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Impaired Uses and Poor Water Quality in West Bay: Causes and Consequences R. Lawrence Swanson

Impaired Uses and Poor Water Quality in West Bay: Causes and Consequences R. Lawrence Swanson School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University May 12, 2014. Support provided by Battelle New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

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Impaired Uses and Poor Water Quality in West Bay: Causes and Consequences R. Lawrence Swanson

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  1. Impaired Uses and Poor Water Quality in West Bay: Causes and Consequences R. Lawrence Swanson School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University May 12, 2014

  2. Support provided by Battelle New York State Department of Environmental Conservation New York State Department of State New York StateResiliency Institute for Storms & Emergencies (NYS RISE) Town of Hempstead US Geological Survey

  3. Investigators Henry Bokuniewicz Bruce Brownawell Kirk Cochran Charles Flagg Roger Flood Mike Frisk Chris Gobler Anne McElroy Larry Swanson Robert Wilson Students Cassie Bauer Anne Cooper Doherty Ryan Wallace Kaitlin Willig Dongming Yang Collaborators Jim Browne, ToH Tom Doheny, ToH (ret.) Scotty’s Marina and Fishing Contributors to this Report

  4. Impaired waters – those where designated uses are not fully supported • West Bay and Middle Bay • closed to shellfishing • eutrophic

  5. Cause of Eutrophication • Excess nitrogen • Limited flushing

  6. Consequences of Eutrophication • Excessive growth of Ulva • habitat impingement, transient hypoxia, toxic to fish larvae, recreation limitation, odors, disposal costs • 10-year TN concentrations exceed 0.45 mg/L at 11 of 15 stations • Sediments enriched in organic carbon • Harmful algal blooms of Heterosigmaakashiwoand Peridinium spp.

  7. Discharge and Nitrogen Loading to West Bay 1 Quarterly data (November, February, May, August) 2008-2011. 2 Spot data, Summer 2012. 3 Monthlyflow data and quarterly nitrogen data, December 2010-August 2012. 4 Monthly data, 2010-2011 5 Monti, J. and M.P. Scorca. 2003. Trends in Nitrogen Concentration and Nitrogen Loads Entering the South Shore Estuary Reserve from Streams and Ground-Water Discharge in Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Long Island, New York 1952-97. U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Investigations Report 02-4255. Corum, NY. 36 pp.

  8. Hazen and Sawyer, 2014

  9. Annual daily averaged discharge at Bay Park and Cedar Creek WPCP 1952-2010.

  10. Total Nitrogen- Effluent Bay Park STP 2007-2011

  11. Mean = 0.37 mg/L Nitrate concentration vs. elevation in winter months (October-March) at Hog Island Channel Data Station. (Data from US Geological Survey.)

  12. Comparison between Ulva growth and surface nitrate concentrations.

  13. Phytoplankton Biomass Hewlett Bay, and to a lesser extent, Middle Bay experience massive phytoplankton blooms during summer. = Jones Beach Inlet = Hewlett Bay = Middle Bay = Eastern Bay

  14. Dissolved oxygen concentrations (mg O2/L) as a function of time in Hewlett Bay.

  15. Dye Distribution Released from Bay Park Outfall USGS Water Quality Station, Island Park Town of Hempstead, 1987

  16. Residence times of particles in West and Middle Bays. Color bar is time in hours.

  17. Data from US Geological Survey

  18. Bay Park Sewage Treatment Plant Flooding from Superstorm Sandy

  19. Range of Nitrate Concentrations Before and After Superstorm Sandy (1 standard deviation) Mean 1 standard deviation

  20. Bay Park STP Effluent Water Quality (2012) Nassau County Department of Public Works

  21. Flushing Analysis Using Particle Tracking in East Rockaway Channel: SUNY Modeling Analysis Nassau County Department of Public Works

  22. To enhance resiliency and reduce impaired uses within West Bay • construct an ocean outfall • implement tertiary treatment at the Bay Park STP • recycle a portion of the tertiary treated sewage to groundwater

  23. Next Steps – Phase II of NYS RISE? • Risk Assessment • Undertake a thorough evaluation of the environmental conditions in and around the Cedar Creek and Bergen Point ocean outfalls.

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