in thawed permafrost samples collected directly below the actively layer. Concentrations of DOM in groundwater (ranging from 902 to 5,118 μmolL-1 DOC) are one to two orders of magnitude higher than those measured in lagoons and nearby river water. In contrast, the 14C-DOC ages of groundwater (1,400 ± 718 s.d. yBP), lagoon water (1,750 yBP), and river water (1,610 yBP) are comparable. Together these results suggest that: (1) groundwater provides a highly concentrated input of old DOC to Arctic coastal waters; (2) groundwater DOM is likely sourced from organic matter spanning the entire soil profile; and (3) the DOM in rivers along the eastern Alaskan Beaufort Sea coast during late summer is strongly influenced by groundwater sources, but is much lower in concentration due to photo-mineralization and/or biological consumption. These results are key for assessing how changes in land-ocean export of organic matter as permafrost thaws will change

The use of satellites in environmental monitoring of coastal waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Philpot, W.; Klemas, V.

1979-01-01

The feasibility of using satellites in an operational system for monitoring the type, concentration, location, drift, and dispersion of pollutants in coastal waters is evaluated. Visible, microwave, and thermal infrared sensing are considered. Targets to be detected include photosynthetic pigments, iron acid waste, and sewage sludge.

External nutrient loading from land, sea and atmosphere to all 656 Swedish coastal water bodies.

PubMed

Bryhn, Andreas C; Dimberg, Peter H; Bergström, Lena; Fredriksson, Ronny E; Mattila, Johanna; Bergström, Ulf

2017-01-30

Identifying the main sources of nutrient loading is a key factor for efficient mitigation of eutrophication. This study has investigated the pathways of external nutrient loading to 656 coastal water bodies along the entire Swedish coastline. The studied water bodies have been delineated to meet requirements in the European Union's Water Framework Directive, and recent status assessments have shown that 57% of them fail to attain good or high ecological status with respect to nutrients. The analysis in the study was performed on data from mass-balance based nutrient budgets computed using the modelling framework Vattenwebb. The external nutrient contribution from the sea to the water bodies was highly variable, ranging from about 1% to nearly 100%, but the median contribution was >99% of the total external loading regarding both nitrogen and phosphorus. External loading from the atmosphere and local catchment area played a minor role in general. However, 45 coastal water bodies received >25% of the external nitrogen and phosphorus from their catchments. Loading from land typically peaked in April following ice-break and snow melting and was comparatively low during summer. The results indicate that for many eutrophicated Swedish coastal water bodies, nutrient abatement is likely to be optimally effective when potential measures in all of the catchment area of the concerned sea basin are considered. Local-scale mitigation in single water bodies will likely be locally effective only in the small proportion of areas where water and thereby also nutrient input from the catchment is high compared to the influx from the sea. Future studies should include nutrient reduction scenarios in order to refine these conclusions and to identify relevant spatial scales for coastal eutrophication mitigation measures from a water body perspective. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of drinking water salinity on blood pressure in young adults of coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Talukder, Mohammad Radwanur Rahman; Rutherford, Shannon; Phung, Dung; Islam, Mohammad Zahirul; Chu, Cordia

2016-07-01

More than 35 million people in coastal Bangladesh are vulnerable to increasing freshwater salinization. This will continue to affect more people and to a greater extent as climate change projections are realised in this area in the future. However the evidence for health effects of consuming high salinity water is limited. This research examined the association between drinking water salinity and blood pressure in young adults in coastal Bangladesh. We conducted a cross-sectional study during May-June 2014 in a rural coastal sub-district of Bangladesh. Data on blood pressure (BP) and salinity of potable water sources was collected from 253 participants aged 19-25 years. A linear regression method was used to examine the association between water salinity exposure categories and systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) level. Sixty five percent of the study population were exposed to highly saline drinking water above the Bangladesh standard (600 mg/L and above). Multivariable linear regression analyses identified that compared to the low water salinity exposure category (<600 mg/L), those in the high water salinity category (>600 mg/L), had statistically significantly higher SBP (B 3.46, 95% CI 0.75, 6.17; p = 0.01) and DBP (B 2.77, 95% CI 0.31, 5.24; p = 0.03). Our research shows that elevated salinity in drinking water is associated with higher BP in young coastal populations. Blood pressure is an important risk factor of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Given the extent of salinization of freshwater in many low-lying countries including in Bangladesh, and the likely exacerbation related to climate change-induced sea level rise, implementation of preventative strategies through dietary interventions along with promotion of low saline drinking water must be a priority in these settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Atmospheric correction of SeaWiFS imagery for turbid coastal and inland waters.

PubMed

Ruddick, K G; Ovidio, F; Rijkeboer, M

2000-02-20

The standard SeaWiFS atmospheric correction algorithm, designed for open ocean water, has been extended for use over turbid coastal and inland waters. Failure of the standard algorithm over turbid waters can be attributed to invalid assumptions of zero water-leaving radiance for the near-infrared bands at 765 and 865 nm. In the present study these assumptions are replaced by the assumptions of spatial homogeneity of the 765:865-nm ratios for aerosol reflectance and for water-leaving reflectance. These two ratios are imposed as calibration parameters after inspection of the Rayleigh-corrected reflectance scatterplot. The performance of the new algorithm is demonstrated for imagery of Belgian coastal waters and yields physically realistic water-leaving radiance spectra. A preliminary comparison with in situ radiance spectra for the Dutch Lake Markermeer shows significant improvement over the standard atmospheric correction algorithm. An analysis is made of the sensitivity of results to the choice of calibration parameters, and perspectives for application of the method to other sensors are briefly discussed.

Phytoremediation potential of Eichornia crassipes in metal-contaminated coastal water.

PubMed

Agunbiade, Foluso O; Olu-Owolabi, Bamidele I; Adebowale, Kayode O

2009-10-01

The potential of Eichornia crassipes to serve as a phytoremediation plant in the cleaning up of metals from contaminated coastal areas was evaluated in this study. Ten metals, As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, V and Zn were assessed in water and the plant roots and shoots from the coastal area of Ondo State, Nigeria and the values were used to evaluate the enrichment factor (EF) and translocation factor (TF) in the plant. The critical concentrations of the metals were lower than those specified for hyperaccumulators thus classifying the plant as an accumulator but the EF and TF revealed that the plant accumulated toxic metals such as Cr, Cd, Pb and As both at the root and at the shoot in high degree, which indicates that the plant that forms a large biomass on the water surface and is not fed upon by animals can serve as a plant for both phytoextraction and rhizofiltration in phytoremediation technology.

Multi variate regression model of the water level and production rate time series of the geothermal reservoir Waiwera (New Zealand)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kühn, Michael; Schöne, Tim

2017-04-01

Water management tools are essential to ensure the conservation of natural resources. The geothermal hot water reservoir below the village of Waiwera, on the Northern Island of New Zealand is used commercially since 1863. The continuous production of 50 °C hot geothermal water, to supply hotels and spas, has a negative impact on the reservoir. Until the year 1969 from all wells drilled the warm water flow was artesian. Due to overproduction the water needs to be pumped up nowadays. Further, within the years 1975 to 1976 the warm water seeps on the beach of Waiwera ran dry. In order to protect the reservoir and the historical and tourist site in the early 1980s a water management plan was deployed. The "Auckland Council" established guidelines to enable a sustainable management of the resource [1]. The management plan demands that the water level in the official and appropriate observation well of the council is 0.5 m above sea level throughout the year in average. Almost four decades of data (since 1978 until today) are now available [2]. For a sustainable water management, it is necessary to be able to forecast the water level as a function of the production rates in the production wells. The best predictions are provided by a multivariate regression model of the water level and production rate time series, which takes into account the production rates of individual wells. It is based on the inversely proportional relationship between the independent variable (production rate) and the dependent variable (measured water level). In production scenarios, a maximum total production rate of approx. 1,100 m3 / day is determined in order to comply with the guidelines of the "Auckland Council". [1] Kühn M., Stöfen H. (2005) A reactive flow model of the geothermal reservoir Waiwera, New Zealand. Hydrogeology Journal 13, 606-626, doi: 10.1007/s10040-004-0377-6 [2] Kühn M., Altmannsberger C. (2016) Assessment of data driven and process based water management tools for

A revisitation of TRIX for trophic status assessment in the light of the European Water Framework Directive: application to Italian coastal waters.

PubMed

Pettine, Maurizio; Casentini, Barbara; Fazi, Stefano; Giovanardi, Franco; Pagnotta, Romano

2007-09-01

The trophic status classification of coastal waters at the European scale requires the availability of harmonised indicators and procedures. The composite trophic status index (TRIX) provides useful metrics for the assessment of the trophic status of coastal waters. It was originally developed for Italian coastal waters and then applied in many European seas (Adriatic, Tyrrhenian, Baltic, Black and Northern seas). The TRIX index does not fulfil the classification procedure suggested by the WFD for two reasons: (a) it is based on an absolute trophic scale without any normalization to type-specific reference conditions; (b) it makes an ex ante aggregation of biological (Chl-a) and physico-chemical (oxygen, nutrients) quality elements, instead of an ex post integration of separate evaluations of biological and subsequent chemical quality elements. A revisitation of the TRIX index in the light of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD, 2000/60/EC) and new TRIX derived tools are presented in this paper. A number of Italian coastal sites were grouped into different types based on a thorough analysis of their hydro-morphological conditions, and type-specific reference sites were selected. Unscaled TRIX values (UNTRIX) for reference and impacted sites have been calculated and two alternative UNTRIX-based classification procedures are discussed. The proposed procedures, to be validated on a broader scale, provide users with simple tools that give an integrated view of nutrient enrichment and its effects on algal biomass (Chl-a) and on oxygen levels. This trophic evaluation along with phytoplankton indicator species and algal blooms contribute to the comprehensive assessment of phytoplankton, one of the biological quality elements in coastal waters.

Summer water use by California coastal prairie grasses: fog, drought, and community composition.

PubMed

Corbin, Jeffrey D; Thomsen, Meredith A; Dawson, Todd E; D'Antonio, Carla M

2005-10-01

Plants in the Mediterranean climate region of California typically experience summer drought conditions, but correlations between zones of frequent coastal fog inundation and certain species' distributions suggest that water inputs from fog may influence species composition in coastal habitats. We sampled the stable H and O isotope ratios of water in non-photosynthetic plant tissue from a variety of perennial grass species and soil in four sites in northern California in order to determine the proportion of water deriving from winter rains and fog during the summer. The relationship between H and O stable isotopes from our sample sites fell to the right of the local meteoric water line (LMWL) during the summer drought, providing evidence that evaporation of water from the soil had taken place prior to the uptake of water by vegetation. We developed a novel method to infer the isotope values of water before it was subjected to evaporation in which we used experimental data to calculate the slope of the deltaH versus deltaO line versus the LMWL. After accounting for evaporation, we then used a two-source mixing model to evaluate plant usage of fog water. The model indicated that 28-66% of the water taken up by plants via roots during the summer drought came from fog rather than residual soil water from winter rain. Fog use decreased as distance from the coast increased, and there were significant differences among species in the use of fog. Rather than consistent differences in fog use by species whose distributions are limited to the coast versus those with broader distributions, species responded individualistically to summer fog. We conclude that fogwater inputs can mitigate the summer drought in coastal California for many species, likely giving an advantage to species that can use it over species that cannot.

Remote Sensing of Coastal and Inland Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Keukelaere, L.; Sterckx, S.; Adriaensen, S.; Knaeps, E.

2016-02-01

The new generation of satellites (e.g. Landsat 8, HyspIRI, Sentinel 2 and Sentinel 3 …) contain sensors that enable monitoring at increased spatial and/or spectral resolution. This opens a wide range of new opportunities, amongst others improved observation of coastal and inland waters. Algorithms for the pre-processing of these images and the derivation of Level 2 products for these waters need to take into account the specific nature of these environments, with adjacency effects of the nearby land and complex interactions of the optially active substances with varying degrees of turbidity. Here a new atmospheric correction algorithm, OPERA, is presented which can deal with these highly complex environments and which is sensor generic. OPERA accounts for the contribution of adjacency effects and provides surface reflectances for both land and water targets. OPERA is extended with a level 2 water algorithm providing TSM and turbidity estimates for a wide variety of water types. The algorithm is based on a multi wavelength switching approach using shorter wavelengths in low turbid waters and long NIR and SWIR wavelengths for highly and extremely turbid waters. Results are shown for Landsat-8, Sentinel-2 and MERIS for a variety of scenes, validated with field aeronet and turbidity data.

Interacting coastal based ecosystem services: recreation and water quality in Puget Sound, WA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kreitler, Jason; Papenfus, Michael; Byrd, Kristin; Labiosa, William

2013-01-01

Coastal recreation and water quality are major contributors to human well-being in coastal regions. They can also interact, creating opportunities for ecosystem based management, ecological restoration, and water quality improvement that can positively affect people and the environment. Yet the effect of environmental quality on human behavior is often poorly quantified, but commonly assumed in coastal ecosystem service studies. To clarify this effect we investigate a water quality dataset for evidence that environmental condition partially explains variation in recreational visitation, our indicator of human behavior. In Puget Sound, WA, we investigate variation in visitation in both visitation rate and fixed effects (FE) models. The visitation rate model relates the differences in annual recreational visitation among parks to environmental conditions, park characteristics, travel cost, and recreational demand. In our FE model we control for all time-invariant unobserved variables and compare monthly variation at the park level to determine how water quality affects visitation during the summer season. The results of our first model illustrate how visitation relates to various amenities and costs. In the FE analysis, monthly visitation was negatively related to water quality while controlling for monthly visitation trends. This indicates people are responding to changes in water quality, and an improvement would yield an increase in the value of recreation. Together, these results could help in prioritizing water quality improvements, could assist the creation of new parks or the modification of existing recreational infrastructure, and provide quantitative estimates for the expected benefits from potential changes in recreational visitation and water quality improvements. Our results also provide an example of how recreational visitation can be quantified and used in ecosystem service assessments.

Interacting Coastal Based Ecosystem Services: Recreation and Water Quality in Puget Sound, WA

PubMed Central

Kreitler, Jason; Papenfus, Michael; Byrd, Kristin; Labiosa, William

2013-01-01

Coastal recreation and water quality are major contributors to human well-being in coastal regions. They can also interact, creating opportunities for ecosystem based management, ecological restoration, and water quality improvement that can positively affect people and the environment. Yet the effect of environmental quality on human behavior is often poorly quantified, but commonly assumed in coastal ecosystem service studies. To clarify this effect we investigate a water quality dataset for evidence that environmental condition partially explains variation in recreational visitation, our indicator of human behavior. In Puget Sound, WA, we investigate variation in visitation in both visitation rate and fixed effects (FE) models. The visitation rate model relates the differences in annual recreational visitation among parks to environmental conditions, park characteristics, travel cost, and recreational demand. In our FE model we control for all time-invariant unobserved variables and compare monthly variation at the park level to determine how water quality affects visitation during the summer season. The results of our first model illustrate how visitation relates to various amenities and costs. In the FE analysis, monthly visitation was negatively related to water quality while controlling for monthly visitation trends. This indicates people are responding to changes in water quality, and an improvement would yield an increase in the value of recreation. Together, these results could help in prioritizing water quality improvements, could assist the creation of new parks or the modification of existing recreational infrastructure, and provide quantitative estimates for the expected benefits from potential changes in recreational visitation and water quality improvements. Our results also provide an example of how recreational visitation can be quantified and used in ecosystem service assessments. PMID:23451067

Physico-chemical analysis of ground water samples of coastal areas of south Chennai in the post-Tsunami scenario.

PubMed

Rajendran, A; Mansiya, C

2015-11-01

The study of changes in ground water quality on the east coast of chennai due to the December 26, 2004 tsunami and other subsequent disturbances is a matter of great concern. The post-Tsunami has caused considerable plant, animal, material and ecological changes in the entire stretch of chennai coastal area. Being very close to sea and frequently subjected to coastal erosion, water quality has been a concern in this coastal strip, and especially after the recent tsunami this strip seems to be more vulnerable. In the present investigation, ten ground water samples were collected from various parts of south chennai coastal area. Physico-chemical parameters such as pH, temperature, Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), Dissolved oxygen (DO), total solids; turbidity and fecal coliform were analyzed. The overall Water quality index (WQI) values for all the samples were found to be in the range of 68.81-74.38 which reveals a fact that the quality of all the samples is only medium to good and could be used for drinking and other domestic uses only after proper treatment. The long term adverse impacts of tsunami on ground water quality of coastal areas and the relationships that exist and among various parameters are carefully analyzed. Local residents and corporation authorities have been made aware of the quality of their drinking water and the methods to conserve the water bodies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial and temporal variation of water quality in the coastal lagoons of Sinaloa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paez-Osuna, F.; Lopez-Aguiar, L. K.; Del Río-Chuljak, A.; Ruiz-Fernandez, A. C.

2007-05-01

The Mexican state of Sinaloa has 656 km of coastline and 221,600 ha of coastal lagoons, and is characterized by a high fishing and agriculture activity. It is well known that agricultural activities constitute a major factor affecting the water quality in the coastal waters. The current study focused on the 6 more important coastal lagoons of Sinaloa (Topolobampo-Ohuira-Santa María, Navachiste-San Ignacio-Macapule, Santa María-La Reforma, Altata-Ensenada del Pabellón, Ceuta and Teacapán-Agua Brava) with the aim to evaluate the water quality spatial and temporal variation at the lagoons (physico-chemical parameters, nutrients (N, P and Si), dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids and chlorophyll a) and to assess its eutrophication status. The water samples were collected in several stations at each lagoon (between 9 and 23 stations depending on the lagoon area) at low and high tides, during three different weather periods (dry-warm, rainy and dry-cold seasons) between May 2004 and April 2005. Mean concentrations of nutrients (μM), dissolved oxygen (mg/L) and chlorophyll a (mg/m3) obtained for each variable were comparable between lagoons (total N=51±45; total P= 2.5±1.5; Si=23±31; DO=6.7±1.8; Chll=1.7±1.9) although seasonal and spatial differences were observed at each lagoon. The nutrient concentrations measured fell in the typical concentration intervals for coastal lagoons; however, critical sampling points were identified and related to direct discharges of untreated effluents from municipal wastes, aquaculture farms and agriculture drain ditches.

Contingency plan improvement for managing oil spills in the coastal waters of Thailand.

PubMed

Singkran, Nuanchan

2014-12-15

The estimated risks of being impacted by oil spills in the coastal waters were used to improve the oil spill contingency plan of Thailand. Functional roles of local agencies are integrated into the plan. Intensive measures are suggested for the coastal provinces located in high-very high risk zones, whereas light and moderate measures are suggested for the coastal provinces located in low and moderate risk zones, respectively. The estimated percentage risks due to simulated oil slicks hitting the coast and/or important resources (PRoilspill) were used to guide the year-round water activities that should be carefully handled at a certain radius with a low-moderate PRoilspill, whereas they should be avoided at a certain radius with a high-very high PRoilspill. Important measures before, during, and post periods of an oil spill incident are suggested to prevent and monitor oil spill incidents and mitigate their impacts on the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

WATER QUALITY IN THE NEAR COASTAL WATERS OF THE GULF OF MEXICO AFFECTED BY HURRICANE KATRINA: BEFORE AND AFTER THE STORM

EPA Science Inventory

Water quality was assessed following Hurricane Katrina in the affected waters of Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana. Post-landfall water quality was compared to pre-hurricane conditions using indicators assessed by EPA's National Coastal Assessment program and additional indicat...

Modeling of coastal water contamination in Fortaleza (Northeastern Brazil).

PubMed

Pereira, S P; Rosman, P C C; Alvarez, C; Schetini, C A F; Souza, R O; Vieira, R H S F

2015-01-01

An important tool in environmental management projects and studies due to the complexity of environmental systems, environmental modeling makes it possible to integrate many variables and processes, thereby providing a dynamic view of systems. In this study the bacteriological quality of the coastal waters of Fortaleza (a state capital in Northeastern Brazil) was modeled considering multiple contamination sources. Using the software SisBaHiA, the dispersion of thermotolerant coliforms and Escherichia coli from three sources of contamination (local rivers, storm drains and submarine outfall) was analyzed. The models took into account variations in bacterial decay due to solar radiation and other environmental factors. Fecal pollution discharged from rivers and storm drains is transported westward by coastal currents, contaminating strips of beach water to the left of each storm drain or river. Exception to this condition only occurs on beaches protected by the breakwater of the harbor, where counterclockwise vortexes reverse this behavior. The results of the models were consistent with field measurements taken during the dry and the rainy season. Our results show that the submarine outfall plume was over 2 km from the nearest beach. The storm drains and the Maceió stream are the main factors responsible for the poor water quality on the waterfront of Fortaleza. The depollution of these sources would generate considerable social, health and economic gains for the region.

Assessment of acidification and eutrophication in the coastal waters of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagumen, M. C. T.; San Diego-McGlone, M. L.

2014-12-01

Ocean acidification is becoming a global concern due to its potential effects on marine resources. In coastal areas, an emerging problem is ocean acidicification due to eutrophication resulting from human activities. The coastal water of Bolinao, Pangasinan, Philippines has become eutrophic due to increased nutrient loading from unconsumed fish feeds in fish cages. Mariculture is a big industry in Bolinao. In over a decade, the area has experienced decreased oxygen levels leading to hypoxia, fish kills, and algal blooms. The decomposition of organic matter from unconsumed fish feeds results not only to high nutrient buildup but also increased CO2 and acidity in the area. Nutrients (ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and silicate), total alkalinity (TA), dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), aragonite saturation state (Ωarg) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) were measured to determine the combined effect of acidification and eutrophication in Bolinao. Monitoring results have shown an increase in nutrients by 30% to 70% in over a decade. Stratified water during rainy season have resulted in low DO (<5.5) and acidic water (<7.5) with high pCO2 level (>900 μatm). Shallow stations with poor water circulation have shown undersaturated aragonite state (< 2.0) and high pCO2 levels of 800 matm. The eutrophic and acidified coastal waters of Bolinao are already affecting the seagrass and coral reef ecosystems in the area.

Hydrochemical facies and ground-water flow patterns in northern part of Atlantic Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Back, William

1966-01-01

Flow patterns of fresh ground water shown on maps and in cross sections have been deduced from available water-level data. These patterns are controlled by the distribution of the higher landmasses and by the depth to either bedrock or to the salt-water interface. The mapping of hydrochemical facies shows that at shallow depths within the Coastal Plain (less than about 200 ft) the calcium-magnesium cation facies generally predominates. The bicarbonate anion facies occurs within more of the shallow Coastal Plain sediments than does the sulfate or the chloride facies. In deeper formations, the sodium chloride character predominates. The lower dissolved-solids content of the ground water in New Jersey indicates less upward vertical leakage than in Maryland and Virginia, where the shallow formations contain solutions of higher concentration.

Approach to developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters: a transition from SeaWiFS to MODIS and MERIS satellites.

EPA Science Inventory

Human activities on land increase nutrient loads to coastal waters, which can increase phytoplankton production and biomass and potentially cause harmful ecological effects. States can adopt numeric water quality criteria into their water quality standards to protect the designa...

Modeling the Monthly Water Balance of a First Order Coastal Forested Watershed

Treesearch

S. V. Harder; Devendra M. Amatya; T. J. Callahan; Carl C. Trettin

2006-01-01

A study has been conducted to evaluate a spreadsheet-based conceptual Thornthwaite monthly water balance model and the process-based DRAINMOD model for their reliability in predicting monthly water budgets of a poorly drained, first order forested watershed at the Santee Experimental Forest located along the Lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina. Measured precipitation...

Hydrocyclonic separation of invasive New Zealand mudsnails from an aquaculture water source

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielson, R. Jordan; Moffitt, Christine M.; Watten, Barnaby J.

2012-01-01

Invasive New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum, NZMS) have infested freshwater aquaculture facilities in the western United States and disrupted stocking or fish transportation activities because of the risk of transporting NZMS to naive locations. We tested the efficacy of a gravity-fed, hydrocyclonicseparation system to remove NZMS from an aquaculture water source at two design flows: 367 L/min and 257 L/min. The hydrocyclone effectively filtered all sizes of snails (including newly emerged neonates) from inflows. We modeled cumulative recovery of three sizes of snails, and determined that both juvenile and adult sized snails were transported similarly through the filtration system, but the transit of neonates was faster and similar to the transport of water particles. We found that transit times through the filtration system were different between the two flows regardless of snail size, and the hydrocyclone filter operated more as a plug flow system with dispersion, especially when transporting and removing the larger sized adult and juvenile sized snails. Our study supports hydrocyclonic filtration as an important tool to provide snail free water for aquaculture operations that require uninfested water sources.

Spatio-temporal assessment and trend analysis of surface water salinity in the coastal region of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Shammi, Mashura; Rahman, Md Mostafizur; Islam, Md Atikul; Bodrud-Doza, Md; Zahid, Anwar; Akter, Yeasmin; Quaiyum, Samia; Kurasaki, Masaaki

2017-06-01

The study was designed to collect water samples over two seasons-wet-monsoon season (n = 96) (March-April) and dry-monsoon season (n = 44) (September-October)-to understand the seasonal variation in anion and cation hydrochemistry of the coastal rivers and estuaries contributing in the spatial trend in salinity. Hydrochemical examination of wet-monsoon season primarily revealed Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type (66%) and followed by Na-Cl type (17.70%) water. In the dry-monsoon season, the scenario reversed with primary water being Na-Cl type (52.27%) followed by Ca-Mg-HCO 3 type (31.81%). Analysis of Cl/Br molar ratio vs. Cl (mg/L) depicted sampling area affected by seawater intrusion (SWI). Spatial analysis by ordinary kriging method confirmed approximately 77% sample in the dry-monsoon, and 34% of the wet-monsoon season had shown SWI. The most saline-intruded areas in the wet-monsoon seasons were extreme south-west coastal zone of Bangladesh, lower Meghna River floodplain and Meghna estuarine floodplain and south-eastern part of Chittagong coastal plains containing the districts of Chittagong and Cox's Bazar adjacent to Bay of Bengal. In addition, mid-south zone is also affected slightly in the dry-monsoon season. From the analyses of data, this study could further help to comprehend seasonal trends in the hydrochemistry and water quality of the coastal and estuarine rivers. In addition, it can help policy makers to obligate some important implications for the future initiatives taken for the management of land, water, fishery, agriculture and environment of coastal rivers and estuaries of Bangladesh.

Exchange of nitrogen and phosphorus between a shallow lagoon and coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hayn, Melanie; Howarth, Robert W.; Ganju, Neil K.; Berg, Peter; Foreman, Kenneth H.; Giblin, Anne E.; McGlathery, Karen

2014-01-01

West Falmouth Harbor, a shallow lagoon on Cape Cod, has experienced a threefold increase in nitrogen load since the mid- to late 1990s due to input from a groundwater plume contaminated by a municipal wastewater treatment plant. We measured the exchange of nitrogen and phosphorus between the harbor and the coastal waters of Buzzards Bay over several years when the harbor was experiencing this elevated nitrogen load. During summer months, the harbor not only retained the entire watershed nitrogen load but also had a net import of nitrogen from Buzzards Bay. During the spring and fall, the harbor had a net export of nitrogen to Buzzards Bay. We did not measure the export in winter, but assuming the winter net export was less than 112 % of the load, the harbor exported less than half of the watershed nitrogen load on an annual basis. For phosphorus, the harbor had a net import from coastal waters in the spring and summer months and a net export in the fall. Despite the large increase in nitrogen load to the harbor, the summertime import of phosphorus from Buzzards Bay was sufficient to maintain nitrogen limitation of primary productivity during the summer. Our findings illustrate that shallow systems dominated by benthic producers have the potential to retain large terrestrial nitrogen loads when there is sufficient supply of phosphorus from exchange with coastal waters.

Flow and transport within a coastal aquifer adjacent to a stratified water body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oz, Imri; Yechieli, Yoseph; Eyal, Shalev; Gavrieli, Ittai; Gvirtzman, Haim

2016-04-01

The existence of a freshwater-saltwater interface and the circulation flow of saltwater beneath the interface is a well-known phenomenon found at coastal aquifers. This flow is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to density differences between fresh groundwater and the saltwater body. The goals of this research are to use analytical, numerical, and physical models in order to examine the configuration of the freshwater-saltwater interface and the density-driven flow patterns within a coastal aquifer adjacent to long-term stratified saltwater bodies (e.g. meromictic lake). Such hydrological systems are unique, as they consist of three different water types: the regional fresh groundwater, and low and high salinity brines forming the upper and lower water layers of the stratified water body, respectively. This research also aims to examine the influence of such stratification on hydrogeological processes within the coastal aquifer. The coastal aquifer adjacent to the Dead Sea, under its possible future meromictic conditions, serves as an ideal example to examine these processes. The results show that adjacent to a stratified saltwater body three interfaces between three different water bodies are formed, and that a complex flow system, controlled by the density differences, is created, where three circulation cells are developed. These results are significantly different from the classic circulation cell that is found adjacent to non-stratified water bodies (lakes or oceans). In order to obtain a more generalized insight into the groundwater behavior adjacent to a stratified water body, we used the numerical model to perform sensitivity analysis. The hydrological system was found be sensitive to three dimensionless parameters: dimensionless density (i.e. the relative density of the three water bodies'); dimensionless thickness (i.e. the ratio between the relative thickness of the upper layer and the whole thickness of the lake); and dimensionless flux. The results

Application of chemometric methods for assessment and modelling of microbiological quality data concerning coastal bathing water in Greece.

PubMed

Papaioannou, Agelos; Rigas, George; Papastergiou, Panagiotis; Hadjichristodoulou, Christos

2014-12-02

Worldwide, the aim of managing water is to safeguard human health whilst maintaining sustainable aquatic and associated terrestrial, ecosystems. Because human enteric viruses are the most likely pathogens responsible for waterborne diseases from recreational water use, but detection methods are complex and costly for routine monitoring, it is of great interest to determine the quality of coastal bathing water with a minimum cost and maximum safety. This study handles the assessment and modelling of the microbiological quality data of 2149 seawater bathing areas in Greece over 10-year period (1997-2006) by chemometric methods. Cluster analysis results indicated that the studied bathing beaches are classified in accordance with the seasonality in three groups. Factor analysis was applied to investigate possible determining factors in the groups resulted from the cluster analysis, and also two new parameters were created in each group; VF1 includes E. coli, faecal coliforms and total coliforms and VF2 includes faecal streptococci/enterococci. By applying the cluster analysis in each seasonal group, three new groups of coasts were generated, group A (ultraclean), group B (clean) and group C (contaminated). The above analysis is confirmed by the application of discriminant analysis, and proves that chemometric methods are useful tools for assessment and modeling microbiological quality data of coastal bathing water on a large scale, and thus could attribute to effective and economical monitoring of the quality of coastal bathing water in a country with a big number of bathing coasts, like Greece. Significance for public healthThe microbiological protection of coastal bathing water quality is of great interest for the public health authorities as well as for the economy. The present study proves that this protection can be achieved by monitoring only two microbiological parameters, E. coli and faecal streptococci/enterococci instead four microbiological parameters (the

Groundwater-surface water interactions and their effects on ecosystem metabolism in a coastal wetland: example from the Florida Everglades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, R. M.; Zapata, X.; Koch, G. R.

2013-05-01

Groundwater typically has higher concentrations of salts and nutrients as compared to surface waters in coastal wetlands affected by saltwater intrusion. Discharge of the nutrient-laden brackish groundwater is expected to influence ecosystem function in the overlying surface water. In the coastal Everglades, elevated concentrations of phosphorus have been observed in the underlying groundwater due to water-rock interactions occurring as seawater intrudes into the coastal carbonate aquifer. The objective of this research was to determine the timing and amount of brackish groundwater discharge to the coastal wetlands of the Everglades and to evaluate the effects of the groundwater discharge on the surface water chemistry and ecosystem metabolism. The timing of groundwater discharge was determined by four techniques including a water balance, hydraulic gradient, temperature, and geochemical tracers. Groundwater discharge rates were quantified from well data using Darcy's Law. Ecosystem metabolism was estimated as daily rates of gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (R) and net ecosystem production (NEP) from free-water, diel changes in dissolved oxygen. Over 2 years, all four groundwater discharge techniques converged as to the timing of groundwater discharge which was greatest between May and July. Surface water chemistry was fresh from September through February, but became brackish to hypersaline between March and July, concurrent with the times of highest brackish groundwater discharge. Phosphorus concentrations as well as GPP and R were observed to spike in the surface water during the times of greatest groundwater discharge. The results of this research support the conclusions that brackish groundwater discharge effects surface water chemistry and ecosystem function in the coastal Everglades.

Defining restoration targets for water depth and salinity in wind-dominated Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. coastal marshes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nyman, J.A.; LaPeyre, Megan K.; Caldwell, Andral W.; Piazza, Sarai C.; Thom, C.; Winslow, C.

2009-01-01

Coastal wetlands provide valued ecosystem functions but the sustainability of those functions often is threatened by artificial hydrologic conditions. It is widely recognized that increased flooding and salinity can stress emergent plants, but there are few measurements to guide restoration, management, and mitigation. Marsh flooding can be estimated over large areas with few data where winds have little effect on water levels, but quantifying flooding requires hourly measurements over long time periods where tides are wind-dominated such as the northern Gulf of Mexico. Estimating salinity of flood water requires direct daily measurements because coastal marshes are characterized by dynamic salinity gradients. We analyzed 399,772 hourly observations of water depth and 521,561 hourly observations of water salinity from 14 sites in Louisiana coastal marshes dominated by Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. Unlike predicted water levels, observed water levels varied monthly and annually. We attributed those observed variations to variations in river runoff and winds. In stable marshes with slow wetland loss rates, we found that marsh elevation averaged 1 cm above mean high water, 15 cm above mean water, and 32 cm above mean low water levels. Water salinity averaged 3.7 ppt during April, May, and June, and 5.4 ppt during July, August, and September. The daily, seasonal, and annual variation in water levels and salinity that were evident would support the contention that such variation be retained when designing and operating coastal wetland management and restoration projects. Our findings might be of interest to scientists, engineers, and managers involved in restoration, management, and restoration in other regions where S. patens or similar species are common but local data are unavailable.

Defining restoration targets for water depth and salinity in wind-dominated Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. coastal marshes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nyman, J.A.; La Peyre, M.K.; Caldwell, A.; Piazza, S.; Thom, C.; Winslow, C.

2009-01-01

Coastal wetlands provide valued ecosystem functions but the sustainability of those functions often is threatened by artificial hydrologic conditions. It is widely recognized that increased flooding and salinity can stress emergent plants, but there are few measurements to guide restoration, management, and mitigation. Marsh flooding can be estimated over large areas with few data where winds have little effect on water levels, but quantifying flooding requires hourly measurements over long time periods where tides are wind-dominated such as the northern Gulf of Mexico. Estimating salinity of flood water requires direct daily measurements because coastal marshes are characterized by dynamic salinity gradients. We analyzed 399,772 hourly observations of water depth and 521,561 hourly observations of water salinity from 14 sites in Louisiana coastal marshes dominated by Spartina patens (Ait.) Muhl. Unlike predicted water levels, observed water levels varied monthly and annually. We attributed those observed variations to variations in river runoff and winds. In stable marshes with slow wetland loss rates, we found that marsh elevation averaged 1 cm above mean high water, 15 cm above mean water, and 32 cm above mean low water levels. Water salinity averaged 3.7 ppt during April, May, and June, and 5.4 ppt during July, August, and September. The daily, seasonal, and annual variation in water levels and salinity that were evident would support the contention that such variation be retained when designing and operating coastal wetland management and restoration projects. Our findings might be of interest to scientists, engineers, and managers involved in restoration, management, and restoration in other regions where S. patens or similar species are common but local data are unavailable. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Environmental setting and factors that affect water quality in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit

USGS Publications Warehouse

Berndt, M.P.; Oaksford, E.T.; Darst, M.R.; Marella, R.L.

1996-01-01

The Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit covers an area of nearly 62,000 square miles in the southeastern United States, mostly in the Coastal Plain physiographic province. Land resource provinces have been designated based on generalized soil classifications. Land resource provinces in the study area include: the Coastal Flatwoods, the Southern Coastal Plain, the Central Florida Ridge, the Sand Hills, and the Southern Piedmont. The study area includes all or parts of seven hydrologic subregions: the Ogeechee-Savannah, the Altamaha- St.Marys, the Suwannee, the Ochlockonee, the St. Johns, the Peace-Tampa Bay, and the Southern Florida. The primary source of water for public supply in the study area is ground water from the Upper Floridan aquifer. In 1990, more than 90 percent of the 2,888 million gallons per day of ground water used came from this aquifer. The population of the study area was 9.3 million in 1990. The cities of Jacksonville, Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee, and Tampa, Florida, and parts of Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, are located in the study area. Forest and agricultural areas are the most common land uses in the study area, accounting for 48 percent and 25 percent of the study area, respectively. Climatic conditions range from temperate in Atlanta, Georgia, where mean annual temperature is about 61.3 degrees Fahrenheit, to subtropical in Tampa, Florida, where mean annual temperature is about 72.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Long-term average precipitation (1961-90) ranges from 43.9 inches per year in Tampa, Florida, and 44.6 in Macon, Georgia, to 65.7 inches per year in Tallahassee, Florida. Floods in the study area result from frontal systems, hurricanes, tropical storms, or severe thunderstorms. Droughts are not common in the study area,especially in the Florida part of the study area due to extensive maritime exposure. The primary physical and cultural characteristics in the study area include physiography, soils and land resource provinces

Land-margin ecosystem hydrologic data for the coastal Everglades, Florida, water years 1996-2012

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anderson, Gordon H.; Smith, Thomas J.; Balentine, Karen M.

2014-01-01

Mangrove forests and salt marshes dominate the landscape of the coastal Everglades (Odum and McIvor, 1990). However, the ecological effects from potential sea-level rise and increased water flows from planned freshwater Everglades restoration on these coastal systems are poorly understood. The National Park Service (NPS) proposed the South Florida Global Climate Change Project (SOFL-GCC) in 1990 to evaluate climate change and the effect from rising sea levels on the coastal Everglades, particularly at the marsh/mangrove interface or ecotone (Soukup and others, 1990). A primary objective of SOFL-GCC project was to monitor and synthesize the hydrodynamics of the coastal Everglades from the upstream freshwater marsh to the downstream estuary mangrove. Two related hypotheses were set forward (Nuttle and Cosby, 1993): 1. There exists hydrologic conditions (tide, local rainfall, and upstream water deliveries), which characterize the location of the marsh/mangrove ecotone along the marine and terrestrial hydrologic gradient; and 2. The marsh/mangrove ecotone is sensitive to fluctuations in sea level and freshwater inflow from inland areas. Hydrologic monitoring of the SOFL-GCC network began in 1995 after startup delays from Hurricane Andrew (August 1992) and organizational transfers from the NPS to the National Biological Survey (October 1993) and the merger with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Research Division in 1996 (Smith, 2004). As the SOFL-GCC project progressed, concern by environmental scientists and land managers over how the diversion of water from Everglades National Park would affect the restoration of the greater Everglades ecosystem. Everglades restoration scenarios were based on hydrodynamic models, none of which included the coastal zone (Fennema and others, 1994). Modeling efforts were expanded to include the Everglades coastal zone (Schaffranek and others, 2001) with SOFL-GCC hydrologic data assisting the ecological modeling needs. In 2002

Assessment of a Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Correction of Above-Water and Satellite Water-Leaving Radiance in Coastal Waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hlaing, Soe; Gilerson, Alexander; Harmal, Tristan; Tonizzo, Alberto; Weidemann, Alan; Arnone, Robert; Ahmed, Samir

2012-01-01

Water-leaving radiances, retrieved from in situ or satellite measurements, need to be corrected for the bidirectional properties of the measured light in order to standardize the data and make them comparable with each other. The current operational algorithm for the correction of bidirectional effects from the satellite ocean color data is optimized for typical oceanic waters. However, versions of bidirectional reflectance correction algorithms specifically tuned for typical coastal waters and other case 2 conditions are particularly needed to improve the overall quality of those data. In order to analyze the bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) of case 2 waters, a dataset of typical remote sensing reflectances was generated through radiative transfer simulations for a large range of viewing and illumination geometries. Based on this simulated dataset, a case 2 water focused remote sensing reflectance model is proposed to correct above-water and satellite water-leaving radiance data for bidirectional effects. The proposed model is first validated with a one year time series of in situ above-water measurements acquired by collocated multispectral and hyperspectral radiometers, which have different viewing geometries installed at the Long Island Sound Coastal Observatory (LISCO). Match-ups and intercomparisons performed on these concurrent measurements show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the algorithm currently in use at all wavelengths, with average improvement of 2.4% over the spectral range. LISCO's time series data have also been used to evaluate improvements in match-up comparisons of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer satellite data when the proposed BRDF correction is used in lieu of the current algorithm. It is shown that the discrepancies between coincident in-situ sea-based and satellite data decreased by 3.15% with the use of the proposed algorithm.

Toward N Criteria in Coastal Waters: Normalizing N Loading for Estuarine Volume and Local Residence Time

EPA Science Inventory

One approach to developing criteria for nitrogen (N) in coastal waters has been to determine quantitative relationships between N loading and ecological effects (e.g., hypoxia) in coastal estuaries. Although this approach has met with some success, data obtained from field sites ...

NASA COAST and OCEANIA Airborne Missions in Support of Ecosystem and Water Quality Research in the Coastal Zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guild, Liane S.; Hooker, Stanford B.; Kudela, Raphael; Morrow, John; Russell, Philip; Myers, Jeffrey; Dunagan, Stephen; Palacios, Sherry; Livingston, John; Negrey, Kendra;

Desalination Brine Discharge Impacts on Coastal Biology and Water Chemistry - A Case Study from Carlsbad Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, K. L.; Heck, N.; Potts, D. C.; Paytan, A.

2017-12-01

Fresh water demand is increasing world-wide due to on-going droughts, climate change and increasing human population and associated demand for food and water. Desalination of seawater is a reliable source of potable water; however the effects of byproduct brine discharge from desalination plants on coastal areas have not been thoroughly assessed. Here we report results from in-situmeasurements of the effects of brine discharge on water chemistry and coastal biology from a desalination plant in Carlsbad, Southern California. We compared select parameters in the coastal zone around the discharge site before and after operation began and conducted additional controlled laboratory incubations with key coastal species and brine effluent. Our in-situ data shows differences in salinity and temperature between the discharge area and a control site both before and after the desalination plant started operation. The discharge water is warmer by 3-5 Co than the ambient seawater and a temperature gradient is seen around the discharge channel. This is likely a result of mixing of the desalination brine with power plant cooling water for dilution prior to discharge and the higher temperatures are not directly attributed to the desalination. Our post-discharge results show a decipherable salinity plume at the bottom of the water column ( 6 m depth) reaching up to 600 m offshore from the discharge site. This indicates inefficient mixing of the brine in the coastal discharge zone. No significant differences are found in nutrient levels, organic carbon or chlorophyll a concentrations around the discharge. The benthic biology assemblage post-discharge is significantly different from the pre-discharge organisms' assemblage. However, the role of seasonal changes in temperature may also have impacted the data as the sampling was conducted during different seasons. Controlled incubation experiments of brittle stars (Ophiothrix spiculata) shows no significant difference in growth or

Structure of Mesozooplankton Communities in the Coastal Waters of Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lidvanov, V. V.; Grabko, O. G.; Kukuev, E. I.; Korolkova, T. G.

2018-03-01

Mero- and holoplanktonic organisms from 23 large taxa have been detected in the coastal waters of Morocco. Seven Cladocera species and 164 Copepoda species were identified. Copepod fauna mostly consisted of oceanic epipelagic widely tropical species, but the constant species group (frequency of occurrence over 50%) included neritic and neritic-oceanic widely tropical species. The neritic community that formed a biotopic association with coastal upwelling waters and the distant-neritic community associated with Canary Current waters were the two major communities detected. The former community was characterized by a high abundance and biomass (5700 ind./m3 and 260 mg/m3) and predominance of neritic species. The trophic structure was dominated by thin filter feeders, mixed-food consumers, and small grabbers; the species structure was dominated by Paracalanus indicus, Acartia clausi, and Oncaea curta; the indices of species diversity (3.07 bit/ind.) and evenness (0.63) were relatively low. The latter community was characterized by low abundance and biomass (1150 ind./m3 and 90 mg/m3); variable biotopic, trophic, and species structure; and higher Shannon indices (3.99 bit/ind.) and Pielou (0.75). Seasonal variation of the abundance of organisms was not detected in the communities. Anomalous mesozooplankton states were observed in summer 1998 and winter 1998-1999.

Simulation of ground-water flow in the Coastal Plain aquifer system of North Carolina

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giese, G.I.; Eimers, J.L.; Coble, R.W.

1997-01-01

A three-dimensional finite-difference digital model was used to simulate ground-water flow in the 25,000-square-mile aquifer system of the North Carolina Coastal Plain. The model was developed from a hydrogeologic framework that is based on an alternating sequence of 10 aquifers and 9 confining units, which make up a seaward-thickening wedge of sediments that form the Coastal Plain aquifer system in the State of North Carolina. The model was calibrated by comparing observed and simulated water levels. The model calibration was achieved by adjusting model parameters, primarily leakance of confining units and transmissivity of aquifers, until differences between observed and simulated water levels were within acceptable limits, generally within 15 feet. The maximum transmissivity of an individual aquifer in the calibrated model is 200,000 feet squared per day in a part of the Castle Hayne aquifer, which consists predominantly of limestone. The maximum value for simulated vertical hydraulic conductivity in a confining unit was 2.5 feet per day, in a part of the confining unit overlying the upper Cape Fear aquifer. The minimum value was 4.1x10-6 feet per day, in part of the confining unit overlying the lower Cape Fear aquifer. Analysis indicated the model is highly sensitive to changes in transmissivity and leakance near pumping centers; away from pumping centers, the model is only slightly sensitive to changes in transmissivity but is moderately sensitive to changes in leakance. Recharge from precipitation to the surficial aquifer ranges from about 12 inches per year in areas having clay at the surface to about 20 inches per year in areas having sand at the surface. Most of this recharge moves laterally to streams, and only about 1 inch per year moves downward to the confined parts of the aquifer system. Under predevelopment conditions, the confined aquifers were generally recharged in updip interstream areas and discharged through streambeds and in downdip coastward

Towards integrated catchment management, Whaingaroa, New Zealand.

PubMed

van Roon, M; Knight, S

2001-01-01

The paper examines progress towards integrated catchment management and sustainable agriculture at Whaingaroa (Raglan), New Zealand. Application of the Canadian "Atlantic Coastal Action Program" model (ACAP) has been only partially successful within New Zealand's bicultural setting. Even before the introduction of the ACAP process there existed strong motivation and leadership by various sectors of the community. A merging of resource management planning and implementation processes of the larger community and that of the Maori community has not occurred. Research carried out by Crown Research Institutes has clearly shown the actions required to make pastoral farming more sustainable. There are difficulties in the transference to, and uptake of, these techniques by farmers. An examination of the socio-economic context is required. There has been a requirement on local government bodies to tighten their focus as part of recent reform. This has occurred concurrently with a widening of vision towards integrated and sustainable forms of management. This (as well as a clear belief in empowerment of local communities) has lead to Council reliance on voluntary labour. There is a need to account for the dynamic interaction between social and political history and the geological and biophysical history of the area. As part of a re-examination of sustainable development, New Zealand needs to reconcile the earning of the bulk of its foreign income from primary production, with the accelerating ecological deficit that it creates. A sustainability strategy is required linking consumer demand, property rights and responsibilities.

Phreatomagmatic eruptions through unconsolidated coastal plain sequences, Maungataketake, Auckland Volcanic Field (New Zealand)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agustín-Flores, Javier; Németh, Károly; Cronin, Shane J.; Lindsay, Jan M.; Kereszturi, Gábor; Brand, Brittany D.; Smith, Ian E. M.

2014-04-01

Maungataketake is a monogenetic basaltic volcano formed at ~ 85-89 ka in the southern part of the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF), New Zealand. It comprises a basal 1100-m diameter tuff ring, with a central scoria/spatter cone and lava flows. The tuff ring was formed under hydrogeological and geographic conditions very similar to the present. The tuff records numerous density stratified, wet base surges that radiated outward up to 1 km, decelerating rapidly and becoming less turbulent with distance. The pyroclastic units dominantly comprise fine-grained expelled grains from various sedimentary deposits beneath the volcano mixed with a minor component of juvenile pyroclasts (~ 35 vol.%). Subtle lateral changes relate to deceleration with distance and vertical transformations are minor, pointing to stable explosion depths and conditions, with gradual transitions between units and no evidence for eruptive pauses. This volcano formed within and on ~ 60 m-thick Plio/Pleistocene, poorly consolidated, highly permeable shelly sands and silts (Kaawa Formation) capped by near-impermeable, water-saturated muds (Tauranga Group). These sediments rest on moderately consolidated Miocene-aged permeable turbiditic sandstones and siltstones (Waitemata Group). Magma-water fuelled thermohydraulic explosions remained in the shallow sedimentary layers, excavating fine-grained sediments without brittle fragmentation required. On the whole, the resulting cool, wet pyroclastic density currents were of low energy. The unconsolidated shallow sediments deformed to accommodate rapidly rising magma, leading to development of complex sill-like bodies and a range of magma-water contact conditions at any time. The weak saturated sediments were also readily liquefied to provide an enduring supply of water and fine sediment to the explosion loci. Changes in magma flux and/or subsequent stabilisation of the conduit area by a lava ring-barrier led to ensuing Strombolian and fire-fountaining eruption

Regional Sea Level Scenarios for Coastal Risk Management: Managing the Uncertainty of Future Sea Level Change and Extreme Water Levels for Department of Defense Coastal Sites Worldwide

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-01

SERDP NOAA USACE Ocean MANAGING THE UNCERTAINTY OF FUTURE SEA LEVEL CHANGE AND EXTREME WATER LEVELS FOR DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE COASTAL SITES...WORLDWIDE APRIL 2016 REGIONAL SEA LEVEL SCENARIOS FOR COASTAL RISK MANAGEMENT: COVER PHOTOS, FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: - Overwash of the island of Roi-Namur on...J.A., S. Gill, J. Obeysekera, W. Sweet, K. Knuuti, and J. Marburger. 2016. Regional Sea Level Scenarios for Coastal Risk Management: Managing the

Phytoplankton blooms in estuarine and coastal waters: Seasonal patterns and key species

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carstensen, Jacob; Klais, Riina; Cloern, James E.

2015-01-01

Phytoplankton blooms are dynamic phenomena of great importance to the functioning of estuarine and coastal ecosystems. We analysed a unique (large) collection of phytoplankton monitoring data covering 86 coastal sites distributed over eight regions in North America and Europe, with the aim of investigating common patterns in the seasonal timing and species composition of the blooms. The spring bloom was the most common seasonal pattern across all regions, typically occurring early (February–March) at lower latitudes and later (April–May) at higher latitudes. Bloom frequency, defined as the probability of unusually high biomass, ranged from 5 to 35% between sites and followed no consistent patterns across gradients of latitude, temperature, salinity, water depth, stratification, tidal amplitude or nutrient concentrations. Blooms were mostly dominated by a single species, typically diatoms (58% of the blooms) and dinoflagellates (19%). Diatom-dominated spring blooms were a common feature in most systems, although dinoflagellate spring blooms were also observed in the Baltic Sea. Blooms dominated by chlorophytes and cyanobacteria were only common in low salinity waters and occurred mostly at higher temperatures. Key bloom species across the eight regions included the diatoms Cerataulina pelagica and Dactyliosolen fragilissimus and dinoflagellates Heterocapsa triquetra and Prorocentrum cordatum. Other frequent bloom-forming taxa were diatom genera Chaetoceros, Coscinodiscus, Skeletonema, and Thalassiosira. Our meta-analysis shows that these 86 estuarine-coastal sites function as diatom-producing systems, the timing of that production varies widely, and that bloom frequency is not associated with environmental factors measured in monitoring programs. We end with a perspective on the limitations of conclusions derived from meta-analyses of phytoplankton time series, and the grand challenges remaining to understand the wide range of bloom patterns and

Anthropogenic Impacts on Biological Carbon Sequestration in the Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, N.

2016-02-01

be considered in management, especially in the coastal waters where eutrophication and hypoxia are severe. Currently, farm over-fertilization is found world widely to be responsible for coastal water eutrophication. Therefore nutrients input must be under control for optimum outputs of the sum of BP and MCP towards sustainable coastal ecosystems.

Exploring Techniques for Improving Retrievals of Bio-optical Properties of Coastal Waters

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

site, compared with WaveCIS site in Gulf of Mexico . Two Neural Networks (NN) approaches are explored for the retrieval of chlorophyll concentration...AERONET-OC sites (Long Island Sound and Gulf of Mexico respectively) as well as OC retrievals of the MODIS sensor. The underlying cause of the...cases of water conditions ranging from clear oceanic waters to turbid coastal waters, while ξ for both types of particles is fixed at 4.0, and for

Echolocation by the harbour porpoise: life in coastal waters.

PubMed

Miller, Lee A; Wahlberg, Magnus

2013-01-01

The harbor porpoise is one of the smallest and most widely spread of all toothed whales. They are found abundantly in coastal waters all around the northern hemisphere. They are among the 11 species known to use high frequency sonar of relative narrow bandwidth. Their narrow biosonar beam helps isolate echoes from prey among those from unwanted items and noise. Obtaining echoes from small objects like net mesh, net floats, and small prey is facilitated by the very high peak frequency around 130 kHz with a wavelength of about 12 mm. We argue that such echolocation signals and narrow band auditory filters give the harbor porpoise a selective advantage in a coastal environment. Predation by killer whales and a minimum noise region in the ocean around 130 kHz may have provided selection pressures for using narrow bandwidth high frequency biosonar signals.

Distribution of Vibrio alginolyticus-like species in Shenzhen coastal waters, China

PubMed Central

Chen, Ming-Xia; Li, He-Yang; Li, Gang; Zheng, Tian-Ling

2011-01-01

We investigated the distribution of vibrios in Shenzhen coastal waters in order to obtain valuable information for the aquaculture industry and a health warning system. Quantities of vibrios from surface waters ranged from 0 to 4.40×104 CFUs mL-1 in April (spring), while from 0 to 2.57×103 CFUs mL-1 in September (autumn); the abundance of V. alginolyticus-like species from surface water ranged from 0 to 6.72×103 CFUs mL-1 in April (spring) and from 0 to 1.28×103 CFUs mL-1 in September (autumn); higher counts were observed in spring. The V. alginolyticus-like species was dominant in Shenzhen coastal waters, with the highest abundance in the clean region (stations YMK001 and GDN064) in April, suggesting that Vibrio spp. were naturally occurring bacteria in marine environments. The correlation between the abundance of vibrios (including V. alginolyticus-like species) and environmental factors varied in different regions and different seasons. There were no vibrios detected when the salinity was less than 11.15‰ in the Zhujiang River estuary, which indicated that salinity played a key role in the distribution of vibrios and V. alginolyticus-like species. PMID:24031704

Optimum contracted-for water supply for hotels in arid coastal regions.

PubMed

Lamei, A; von Münch, E; van der Zaag, P; Imam, E

2009-01-01

Hotels in arid coastal areas use mainly desalinated water for their domestic water demands, and treated wastewater for irrigating green areas. Private water companies supply these hotels with their domestic water needs. There is normally a contractual agreement stating a minimum requirement that has to be supplied by the water company and that the hotel management has to pay for regardless of its actual consumption ("contracted-for water supply"). This paper describes a model to determine what value a hotel should choose for its contracted-for water supply in order to minimize its total annual water costs. An example from an arid coastal tourism-dominated city is presented: Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.The managers of hotels with expected high occupancy rates (74% and above) can contract for more than 80%. On the other hand, hotels with expected lower occupancy rates (60% and less) can contract for less than 70% of the peak daily domestic water demand. With a green area ratio of 40 m(2)/room or less, an on-site wastewater treatment plant can satisfy the required irrigation demand for an occupancy rate as low as 42%. Increasing the ratio of green irrigated area to 100 m(2)/room does not affect the contracted-for water supply at occupancy rates above 72%; at lower occupancy rates, however, on-site treated wastewater is insufficient for irrigating the green areas. Increasing the green irrigated area to 120 m(2)/room increases the need for additional water, either from externally sourced treated wastewater or potable water. The cost of the former is much lower than the latter (0.58 versus 1.52 to 2.14 US$/m(3) in the case study area).

Spatio-temporal variability of hydro-chemical characteristics of coastal waters of Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve (GoMMBR), South India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kathiravan, K.; Natesan, Usha; Vishnunath, R.

2017-03-01

The intention of this study was to appraise the spatial and temporal variations in the physico-chemical parameters of coastal waters of Rameswaram Island, Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, south India, using multivariate statistical techniques, such as cluster analysis, factor analysis and principal component analysis. Spatio-temporal variations among the physico-chemical parameters are observed in the coastal waters of Gulf of Mannar, especially during northeast and post monsoon seasons. It is inferred that the high loadings of pH, temperature, suspended particulate matter, salinity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, chlorophyll a, nutrient species of nitrogen and phosphorus strongly determine the discrimination of coastal water quality. Results highlight the important role of monsoonal variations to determine the coastal water quality around Rameswaram Island.

75 FR 44938 - Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Coastal Shark Fishery

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-30

... Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act Provisions; Atlantic Coastal Shark Fishery AGENCY: National... moratorium on fishing for Atlantic coastal sharks in the State waters of New Jersey. NMFS canceled the moratorium, as required by the Atlantic Coastal Fisheries Cooperative Management Act (Atlantic Coastal Act...

Large and local-scale influences on physical and chemical characteristics of coastal waters of Western Europe during winter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tréguer, Paul; Goberville, Eric; Barrier, Nicolas; L'Helguen, Stéphane; Morin, Pascal; Bozec, Yann; Rimmelin-Maury, Peggy; Czamanski, Marie; Grossteffan, Emilie; Cariou, Thierry; Répécaud, Michel; Quéméner, Loic

2014-11-01

There is now a strong scientific consensus that coastal marine systems of Western Europe are highly sensitive to the combined effects of natural climate variability and anthropogenic climate change. However, it still remains challenging to assess the spatial and temporal scales at which climate influence operates. While large-scale hydro-climatic indices, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) or the East Atlantic Pattern (EAP) and the weather regimes such as the Atlantic Ridge (AR), are known to be relevant predictors of physical processes, changes in coastal waters can also be related to local hydro-meteorological and geochemical forcing. Here, we study the temporal variability of physical and chemical characteristics of coastal waters located at about 48°N over the period 1998-2013 using (1) sea surface temperature, (2) sea surface salinity and (3) nutrient concentration observations for two coastal sites located at the outlet of the Bay of Brest and off Roscoff, (4) river discharges of the major tributaries close to these two sites and (5) regional and local precipitation data over the region of interest. Focusing on the winter months, we characterize the physical and chemical variability of these coastal waters and document changes in both precipitation and river runoffs. Our study reveals that variability in coastal waters is connected to the large-scale North Atlantic atmospheric circulation but is also partly explained by local river influences. Indeed, while the NAO is strongly related to changes in sea surface temperature at the Brest and Roscoff sites, the EAP and the AR have a major influence on precipitations, which in turn modulate river discharges that impact sea surface salinity at the scale of the two coastal stations.

Estimating Chlorophyll Conditions in Southern New England Coastal Waters from Hyperspectral Aircraft Remote Sensing

EPA Science Inventory

Chlorophyll a (chl a) is commonly measured in water quality monitoring programs for coastal and freshwater systems. The concentration of chl a, when evaluated with other condition indicators such as water clarity and dissolved oxygen concentrations, provides information on the en...

Temporal and Spatial Diversity of Bacterial Communities in Coastal Waters of the South China Sea

PubMed Central

Du, Jikun; Xiao, Kai; Li, Li; Ding, Xian; Liu, Helu; Lu, Yongjun; Zhou, Shining

2013-01-01

Bacteria are recognized as important drivers of biogeochemical processes in all aquatic ecosystems. Temporal and geographical patterns in ocean bacterial communities have been observed in many studies, but the temporal and spatial patterns in the bacterial communities from the South China Sea remained unexplored. To determine the spatiotemporal patterns, we generated 16S rRNA datasets for 15 samples collected from the five regularly distributed sites of the South China Sea in three seasons (spring, summer, winter). A total of 491 representative sequences were analyzed by MOTHUR, yielding 282 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) grouped at 97% stringency. Significant temporal variations of bacterial diversity were observed. Richness and diversity indices indicated that summer samples were the most diverse. The main bacterial group in spring and summer samples was Alphaproteobacteria, followed by Cyanobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, whereas Cyanobacteria dominated the winter samples. Spatial patterns in the samples were observed that samples collected from the coastal (D151, D221) waters and offshore (D157, D1512, D224) waters clustered separately, the coastal samples harbored more diverse bacterial communities. However, the temporal pattern of the coastal site D151 was contrary to that of the coastal site D221. The LIBSHUFF statistics revealed noticeable differences among the spring, summer and winter libraries collected at five sites. The UPGMA tree showed there were temporal and spatial heterogeneity of bacterial community composition in coastal waters of the South China Sea. The water salinity (P=0.001) contributed significantly to the bacteria-environment relationship. Our results revealed that bacterial community structures were influenced by environmental factors and community-level changes in 16S-based diversity were better explained by spatial patterns than by temporal patterns. PMID:23785512

National water quality assessment of the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit; water withdrawals and treated wastewater discharges, 1990

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marella, R.L.; Fanning, J.L.

1996-01-01

The Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit covers nearly 62,600 square miles along the southeastern United States coast in Georgia and Florida. In 1990, the estimated population of the study unit was 9.3 million, and included all or part of the cities of Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, and St. Petersburg. Estimated freshwater withdrawn in the study unit in 1990 was nearly 5,075 million gallons per day. Ground-water accounted for more than 57 percent of the water withdrawn during 1990 and the Floridan aquifer system provided nearly 91 percent of the total ground-water withdrawn. Surface-water accounted for nearly 43 percent of the water withdrawn in the study unit in 1990 with large amounts of withdrawals from the Altamaha River, Hillsborough River, the Ocmulgee River, the Oconee River, the St. Johns River, and the Suwannee River. Water withdrawn for public supply in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit in 1990 totaled 1,139 million gallons per day, of which 83 percent was ground water and 17 percent was surface water. Self-supplied domestic withdrawals in the Georgia-Florida Coastal Plain study unit in 1990 totaled nearly 230 million gallons per day. Ground water supplied over 80 percent of the study units population for drining water purposes; nearly 5.8 million people were served by public supply and 1.8 million people were served by self-supplied systems. Water withdrawn for self-supplied domestic use in Georgia and Florida is derived almost exclusively from ground water, primarily because this source can provide the quantity and quality of water needed for drinking purposes. Nearly 1.7 million people served by public supply utilized surface water for their drinking water needs. Water withdrawn for self-supplied commercial-industrial uses in the study unit in 1990 totaled 862 million gallons per day, of which 93 percent was ground water and 7 percent was surface water. Water withdrawn for agriculture purposes in the study unit in 1990 totaled 1

Variation of optical properties at Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory and its input into an optical model of coastal waters in Great Barrier Reef region.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wozniak, Monika; Baird, Mark; Schroeder, Thomas; Clementson, Lesley; Jones, Emlyn

2017-04-01

The water column optical properties from an observation station located at the end of a 5.8 km long jetty in the coastal waters of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (18.52 S, 146.39 E) were studied. Due to the location of the Lucinda Jetty Coastal Observatory (LJCO), at the interface of large riverine nutrient and sediment sources and clear open ocean waters, it is an optically variable and interesting region. LJCO is the only Southern Hemisphere ocean colour validation site integrated into NASA's AERONET-OC global network of ground-based radiometers. LJCO has a 3 years long time series (2014-2016) of continuous in-water optical measurements of absorption (AC-S), scattering (AC-S) and backscattering (BB-9) spectra together with water-leaving radiance spectra (SeaPRISM) acquired above the water surface and concentration of water components (WQM). Further HPLC and spectrophotometrically-retrieved absorption and scattering were determined fortnightly. These detailed bio-optical observations are rarely available as a time-series for model assessment. We use these data to quantify the relationship between optical properties and water constituents and to developing a more accurate optical model for coastal, optically complex water like GBR model. Pigment analysis show that studied area is dominated by alternatively freshwater and oceanic phytoplankton species depending on weather condition, tides and season. Absorption spectra at 440 nm and 550 nm are dominated by detritus but also have a significant CDOM contribution, which influences reflectance values in that range of spectrum and negatively affects wavebands used in satellite and remote algorithms for water constituents. These emergent features are compared to the model outputs, demonstrating when the model produces accurate optical signals with realistic process representation.

Monitoring coastal marine waters for spore-forming bacteria of faecal and soil origin to determine point from non-point source pollution.

PubMed

Fujioka, R S

2001-01-01

The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have established recreational water quality standards limiting the concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria (faecal coliform, E. coli, enterococci) to ensure that these waters are safe for swimming. In the application of these hygienic water quality standards, it is assumed that there are no significant environmental sources of these faecal indicator bacteria which are unrelated to direct faecal contamination. However, we previously reported that these faecal indicator bacteria are able to grow in the soil environment of humid tropical island environments such as Hawaii and Guam and are transported at high concentrations into streams and storm drains by rain. Thus, streams and storm drains in Hawaii contain consistently high concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria which routinely exceed the EPA and WHO recreational water quality standards. Since, streams and storm drains eventually flow out to coastal marine waters, we hypothesize that all the coastal beaches which receive run-off from streams and storm drains will contain elevated concentrations of faecal indicator bacteria. To test this hypothesis, we monitored the coastal waters at four beaches known to receive water from stream or storm drains for salinity, turbidity, and used the two faecal indicator bacteria (E. coli, enterococci) to establish recreational water quality standards. To determine if these coastal waters are contaminated with non-point source pollution (streams) or with point source pollution (sewage effluent), these same water samples were also assayed for spore-forming bacteria of faecal origin (Cl. perfringens) and of soil origin (Bacillus species). Using this monitoring strategy it was possible to determine when coastal marine waters were contaminated with non-point source pollution and when coastal waters were contaminated with point source pollution. The results of this study are most likely

OCTS and SeaWiFS Bio-Optical Algorithm and Product Validation and Intercomparison in US Coastal Waters. Chapter 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Christopher W.; Subramaniam, Ajit; Culver, Mary; Brock, John C.

2001-01-01

Monitoring the health of US coastal waters is an important goal of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Satellite sensors are capable of providing daily synoptic data of large expanses of the US coast. Ocean color sensors, in particular, can be used to monitor the water quality of coastal waters on an operational basis. To appraise the validity of satellite-derived measurements, such as chlorophyll concentration, the bio-optical algorithms used to derive them must be evaluated in coastal environments. Towards this purpose, over 21 cruises in diverse US coastal waters have been conducted. Of these 21 cruises, 12 have been performed in conjunction with and under the auspices of the NASA/Sensor Intercomparison and Merger for Biological and Interdisciplinary Oceanic Studies (SIMBIOS) Project. The primary goal of these cruises has been to obtain in-situ measurements of downwelling irradiance, upwelling radiance, and chlorophyll concentrations in order to evaluate bio-optical algorithms that estimate chlorophyll concentration. In this Technical Memorandum, we evaluate the ability of five bio-optical algorithms, including the current Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS) algorithm, to estimate chlorophyll concentration in surface waters of the South Atlantic Bight (SAB). The SAB consists of a variety of environments including coastal and continental shelf regimes, Gulf Stream waters, and the Sargasso Sea. The biological and optical characteristics of the region is complicated by temporal and spatial variability in phytoplankton composition, primary productivity, and the concentrations of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and suspended sediment. As such, the SAB is an ideal location to test the robustness of algorithms for coastal use.

Semi-analytical Model for Estimating Absorption Coefficients of Optically Active Constituents in Coastal Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, D.; Cui, Y.

2015-12-01

The objectives of this paper are to validate the applicability of a multi-band quasi-analytical algorithm (QAA) in retrieval absorption coefficients of optically active constituents in turbid coastal waters, and to further improve the model using a proposed semi-analytical model (SAA). The ap(531) and ag(531) semi-analytically derived using SAA model are quite different from the retrievals procedures of QAA model that ap(531) and ag(531) are semi-analytically derived from the empirical retrievals results of a(531) and a(551). The two models are calibrated and evaluated against datasets taken from 19 independent cruises in West Florida Shelf in 1999-2003, provided by SeaBASS. The results indicate that the SAA model produces a superior performance to QAA model in absorption retrieval. Using of the SAA model in retrieving absorption coefficients of optically active constituents from West Florida Shelf decreases the random uncertainty of estimation by >23.05% from the QAA model. This study demonstrates the potential of the SAA model in absorption coefficients of optically active constituents estimating even in turbid coastal waters. Keywords: Remote sensing; Coastal Water; Absorption Coefficient; Semi-analytical Model

Modeling the Dynamic Water Resource Needs of California's Coastal Watersheds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alford, C.

2009-12-01

Many watersheds face formidable water supply challenges when it comes to managing water availability to meet diverse water supply and ecosystem management objectives. California’s central coast watersheds are no exception, and both the scarcity of water resources during drier water years and mandates to establish minimum instream flows for salmon habitat have prompted interests in reassessing water management strategies for several of these watersheds. Conventional supply-oriented hydrologic models, however, are not adequate to fully investigate and describe the reciprocal implications of surface water demands for human use and the maintenance of instream flows for salmon habitat that vary both temporally and spatially within a watershed. In an effort to address this issue I developed a coastal watershed management model based on the San Gregorio watershed utilizing the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system, which permits demand-side prioritization at a time step interval and spatial resolution that captures functional supply and demand relationships. Physiographic input data such as soil type, land cover, elevation, habitat, and water demand sites were extrapolated at a sub-basin level in a GIS. Time-series climate data were collected and processed utilizing the Berkeley Water Center Data Cube at daily time steps for the period 1952 through September 2009. Recent synoptic flow measurements taken at seven tributary sites during the 2009 water year, water depth measured by pressure transducers at six sites within the watershed from September 2005 through September 2009, and daily gauge records from temporary gauges installed in 1981 were used to assess the hydrologic patterns of sub-basins and supplement historic USGS gauge flow records. Empirical functions were used to describe evapotranspiration, surface runoff, sub-surface runoff, and deep percolation. Initial model simulations carried out under both dry and wet water year scenarios were able to capture

Analysis of Water Resource Utilization Potential for Jiangsu Coastal Area ' in Nantong City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Li; Liu, Jin-Tao; Ni, Jian-Jun

2015-04-01

Along with the advance of the growth of population and social economy, requirements for water quality and quantity in coastal areas is getting higher and higher, but due to the uneven distribution of rainfall years and water exploitation, use and management level, the influence of the shortage of water resources is increasingly prominent, seriously restricting the social and economic sustainable development in this region. Accordingly, water resource utilization potential in Jiangsu coastal region is vital for water security in the region. Taking Nantong City as the study area, the regional water resources development and utilization status were evaluated. In this paper, the meaning of water resources, water resources development and utilization, and water resources development and utilization of the three stages of concepts such as system were discussed. Then the development and utilization of regional water resource evaluation were carried out, and the significance of regional society, economy, resources and environment and its development status quo of water resources were exploited. According to conditions and area source, an evaluation index system for development and utilization of water resources of Nantong was built up. The index layer was composed of 16 indicators. In this study, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to determine of weights of indicators at all levels in the index system. Multistage fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was selected to evaluate the water resources development and utilization status of Nantong, and then water resource utilization potential of Nantong was analyzed.

Impact of coastal fog on the energy and water balance of a California agricultural system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baguskas, S. A.; Oliphant, A. J.; Loik, M. E.

2016-12-01

In coastal California, the growing season of economically important crops overlaps with the occurrence of coastal fog, which buffers the summer dry season through shading effects and direct water inputs. The objective of our study was to develop relationships between coastal fog and the water and energy budgets of croplands in order to improve estimates of crop-scale evapotranspiration (ET) rates, which has potential to reduce groundwater use based on local cloud meteorology. Our study site was a coastal strawberry farm located in fog-belt of the Salinas Valley, California. We installed an eddy covariance tower to quantify surface energy budgets and actual ET at the field scale from July-September 2016. We also measured leaf and canopy-scale strawberry physiology on foggy and clear-sky days. Flow meters and soil moisture probes were installed in drip lines to quantify irrigation amount, timing, and soil wetting depth. We found that downward longwave radiation was higher on foggy compared to clear-sky days, indicating that emission of longwave radiation from the surface was absorbed by water droplets and vapor in the fog. Midday latent heat flux decreased by 125 W m-2 from a clear to foggy day, suggesting that water loss from the surface to the atmosphere decreases substantially during fog events. Likewise, we found a decrease in leaf and canopy-level transpiration on foggy compared to clear-sky days. While drawdown of CO2 at the field-scale decreased from -1.2 to -0.6 gC m-2 s-1 during fog events, canopy-level carbon and water vapor flux measurements show that water use efficiency (carbon gain per water loss) increased significantly on foggy days. Our results show that strawberry crops do not demand as much water during fog events, yet still maintain relatively high levels of carbon uptake. Therefore, the amount of irrigation could potentially be reduced during foggy periods without sacrificing yield.

Using National Coastal Assessment Data to Model Estuarine Water Quality at Large Spatial Scales.

EPA Science Inventory

The water quality of the Nation’s estuaries is attracting scrutiny in light of population growth and enhanced nutrient delivery. The USEPA has evaluated water quality in the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) and National Aquatic Resource Surveys (NARS) programs. Here we rep...

Using National Coastal Assessment Data to Model Estuarine Water Quality at Large Spatial Scales

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Question/MethodThe water quality of the Nation’s estuaries is attracting increasing scrutiny in light of burgeoning coastal population growth and enhanced delivery of nutrients via riverine flux. The USEPA has evaluated water quality in US estuaries in the Nation...

Factors controlling the photochemical degradation of methylmercury in coastal and oceanic waters

PubMed Central

DiMento, Brian P.; Mason, Robert P.

2018-01-01

Many studies have recognized abiotic photochemical degradation as an important sink of methylmercury (CH3Hg) in sunlit surface waters, but the rate-controlling factors remain poorly understood. The overall objective of this study was to improve our understanding of the relative importance of photochemical reactions in the degradation of CH3Hg in surface waters across a variety of marine ecosystems by extending the range of water types studied. Experiments were conducted using surface water collected from coastal sites in Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Maine, as well as offshore sites on the New England continental shelf break, the equatorial Pacific, and the Arctic Ocean. Filtered water amended with additional CH3Hg at environmentally relevant concentrations was allowed to equilibrate with natural ligands before being exposed to natural sunlight. Water quality parameters – salinity, dissolved organic carbon, and nitrate – were measured, and specific UV absorbance was calculated as a proxy for dissolved aromatic carbon content. Degradation rate constants (0.87–1.67 day−1) varied by a factor of two across all water types tested despite varying characteristics, and did not correlate with initial CH3Hg concentrations or other environmental parameters. The rate constants in terms of cumulative photon flux values were comparable to, but at the high end of, the range of values reported in other studies. Further experiments investigating the controlling parameters of the reaction observed little effect of nitrate and chloride, and potential for bromide involvement. The HydroLight radiative transfer model was used to compute solar irradiance with depth in three representative water bodies – coastal wetland, estuary, and open ocean – allowing for the determination of water column integrated rates. Methylmercury loss per year due to photodegradation was also modeled across a range of latitudes from the Arctic to the Equator in the three model water types

Cyanobacterial blooms and biomagnification of the neurotoxin BMAA in South Florida coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brand, L.; Mash, D.

2008-12-01

Blooms of cyanobacteria have developed in Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay and other coastal waters of South Florida. It has recently been shown that virtually all cyanobacteria produce the potent neurotoxin, beta-N- methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA). Studies in Guam indicate that BMAA can biomagnify up the food chain from cyanobacteria to human food and humans. Recent studies in Guam and on human brains in North America suggest an association between BMAA and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). A variety of organisms from South Florida coastal waters are being analyzed for BMAA content to determine if BMAA is biomagnifying in these food chains and if it is a potential human health hazard. Some have extremely high concentrations of BMAA.

Eutrophication and macroalgal blooms in temperate and tropical coastal waters: nutrient enrichment experiments with Ulva spp.

PubMed Central

Teichberg, Mirta; Fox, Sophia E; Olsen, Ylva S; Valiela, Ivan; Martinetto, Paulina; Iribarne, Oscar; Muto, Elizabeti Yuriko; Petti, Monica A V; Corbisier, Thaïs N; Soto-Jiménez, Martín; Páez-Osuna, Federico; Castro, Paula; Freitas, Helena; Zitelli, Andreina; Cardinaletti, Massimo; Tagliapietra, Davide

2010-01-01

Receiving coastal waters and estuaries are among the most nutrient-enriched environments on earth, and one of the symptoms of the resulting eutrophication is the proliferation of opportunistic, fast-growing marine seaweeds. Here, we used a widespread macroalga often involved in blooms, Ulva spp., to investigate how supply of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), the two main potential growth-limiting nutrients, influence macroalgal growth in temperate and tropical coastal waters ranging from low- to high-nutrient supplies. We carried out N and P enrichment field experiments on Ulva spp. in seven coastal systems, with one of these systems represented by three different subestuaries, for a total of nine sites. We showed that rate of growth of Ulva spp. was directly correlated to annual dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations, where growth increased with increasing DIN concentration. Internal N pools of macroalgal fronds were also linked to increased DIN supply, and algal growth rates were tightly coupled to these internal N pools. The increases in DIN appeared to be related to greater inputs of wastewater to these coastal waters as indicated by high δ15N signatures of the algae as DIN increased. N and P enrichment experiments showed that rate of macroalgal growth was controlled by supply of DIN where ambient DIN concentrations were low, and by P where DIN concentrations were higher, regardless of latitude or geographic setting. These results suggest that understanding the basis for macroalgal blooms, and management of these harmful phenomena, will require information as to nutrient sources, and actions to reduce supply of N and P in coastal waters concerned.

Hydrogeology, water quality, and water-supply potential of the Lower Floridan Aquifer, coastal Georgia, 1999-2002

USGS Publications Warehouse

Falls, W. Fred; Harrelson, Larry G.; Conlon, Kevin J.; Petkewich, Matthew D.

2005-01-01

The hydrogeology and water quality of the upper permeable and Fernandina permeable zones of the Lower Floridan aquifer were studied at seven sites in the 24-county study area encompassed by the Georgia Coastal Sound Science Initiative. Although substantially less than the Upper Floridan aquifer in coastal Georgia, transmissivities for the Lower Floridan aquifer are in the same range as other water-supply aquifers in Georgia and South Carolina and could meet the needs of public drinking-water supply. Water of the upper permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer exceeds the Federal secondary drinking-water standards for sulfate and total dissolved solids at most coastal Georgia sites and the Federal secondary drinking-water standard for chloride at the Shellman Bluff site. The top of the Lower Floridan aquifer correlates within 50 feet of the previously reported top, except at the St Simons Island site where the top is more than 80 feet higher. Based on the hydrogeologic characteristics, the seven sites are divided into the northern sites at Shellman Bluff, Richmond Hill, Pembroke, and Pineora; and southern sites at St Marys, Brunswick, and St Simons Island. At the northern sites, the Lower Floridan aquifer does not include the Fernandina permeable zone, is thinner than the overlying Upper Floridan aquifer, and consists of only strata of the middle Eocene Avon Park Formation. Transmissivities in the Lower Floridan aquifer are 8,300 feet squared per day at Richmond Hill and 6,000 feet squared per day at Shellman Bluff, generally one tenth the transmissivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer at these sites. At the southern sites, the upper permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer is thicker than the Upper Floridan aquifer and consists of porous limestone and dolomite interbedded with nonporous strata of the middle Eocene Avon Park and early Eocene Oldsmar Formations. Transmissivities for the upper permeable zone of the Lower Floridan aquifer are 500 feet squared per

Echolocation by the harbour porpoise: life in coastal waters

PubMed Central

Miller, Lee A.; Wahlberg, Magnus

2013-01-01

The harbor porpoise is one of the smallest and most widely spread of all toothed whales. They are found abundantly in coastal waters all around the northern hemisphere. They are among the 11 species known to use high frequency sonar of relative narrow bandwidth. Their narrow biosonar beam helps isolate echoes from prey among those from unwanted items and noise. Obtaining echoes from small objects like net mesh, net floats, and small prey is facilitated by the very high peak frequency around 130 kHz with a wavelength of about 12 mm. We argue that such echolocation signals and narrow band auditory filters give the harbor porpoise a selective advantage in a coastal environment. Predation by killer whales and a minimum noise region in the ocean around 130 kHz may have provided selection pressures for using narrow bandwidth high frequency biosonar signals. PMID:23596420

DEVELOPING A MULTI-AGENCY 305(B) MONITORING PROGRAM FOR THE COASTAL WATERS OF ALABAMA

EPA Science Inventory

Proceedings of the National Water Quality Monitoring Conference "Monitoring Critical Foundations to Protect Our Waters," 7-9 July 1998, Reno, NV.

With the ability of many federal agencies to maintain long-term coastal monitoring in jeopardy due to shrinking budgets, many s...

Spatial and Temporal Monitoring of Dissolved Oxygen in NJ Coastal Waters using AUVs (Presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

The coastal ocean is a highly variable system with processes that have significant implications on the hydrographic and oxygen characteristics of the water column. The spatial and temporal variability of these fields can cause dramatic changes to water quality and in turn the h...

Spatial Dependence and Determinants of Dairy Farmers' Adoption of Best Management Practices for Water Protection in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Wei; Sharp, Basil

2017-04-01

This paper analyses spatial dependence and determinants of the New Zealand dairy farmers' adoption of best management practices to protect water quality. A Bayesian spatial durbin probit model is used to survey data collected from farmers in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The results show that farmers located near each other exhibit similar choice behaviour, indicating the importance of farmer interactions in adoption decisions. The results also address that information acquisition is the most important determinant of farmers' adoption of best management practices. Financial problems are considered a significant barrier to adopting best management practices. Overall, the existence of distance decay effect and spatial dependence in farmers' adoption decisions highlights the importance of accounting for spatial effects in farmers' decision-making, which emerges as crucial to the formulation of sustainable agriculture policy.

Spatial Dependence and Determinants of Dairy Farmers' Adoption of Best Management Practices for Water Protection in New Zealand.

PubMed

Yang, Wei; Sharp, Basil

2017-04-01

This paper analyses spatial dependence and determinants of the New Zealand dairy farmers' adoption of best management practices to protect water quality. A Bayesian spatial durbin probit model is used to survey data collected from farmers in the Waikato region of New Zealand. The results show that farmers located near each other exhibit similar choice behaviour, indicating the importance of farmer interactions in adoption decisions. The results also address that information acquisition is the most important determinant of farmers' adoption of best management practices. Financial problems are considered a significant barrier to adopting best management practices. Overall, the existence of distance decay effect and spatial dependence in farmers' adoption decisions highlights the importance of accounting for spatial effects in farmers' decision-making, which emerges as crucial to the formulation of sustainable agriculture policy.

EUTROPHICATION OF COASTAL WATER BODIES: RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN NUTRIENT LOADING AND ECOLOGICAL RESPONSE

EPA Science Inventory

This newly initiated research will provide environmental managers with an empirical method to develop regional nutrient input limits for East Coast estuaries/coastal water bodies. The goal will be to reduce the current uncertainty associated with nutrient load-response relationsh...

National Coastal Condition Report I Factsheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Coastal Condition Report describes the ecological and environmental conditions in U.S. coastal waters. This first-of-its-kind Report, presents a broad baseline picture of the overall condition of U.S. coastal waters as fair to poor.

Couplings of watersheds and coastal waters: Sources and consequences of nutrient enrichment in Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valiela, I.; Foreman, K.; LaMontagne, M.

1992-12-01

Human activities on coastal watersheds provide the major sources of nutrients entering shallow coastal ecosystems. Nutrient loadings from watersheds alter structure and function of receiving aquatic ecosystems. To investigate this coupling of land to marine systems, a series of subwatersheds of Waquoit Bay differing in degree of urbanization and with widely different nutrient loading rates was studied. The subwatersheds differ in septic tanks numbers and forest acreage. Ground water is the major mechanism that transports nutrients to coastal waters. Some attenuation of nutrient concentrations within the aquifer or at the sediment-water interface, but significant increases in the nutrient content ofmore » groundwater arriving at the shore's edge are in urbanized areas. The groundwater flows through the sediment-water boundary, and sufficient groundwater-borne nutrients (nitrogen in particular) traverse the sediment-water boundary to cause significant changes in the aquatic ecosystem. These loading-dependent alterations include increased nutrients in water, greater primary production by phytoplankton, and increased macroalgal biomass and growth. The increased macroalgal biomass dominates the bay ecosystem through second- or third-order effects such as alterations of nutrient status of water columns and increasing frequency of anoxic events. The increases in seaweeds have decreased the areas covered by eelgrass habitats. The change in habitat type, plus the increased frequency of anoxic events, change the composition of the benthic fauna. The importance of bottom-up control in shallow coastal food webs is evident. The coupling of land to sea by groundwater-borne nutrient transport is mediated by a complex series of steps, making it unlikely to find a one-to-one relation between land use and conditions in the aquatic ecosystem. Appropriate models may provide a way to deal with the complexities of the coupling. 22 refs., 14 figs., 5 tabs.« less

Geophysical techniques for low enthalpy geothermal exploration in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soengkono, Supri; Bromley, Chris; Reeves, Robert; Bennie, Stewart; Graham, Duncan

2013-05-01

Shallow warm water resources associated with low enthalpy geothermal systems are often difficult to explore using geophysical techniques, mainly because the warm water creates an insufficient physical change from the host rocks to be easily detectable. In addition, often the system also has a limited or narrow size. However, appropriate use of geophysical techniques can still help the exploration and further investigation of low enthalpy geothermal resources. We present case studies on the use of geophysical techniques for shallow warm water explorations over a variety of settings in New Zealand (mostly in the North Island) with variable degrees of success. A simple and direct method for the exploration of warm water systems is shallow temperature measurements. In some New Zealand examples, measurements of near surface temperatures helped to trace the extent of deeper thermal water. The gravity method was utilised as a structural technique for the exploration of some warm water systems in New Zealand. Our case studies show the technique can be useful in identifying basement depths and tracing fault systems associated with the occurrence of hot springs. Direct current (DC) ground resistivity measurements using a variety of electrode arrays have been the most common method for the exploration of low enthalpy geothermal resources in New Zealand. The technique can be used to detect the extent of shallow warm waters that are more electrically conductive than the surrounding cold groundwater. Ground resistivity investigations using the electromagnetic (EM) techniques of audio magnetotellurics (AMT or shallow MT), controlled source audio magnetotellurics (CSAMT) and transient electromagnetic (TEM) methods have also been used. Highly conductive clays of thermal or sedimentary origin often limit the penetration depth of the resistivity techniques and can create some interpretation difficulties. Interpretation of resistivity anomalies needs to be treated in a site specific

National Coastal Geology Program: a plan of geologic research on coastal erosion, coastal wetlands, polluted sediments, and coastal hard-mineral resources

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

1990-01-01

More than 50 percent of the U.S. population currently live within 50 miles of an ocean, Great Lake, or major estuary. According to forecasts, the concentration of people along our coastlines will continue to increase into the 21st century. In addition to residential and commercial buildings and facilities worth tens of billions of dollars, the coasts and associated wetlands are natural resources of tremendous value, with estimates in excess of $13 billion per year for commercial and recreational fisheries alone. Human activities and natural processes are stressing the coastal environment. * Each of the coastal states and island territories is suffering problems related to coastal erosion. * Deterioration of wetlands is widespread and of great public concern. * Pollutants carried by rivers or runoff are discharged directly into coastal waters and accumulate in the sediments on the sea floor, in some areas causing damage to living resources and presenting a threat to public health. * Onshore sources for hard-mineral resources, such as sand and gravel used for construction purposes, are becoming increasingly difficult to find. New sources are being sought in coastal waters. Coastal issues will become even more important into the next century if sea level is significantly influenced by climate change and other factors.

Relationships between microbial water quality and environmental conditions in coastal recreational waters: the Fylde coast, UK.

PubMed

Crowther, J; Kay, D; Wyer, M D

2001-12-01

This paper explores ways in which the analysis of microbial data from routine compliance monitoring, in combination with basic environmental data, can provide insight into the factors affecting faecal-indicator organism concentrations in coastal waters. In the case study presented, eight designated bathing waters on the Fylde coast are continuing to exhibit unreliable compliance with the Imperative standards for total coliform (TC) and faecal coliform (FC) concentrations specified in the EU Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC), despite significant reductions in geometric mean concentrations following recent major investment in the sewerage infrastructure. Faecal streptococci (FS) concentrations have remained high and have not been improved by the new sewerage schemes. The results suggest that, prior to the schemes, higher bacterial concentrations were strongly associated with rainfall; and sewage sources were important for TC and FC, but less important for FS, which may have been more strongly affected by diffuse catchment sources. In the post-schemes period, catchment sources appear to be of greater significance; rainfall remains as a significant, though less important, predictor; and tide height at time of sampling, together with variables such as sunshine and the proportion of onshore winds (which affect the survival and movement of bacteria that have already entered the coastal waters), assume greater significance. The approach used here provides a cost-effective management tool for the exploratory investigation of any monitoring point that is failing to meet recreational water quality standards.

Community involvement in planning and management for outdoor recreation in New Zealand protected areas

Treesearch

Steve Sutton; Gordon Cessford

2007-01-01

Managing New Zealand’s protected natural and historic heritage falls largely on the Department of Conservation (DOC), which manages close to a third of the country’s land area and increasing proportions of the coastal/marine setting. Providing public access to this shared heritage through a range of recreation opportunities is a key management outcome for DOC. This...

Seasonal variation in physicochemical properties of coastal waters of Kalpakkam, east coast of India with special emphasis on nutrients.

PubMed

Satpathy, K K; Mohanty, A K; Natesan, U; Prasad, M V R; Sarkar, S K

2010-05-01

A study pertaining to the seasonal variation in physicochemical properties of the coastal waters was carried out at Kalpakkam coast for a period of 1 year (February 2006 to January 2007). It revealed that the coastal water was significantly influenced by freshwater input during North East (NE) monsoon and post-monsoon periods. Concentration of all the nutrients and dissolved oxygen (DO) was relatively high during the NE monsoon, whereas, salinity and chlorophyll-a (chl-a) were at their minimum level during this period. Phytoplankton production peak was observed in summer during which a typical marine condition prevailed. The present observed values of nitrate, phosphate, silicate, and turbidity are significantly high (five to ten times) compared to that of the pre-Tsunami period from this coast. Relatively low DO and chl-a concentration was noticed during the post-Tsunami period. A notable feature of this study is that though nutrient concentration in the coastal waters during post-Tsunami period has increased significantly, turbidity, the most single dominating factor, was found to adversely affect the phytoplankton production during post-Tsunami period as reflected by relatively low chl-a concentration. Thus, the post-Tsunami period may result in a change in coastal biodiversity pattern concomitant with change in coastal water quality.

The epipelagic fish community of Beaufort Sea coastal waters, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jarvela, L.E.; Thorsteinson, L.K.

1999-01-01

A three-year study of epipelagic fishes inhabiting Beaufort Sea coastal waters in Alaska documented spatial and temporal patterns in fish distribution and abundance and examined their relationships to thermohaline features during summer. Significant interannual, seasonal, and geographical differences in surface water temperatures and salinities were observed. In 1990, sea ice was absent and marine conditions prevailed, whereas in 1988 and 1991, heavy pack ice was present and the dissolution of the brackish water mass along the coast proceeded more slowly. Arctic cod, capelin, and liparids were the most abundant marine fishes in the catches, while arctic cisco was the only abundant diadromous freshwater species. Age-0 arctic cod were exceptionally abundant and large in 1990, while age-0 capelin dominated in the other years. The alternating numerical dominances of arctic cod and age-0 capelin may represent differing species' responses to wind-driven oceanographic processes affecting growth and survival. The only captures of age-0 arctic cisco occurred during 1990. Catch patterns indicate they use a broad coastal migratory corridor and tolerate high salinities. As in the oceanographic data, geographical anti temporal patterns were apparent in the fish catch data, but in most cases these patterns were not statistically testable because of excessive zero catches. The negative binomial distribution appeared to be a suitable statistical descriptor of the aggregated catch patterns for the more common species.

New Zealand's Southern Alps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

The rugged Southern Alps extend some 650 kilometers along the western side of New Zealand's South Island. The mountains are often obscured by clouds, which is probably why the Maoris called New Zealand 'Aotearoa', the long white cloud. The higher peaks are snow-covered all year round. Westerly winds bring clouds that drop over 500 centimeters of rain annually on luxuriant rain forest along the west coast. The drier eastern seaboard is home to the majority of the island's population.

This pair of MISR images is from April 13, 2000 (Terra orbit 1712). The upper image is a natural color view from the instrument's vertical-viewing (nadir) camera. It is presented at a resolution of 550 meters per pixel. The lower image is a stereo anaglyph generated from the instrument's 46-degree and 26-degree forward-viewing cameras, and is presented at 275-meter per pixel resolution to show the portion of the image containing the Southern Alps in greater detail. Viewing the anaglyph in 3-D requires the use of red/blue glasses with the red filter over your left eye. To facilitate stereoscopic viewing, both images have been oriented with north at the left.

The tallest mountain in the Southern Alps is Mt. Cook, at an elevation of 3754 meters. Its snow-covered peak is visible to the left of center in each of these MISR images. From the high peaks, glaciers have gouged long, slender mountain lakes and coastal fiords. Immediately to the southeast of Mt. Cook (to the right in these images), the glacial pale-blue water of Lake Pukaki stands out. Further to the south in adjacent valleys you can easily see Lakes Hawea and Wanaka, between which (though not visible here) is the Haast Pass Road, the most southerly of the few links between the east and west coast road systems. Further to the south is the prominent 'S' shape of Lake Wakatipu, 83 kilometers long, on the northern shore of which is Queenstown, the principal resort town of the island. The remote and spectacular Fiordland National

An interdisciplinary study of the estuarine and coastal oceanography of Block Island Sound and adjacent New York coastal waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yost, E. (Principal Investigator)

1972-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. The synoptic repetitive coverage of the multispectral imagery from the ERTS-1 satellite, when photographically reprocessed using the state-of-the-art techniques, has given indication of spectral differences in Block Island and adjacent New England waters which were heretofore unknown. Of particular interest was the possible detection of relatively small amounts of phytoplankton prior to the occurrence of the red tide in Massachusetts waters. Preparation of spatial and temporal hydrographic charts using ERTS-1 imagery and ground truth analysis will hopefully determine the environmental impact on New York coastal waters.

Evaluation of coastal zone color scanner diffuse attenuation coefficient algorithms for application to coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mueller, James L.; Trees, Charles C.; Arnone, Robert A.

1990-09-01

The Coastal Zone Color Scannez (ZCS) and associated atmospheric and in-water algorithms have allowed synoptic analyses of regional and large scale variability of bio-optical properties [phytoplankton pigments and diffuse auenuation coefficient K(490)}. Austin and Petzold (1981) developed a robust in-water K(490) algorithm which related the diffuse attenuation coefficient at one optical depth [1/K(490)] to the ratio of the water-leaving radiances at 443 and 550 nm. Their regression analysis included diffuse attenuation coefficients K(490) up to 0.40 nm, but excluded data from estuarine areas, and other Case II waters, where the optical properties are not predominantly determined by phytoplankton. In these areas, errors are induced in the retrieval of remote sensing K(490) by extremely low water-leaving radiance at 443 nm [Lw(443) as viewed at the sensor may only be 1 or 2 digital counts], and improved cury can be realized using algorithms based on wavelengths where Lw(λ) is larger. Using ocean optical profiles quired by the Visibility Laboratory, algorithms are developed to predict K(490) from ratios of water leaving radiances at 520 and 670, as well as 443 and 550 nm.

Iron clad wetlands: Soil iron-sulfur buffering determines coastal wetland response to salt water incursion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoepfer, Valerie A.; Bernhardt, Emily S.; Burgin, Amy J.

2014-12-01

Coastal freshwater wetland chemistry is rapidly changing due to increased frequency of salt water incursion, a consequence of global change. Seasonal salt water incursion introduces sulfate, which microbially reduces to sulfide. Sulfide binds with reduced iron, producing iron sulfide (FeS), recognizable in wetland soils by its characteristic black color. The objective of this study is to document iron and sulfate reduction rates, as well as product formation (acid volatile sulfide (AVS) and chromium reducible sulfide (CRS)) in a coastal freshwater wetland undergoing seasonal salt water incursion. Understanding iron and sulfur cycling, as well as their reduction products, allows us to calculate the degree of sulfidization (DOS), from which we can estimate how long soil iron will buffer against chemical effects of sea level rise. We show that soil chloride, a direct indicator of the degree of incursion, best predicted iron and sulfate reduction rates. Correlations between soil chloride and iron or sulfur reduction rates were strongest in the surface layer (0-3 cm), indicative of surface water incursion, rather than groundwater intrusion at our site. The interaction between soil moisture and extractable chloride was significantly related to increased AVS, whereas increased soil chloride was a stronger predictor of CRS. The current DOS in this coastal plains wetland is very low, resulting from high soil iron content and relatively small degree of salt water incursion. However, with time and continuous salt water exposure, iron will bind with incoming sulfur, creating FeS complexes, and DOS will increase.

Speciation, range contraction and extinction in the endemic New Zealand King Shag complex.

PubMed

Rawlence, Nicolas J; Till, Charlotte E; Easton, Luke J; Spencer, Hamish G; Schuckard, Rob; Melville, David S; Scofield, R Paul; Tennyson, Alan J D; Rayner, Matt J; Waters, Jonathan M; Kennedy, Martyn

2017-10-01

New Zealand's endemic King Shag (Leucocarbo carunculatus) has occupied only a narrow portion of the northeastern South Island for at least the past 240years. However, pre-human Holocene fossil and archaeological remains have suggested a far more widespread distribution of the three Leucocarbo species (King, Otago, Foveaux) on mainland New Zealand at the time of Polynesian settlement in the late 13th Century CE. We use modern and ancient DNA, and morphometric and osteological analyses, of modern King Shags and Holocene fossil Leucocarbo remains to assess the pre-human distribution and taxonomic status of the King Shag on mainland New Zealand, and the resultant conservation implications. Our analyses show that the King Shag was formerly widespread around southern coasts of the North Island and the northern parts of the South Island but experienced population and lineage extinctions, and range contraction, probably after Polynesian arrival. This history parallels range contractions of other New Zealand seabirds. Conservation management of the King Shag should take into account this species narrow distribution and probable reduced genetic diversity. Moreover, combined genetic, morphometric and osteological analyses of prehistoric material from mainland New Zealand suggest that the now extinct northern New Zealand Leucocarbo populations comprised a unique lineage. Although these distinctive populations were previously assigned to the King Shag (based on morphological similarities and geographic proximity to modern Leucocarbo populations), we herein describe them as a new species, the Kohatu Shag (Leucocarbo septentrionalis). The extinction of this species further highlights the dramatic impacts Polynesians and introduced predators had on New Zealand's coastal and marine biodiversity. The prehistoric presence of at least four species of Leucocarbo shag on mainland NZ further highlights its status as a biodiversity hotspot for Phalacrocoracidae. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier

Solubility of Particulate Mercury in Coastal Waters of the Central U.S. Gulf Coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engle, M.; Krabbenhoft, D. P.; Sabin, T. G.; Geboy, N. J.; Kolker, A.

2010-12-01

There is growing awareness that dry deposition can contribute substantially to the overall atmospheric mercury (Hg) load, especially in near-coastal settings. Previous studies have shown that a significant portion of particulate mercury (Hg-P) in coastal environments is contained in the coarse (≥2.5 μm) fraction, and it is assumed that much of this coarse Hg-P is derived from reactive gaseous Hg adsorbed onto sea salt aerosols in the marine boundary layer. While enhanced Hg-P deposition in coastal areas is the likely result, there is little understanding of the post-depositional fate of Hg dry deposition to aquatic ecosystems. This study was conducted to better understand potential dry-to-wet transfer of Hg in coastal aquatic environments. In some portions of the U.S., these coastal ecosystems are susceptible to enhanced methyl Hg production. Coarse and fine (<2.5 μm) fractions of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) were collected at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in coastal Mississippi during the first half of May, 2010 (after the Deepwater Horizon Blowout, but before oil made landfall at the study area) over 30-hour intervals using Hi-Vol cascade impactors. Portions of the filters containing the fine and coarse PM were brought to the lab and incubated in aliquots of water from Grand Bay, which is a mixture of roughly 30% seawater and 70% freshwater, and from the Escatawpa River, a nearby low-TDS, acidic black water stream. Incubations were conducted for periods of 1-hour, 4-hours, 12-hours, and 1-week for each size fraction and water type. The post-incubation solutions and remaining portions of the filters used in the incubations were analyzed for total and methyl Hg at the USGS Mercury Laboratory in Middleton, Wisconsin. In addition, a set of 10 fractions of PM, ranging in size from <0.18 to >18 μm, was collected during the study using a micro-orifice uniform-deposit impactor (MOUDI) and analyzed for trace elements via ICP-MS. Overall

Human impacts and changes in the coastal waters of south China.

PubMed

Wang, Linlin; Li, Qiang; Bi, Hongsheng; Mao, Xian-Zhong

2016-08-15

Human impact on the environment remains at the center of the debate on global environmental change. Using the Hong Kong-Shenzhen corridor in south China as an example, we present evidence that rapid urbanization and economic development in coastal areas were the dominant factors causing rapid changes in coastal waters. From 1990 to 2012, coastal seawater temperature increased ~0.060°C per year, sea level rose 4.4mm per year and pH decreased from 8.2 to 7.7, much faster than global averages. In the same period, there were exponential increases in the local population, gross domestic product and land fill area. Empirical analyses suggest that the large increase in the population affected local temperature, and economic development had a major impact on local pH. Results also show that pH and temperature were significantly correlated with local sea level rise, but pH had more predictive power, suggesting it could be considered a predictor for changes in local sea level. We conclude that human activities could significantly exacerbate local environmental changes which should be considered in predictive models and future development plans in coastal areas. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EFFECTS OF A COASTAL GOLF COMPLEX ON WATER QUALITY, PERIPHYTON, AND SEAGRASS.

EPA Science Inventory

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a golf course complex on water quality, colonized periphyton and seagrass meadows in adjacent freshwater, near-coastal and wetland areas. The environmental impact of the recreational facility, which uses spray wastewater...

[The marine coastal water monitoring program of the Italian Ministry of the Environment].

PubMed

Di Girolamo, Irene

2003-01-01

The Ministry of the Environment carries out marine and coastal monitoring programs with the collaboration of the coastal Regions. The program in progress (2001-2003), on the basis of results of the previous one, has identified 73 particulary significant areas (57 critical areas and 16 control areas). The program investigates several parameters on water, plancton, sediments, mollusks and benthos with analyses fortnightly, six-monthly and annual. The main aim of these three year monitoring programs is to assess the quality of national marine ecosystem.

Morphology and phylogeny of Triadinium polyedricum (Pouchet) Dodge (Dinophyceae) from Korean coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Hyeon Ho; Li, Zhun; Kim, Eun Song; Youn, Joo Yeon; Jeon, Seul Gi; Oh, Seok Jin; Lim, Weol-Ae

2016-12-01

To identify features that can be used to differentiate Triadinium polyedricum from other related species, such as Fukuyoa paulensis and Alexandrium species, the detailed morphology and phylogeny of T. polyedricum collected from Korean coastal waters were investigated. The cells had a plate formula of Po, 3', 7″, 5‴, 1p and 2″″, which is consistent with morphological descriptions in previous reports. Large subunit ribosomal DNA sequences also revealed that T. polyedricum from Korean coastal waters is identical to previously recorded isolates. T. polyedricum is morphologically characterized by a ventral pore in the 1″ plate that is comparable to F. paulensis and Alexandrium species. This result indicates that the location and presence of this ventral pore seems suitable for differentiating T. polyedricum from other related species.

Toxicity of elevated partial pressures of carbon dioxide to invasive New Zealand mudsnails

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nielson, R. Jordan; Moffitt, Christine M.; Watten, Barnaby J.

2012-01-01

The authors tested the efficacy of elevated partial pressures of CO2 to kill invasive New Zealand mudsnails. The New Zealand mudsnails were exposed to 100 kPa at three water temperatures, and the survival was modeled versus dose as cumulative °C-h. We estimated an LD50 of 59.4°C-h for adult and juvenile New Zealand mudsnails. The results suggest that CO2 may be an effective and inexpensive lethal tool to treat substrates, tanks, or materials infested with New Zealand mudsnails.

Corrosiveness of ground water in the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system of the New Jersey Coastal Plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Barringer, J.L.; Kish, G.R.; Velnich, A.J.

1993-01-01

Ground water from the unconfined part of the Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system in the New Jersey Coastal Plain typically is corrosive-- that is, it is acidic, soft, and has low concentrations of alkalinity. Corrosive ground water has the potential to leach trace elements and asbestos fibers from plumbing materials used in potable- water systems, thereby causing potentially harmful concentrations of these substances in drinking water. Corrosion indices were calculated from water-quality data for 370 wells in the unconfined Kirkwood-Cohansey aquifer system. Values of the Langelier Saturation Index are predominantly negative, indicating that the water is undersaturated with respect to calcium carbonate, and, therefore, is potentially corrosive. Values of the Aggressive Index, a similar estimator of the corrosiveness of water, range from 3.9 (highly corrosive) to 11.9 (moderately corrosive). The median Aggressive Index value calculated for the 370 wells is 6.0, a value that indicates that the water is highly corrosive. Moderately corrosive ground water is found in some coastal areas. Isolated instances of moderately corrosive water are found in northern Ocean County, and in Burlington, Camden, and Salem Counties. In the vicinity of Ocean County corrosion-index values change little with depth, but in Atlantic, Burlington, and Salem Counties the corrosiveness of ground water generally appears to decrease with depth. Analyses of standing tap water from newly constructed homes in the Coastal Plain show concentrations of lead and other trace elements are significantly higher than those in ambient ground water. The elevated trace-element concentrations are attributed to the corrosion of plumbing materials by ground water. Results of the tap-water analyses substantiate the corrosiveness of Kirkwood-Cohansey ground water, as estimated by corrosion-index values.

Toxic pressure of herbicides on microalgae in Dutch estuarine and coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booij, Petra; Sjollema, Sascha B.; van der Geest, Harm G.; Leonards, Pim E. G.; Lamoree, Marja H.; de Voogt, W. Pim; Admiraal, Wim; Laane, Remi W. P. M.; Vethaak, A. Dick

2015-08-01

For several decades now, there has been an increase in the sources and types of chemicals in estuarine and coastal waters as a consequence of anthropogenic activities. This has led to considerable concern about the effects of these chemicals on the marine food chain. The fact is that estuarine and coastal waters are the most productive ecosystems with high primary production by microalgae. The toxic pressure of specific phytotoxic chemicals now poses a major threat to these ecosystems. In a previous study, six herbicides (atrazine, diuron, irgarol, isoproturon, terbutryn and terbutylazine) were identified as the main contaminants affecting photosynthesis in marine microalgae. The purpose of this study is to investigate the toxic pressure of these herbicides in the Dutch estuarine and coastal waters in relation to the effective photosystem II efficiency (ΦPSII) in microalgae. Temporal and spatial variations in the concentrations of these herbicides were analyzed based on monitoring data. Additionally, a field study was carried out in which chemical analysis of water was performed and also a toxicity assessment using the Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) fluorometry assay that measures ΦPSII. The toxic pressure on ΦPSII in microalgae has decreased with 55-82% from 2003 to 2012, with the Western Scheldt estuary showing the highest toxic pressure. By combining toxicity data from the PAM assay with chemical analysis of herbicide concentrations, we have identified diuron and terbutylazine as the main contributors to the toxic pressure on microalgae. Although direct effects are not expected, the toxic pressure is close to the 10% effect level in the PAM assay. A compliance check with the current environmental legislation of the European Union revealed that the quality standards are not sufficient to protect marine microalgae.

Estimating the beam attenuation coefficient in coastal waters from AVHRR imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gould, Richard W.; Arnone, Robert A.

1997-09-01

This paper presents an algorithm to estimate particle beam attenuation at 660 nm ( cp660) in coastal areas using the red and near-infrared channels of the NOAA AVHRR satellite sensor. In situ reflectance spectra and cp660 measurements were collected at 23 stations in Case I and II waters during an April 1993 cruise in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The reflectance spectra were weighted by the spectral response of the AVHRR sensor and integrated over the channel 1 waveband to estimate the atmospherically corrected signal recorded by the satellite. An empirical relationship between integrated reflectance and cp660 values was derived with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.88. Because the AVHRR sensor requires a strong channel 1 signal, the algorithm is applicable in highly turbid areas ( cp660 > 1.5 m -1) where scattering from suspended sediment strongly controls the shape and magnitude of the red (550-650 nm) reflectance spectrum. The algorithm was tested on a data set collected 2 years later in different coastal waters in the northern Gulf of Mexico and satellite estimates of cp660 averaged within 37% of measured values. Application of the algorithm provides daily images of nearshore regions at 1 km resolution for evaluating processes affecting ocean color distribution patterns (tides, winds, currents, river discharge). Further validation and refinement of the algorithm are in progress to permit quantitative application in other coastal areas. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd

NASA COAST and OCEANIA Airborne Missions Support Ecosystem and Water Quality Research in the Coastal Zone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guild, Liane; Kudela, Raphael; Hooker, Stanford; Morrow, John; Russell, Philip; Palacios, Sherry; Livingston, John M.; Negrey, Kendra; Torres-Perez, Juan; Broughton, Jennifer

2014-01-01

NASA has a continuing requirement to collect high-quality in situ data for the vicarious calibration of current and next generation ocean color satellite sensors and to validate the algorithms that use the remotely sensed observations. Recent NASA airborne missions over Monterey Bay, CA, have demonstrated novel above- and in-water measurement capabilities supporting a combined airborne sensor approach (imaging spectrometer, microradiometers, and a sun photometer). The results characterize coastal atmospheric and aquatic properties through an end-to-end assessment of image acquisition, atmospheric correction, algorithm application, plus sea-truth observations from state-of-the-art instrument systems. The primary goal is to demonstrate the following in support of calibration and validation exercises for satellite coastal ocean color products: 1) the utility of a multi-sensor airborne instrument suite to assess the bio-optical properties of coastal California, including water quality; and 2) the importance of contemporaneous atmospheric measurements to improve atmospheric correction in the coastal zone. The imaging spectrometer (Headwall) is optimized in the blue spectral domain to emphasize remote sensing of marine and freshwater ecosystems. The novel airborne instrument, Coastal Airborne In-situ Radiometers (C-AIR) provides measurements of apparent optical properties with high dynamic range and fidelity for deriving exact water leaving radiances at the land-ocean boundary, including radiometrically shallow aquatic ecosystems. Simultaneous measurements supporting empirical atmospheric correction of image data are accomplished using the Ames Airborne Tracking Sunphotometer (AATS-14). Flight operations are presented for the instrument payloads using the Center for Interdisciplinary Remotely-Piloted Aircraft Studies (CIRPAS) Twin Otter flown over Monterey Bay during the seasonal fall algal bloom in 2011 (COAST) and 2013 (OCEANIA) to support bio-optical measurements of

[Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in water and sediment from Zhoushan coastal area, China].

PubMed

Jiang, Min; Tuan, Le Huy; Mei, Wei-Ping; Ruan, Hui-Hui; Wu, Hao

2014-07-01

The spatial and temporal distribution of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been investigated in water and sediments of Zhoushan coastal area every two months in 2012. The concentrations of total PAHs ranged from 382.3 to 816.9 ng x L(-1), with the mean value of 552.5 ng x L(-1) in water; whereas it ranged from 1017.9 to 3047.1 ng x g(-1), with the mean value of 2 022.4 ng x g(-1) in sediment. Spatial distribution showed that Yangshan and Yanwoshan offshore area had the maximum and minimum of total PAHs contents in water, while the maximum and minimum occurred at Yangshan and Zhujiajian Nansha offshore area in sediment. Temporal distribution revealed that total PAHs contents in water reached the maximum and minimum values in October and June, however in sediments these values were found in August and June, respectively. The PAHs pollution was affected by oil emission, charcoal and coal combustion. Using the biological threshold and exceeded coefficient method to assess the ecological risk of PAHs in Zhoushan coastal area, the result showed that sigma PAHs had a lower probability of potential risk, while there was a higher probability of potential risk for acenaphthylene monomer, and there might be ecological risk for acenaphthene and fluorene. Distribution of PAHs between sediment and water showed that Zhoushan coastal sediment enriched a lot of PAHs, meanwhile the enrichment coefficient (K(d) value) of sediment in Daishan island was larger than that in Zhoushan main island.

Nutrient Loads Flowing into Coastal Waters from the Main Rivers of China (2006-2012).

PubMed

Tong, Yindong; Zhao, Yue; Zhen, Gengchong; Chi, Jie; Liu, Xianhua; Lu, Yiren; Wang, Xuejun; Yao, Ruihua; Chen, Junyue; Zhang, Wei

2015-11-19

Based on monthly monitoring data of unfiltered water, the nutrient discharges of the eight main rivers flowing into the coastal waters of China were calculated from 2006 to 2012. In 2012, the total load of NH3-N (calculated in nitrogen), total nitrogen (TN, calculated in nitrogen) and total phosphorus (TP, calculated in phosphorus) was 5.1 × 10(5), 3.1 × 10(6) and 2.8 × 10(5) tons, respectively, while in 2006, the nutrient load was 7.4 × 10(5), 2.2 × 10(6) and 1.6 × 10(5) tons, respectively. The nutrient loading from the eight major rivers into the coastal waters peaked in summer and autumn, probably due to the large water discharge in the wet season. The Yangtze River was the largest riverine nutrient source for the coastal waters, contributing 48% of the NH3-N discharges, 66% of the TN discharges and 84% of the TP discharges of the eight major rivers in 2012. The East China Sea received the majority of the nutrient discharges, i.e. 50% of NH3-N (2.7 × 10(5) tons), 70% of TN (2.2 × 10(6) tons) and 87% of TP (2.5 × 10(5) tons) in 2012. The riverine discharge of TN into the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea was lower than that from the direct atmospheric deposition, while for the East China Sea, the riverine TN input was larger.

National Coastal Condition Assessment Report 2010

EPA Science Inventory

This National Coastal Condition Assessment 2010 (NCCA 2010) is the fifth in a series of reports assessing the condition of the coastal waters of the United States, including a vast array of estuarine, Great Lakes, and coastal embayment waters. It is part of the National Aquatic R...

A new methodology to assess antimicrobial resistance of bacteria in coastal waters; pilot study in a Mediterranean hydrosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Almakki, Ayad; Estèves, Kevin; Vanhove, Audrey S.; Mosser, Thomas; Aujoulat, Fabien; Marchandin, Hélène; Toubiana, Mylène; Monfort, Patrick; Jumas-Bilak, Estelle; Licznar-Fajardo, Patricia

2017-10-01

The global resistome of coastal waters has been less studied than that of other waters, including marine ones. Here we develop an original method for characterizing the antimicrobial resistance of bacterial communities in coastal waters. The method combines the determination of a new parameter, the community Inhibitory Concentration (c-IC) of antibiotics (ATBs), and the description of the taxonomic richness of the resistant bacteria. We test the method in a Mediterranean hydrosystem, in the Montpellier region, France. Three types of waters are analyzed: near coastal river waters (Lez), lagoon brackish waters (Mauguio), and lake freshwaters (Salagou). Bacterial communities are grown in vitro in various conditions of temperature, salinity, and ATB concentrations. From these experiments, we determine the concentrations of ATB that decrease the bacterial community abundance by 50% (c-IC50) and by 90% (c-IC90). In parallel, we determine the taxonomic repertory of the resistant growing bacteria communities (repertory of Operational Taxonomic Units [OTU]). Temperature and salinity influence the abundance of the cultivable bacteria in presence of ATBs and hence the c-ICs. Very low ATB concentrations can decrease the bacterial abundance significantly. Beside a few ubiquitous genera (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Vibrio), most resistant OTUs are specific of a type of water. In brackish water, resistant OTUs are more diverse and their community structure less vulnerable to ATBs than those in freshwater. We anticipate that c-IC measurement combined with taxonomic description can be applied to any littoral region to characterize the resistant bacterial communities in the coastal waters. This would help us to evaluate the vulnerability of aquatic ecosystems to antimicrobial pressure.

The "shallow-waterness" of the wave climate in European coastal regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Håkon Christensen, Kai; Carrasco, Ana; Bidlot, Jean-Raymond; Breivik, Øyvind

2017-07-01

In contrast to deep water waves, shallow water waves are influenced by bottom topography, which has consequences for the propagation of wave energy as well as for the energy and momentum exchange between the waves and the mean flow. The ERA-Interim reanalysis is used to assess the fraction of wave energy associated with shallow water waves in coastal regions in Europe. We show maps of the distribution of this fraction as well as time series statistics from eight selected stations. There is a strong seasonal dependence and high values are typically associated with winter storms, indicating that shallow water wave effects can occasionally be important even in the deeper parts of the shelf seas otherwise dominated by deep water waves.

New Zealand Freshwater Management: Changing Policy for a Changing World

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, H. L.; Norton, N.

2014-12-01

Fresh water is essential to New Zealand's economic, environmental, cultural and social well-being. In line with global trends, New Zealand's freshwater resources are under pressure from increased abstraction and changes in land-use which contribute contaminants to our freshwater systems. Recent central government policy reform introduces greater national direction and guidance, to bring about a step-change in freshwater management. An existing national policy for freshwater management introduced in 2011 requires regional authorities to produce freshwater management plans containing clear freshwater objectives (measurable statements about the desired environmental state for water bodies) and associated limits to resource use (such as environmental flows and quantity allocation limits, and loads of contaminants to be discharged). These plans must integrate water quantity and quality management, consider climate change, and incorporate tangata whenua (New Zealand māori) roles and interests. In recent (2014) national policy amendments, the regional authorities are also required to implement national 'bottom-line' standards for certain attributes of the system to be managed; undertake accounting for all water takes and all sources of contaminants; and to develop and implement their plans in a collaborative way with communities. This rapid change in national policy has necessitated a new way of working for authorities tasked with implementation; many obstacles lie in their path. The scientific methods required to help set water quantity limits are well established, but water quality methods are less so. Collaborative processes have well documented benefits but also raise many challenges, particularly for the communication of complex and often uncertain scientific information. This paper provides background on the national policy changes and offers some early lessons learned by the regional authorities implementing collaborative freshwater management in New Zealand.

STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF ANTHROPOGENICALLY ALTERED MICROBIAL COMMUNITIES IN COASTAL WATERS. (R825243)

EPA Science Inventory

Human-based (anthropogenic) nutrient and other pollutant enrichment of the world's coastal waters is causing unprecedented changes in microbial community structure and function. Symptoms of these changes include accelerating eutrophication, the proliferation of harmful microal...

Optical Algorithms at Satellite Wavelengths for Total Suspended Matter in Tropical Coastal Waters

PubMed Central

Ouillon, Sylvain; Douillet, Pascal; Petrenko, Anne; Neveux, Jacques; Dupouy, Cécile; Froidefond, Jean-Marie; Andréfouët, Serge; Muñoz-Caravaca, Alain

2008-01-01

Is it possible to derive accurately Total Suspended Matter concentration or its proxy, turbidity, from remote sensing data in tropical coastal lagoon waters? To investigate this question, hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance, turbidity and chlorophyll pigment concentration were measured in three coral reef lagoons. The three sites enabled us to get data over very diverse environments: oligotrophic and sediment-poor waters in the southwest lagoon of New Caledonia, eutrophic waters in the Cienfuegos Bay (Cuba), and sediment-rich waters in the Laucala Bay (Fiji). In this paper, optical algorithms for turbidity are presented per site based on 113 stations in New Caledonia, 24 stations in Cuba and 56 stations in Fiji. Empirical algorithms are tested at satellite wavebands useful to coastal applications. Global algorithms are also derived for the merged data set (193 stations). The performances of global and local regression algorithms are compared. The best one-band algorithms on all the measurements are obtained at 681 nm using either a polynomial or a power model. The best two-band algorithms are obtained with R412/R620, R443/R670 and R510/R681. Two three-band algorithms based on Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs412 and Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs510 also give fair regression statistics. Finally, we propose a global algorithm based on one or three bands: turbidity is first calculated from Rrs681 and then, if < 1 FTU, it is recalculated using an algorithm based on Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs412. On our data set, this algorithm is suitable for the 0.2-25 FTU turbidity range and for the three sites sampled (mean bias: 3.6 %, rms: 35%, mean quadratic error: 1.4 FTU). This shows that defining global empirical turbidity algorithms in tropical coastal waters is at reach. PMID:27879929

Optical Algorithms at Satellite Wavelengths for Total Suspended Matter in Tropical Coastal Waters.

PubMed

Ouillon, Sylvain; Douillet, Pascal; Petrenko, Anne; Neveux, Jacques; Dupouy, Cécile; Froidefond, Jean-Marie; Andréfouët, Serge; Muñoz-Caravaca, Alain

2008-07-10

Is it possible to derive accurately Total Suspended Matter concentration or its proxy, turbidity, from remote sensing data in tropical coastal lagoon waters? To investigate this question, hyperspectral remote sensing reflectance, turbidity and chlorophyll pigment concentration were measured in three coral reef lagoons. The three sites enabled us to get data over very diverse environments: oligotrophic and sediment-poor waters in the southwest lagoon of New Caledonia, eutrophic waters in the Cienfuegos Bay (Cuba), and sediment-rich waters in the Laucala Bay (Fiji). In this paper, optical algorithms for turbidity are presented per site based on 113 stations in New Caledonia, 24 stations in Cuba and 56 stations in Fiji. Empirical algorithms are tested at satellite wavebands useful to coastal applications. Global algorithms are also derived for the merged data set (193 stations). The performances of global and local regression algorithms are compared. The best one-band algorithms on all the measurements are obtained at 681 nm using either a polynomial or a power model. The best two-band algorithms are obtained with R412/R620, R443/R670 and R510/R681. Two three-band algorithms based on Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs412 and Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs510 also give fair regression statistics. Finally, we propose a global algorithm based on one or three bands: turbidity is first calculated from Rrs681 and then, if < 1 FTU, it is recalculated using an algorithm based on Rrs620.Rrs681/Rrs412. On our data set, this algorithm is suitable for the 0.2-25 FTU turbidity range and for the three sites sampled (mean bias: 3.6 %, rms: 35%, mean quadratic error: 1.4 FTU). This shows that defining global empirical turbidity algorithms in tropical coastal waters is at reach.

Remote Sensing of Suspended Sediments and Shallow Coastal Waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Rong-Rong; Kaufman, Yoram J.; Gao, Bo-Cai; Davis, Curtiss O.

2002-01-01

Ocean color sensors were designed mainly for remote sensing of chlorophyll concentrations over the clear open oceanic areas (case 1 water) using channels between 0.4 and 0.86 micrometers. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) launched on the NASA Terra and Aqua Spacecrafts is equipped with narrow channels located within a wider wavelength range between 0.4 and 2.5 micrometers for a variety of remote sensing applications. The wide spectral range can provide improved capabilities for remote sensing of the more complex and turbid coastal waters (case 2 water) and for improved atmospheric corrections for Ocean scenes. In this article, we describe an empirical algorithm that uses this wide spectral range to identifying areas with suspended sediments in turbid waters and shallow waters with bottom reflections. The algorithm takes advantage of the strong water absorption at wavelengths longer than 1 micrometer that does not allow illumination of sediments in the water or a shallow ocean floor. MODIS data acquired over the east coast of China, west coast of Africa, Arabian Sea, Mississippi Delta, and west coast of Florida are used in this study.

Applications of MODIS Fluorescence Line Height Measurements to Monitor Water Quality Trends and Algal Bloom Activity in Coastal and Estuarine Waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fischer, A.; Ryan, J. P.; Moreno-Madriñán, M. J.

2012-12-01

Recent advances in satellite and airborne remote sensing, such as improvements in sensor and algorithm calibrations and atmospheric correction procedures have provided for increased coverage of remote-sensing, ocean color products for coastal regions. In particular, for the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS), calibration updates, improved aerosol retrievals, and new aerosol models have led to improved atmospheric correction algorithms for turbid waters and have improved the retrieval of ocean-color. This has opened the way for studying coastal ocean phenomena and processes at finer spatial scales. Human population growth and changes in coastal management practices have brought about significant changes in the concentrations of organic and inorganic, particulate and dissolved substances entering the coastal ocean. There is increasing concern that these inputs have led to declines in water quality and increases in local concentrations of phytoplankton, which could result in harmful algal blooms. In two case studies we present improved and validated MODIS coastal observations of fluorescence line height (FLH) to: (1) assess trends in water quality for Tampa Bay, Florida; and (2) illustrate seasonal and annual variability of algal bloom activity in Monterey Bay, California, as well as document estuarine/riverine plume induced red tide events. In a comprehensive analysis of long term (2003-2011) in situ monitoring data and imagery from Tampa Bay, we assess the validity of the MODIS FLH product against chlorophyll-a and a suite of water quality parameters taken in a variety of conditions throughout this large, optically complex estuarine system. A systematic analysis of sampling sites throughout the bay illustrates that the correlations between FLH and in situ chlorophyll-a are influenced by water quality parameters of total nitrogen, total phosphorous, turbidity and biological oxygen demand. Sites that correlated well with satellite imagery were in depths

LiDAR Mapping of Earthquake Uplifted Paleo-shorelines, Southern Wairarapa Coast, North Island, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenciano, J.; Angenent, J.; Marshall, J. S.; Clark, K.; Litchfield, N. J.

2017-12-01

The Hikurangi subduction margin along the east coast of the North Island, New Zealand accommodates oblique convergence of the Pacific Plate westward beneath the Australian plate at 45 mm/yr. Pronounced forearc uplift occurs at the southern end of the margin along the Wairarapa coast, onshore of the subducting Hikurangi plateau. Along a narrow coastal lowland, a series of uplifted Holocene marine terraces and beach ridges preserve a geologic record of prehistoric coseismic uplift events. In January 2017, we participated in the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program of the NSF SHIRE Project (Subduction at Hikurangi Integrated Research Experiment). We visited multiple coastal sites for reconnaissance fieldwork to select locations for future in-depth study. For the coastline between Flat Point and Te Kaukau Point, we used airborne LiDAR data provided by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) to create ArcGIS digital terrain models for mapping and correlating uplifted paleo-shorelines. Terrace elevations derived from the LiDAR data were calibrated through the use of Real Time Kinematic (RTK) GPS surveying at one field site (Glenburn Station). Prior field mapping and radiocarbon dating results (Berryman et al., 2001; Litchfield and Clark, 2015) were used to guide our LiDAR mapping efforts. The resultant maps show between four and seven uplifted terraces and associated beach ridges along this coastal segment. At some sites, terrace mapping and lateral correlation are impeded by discontinuous exposures and the presence of landslide debris, alluvial fan deposits, and sand dunes. Tectonic uplift along the southern Hikurangi margin is generated by a complex interaction between deep megathrust slip and shallow upper-plate faulting. Each uplifted Holocene paleo-shoreline is interpreted to represent a single coseismic uplift event. Continued mapping, surveying, and age dating may help differentiate between very large margin-wide megathrust earthquakes (M8.0-9.0+) and

Detection of a Planktothrix agardhii Bloom in Portuguese Marine Coastal Waters.

PubMed

Churro, Catarina; Azevedo, Joana; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Silva, Alexandra

2017-12-03

Cyanobacteria blooms are frequent in freshwaters and are responsible for water quality deterioration and human intoxication. Although, not a new phenomenon, concern exists on the increasing persistence, scale, and toxicity of these blooms. There is evidence, in recent years, of the transfer of these toxins from inland to marine waters through freshwater outflow. However, the true impact of these blooms in marine habitats has been overlooked. In the present work, we describe the detection of Planktothrix agardhii , which is a common microcystin producer, in the Portuguese marine coastal waters nearby a river outfall in an area used for shellfish harvesting and recreational activities. P. agardhii was first observed in November of 2016 in seawater samples that are in the scope of the national shellfish monitoring system. This occurrence was followed closely between November and December of 2016 by a weekly sampling of mussels and water from the sea pier and adjacent river mouth with salinity ranging from 35 to 3. High cell densities were found in the water from both sea pier and river outfall, reaching concentrations of 4,960,608 cells·L -1 and 6810.3 × 10⁶ cells·L -1 respectively. Cultures were also established with success from the environment and microplate salinity growth assays showed that the isolates grew at salinity 10. HPLC-PDA analysis of total microcystin content in mussel tissue, water biomass, and P. agardhii cultures did not retrieve a positive result. In addition, microcystin related genes were not detected in the water nor cultures. So, the P. agardhii present in the environment was probably a non-toxic strain. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on a P. agardhii bloom reaching the sea and points to the relevance to also monitoring freshwater harmful phytoplankton and related toxins in seafood harvesting and recreational coastal areas, particularly under the influence of river plumes.

The seal tuberculosis agent, Mycobacterium pinnipedii, infects domestic cattle in New Zealand: epidemiologic factors and DNA strain typing.

PubMed

Loeffler, Scott H; de Lisle, Geoffrey W; Neill, Mark A; Collins, Desmond M; Price-Carter, Marian; Paterson, Brent; Crews, Kevin B

2014-04-01

The fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri), which is abundant in coastal areas of New Zealand, harbors several zoonotic pathogens, including Mycobacterium pinnipedii, a member of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex. We describe the microbiology and epidemiology of seven cases of M. pinnipedii infection in beef cattle (Bos primigenius) in coastal areas of New Zealand in 1991-2011. Epidemiologic factors were analyzed on six case farms and a telephone survey of 55 neighboring farms. A DNA-strain typing, using analysis of variable number tandem repeats and the direct repeats (VNTR/DR) of those isolates, was used to compare them to M. bovis isolates commonly found in New Zealand cattle and wildlife. In all cases of M. pinnipedii in cattle, only one animal in the herd was found to be infected. In six of seven cases, the lesions were in the thoracic lymph nodes, indicating a likely aerosol pathway. The lack of multiple cases within a herd suggests that cow-to-cow transmission is uncommon, if it occurs at all. There was no significant difference between case and control farms in distance to sea, herd size, herd type, or farming practice. The odds ratio for access to the beach for cattle on the Chatham Islands was significantly higher than it was for farms on the mainland coastal areas (odds ratio [OR] = 3.6, 95% CI = 1.1-11.4) Likewise, the odds ratio for acquiring tuberculosis was increased when farmers had seen seals on the property (OR =  9, 95% CI = 1.4-56.1 ). In all case farms, cattle had access to seals by beach grazing areas or waterways connecting directly with the ocean. The VNTR/DR typing of the isolates showed some variation in the M. pinnipedii isolates, with only two being identical; all isolates were easily distinguishable from M. bovis isolates.

NATIONAL COASTAL CONDITION REPORT IV | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The National Coastal Condition Report IV (NCCR IV) is the fourth in a series of environmental assessments of U.S. coastal waters and the Great Lakes. The report includes assessments of all the nation’s estuaries in the contiguous 48 states and Puerto Rico, south-eastern Alaska, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. The NCCR IV presents four main types of data: (1) coastal monitoring data, (2) coastal ocean/ offshore monitoring data, (3) offshore fisheries data, and (4) assessment and advisory data (new to NCCR IV). The NCCR IV relies heavily on coastal monitoring data from EPA’s National Coastal Assessment (NCA) to assess coastal condition by evaluating five indicators of condition—water quality, sediment quality, benthic community condition, coastal habitat loss, and fish tissue contaminants. To assess and report on the condition of the nation's coastal resources

Rainwater Harvesting-based Safe Water Access in Diarrhea-endemic Coastal Communities of Bangladesh under Threats of Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akanda, A. S.; Redwan, A. M.; Ali, M. A.; Alam, M.; Jutla, A.; Colwell, R. R.

2014-12-01

The highly populated coastal floodplains of the Bengal Delta have a long history of water-related natural calamities such as droughts, floods, and cyclones. Population centers along the floodplain corridors of the GBM (Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna) river system remain vulnerable to such natural hazards and waterborne epidemic outbreaks due to increasing intensity and changing frequency of extreme events over many areas in the delta region. Such changes in hydrologic extremes and resulting environmental conditions would likely lengthen the transmission seasons of prevalent waterborne diseases and alter their geographic range as well as seasonality. In addition, the combination of changing upstream precipitation and temperature, and coastal sea-level rise are exposing a vast area in Southwestern Bangladesh to increased diarrheal disease outbreaks due to higher salinity and water scarcity in the dry season as well as coastal flooding and water resources contamination in the wet season. It is thus essential to establish sustainable safe water access practices in these regions for the rural communities of low-income people. The impact of climate change in the recent past on the people of coastal rural areas of Bangladesh has been severe, and the water sector is one of its biggest victims. Previously, pond and groundwater sources were considered dependable, but salinity intrusion in both water resources have left the vulnerable people with only a few scarce ponds and forced them to depend more on rainwater than before. The poorest group is suffering the most for this crisis even though paying more of the percentage of their income especially in the dry season (December-March). As rainwater is their most preferred and dependable option during this part of the year, outbreaks of waterborne diseases can be minimized by installing rainwater harvesting systems with effective disinfection system at both household and community levels. In this study, we explore the technical

Mercury concentrations in China's coastal waters and implications for fish consumption by vulnerable populations.

PubMed

Tong, Yindong; Wang, Mengzhu; Bu, Xiaoge; Guo, Xin; Lin, Yan; Lin, Huiming; Li, Jing; Zhang, Wei; Wang, Xuejun

2017-12-01

We assessed mercury (Hg) pollution in China's coastal waters, including the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the South China Sea, based on a nationwide dataset from 301 sampling sites. A methylmercury (MeHg) intake model for humans based on the marine food chain and human fish consumption was established to determine the linkage between water pollutants and the pollutant intake by humans. The predicted MeHg concentration in fish from the Bohai Sea was the highest among the four seas included in the study. The MeHg intake through dietary ingestion was dominant for the fish and was considerably higher than the MeHg intake through water respiration. The predicted MeHg concentrations in human blood in the coastal regions of China ranged from 1.37 to 2.77 μg/L for pregnant woman and from 0.43 to 1.00 μg/L for infants, respectively, based on different diet sources. The carnivorous fish consumption advisory for pregnant women was estimated to be 288-654 g per week to maintain MeHg concentrations in human blood at levels below the threshold level (4.4 μg/L established by the US Environmental Protection Agency). With a 50% increase in Hg concentrations in water in the Bohai Sea, the bioaccumulated MeHg concentration (4.5 μg/L) in the fish consumers will be higher than the threshold level. This study demonstrates the importance in controlling Hg pollution in China's coastal waters. An official recommendation guideline for the fish consumption rate and its sources will be necessary for vulnerable populations in China. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Tide and Offshore Storm-Induced Water Table Fluctuations for Structural Characterization of a Coastal Island Aquifer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trglavcnik, Victoria; Morrow, Dean; Weber, Kela P.; Li, Ling; Robinson, Clare E.

2018-04-01

Analysis of water table fluctuations can provide important insight into the hydraulic properties and structure of a coastal aquifer system including the connectivity between the aquifer and ocean. This study presents an improved approach for characterizing a permeable heterogeneous coastal aquifer system through analysis of the propagation of the tidal signal, as well as offshore storm pulse signals through a coastal aquifer. Offshore storms produce high wave activity, but are not necessarily linked to significant onshore precipitation. In this study, we focused on offshore storm events during which no onshore precipitation occurred. Extensive groundwater level data collected on a sand barrier island (Sable Island, NS, Canada) show nonuniform discontinuous propagation of the tide and offshore storm pulse signals through the aquifer with isolated inland areas showing enhanced response to both oceanic forcing signals. Propagation analysis suggests that isolated inland water table fluctuations may be caused by localized leakage from a confined aquifer that is connected to the ocean offshore but within the wave setup zone. Two-dimensional groundwater flow simulations were conducted to test the leaky confined-unconfined aquifer conceptualization and to identify the effect of key parameters on tidal signal propagation in leaky confined-unconfined coastal aquifers. This study illustrates that analysis of offshore storm signal propagation, in addition to tidal signal propagation, provides a valuable and low resource approach for large-scale characterization of permeable heterogeneous coastal aquifers. Such an approach is needed for the effective management of coastal environments where water resources are threatened by human activities and the changing climate.

Numerical model of the circulation and dispersion in the east Adriatic coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beg Paklar, Gordana; Dzoic, Tomislav; Koracin, Darko; Matijevic, Slavica; Grbec, Branka; Ivatek-Sahdan, Stjepan

2017-04-01

The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) was implemented to reproduce physical properties of the area around submarine outlet Stobrec in the middle Adriatic coastal area. ROMS model run was forced with realistic atmospheric fields obtained from meteorological model Aladin, climatological river discharges, tides and dynamics of the surrounding area imposed at the open boundaries. Atmospheric forcing included momentum, heat and water fluxes calculated interactively from the Aladin surface fields during ROMS model simulations. Simulated fields from the Adriatic and shelf scale models were used to prescribe the initial and open boundary conditions for fine resolution coastal domain. Model results were compared with available CTD measurements and discussed in the light of the climatological circulation and thermohaline properties of the middle Adriatic coastal area. Variability in the circulation is related to the prevailing atmospheric conditions, changes in the hydrological conditions and water mass exchange at the open boundaries. Basic features of the coastal circulation are well reproduced by the ROMS model, as well as temperatures and salinities which are within corresponding seasonal intervals, although with lower stratification than measured ones. In order to reproduce dispersion of the passive tracer the ROMS model was coupled with Lagrangian dispersion model. Multiyear monitoring of the physical, chemical and biological parameters around the sewage outlet was used to assess the quality of the dispersion model results. Among measured parameters, redox potential of the surface sediment layer was selected to be compared with model results as its negative values are direct consequence of increased organic matter input that can be attributed to the sewage system inflow.

Factors affecting the accumulation of phytoplankton biomass in Irish estuaries and nearshore coastal waters: A conceptual model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Boyle, Shane; Wilkes, Robert; McDermott, Georgina; Ní Longphuirt, Sorcha; Murray, Clare

2015-03-01

A multivariate statistical approach was used to investigate the response of phytoplankton in Irish estuaries and nearshore coastal waters to nutrient enrichment and to examine the factors which modulate this response. The analysis suggests that while many estuaries are nutrient-enriched, relatively few display phytoplankton-related symptoms of eutrophication as the response to nutrients is primarily affected by insufficient retention time, in some by inadequate light availability, and only rarely by both factors acting together. Nearshore coastal waters are nitrogen (N) and silica (Si) limited in summer, but in some nearshore waters along the south coast, where N is elevated, phosphorus (P) is potentially limiting. The reduction in P loadings to estuarine waters is likely to lead to an improvement in the eutrophication status of these mainly P-limited waters. The disproportionate reduction in loadings of P compared to N (52% versus 24%, since the early 1990s), and the potential weakening of the estuarine N filter, as eutrophication symptoms lessen, may result in the downstream movement of nitrogen to N-limited coastal waters. These findings support the view that an integrated dual-nutrient reduction strategy is required to address eutrophication along the freshwater-marine continuum. The outcome of the analysis is a conceptual model which is of direct value and use to water managers in determining the relative susceptibility of these waters to nutrient enrichment. This understanding can in turn be used to develop informed programmes of measures which are targeted and ultimately cost effective.

Grey mullet (Mugilidae) as possible indicators of global warming in South African estuaries and coastal waters.

PubMed

James, Nicola C; Whitfield, Alan K; Harrison, Trevor D

2016-12-01

The grey mullet usually occur in large numbers and biomass in the estuaries of all three South African biogeographic regions, thus making it an ideal family to use in terms of possibly acting as an environmental indicator of global warming. In this analysis the relative estuarine abundance of the dominant three groups of mugilids, namely tropical, warm-water and cool-water endemics, were related to sea surface coastal temperatures. The study suggests a strong link between temperature and the distribution and abundance of the three mullet groups within estuaries and indicates the potential of this family to act as an indicator for future climate change within these systems and adjacent coastal waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tsunami Forecasting and Monitoring in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Power, William; Gale, Nora

2011-06-01

New Zealand is exposed to tsunami threats from several sources that vary significantly in their potential impact and travel time. One route for reducing the risk from these tsunami sources is to provide advance warning based on forecasting and monitoring of events in progress. In this paper the National Tsunami Warning System framework, including the responsibilities of key organisations and the procedures that they follow in the event of a tsunami threatening New Zealand, are summarised. A method for forecasting threat-levels based on tsunami models is presented, similar in many respects to that developed for Australia by Allen and Greenslade (Nat Hazards 46:35-52, 2008), and a simple system for easy access to the threat-level forecasts using a clickable pdf file is presented. Once a tsunami enters or initiates within New Zealand waters, its progress and evolution can be monitored in real-time using a newly established network of online tsunami gauge sensors placed at strategic locations around the New Zealand coasts and offshore islands. Information from these gauges can be used to validate and revise forecasts, and assist in making the all-clear decision.

Analytical characterization of selective benthic flux components in estuarine and coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

King, Jeffrey N.

2011-01-01

Benthic flux is the rate of flow across the bed of a water body, per unit area of bed. It is forced by component mechanisms, which interact. For example, pressure gradients across the bed, forced by tide, surface gravity waves, density gradients, bed–current interaction, turbulence, and terrestrial hydraulic gradients, drive an advective benthic flux of water and constituents between estuarine and coastal waters, and surficial aquifers. Other mechanisms also force benthic flux, such as chemical gradients, bioturbation, and dispersion. A suite of component mechanisms force a total benthic flux at any given location, where each member of the suite contributes a component benthic flux. Currently, the types and characteristics of component interactions are not fully understood. For example, components may interact linearly or nonlinearly, and the interaction may be constructive or destructive. Benthic flux is a surface water–groundwater interaction process. Its discharge component to a marine water body is referred to, in some literature, as submarine groundwater discharge. Benthic flux is important in characterizing water and constituent budgets of estuarine and coastal systems. Analytical models to characterize selective benthic flux components are reviewed. Specifically, these mechanisms are for the component associated with the groundwater tidal prism, and forced by surface gravity wave setup, surface gravity waves on a plane bed, and the terrestrial hydraulic gradient. Analytical models are applied to the Indian River Lagoon, Florida; Great South Bay, New York; and the South Atlantic Bight in South Carolina and portions of North Carolina.

Adaptation and application of multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) in US coastal waters

EPA Science Inventory

The multivariate AMBI (M-AMBI) is an extension of the AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) that has been used extensively in Europe, but not in the United States. In a previous study, we adapted AMBI for use in US coastal waters (US AMBI), but saw biases in salinity and score distribu...

Relationship between organic pollution and the occurrence of toxic Phytoplankton species in the Lebanese coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Rahman Hassoun, Abed

2017-04-01

Aiming to evaluate the effects of organic pollution, environmental parameters and phytoplankton community were monitored during a two-year period (from April 2010 till March 2012) in the central coast of Lebanon in the Levantine Sub-basin. Data were collected for hydrological (temperature and salinity), chemical (nitrites, nitrates and phosphates), and biological (chlorophyll-a and phytoplankton populations) parameters. Our results show that temperature follows its normal seasonal and annual cycles, usually noted in the Lebanese coastal waters. Salinity presents spatial and temporal variations with low values (19.07 - 39.6) in the areas affected by continental inputs. Significant fluctuations (P < 0.05) of nutrients, Chl-a concentrations and density of total phytoplanktonic cells were observed between the sites and through the years. Moreover, a perturbation of the natural phytoplanktonic succession and an occurrence of toxic or potentially harmful algae were noticed in the polluted sites, reflecting the influence of wastewater effluents on the coastal seawater equilibrium and thus on the Lebanese marine biodiversity. This study sheds the light on the current environmental condition of few coastal areas which could facilitate the management of their pollution sources. Keywords: Organic pollution, phytoplankton community, toxic algae, coastal water quality, Lebanon, Mediterranean Sea.

Community water fluoridation: attitudes and opinions from the New Zealand Oral Health Survey.

PubMed

Whyman, Robin A; Mahoney, Erin K; Børsting, Torunn

2016-04-01

To report the responses of adult participants in the 2009 New Zealand Oral Health Survey (NZOHS) to questions about community water fluoridation (CWF). The study used quantitative data from the NZOHS. All adult participants aged 18 years and over in the nationally representative NZOHS sample were included in the study (n=3475). Univariate analysis and multinominal logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between variables. Overall, 57.7% of respondents thought that there were dental benefits to adding fluoride to drinking water and 31.7% responded that they did not know. More than 45% of respondents did not know whether there were health risks from adding fluoride to drinking water. Overall, 42.0% of respondents were strongly or somewhat in favour of CWF. People in the Māori, Pacific and Asian ethnic groups, from the two most deprived quintiles, with no education after high school and who brushed their teeth less than twice a day expressed significantly greater uncertainty about CWF than other population groups. This study suggests further research is required to gain a greater understanding of health literacy about CWF and the cultural appropriateness of CWF in NZ. © 2015 Public Health Association of Australia.

Bacteriological assessment of drinking water supply options in coastal areas of Bangladesh.

PubMed

Islam, Md Atikul; Sakakibara, Hiroyuki; Karim, Md Rezaul; Sekine, Masahiko; Mahmud, Zahid Hayat

2011-06-01

This study was conducted to assess the bacteriological quality of alternative drinking water supply options in southwest coastal areas of Bangladesh. A total of 90 water samples were collected during both dry and wet seasons from household based rainwater harvesting systems (RWHSS), community based rain water harvesting systems (CRWHSs), pond-sand filters (PSFs) and ponds. The samples were evaluated for faecal coliform, Escherichia coli and Heterotrophic Plate Count, as well as Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. and Pseudomonas spp. Physico-chemical parameters (pH, electrical conductivity, and color) were also examined. In addition, sanitary inspections were conducted to identify faecal contamination sources. All options showed varying degrees of indicator bacterial contamination. The median E. coli concentrations measured for RWHSs, CRWHSS, PSFS, and ponds were 16, 7, 11, and 488 cfu/100 ml during the wet season, respectively. Vibrio cholerae 01/0139, Salmonella and Shigella spp. were not found in any samples. However, Vibrio cholerae Non-01/Non-0139 and Pseudomonas spp. were isolated from 74.4% and 91.1% of the water samples collected during the wet season. A maximum pH of 10.4 was found in CRWHSS. Estimation of the disease burden for all options in disability adjusted life years (DALYs) showed an increased disease burden during the wet season. According to sanitary inspections, poor maintenance and unprotected ponds were responsible for rainwater and PSF water contamination, respectively. The findings of the present study suggest that alternative drinking water supply options available in southwest coastal Bangladesh pose a substantial risk to public health.

Water-Level Conditions in Selected Confined Aquifers of the New Jersey and Delaware Coastal Plain, 2003

USGS Publications Warehouse

dePaul, Vincent T.; Rosman, Robert; Lacombe, Pierre J.

2009-01-01

The Coastal Plain aquifers of New Jersey provide an important source of water for more than 2 million people. Steadily increasing withdrawals from the late 1800s to the early 1990s resulted in declining water levels and the formation of regional cones of depression. In addition to decreasing water supplies, declining water levels in the confined aquifers have led to reversals in natural hydraulic gradients that have, in some areas, induced the flow of saline water from surface-water bodies and adjacent aquifers to freshwater aquifers. In 1978, the U.S. Geological Survey began mapping the potentiometric surfaces of the major confined aquifers of New Jersey every 5 years in order to provide a regional assessment of ground-water conditions in multiple Coastal Plain aquifers concurrently. In 1988, mapping of selected potentiometric surfaces was extended into Delaware. During the fall of 2003, water levels measured in 967 wells in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, northeastern Delaware, and northwestern Maryland were used estimate the potentiometric surface of the principal confined aquifers in the Coastal Plain of New Jersey and five equivalent aquifers in Delaware. Potentiometric-surface maps and hydrogeologic sections were prepared for the confined Cohansey aquifer of Cape May County, the Rio Grande water-bearing zone, the Atlantic City 800-foot sand, the Vincentown aquifer, and the Englishtown aquifer system in New Jersey, as well as for the Piney Point aquifer, the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer, and the Upper Potomac-Raritan-Magothy, the Middle and undifferentiated Potomac-Raritan-Magothy, and the Lower Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifers in New Jersey and their equivalents in Delaware. From 1998 to 2003, water levels in many Coastal Plain aquifers in New Jersey remained stable or had recovered, but in some areas, water levels continued to decline as a result of pumping. In the Cohansey aquifer in Cape May County, water levels near the center of the cone of depression

Carbon and Water Fluxes in a Drained Coastal Clearcut and a Pine Plantation in Eastern North Carolina

Treesearch

J. L. Deforest; Ge Sun; A. Noormets; J. Chen; Steve McNulty; M. Gavazzi; Devendra M. Amatya; R. W. Skaggs

2006-01-01

The effects of clear-cutting and cultivating for timber on ecosystem carbon and water fluxes were evaluated by comparative measurements of two drained coastal wetland systems in the North Carolina coastal plain. Measurements were conducted from January through September, 2005 in a recent clearcut (CC) of native hardwoods and a loblolly pine (Pinus tacda...

Deposition of Atmospheric Nitrogen to Coastal Ecosystems (DANCE): A study in seasonally oligotrophic waters off the eastern U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najjar, R.; Sedwick, P.; Mulholland, M. R.; Friedrichs, M. A.; Thompson, A. M.; Martins, D. K.; Bernhardt, P. W.; Herrmann, M.; Price, L. M.; Sohst, B. M.; Sookhdeo, C.; St-Laurent, P.; Widner, B.

2016-02-01

We carried out a program of process-oriented field measurements and biogeochemical modeling in oligotrophic coastal waters off the eastern U.S.—a region that currently receives high levels of atmospheric nitrogen deposition (AND)—to test whether wet AND events stimulate primary productivity and accumulation of algal biomass in coastal waters following summer storms. Our results from shipboard incubations and numerical modeling indicate that nitrogen in rain stimulated primary production in these waters during the summer of 2014. We will present isotopic, tracer, and modeling analyses that determine the relative roles of vertical mixing and atmospheric deposition during the wet AND events in two anticyclonic eddies north and south of the Gulf Stream. 3-D atmospheric and oceanic modeling results will also be presented, which allow the understanding gained during the summer 2014 field campaign to be applied to quantifying the role of atmospheric deposition throughout coastal waters of the eastern US over many years.

Assessment of the Temporal Evolution of Storm Surge via Land to Water Isopleths in Coastal Louisiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siverd, C. G.; Hagen, S. C.; Bilskie, M. V.; Braud, D.; Gao, S.; Peele, H.; Twilley, R.

2017-12-01

The low-lying coastal Louisiana deltaic landscape features an intricate system of fragmented wetlands, natural ridges, man-made navigation canals and flood protection infrastructure. Since 1900 and prior to the landfall of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Louisiana lost approximately 480,000 ha (1,850 sq mi) of coastal wetlands and an additional 20,000 ha (77 sq mi) due to Katrina. This resulted in a total wetland storm protection value loss of USD 28.3 billion and USD 1.1 billion, respectively (Costanza 2008). To investigate the response of hurricane storm surge (e.g. peak water levels, inundation time and extent) through time due to land loss, hydrodynamic models that represent historical eras of the Louisiana coastal landscape were developed. Land:Water (L:W) isopleths (Gagliano 1970, 1971, Twilley 2016) have been calculated along the coast from the Sabine River to the Pearl River. These isopleths were utilized to create a simplified coastal landscape (bathymetry, topography, bottom roughness) representing circa 2010. Similar methodologies are employed with the objective of developing storm surge models that represent the coastal landscape for past eras. The goal is to temporally examine the evolution of storm surge along coastal Louisiana. The isopleths determined to best represent the Louisiana coast as a result of the methodology devised to develop the simple storm surge model for c.2010 are applied in the development of surge models for historical eras c.1930 and c.1970. The ADvaced CIRCulation (ADCIRC) code (Luettich 2004) is used to perform storm surge simulations with a predetermined suite of hurricane wind and pressure forcings. Hydrologic Unit Code 12 (HUC12) sub-watersheds provide geographical bounds to quantify mean maximum water surface elevations (WSEs), volume of inundation, and area of inundation. HUC12 sub-watersheds also provide a means to compare/contrast these quantified surge parameters on a HUC12-by-HUC12 basis for the c.1930, c.1970 and c.2010

Updated Palaeotsunami Database for Aotearoa/New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gadsby, M. R.; Goff, J. R.; King, D. N.; Robbins, J.; Duesing, U.; Franz, T.; Borrero, J. C.; Watkins, A.

2016-12-01

The updated configuration, design, and implementation of a national palaeotsunami (pre-historic tsunami) database for Aotearoa/New Zealand (A/NZ) is near completion. This tool enables correlation of events along different stretches of the NZ coastline, provides information on frequency and extent of local, regional and distant-source tsunamis, and delivers detailed information on the science and proxies used to identify the deposits. In A/NZ a plethora of data, scientific research and experience surrounds palaeotsunami deposits, but much of this information has been difficult to locate, has variable reporting standards, and lacked quality assurance. The original database was created by Professor James Goff while working at the National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research in A/NZ, but has subsequently been updated during his tenure at the University of New South Wales. The updating and establishment of the national database was funded by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM), led by Environment Canterbury Regional Council, and supported by all 16 regions of A/NZ's local government. Creation of a single database has consolidated a wide range of published and unpublished research contributions from many science providers on palaeotsunamis in A/NZ. The information is now easily accessible and quality assured and allows examination of frequency, extent and correlation of events. This provides authoritative scientific support for coastal-marine planning and risk management. The database will complement the GNS New Zealand Historical Database, and contributes to a heightened public awareness of tsunami by being a "one-stop-shop" for information on past tsunami impacts. There is scope for this to become an international database, enabling the pacific-wide correlation of large events, as well as identifying smaller regional ones. The Australian research community has already expressed an interest, and the database is also compatible with a

Nutrient Loads Flowing into Coastal Waters from the Main Rivers of China (2006–2012)

PubMed Central

Tong, Yindong; Zhao, Yue; Zhen, Gengchong; Chi, Jie; Liu, Xianhua; Lu, Yiren; Wang, Xuejun; Yao, Ruihua; Chen, Junyue; Zhang, Wei

2015-01-01

Based on monthly monitoring data of unfiltered water, the nutrient discharges of the eight main rivers flowing into the coastal waters of China were calculated from 2006 to 2012. In 2012, the total load of NH3-N (calculated in nitrogen), total nitrogen (TN, calculated in nitrogen) and total phosphorus (TP, calculated in phosphorus) was 5.1 × 105, 3.1 × 106 and 2.8 × 105 tons, respectively, while in 2006, the nutrient load was 7.4 × 105, 2.2 × 106 and 1.6 × 105 tons, respectively. The nutrient loading from the eight major rivers into the coastal waters peaked in summer and autumn, probably due to the large water discharge in the wet season. The Yangtze River was the largest riverine nutrient source for the coastal waters, contributing 48% of the NH3-N discharges, 66% of the TN discharges and 84% of the TP discharges of the eight major rivers in 2012. The East China Sea received the majority of the nutrient discharges, i.e. 50% of NH3-N (2.7 × 105 tons), 70% of TN (2.2 × 106 tons) and 87% of TP (2.5 × 105 tons) in 2012. The riverine discharge of TN into the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea was lower than that from the direct atmospheric deposition, while for the East China Sea, the riverine TN input was larger. PMID:26582206

Evaluation of Trace Metal Levels in Tissues of Two Commercial Fish Species in Kapar and Mersing Coastal Waters, Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Bashir, Fathi Alhashmi; Shuhaimi-Othman, Mohammad; Mazlan, A. G.

2012-01-01

This study is focused on evaluating the trace metal levels in water and tissues of two commercial fish species Arius thalassinus and Pennahia anea that were collected from Kapar and Mersing coastal waters. The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Al, As, Cd and Pb in these coastal waters and muscle, liver and gills tissues of the fishes were quantified. The relationship among the metal concentrations and the height and weight of the two species were also examined. Generally, the iron has the highest concentrations in both water and the fish species. However, Cd in both coastal waters showed high levels exceeding the international standards. The metal level concentration in the sample fishes are in the descending order livers > gills > muscles. A positive association between the trace metal concentrations and weight and length of the sample fishes was investigated. Fortunately the level of these metal concentrations in fish has not exceeded the permitted level of Malaysian and international standards. PMID:22046193

Microbial water quality before and after the repair of a failing onsite wastewater treatment system adjacent to coastal waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conn, K.E.; Habteselassie, M.Y.; Denene, Blackwood A.; Noble, R.T.

2012-01-01

Aims: The objective was to assess the impacts of repairing a failing onsite wastewater treatment system (OWTS, i.e., septic system) as related to coastal microbial water quality. Methods and Results: Wastewater, groundwater and surface water were monitored for environmental parameters, faecal indicator bacteria (total coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci) and the viral tracer MS2 before and after repairing a failing OWTS. MS2 results using plaque enumeration and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) often agreed, but inhibition limited the qRT-PCR assay sensitivity. Prerepair, MS2 persisted in groundwater and was detected in the nearby creek; postrepair, it was not detected. In groundwater, total coliform concentrations were lower and E.??coli was not detected, while enterococci concentrations were similar to prerepair levels. E.??coli and enterococci surface water concentrations were elevated both before and after the repair. Conclusions: Repairing the failing OWTS improved groundwater microbial water quality, although persistence of bacteria in surface water suggests that the OWTS was not the singular faecal contributor to adjacent coastal waters. A suite of tracers is needed to fully assess OWTS performance in treating microbial contaminants and related impacts on receiving waters. Molecular methods like qRT-PCR have potential but require optimization. Significance and Impact of Study: This is the first before and after study of a failing OWTS and provides guidance on selection of microbial tracers and methods. ?? 2011 The Authors. Journal of Applied Microbiology ?? 2011 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Monsoon-induced changes in the size-fractionated phytoplankton biomass and production rate in the estuarine and coastal waters of southwest coast of India.

PubMed

Madhu, N V; Jyothibabu, R; Balachandran, K K

2010-07-01

Changes in the autotrophic pico- (0.2-2 microm), nano- (2-20 microm), and microplankton (>20 microm) biomass (chlorophyll a) and primary production were measured in the estuarine and coastal waters off Cochin, southwest coast of India during the onset and establishment of a monsoon. During this period, the estuary was dominated by nutrient-rich freshwater, whereas the coastal waters were characterized with higher salinity values (>30 psu) and less nutrients. The average surface chlorophyll a concentrations and primary production rates were higher in the estuary (average 13.7 mg m(-3) and 432 mgC m(-3) day(-1)) as compared to the coastal waters (5.3 mg m(-3) and 224 mgC m(-3) day(-1)). The nanoplankton community formed the major fraction of chlorophyll a and primary production, both in the estuary (average 85 +/- SD 8.3% and 81.2 +/- SD 3.2%) and the coastal waters (average 73.2 +/- SD 17.2% and 81.9 +/- 15.7%). Nanoplankton had the maximum photosynthetic efficiency in the coastal waters (average 4.8 +/- SD 3.9 mgC mgChl a m(-3) h(-1)), whereas in the estuary, the microplankton had higher photosynthetic efficiency (average 7.4 +/- 7 mgC mgChl a m(-3) h(-1)). The heavy cloud cover and increased water column turbidity not only limit the growth of large-sized phytoplankton in the Cochin estuary and coastal waters but also support the proliferation of nanoplankton community during the monsoon season, even though large variation in nanoplankton chlorophyll a and production exists between these two areas.

Storms do not alter long-term watershed development influences on coastal water quality.

PubMed

Chen, Yushun; Cebrian, Just; Lehrter, John; Christiaen, Bart; Stutes, Jason; Goff, Josh

2017-09-15

A twelve year (2000-2011) study of three coastal lagoons in the Gulf of Mexico was conducted to assess the impacts of local watershed development and tropical storms on water quality. The lagoons have similar physical and hydrological characteristics, but differ substantially in the degree of watershed urban development and nutrient loading rates. In total the lagoons experienced 22 storm events during the period studied. Specifically, we examine (1) whether there are influences on water quality in the lagoons from watershed development, (2) whether there are influences on water quality in the lagoons from storm activity, and (3) whether water quality is affected to a greater degree by watershed development versus storm activity. The two urbanized lagoons typically showed higher water-column nitrate, dissolved organic nitrogen, and phosphate compared with the non-urbanized lagoon. One of the urbanized lagoons had higher water-column chlorophyll a concentrations than the other two lagoons on most sampling dates, and higher light extinction coefficients on some sampling dates. The non-urbanized lagoon had higher water-column dissolved oxygen concentrations than other lagoons on many sampling dates. Our results suggest long-term influences of watershed development on coastal water quality. We also found some evidence of significant storm effects on water quality, such as increased nitrate, phosphate, and dissolved oxygen, and decreased salinity and water temperature. However, the influences of watershed development on water quality were greater. These results suggest that changes in water quality induced by human watershed development pervade despite the storm effects. These findings may be useful for environmental management since they suggest that storms do not profoundly alter long-term changes in water quality that resulted from human development of watersheds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulation of ground-water flow and movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface in the New Jersey coastal plain

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pope, Daryll A.; Gordon, Alison D.

1999-01-01

The confined aquifers of the New Jersey Coastal Plain are sands that range in thickness from 50 to 600 feet and are separated by confining units. The confining units are composed of silts and clays that range in thickness from 500 to 1,000 feet. The aquifers are recharged by precipitation on their outcrop areas. This water then flows laterally downdip and vertically to the deeper confined aquifers. The confined aquifers ultimately discharge to the Raritan and Delaware Bays and to the Atlantic Ocean. In 1988, ground-water withdrawals from confined and unconfined New Jersey Coastal Plain aquifers were approximately 345 million gallons per day, more than 75 percent of which was pumped from the confined aquifers. These withdrawals have created large cones of depression in several Coastal Plain aquifers near populated areas, particularly in Camden and Monmouth Counties. The continued decline of water levels in confined aquifers can cause saltwater intrusion, reduce stream discharge near the outcrop areas, and threaten the quality of the ground-water supply. SHARP, a quasi-three-dimensional finite-difference computer model that can simulate freshwater and saltwater flow, was used to simulate the ground-water flow system in the New Jersey Coastal Plain, including the location and movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface in nine aquifers and eight intervening confining units. The freshwater-saltwater interface is defined as the hypothetical line seaward of which the chloride concentration is equal to or greater than 10,000 milligrams per liter. Model simulations were used to estimate the location and movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface resulting from (1) eustatic sea-level changes over the past 84,000 years, (2) ground-water withdrawals from 1896 through 1988, (3) and future ground-water withdrawals from 1988 to 2040 from Coastal Plain aquifers. Simultion results showed that the location and movement of the freshwater-saltwater interface are more dependent

Blue whale vocalizations recorded around New Zealand: 1964-2013.

PubMed

Miller, Brian S; Collins, Kym; Barlow, Jay; Calderan, Susannah; Leaper, Russell; McDonald, Mark; Ensor, Paul; Olson, Paula A; Olavarria, Carlos; Double, Michael C

2014-03-01

Previous underwater recordings made in New Zealand have identified a complex sequence of low frequency sounds that have been attributed to blue whales based on similarity to blue whale songs in other areas. Recordings of sounds with these characteristics were made opportunistically during the Southern Ocean Research Partnership's recent Antarctic Blue Whale Voyage. Detections of these sounds occurred all around the South Island of New Zealand during the voyage transits from Nelson, New Zealand to the Antarctic and return. By following acoustic bearings from directional sonobuoys, blue whales were visually detected and confirmed as the source of these sounds. These recordings, together with the historical recordings made northeast of New Zealand, indicate song types that persist over several decades and are indicative of the year-round presence of a population of blue whales that inhabits the waters around New Zealand. Measurements of the four-part vocalizations reveal that blue whale song in this region has changed slowly, but consistently over the past 50 years. The most intense units of these calls were detected as far south as 53°S, which represents a considerable range extension compared to the limited prior data on the spatial distribution of this population.

Response of bacterial community structure to seasonal fluctuation and anthropogenic pollution on coastal water of Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard, Bhavnagar, India.

PubMed

Patel, Vilas; Munot, Hitendra; Shouche, Yogesh S; Madamwar, Datta

2014-06-01

Bacterial community structure was analyzed from coastal water of Alang-Sosiya ship breaking yard (ASSBY), world's largest ship breaking yard, near Bhavnagar, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing (cultured dependent and culture independent). In clone libraries, total 2324 clones were retrieved from seven samples (coastal water of ASSBY for three seasons along with one pristine coastal water) which were grouped in 525 operational taxonomic units. Proteobacteria was found to be dominant in all samples. In pristine samples, Gammaproteobacteria was found to be dominant, whereas in polluted samples dominancy of Gammaproteobacteria has shifted to Betaproteobacteria and Epsilonproteobacteria. Richness and diversity indices also indicated that bacterial community in pristine sample was the most diverse followed by summer, monsoon and winter samples. To the best of knowledge, this is the first study describing bacterial community structure from coastal water of ASSBY, and it suggests that seasonal fluctuation and anthropogenic pollutions alters the bacterial community structure. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Storms do not alter long-term watershed development influences on coastal water quality

EPA Science Inventory

A twelve year (2000 − 2011) study of three coastal lagoons in the Gulf of Mexico was conducted to assess the impacts of local watershed development and tropical storms on water quality. The lagoons have similar physical and hydrological characteristics, but differ substantially i...

Coastal Freshening Prevents Fjord Bottom Water Renewal in Northeast Greenland: A Mooring Study From 2003 to 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boone, Wieter; Rysgaard, Søren; Carlson, Daniel F.; Meire, Lorenz; Kirillov, Sergei; Mortensen, John; Dmitrenko, Igor; Vergeynst, Leendert; Sejr, Mikael K.

2018-03-01

The freshwater content of the Arctic Ocean and its bordering seas has recently increased. Observing freshening events is an important step toward identifying the drivers and understanding the effects of freshening on ocean circulation and marine ecosystems. Here we present a 13 year (2003-2015) record of temperature and salinity in Young Sound-Tyrolerfjord (74°N) in Northeast Greenland. Our observations show that strong freshening occurred from August 2005 to August 2007 (-0.92 psu or -0.46 psu yr-1) and from August 2009 to August 2013 (-0.66 psu or -0.17 psu yr-1). Furthermore, temperature-salinity analysis from 2004 to 2014 shows that freshening of the coastal water ( range at sill depth: 33.3 psu in 2005 to 31.4 psu in 2007) prevented renewal of the fjord's bottom water. These data provide critical observations of interannual freshening rates in a remote fjord in Greenland and in the adjacent coastal waters and show that coastal freshening impacts the fjord hydrography, which may impact the ecosystem dynamics in the long term.

A coastal three-dimensional water quality model of nitrogen in Jiaozhou Bay linking field experiments with modelling.

PubMed

Lu, Dongliang; Li, Keqiang; Liang, Shengkang; Lin, Guohong; Wang, Xiulin

2017-01-15

With anthropogenic changes, the structure and quantity of nitrogen nutrients have changed in coastal ocean, which has dramatically influenced the water quality. Water quality modeling can contribute to the necessary scientific grounding of coastal management. In this paper, some of the dynamic functions and parameters of nitrogen were calibrated based on coastal field experiments covering the dynamic nitrogen processes in Jiaozhou Bay (JZB), including phytoplankton growth, respiration, and mortality; particulate nitrogen degradation; and dissolved organic nitrogen remineralization. The results of the field experiments and box model simulations showed good agreement (RSD=20%±2% and SI=0.77±0.04). A three-dimensional water quality model of nitrogen (3DWQMN) in JZB was improved and the dynamic parameters were updated according to field experiments. The 3DWQMN was validated based on observed data from 2012 to 2013, with good agreement (RSD=27±4%, SI=0.68±0.06, and K=0.48±0.04), which testifies to the model's credibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Real-time eutrophication status evaluation of coastal waters using support vector machine with grid search algorithm.

PubMed

Kong, Xianyu; Sun, Yuyan; Su, Rongguo; Shi, Xiaoyong

2017-06-15

The development of techniques for real-time monitoring of the eutrophication status of coastal waters is of great importance for realizing potential cost savings in coastal monitoring programs and providing timely advice for marine health management. In this study, a GS optimized SVM was proposed to model relationships between 6 easily measured parameters (DO, Chl-a, C1, C2, C3 and C4) and the TRIX index for rapidly assessing marine eutrophication states of coastal waters. The good predictive performance of the developed method was indicated by the R 2 between the measured and predicted values (0.92 for the training dataset and 0.91 for the validation dataset) at a 95% confidence level. The classification accuracy of the eutrophication status was 86.5% for the training dataset and 85.6% for the validation dataset. The results indicated that it is feasible to develop an SVM technique for timely evaluation of the eutrophication status by easily measured parameters. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Gradients in microbial methanol uptake: productive coastal upwelling waters to oligotrophic gyres in the Atlantic Ocean

PubMed Central

Dixon, Joanna L; Sargeant, Stephanie; Nightingale, Philip D; Colin Murrell, J

2013-01-01

Methanol biogeochemistry and its importance as a carbon source in seawater is relatively unexplored. We report the first microbial methanol carbon assimilation rates (k) in productive coastal upwelling waters of up to 0.117±0.002 d−1 (∼10 nmol l−1 d−1). On average, coastal upwelling waters were 11 times greater than open ocean northern temperate (NT) waters, eight times greater than gyre waters and four times greater than equatorial upwelling (EU) waters; suggesting that all upwelling waters upon reaching the surface (⩽20 m), contain a microbial population that uses a relatively high amount of carbon (0.3–10 nmol l−1 d−1), derived from methanol, to support their growth. In open ocean Atlantic regions, microbial uptake of methanol into biomass was significantly lower, ranging between 0.04–0.68 nmol l−1 d−1. Microbes in the Mauritanian coastal upwelling used up to 57% of the total methanol for assimilation of the carbon into cells, compared with an average of 12% in the EU, and 1% in NT and gyre waters. Several methylotrophic bacterial species were identified from open ocean Atlantic waters using PCR amplification of mxaF encoding methanol dehydrogenase, the key enzyme in bacterial methanol oxidation. These included Methylophaga sp., Burkholderiales sp., Methylococcaceae sp., Ancylobacter aquaticus, Paracoccus denitrificans, Methylophilus methylotrophus, Methylobacterium oryzae, Hyphomicrobium sp. and Methylosulfonomonas methylovora. Statistically significant correlations for upwelling waters between methanol uptake into cells and both chlorophyll a concentrations and methanol oxidation rates suggest that remotely sensed chlorophyll a images, in these productive areas, could be used to derive total methanol biological loss rates, a useful tool for atmospheric and marine climatically active gas modellers, and air–sea exchange scientists. PMID:23178665

National Coastal Condition Report IV Factsheet

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Overall condition of the Nation’s coastal waters is fair. This rating is based on five indices of ecologicalcondition: water quality index, sediment quality index, benthic index, coastal habitat index, and fish tissue contaminants index.

Light pollution offshore: Zenithal sky glow measurements in the mediterranean coastal waters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ges, Xavier; Bará, Salvador; García-Gil, Manuel; Zamorano, Jaime; Ribas, Salvador J.; Masana, Eduard

2018-05-01

Light pollution is a worldwide phenomenon whose consequences for the natural environment and the human health are being intensively studied nowadays. Most published studies address issues related to light pollution inland. Coastal waters, however, are spaces of high environmental interest, due to their biodiversity richness and their economical significance. The elevated population density in coastal regions is accompanied by correspondingly large emissions of artificial light at night, whose role as an environmental stressor is increasingly being recognized. Characterizing the light pollution levels in coastal waters is a necessary step for protecting these areas. At the same time, the marine surface environment provides a stage free from obstacles for measuring the dependence of the skyglow on the distance to the light polluting sources, and validating (or rejecting) atmospheric light propagation models. In this work we present a proof-of-concept of a gimbal measurement system that can be used for zenithal skyglow measurements on board both small boats and large vessels under actual navigation conditions. We report the results obtained in the summer of 2016 along two measurement routes in the Mediterranean waters offshore Barcelona, travelling 9 and 31.7 km away from the coast. The atmospheric conditions in both routes were different from the ones assumed for the calculation of recently published models of the anthropogenic sky brightness. They were closer in the first route, whose results approach better the theoretical predictions. The results obtained in the second route, conducted under a clearer atmosphere, showed systematic differences that can be traced back to two expected phenomena, which are a consequence of the smaller aerosol content: the reduction of the anthropogenic sky glow at short distances from the sources, and the slower decay rate of brightness with distance, which gives rise to a relative excess of brightness at large distances from the

Ecological risk assessment of nonylphenol in coastal waters of China based on species sensitivity distribution model.

PubMed

Gao, Pei; Li, Zhengyan; Gibson, Mark; Gao, Huiwang

2014-06-01

Nonylphenol (NP) is an endocrine disruptor and causes feminization and carcinogenesis in various organisms. Consequently, the environmental distribution and ecological risks of NP have received wide concern. China accounts for approximately 10% of the total NP usage in the world, but the water quality criteria of NP have not been established in China and the ecological risks of this pollutant cannot be properly assessed. This study thus aims to determine the predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) of NP and to assess the ecological risks of NP in coastal waters of China with the PNEC as water quality criteria. To obtain the HC5 (hazardous concentration for 5% of biological species) and PNEC estimates, the species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) models were built with chronic toxicity data of NP on aquatic organisms screened from the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) ECOTOX database. The results showed that the PNEC for NP in freshwater and seawater was 0.48 μg L(-1) and 0.28 μg L(-1), respectively. The RQ (risk quotient) values of NP in coastal waters of China ranged from 0.01 to 69.7. About 60% of the reported areas showed a high ecological risk with an RQ value ≥ 1.00. NP therefore exists ubiquitously in coastal waters of China and it poses various risks to aquatic ecosystems in the country. This study demonstrates that the SSD methodology can provide a feasible tool for the establishment of water quality criteria for emergent new pollutants when sufficient toxicity data is available. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coastal fog during summer drought improves the water status of sapling trees more than adult trees in a California pine forest.

PubMed

Baguskas, Sara A; Still, Christopher J; Fischer, Douglas T; D'Antonio, Carla M; King, Jennifer Y

2016-05-01

Fog water inputs can offset seasonal drought in the Mediterranean climate of coastal California and may be critical to the persistence of many endemic plant species. The ability to predict plant species response to potential changes in the fog regime hinges on understanding the ways that fog can impact plant physiological function across life stages. Our study uses a direct metric of water status, namely plant water potential, to understand differential responses of adult versus sapling trees to seasonal drought and fog water inputs. We place these measurements within a water balance framework that incorporates the varying climatic and soil property impacts on water budgets and deficit. We conducted our study at a coastal and an inland site within the largest stand of the regionally endemic bishop pine (Pinus muricata D. Don) on Santa Cruz Island. Our results show conclusively that summer drought negatively affects the water status of sapling more than adult trees and that sapling trees are also more responsive to changes in shallow soil moisture inputs from fog water deposition. Moreover, between the beginning and end of a large, late-season fog drip event, water status increased more for saplings than for adults. Relative to non-foggy conditions, we found that fog water reduces modeled peak water deficit by 80 and 70 % at the inland and coastal sites, respectively. Results from our study inform mechanistically based predictions of how population dynamics of this and other coastal species may be affected by a warmer, drier, and potentially less foggy future.

THE NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT: PARTNERSHIP FOR SUCCESS COASTAL ZONE SYMPOSIUM, CLEVELAND, OH JULY 15-19, 2001

EPA Science Inventory

Partnering for Success (Abstract). Presented at Coastal Zone 01: Hands Across the Water - Linking Land, Lake, and Sea, 15-19 July 2001, Cleveland, OH. 1 p. (ERL,GB R843).

The National Coastal Assessment (Coastal 2000) is a coastal monitoring survey that responds to the ne...

Evaluating pond sand filter as sustainable drinking water supplier in the Southwest coastal region of Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harun, M. A. Y. A.; Kabir, G. M. M.

2013-03-01

This study investigates existing water supply scenario, and evaluates the performance of pond sand filter (PSF) in meeting drinking water demand of Dacope Upazila in southwest coastal Bangladesh. Questionnaire survey to the villagers reveals that PSF is the major drinking water sources (38 %) of the study area followed by tubewells (30.4 %), rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems (12.6 %), ponds (10.3 %) and others (8.7 %). The spot test and laboratory analysis show that odour, colour, pH, dissolved oxygen, hardness, calcium, magnesium, nitrate, sulphate and phosphate of the PSFs water meet Bangladesh standard. The efficiency of PSF in reducing total dissolved solids (TDS) (15 %) and potassium (8.2 %) is not enough to meet the standard of 20 % PSFs for TDS and one-third PSFs for potassium. The study proves that PSF is unable to remove coliform bacteria by 100 % from highly contaminated water. Hence, disinfection should be adopted before distribution to ensure safe drinking water. Majority of the PSF's users (80 %) are either partially satisfied or dissatisfied with the existing system. The beneficiary's willingness to pay for drinking water technologies seems that the combination of PSF and RWH could ensure sustainable drinking water in coastal region of Bangladesh.

Innate resistance of New Zealand paua to abalone viral ganglioneuritis.

PubMed

Corbeil, Serge; McColl, Kenneth A; Williams, Lynette M; Slater, Joanne; Crane, Mark St J

2017-06-01

The susceptibility of New Zealand paua (Haliotis iris) to infection by abalone herpesvirus (Haliotid herpesvirus 1; HaHV) and to the disease abalone viral ganglioneuritis (AVG) was determined. Infection challenges performed by intra-muscular injection and by immersion in infectious water containing HaHV demonstrated that New Zealand paua were highly resistant to infection by Haliotid herpesvirus 1 and were fully resistant to the disease AVG. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spatial and Temporal Monitoring of Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in New Jersey Coastal Waters Using Autonomous Gliders

EPA Science Inventory

The coastal ocean is a highly variable system with processes that have significant implications on the hydrographic and oxygen characteristics of the water column. The spatial and temporal variability of these fields can cause dramatic changes to water quality and in turn the h...

Drinking Water Sodium and Elevated Blood Pressure of Healthy Pregnant Women in Salinity-Affected Coastal Areas.

PubMed

Scheelbeek, Pauline F D; Khan, Aneire E; Mojumder, Sontosh; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2016-08-01

Coastal areas in Southeast Asia are experiencing high sodium concentrations in drinking water sources that are commonly consumed by local populations. Salinity problems caused by episodic cyclones and subsequent seawater inundations are likely (partly) related to climate change and further exacerbated by changes in upstream river flow and local land-use activities. Dietary (food) sodium plays an important role in the global burden of hypertensive disease. It remains unknown, however, if sodium in drinking water-rather than food-has similar effects on blood pressure and disease risk. In this study, we examined the effect of drinking water sodium on blood pressure of pregnant women: increases in blood pressure in this group could severely affect maternal and fetal health. Data on blood pressure, drinking water source, and personal, lifestyle, and environmental confounders was obtained from 701 normotensive pregnant women residing in coastal Bangladesh. Generalized linear mixed regression models were used to investigate association of systolic and diastolic blood pressure of these-otherwise healthy-women with their water source. After adjustment for confounders, drinkers of tube well and pond water (high saline sources) were found to have significantly higher average systolic (+4.85 and +3.62 mm Hg) and diastolic (+2.30 and +1.72 mm Hg) blood pressures than rainwater drinkers. Drinking water salinity problems are expected to exacerbate in the future, putting millions of coastal people-including pregnant women-at increased risk of hypertension and associated diseases. There is an urgent need to further explore the health risks associated to this understudied environmental health problem and feasibility of possible adaptation strategies. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

How climate change threats water resource: the case of the Thau coastal lagoon (Mediterranean Sea, France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Jeunesse, Isabelle; Sellami, Haykel; Cirelli, Claudia

2014-05-01

The latest reports of the intergovernmental panel on climate change explained that the Mediterranean regions are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. These latest are expected to have strong impacts on the management of water resources and on regional economies. The aim of this paper is to discuss impacts of climate changes on the Thau case study in relation to the evolution of water balance, water uses and adaptation to climate change. The Thau coastal lagoon is located in the Mediterranean coast in south of France in the Languedoc-Roussillon Region. Economic activities are diverse from shellfish farming, fertilizers industries to agriculture and tourism. However, tourism and shellfish farming are of major importance for local economy. If tourism is mainly turned to the Sea coast, shellfishes grow within the lagoon and rely on water quality. Previous studies have demonstrated the link between the coastal lagoon water quality and inputs of freshwater from the catchment. Thus, changes in rainfalls, runoff and water balance would not only affect water uses but also water quality. Climate changes projections are presented following the implementation of 4 downscaled climatic models. Impacts on water balance are modelled with SWAT (Soil Water Assessment Tool) for 2041-2070 compared to the 1971-2000 reference period. The decrease of precipitations and water balance will impact discharges and thus decrease the freshwater inputs to the coastal lagoon. A study of water uses conducted in interactions with stakeholders within the Thau area has permitted to assess both current and evolution of water uses. It has revealed local water resources are depleting while water demand is increasing and is planned to continue to increase in the really near future. To prevent water scarcity events, mainly due to the climate change context, the Regional authorities have connected the catchment to the Rhône river to import water. The conclusion of this study is while

Engaging Dairy Farmers to Improve Water Quality in the Aorere Catchment of New Zealand

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robertson, Jodie; Edgar, Nick; Tyson, Ben

2013-01-01

In 2006, dairy farmers in the Aorere Catchment of New Zealand began to investigate allegations that they had a pollution problem affecting the viability of the community's shellfish industry. From 2007 to 2010, the New Zealand Landcare Trust's Aorere Catchment Project (ACP) helped farmers engage in actions to improve conditions in their waterways.…

Water quality impacts from on-site waste disposal systems to coastal areas through groundwater discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, P. J.

1995-12-01

This report summarizes research studies linking on-site waste disposal systems (OSDS) to pathogen and nutrient concentrations in groundwater with the potential to impact coastal embayments. Few studies connect OSDS to coastal water quality. Most studies examined pathogen and nutrient impacts to groundwater and omitted estimations of contaminants discharged to surface water. The majority of studies focused on nitrogen, with little information on pathogens and even less on phosphorus. Nitrogen discharged from OSDS poses the greatest threat to water quality. Vertical distance of septic tank infiltration system from the water table, septic system design, and siting remain the key components in minimizing potential impacts from OSDS for control of both pathogens and nutrients. The most comprehensive information connecting nutrient contributions from OSDS to surface water quality was the study conducted on Buttermilk Bay in Massachusetts where 74% of nitrogen to the bay was attributed to onsite disposal systems. In conclusion, further studies on the viability and transport of pathogens and nutrients through the groundwater aquifer and across the groundwater/surface-water interface are needed. Additional research on the importance of septic system design on the availability of contaminants to groundwater as well as the minimum distance between the septic system and water table necessary to protect groundwater are also indicated.

Palynofacies assemblages reflect sources of organic matter in New Zealand fjords

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prebble, Joseph G.; Hinojosa, Jessica L.; Moy, Christopher M.

2018-02-01

Understanding sources and transport pathways of organic carbon in fjord systems is important to quantify carbon cycling in coastal settings. Provenance of surficial sediment organic carbon in Fiordland National Park (southwestern New Zealand) has previously been estimated using a range of techniques, including mixing models derived from stable isotopes and lipid biomarker distributions. Here, we present the first application of palynofacies to explore the sources of particulate organic carbon to five fjords along the SW margin of New Zealand, to further discriminate the provenance of organic carbon in the fjords. We find good correlation between isotopic-and biomarker-derived proxies for organic carbon provenance and our new palynofacies observations. We observe strong down-fjord gradients of decreasing terrestrially derived organic carbon further from the river inflow at fjord heads. Fjords with small catchments and minor fresh water inflow exhibit reversed gradients, indicating that volume of freshwater entering at the fjord head is a primary mechanism to transport particulates down fjord rather than local transport from fjord sides. The palynofacies data also confirmed previously recorded latitudinal trends (i.e. between fjords), of less frequent and more weathered terrestrially derived organic carbon in the southern fjords, consistent with enhanced marine inflow and longer transport times in the southern catchments. Dinocyst assemblages also exhibit a strong latitudinal gradient, with assemblages dominated by heterotrophic forms in the north. In addition to providing support for previous studies, this approach allows finer discrimination of terrestrial organic carbon than previously, for example variation of leaf material. This study demonstrates that visual palynofacies analysis is a valuable tool to pinpoint origins of organic carbon in fjord systems, providing different but complementary information to other proxies.

Methods of eutrophication assessment in the context of the water framework directive: Examples from the Eastern Mediterranean coastal areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlidou, Alexandra; Simboura, Nomiki; Rousselaki, Eleni; Tsapakis, Manolis; Pagou, Kalliopi; Drakopoulou, Paraskevi; Assimakopoulou, Georgia; Kontoyiannis, Harilaos; Panayotidis, Panayotis

2015-10-01

A set of methodological tools were tested in order to assess the eutrophication quality of selected coastal areas in Eastern Mediterranean Sea, Greece, in the context of the Water Framework Directive under various anthropogenic pressures. Three, five-step tools, namely, TRIX, chlorophyll-a (chl-a) biomass classification scheme, and eutrophication index (E.I.) were applied in oligotrophic waters for (a) the whole water column and (b) the euphotic zone. The relationship among the eutrophication assessment indices and the ecological quality status (EcoQ) assessment indices for benthic macroinvertebrates (BENTIX index) and macroalgae (ecological evaluation index-EEIc) was also explored. Agricultural activities and mariculture are the pressures mostly related to the eutrophication assessment of the selected Greek coastal water bodies. Chl-a proved to be the criterion with the best overall correlation with the EcoQ indices, while TRIX with the lowest. Moreover, among the eutrophication indices, E.I. showed better overall agreement with BENTIX showing that probably it reflects the indirect relation of macroinvertebrates with water eutrophication in a better way. Among the eutrophication indices used, TRIX rather overestimated the eutrophication status of the selected coastal areas. The first stage of eutrophication was reflected more efficiently using E.I. than TRIX, but E.I. seems to be a rather sensitive index. A future modification of the high to good boundary of E.I. may be needed in order to demonstrate the high status of the relatively undisturbed Greek coastal sites.

National Coastal Condition Assessment

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

It is important to monitor coastal waters for potentially harmful trends and to identify areas in good condition. That is the purpose of the National Coastal Condition Assessment, which EPA conducts every few years.

Detection of a Planktothrix agardhii Bloom in Portuguese Marine Coastal Waters

PubMed Central

Azevedo, Joana; Vasconcelos, Vitor; Silva, Alexandra

2017-01-01

Cyanobacteria blooms are frequent in freshwaters and are responsible for water quality deterioration and human intoxication. Although, not a new phenomenon, concern exists on the increasing persistence, scale, and toxicity of these blooms. There is evidence, in recent years, of the transfer of these toxins from inland to marine waters through freshwater outflow. However, the true impact of these blooms in marine habitats has been overlooked. In the present work, we describe the detection of Planktothrix agardhii, which is a common microcystin producer, in the Portuguese marine coastal waters nearby a river outfall in an area used for shellfish harvesting and recreational activities. P. agardhii was first observed in November of 2016 in seawater samples that are in the scope of the national shellfish monitoring system. This occurrence was followed closely between November and December of 2016 by a weekly sampling of mussels and water from the sea pier and adjacent river mouth with salinity ranging from 35 to 3. High cell densities were found in the water from both sea pier and river outfall, reaching concentrations of 4,960,608 cells·L−1 and 6810.3 × 106 cells·L−1 respectively. Cultures were also established with success from the environment and microplate salinity growth assays showed that the isolates grew at salinity 10. HPLC-PDA analysis of total microcystin content in mussel tissue, water biomass, and P. agardhii cultures did not retrieve a positive result. In addition, microcystin related genes were not detected in the water nor cultures. So, the P. agardhii present in the environment was probably a non-toxic strain. This is, to our knowledge, the first report on a P. agardhii bloom reaching the sea and points to the relevance to also monitoring freshwater harmful phytoplankton and related toxins in seafood harvesting and recreational coastal areas, particularly under the influence of river plumes. PMID:29207501

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh

PubMed Central

Chowdhury, Muhammad A.H.; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S.; Hoque, Mohammad A.; Butler, Adrian P.; Khan, Aneire E.; Mojumder, Sontosh K.; Blangiardo, Marta A.G.; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-01-01

Background: Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. Objectives: We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. Methods: DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from “conventional” ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. Results: DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. Conclusions: DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in “real-life” salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659 PMID:28599268

Drinking Water Salinity and Raised Blood Pressure: Evidence from a Cohort Study in Coastal Bangladesh.

PubMed

Scheelbeek, Pauline FD; Chowdhury, Muhammad A H; Haines, Andy; Alam, Dewan S; Hoque, Mohammad A; Butler, Adrian P; Khan, Aneire E; Mojumder, Sontosh K; Blangiardo, Marta A G; Elliott, Paul; Vineis, Paolo

2017-05-30

Millions of coastal inhabitants in Southeast Asia have been experiencing increasing sodium concentrations in their drinking-water sources, likely partially due to climate change. High (dietary) sodium intake has convincingly been proven to increase risk of hypertension; it remains unknown, however, whether consumption of sodium in drinking water could have similar effects on health. We present the results of a cohort study in which we assessed the effects of drinking-water sodium (DWS) on blood pressure (BP) in coastal populations in Bangladesh. DWS, BP, and information on personal, lifestyle, and environmental factors were collected from 581 participants. We used generalized linear latent and mixed methods to model the effects of DWS on BP and assessed the associations between changes in DWS and BP when participants experienced changing sodium levels in water, switched from "conventional" ponds or tube wells to alternatives [managed aquifer recharge (MAR) and rainwater harvesting] that aimed to reduce sodium levels, or experienced a combination of these changes. DWS concentrations were highly associated with BP after adjustments for confounding factors. Furthermore, for each 100 mg/L reduction in sodium in drinking water, systolic/diastolic BP was lower on average by 0.95/0.57 mmHg, and odds of hypertension were lower by 14%. However, MAR did not consistently lower sodium levels. DWS is an important source of daily sodium intake in salinity-affected areas and is a risk factor for hypertension. Considering the likely increasing trend in coastal salinity, prompt action is required. Because MAR showed variable effects, alternative technologies for providing reliable, safe, low-sodium fresh water should be developed alongside improvements in MAR and evaluated in "real-life" salinity-affected settings. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP659.

Integrated Hydrological Modeling for Water Resources Management of Heeia Coastal Wetland in Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazal, Kariem A.

The integrated hydrological models are an important tools that can be used to assess the water resources availability and sustainability for food security and ecological health of the coastal regions. In addition, such models are useful in assessing the current and future water budget under different conditions of climate and land use changes. This study addresses the Heeia Wetlands Restoration whereby different scenarios were developed to assess the effects of land cover change (LU), climate change (CL), and sea level rise (SLR) on the water balance components (WBCs), fresh water submarine groundwater discharge (FSGD), seawater intrusion, dissolved silicate (DSi) fluxes, and heat transport within the Heeia Coastal Wetland. The watershed (SWAT) model, the groundwater flow (MODFLOW) model, and the density dependent groundwater flow (SEAWAT) model were utilized in this integrated approach. The SWAT model was used to assess the impact of CL and LU on the WBCs. The LU mainly focused on the conversion of a fallow wetland covered by california grass (invasive plant) to taro field (native plant). The groundwater recharge of the SWAT model output was used as input for both the steady state and transient-MODFLOW model to study the interaction between surface water and groundwater and its effect on the FSGD within the Watershed. The SEAWAT model was used to study the seawater intrusion, DSi fluxes and cold groundwater transport under several CL, LU, and SLR scenarios. The results indicated that the baseflow was the main components of the Heeia streamflow, especially during dry season. The annual recharge, surface runoff, lateral flow and ET comprised about 34%, 6%, 15%, and 45% of the annual rainfall, respectively. The WBCs were more impacted in the late of 2080s compared to the 2050s period. To understand the comprehensive relationships between coastal hydrological processes and ecosystems, the FSGD was estimated under different scenarios of LU, CL, and SLR. The current

NATIONAL COASTAL ASSESSMENT

EPA Science Inventory

The purpose of the National Coastal Assessment (NCA) is to estimate the status and trends of the condition of the nation's coastal resources on a state, regional and national basis. Based on NCA monitoring from 1999-2001, 100% of the nation's estuarine waters (at over 2500 locati...

Gains from trans-boundary water quality management in linked catchment and coastal socio-ecological systems: a case study for the Minho region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roebeling, P. C.; Brito, A. G.; Rocha, J.; Alves, H.; Mamede, J.

2012-04-01

Worldwide, aquatic and coastal ecosystems are affected by point and diffuse source water pollution originating from rural, urban and industrial land uses in catchments, even though these ecosystems are of vital importance from an environmental and economic perspective. Integrated Catchment and Coastal Zone Management (ICCZM) specifically takes into account this inherent relationship between terrestrial land use, surface and ground water pollution, aquatic and coastal ecosystem state, and associated environmental values. To warrant sustainable regional economic development, we need to balance the marginal costs from terrestrial water pollution abatement and the associated marginal benefits from aquatic and coastal resource appreciation. In doing so, however, we need to differentiate between intra- and trans-boundary catchments because benefactors and beneficiaries from water quality improvement are not one and the same. In trans-boundary catchments, private (national) welfare maximizing rates of water quality improvement differ across nations as benefits from water quality improvement generally accrue to one nation while the costs are paid by multiple nations. While approaches for water quality management in linked catchment and coastal socio-ecological systems are fairly recent though existent, water quality management in trans-boundary catchments poses additional challenges. The objective of this paper is to develop and apply a deterministic optimal control approach that allows us to explore private and social welfare maximizing rates of water pollution abatement in linked catchment and coastal socio-ecological systems. For a case study of the Minho region in the Iberian Peninsula, we estimate nation-specific water pollution abatement cost (based on management practice adoption) and benefit (based on aquatic and coastal environmental values) functions, to determine as well as compare private (national) and social (trans-national) welfare maximizing rates of water

Ground water contamination and costs of pesticide restrictions in the southeastern coastal plain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Danielson, L.E.; Carlson, G.A.; Liu, S.

The project developed new methodology for estimating: (1) groundwater contamination potential (GWCP) in the Southeast Coastal Plain, and (2) the potential economic impacts of selected policies that restrict pesticide use. The potential for ground water contamination was estimated by use of a simple matrix for combining ratings for both soil leaching potential and pesticide leaching potential. Key soil variables included soil texture, soil acidity and organic matter content. Key pesticide characteristics included Koc, pesticide half-life, the rate of application and the fraction of the pesticide hitting the soil. Comparisons of pesticide use from various farmer and expert opinion surveys weremore » made for pesticide groups and for individual pesticide products. Methodology for merging the GWCP changes and lost benefits from selected herbicide cancellations was developed using corn production in the North Carolina Coastal Plain. Economic evaluations of pesticide cancellations for corn included national and Coastal Plain estimates for atrazine; metolachlor; dicamba; dicamba and atrazine; and dicamba, atrazine and metolachlor.« less

Avoiding the Water-Climate-Poverty Trap: Adaptive Risk Management for Bangladesh's Coastal Embankments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, J. W.

2015-12-01

Our recent research on water security (Sadoff et al., 2015, Dadson et al., 2015) has revealed the dynamic relationship between water security and human well-being. A version of this dynamic is materialising in the coastal polder areas of Khulna, Bangladesh. Repeated coastal floods increase salinity, wipe out agricultural yields for several years and increase out-migration. As a tool to help inform and target future cycles of investment in improvements to the coastal embankments, in this paper we propose a dynamical model of biophysical processes and human well-being, which downscales our previous research to the Khulna region. State variables in the model include agricultural production, population, life expectancy and child mortality. Possible infrastructure interventions include embankment improvements, groundwater wells and drainage infrastructure. Hazard factors include flooding, salinization and drinking water pollution. Our system model can be used to inform adaptation decision making by testing the dynamical response of the system to a range of possible policy interventions, under uncertain future conditions. The analysis is intended to target investment and enable adaptive resource reallocation based on learning about the system response to interventions over the seven years of our research programme. The methodology and paper will demonstrate the complex interplay of factors that determine system vulnerability to climate change. The role of climate change uncertainties (in terms of mean sea level rise and storm surge frequency) will be evaluated alongside multiple other uncertain factors that determine system response. Adaptive management in a 'learning system' will be promoted as a mechanism for coping with climate uncertainties. References:Dadson, S., Hall, J.W., Garrick, D., Sadoff, C. and Grey, D. Water security, risk and economic growth: lessons from a dynamical systems model, Global Environmental Change, in review.Sadoff, C.W., Hall, J.W., Grey, D

Evaluating the Economic and Social Benefits of Nutrient Reductions in Coastal New England Waters

EPA Science Inventory

New England’s coastal social-ecological systems are subject to chronic environmental problems, including water quality degradation. Researchers at EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) Atlantic Ecology Division (AED) are piloting an effort to further understand how reduc...

The geographical conditions of intensity of salty waters intrusions to coastal lakes on Polish Southern Baltic coast

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cieslinski, R.

2009-04-01

Lakes situated on the coast of the southern Baltic function in different conditions than those in which typically inland reservoirs occur. They are situated in the contact zone of two environments: land and sea. These reservoirs together with their direct catchments form specific hydrographic arrangement, in which the course of physical, chemical and biological processes depends on the fact which of these two environments exerts a stronger influence at a given moment. This is important as the lakes situated in the shore zone of the southern Baltic are not exposed to phenomena caused by constant tides, as it is the case in open seas (Ataie-Ashtiani et al., 1999), but only to extreme hydrometeorological conditions, which lead to the formation of the phenomenon of intrusions of sea waters and of damming the free outflow of potamic waters (Demirel, 2004; Cieśliński, Drwal, 2005). What should also be remembered are the local hydrographic, hydrological and morphometric conditions. As a result of intrusions, in the waters of coastal lakes, apart from inland waters there are also waters of sea origin. The proportions of these genetically distinct waters are variable and differ in individual lakes (Grassi, Netti, 2000; Drwal, Cieśliński, 2007). Despite the difference in the causal factor triggering the phenomenon of salt water intrusions, the effect is usually the same as that observed, for instance, in lakes and lagoons of seas with tides (Ishitobi et al., 1999; De Louw, Oude Essink, 2001) and poorly flushed lagoon (Hsing-Juh et al., 2006) or estuaries (Uncles et al., 2002), though the scale of qualitative changes is greater in the case of open seas than in half-closed and closed seas. The status of the research carried out so far enables proposing a hypothesis that chlorides concentrations, as the best indicators for establishing the occurrence of the phenomenon of intrusions, depend not only on the meteorological factor but in some of the lakes on various

Effects of Sewage Discharge on Trophic State and Water Quality in a Coastal Ecosystem of the Gulf of California

PubMed Central

Vargas-González, Héctor Hugo; Arreola-Lizárraga, José Alfredo; Mendoza-Salgado, Renato Arturo; Méndez-Rodríguez, Lía Celina; Lechuga-Deveze, Carlos Hernando; Padilla-Arredondo, Gustavo; Cordoba-Matson, Miguel

2014-01-01

This paper provides evidence of the effects of urban wastewater discharges on the trophic state and environmental quality of a coastal water body in a semiarid subtropical region in the Gulf of California. The concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients and organic matter from urban wastewater primary treatment were estimated. La Salada Cove was the receiving water body and parameters measured during an annual cycle were temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate, ammonia, orthophosphate, and chlorophyll a. The effects of sewage inputs were determined by using Trophic State Index (TRIX) and the Arid Zone Coastal Water Quality Index (AZCI). It was observed that urban wastewater of the city of Guaymas provided 1,237 ton N yr−1 and 811 ton P yr−1 and TRIX indicated that the receiving water body showed symptoms of eutrophication from an oligotrophic state to a mesotrophic state; AZCI also indicated that the environmental quality of the water body was poor. The effects of urban wastewater supply with insufficient treatment resulted in symptoms of eutrophication and loss of ecological functions and services of the coastal ecosystem in La Salada Cove. PMID:24711731

Impact of anthropogenic development on coastal ground-water hydrology in southeastern Florida, 1900-2000

USGS Publications Warehouse

Renken, Robert A.; Dixon, Joann; Koehmstedt, John A.; Ishman, Scott; Lietz, A.C.; Marella, Richard L.; Telis, Pamela A.; Rodgers, Jeff; Memberg, Steven

2005-01-01

Southeastern Florida is an area that has been subject to widely conflicting anthropogenic stress to the Everglades and coastal ecosystems. This stress is a direct consequence of the 20th century economic competition for limited land and water resources needed to satisfy agricultural development and its expansion, its displacement by burgeoning urban development, and the accompanying growth of the limestone mining industry. The development of a highly controlled water-management system designed to reclaim land for urban and agricultural development has severely impacted the extent, character, and vitality of the historic Everglades and coastal ecosystems. An extensive conveyance system of canals, levees, impoundments, surface- water control structures, and numerous municipal well fields are used to sustain the present-day Everglades hydrologic system, prevent overland flow from moving eastward and flooding urban and agricultural areas, maintain water levels to prevent saltwater intrusion, and provide an adequate water supply. Extractive mining activities expanded considerably in the latter part of the 20th century, largely in response to urban construction needs. Much of the present-day urban-agricultural corridor of southeastern Florida lies within an area that is no more than 15 feet above NGVD 1929 and formerly characterized by freshwater marsh, upland, and saline coastal wetland ecosystems. Miami- Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties have experienced explosive population growth, increasing from less than 4,000 inhabitants in 1900 to more than 5 million in 2000. Ground-water use, the principal source of municipal supply, has increased from about 65 Mgal/d (million gallons per day) obtained from 3 well fields in 1930 to more than 770 Mgal/d obtained from 65 well fields in 1995. Water use for agricultural supply increased from 505 Mgal/d in 1953 to nearly 1,150 Mgal/d in 1988, but has since declined to 764 Mgal/d in 1995, partly as a result of displacement of the

Toxic heavy metals in sediments, seawater, and molluscs in the eastern and western coastal waters of Guangdong Province, South China.

PubMed

Zhang, Ling; Shi, Zhen; Zhang, Jingping; Jiang, Zhijian; Wang, Fei; Huang, Xiaoping

2016-05-01

Heavy metal concentrations and distribution were studied in sediments, seawater, and molluscs, and the possible heavy metal sources in the coastal waters of Guangdong Province, South China were discussed. The results showed that the concentrations of Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cr in sediments in eastern coastal waters were generally higher than those in the western coastal waters. However, concentrations of most metals in seawater and molluscs in western waters were higher than in the eastern waters, which was tightly related to the local economics and urbanization development, especially, the different industrial structure in two regions. The main heavy metal sources were attributed to the industrial and agricultural effluent, domestic sewage, and even waste gas. Furthermore, heavy metal contamination assessment indicated that high contamination levels of Cd, Zn, and Pb occurred in sediments in local areas, especially in the bays and harbors. The metal accumulation levels by molluscs ranked following the order of Cd > Cu > As > Zn > Pb > Cr, and the ecological risks introduced by heavy metals in different areas were in the order of Zhanjiang > Yangmao > Shantou > Shanhui.

Satellite tagging highlights the importance of productive Mozambican coastal waters to the ecology and conservation of whale sharks.

PubMed

Rohner, Christoph A; Richardson, Anthony J; Jaine, Fabrice R A; Bennett, Michael B; Weeks, Scarla J; Cliff, Geremy; Robinson, David P; Reeve-Arnold, Katie E; Pierce, Simon J

2018-01-01

The whale shark Rhincodon typus is an endangered, highly migratory species with a wide, albeit patchy, distribution through tropical oceans. Ten aerial survey flights along the southern Mozambican coast, conducted between 2004-2008, documented a relatively high density of whale sharks along a 200 km stretch of the Inhambane Province, with a pronounced hotspot adjacent to Praia do Tofo. To examine the residency and movement of whale sharks in coastal areas around Praia do Tofo, where they may be more susceptible to gill net entanglement, we tagged 15 juveniles with SPOT5 satellite tags and tracked them for 2-88 days (mean = 27 days) as they dispersed from this area. Sharks travelled between 10 and 2,737 km (mean = 738 km) at a mean horizontal speed of 28 ± 17.1 SD km day -1 . While several individuals left shelf waters and travelled across international boundaries, most sharks stayed in Mozambican coastal waters over the tracking period. We tested for whale shark habitat preferences, using sea surface temperature, chlorophyll- a concentration and water depth as variables, by computing 100 random model tracks for each real shark based on their empirical movement characteristics. Whale sharks spent significantly more time in cooler, shallower water with higher chlorophyll- a concentrations than model sharks, suggesting that feeding in productive coastal waters is an important driver of their movements. To investigate what this coastal habitat choice means for their conservation in Mozambique, we mapped gill nets during two dedicated aerial surveys along the Inhambane coast and counted gill nets in 1,323 boat-based surveys near Praia do Tofo. Our results show that, while whale sharks are capable of long-distance oceanic movements, they can spend a disproportionate amount of time in specific areas, such as along the southern Mozambique coast. The increasing use of drifting gill nets in this coastal hotspot for whale sharks is likely to be a threat to regional

Satellite tagging highlights the importance of productive Mozambican coastal waters to the ecology and conservation of whale sharks

PubMed Central

Richardson, Anthony J.; Jaine, Fabrice R. A.; Bennett, Michael B.; Weeks, Scarla J.; Cliff, Geremy; Robinson, David P.; Reeve-Arnold, Katie E.; Pierce, Simon J.

2018-01-01

The whale shark Rhincodon typus is an endangered, highly migratory species with a wide, albeit patchy, distribution through tropical oceans. Ten aerial survey flights along the southern Mozambican coast, conducted between 2004–2008, documented a relatively high density of whale sharks along a 200 km stretch of the Inhambane Province, with a pronounced hotspot adjacent to Praia do Tofo. To examine the residency and movement of whale sharks in coastal areas around Praia do Tofo, where they may be more susceptible to gill net entanglement, we tagged 15 juveniles with SPOT5 satellite tags and tracked them for 2–88 days (mean = 27 days) as they dispersed from this area. Sharks travelled between 10 and 2,737 km (mean = 738 km) at a mean horizontal speed of 28 ± 17.1 SD km day−1. While several individuals left shelf waters and travelled across international boundaries, most sharks stayed in Mozambican coastal waters over the tracking period. We tested for whale shark habitat preferences, using sea surface temperature, chlorophyll-a concentration and water depth as variables, by computing 100 random model tracks for each real shark based on their empirical movement characteristics. Whale sharks spent significantly more time in cooler, shallower water with higher chlorophyll-a concentrations than model sharks, suggesting that feeding in productive coastal waters is an important driver of their movements. To investigate what this coastal habitat choice means for their conservation in Mozambique, we mapped gill nets during two dedicated aerial surveys along the Inhambane coast and counted gill nets in 1,323 boat-based surveys near Praia do Tofo. Our results show that, while whale sharks are capable of long-distance oceanic movements, they can spend a disproportionate amount of time in specific areas, such as along the southern Mozambique coast. The increasing use of drifting gill nets in this coastal hotspot for whale sharks is likely to be a threat to regional

Estimated water use and availability in the South Coastal Drainage Basin, southern Rhode Island, 1995-99

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wild, Emily C.; Nimiroski, Mark T.

2005-01-01

The South Coastal Drainage Basin includes approximately 59.14 square miles in southern Rhode Island. The basin was divided into three subbasins to assess the water use and availability: the Saugatucket, Point Judith Pond, and the Southwestern Coastal Drainage subbasins. Because there is limited information on the ground-water system in this basin, the water use and availability evaluations for these subbasins were derived from delineated surface-water drainage areas. An assessment was completed to estimate water withdrawals, use, and return flow over a 5-year study period from 1995 through 1999 in the basin. During the study period, one major water supplier in the basin withdrew an average of 0.389 million gallons per day from the sand and gravel deposits. Most of the potable water is imported (about 2.152 million gallons per day) from the adjacent Pawcatuck Basin to the northwest. The estimated water withdrawals from the minor water suppliers, which are all in Charlestown, during the study period were 0.064 million gallons per day. The self-supplied domestic, industrial, commercial, and agricultural withdrawals from the basin were 0.574 million gallons per day. Water use in the basin was 2.874 million gallons per day. The average return flow in the basin was 1.190 million gallons per day, which was entirely from self-disposed water users. In this basin, wastewater from service collection areas was exported (about 1.139 million gallons per day) to the Narragansett Bay Drainage Basin for treatment and discharge. During times of little to no recharge, in the form of precipitation, the surface- and ground-water system flows are from storage primarily in the stratified sand and gravel deposits, although there is flow moving through the till deposits at a slower rate. The ground water discharging to the streams, during times of little to no precipitation, is referred to as base flow. The PART program, a computerized hydrograph-separation application, was used at the

Impacts of preferential flow on coastal groundwater-surface water interactions: The heterogeneous volcanic aquifer of Hawaii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geng, X.; Kreyns, P.; Koneshloo, M.; Michael, H. A.

2017-12-01

Groundwater flow and salt transport processes are important for protection of coastal water resources and ecosystems. Geological heterogeneity has been recognized as a key factor affecting rates and patterns of groundwater flow and the evolution of subsurface salinity distributions in coastal aquifers. The hydrogeologic system of the volcanic Hawaiian Islands is characterized by lava flows that can form continuous, connected geologic structures in subsurface. Understanding the role of geological heterogeneity in aquifer salinization and water exchange between aquifers and the ocean is essential for effective assessment and management of water resources in the Hawaii islands. In this study, surface-based geostatistical techniques were adopted to generate geologically-realistic, statistically equivalent model realizations of the hydrogeologic system on the Big Island of Hawaii. The density-dependent groundwater flow and solute transport code SEAWAT was used to perform 3D simulations to investigate subsurface flow and salt transport through these random realizations. Flux across the aquifer-ocean interface, aquifer salinization, and groundwater flow pathways and associated transit times were quantified. Numerical simulations of groundwater pumping at various positions in the aquifers were also conducted, and associated impacts on saltwater intrusion rates were evaluated. Results indicate the impacts of continuous geologic features on large-scale groundwater processes in coastal aquifers.

Uncertainties and applications of satellite-derived coastal water quality products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Guangming; DiGiacomo, Paul M.

2017-12-01

Recent and forthcoming launches of a plethora of ocean color radiometry sensors, coupled with increasingly adopted free and open data policies are expected to boost usage of satellite ocean color data and drive the demand to use these data in a quantitative and routine manner. Here we review factors that introduce uncertainties to various satellite-derived water quality products and recommend approaches to minimize the uncertainty of a specific product. We show that the regression relationships between remote-sensing reflectance and water turbidity (in terms of nephelometric units) established for different regions tend to converge and therefore it is plausible to develop a global satellite water turbidity product derived using a single algorithm. In contrast, solutions to derive suspended particulate matter concentration are much less generalizable; in one case it might be more accurate to estimate this parameter based on satellite-derived particulate backscattering coefficient, whereas in another the nonagal particulate absorption coefficient might be a better proxy. Regarding satellite-derived chlorophyll concentration, known to be subject to large uncertainties in coastal waters, studies summarized here clearly indicate that the accuracy of classical reflectance band-ratio algorithms depends largely on the contribution of phytoplankton to total light absorption coefficient as well as the degree of correlation between phytoplankton and the dominant nonalgal contributions. Our review also indicates that currently available satellite-derived water quality products are restricted to optically significant materials, whereas many users are interested in toxins, nutrients, pollutants, and pathogens. Presently, proxies or indicators for these constituents are inconsistently (and often incorrectly) developed and applied. Progress in this general direction will remain slow unless, (i) optical oceanographers and environmental scientists start collaborating more closely

Status of the amphipod Diporeia ssp. in coastal waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes

EPA Science Inventory

Diporeia has historically been the dominant benthic macroinvertebrate in deeper waters of the Laurentian Great Lakes, and its abundance has been proposed as an indicator of ecological condition. In 2010, the USEPA incorporated the Great Lakes into the National Coastal Condition A...

The Application and Usefulness of Economic Analyses for Water Quality Management in Coastal Areas

EPA Science Inventory

Economic studies are increasingly sought as tools to contribute to water quality management in estuaries and coastal communities, yet little is known about how the results from existing studies have been received and utilized by the organizations who solicited them. We interviewe...

The California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program – Providing science and geospatial data for California's State Waters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine; Dartnell, Peter; Hartwell, Stephen; Cochran, Susan; Watt, Janet

2017-01-01

The California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program (CSCMP) is a collaborative effort to develop comprehensive bathymetric, geologic, and habitat maps and data for California's State Waters. CSCMP began in 2007 when the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allocated funding for high-resolution bathymetric mapping, largely to support the California Marine Life Protection Act and to update nautical charts. Collaboration and support from the U.S. Geological Survey and other partners has led to development and dissemination of one of the world's largest seafloor-mapping datasets. CSCMP provides essential science and data for ocean and coastal management, stimulates and enables research, and raises public education and awareness of coastal and ocean issues. Specific applications include:•Delineation and designation of marine protected areas•Characterization and modeling of benthic habitats and ecosystems•Updating nautical charts•Earthquake hazard assessments•Tsunami hazard assessments•Planning offshore infrastructure•Providing baselines for monitoring change•Input to models of sediment transport, coastal erosion, and coastal flooding•Regional sediment management•Understanding coastal aquifers•Providing geospatial data for emergency response

Organic and Inorganic Matter in Louisiana Coastal Waters: Vermilion, Atchafalaya, Terrebonne, Barataria, and Mississippi Regions.

EPA Science Inventory

Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) spectral absorption, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration, and the particulate fraction of inorganic (PIM) and organic matter (POM) were measured in Louisiana coastal waters at Vermilion, Atchafalaya, Terrebonne, Barataria, and...

Water Levels In Major Artesian Aquifers Of The New Jersey Coastal Plain, 1988

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosman, Robert; Lacombe, Pierre J.; Storck, Donald A.

1995-01-01

Water levels in 1,251 wells in the New Jersey Coastal Plain, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, and Kent and New Castle Counties, Delaware, were measured from October 1988 to February 1989 and compared with 1,071 water levels measured from September 1983 to May 1984. Water levels in 916 of the wells measured in the 1983 study were remeasured in the 1988 study. Alternate wells were selected to replace wells used in 1983 that were inaccessible at the time of the water-level measurements in 1988 or had been destroyed. New well sites were added in strategic locations to increase coverage where possible. Large cones of depression have formed or expanded in the nine major artesian aquifers that underlie the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Water levels are shown on nine potentiometric-surface maps. Hydrographs for observation wells typically show water-level declines for 1983, through 1989. In the confined Cohansey aquifer, the lowest water level, 20 feet below sea level, was measured in a well located at Cape May City Water Department, Cape May County. Water levels in the Atlantic City 800-foot sand declined as much as 21 feet at Ventnor, Atlantic County, over the 6-year period from the 1983 study to this study for 1988. Water levels in the Piney Point aquifer were as low as 56 feet below sea level at Seaside Park, Ocean County; 45 feet below sea level in southern Cumberland County; and 28 feet below sea level at Margate, Atlantic County. Water levels in the Vincentown aquifer did not change over the 6-year period. The lowest water levels in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer and the Englishtown aquifer system were 218 feet and 256 feet below sea level, respectively. Large cones of depression in the Potomac- Raritan-Magothy aquifer system are centered in the Camden County area and the Middlesex and Monmouth County area. Water levels declined as much as 46 feet in these areas over the 6-year period.

Evaluation of water levels in major aquifers of the New Jersey coastal plain, 1978

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walker, R.L.

1983-01-01

Increased withdrawals from the major artesian aquifers that underlie the New Jersey Coastal Plain have caused water-level declines and large regional cones of depression. These cones of depression are delineated on detailed potentiometric surface maps produced from water-level data collected in the field in 1978. Water levels for 1978 are compared with those from 1970 or 1973, and water-level changes are evaluated and compared with hydrographs from observation wells. The Potomac-Raritan-Magothy aquifer system is divided into regionally extensive lower and upper aquifers. These aquifers have large cones of depression centered in Camden, Middlesex, and Monmouth Counties. Water levels declined 5 to 20 feet in these areas between 1973 and 1978. Deep cones of depression in coastal Monmouth and Ocean Counties in the Englishtown and Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifers are similar in location and shape, due to a good hydraulic connection between these aquifers. Water levels declined 2 to 31 feet in the Englishtown aquifer and 12 to 26 feet in the Wenonah-Mount Laurel aquifer between 1973 and 1978. Water levels in the Atlantic City 800-foot sand of the Kirkwood Formation define an extensive elongated cone of depression centered near Margate, Atlantic County. Head changes ranged from a decline of 4 feet to a recovery of 9 feet during 1970-78. The lowest heads in the Cohansey Sand were about 26 feet below sea level at Cape May, Cape May County, and less than 0.5 miles from salty ground water. (USGS)

Chemical analyses of ground water for saline-water resources studies in Texas Coastal Plain stored in National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System

USGS Publications Warehouse

Taylor, R.E.

1975-01-01

Chemical analyses of 4,269 water samples from wells in 66 counties in Texas have been processed into the National Water Data Storage and Retrieval System by the Gulf Coast Hydrogeology Project of the U. S. Geological Survey. More than 65,000 chemical analyses of saline waters produced by oil test and production wells have been contributed to the project by major oil companies. The computerized tabulation and the computer-drawn map of the locations of sampling sites are the initial release of oil company, State, and Federal data in Texas Coastal Plain from the data bank.

Altered water and nitrogen input shifts succession in a southern California coastal sage community.

PubMed

Kimball, Sarah; Goulden, Michael L; Suding, Katharine N; Parker, Scot

Vegetation-type conversions between grasslands and shrublands have occurred worldwide in semiarid regions over the last 150 years. Areas once covered by drought-deciduous shrubs in Southern California (coastal sage scrub) are converting to grasslands dominated by nonnative species. Increasing fire frequency, drought, and nitrogen deposition have all been hypothesized as causes of this conversion, though there is little direct evidence. We constructed rain-out shelters in a coastal sage scrub community following a wildfire, manipulated water and nitrogen input in a split-plot design, and collected annual data on community composition for four years. While shrub cover increased through time in all plots during the postfire succession, both drought and nitrogen significantly slowed recovery. Four years after the fire, average native shrub cover ranged from over 80% in water addition, ambient-nitrogen plots to 20% in water reduction, nitrogen addition plots. Nonnative grass cover was high following the fire and remained high in the water reduction plots through the third spring after the fire, before decreasing in the fourth year of the study. Adding nitrogen decreased the cover of native plants and increased the cover of nonnative grasses, but also increased the growth of one crown-sprouting shrub species. Our results suggest that extreme drought during postfire succession may slow or alter succession, possibly facilitating vegetation-type conversion of coastal sage scrub to grassland. Nitrogen addition slowed succession and, when combined with drought, significantly decreased native cover and increased grass cover. Fire, drought, and atmospheric N deposition are widespread aspects of environmental change that occur simultaneously in this system. Our results imply these drivers of change may reinforce each other, leading to a continued decline of native shrubs and conversion to annual grassland.

Astronomy in New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hearnshaw, John B.

2006-01-01

Although New Zealand is a young country, astronomy played a significant role in its early exploration and discovery during the three voyages of Cook from 1769. In the later 19th century several expeditions came to New Zealand to observe the transits of Venus of 1874 and 1882 and New Zealand's rich history of prominent amateur astronomers dates from this time. The Royal Astronomical Society of New Zealand (founded in 1920) has catered for the amateur community. Professional astronomy however had a slow start in New Zealand. The Carter Observatory was founded in 1941. But it was not until astronomy was taken up by New Zealand's universities, notably by the University of Canterbury from 1963, that a firm basis for research in astronomy and astrophysics was established. Mt John University Observatory with its four optical telescopes (largest 1.8 m) is operated by the University of Canterbury and is the main base for observational astronomy in the country. However four other New Zealand universities also have an interest in astronomical research at the present time. There is also considerable involvement in large international projects such as MOA, SALT, AMOR, IceCube and possibly SKA.

Drinking water vulnerability to climate change and alternatives for adaptation in coastal South and South East Asia.

PubMed

Hoque, M A; Scheelbeek, P F D; Vineis, P; Khan, A E; Ahmed, K M; Butler, A P

Drinking water in much of Asia, particularly in coastal and rural settings, is provided by a variety of sources, which are widely distributed and frequently managed at an individual or local community level. Coastal and near-inland drinking water sources in South and South East (SSE) Asia are vulnerable to contamination by seawater, most dramatically from tropical cyclone induced storm surges. This paper assesses spatial vulnerabilities to salinisation of drinking water sources due to meteorological variability and climate change along the (ca. 6000 km) coastline of SSE Asia. The risks of increasing climatic stresses are first considered, and then maps of relative vulnerability along the entire coastline are developed, using data from global scale land surface models, along with an overall vulnerability index. The results show that surface and near-surface drinking water in the coastal areas of the mega-deltas in Vietnam and Bangladesh-India are most vulnerable, putting more than 25 million people at risk of drinking 'saline' water. Climate change is likely to exacerbate this problem, with adverse consequences for health, such as prevalence of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. There is a need for identifying locations that are most at risk of salinisation in order for policy makers and local officials to implement strategies for reducing these health impacts. To counter the risks associated with these vulnerabilities, possible adaptation measures are also outlined. We conclude that detailed and fine scale vulnerability assessments may become crucial for planning targeted adaptation programmes along these coasts.

Genetic diversity and temporal variation of the marine Synechococcus community in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong.

PubMed

Jing, Hongmei; Zhang, Rui; Pointing, Stephen B; Liu, Hongbin; Qian, Peiyuan

2009-03-01

The phylogenetic diversity of the marine Synechococcus community in the subtropical coastal waters of Hong Kong, China, was examined through intergenic transcribed spacer clone libraries. All the sequences obtained fell within both marine cluster A (MC-A) and B (MC-B), with MC-A phylotypes dominating throughout the year. Distinct phylogenetic lineages specific to Hong Kong waters were detected from both MC-A and MC-B. The highest Synechococcus community diversity occurred in December, but the highest Synechococcus abundance occurred in August. On the other hand, both the abundance and diversity of Synechococcus showed a minimum in February. The remarkable seasonal variations of Synechococcus diversity observed were likely the result of the changes of hydrographic condition modulated by monsoons. Principal component analysis revealed that the in situ abiotic water characteristics, especially salinity and water turbidity, explained much of the variability of the marine Synechococcus population diversity in Hong Kong coastal waters. In addition, the temporal changes of Synechococcus abundance were largely driven by water temperature.

CDOM PRODUCTION BY MANGROVE LEAF LITTER AND SARGASSUM COLONIES IN FLORIDA KEYS COASTAL WATERS

EPA Science Inventory

We have investigated the importance of leaf litter from red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and living Sargassum plants as sources of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to the coastal ocean waters and coral reef system of the Florida Keys. The magnitude of UVB exposure t...

Drinking Water Salinity and Maternal Health in Coastal Bangladesh: Implications of Climate Change

PubMed Central

Ireson, Andrew; Kovats, Sari; Mojumder, Sontosh Kumar; Khusru, Amirul; Rahman, Atiq; Vineis, Paolo

2011-01-01

Background: Drinking water from natural sources in coastal Bangladesh has become contaminated by varying degrees of salinity due to saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels, cyclone and storm surges, and upstream withdrawal of freshwater. Objective: Our objective was to estimate salt intake from drinking water sources and examine environmental factors that may explain a seasonal excess of hypertension in pregnancy. Methods: Water salinity data (1998–2000) for Dacope, in rural coastal Bangladesh, were obtained from the Centre for Environment and Geographic Information System in Bangladesh. Information on drinking water sources, 24-hr urine samples, and blood pressure was obtained from 343 pregnant Dacope women during the dry season (October 2009 through March 2010). The hospital-based prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy was determined for 969 pregnant women (July 2008 through March 2010). Results: Average estimated sodium intakes from drinking water ranged from 5 to 16 g/day in the dry season, compared with 0.6–1.2 g/day in the rainy season. Average daily sodium excretion in urine was 3.4 g/day (range, 0.4–7.7 g/day). Women who drank shallow tube-well water were more likely to have urine sodium > 100 mmol/day than women who drank rainwater [odds ratio (OR) = 2.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.11–3.80]. The annual hospital prevalence of hypertension in pregnancy was higher in the dry season (OR = 12.2%; 95% CI, 9.5–14.8) than in the rainy season (OR = 5.1%; 95% CI, 2.91–7.26). Conclusions: The estimated salt intake from drinking water in this population exceeded recommended limits. The problem of saline intrusion into drinking water has multiple causes and is likely to be exacerbated by climate change–induced sea-level rise. PMID:21486720

Integrated subsurface water solutions for coastal environments through integrated pump&treat and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR) schemes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perdikaki, Martha; Kallioras, Andreas; Christoforidis, Christophoros; Iossifidis, Dimitris; Zafeiropoulos, Anastasios; Dimitriadis, Klisthenis; Makropoulos, Christos; Raat, Klaasjan; van den Berg, Gerard

2016-04-01

Coastal wetlands in semi-arid regions, as in Circum-Mediterranean, are considered important ecosystems that provide valuable services to human population and the environment, such as: flood protection, erosion control, wildlife habitat, water quality, recreation and carbon sequestration. Un-managed surface and groundwater exploitation in these areas usually leads to deterioration of such sensitive ecosystems by means of water resources degradation and/or increased salinity. Groundwater usually plays a vital role for the sustainability of these hydrological systems, as the underlying aquifers operate as regulators for both quantity and quality of their waters. Multi-layer and multi-objective Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) systems can be proved effective groundwater engineered solutions for the restoration of deteriorated coastal wetlands in semi- and arid regions. The plain of Marathon is a typical Mediterranean environment that hosts a naturally occurring -and today degraded- coastal wetland with the characteristics of a distinct ecosystem linked to a typical coastal hydrogeological system of a semi-arid region; and therefore can serve as a model for similar systems world-wide. The geo-hydrological setting of the area involves a multi-layer aquifer system consisting of (i) an upper un-consolidated formation of depositional unit dominated mostly by fluvial sediments and (ii) the surrounding and underlying karstified marbles; both being linked to the investigated wetland and also subjected to seawater encroachment. A smart engineered MAR system via an optimised Pump & Treat system integrated with an Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) scheme in this area would include the abstraction of brackish groundwater from the deeper karst aquifer at a location close to the shoreline and direct treatment with Reverse Osmosis (RO). for desalination. Two-fold re-use scheme of the purified effluent can then be engineered for (i) the restoration of the coastal wetland; and (ii

Water and sediment dynamics in the Red River mouth and adjacent coastal zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Maren, D. S.

2007-02-01

The coastline of the Red River Delta is characterized by alternating patterns of rapid accretion and severe erosion. The main branch of the Red River, the Ba Lat, is presently expanding seaward with a main depositional area several km downstream and offshore the Ba Lat River mouth. Sediment deposition rates are approximately 6 m in the past 50 years. Field measurements were done to determine the processes that regulate marine dispersal and deposition of sediment supplied by the Ba Lat. These measurements reveal that the waters surrounding the Ba Lat delta are strongly stratified with a pronounced southward-flowing surface layer. This southward-flowing surface layer is a coastal current which is generated by river plumes that flow into the coastal zone north of the Ba Lat. However, outflow of turbid river water is not continuous and most sediment enters the coastal zone when the alongshore surface velocities are low. As a consequence, most sediment settles from suspension close to the river mouth. In addition to the southward surface flow, the southward near-bottom currents are also stronger than northward currents. Contrasting with the residual flow near-surface, this southward flow component near-bottom is caused by tidal asymmetry. Because most sediment is supplied by the Ba Lat when wave heights are low, sediment is able to consolidate and therefore the long-term deposition is southward of, but still close to, the Ba Lat mouth.

An optical water type framework for selecting and blending retrievals from bio-optical algorithms in lakes and coastal waters

PubMed Central

Moore, Timothy S.; Dowell, Mark D.; Bradt, Shane; Verdu, Antonio Ruiz

2014-01-01

Bio-optical models are based on relationships between the spectral remote sensing reflectance and optical properties of in-water constituents. The wavelength range where this information can be exploited changes depending on the water characteristics. In low chlorophyll-a waters, the blue/green region of the spectrum is more sensitive to changes in chlorophyll-a concentration, whereas the red/NIR region becomes more important in turbid and/or eutrophic waters. In this work we present an approach to manage the shift from blue/green ratios to red/NIR-based chlorophyll-a algorithms for optically complex waters. Based on a combined in situ data set of coastal and inland waters, measures of overall algorithm uncertainty were roughly equal for two chlorophyll-a algorithms—the standard NASA OC4 algorithm based on blue/green bands and a MERIS 3-band algorithm based on red/NIR bands—with RMS error of 0.416 and 0.437 for each in log chlorophyll-a units, respectively. However, it is clear that each algorithm performs better at different chlorophyll-a ranges. When a blending approach is used based on an optical water type classification, the overall RMS error was reduced to 0.320. Bias and relative error were also reduced when evaluating the blended chlorophyll-a product compared to either of the single algorithm products. As a demonstration for ocean color applications, the algorithm blending approach was applied to MERIS imagery over Lake Erie. We also examined the use of this approach in several coastal marine environments, and examined the long-term frequency of the OWTs to MODIS-Aqua imagery over Lake Erie. PMID:24839311

An optical water type framework for selecting and blending retrievals from bio-optical algorithms in lakes and coastal waters.

PubMed

Moore, Timothy S; Dowell, Mark D; Bradt, Shane; Verdu, Antonio Ruiz

2014-03-05

Bio-optical models are based on relationships between the spectral remote sensing reflectance and optical properties of in-water constituents. The wavelength range where this information can be exploited changes depending on the water characteristics. In low chlorophyll- a waters, the blue/green region of the spectrum is more sensitive to changes in chlorophyll- a concentration, whereas the red/NIR region becomes more important in turbid and/or eutrophic waters. In this work we present an approach to manage the shift from blue/green ratios to red/NIR-based chlorophyll- a algorithms for optically complex waters. Based on a combined in situ data set of coastal and inland waters, measures of overall algorithm uncertainty were roughly equal for two chlorophyll- a algorithms-the standard NASA OC4 algorithm based on blue/green bands and a MERIS 3-band algorithm based on red/NIR bands-with RMS error of 0.416 and 0.437 for each in log chlorophyll- a units, respectively. However, it is clear that each algorithm performs better at different chlorophyll- a ranges. When a blending approach is used based on an optical water type classification, the overall RMS error was reduced to 0.320. Bias and relative error were also reduced when evaluating the blended chlorophyll- a product compared to either of the single algorithm products. As a demonstration for ocean color applications, the algorithm blending approach was applied to MERIS imagery over Lake Erie. We also examined the use of this approach in several coastal marine environments, and examined the long-term frequency of the OWTs to MODIS-Aqua imagery over Lake Erie.

Advection of Karenia brevis blooms from the Florida Panhandle towards Mississippi coastal waters.

PubMed

Soto, Inia M; Cambazoglu, Mustafa Kemal; Boyette, Adam D; Broussard, Kristina; Sheehan, Drew; Howden, Stephan D; Shiller, Alan M; Dzwonkowski, Brian; Hode, Laura; Fitzpatrick, Patrick J; Arnone, Robert A; Mickle, Paul F; Cressman, Kimberly

2018-02-01

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) of Karenia brevis have been documented along coastal waters of every state bordering the Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Some Gulf Coast locations, such as Florida and Texas, suffer from recurrent intense and spatially large blooms, while others such as Mississippi seem to rarely observe them. The main objective of this work is to understand the dynamics that led to the K. brevis bloom in Mississippi coastal waters in fall 2015. Blooms of K. brevis from the Florida Panhandle region are often advected westward towards the Mississippi-Alabama coast; however there is interannual variability in their presence and intensity in Mississippi coastal waters. The 2015 K. brevis bloom was compared to the 2007 Florida Panhandle K. brevis bloom, which showed a westward advection pattern, but did not intensify along the Mississippi coast. Cell counts and flow cytometry were obtained from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Alabama Department of Public Health, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and The University of Southern Mississippi. Ocean color satellite imagery from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer onboard the Aqua satellite was used to detect and delineate the blooms in 2007 and 2015. Two different regional applications of NCOM-Navy Coastal Ocean Model (1-km resolution NCOM-GoM/Gulf of Mexico and 6-km resolution NCOM-IASNFS/Intra Americas Sea Nowcast Forecast System) were used to understand the circulation and transport pathways. A Lagrangian particle tracking software was used to track the passive movement of particles released at different locations for both bloom events. Ancillary data (e.g., nutrients, wind, salinity, river discharge) from local buoys, monitoring stations and coincident oceanographic cruises were also included in the analysis. The blooms of K. brevis reached the Mississippi coast both years; however, the bloom in 2007 lasted only a few days and there is no evidence that it entered the

Antibiotics in water and sediments of rivers and coastal area of Zhuhai City, Pearl River estuary, south China.

PubMed

Li, Si; Shi, Wanzi; Li, Huimin; Xu, Nan; Zhang, Ruijie; Chen, Xuejiao; Sun, Weiling; Wen, Donghui; He, Shanliang; Pan, Jianguo; He, Zhidong; Fan, Yingying

2018-09-15

The occurrence, spatiotemporal distribution and ecological risks of 27 antibiotics in water and sediments from rivers and coastal area of Zhuhai, Pearl River estuary, south China were investigated. Higher concentrations of antibiotics were found in river water in dry season than those in wet season (p < 0.01), especially for quinolones (QNs) (6.36-463 ng/L) and aminoglycosides (AGs) (94.9-458 ng/L). In coastal water samples, the concentrations of antibiotics were up to 419 ng/L and 357 ng/L in dry season and wet season, respectively. Higher concentrations of antibiotics in coastal sediment samples were observed in wet season compared with those in dry season (p < 0.01). This may be ascribed to the greater discharge of antibiotics from mariculture and surface sediment flushing in wet season, leading to the accumulation of polluted sediments in the estuary. Redundancy analysis showed that the concentrations of antibiotics in water were correlated with biological/chemical oxygen demand, ammonia nitrogen, and/or total nitrogen (TN). In addition, sediment organic matter (SOC) and TN strongly affected the distribution of antibiotics in sediments. Ecological risk assessment based on risk quotients (RQs) indicated that most antibiotics in water samples posed insignificant risk to fish and green algae, and insignificant to medium risk to daphnid. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantifying Atlantic Menhaden in Estuarine and Coastal Waters of Long Island, New York Using Acoustic Methods