Chesapeake Bay Maryland (CBM) NERR Nutrient Metadata February-December 2004 Latest Update: July 21, 2005
Entry ID:
CDMO_cbmnut02-12.04m
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Summary
Abstract:
Nutrient monitoring is conducted at 26 National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) from four locations within or adjacent to the reserve on a monthly basis of the following parameters: orthophosphate, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, and chlorophyll a. Note: Reserves may collect additional parameters which are available by searching the Yearly Files directory.
Purpose:
Research objectives The principal objectives of this effort are to provide baseline nutrient concentration data at fixed sites throughout the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maryland's (CBM NERR) tidal waters. This information supports the National Estuarine Research Reserve's (NERR) System Wide Monitoring Program (SWMP) and supplements ... water quality information taken at the same fixed sites. Specific goals of this effort include: 1) tracking and recording nutrient conditions to better understand and explain current conditions with the aid of additional data (water quality and meteorological) collected concurrently 2) creating a database capable of detecting long-term changes in nutrient conditions of these systems 3) recording and identifying temporal and spatial differences in nutrient conditions to include changes on a diel time frame and to collect ancillary data in support of other research efforts. At CBM NERR, water quality and nutrient data were collected at four sites during 2004. Three sites are at the Jug Bay Component of the Reserve and one site is at the Otter Point Creek Component. The three sites at Jug Bay were selected in an effort to examine water quality and nutrient information across different spatial scales and at sites demonstrating different levels of anthropogenic activities. The site at Otter Point Creek was selected to provide baseline information for the Otter Point Creek site and to use for comparison to one or more of the Jug Bay sites. a) Monthly Grab Sampling Program The goals of the monthly grab samples are to create a long-term database of nutrient information at each site for the purpose of detecting temporal and spatial changes. This nutrient information supplements water chemistry data to provide a complete picture of water quality at the NERR sites. b) Diel Sampling Program The goal of the diel sampling is to catalog short-term variability in nutrient concentrations across different tidal cycles at the Jug Bay Railroad site. This temporal nutrient data provides a comprehensive look at the variation in water quality over a 24- hour period. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION: Associated researchers and projects The Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary staff has been collecting weekly to monthly temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and nutrient samples at various tidal and non-tidal sites throughout the Jug Bay marsh since 1989. One of their historic sites includes the current (RR) site as well as the historic (1995-2002) (JB) site. Sampling for their sites is done monthly throughout the year (when ice is not present) and includes parameters such as nitrate/nitrite, ammonium and chlorophyll a. Additionally, the staff samples at other sites throughout the Jug Bay marsh, which provide additional similar data at a larger spatial scale. Staff at the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center at Otter Point Creek, in conjunction with CBNERR/MD staff, have also been collecting bi-weekly to monthly temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, total suspended solids, chlorophyll a, and nutrient samples (to include nitrate/nitrite, ammonium, ortho-phosphate, total nitrogen and total phosphorus) at the same location as datalogger OC and 5 other sites in the OPC marsh since 2002. For more information on either the Jud Bay Wetlands Sanctuary or Otter Point Creek monitoring, contact Julie Bortz, the Reserve's Research Coordinator. Additional discrete nutrient data and semi-continuous water quality data is also available through the Department of Natural Resources Continuous Monitoring Program (see www.eyesonthebay.net) that provides increased spatial coverage of many of the same parameters around both RR and OC sites for 2004. This monitoring program included as many as 28 additional continuous monitoring sites (similar to the CBM NERR effort) throughout Maryland tidal waters sampled semi-continuously (every 15 minutes) from April-October 2004. In addition to the high temporal resolution of water quality at these sites, Maryland Department of Natural Resources also conducts water quality cruises between and amongst many of these same sites which are used to create interpolated water quality maps, providing a high degree of spatial resolution around their permanent continuous monitoring (YSI sonde) sites. Interpolated water quality maps are available for both the Jug Bay and Otter Point Creek sites through the Maryland Department of Natural Resources or CBM NERR. The Maryland Department of Natural Resources Continuous Monitoring Program began in 1999 with the number of sites monitored increasing yearly to 2004. For more information on this program and the water quality monitoring cruises see www.eyesonthebay.net or contact Chris Heyer at the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Other Remarks The 2004 sampling year was a relatively typical year for the Chesapeake Bay region regarding temperature and precipitation. For more information regarding rainfall and storms which may have impacted water quality and nutrient concentrations at the above four sites, meteorological information is available at both sites and can be obtained by contacting Julie Bortz, the Reserve's Research Coordinator. In addition to the meteorological, water quality, and nutrient data, more precise depth data is available for the OC site via an YSI 600LS vented depth sonde. This data covers the dates of October 8, 2004 to December 31, 2004. CURRENTNESS REFERENCE: Observed SPATIAL DATA ORGANIZATION INFORMATION: Indirect Spatial Reference: Site location and character The Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Maryland consists of three components: Otter Point Creek on the Bush River along the upper western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, Jug Bay along the Patuxent River in the middle Bay and Monie Bay on the lower eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. At CBM NERR, water quality and nutrient data are collected at four sites. Three sites are at the Jug Bay Component of the Reserve and one site is at the Otter Point Creek Component. The Jug Bay Component of the Reserve is located in the tidal headwaters of the Patuxent River. The watershed for this portion of the river includes portions of the DC Metropolitan area but has dense, tracks of protected riparian areas surrounding this portion of the river. Jug Bay itself, is a 722-acre tidal estuary providing a narrow transition zone between brackish marshes and upland freshwater wetlands. The broad, shallow waters of Jug Bay support a profusion of freshwater plants and animals. Vegetation crowds the river channel and forms an interlaced pattern of tidal and non-tidal marshes, swamps and forested wetlands surrounded by upland woods and fields. The Otter Point Creek Component of the Reserve is located along the tidal headwaters of the Bush River, which drains much of Harford County, including the rapidly growing town of Bel Air, Maryland. Otter Point Creek is a tributary of the Bush River in the upper Chesapeake Bay and consists of 672 acres of open water, tidal marshes, forested wetlands and upland hardwood forests, surrounded by major highways, large residential communities, and heavy commercial and industrial development. The following is a list of sites with a detailed description of site characteristics and other relevant information. Mataponi Creek (MC) 38° 44.599'N, 76° 42.446'W (NAD83) or 38.74331667, -76.70743333 (GIS format) Site MC is located at the Jug Bay Component of the Reserve, in a small tributary (Mataponi Creek) off the upper tidal headwaters of the Patuxent River, Maryland. MC is 2.4 km upstream from the mouth and located in the midchannel of the creek, which is approximately 7m wide at that point. The southern bank is steep and covered mainly with hardwood trees while the Northern bank is tidal marsh. The YSI water quality sonde was deployed vertically in a perforated PVC pipe. Average depth at this site is roughly 0.7 meters with a mean tidal fluctuation of approximately 0.6 m. The YSI is deployed 0.25 m off of the creek bottom. Salinities at this site rarely exceed 0.1 ppt. The bottom habitat is soft sediment, and submerged macrophytes are abundant and dense during the summer months. Because this site is located along the main channel of the Mataponi Creek, water quality is reflective of the general quality of water flowing along the main portion of the creek. The submerged macrophyte community at this site is seasonally very dense and thus water quality is thought to be strongly influenced by the presence of SAV during the summer months. Because of the dense submerged macrophyte community and limited degree of anthropogenic activities occurring within the watershed of this site, MC is thought to be a "reference" water quality site for the Reserve. Historic sampling at this site began in 2003. Railroad Bridge (RR) 38° 46.877'N, 76° 42.822'W (NAD 83) or 38.78128333, -76.7137 (GIS format) Site RR is located in the mainstem of the upper tidal headwaters of the Patuxent River, Maryland. The site is slightly upstream (roughly 0.3km) from Jackson's Landing at the Patuxent River Park (previous PR site). This section of the Patuxent River is approximately 70m wide and average depth at the site is 1.4m. The YSI sonde is deployed 0.25 m off of the river bottom. Bottom habitat is soft sediment, and submerged macrophytes are evident in the shallow areas (<0.5m MLW) during summer months. Mean tidal fluctuation is approximately 0.6 m. The site location (RR) is at the end of the old railroad bed and is deployed vertically in a perforated PVC pipe near midchannel of the Patuxent River. Because this site is located along the main channel of the Patuxent River, water quality is reflective of the general quality of water flowing along the main portion of the river. The site is roughly 1km downstream of the confluence of the Western Branch tributary and the Patuxent River Mainstem. Thus water quality is influenced by Western Branch tributary which receives tertiary treated effluent from a large wastewater treatment plant (averaging 10-20 mgd ) which discharges directly into the Western Branch tributary of the Patuxent River just upstream of site IP. Because of the location of this site along the main portion of the Patuxent River, this site is thought to be characteristic of this portion of the Patuxent River and thus similar to the historic (1995-2002) site (Jug Bay) located at 38° 46' 50.6" N, 76° 42' 29.1" W. Iron Pot Landing (IP) 38° 47.760'N, 76° 43.248' W (NAD 83) or 38.796, -76.7208 (GIS Format) Site IP is located 2.09km from the mouth of Western Branch. The YSI sonde at IP is deployed vertically in a perforated PVC pipe and attached to a small pier near midchannel of the river and has an average depth of 1.6m. The YSI is deployed 0.25 m off of the river bottom. The site is roughly 1km downstream of a large (10-20 mgd) wastewater treatment plant effluent discharge site. The river is approximately 15m wide and flows through extensive riparian buffers. Both banks of the river are flanked by hardwood flora. Tides are semi-diurnal and mean tidal fluctuation is approximately 0.6 m. Salinity at this site is generally 0.1 ppt. Bottom habitat is soft sediment, and narrow submerged macrophyte grassbeds are occasionally evident in the shallow areas downstream during the summer months. Because of the proximity of this site to the discharge location for a large WWTP, this site is considered an "impacted" site for the reserve. Historic sampling at this site began in 2003. Otter Point Creek (OC) 39° 27.047'N, 76° 16.474'W (NAD 83) or 39.45078333, -76.27456667 (GIS Format) Site OC is located within the Otter Point Creek Component of the Reserve, in the tidal headwaters of the Bush River. The Otter Point Creek component is a large but shallow tidally flooded marsh with average depths less then 1m on low tide. The site is approximately 0.3km from the Anita C. Leight Estuary Center. Site OC is deployed vertically in a perforated PVC pipe and has an average depth of 0.7m. The YSI is deployed 0.25 m off of the creek bottom. Bottom habitat is extremely soft sediment, and submerged macrophyte communities inundate the site during summer months, creating a dense and almost impenetrable ground cover. Salinity at this station rarely rises above 0.1 ppt. Tides in Otter Point Creek are semi-diurnal and have a mean range of about 0.3 m. The average water levels are generally lower in the winter due to north and northwest winds that increase the egress from Chesapeake Bay. The sonde was periodically exposed to air at some low tides, and sediments at the site are extremely fine and flocculent. Because of the shallowness of the tidal marsh, coupled with the dramatic daily changes in the depth, deployments at the site presented many problems. These problems included periodic exposure of the sonde, very high turbidity and sedimentation rates associated with tidal infiltration and wind and wave generated resuspension, which caused severe fouling of the probes. Water quality at the site represented extreme shallow water habitats. Thus it is not uncommon to see very large fluctuations in temperature and dissolved oxygen at this site ranging from complete anoxia to full saturation, due in part to the shallow nature of the site, presence of dense macrophyte communities, and the effects of marsh processes on water quality. This site is thought to be representative of water quality within the Otter Point Creek component throughout most of the year, with the exception of the summer months when dense submerged macrophyte communities greatly influence the site. Historic sampling at this site began in 2003.
Geographic Coverage
(Click for Interactive Map)
Spatial coordinates
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N: 39.45
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S: 38.19
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E: -75.79
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W: -76.71
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Data Set Citation
Dataset Originator/Creator:
Julie Bortz-Research, John Zimmerelli, Chris Trumbauer, Carl Zimmermann, Chris Heyer
Dataset Title:
Chesapeake Bay Maryland (CBM) NERR Nutrient Metadata February-December 2004 Latest Update: July 21, 2005
Dataset Release Date:
2006-02-23
Data Presentation Form:
Unknown
Other Citation Details:
NA
Online Resource:
http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/
Temporal Coverage
Start Date:
1976-06-01
Stop Date:
1984-08-01
Access Constraints
None
Use Constraints
Consider the age of the data (1976-1984), the sampling density (1-km grid) and the spatial and temporal variability of estuarine sediments in evaluating the fitness for use of this data set. Graphic displays and printed tabular listings derived from this data set may be used in publications and presentations, provided that credit is ... given to the originators of the data set (see Section 1.1 Citation). The Maryland Geological Survey (MGS) makes no warranty, either express or implied, as to the use or appropriateness of the data, and there are no warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or use. MGS may not be subject to liability for human error, defect, or failure of machines, or any material used in connection with the machines, including tapes, disks, punch card and energy. MGS may not be liable for any lost profits, consequential damages, or claims against the user by third parties. 
Distribution
Distribution Media:
Electronic
Distribution Format:
ASCII
Fees:
No Fees
Personnel
Role:
DIF AUTHOR
Phone:
(301) 614-6898
Fax:
301-614-5268
Email:
Tyler.B.Stevens at nasa.gov
Contact Address:
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Global Change Master Directory
City:
Greenbelt
Province or State:
MD
Postal Code:
20771
Country:
USA
Role:
TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone:
410-554-5519
Fax:
410-554-5502
Email:
lhennessee at mgs.dnr.md.gov
City:
Baltimore
Province or State:
MD
Postal Code:
21218
Country:
USA
Role:
TECHNICAL CONTACT
Phone:
410-554-5543
Fax:
410-554-5502
Email:
jhalka at mgs.dnr.md.gov
City:
Baltimore
Province or State:
MD
Postal Code:
21218
Country:
USA
Publications/References
Cuthbertson, R.H., ed., 1987, Chesapeake Bay Earth Science Atlas Nos. 1,2, (No. 1: Head of Chesapeake Bay; No. 2: Approaches to Baltimore Harbor): Baltimore, MD, Maryland Geological Survey. Kerhin, R.T., ed., 1980, Chesapeake Bay Earth Science Atlas No. 3: Eastern Bay and South River: Baltimore, MD, Maryland Geological Survey. Halka, J.P., ed., 1982, Chesapeake Bay Earth Science Atlas No. ... 4: Choptank River and Herring Bay: Baltimore, MD, Maryland Geological Survey. Halka, J.P., and Wells, D.V., eds., 1982, Chesapeake Bay Earth Science Atlas No. 5: Patuxent River and Vicinity: Baltimore, MD, Maryland Geological Survey. Kerhin, R.T., Halka, J.P., Wells, D.V., Hennessee, E.L., Blakeslee, P.J., Zoltan, N., and Cuthbertson, R.H., 1988, The Surficial Sediments of Chesapeake Bay, Maryland: Physical Characteristics and Sediment Budget: Baltimore, MD, Maryland Geological Survey Report of Investigations No. 48, 82 p. Hennesse, E.L, Blakeslee, P.J., and Hill, J.M., 1986, The distributions of organic carbon and sulfur in surficial sediments of the Maryland portion of Chesapeake Bay: Jour. Sed. Pet., v. 56, no. 5, p. 674-683.
Creation and Review Dates
DIF Creation Date:
2002-06-24
Last DIF Revision Date:
2011-12-23
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