The Effects of Nutrient Pollution on the Neuse River Estuary

1. The Effects of Nutrient Pollution on the Neuse River Estuary Valerie Winkelmann

4. What is nutrient pollution or eutrophication? • A slow natural process of enrichment • Produces enhanced productivity in the body of water • Caused by elevated nutrient loading • Nitrogen is of main concern in Neuse River Estuary (NRE)

6. Eutrophication leads to… • Accelerated enrichment by artificial means produces population explosions of phytoplankton, a.k.a. algal blooms • Algae exceed carrying capacity and die • Bacterial decomposition creates high BOD • Compounded by low DO due to summer water temps • Hypoxic or even anoxic conditions

7. SO WHAT?

8. Problems… • Fish kills result from anoxic conditions or toxic blooms • Harms shellfisheries as well • Phytoplankton are base of the food chain • Organisms selectively feed • Pfiesteria and other toxic blooms • Alter community structure

10. Sources of nutrient pollution • Anthropogenic • Urban: wastewater treatment plants • Industrial: point source • Agricultural: fertilizer and animal waste • Sediments: highly organic sediments decompose, oxygen sink • Atmospheric deposition

11. Over 5 years… • Phosphorous loading decreased 14% • Total nitrogen loading increased 16% • Total inorganic nitrogen increased 38%

12. FYI • 441 point dischargers contributed 3.34 x 10^8 L effluent/d • 554 concentrated animal operations • Swine production in the basin has increased 285% in the last decade • In 1998, 5.9 x 10^9 kg manure from pigs and poultry contributed 4.1 x 10^7 kg N and 1.4 x 10^7 kg P

13. Solutions • State regulations require a 30% reduction in N loading by 2003 • Reduce impervious cover • Retention ponds • Riparian buffers • Strict regulation on point source polluters • Nutrient management • Controlled drainage • Conservation tillage system

14. Eventual Outcome

15. Acknowledgments • Ms. Kelly McFarlin Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI