[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]










                                                               NOAA's Estuarine
       19                                              Eutrophication Surve@@
                                                     Volume 1: South Atlantic Region
        Q




       Q'@ -9


        Q@








                                                                                 September 1996





                                           Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment
                                                                            National Ocean Service
                                                  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
                                                                     U.S. Department of Commerce

          QH
           91.8
           E87
           N63
           1996
           VA






            The National Estuarine Inventory
          The National Estuarine Inventory (NEI) represents a series of activities conducted by NOANs Office of Ocean
          Resources Conservation and Assessment (ORCA) since the early 1980s to define the nation's estuarine resource
          base and develop a national assessment capability, Over 120 estuaries are included (Appendix 3), representing
          over 90 percent of the estuarine surface water and freshwater inflow to the coastal regions of the contiguous
          United States. Each estuary is defined spatially by an estuarine drainage area (EDA)-the land and water area of
          a watershed that directly affects the estuary. The EDAs provide a framework for organizing information and for
          conducting analyses between and among systems.

          To dale, ORCA has compiled a broad base of descriptive and analytical information for the NEI. Descriptive
          topics include physical and hydrologic characteristics, distribution and abundance of selected fishes and inver-
          tebrates, trends in human population, building permits, coastal recreation, coastal wetlands, classified shellfish
          growing waters, organic and inorganic pollutants in fish tissues and sediments, point and nonpoint pollution
          for selected parameters, and pesticide use. Analytical topics include relative susceptibility to nutrient discharges,
          structure and variability of salinity, habitat suitability modeling, and socioeconomic assessments.

          For a list of publications or more information about the NEI, contact C. John Klein, Chief, Physical Environ-
          ments Characterization Branch, at the address below.
          I The Estuarine Eutrophication Survey
          ORCA initiated the Estuarine Eutrophication Survey in October 1992. The goal is to comprehensively assess the
          scale and scope of nutrient enrichment and eutrophication in the NEI estuaries (see above) and to provide an
          information base for formulating a national response that may include future research and monitoring. The
          Survey is based, in part, upon a series of workshops conducted by ORCA in 1991-92 to facilitate the exchange of
          ideas on eutrophication in U.S. estuaries and to develop recommendations for conducting a nationwide survey.
          The survey process involves the systematic acquisition of a consistent and detailed set of qualitative data from
          the existing expert knowledge base (i.e., coastal and estuarine scientists) through a series of surveys, site visits,
          and regional workshops.

          The original survey forms were mailed to over 400 experts in 1993. The methods and initial results were evalu-
          ated in May 1994 by a panel of NOAA, state, and academic experts. The panel recommended that ORCA pro-
          ceed with a regional approach for completing data collection, including site visits with selected experts to fill
          dat a gaps, regional workshops to finalize and reach consensus on the responses to each question, and regional
          reports on the results. The Mid-Atlantic regional workshop was held in January 1995 and a draft regional report
          has been completed. The South Atlantic regional workshop was held in February 1996 and this document is the
          regional report.

          Site visits, regional workshops, and regional reports will be completed for the Gulf of Mexico, North Atlantic,
          and West Coast in the next six to eight months. A national assessment report of the status and health of the
          nation's estuaries will be developed from the survey results. In addition, an "indicator" of ecosystem health will
          also be published. Both national products will require one or more workshops to discuss and reach consensus
          on the methods proposed for conducting these analyses. ORCA also expects to recommend a series of follow-up
          activities that may include additional and/or improved water quality monitoring, and case studies in specific
          estuaries for further characterization and analysis.

          For publications or additional information, contact Suzanne Bricker, Project Manager, at the address below.
                                         Strategic Environmental Assessments Division/ORCA
                                         1305 East West Highway, SSMC-4, N/0RCA1
                                         Silver Spring, MD 20910
                                         301/713-3000
                                         http://seaservernos,noaa.gov





                     NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey
                                                        Volume 1: South Atlantic Region







                                                      Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and Assessment
                                                                                            National Ocean Service
                                                           National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
                                                                                          Silver Spring, MD 20910






















                                                                                                 September 1996




              This report should be cited as: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), 1996. NOAA's
              Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 1: South Atlantic Region. Silver Spring, MD. Office of Ocean
              Resources Conservation Assessment. 50 p.






                 ORCA Organization                                                                     contents

             The Office of Ocean Resources Conservation and As-                                        Introduction              ...........................................  1
             sessment (ORCA) is one of four major line offices of                                         The Problem            ..............................................1
             the      National            Oceanic           and Atmospheric                               Objectives          ..................................................1
             Administration's (NOAA) National Ocean Service.                                              Methods          .....................................................2
             ORCA provides data, information, and knowledge for                                           Next Steps         ..................................................5
             decisions that affect the quality of natural resources in
             the nation's coastal, estuarine, and marine areas. It also
             manages NOAA's marine pollution programs. ORCA                                            Regional Overview                    ...............................   6
             consists of three divisions and a center: the Strategic                                      The Setting: Regional Geography                          .......... 6
             Environmental Assessments Division (SEA), the                                                About the Results               .....................  ...............8
             Coastal Monitoring and Bioeffects Assessment Divi-                                           Algal Conditions              .......................................8
             sion (CMBAD), the Hazardous Materials Response                                                      Chlorophyll a
             and Assessment Division (HA2MAT), and the Dam-                                                      Turbidity
             age Assessment Center (DAC), part of NOAA's Dam-                                                    Total Suspended Solids
             age Assessment and Restoration Program.                                                             Nuisance Algae
                                                                                                                 Toxic Algae
                Project Team                                                                                     Macroalgae
                                                                                                                 Epiphytes
             Suzanne Bricker, Project Manager                                                             Nutrients        .................................................. 12
             Christopher Clement                                                                                 Nitrogen
             Scot Frew                                                                                           Phosphorus
             Michelle Harmon                                                                              Dissolved Oxygen             ..................................... 13
             Douglas Pirhalla                                                                                    Anoxia
                                                                                                                 Hypoxia
                                                                                                                 Biological Stress
                Acknowledgments                                                                           Ecosystem Response                  .............................. 15
                                                                                                                 Primary Productivity
             The Project Team would like to thank SEA Division                                                   Planktonic Community
             Chief Daniel J. Basta as well as Charles Alexander and                                              Benthic Community
             C. John Klein of the SEA Division for providing direc-                                              SAV
             tion and support throughout the development of the                                                  Intertidal Wetlands
             report and the survey process. Our thanks also go to
             Elaine Knight of South Carolina Sea Grant, and Gail                                      References            ............................................   17
             Moody at the National Ocean Service's Coastal Ser-
             vice Center, for logistical support during the South
             Atlantic Regional Workshop. Finally, we gratefully ac-                                   Estuary Summaries                     .............................  19
             knowledge the production support of Miranda Har-
             ris and Pam Rubin of the SEA Division.                                                   Regional Summary                      .............................. 42

                                                                                                      Appendix 1: Participants                        ...................  43

                                                                                                      Appendix 2: Estuary References                               ......  45

                                                                                                      Appendix 3: NEI Estuary List                            ...........  50







                                                              Introduction

             This section presents an overview of how the Estuarine Eutrophication Survey is being conducted. It includes a statement
             of the problem, a summary of the project objectives, and a discussion of the project origins and methods. A diagram illus-
             trates the project process and a table details the data being collected. The section closes with a brief description of the
             remaining tasks. For additional information, please see inside thefront cover of this report.

               About This Report                                             Coastal and estuarine waters are now among the most
                                                                             heavily fertilized environments in the world (Nixon
             This report presents the results of ORCA!s Estuarine            et al., 1986). Nutrient sources include point (e.g. waste-
             Eutrophication Survey for 21 estuaries of the South             water treatment plants) and nonpoint (e.g. agriculture,
             Atlantic region of the United States. It is the first in        lawns, gardens) discharges. These inputs are known
             what is expected to be a series of five regional sum-           to have direct effects on water quality. For example, in
             maries (South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico,           extreme conditions, excess nutrients can stimulate ex-
             North Atlantic, and West Coast). A national report on           cessive algal blooms that can lead to increased metabo-
             the overall project results is also expected. The Survey        lism and turbidity, decreased dissolved oxygen, and
             is a component of ORCA's National Estuarine Inven-              changes in community structure-a condition de-
             tory (NEI) - an ongoing series of activities to provide a       scribed by ecologists as eutrophication (Day et al., 1989;
             better understanding of the nation's estuaries and their        Nixon, 1995; NOAA, 1989). Indirect effects can include
             attendant resources (see inside front cover).                   impacts to cornmercial fisheries, recreation, and even
                                                                             public health (e.g. Boyton et al., 1982; Rabalais and
             The report is organized into five sections: Introduc-           Harper, 1992; Rabalalis, 1992; Paerl, 1988; Whitledge
             tion, Regional Overview, References, Estuary Sumrna-            and Pulich, 1991; NOAA, 1992; Burholder et al., 1992;
             ries and Regional Summary. It also includes three ap-           Cooper, 1995; Lowe et al., 1991; Orth and Moore, 1984;
             pendices. The Introduction provides background in-              Kemp et al., 1983; Stevenson et al., 1993; Burkholder
             formation on project objectives, process, and methods.          et al., 1992a, Ryther and Dunstun, 1971; Smayda, 1989;
             The Regional Overview presents a summary of find-               Whitledge, 1985; Nixon, 1983).
             ings for each parameter and includes a regional map
             and maps illustrating the results for selected param-           Reports and papers from workshops, panels, and com-
             eters. Next are the Estuary Summaries-one-page                  missions have consistently identified nutrient enrich-
             summaries of Survey results for each of 21 South At-            ment and eutrophication as increasingly serious prob-
             lantic estuaries. Each page includes a narrative sum-           lems in U.S. estuaries (National Academy of Science,
             mary, a salinity map, a table of key physical and hy-           1969; Ryther and Dunstan, 1971; Likens, 1972; NOAA,
             drologic information, and a matrix summary of data              1991; Frithsen, 1989;jaworski, 1981). These conclusions
             results. The Regional Summary displays existing pa-             are based on numerous local and regional investiga-
             rameter conditions and their spatial coverage across            tions into the location and severity of nutrient prob-
             the region. Appendix 1 lists the regional experts who           lems, and into the specific causes. However, evaluat-
             participated in the survey. Appendix 2 presents the             ing this problem on a national scale and formulating a
             references suggested by workshop participants for un-           meaningful strategy for improvements requires a dif-
             derstanding better the status and trends of nutrient            ferent approach.
             enrichment in South Atlantic estuaries. Appendix 3
             presents a complete list of NEI estuaries.                      I Objectives
               The Problem                                                   The Estuarine Eutrophication Survey will provide the
                                                                             first comprehensive assessment of the temporal scale,
             Between 1960-2010, U.S. population has increased, and           scope, and severity of nutrient enrichment and
             it is projected to continue to increase, most significantly     eutrophication-related phenomena in the Nation's
             in coastal states (Culliton et al., 1990). This steady in-      major estuaries. 'Me goal is not necessarily to define
             flux of people is placing unprecedented stress on the           one or more estuaries as eutrophic. Rather, it is to sys-
             Nation's coastal and estuarine ecosystems. Ironically,          tematically and accurately characterize the scale and
             these changes threaten the quality of life that many            scope of eutrophication related, water-quality param-
             new coastal residents seek. One of the most promi-              eters in over 100 U.S. estuaries. The project has four
             nent barometers of coastal environmental stress is es-          specific objectives:
             tuarine water quality, particularly with respect to the
             inputs of nutrients.






          NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Voltinie I - South Atlantic
            1 -To assess the existing conditions and trends, for         into a comprehensible whole due to incompatible data
               the base period 1970 to present, of estuarine             types, formats, time periods, and methods. Alterna-
               eutrophication parameters in 129 estuaries of the         tively, ORCA elected to systematically acquire a con-
               contiguous United States;                                 sisterit and detailed set of qualitative data from the
                                                                         existing expert knowledge base (i.e., coastal and es-
            2. To publish results in a series of regional reports        tuarine scientists) through a series of surveys, inter-
               and a national assessment report;                         views, and regional workshops.
            3. To formulate a national response to identified            Identifying the Parameters and Parameter Characteris tics
               problems; and                                             TO be included in the Survey, a parameter had to be
            4. To develop a national "indicator" of estuarine            (1) essential for accurate characterization of nutrient
               health based upon the survey results.                     enrichment; (2) generally available for most estuaries;
                                                                         (3) comparable among estuaries; and (4) based upon
          ORCA also expects to recommend a series of follow-             existing data and/or knowledge (i.e., no new moni-
          up activities that may include additional and/or im-           toring or analysis required). Based upon the work-
          proved water-quality monitoring, and case studies in           shops described above and additional meetings with
          specific estuaries for further characterization and            experts, seventeen parameters were selected (Table 1).
          analysis.                                                      The next step was to establish response ranges to en-
            Methods                                                      sure discrete gradients among responses. For example,
                                                                         the survey asks whether nitrogen is high, medium, or
          The topic of estuarine eutrophication has been receiv-         low based upon specific thresholds (e.g., High -a 1 mg/
          ing increasing attention recently in both the scientific       1, Medium @! 0.1 < I mg/l, low > 0 <0.1 mg/l, or un-
          literature (Nixon, 1995) and in the activities of coastal      known). The ranges were determined from nationwide
          resource management agencies. In the United States,            data and from discussions with eutrophication experts.
          investigators have generated thousands of data records         The thresholds used to classify ranges are designed to
          and dozens of reports over the past decade that docu-          distinguish conditions among estuaries on a national
          ment seasonal and annual changes in estuarine water            basis and may not distinguish among estuaries within
          quality, primary productivity, and inputs of nutrients.        a region.
          The operative question for this project is how to best         Temporal Framework: Existing Conditions and Trends
          use this knowledge and information to characterize
          these parameters for the contiguous United States.             For each parameter, information is requested for ex-
          Preparingfor a national survey                                 isting conditions and recent trends. Existing conditions
                                                                         describe maximum parameter values observed over a
          To answer this question, ORCA conducted three work-            typical annual cycle (e.g., normal freshwater inflow,
          shops in 1991-92 with local and regional estuarine sci-        average temperatures, etc.). For instance, for nutrients,
          entists and coastal resource managers. Two workshops           ORCA collected infon-nation characterizing peak con-
          held at the University of Rhode Island's Graduate              centrations observed during the annual cycle such as
          School of Oceanography in January 1991 (Hinga et al.,          those associated with the spring runoff and/or turn-
          1991) consisted of presentations by invited speakers           over. For chlorophyll a, ORCA collected information
          and discussions of the measures and effects associated         on peak concentrations that are typically reached dur-
          with nutrient problems. The purpose was to facilitate          mg a bloom period. Ancillary information is also re-
          the exchange of ideas on how to best characterize              quested to describe the timing and duration of elevated
          eutrophication in U.S. estuaries and to consider sug-          concentrations (or low levels in the case of dissolved
          gestions for the design of ORCA!s proposed data col-           oxygen). This information is collected because all re-
          lection survey. A third workshop, held in April 1992           gions do not show the same periodicity, and, for some
          at the Airlie Conference Center in Virginia, focused           estuaries, high concentrations can occur at any time
          specifically on developing recommendations for con-            epending upon estuarine conditions.
          ducting a nationwide survey                                    For some parameters, such as nuisance and toxic
          Given the limited resources available for this project,        blooms, there is no standard threshold concentration
          it was not practical to try to gather and consolidate          that causes problems. In these cases a parameter is
          the existing data records. Even if it were possible to         considered a problem if it causes a detrimental impact
          do this, it would be very difficult to merge these data        on biological resources. Ancillary descriptive informa-
                                                                         tion is also collected for these parameters (Table 1).

          2


~0




                                                                                                                                        NOAA's Est~ari~~~ E~t~~phic~~ion S~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~c                            South ~~~~~~~~~


                                                    PARAMETERS                                                   EXISTING CONDITIONS                                                                 TRENDS

                                                                                                 (predominant maximum values observed over a typical annual cycle)                                1970 - 1995)
                                                                                             Surface concentrations:                                                                       ~Conc~en~trati~on~s3~.4
                                                                                                 Hypereu~irophic ~(>~60 ~p~q chl-a~ll) High ~(~,20, 60 p~q ch~t-aA)
                                             CHLOROPHY~L~LA                                        Medium ~(~@~S, 20 pg ~c~h~i-~a/~!~)          Low ~(~@O, 5 Pig ~c~n~qW)                                   Limiting factors
                                                                                             Limiting factors to algal biomass (N, P~, Si~, light, other)                                    Contributing ~factors~5
                                                                                             Spatial coverag~e'l, Months of occurrence, Frequency of ~o~ccurr~en~ce2


                                                                                             Secchi disk depths:                                                                           C~oncentrati~ons3~,4
                                             TUR~S~ID~1~7Y                                           H~i~gh~(~<l~m~), Med~ium(l ~M~, 3~m), L~o~w(~@~Z~l~m), Blackwat~erarea                                     Contributing ~factors5
                                                                                             Spatial cov~e~ragel, Months o~f occurrence, Frequency of ~occurr~an~ce2


                                     ~Z                                                       Concentrations:
                                     0
                                     ~L~_                                                          Problem (significant impact upon biological resources)                                                                                                       ~t~il
                                     ~0~0      SUSPENDED SQUIDS                                    No Problem (no significant impact)                                                   (no trends information requested)
                                     ~Z
                                     0
                                                                                             Months of occurrence, Frequency o~f occurrence~2


                                                                                             Occurrence                                                                                    Event dura~tion~3,4
                                                                                                 Problem (significant Impact upon biological resources)
                                             NUISANCE ALGAE                                      No Problem (no significant Impact)                                                        Frequency of ~occurrence3~.4
                                             TOXIC ALGAE                                     Dominant species                                                                              Contributing fac~tors~5
                                                                                             Event duration (Hours, Days, Weeks, Seasonal, Other)
                                                                                             Months o~f occurrence, Frequency of occurr~en~c~e2


                                                                                             -Abundance                                                                                    Abundance3~.4
                                             MACROALGAE                                          Problem (significant Impact upon biological resources)
                                             EPIPHYTES                                           No Problem (no significant impact)                                                        Contributing tac~l~o~r~s5
                                                                                             Months of occurrence, Frequency of ~occurr~en~c~e2


                                                                                             Maximum dissolved surface concentration:                                                      Conce~n~lrations~3~,4
                                             NITROGEN                                            High( 1 mg/1)~, Medium( 0.1     1~, ~41 mgA), Low     0,   0.1 mg/1)                         Contributing factor~s~5
                                     (~n                                                      Spatial cover~agel, Months o~f occurrence
                                     ~Z
                                     ~L~u
                                                                                             Maximum dissolved surface concentration:                                                                            .4
                                                                                                                                                                                           Concentrat~ions~3
                                     ~D
                                     ~Z       PHOSPHORUS                                          High   0.1 m~9~A~), Medium( 0.01, .0.1 mg/1),                                                Contributing ~ta~c~t~o~r~S5
                                                                                                 Low   0, ~< 0.01 ~mg~/~1)
                                 L                                                           Spatial coverag~el, Months of occurrence
                                                                                             Dissolved oxygen condition                                                                    Min. avg. monthly bottom 3A
                                     ~L~-~L~i                                                        Observed                                                                                  dissolved oxygen conc.
                                     ~0       ANOXIA (~0 m~g~qM                                       No Occurrence
                                     ~q?~Z                                                                                                                                                    Frequency of ~occurrence3,4
                                     0       HYPOXIA ~(>~O 2 m~g~/~1)                             Stratification (degree of influence):    (High, Medium. Low, Not a factor)
                                     ~u~i                                                                                                                                                    Event dura~t~ion3~.4
                                     >       ~BIOL STRESS ~q(>2 5 m~9~A~)
                                                                                             Water column depth:      (Surface, Bottom, Throughout water column)
                                     0
                                                                                                                                                                                           Spatial ~coverag~e3~,4
                                     ~(~n
                                     ~(~n                                                      Spatial cov~eragell~, Months of occurrence. Frequency of o~ccurrenc~e2
                                                                                                                                                                                           Contributing ~f~ac~t~or~s~5


                                                                                             Dominant primary producer.                                                                    Temporal shift
                                     ~L~u      PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY                                Pelagic, Benth~ic, Other
                                     ~U~)
                                     ~Z                                                                                                                                                     Contributing fac~lors~5
                                     ~0
                                     ~C~L
                                     ~U~)                                                      Dominant taxonorn~c group (number of cells):                                                  Temporal shift
                                             PLANKTONIC COMMUNITY
                                                                                             Diatoms, Flagellates, Blue-green algae, Diverse mixture, Other                                Contributing f~actors~5
                                     ~D
                                                                                             Dominant taxonomic group (number of organisms):                                               Temporal shift
                                     0       ~BENTHIC COMMUNITY
                                     ~0                                                       Crustaceans, Molluscs, Annelids, Diverse ~r~r~dxtur~e, Other
                                     ~2                                                                                                                                                     Contributing ~fac~t~ors~S
                                     ~W
                                     ~q@~Z~q_
                                             SUBMERGED AQUATIC VEG.                          Spatial ~qcov erag~qel
                                                                                                                                                                                           Spatial c~qover~qag~qe3,4
                                     ~q0
                                             INTER~q7~q1 DAL WETLANDS                                                                                                                          Contributing ~qfac~ql~qors~q5


                                       NOTES
                                        (1) SPATIAL COVERAGE (%of salinity zone): High ~q(>50, 100%~q), Medium ~q(~q,25, 5~q0%)~q,L~qow~q(>10~q, 25%~q)~q, Very Low ~q(>~qO~q, 10%),
                                             No SAV I Wetlands in system

                                        (2) FREQUENCY OF OCCURRENCE: Episodic (conditions occur randomly), Periodic (conditions occur annually or predictably),
                                             ~qP~qe rsistent (conditions occur continually throughout the year)

                                        (3) DIRECTION OF CHANGE: Increase, Decrease, No trend

                                        (4) MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE: High ~q(~q@50%~q, 1~q00%), Medium ~q(~q@25~q1~q/~q6~q, 50%)~q,Low~q(~q@O%~q, 25%)
                                        (5) POINT SOURCE(S), NONP~qO~qINT SOURCE(S), OTHER


                      Table 1: Project parameters and characteristics.
 





           NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic


           Trends information is requested for characterization           Collecting the Data
           of the direction, magnitude, and time period of change
           for the past 20 to 25 years. In cases where a trend has        Over 400 experts and managers had agreed to partici-
           been observed, ancillary information is requested              pate in the survey. Survey forms were mailed to the
           about the factors influencing the trend.                       experts, who then mailed in their responses. The re-
                                                                          sponse rate was approximately 25 percent with at least
           Spatial Franiework                                             one response for 112 of the 129 estuaries being sur-
                                                                          veyed.
           A consistently applied spatial framework was also
           required. ORCA's National Estuarine Inventory (NEI)            The initial survey methods and results were evaluated
           was used (see inside front cover). For the survey, each        in May 1994 by a panel of NOAA, state, and academic
           parameter is characterized for three salinity zones as         eutrophication experts. The panel recommended that
           defined in the NEI (tidal fresh 0-0.5 ppt, mixing 0.5-25       ORCA continue the project and adopt a regional ap-
           ppt, and seawater >25 ppt). Not all zones are present          proach for data collection involving site visits to se-
           in all NEI estuaries; thus the NEI model provides a            lected experts to fill data gaps and revise salinity maps,
           consistent basis for comparisons among these highly            regional workshops to finalize and reach consensus
           variable estuarine systems.                                    on the responses to each question (including salinity
                                                                          maps), and regional reports on the results. The revised
           Reliability of Responses                                       strategy was implemented in the summer of 1994 start-
                                                                          ing with the 22 estuaries of the Mid-Atlantic region.
           Finally, respondents were asked to rank the reliability
           of their responses for each parameter as either highly         Estuaries are targeted for site visits based upon the
           certain or speculative inference, reflecting the robust-       completeness of the data received from the original
           ness of the data the response is based on. This is espe-       mailed survey forms. The new information is incor-
           cially important given that responses are based upon           porated into the project data base and summary ma-
           a range of information sources from statistically tested       terials are then prepared for a regional workshop.
           monitoring data to general observations. The objec-
           tive is to exploit all available information that can pro-     Workshop participants are local and regional experts
           vide insight into the existing and historic conditions         (at least one per estuary representing the group of
           in each estuary, and to understand its limitations.            people with the most extensive knowledge and insight
                                                                          about an estuary). In general, these persons have ei-
           The survey questions were reviewed by selected ex-             ther filled out a survey form and/or participated in a
           perts and then tested and revised prior to initiating          site visit. Preparations include sending all regional data
           the national survey. Salinity maps, based upon the NEI         to participants prior to the workshop. Participants are
           salinity zones, are distributed with the survey ques-          also encouraged to bring to the workshop relevant data
           tions for orientation. Updates and/or revisions to these       and reports to consult. At the workshop, at least two
           maps were made as appropriate.                                 workgroups are established based upon geography.



           Figure 1: Diagram of process.

                                                            7
                                                            Reglonal'St egy..
                                                                        rat
                                                          (to'-com6l6te data dolle6tion)
                                                               n6xt,reg on'.
                                                                                                             ext Steps
                                                                                                         national monitoring
                                                            site                          National
                                         Natinail                      Workshops                         strategy?
                                         S.    y           Visits                       Workshop(s
                           -isign        Survey
                                                                                                         research case
                                                                                                         studies?
                                                         N"'Adhi7tic, Gullof`Mex@@;,'.                L
                                                       '-@MdAtiahiie@ West Co'st
                        testing &        orkshop on  JEEH
                                         next steps
                         review
                                                                                Regional        - Inidicator Report
                                                                                Reports         - National Report


                       1992-93           1993-94                1995-96                   1996-97



           4






                                                                             NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volunte I - South Atlantic

              The survey data and salinity maps for each estuary
              are then carefully reviewed. ORCA staff facilitate the
              discussions and record the results. At the close of the
              workshop, participants are asked to identify "critical"
              references such as reports and other publications that
              describe nutrient enrichment in one or more of the
              region's estuaries.

              Workshop results are summarized for each estuary and
              mailed to workshop participants for review. The data
              are then compiled for presentation in a regional re-
              port that is also reviewed by participants prior to pub-
              lication. The regional process, from site visits to publi-
              cation of a regional report, takes approximately six
              months to complete. Some tasks are conducted con-
              currently,
              I Next Steps

              Site visits, regional workshops, and regional reports
              are in progress for the Gulf of Mexico, North Atlantic,
              and West Coast (Figure 1). A national assessment re-
              port of the status and health of the nation's estuaries
              will be developed from the survey results. The regional
              results and final national data base will be available
              over the Internet through ORCA's Web site. Formula-
              tion of a national response to estuarine nutrient en-
              richment and development of a national "indicator"
              on coastal ecosystem health will require one or more
              workshops to discuss and reach consensus on the
              methods and products resulting from these analyses.
              This work is currently scheduled for 1997. ORCA is
              funding a series of small contracts with regional ex-
              perts to provide additional technical support for these
              tasks.








                                                     E
                                                                  Regional Overview

                  This section presents an overview of the survey results. It begins with a brief introduction to the regional geography and a
                  summary of how the results were compiled. Narrative summaries are then presentedfor each parameter infour subsections;
                  Algal Conditions, Nutrients, Dissolved Oxygen, and Ecosysteml Community Response. Figures include a regional map
                  showing the location of 21 South Atlantic estuaries, a summary of probable-months-of-occurrence by parameterfour maps
                  illustrating existing conditionsfor selected parameters, and a summary of recent trends by estuaryfor selected parameters.

                     The Setting: Regional Geography                                        Carolina Capes
                  The South Atlantic coastal province includes 21 major                     Major geomorphological features of the Carolina
                  estuarine systems and encompasses more than 4,440                         Capes are the extensive shoal structures and the se-
                  square miles of water surface area (Figure 2). The char-                  ries of barrier islands off North Carolina and South
                  acteristics of this region include extensive coastal and                  Carolina. Barrier islands are composed of beach dune
                  barrier features and the Atlantic Coastal Plain. This                     ridges paralleling the present shoreline. Extensive salt
                  region can be subdivided into three distinct subre-                       marshes also predominate throughout the area. Due
                  gions: the Carolina Capes, the Sea Island Coast, and                      to the proximity of the Outer Banks region to the west-
                  the Florida Coast. The Carolina Capes extend from                         ward wall of the Gulf Stream, salinities tend to be
                  Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Cape Romain, South                       higher in this area than other estuaries in the region.
                  Carolina (approximately 50 mi. North of Charleston,                       In the Carolina Capes, wind plays a major role in both
                  SC). The Sea Island Coast includes the coastline from                     short-term salinity structure and circulation within the
                  Cape Romain south to Cape Canaveral, Florida. The                         estuaries. Tides are a dominant influence on water
                  Florida Coast consists of Indian River and Biscayne                       column mixing, primarily near the inlets (Orlando et
                  Bay.


                                                              Highlights of Regional Results
                   Highlights include existing information only. Trends information for the 21 South Atlantic estuaries is sparse. and
                   many reported trends are based on speculative information. Refer to text and to Figure 5 for regional trends
                   information. (Note: Tidal Fresh = 10,9o, Mixing             6701o, Seawater = 23% of regional surface area (4854 mi2).

                          Concentrations of high     and hypereutrophic (>20 ug/1)
                          are observed episodically in I I of 21 estuaries, but                Toxic algal blooms are reported to occur in 7 Carolina
                          only in small localized areas. Concentrations of                     Capes and Florida estuaries (AlbemarlefNmlico Snds.,
                          medium or greater ( 5 ug/1) are observed periodically                Pamlico/Pungo R., Bogue Snd., Neuse R., New R., St.
                          in 20 estuaries, over 3,0-55% of the regional estuarine              Johns R., Indian R.), with no occurrences in estuaries
                          area. These concentrations are observed for 50% of the               of the Sea Island Coast. Blooms occur primarily during
                          mixing zone area and 20% of the tidal fresh and                      summer months with typical durations on the order of.
                          seawater zone area, Elevated concentrations occur in                 days to, weeks.
                          the summer months.
                                                                                               Concentrations of medium or greater         0.01 mg/1)   are
                          Concentrations of medium       or greater    0. 1 mg/1)  are         observed in 18 estuaries, over 12-20% of the total
                          observed in 19 estuaries,      over 10-17% of -the total             regional estaurine area. These concentrations. are
                          regional estuarine area. These concentrations are
                          observed for about 15% of the mixing.and          I seawater         observed for 37% of tidal fresh zone, 12% and 9.% of.
                                                                                               the mixing and seawater zones respectively. Elevated
                          zones and about 6% of the tidal-fresh zone. Elevated
                          concentrations are observed in spring in the tidal fresh             concentrations occur in summer, in the mixing and
                          zone and summer in the mixing and seawatei zones..                   seawater zones, and spring and summer in the tidal
                                                                                               fresh zone.


                         During the summer months,        periodic  occurrences of             During the summer      months, perio  .die occurrences of
                         hypoxia are observed in 13 estuaries,      over 4-11 % of             anoxia in bottom waters are observed in 11 estuaries,
                         the regional estuarine surface area. Less than 1% of the              over 3-9% of the regional estuarine area. Less than 101b
                         tidal fresh area and equal percentages      (about 9%) of             of the tidal fresh zone and equal percentages of the
                         the mixing and seawater zones reportedly become                       mixing and seawater zones (about 6%) exhibit anoxia,
                         hypoxic.


                  6






                                                                                         NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic

                     Figure 2: Regional map of South Atlantic showing estuaries.


                         Tennessee'
                                                                                                                                 1) Albemarle
                                                                                                                                     Sound
                                                                          North             2) Pamlico/Pungo
                                                                        Carolina                  Rivers


                                                                                                                                 1) Pamlico
                                                                                          3) Neuse River                            Sound


                                                                                                                 4)BogueSound
                                                   South                                                   5) New River
                                                  Carolina
                                                                                                   6) Cape Fear River            Carolina
                                                                     Cape                                                          Capes
                                                                    Romain
                                                                                       7) Winyah Bay
                                                                                       8) North/South Santee Rivers
                                                                                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
                                                                                 9) Charleston Harbor
                         Georgia                                              10) Stono/North Edisto Rivers
                                                                          11) St. Helena Sound
                                                                       12) Broad River
                                                                 13) Savannah River
                                                              14) Ossabaw Sound                                     Sea
                                                           15) St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds                       Island
                                                          16) Altamaha River                                      Coast
                                                        17) St. Andrews/St. Simons Sounds
                                                         18) St. Marys River /Cumberland Sound




                                                         19) St. Johns River






                                               Cape                                                   Florida
                                            Canaveral

                                                                  20) Indian Ri  ver

                                            Florida





                                                                                                                  Atlantic Ocean




                              North
                     :,,Tenn













                        0         50        100                  '@'21) Biscayne
                                 Miles                                  Bay


                                                                                                                                                    7





           NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1 - South Atlantic

           al., 1994). Freshwater inflow into the Albemarle/            water inflow from drainage canals on the western side
           Pamlico Sounds is dominated by discharge from the            and tidal exchange through -inlets on the eastern side.
           Roanoke, Chowan, Neuse-Trent and Tar-Pamlico river
           systems. Sediments are resuspended into the sounds              Aboht the Results
           through the main river systems and through tidal ex-
           cursion within the South Atlantic Bight (Menzel, 1993).      The survey results are organized into four sections:
                                                                        Algal Conditions, Nutrients, Dissolved Oxygen, and
           Sea Island Coast                                             Ecosystem Response. Each section contains a general
                                                                        overview followed by more detailed summaries for
           The Sea Island Coast consists of fluvial deposits such       each parameter. This material is based on the indi-
           as dune sheets, point bars, and terrace formations in        vidual estuary summaries presented later in this re-
           all of the major river valleys (Mathews, 1980). Low-         port. Regional patterns and anomalies are highlighted.
           lying sea islands are erosional remnants of Pleistocene      Existing conditions and trends are reviewed. Regional
           Age sand bodies bordered by salt marshes, and rela-          maps summarizing existing conditions for selected pa-
           tively gently sloping marsh islands bound by tidal           rameters are presented in Figure 4. A summary of re-
           creeks. Marsh islands are geographically located in          cent trends for all parameters is presented in Figure 5.
           tidal marshes and are periodically inundated. Deltaic
           structures within the Sea Island Coast resemble sedi-        Data Reliability
           ment-filled drowned river valleys but formation is
           rather limited (Mathews, 1980). Extensive clearcutting       As described in the introduction, participants were
           in post-colonial times has promoted soil erosion pro-        asked to rank the reliability of their responses as ei-
           cesses and added to suspended sediments traversing           ther highly certain or speculative inference. Over 80
           the Sea Island Coast estuaries. Estuarine mixing is in-      percent of the responses are highly certain. Where rel-
           duced by the turbulence of semidiurnal tide fluxes.          evant, speculative inferences are noted in the narra-
           Tidal ranges are higher in this subregion than in any        five below and on the estuary summaries that follow.
           other portion of the South Atlantic, with Savannah,          A highly certain response is based upon temporally
           Georgia having one of the highest ranges, near 7.2 ft.       and spatially representative data from long-term moni-
           The major freshwater inflow sources for the Sea Island       toring, special studies, or literature. A speculative in-
           Coast are from rivers originating in the coastal plain       ference is based upon either very limited data or gen-
           and from sources in the Appalachian Mountains and            eral observations. When respondents could not offer
           the Piedmont. The Black, Cooper, and Waccamaw Riv-           even a speculative inference, the value was recorded
           ers of South Carolina, and the Satilla and St. Marys         as "unknown".
           Rivers of Georgia, compose the major coastal-plain-
           derived riverine systems. The Pee Dee, Santee, Edisto,         Algal Conditions
           Savannah, Ogeechee and Altamaha Rivers originate             Algal conditions were examined in the South Atlantic
           in the Appalachian/ Piedmont provinces.                      region by characterizing existing conditions and trends
           Florida Coast                                                for chlorophyll a, turbidity, suspended solids, nuisance
                                                                        and toxic algae, macroalgal abundance, and epiphyte
           Florida is part of an anticlinal ridge system known as       abundance (Table 1). High to hypereutrophic concen-
                                                                        trations of chlorophyll a (>20 gg/1) were generally re-
           the Peninsular Arch, consisting of lakes and dissolved
                                                                          rted as occurring episodically over relatively small
           sinkhole formations with extensive barrier beaches           Po
           along the Atlantic Coast (Hunt, 1967). As in the Caro-       areas, while medium concentrations (>5 gg/1) were
           lina Capes, the shallow lagoonal estuaries of Florida        more widely reported and occurred more predictably.
           are sen-d-enclosed by barrier island features; tidal in-     Medium or greater concentrations of chlorophyll a
           fluence is less for the Florida Coast than for the Sea       were reported for 66 percent of the region's mixing
           Island Coast estuaries. Salinity structure and circula-      zone surface area, 35 percent of the tidal fresh zone,
           tion in the Indian River are dominated by wind forc-         and 31 percent of the seawater zone. Medium or greater
           ing and human impacts in the form of controlled              levels of.turbidity (secchi disk depths <3 meters) also
           stormwater releases (Zarillo et al., 1993). Water con-       occur primarily in the mixing zone, affecting 39 per-
           trol structures located on canals leading to Biscayne        cent of the region's mixing zone compared to 5 per-
           Bay are managed for flood protection. Southern               cent of the tidal fresh zone and 13 percent of the sea-
           Biscayne Bay consists of interconnected lagoons and a        water zone. Nuisance and toxic algae events occur
           complicated network of tidal inlets with narrow flow         fairly evenly across all three zones but are concentrated
           channels and water control structures (Lee et al., 1976;     in the Carolina Capes and Florida systems. Macroalgal
           Markley, 1996 pers. comm.). Horizontal density gra-          and epiphyte abundance are the least problematic of
           dients can occur in these estuaries as a result of fresh-    the parameters examined and have had a minimum

           8





                                                                                                        NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Suruey. Volume 1 - South A flan tic

                    impact in this region. There was a greater amount of                              winter occurrences in the Carolina Capes subregion.
                    information available for existing conditions than for                            Episodic conditions were reported for the St. Johns
                    trends, and because of this, in most cases it is not very                         River and Albemarle /Pamlico Sounds.
                    meaningful to make conclusions about regional trends.
                                                                                                      Concentrations were reported as unknown for 21 per-
                    Chlorophyll a                                                                     cent of the total regional area, mostly in the mixing
                                                                                                      zone. Concentrations based on speculative inferences
                    Fligh to hypereutrophic concentrations (>20 gg/ 1) were                           were reported for at least one salinity zone in 10 of 21
                    reported in 11 of 21 estuaries, occurring across a maxi-                          estuaries.
                    mum of 11 percent of the estuarine surface area (Fig-
                    ure 4). These conditions were reported to occur peri-                             Limiting factors to algal growth were reported as phos-
                    odically (January to late summer) in the Carolina Capes                           phorus and nitrogen, and sometimes light, in the tidal
                    estuaries, and episodically (summer only) in the Sea                              fresh zone. Light, or phosphorus and light, were the
                    Island Coast estuaries and the Indian River.                                      limiting factors in the mixing zone except in the Caro-
                                                                                                      lina Capes, which were reported to be nitrogen lim-
                    Medium or greater concentrations (>5 gg/1) of chlo-                               ited with silica or light sometimes co-limiting. Limit-
                    rophyll a were reported for 19 of 21 South Atlantic es-                           ing factors in the seawater zone were reported to be
                    tuaries, occurring in up to 55 percent of the region's                            nitrogen in the Carolina Capes, silica in the Sea Island
                    estuarine surface area. The spatial extent of the me-                             Coast, and light in the Florida systems.
                    dium or higher conditions was unknown in four estu-
                    aries and, therefore, the area affected could be larger.                          Trends information for the Carolina Capes and the Sea
                    In general, these conditions were reported as occur-                              Island Coast is sparse (Figure 5): the upper Pamlico
                    ring periodically from April to September with some                               River and the Neuse River were reported to have in-


                    Figure 3: Probable months of occurrence by parameter and by salinity zone (average).
                    Thisfigure illustrates the probable months, over a typical annual cycle, for which parameters are reported to occur at their
                    maximum value. The black tone represents months where maximum values occur in at least 65 percent of South Atlantic
                    estuariesfora particular salinity zone. Forexample, tidalfresh zones occur in 11 estuaries; therefore, a black tone indicates
                    a maximum value was recorded in 7 or more estuaries. Similarlyfor the mixing zone, black represents 13 or more estuaries,
                    andfor the seawater zone it represents 12 or more estuaries. Gray represents months where maximum values occur in 39 to
                    64 percent of the estuaries in that salinity zone, and unshaded boxes (white) represent months where maximum values
                    occur between 1 and 38 percent of the estuaries in that zone. "Months-of-occurrence" data were not collectedfor Ecosys-
                    tem/Community Response parameters (i.e., primary productivity@ planktonic community@ benthic community, SAY, and
                    intertidal wetlands).
                                                   TIDAL FRESH ZONE                                   MIXING ZONE                                SEAWATER ZONE
                                                         11 estuaries                                   20 estuaries                                  18 estuaries
                                           J F M A M j J A S 0 N                          J P MIA M Jjj A SJO N D                        J P MIA M Jjj A S 0 N D
                                 Chl-a
                                                                                                                                                                     _j

                              Turbidity                                                                              77771              F-17717777=

                    suspended solids

                      Nuisance Algae                      L

                          Toxic Algae


                          Macroalgae
                            Epiphytes                                                                                                            7=
                                 TDN                                                                                                       I I         lvw    ,, @ @N@j I I

                                 TDP     I         @jj4g*j_,                                                                                               771,        1 1

                               Anoxia


                              Hypoxia

                     Biological Stress                   I 7111111111111111WD
                                                      I     I                                         I V",           0 N D              J F M A M J
                                           i F M    A M i   I J A SJO N D                 J F M   @A  M J  77@                                              J A S 0 N D
                             > 65% of the estuaries in each zone       between 39% and 64% of the estuaries in each zone 0 between 1% and 38% of the estuaries in each zone






            NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey. Volume 1 - South Atlantic

            creasing chlorophyll a concentrations in the mixing                were unknown for 75 percent of the region's estuarine
            zone, eight estuaries show no trend in at least one zone,          surface area (Figure 5).
            and trends in the rest of the zones are unknown. The
            Florida systems have had no trends in concentrations               Suspended Solids
            with the exception of a low magnitude increase in the
            St. Lucie River portion of the Indian River estuary.               Suspended solids were reported as impacting biologi-
            Trends information for Albemarle Sound, Ossabaw                    cal resources (e.g. submerged aquatic vegetation, fil-
            Sound, and St. Lucie River are based on speculative                ter feeders, etc.) in at least one zone for five South At-
            inference.                                                         lantic estuaries. T@n estuaries were reported to have
                                                                               no problem with suspended solids, although four of
            Turbidity                                                          these also have at least one salinity zone in which sus-
                                                                               pended solids conditions are unknown. Suspended
            Medium    to high turbidity conditions (secchi disk                solids information was unknown in at least one zone
            depths of <3 meters) were reported for at least one                for 11 of 21 estuaries. Trends information was not col-
            salinity zone in 16 of the 21 estuaries of the South At-           lected for suspended solids.
            lantic (30 percent of the region's estuarine surface area,
            largely in the mixing zone). The spatial extent of these           NuisancelToxic Algae
            conditions was unknown for five estuaries and, there-
            fore, the area affected could be larger. Furthermore,              Both nuisance and toxic algae were reported as im-
            turbidity conditions were reported as unknown for an               pacting biological resources in four estuaries
            additional 1,126 square miles (23 percent) of the re-              (Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds, Neuse River, New River,
            gional estuarine surface area.                                     and Indian River). In addition, toxic algae were re-
                                                                               ported as impacting resources in three estuaries
            In the tidal fresh and mixing zones, the medium and                (Pamlico/Pungo Rivers, Bogue Sound, and St. Johns
            high turbidity conditions generally occur either all year          River). Conversely, no impacts from nuisance or toxic
            (7 estuaries), or periodically during the winter and               algae were reported for estuaries along the Sea Island
            spring months (5 estuaries). In the seawater zone,                 Coast.
            medium to high turbidity occurs throughout the year
            (8 estuaries) or periodically from spring through fall             Nuisance events were reported as mostly periodic
            (5 estuaries).                                                     during the summer months (except some winter
                                                                               months in New River), and toxic events were reported
            Naturally occurring blackwater areas (see sidebar) con-            as mostly episodic during the surruner (except some
            stitute 174 square miles of estuarine surface area in              winter months in Bogue Sound). The duration of toxic
            parts of five South Atlantic estuaries. Secchi disk                blooms were reported as lasting days to weeks, as com-
            depths in these waters typically are not recorded be-              pared to nuisance blooms, which were reported as last-
            cause they are not an accurate measure of turbidity                ing months to seasons.
            conditions.
                                                                               Nuisance species reported include Anabaena
            Decreases in turbidity occurred from 1980 to 1994 in               portoricensis, Aphanizomenon flosaquae, Microcystis
            the Chowan River portion of Albemarle Sound, all of                aeroginosa, Anabaenopsis raciborski, various dinoflagel-
            the North/South Santee Rivers, and in Biscayne Bay.                lates, cyclotella species, and sometimes diatoms.
            Increasing turbidity was reported in at least one sahn-            Pfiesteria piscicida is the toxic species typically occur-
            ity zone for five estuaries, and no trend was reported             ring in this region, but there are also some reported
            in at least one zone for ten estuaries. Turbidity trends           occurrences of Phaeocystis poucheti, and rare occur-
                                                                               rences of Gymnodinium breve.
                          B
                              a wate
                            1 ck            vgfiiiA66
                                                                               Information reported on nuisance and toxic algae was
            Five estuaries in the; s6utfiAii
                                                                               based on speculative inferences for seven estuaries.
            sideredbl@ckwatef,sy@'t-bitiï¿½:,N s'             r:1  ar es-@
                                                        E@@7 77r@              Conditions were unknown for at least one salinity zone
            ton  Harbo4 St.. H'
                                                                               in six estuaries.
                                                     erZ
            Simons Sbiin ' and'                                 er an ,5,
                                                        P
            Sound. Blae       ater@ e9fiiiihes 't ","'bc-a
                                                                               Trends were reported only for the Neuse River, where
            biilt"coffe',:e@@'c"o',io,r"e-d,
                                                                               the frequency of occurrence and event duration de-
                           organ'@   J@U:@ 6`@"C'@-@
                     e of ' ' ' -16'st;         @:
            p@esenc:                                              acid)
                                                                               creased in the tidal fresh zone, but increased in the
            derived from swamp ilidihag,                         ecchi'
                                                                               mixin
                                                                                     g zone. Nuisance and toxic algae trends were
                                        tent
            disc readings arepeii!44@hilkl
                                                                                 known in at least one salinity zone for eleven estu-
                                                                               un
                                        t
                        ar                 ti,
            pended p tick concentra 66n,
                                                                               aries in the South Atlantic (Figure 5).

            10






                                                                                                                                                      NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
                                                                                   NC                         2                                           IN                           NC                        .2                  la

                                                                                                                    4                                                                                                    4
                                                                 SIC                                                                                                  SC


                                                                                               7                                                                                                    7

                                                                                          9                   I-A111-11.0-hoo                                                                  9
                                                                                        10                    2@ 1.inti-d ['-go Rivers
                                                     CA                                                       3- N- Ri-                                                                     10
                                                                                  1211                        4- Bogue Sound                              GA                             11
                                                                             13                               5-                                                                       12
                                                                                                              NL
                                                                           14                                 6- C.P.'F', r Ri-r                                                  13
                                                                                                              7. Wniyah,I,                                                      14
                                                                        16                                    North/South Santee Fivers                                       is
                                                                                                                                                                              16
                                                                       7                                      9-Ch-1 nH.,br
                                                                                                              O.S                                                          17
                                                                                                                      Edisto Pj-.
                                                                                                              11@ k Helena Sound
                                                                                                              12' Broad Pj-
                                                                                                              13. S.-ith M-r
                                                                                                              14- O-ba. Sound
                                                                      19                                      15-St. Catherine$/   d,                                      19
                                                                                                              1 @ Al ...h. R-@Pelo S'"'
                                                                                                              17. St. Ardmw/St. Simon, Sands
                                                                                                              I& S Wry'Ri-r/CumbertandSourid
                                                                                                              19-5:.Johns Ri'-r
                                                                                                              21t. [ndim River
                                                                                                              21 - Bi-y- O.y
                                                            FL                    20                          ChloroRhyll a                                      FL                    20
                                                                                                              *Hypereutrophic (>60pg/1)                                                                          Nitroge
                                                                                                              SHigh (>20, <6099/1)
                                                                                                              Medium (>5, <20ILg/1)                                                                              High (>Imgll)
                                                     North                                                    Low (>O<5pg/1)                                                                                     Medium (>0.1, <1mg/1)
                                                      t                                                       Unknown                                                               21                    ILow (>O, <O.1mg/1)

                                                                                                                              Is                      TN
                                                                                 NC                                                                                                NC                      2
                                                                                                              2


                                                                                                              3                                                                                         3

                                                                                                                  4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    4
                                                               sc                                             5                                                  sc                                              5
                                                                                                              6
                                                                                                                                                                                                         6

                                                                                             7


                                                                                        9
                                                                                      10                                                                                                  9
                                                    CA                             11
                                                                            13   12                                                                   CA                      13  12
                                                                         14                                                                                                24
                                                                       is                                                                                                 is
                                                                     116
                                                                      7                                                                                                 216
                                                                                                                                                                        7
                                                                     is                                                                                                is


                                                                     19
                                                                                                                                                                       19






                                                           FrL
                                                                                 20                                                                          FC,                   20


                                                                                                              Phosphorq5                                                                            Dissolved Oxygtn
                                                                                                 OHJgh (>O.1mg/1)
                                                                                                              Medium (>0.01, <O.1mg/1)
                                                                               2                              Low (>O, <0.01mg/l)                                               21                               AnoxiF Hypoxia
                                                                                                                                                                                                                             >0<2mg/1)

                        Figure 4: Existing conditions for chlorophyll a, nitrogen, phosphorus, and dissolved oxygen. Symbols indicate that an
                        existing condition(s) (e.g., hypereutrophicfor chlorophyll a, anoxia andlor hypoxiafor dissolved oxygen) was reported in at
                        least a portion of one salinity zone of an estuary at some time during a typical annual cycle. Symbols do not necessarily
                        =resent existin                  aZ conditions across an entire estuaM For a more complete review of individual estuaries, turn to the
                        estuary summaries beginning on page 19.





          NOAA's Estuarine EutrOPhication Survey: Volume 1 - SOUth Atlantic
          MacroalgallEpiphyte Abundance                                 Nitrogen

          Macroalgal and epiphyte abundance were character-             High nitrogen concentrations (Z:1.0 mg/1) have been
          ized by collecting information on existing conditions         observed in 11 of 21 South Atlantic estuaries (Figure
          and trends for concentrations, months of occurrence,          4). These observations were recorded primarily for the
          and frequency of occurrence. Information on contrib-          tidal fresh zone (up to 70 square miles or 15 percent of
          uting factors influencing trends was also recorded.           the regional tidal fresh zone) and mixing zone (up to
          Charleston Harbor and Indian River are the only es-           79 square miles or 2 percent of the regional mixing
          tuaries reported to have impacts on biological re-            zone). In the seawater zone, high nitrogen concentra-
          sources from macroalgal abundance. Impacts from               tions were reported only for portions of the Indian
          epiphyte abundance were reported only in the St. Johns        River. Medium nitrogen concentrations (@:0.1-1.0 mg/
          and Indian Rivers. Reported impacts typically occur           1) have been reported in 18 of 21 South Atlantic estu-
          from late spring through early fall. Macroalgal and           aries. Low nitrogen concentrations (>O-O.'l mg/1) were
          epiphyte abundance was reported as unknown in at              reported in 9 of 21 South Atlantic estuaries. For four
          least one salinity zone for seven estuaries.                  estuaries, existing conditions were based on either
                                                                        Total Nitrogen (Cape Fear River and Charleston Har-
          An increasing trend in rooted macrophyte abundance            bor), Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (Bogue Sound), or
          was reported for the tidal fresh zone of Charleston           ammonia plus nitrate (New River).
          Harbor for the time period 1988 to 1995. Decreasing
          abundances of rooted macrophytes were reported for            No trends in nitrogen concentrations were reported
          the tidal fresh zone of Albemarle/ Pamlico Sounds             for all or part of 9 of the 21 estuaries (Figure 5). Specu-
          during the same time period. No other macrophyte              lative increases between 25 and 100 percent over the
          abundance trends were reported. No increasing or              past 8 to 15 years were reported for St. Catherines/
          decreasing epiphyte abundance trends were reported,           Sapelo Sounds and St. Andrews/St. Simons Sounds.
          although epiphyte trends for 12 estuaries were un-            Low magnitude (0 to 25 percent) increases were re-
          known in at least one salinity zone (Figure 5).               ported for the Neuse River and for the northern sea-
                                                                        water portion of Biscayne Bay. Decreases of 25 to 100
            Nutrients                                                   percent were reported for Winyah Bay, North/South

          Nutrient concentrations in the South Atlantic region          Santee Rivers, Stono/North Edisto River, and
          were characterized by collecting existing conditions          Altamaha River. Low magnitude increases were re-
          and trends information for nitrogen and phosphorus.           ported for Charleston Harbor. Trends for five estuar-
          The intent was to collect information for total dissolved     ies were based on either Total Nitrogen (Cape Fear
          nutrients, since it is the dissolved forms that are avail-    River and Charleston Harbor), Total Dissolved Nitro-
          able for uptake by phytoplankton. Unless specifically         gen (Neuse River and Bogue Sound), or ammonia plus
          noted otherwise, nutrient information presented in this       nitrate (New River).
          report refers to total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) and
          phosphorus (TDP), including the inorganic and or-             Phosphorus
          ganic forms.                                                  High phosphorus concentrations (-aO-1mg/l) were re-
          Results indicate that medium and high concentrations          ported in 9 of 21 South Atlantic estuaries including a
          of both nitrogen and phosphorus occur throughout all          small portion of the region's tidal fresh zone (29-70
          salinity zones in the South Atlantic region. The spatial      square infles or 6-15 percent), the mixing zones of New
          extent of medium or greater concentrations of nitro-          River, Winyah Bay, and Charleston Harbor (through-
          gen range from about 6 percent in the tidal fresh zone        out the year) and of Cape Fear and Broad River (dur-
          up to 21 percent in the seawater zone. The spatial ex-        ing the summer months), and the seawater zone of
          tent of these concentrations of phosphorus range from         portions of the Indian River (Figure 4). Medium phos-
          about 8 percent in the seawater zone to almost 50 per-        phorus concentrations (@!0.01-0.1) were reported for 16
          cent in the tidal fresh zone.                                 of 21 South Atlantic estuaries. Low phosphorus con-
                                                                        centrations (>0-0.01 mg/1) were reported for Bogue
          Trends information for nutrients, although more com-          Sound, St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds, and St. Marys/
          plete than other parameters, is still limited, especially     Cumberland Sounds. For three estuaries (New River,
          in the seawater zone. The trends information reported         Cape Fear River and Charleston Harbor), existing con-
          indicates that in most estuaries, there is no change in       ditions were based on Total Phosphorus.
          nutrient concentrations, especially in the mi)dng zone,
          or that there is a decreasing trend, especially in the        No trends in phosphorus concentrations were reported
          tidal fresh and mixing zones (Figure 5).                      for 11 of 21 estuaries (Figure 5). Low to medium mag-

          12





                                                                           NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South AtImitic

             nitude decreasing trends were reported for six estuar-        Water column stratification was a major factor in the
             ies. Speculative increasing trends were reported for St.      expression of anoxia in the Pamlico/Pungo Rivers,
             Catherine/ Sapelo Sounds and St. Andrew/St. Simons            Neuse River, and in Indian River. In each case, it oc-
             Sounds. Trends for three estuaries (New River, Cape           curred at the bottom of the water column. Anoxic
             Fear River and Charleston Harbor) were were based             events are mostly periodic, beginning in June and end-
             on Total Phosphorus.                                          ing in September, though some occurrences have been
                                                                           reported as early as April in the Carolina Capes and
               Dissolved Oxygen                                            Florida estuaries.

             Dissolved oxygen concentrations in the South Atlan-           Trends were reported for six estuaries: five had no
             tic region were characterized by collecting informa-          change in conditions, while one (Neuse River) reported
             tion on existing conditions and trends for three condi-       increases in spatial extent, frequency of occurrence, and
             tions: anoxia (0 mg/1), hypoxia (>O mg/l< 2 mg/1),            duration of anoxic conditions (Figure 5).
             and biological stress (>2 mg/l< 5 mg/1). The location
             of these conditions in the water column (surface, bot-        Hypoxia
             tom, throughout the water column), and the influence
             of water column stratification (high, medium, low, not        Hypoxic conditions of dissolved oxygen (>Omg/l < 2
             a factor) were also recorded. Spatial extent of each          mg/1) were reported in 13 of 21 South Atlantic estuar-
             condition was also noted.                                     ies, for approximately 17 percent of the region's es-
                                                                           tuarine surface area (750 squAre miles) (Figure 4). The
             Highly variable concentrations of low dissolved oxy-          spatial extent of these conditions was reported as me-
             gen were reported throughout the region (Figure 4).           dium (25 to 50 percent) for 8 estuaries, and very low
             Eleven of 21 estuaries have anoxic/hypoxic levels of          (0 to 10 percent) or low (10 to 25 percent) for the re-
             dissolved oxygen at some point during the year. An-           mainder.
             oxia/hypoxia were reported as periodic, mainly dur-
             ing the summer months, in estuaries of the Carolina           Water column stratification was a major factor in the
             Capes and northern Sea Island Coast subregions. How-          expression of hypoxic conditions within three estuar-
             ever, the spatial extent of these conditions was low (0       ies (Pamlico/Pungo, Neuse, and Indian Rivers). Hy-
             to 25 percent). Only minor incidences of low dissolved        poxia events are mostly periodic, beginning in June
             oxygen were reported for the southern estuaries of the        and ending in September, though some occurrences
             Sea Island Coast. Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hy-          have been reported as early as April in the Neuse and
             poxia were also reported for the Florida estuaries.           Indian Rivers.
             Water column stratification is reported as a major fac-
             tor in the expression of this condition for portions of       Trends were reported for seven estuaries: five reported
             the Carolina Capes and Florida estuaries only.                no change in conditions, while Neuse River reported
                                                                           increases in spatial extent, frequency of occurrence, and
             Minimum average monthly bottom concentrations of              duration of hypoxic conditions (Figure 5). Savannah
             dissolved oxygen were reported as decreasing for three        River reported increased spatial coverage of hypoxia,
             estuaries, increasing for one estuary, and not chang-         but only in the mixing zone.
             ing for three estuaries.
                                                                           Biological Stress
             Anoxia
                                                                           Biologically stressful levels of dissolved oxygen
             Anoxic conditions were reported in 11 of 21 estuaries         (>2mg/1<5 mg/1) were reported in 20 of 21 So_uth_AA--_
             for approximately 13 percent of the total estuarine sur-      lantic Estuaries (Bogue Sound_beiftg-@tfie_ exception),
             face area (563 square miles) (Figure 4). There was only       or a z-roximately-30-percent of the region's estuarine
             one recorded occurrence of anoxia in, the--Sea-lsland- -surface area (1,190 mil). A medium (25 to 50 percent)
             Coast estuaries-the, Savannah-Riv--e-r estuary, where         to high (50 to 100 percent) spatial extent of these con-
             anoxia was observed in the mixing zone. If anoxia was         ditions was predominant throughout much of the
             present, the spatial extent of this condition was gener-      Carolina Capes and northern Sea Island Coast systems.
             ally very low (0 to 10 percent) to low (10-to 25 percent)
             exqqpt for Neuse River, St. Helena Sound, and-fiCdian-        Water column stratification was a major fdctor-in the
                          it was medium (25 to 50 percent). When           expression-of biologically stressed condition's@ @ithffr-
             anoxic conditions were reported for the mixing zone,          the Pan-dico/Pun@@-,Neuse, and Indian River estuar-
             it was also obs&Ved. in the tidal fresh zone.                 ies only. Biological stress--@@a-s-obs,-r-v-ed-throughout
                                                                           the water column in 11 of 21 estuaries. Biologically
                                                                           stressed conditions events are mostly periodic, begin-

                                                                                                                                 13




          mm MM'== mm mm mm M @ mm mm=

                          Figure 5: Recent trends (1970 - present)for selected parameters by estuary by salinity zone (T tidalfresh; M, mixing; S, seawater). All salinit zones are not present
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    y
                          in all estuaries. Most of the 1,225 possible values are unknown'(736). There are 51 decreasing trends, 47 increasing trends, and 389 no trends. Seventy-one values are
                          based on speculative inferences. For a more complete listing of the trends parameters, see Table I on page 3.


                                                                                                                                                                                                                             I-et
                                                                                                                                                                                          I             I            ST7-7 T                     I              I -       I
                     CHLOROPHYLL A (,,M                                                                                                                                                ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            0

                     TURBIDITY (-.N dpth)

                     NUISANCE ALGAE
                                             d W.
                                                       ?

                     TOXIC ALGAE



                     IAACRDAUGAL ABUNDANCE

                     EPIPHYTE ABUNDANCE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                0
                     NITROGEN (.0                                                  0    0                                                                                         0         0   0

                     PHOSPHORUS("M

                                                                                                                                                                    ?
                     BOTTOM 00                                                                                                                                                V             7                        ?    T

                     ANOXIA
                                               d-l@
                                             111-41-Y  ?
                                           d_



                     KYPOXIA

                                                                                               ?        ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               ?

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  0         0    0
                     STRESS
                                                                         t @Zt
                                        -P"

                     PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY                                                                                   ?                                                                                        ?         ?          T   I                   ?    ?    I     7

                     PtANKTONIc commumm                                                                                                                                                                                             I     ?

                     BENTHIC COWUNITY

                     SAV

                     WETLANDS JVbN                                                             ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   A?
                                                       ?                                   CD






                                                                             NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophicatioit Survey: Volimic I - South AtIa7itic

              ning in June and ending in September, though some             cent of the region's estuarine surface area. The domi-
              occurrences have been reported as early as April in           nant primary producer was unknown for most of the
              the Neuse and Indian Rivers.                                  remaining area.

              Trends were reported for eleven estuaries: nine had           Benthic and seagrass communities were reported as
              no change, while two (Neuse and Savannah Rivers)              the dominant primary producer almost exclusively in
              were reported to have increases in the spatial extent         the seawater zone, while intertidal wetlands were re-
              of biologically stressed levels of dissolved oxygen (Fig-     ported in both the seawater and mixing zones. Pe-
              ure 5). Neuse River also observed increases in dura-          lagic communities or a diverse mixture of pelagic,
              tion and frequency of occurrence of these events.             benthic and/or other communities were identified as
                                                                            the dominant primary producer in 3 of the region's 11
                 Ecosysten:VCornmunity Response                             tidal fresh zones; information in the remaining tidal
                                                                            fresh zones was unavailable.
              The responses of estuarine ecosystems to nutrient in-
              puts were characterized by collecting information on          Temporal shifts in primary productivity, i.e., shifts in
              the status and trends of five parameters: primary pro-        dominance from one primary producer to another, was
              ductivity, planktonic and benthic communities, sub-           reported as unknown in all of 13 and parts of 18 South
              merged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and intertidal wet-          Atlantic estuaries (80 percent of the region's estuarine
              lands. The information reported for these parameters          surface area). Where information was reported, no
              was limited, especially for trends, where only 18 per-        shifts occurred.
              cent of the region's estuarine surface area was charac-
              terized.                                                      Planktoiiic Coinnniiiity

              The dominant primary producer varied by estuary and           Diatoms were identified as the most dominant plank-
              salinity zone between pelagic, benthic, SAV, and in-          ton group, in terms of abundance, in 12 of 21 South
              tertidal wetlands. Diatoms were reported as the domi-         Atlantic estuaries (58 percent of the region's estuarine
              nant planktonic group, followed by flagellates, and a         surface area). Most of the remaining estuarine sur-
              diverse mixture of plankton groups. The dominant              face area was reported to be dominated by flagellates
              benthic community in the region was a diverse mix-            (three estuaries), or a diverse mixture of diatoms,
              ture of organisms (e.g., annelids, crustaceans, mol-          flagellates, and/or other plankton groups (nine estu-
              lusks), followed by annelids and polychaetes. SAV and         aries). An exception was blue-green algae, which was
              intertidal wetlands were each reported in approxi-            reported to be the most abundant plankton group in a
              mately two-thirds of the region's estuarine area, pri-        portion of the tidal fresh zone in the Albemarle/
              marily in the mixing and seawater zones. SAV was              Pamlico Sound. Following diatoms, a diverse mixture
              reported mostly in the Carolina Capes and Florida             of plankton groups were reported to be dominant in
              subregions, while wetlands were present throughout            the region's mixing zones (nine estuaries) and seawa-
              the region.                                                   ter zones (seven estuaries). In tidal fresh estuaries,
                                                                            diatoms were followed in abundance by flagellates.
              Available trends information suggests that the region's
              estuarine ecosystems are generally stable. Only one           Historical shifts in plankton dominance, from one taxo-
              instance of ecosystem shifts in the planktonic cornmu-        nomic group to another, were reported as unknown
              nity and one in the benthic community were reported.          for one or more salinity zones in 17 of 21 estuaries (78
              Declining trends in intertidal wetland coverage were          percent of the regional estuarine surface area) and for
              reported in three estuaries. Declining trends for SAV         all zones in 13 estuaries. Where information was avail-
              were reported in five estuaries, accounting for 80 per-       able, no shifts were reported, with the exception of the
              cent of the area in which SAV was reported (Figure 5).        tidal fresh zone of the Neuse River, where a shift from
                                                                            blue-green algae to a diverse mixture was attributed
              Priniary Productivity                                         to stratification and runoff events.

              Four biological communities were reported as the              Benthic Community
              dominant primary producers in the South Atlantic re-
              gion: pelagic communities in five estuaries (5 of 9 Caro-     The dominant benthic community (with regard to
              lina Capes estuaries); intertidal wetlands in nine (all       abundance) reported in the South Atlantic region was
              nine Sea Island Coast systems); and benthic commu-            a diverse mixture of annelids, crustaceans, mollitsks,
              nities and SAV in two estuaries (Indian River and             and/or other benthic organisms. This community oc-
              Biscayne Bay). Each of the four communities was re-           curred in at least one salinity zone in 15 of 21 estuar-
              ported as dominant across approximately eight per-            ies, including 80 percent of the region's seawater zone,

                                                                                                                                    15






         NOAA's Estuarine Eiitrophicatioii Sumey: Volume I - South Atlantic

         66 percent of the mixing zone, but only 1 percent of         tuaries. Seventy percent of the area in which wetlands
         the tidal fresh zone. Annelids were the next most abun-      were reported had a spatial coverage (below high
         dant benthic community (reported for at least one sa-        water) of low to very low (!@25% surface area). Wet-
         linity zone in eight estuaries), followed by poly-chaetes    lands were reported in every estuary in the Carolina
         (mixing zone of Albemarle Sound). Mollusks were the          Capes subregion, primarily at a very low spatial cov-
         dominant community in the tidal fresh zone (35 per-          erage (!M% surface area). Three Sea Island Coast es-
         cent of the region's estuarine surface area) though they     tuaries (Charleston Harbor, St. Helena Sound, and St.
         were reported only in the St. Johns River. Insects were      Catherines/Sapelo Sounds) reported wetlands in all
         the dominant community in the tidal fresh zone of            salinity zones at a medium or greater spatial distribu-
         three other estuaries.                                       tion (>25% surface area). For the Florida estuaries, wet-
                                                                      land distribution was medium (25-50% surface area)
         Information regarding historical sl-dfts in benthic domi-    in Biscayne Bay, low in the St. Johns River, and un-
         nance from one taxonomic group to another were re-           known in the Indian River.
         ported in eight estuaries. Where information was avail-
         able, no shifts were reported, with the exception of the     Trends in the distribution of South Atlantic intertidal
         seawater zone of the Indian River, where a shift from        wetlands were generally reported to be stable; 11 of
         annelids to a mixture of annelids and crustaceans was        the 14 estuaries for which wetlands were recorded
         attributed to nonpoint sources.                              were reported as having no trends (Figure 5). Decreas-
                                                                      ing trends were reported for portions of the Savannah
         Szib"tci@ged Aqitatic Vegetatim (SAV)                        River, Indian River, and Biscayne Bay. Trend informa-
                                                                      tion was reported as unknown in portions of 11 estu-
         The presence of SAV was reported in 11 of 21 South           aries.
         Atlantic estuaries, representing 65 percent (3,221
         square miles) of the region's estuarine area. SAV den-
         sity (to depths of one meter below mean low water)
         was reported to be low (>10:@25% surface area) or very
         low (:@10% surface area), with the exception of medium
         densities (>25!@50% surface area) in Indian River and
         Biscayne Bay. SAV was reported in the three Florida
         estuaries and in 7 of 9 Carolina Cape estuaries. In con-
         trast, no SAV was reported in North/South Santee
         Rivers and the entire Sea Island Coast subregion, with
         the exception of Charleston Harbor, where very low
         spatial coverage was reported for the mixing and sea-
         water zones.


         The spatial coverage of SAV was reported as declin-
         ing at a low or medium magnitude in five estuaries
         (80 percent of the region in which it was reported to
         occur). Declining trends generally occurred in areas
         where existing spatial coverage was reported as low.
         A declining trend is also reported for the tidal fresh
         zone of Albemarle/ Pamlico Sounds, suggesting that
         SAV has disappeared from this zone since no existing
         coverage was reported. Increases in coverage (of low
         magnitude) were reported for Charleston Harbor and
         Biscayne Bay (two percent of the region in which SAV
         was reported to occur). Trend information was re-
         ported as unknown for 15 estuaries, including 6 of the
         11 estuaries in which an existing coverage of SAV was
         reported (Figure 5).

         hitertidal Wetlands

         Wetlands were recorded, in varying degrees of spatial
         coverage, in 14 of 21 South Atlantic estuaries. The pres-
         ence of wetlands was reported as unknown for six es-

         16






                                                                            NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volunte I - South Allantic

                                                                            Kemp, W.M., R.R. Twilley, J.C. Stevenson, W.R.
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             V.S. Kennedy (ed.), Estuarine comparisons. New York            change processes in southeast Florida's coastal la-
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             Burkholder, J.M., K.M. Mason, and H.B. Glasgow Jr.
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             Day, J.W. Jr., C.A.S. Hall, W.M. Kemp, and A. Yanez-           Resource Center, Tech. Report No. 54. 14 pp.
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             66 p.                                                          Mathews, T.D., F.W. Stapor Jr., C.R. Richter, J.V.
                                                                            Miglarese, M.D. McKenzie, and L.A. Barclay (Eds).
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                                                                                                                                   17






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                                                      Estuary Summaries

              This section presents one page summaries on the status and trends of eutrophication conditionsfor the 21 South
              Atlantic estuaries. The summary information is organized intofour sections; algal conditions, nutrients, dissolved
              oxygen, and ecosystem1community responses. Each page also includes a salinity map depicting the spatial framework
              for which survey information was collected, selected physical and hydrologic characteristics, and a narrative overview
              of the survey information.

              Salinity Maps. Salinity maps depict the estuary extent, salinity zones, and subareas within the salinity
              zones. Salinity zones are divided into tidal fresh (0.0-0.5 ppt), mixing (0.5-25.0 ppt), and seawater ( >25.0
              ppt) based on average annual salinity found throughout the water column. Subareas were identified by
              survey participants as regions which were either better understood than the rest of a salinity zone or which
              behaved differently or both. Each map also has an inset showing the location of the estuary and its estuarine
              drainage area (EDA) (see below).

              Physical and Hydrologic Data. Physical and hydrologic characteristics data are included so that readers can
              understand better the survey results and make meaningful comparisons among the'estuaries. The EDA is
              the land and water component of a watershed that drains into and most directly affects estuarine waters.
              The average daily inflow is the estimated discharge of freshwater into the estuary. Surface area includes the
              area from the head of tide to the boundary with other water bodies. Average depth is the mean depth from
              mid-tide level. Volume is the product of the surface area and the average depth.

              Survey Results. Selected data are presented in a unique format that is intended to highlight survey results
              for each estuary. The existing conditions symbols represent either the maximum conditions predominating
              one or more months in a typical year, or whether there are resource impacts due to bloom events. The trends
              (circa 1970 - 1995 unless otherwise stated) symbols indicate either the direction and magnitude of change in
              concentrations, or in the frequency of occurrence.

              The four sections on each page include a text block to highlight additional information such as probable
              months of occurrence and periodicity for each parameter, limiting factors to algal biomass, nuisance and
              toxic algal species, nutrient forms, and degree of water column stratification.

              Some parameters are not characterized by symbols on the estuary pages. These include macroalgal and
              epiphyte abundance, bio    'logical stress, minimum average monthly bottom dissolved oxygen trends, tempo-
              ral shifts in primary productivity, benthic community shifts, interticial wetlands, and planktonic community
              shifts. These parameters are described in the Regional Overview section (starting on page 5) and, where
              relevant, highlighted in the text blocks under each parameter section on the estuary pages.

              A key is provided below that explains the symbols used on the summary pages. See Table 1 on page 3 for
              complete details about the characteristics of each parameter.


            Estuary                                               page     Estuary                                               page
            Albemarle /Pamlico Sounds                             21       Broad River                                           32
            Pamlico/Pungo Rivers                                  22       Savannah River                                        33
            Neuse River                                           23       Ossabaw Sound                                         34
            Bogue Sound                                           24       St. Catherine/ Sapelo Sounds                          35
            New River                                             25       Altamaha River                                        36
            Cape Fear River                                       26       St. Andrew/St. Simon Sounds                           37
            Winyah Bay                                            27       St. Marys /Cumberland Sounds                          38
            North/South Santee Rivers                             28       St. Johns River                                       30
            Charleston Harbor                                     29       Indian River                                          40
            Stono/North Edisto Rivers                             30       Biscayne Bay                                          41
            St. Helena Sound                                      31




                                                                                                                                      19






              NOAA      s Estuarine Eutrophication Surz)ey: Volume I - South Atlantic


                                    Key to Symbols Used on Estuary Summaries


                                             Tidal Fresh                                 Mixing                                           Seawater

                                                                                                                          Subare X                       Subarea Y
                                                                                                                    7M

                                                                               25-501/6


                                       Sali          n. [email protected],            Spatial Coverage:               Reliability:                   Salinity Zone Divided:
                                                                                                                                           salinity zones are often divided
                                       i f t In i@ is.,, in 0itn  t         surface area over which         indicates assessment
                                       present in t e estuary               Condition occurs (not           made from speculative          into subareas to account for
                                       the entire box is left               listed for nuisance/toxic       inferences                     unique characteristics
                                       blank                                aolgaq or low/not observed
                                                                            c nditions)






                                                                                          H


                                                                                        50-100%



                                              Existing Conditions                                                                   Trends (circa 1970-1995)


                            Concentrations                                  Event Occurrences                            Direction of Change                Magnitude of Change

                  (Chl-a, Turbidity, Nutrients, SAV)                  (NuisancelToxic Algae, do.)                       (Concentrations or Frequency of Event Occurrences)
                  E         hypereutrophic                           y impacts on resources                                            increase                          high
                            chl-a: >60 pg/l                                   nuisance algae: impacts occur                  t                                  t >50%, <1 00%
                  H         high-                                         or  toxic algae: impacts occur
                            chl-a: >20, <60 pg/l                                                                                                                       medium
                            turbidity: secchi <1 m                          low d.o. is observed                                       decrease
                            TDN: >1 mgA                                       anoxia: 0 mg/l                                                                    li@>25%, <50%
                            TCP: >0.1 MgA                                     hypoxia: >0, <2 mg/l
                            SAV >50, < 100 % coverage                                                                                  no trend                         low
                  M medium                                           N no resource impacts                                                                      '@@>O%' <25%
                            chl-a: >5, <20 pg/I                               no nuisance algae impacts
                            turt;i-dity: s-ecchi > 1 m, <3m                   no toxic algae impacts
                            TDN: >0.1, <1 m-g/I                          or                                                    *7      unknown                  z@\ magnitude
                            TOP: >0.01, <0.1 mg/l                                                                                                                       unknown
                            SAV >25, < 50 % coverage                        low d.o. not observed
                  L         low                                               no anoxic events
                            chl-a: >0,@5_pg/l                                 no hypoxic events
                            turbidity: secchi >3m
                            TDN: >0, 40.1 mg/l                       'I     unknown
                            TDP: >0, <0.01 mg/l
                            SAV > 10, < 25 % coverage
                VL very low
                            SAV >0, <10 % coverage


                            o SA
                NS n               V in zone

                  B         blackwater area


                  17        unknown



            20


NOAA'S Estuarine Eustrophication Survey Volume 1-South Atlantic

Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds are characterized as having
moderate to hypereutrophic levels of chlorophyll- a and mod-
erate to high turbidity levels. Periodic occurrences of nui-
sance algae and episodic occurrences of toxic algae are re-
orted duringlate summer months, Nitrogen and phospho-
rus levels are mderate to high and anoxia and hypoxia are
reported for limited bottom areas.

Extreme conditions are generally observed in the chowan
River with more moderate conditions reported for Pamlico
sound. Conditions in much of the remainder othe estuary
are unknow. Trends are genrally unknown throughtout the
estuaray except for a decrease in turbidity in the Chowan
River. SAV decreased significantly in the tidal fesh zone and
to a lesser degree in the mixing zone of pamlico Sound.

A large, bar-built lagoonal system bordered on the east side by barrier
beaches forming hte outer Banks. Roanoke and chowan rivers are the
major freshwater inputs to Albemarle sound. TIdes range 2 ft near the 
inlets but are dampened to 0.6 ft within pamlico sound. Salinity variability
and water-column mixing in the sounds is determinated by prevailing wind-
driven circulation and currents.


Algal conditions
Ch1-2 conditions occurin in summer in all zones and winter in mixing
and seawter zones Occurrences are periodic in tidal fresh and 
mixing and episodic in seawater zone. Limiting factors are nitrogen,
phosphorus, and light in Chowan r, nitrogen in mixing and
seawater zones, Turbidity condictions occur periodically FEb. to Sept.
in Chowan R. and all year in Pamlico Sound. Nuisance/toxic
Antharns portoricensis, Aplamizommon flosequse, and Microcysts
serogiances occur periodically June to Sept. in Chowan R In Pamlico
Sound nuisance amaberus Raciborski occures july to Sept; toxic
Pfiesteris piscidieds occured once in 1992.

Ecosystem/community Responses

Planktonic community dominated by blue-green algae in Chowan
R.; diatoms in pamlico Sound and seawater zone. Polychaetes and
mollusks dominate benthic comunity in mixing and seawater
zones. Contributing sources to SAV decline were not reported
Key on page 20

Nutrients
Elevated concentrations of TDN and TDP occur Feb. to April in
Chowan R. TDP concentrations in Pamlico Sound occur June to
AUg.

Dissolved oxygen
In Chowan R. and Pamlico Sound, anoxia/hypoxia occur July to
Sept at bottom of water column. Water column stratification plays
moderate role in these conditions. conditions occur periodically in
Chowan R. and episodically in Pamlico Sound.

21

		NOAA'S Estuarine utrophication Survey Volume 1-South Atlantic
Pamlico/Pungo Riveres
Pamlico/Pungo Rivers are characterized as having periodi-
cally high levels of chlorophyll-a and moderate turbidity.
Biological resource impacts from episodic occurrences of
toxic algae are also reported. Nutrient levels are moderate
and anoxia and hypoxia occur periodically inlimited bot-
tom areas.

Trends vary from a significant increase in chlorophyll-a to a
modest decrease in phosphorus to no trends for nitrogen
and dissolved oxygen. No trends were reported for the lim-
ited amount of SAV.

Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
Receives majority of freshwater from Tar River. Moderate stratification
occurs especially in Feb-April during high-inflow period. Tides range
2 ft near the inlets of outer banks to 1 ft at mouths of pamlico and 
Pungo rivers. Winds can significantly influence water elevation and 
circulation and tend to override tidal influences.

Algal conditions
Chl-a and turbidity condictions occur periodically in winter and 
summer. Nitrogen and light are limiting to algal biomass.
increasing chl-a concentrations in upper pamlico River due to
best management practices leading to less light limitation. Toxic
Pfiesteria piscicida occurs episodically mid to late summer, with
durations of less than a week.

Ecosystem/community Responses
Primary production is dominated by pelagic community;
planktonic community dominated by flagellates; benthic
community dominated by annelids and crustaceans. intertidal
wetlands coverage is low.

Nutrients
Elevated concentrations of TDN and TDP occur January to
March. decreasing TDP is associated with poin sources
modifications.

Dissolved oxygen
Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hypoxia occur June to October,
typically at bottom of water column. Water column
stratification contributes to these conditions. Minimum average
monthly bottom dissolved oxygen concentrations decreased
from 1970 to 1990.

22      key page 20

		NOAA'S 	Estuarine Eutrophication Survey; Volume 1- South atlantic
Neuse River
Neuse River is characterized as haveing moderate to 
hypereutrophic chlorophyll-a condictions and moderate tur-
bidity. Nuisance and toxic algae are reported as impacting
biological resources during events that occur from early sum-
mer to early fall. Nitrogen and phosphorus are reported at
moderate concentrations. Anoxia and hypoxia events occur
periodically from june to october across a moderate por-
tion of the estuary.

These condictions occur predominantly in the mixing zone
which represents almost the entire estuary. Trends for most
parameters are reported as increasing. Decreasing trends are
observed for nuisance and toxi algae in the tidal fresh zone.
The limited SAV in th mixing zone is also reported as de-
creasing.

Physical and Hydrologic characteristics
Receives majority of freshwater from both tne Neuse and Trent rivers.
salinity stratification often occurs near mouth of Neuse River but is
more common furthur upstream. Tides range 1 ft near entrance to the
Pamlico Sound. Winds can significantly influence water elevation and
circulation and generally override tidal influences on salinity
structure.

Algal conditions
Chl-a conditions occur periodically spring to early fall and, in
mixing zone, in winter. Nitrogen and phosphorus are limiting in
tidal fersh zone; nitrogen in mixing zone. Turbidity
concentration maximums in mixing zone occur periodically
winter to summer and episodically with high flow and algal
blooms. Nuisance algae and toxic algae(pfiesteria piscicida)
events generally occur early summer to early fall and last a
month or longer.

Ecosystem/community Responses
Primary production is dominated by pelagic community.
Domininace shift occured from blue green algae to diverse
mixture in tidal fresh zone. Annelids are dominant benthic
group. intertidal wetlands coverage is very low.

key on page 20

Nutrients
In tidal fesh zone, reported elevated concentrations of TDN and
TDP occur February to June. In mixing zone, reported elevated
concentratiosn occur January to April for TDn and January to
April and June to August for TDP. Trends in nitrogen are for
DIN over last five years.

Dissolved Oxygen
Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hypoxia occur June to October;
typically at bottom of water column. Water column stratification
contributes significantly to these condictions. Minimum average
monthly bottom dissolved oxygen concentratons have
decreased and spatial coverage of anoxic/hypoxic conditions for
tidal fesh and mixing zones have increased.

23

        	NOAA'S Estuarine Eustrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic

Bogue Sound

Bogue Sound is characterized as having moderate levels of
cholorophyl-a and moderate to high turbidity. There are no
biological resource impacts associated with nuisance algae
and toxic algae events are extremely rare. Moderate levels
of dissolved inorganic nitrogen are reported for the seawa-
ter zone. No anoxia or hypoxia are observed.

these conditions are observed in the mixing and seawater
Zones. Trends are reported as either unknown or no trend.
Limited SAV is present in the mixing and seawater zones.

Physical and Hydrologic characteristics
A shallow, lagoonal estuarine system containing numerous shoals and 
disposal area for dredged material. Tidal mixing promotes a fairly
uniform seasonal salinity structure. Vertically homogeneous salinities
are common in Bogue and Back sounds. White oak, newport, and
North rivers have strong horizontal salinity gradients during late
winter and spring. Moderate vertical stratification is common.

Algal Conditions
Chl-a maximums occur in spring mixing zone and in summer
in seawater zone. Nitrogen is limiting factor in mixing and
seawater zones. Turbidity conditions occur continously
throughout the year. A one time event of gymnodinium brevis
occured 11/87 to 2/88 due to gulf transport. However,
conditiosn in the estuary allowed it to sustain.

Ecosystem/Community Responses
Planktonic community dominated by diatoms; benthic
community dominated by annelids and diverse mixture.
intertidal wetlands range from low to medium coverage.

Nutrients
Concentratons in mixing zone for nitrogen are reported as DIN;
concentration of nitrogen in seawater zone is more than 90%
DON. Trends for nitrogen are for DIN.

Disolved oxygen

24     key on page 20



	NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic

New River
New river is characterized as haveing moderate to 
hypereutrophic levels of chlorophyll-a and moderate to high
levels of turbidity. Biological resoruce impacts from peri-
odic nuisance algae and episodic toxic algae occur in sum-
mer and winter months. Nitrogen and phosphorus are mod-
erate to high though they occur at different times of the year.
Bottom-water hypoxia in late summer montsh is reported.

these conditions occur primarily in the mixing zone which
represents more than 80 percent of the estuary. More extreme
conditions generally occur in Morgan Bay. Trends informa-
tion is unknow for all parameters. SAV is present in very
limited amounts in the seawater zone.

Physical and hydrologic characteristics
Consists of three major bays (Morgan, Farnell, stones) in upper
estuary, and smaller features to the south in lower or seawater
portion. Freshwater from the New River is dominant influence on
salinity structur, especially above Pollocks Point. Tidal influence
generally restircted to lower estuary where increases in vertical
mixing cause relatively stable salinities to persist. Moderate
stratification is fairly common in upper portoin of New River,
especially during high-inflow conditions.

Algal conditions
In mixing zone, maximum chl-a and turbidity concentrations
occur periodically summer and winter with nitrogen and silica
limiting biomass. Nuisance and toxic algae also occur during
summer and winter months. Toxic algal events are episodic and
are days in duration.

Ecosystem/Community responses
Primary production is dominated by pelagic community;
planktonic community dominated by mixture of diatoms and 
flagellates; benthic community dominated by annelids in
seawater zone.

Nutrients
Concentrations of nitrogen are for ammonia and nitrate;
concentrations of phosphorus are for total phosphorus and 
orthophosphate. In Farnell Bay and stones bay elevated nitrogen
concentratiosn occur December to March; elevated phosphorus
cocnentrations occur May to October.

Dissolved Oxygen
Periodic, bottom-water hypoxia occurs in mixing zone June to
September. Water column stratification plays a moderate role in
these conditions.

Key page 20                                   25

		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic

Cape Fear River

Cape Fear River is characterized as having moderate to high
levels of chlorophyll-a and turbidity. Biological resource im-
pacts from nuisance and toxi algae do not occur. Nitrogen
and phosphorus are reported at moderate to high concen-
trations throughtout most of the estuary. No anoxia or hy-
poxia are observed.

These conditions occur primarily in the mixing zone which
represents more than 75 percent of the estuary. Trends are
almost all unknown. Very low amounts of SAV are present
in all salinity Zones.

Physical and Hydrologic characteristics
Receives the majority of freshwater inflow from the Cape Fear, Black,
and Northeast Cape Fear rivers. Seasonal variability in freshwater
inputs, foverned by shifting precipitation patterns, has major effects
on salinuty structure. Discharge form main river systems is three times
greater during early spring than in fall months. Tides are dominant
influence on salinity strucdture and range 4.2 ft near estuary mouth
stratification is common within navigation channels.

Algal Conditions
Maximum Chl-a concentratons occur periodically April to Sept.
In mixing zone; limiting factors are phosphorus, nitrogen, and
light in spring, summer, and winter. In seawater zone, limiting
factor is nitrogen, and light under high turbidity conditions.
High turbidity concentrations occur periodically in winter in all
zones and episodically with heavey rainfall or dredging activities.

Ecosystm/community responses
Planktonic community is dominated by mixture of diatoms and 
flagellates; benthic community dominated by annelids. Intertidal
wetlands coverage is high in tidal fresh zone, medium in mixing
zone, and low in seawater zone.

Nutrients
Concentrations are reported as total nitrogen and total
phosphorus. TIN is 50-60% of total in tidal fresh zone, 40-50% in
mixing zone, and 25% in seawter zone. Orthophosphate is 75% 
of total in tidal fresh zone, 60% in mixing zone, and 35% in
seawater zone.

Dissolved oxygen

26          key on page 20

		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic
Winyah Bay
Winyah bay is characterized as haveing moderate to high lev-
els of chlorophyll-a and high turbidity. Based on specula-
tive inference, biological resource impacts from nuisance and
toxic algae do not occur, Nitrogen and phosphorus are gen-
erally reported at moderate to high levels. BOttom-water
anoxia and hypoxia periodically occur in the mixing zone of 
Winyah Bay and the seawater zone of North inlet.

Trends reported indicate moderate increases in turbidity in
the tidal fersh and mixing zones, no trends for nuisance and
toxic algae, and decreasing trends for nitrogen and phos-
phorus. Distribution and trends for SAV are generally un-
known.

Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
Receives majority of freshwater inflow from Pee Dee and Little Pee
Dee rivers. Seasonal inflows alter salinities approximately 10 ppt
throughout most of estuary. Tides range 4.5 ft at North inlet and 
salinities are generally unstratified in that area. Moderately stratified
conditions are most common within mixing zone and navigation
channels during early spring but typically shift northward in fall.

Algal Conditions
Chl-a maximums occur periodically late spring to fall. Phosphorus
is limiting in tidal fersh and mixing zone of Winyah Bay; nitrogen is
limiting in north inlet mixing zone and all of seawater zone. Light
is co-limiting in all zones. Turbidity maximums occur continously
throughout the year.

Ecosystem/Community REsponses
Primary productin is dominated by macrophytes and diverse
aquatic community in tidal fresh zone; intertidal westlands and 
pelagic communities in mixing and seawater zones. Planktonic
community dominates by diatoms; benthic community dominated
by insects in tidal fersh zone; annelids and diverse mixture in
mixing and seawater zones. Intertidal wetlands coverage high.

Nutrients
Trends in tidal fersh zone and mixing zone are associated with best
management practices, new regulations, and a phosphate ban. In
seawater zone, trends are associated with drought conditions.

Dissolved Oxygen
Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hypoxia have been reported May to
September in mixing zone, typically at bottom of water column. In
North inlet, periodic occurrences occur August to September only.
Water column stratification was not a factor.

Key on page 20                   27

		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic

North/South Santee Rivers
North/South Santee Rivers are characterized by unknown
levels of chlorophyll-a and tubidity and no occurrence of
nuisance or toxic algae throughtout the estuary. Nitrogen and 
phosphorus are reported at moderate concentrations dur-
ing the late summer months. Anoxia and hypoxia are un-
know throughout the estuary.

The conditiosn reported occur predominantly in the mixing
zone which represents approxiately 90 percent of the estu-
ary. Trends for turbidity, nitrogen, and phosphorus are re-
ported as decreasing significantly due to rediversion of wa-
ter in the estuary. Nuisance and toxic algae are reported as
having no recent trends. The current distribution and trends
for SAV are unknown.

Physical and Hydrologica Characteristics
A drowned river vally system that is highly variable with reagard to
freshwater and salinity structure. Changes in salinity occurred
following a rediversion of freshwater inflow back into Sangee River
system from lake Moultrie in 1985. Currently, horizontal salinity
gradients exist, mainly in lower estuary, but stratification is generally
weak. Salinities in lower rivers cn vary significantly between
successive high and low tides, ranging 4.2 ft near estuary mouth.

Algal conditions
Decreasing turbidity conditions are ossociated with rediversion
of water in the estuary.

Ecosystem/Community Responses
Planktonic community is dominated by diatoms; benthic
community by insects in tidal fresh zone and diverse mixture
and crustaceans in mixing zone. Intertidal wetlands have high
spatial coverage.

Nutrients
Elevated TDN concentrations occur July to September; Elevated
TDP concentrations occur August to October. Trends are
associated with changes in flwo patterns due to water
diversions.

Dissolved oxygens

key on page 20            28





                     NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
                     Charleston Harbor
                                                                                                                                      Charleston Harbor is characterized as having moderate to
                                                                                                                                      high levels of chlorophyll-a and high levels of turbidity. Bio-
                                                                                                                                      lo ical resource impacts from nuisance and toxic algae are
                                                                                                                                      uncown in the tidal fresh zone and do not occur in the mix-
                                                                                                                                      ing and seawater zones. Nitrogen and phosphorus are re-
                                                                                                                                      ported at moderate levels except for high concentrations of
                                                                                                                                      both in the Ashley River. Anoxia and hypoxia are unknown
                                                                                                                                      in the tidal fresh zone and occur periodically during the late
                                                                                                                                      spring and summer in the mixing and seawater zones.
                                                                                                                                      rencis reporte indicate increasing turbidity, articulark-
                                                                                                                                      n the Ashley River, and decreasing nutrients gaSC-6
                                                                                                                                      mproved wastewater treatment anaa. phosphate ba n.
                                                                                                     F                                ow amounts of SAV are reported as increasing in thQ nniX'_
                                                                                                                                      ing zone.
                                                                                                                                      Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
                                                                                                                                      Estuarine Drainage Area (mi2) 1,215                  Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 5,996
                                                                                                                                                                                                       _7 Sea ater'
                                                                                                                                                              Jidal-ftes                            -_ rver
                                                                                                                                                                                   in-do n -ea I  Ashley R
                                                                                                                                      Surface   ;i                              1                                       10.8
                                                                                                                                      L@rea         46.4             6.5              22.0             7.0
                                                        A
                                                        R@hlay
                                                                                                                                      FAverage
                                                                                                                                      I Depth (ft)  18.3             15.0             1.5.9            12.0             17.3

                                                                                                                                      Volu  me
                                                                                                                                                   21.6                               10.9             2.3              5.2
                        S.1inity Zen 5                                                                                                (billion cu ft)
                        0 TOM F-h                                                              n'                                                                    - - ------
                        0 M`i-g Z,-                                                                                                   Formed at the confluence of the Cooper, Ashley, and Wando rivers.
                        C3         Z"_
                         - 'i                                                                  -  -              MR-                  Since the rediversion of flow away from the Cooper river system in
                     Algal Conditions                                                                                                 1985, regulated flow from ffie Cooper and low flow from the Ashley
                                                                                                                                      results in small inter-annual salinity distributions.                      Tides range,
                                                             Mixing                       Seawater                                    approximately 5.2 ft near harbor mouth and have dominant influence
                             Tidal Fresh                                                                                              on salinity variability in upper portions of Ashley and Cooper rivers.
                                                                                                                                      Vertical stratification is more pronounced within Cooper River than
                                                   In General       Ashley River                                                      in other parts of estuary.
                                                                 @E                                                                   Nutrients
                                   IL 1)                6cl?
                                                                                                                                                Fres h                       jxinq
                                                                                                                                           Tidal
                                                                                                                                                                 In-General      Ashley River
                                                    H     zL@ H t
                                                                                                                                                               M
                                                                                                                                                                  00%           iT'5%            @150-1001%
                                                                                     50-100%

                                                                                                                                      5iYW@M
                        F? I F-)@                                                                                                                           I M
                                                                                                                                                             @O
                                                                                                                                      150-100%              1   -10D%


                                                                                                                                      Concentrations are reported as total nitrogen ands
                                                                                                                                                                                ated TN concentrallon             total
                                                                                                                                      phosphorus. In seawater zone, elev                                         occur
                                                                                                                                      May to September; elevated TP concentrations occ,                         .1
                                                                                                                                      September. Trends are associated with improved wastewater
                                                                                                                                      treatment and a phosphate ban.
                     Chl-a and turbidity maxim. occur periodically in summer in                                                       Dissolved Oxygen
                     all zones and episodically February to March in tidal fresh zone.
                     Algal biomass is limited by phosphorus and light in tidal fresh                                                    Tidal Fresh                                                    Seawater
                     and mixing zones, and by nitrogen and light in seawater zone.
                                                                                                                                                              -InGo-neral        Ashley River
                     Ecosystem/Community Responses                                                                                                          iLy
                            Tidal Fresh                     Mixing                       Seawater
                                                  In Genenal       Ashley River


                                                                                                                                       Y
                                                                                                                                      IG1_0%
                                          I L-v:LE [@@E                                       1@1

                     Primary production is don-dnated by macrophytes and intertidal
                     wetlands in tidal fresh and mixing zones and pelagic                                                             Periodic occurrences of anoxia in mixing and seawater zones
                     communities in seawater zone. Diatoms dominate planktonic
                                                                                                                                                                                                   G_ OY,



                                                                                                                                      May through September. Hypoxic conditions occur in tidal fresh
                     community; benthic community dominated by insects in tidal                                                       zone. Bottom-water occurrences were reported for anoxia;
                     ,fresh zone and mixture of annelids and mollusks in mixing and                                                   hypoxic conditions occur throughout entire water column.
                     Iseawate, zones, Intertidal wetlands have high spatial coverage.                                                 Water column stratification was not a factor.
                     Key on page 20                                                                                                                                                                                           29






                                                                                                                       NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
                Stono/North Edisto Rivers                                                                              Stono/North Edisto Rivers have minimal information on ex-
                                                                                                                       isting conditions but are characterized as having slight in-
                                                                                        Ansh                           creases in turbidity, and moderate decreases in nitrogen and
                                                                                                                       phosphorus. Anoxia and hypoxia occur periodically in lim-
                                                                                                                       ited areas of the seawater zone.
                                                                                                                       The reported conditions occurprimarily in the seawater zone
                                                                                                                       which represents more than 80 percent of the estuary. Very
                                                                                                                       low amounts of SAV are reported for the seawater zone.

                                                                           M.M                Stono        I    .
                                                                           C,..k                                       Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
                                                                                              River
                                         Z@                                                                            Estuarine Drainage Area (mi2) N/A                 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) NIA

                                                                                                                                                                                                  3p;?water
                                                                                                                       Surface            39.1      1                            5.5                 33.6
                                                                                                                       Area (mg)

                     DAwho    r                                                                                        Average            15.6      1                            13.9                17.3
                                                                                                                       Depth (ir)
                                                                                                                         o lum a
                                                                                                                              u          18.3                                    2.1                16.2
                                             No,M
                  South        S                 too                                                                   Consists    of  the North Edisto River,           Stono River and an intricate
                  Edisto       C..k          River                                                                     network of tidal creeks and tributaries.           Relatively high salinities exist,
                  River                                                                                                especially near the mouth. Generally well mixed with low seasonal
                                                                              North                                    Salinity variability. Freshwater inflow driven by local precipitation
                                                                                +             Salinity Zones           events and inflow from tributaries,
                                                                       (I      2@1       5    f2 Tidal Fresh
                                                                                              ' mming Zorie
                                                                              M.'es           o 5.4terZone             Nutrients

                Algal Conditions                                                                                                Tidal Fresh                      Mixing
                                                                                                                                                                                     ______ï¿½eawater


                           Tidal Fresh                     Mixing                    Seawater












                                                   L
                                                                                                                       Tren                                                                   ources.
                                                                                                                            ds are associated with improvements in point s
                                                     *N                        I 7N        I                           Dissolved Oxygen
                                                                                                                                Tidal Fresh                      Mixing








                Trends are associated with nonpoint soumes.


                Ecosystem/Comm unity Responses

                          Tidal Fresh                    Mixing                      Seawater
                                                  F
                                                              E                             _7                         Periodic occurrences of.hypoxia occur June to October in mixing
                                                                                                                       'zone,-and June to July in seawater zone. Conditions are mainly
                                                   U'                                L[. . .                           observed at bottom of water c           olumn. Water column stratification
                                                                                                                       not a factor.



                Primary producer is interticial wetlands, Planktonic community
                I
                in































                is dominated by diatorns and benthic community by diverse
                mixture.

                30                                                                                                                                                               Key on page 20



		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic
St. Helena Sound
St. Helena Sound is characterized as having low levels of 
chlorophyll-a. Turbidity is characterized as blackwater in the 
mixing zone and high in the seawater zone. Biological re-
source impacts from nuisance and toxic algae are unknown
and nutrients are moderate. Anoxia and hypoxia occur pe-
riodically during the summer.

These conditions are reported primarily for the mixing zone.
Trends information is genrally unknown, with teh excep-
tion of decreases in nitrogen in the mixing zone, and no
trends for turbidity and phosphorus in the mixing zone, Dis-
tribution and trnds for SAV are unknown.

Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
A drowned river vally/bar built system with numerous tributaries
and island formations. Major freshwater source is South Edisto River.
Semi-diurnal tides range 6.9 ft near estuary mouth and are dominant
forcing mechanism to salinity structure. Weak stratification of
salinities and seasonal varibility is common in lower combahee and 
South Edisto Rivers. Vertically homogeneous conditions prevail in
lower St. Helena Sound.

Algal Conditions
The frequency and months of occurrence for high turbidity
conditions are unknown.

Ecosystem/Community Responses
Primary productivity is dominated by intertidal wetlands;
planktonic community is dominated by diatoms and benthic
community by mixture aof annelids and crustaceans.

Nutrients
Elevated TDN concentrations occur June to September; elevated
TDP concentrations occur June to October.

Dissolved oxygen
Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hypoxia occur in mixing zone
June to September. Bottom-water occurrences were reported for
anoxia; hypoxic conditions occur throughout water column.
Water column stratification not a factor.

Key on page 20                 31





                                                                                                             NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
              Broad River
                                                                                                             Broad River is characterized as having moderate levels of
                                                                                                             chlorophyll-a and low levels of turbidity. Based on specula-
                                                                                                             tive inference, biological resource impacts from nuisance and
                                                                                                             toxic algae do not occur. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels
                                                                                                             are reported at moderate to high concentrations. Bottom-
                                                                                                             water anoxia and hypoxia occur periodically during the sum-
                                                                                                             mer.

                                                                                                             These conditions are observed in the mixing and seawater
                                                                                                             zones. Trends are generally unknown with the exception of
                                                                                                             turbidity (increasing in the mixing zone and no trend in the
                                                                                                             seawater zone), nitrogen (no trend in the mixing zone), and
                                                                                                             phosphorus (no trend in both mixing and seawater zones).
                                                                                                             Distribution and trends for SAV are unknown.
                 Euha    mak
                                                                                                             Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics

                                                                                                             Estuarine Drainage Area (mR) 1,010           Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 900
                                                                                                                             Estuary      Tidal Fresh           Mixing          Seawater

                                                                                                             Surface        107.5                               15.5                92.0
                                                                                                             I Area (m;2)1

                                                                    pon,                                     Average
                                                                                                                             24.0
                                                                                                                                                                23.7                23.2
                          Rwa,                                                                               De


                                                       4    NlhonH"d                     North                              69.7


                                                                                   0      25        5        A drowned river valley system with intricate tidal cre              and marsh
                                                                                                             islands. The Coosawhatchee River is major freshwa                   source
                                                                                   e___
                                                                                          Miles                                                                             @es            but
                                                                                                             little seasonal variability exists due to the relatively low discharge into
              Algal Conditions                                                                               estuary, Tides range an average of 6.9 ft near estuary mouth. Port
                                                                                                             Royal Sound exhibits vertically homogeneous salinity structure due to
                        Tidal Fresh                 Mixing                                                   tidal n-dxing.
                                                                                                             Nutrients


                                                                                                                    Tidal Fresh                  Mixing




                                               L                        L
                                                                                                                                        1@'111 E_
                                                                       N           ?
                                                                                                             Elevated TDN concentrations occur in mixing zone in Januaryl
                                                                                                             and August to October; in seawater zone in February and August I
                                                                                                             to October. Elevated TDP concentrations occur in mixing zone
                                                                                                             July to August and November; in seawater zone June to August.
                                                                     rN@                                     Dissolved Oxygen
                                                    J


                                                                                                                    Tidal Fresh                  Mixing                  Seawater
              Medium chl-a conentrations occur periodically in the Beaufort
              River portior@@ of the seawater zone.


              Ecosystem/Community Responses

                       Tidal Fresh                Mixin                     Seawater
                                           1?1
                                                                                                             [-A-oxia/hypoxia occur periodically in mixing and seawateri
                                                                                                             [zones June to September, Bottom-water occurrences werel
                                   tivity is dominated by intertidal wetlands;
                                  Limunity dominated by diatoms; benthic                                     reported for anoxia; hypoxic conditions occur throughout water
                                  iixture of annelids and crustaceans.                                       column.'. Water column stratification not a factor.
              32                                                                                                                                                  Key on page 20.


		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic
Savannah River
Savannah River is characterized as having moderate levels
of cholorophyll-a and moderate to high levels of turbidity,
particularly in the mixing zone. Biological resource impacts
from nuisance and toxic algae do not occur. Nutritnes are 
reported as moderate to relatively high , particularly in the 
tidal fresh zone. Bottom-water anoxia and hypoxia occur
periodically during the summer.

The spatial extent of most of these conditions is unknown.
Trends are reported as either unknown or no trends with
the exception of a possible increase in turbidity in the tidal
fresh zone. SAV is unknown in the tidal fresh zone and not
present in the rest of the estuary.

Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
Part of a drowned river vally system receiving the majority of
freshwater inflow from the savannah River. Discharge is determined
by controlled releases of freshwater. Salinity structure is moderately
stratified and salinity variability within the estuary is more significant
below Hutchinson Island. Tides range 6.5 ft at estuary mouth and are
a dominant forcing mechanism to the overall salinity structure.

Algal conditions
Maximum Chl-a concentrations occur periodically June to
August with light limiting in mixing zone and silica in seawater
zone. Turbidity maximums occur continously throughout year.

Ecosystem/Community Responses
Primary productivity is dominated by intertidal wetlands.
Planktonic community dominated by diatoms and diverse
mixture; benthic community dominated by crustaceans in tidal
fresh zone and annelids in mixing zone.

Nutrients
More than 50% of TDN is organic nitrogen. Elevated
concentrations occur may to August in tidal fesh and mixing
zones.

Dissolved Oxygen
Anoxia occurs periodically June to August, and hypoxia may to
September, both typically at bottom of water column. Water
column stratification contributes moderately to these conditions.
There was an increase in minimum average monthly bottom
dissolved oxygen concentrations and an increase in the spatial
coverage of hypoxic conditions in mixing zone. Nonpoint
sources are associated with the trends.

key on page 20			33






                                                                                                                    NOAA's Estuarine Eutropliication Survey: Volume I - Soutli Atlantic
                 Ossabaw Sound
                                                                                                                    Ossabaw Sound is characterized as having high to moder-
                                                                                                                    ate levels of chlorophyll-a and turbidity. Biolo ical resource
                                                                                                                    impacts from nuisance a-nd toxic al ae generalfly do not oc-
                                                                                                                    cur. Nutrients are reported at              low lo moderate levels. An-
                                                                                                                    oxia and hypoxia do not occur
                                                                                                                    The conditions reported occur primaril in the mixing zone.
                                                               SU                                                   Trends are either unknown or reporteTas no trend. -SAV is
                                                                                                                    not present.

                                                                                                                    Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
                                                                         vor* River
                                                                                                                    Estuarine Drainage Area (mi2) 1,473 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 3,000
                                                                                                                               ----Es-tuary-F@ jidal Fresh7             _Wxing         _L_w_--
                                                                 Lino                                                                          I                                         i                 I
                                                                   00C                                              Surface    j     39.9               4.U               18.1                 17.0
                                                                  Nor                                               Area (m;2):


                                                                                                                    Average
                                                  Skip                                                                               14.3               65                14.2           1     13.1
                                                      POT                                                           IDepth (q)
                                                  N-
                                                                                                                    gi.u:,e
                                                                                                                                     14.3               0.9                7.2                 6.2
                                          Manny
                                          Crook
                                                                                                                    iA small coastal plain system receiving freshwater from Ogeechee and
                                                                        Ossmbo@                                     Canoochee rivers. Seasonal variability in rainfall can alter salinity by
                                                                        Wand                                        10 ppt inmost of estuary. Tides range an average of 6.9 ft throughout
                 Fn"17,11.1-Z      I                                                               +                Ossabaw Sound. Vertically stratified circulation pattern can persist
                    N mi..gz-      1                                                               2,;              during low salinity period within lower Ogecchee River and Ossibaw
                                       f                                                                            Sound.

                 Algal Conditions
                                                                                                                    Nutrients,
                     L-'--.T.i-d'a'-F,-e-sh
                                                                                                                                                                                         Seaw       r
                                                                                                                             Tidal Fresh                      Xing
                           L                                                  M
                                     ?


                                                     H        ?               W?
                                           1        25-50                      -50
                                                                            T5


                                                                                                                                                                L
                                                                           @N                                       i More than      50%     of   TDN is organic            nitrogen. maximum
                                                                                                                          ntrations occur May to Septembe
                                                                                                                    _concen                                           r.



                                7
                                                                                                                    Dissolved Oxygen
                          ?
                                                     N
                                                                                                                                  I Freih ------Wixi7ng@@F@@-Seawater-


                  Maximum chl-a concentrations occur episodically in mixing
                                                                                                                                                                E?
                  zon                                                                                                    IN                             N
                 i    e and periodically in seawater zone April to July. Medium
                  concentrations occur periodically in mixing zone. Turbidity
                 I concentrations occur periodically from April to July.


                 Ecosystem/Community Responses
                    FT,dal Fresh                             q                                                                                                                   *j           L
                                                                                                                                                                                  ,N


                                    ?:             NS                       NS
                                                         J
                 FP-l'imary productivity -is -domin-ated- -byintert-id-al -;Zn`ds
                  Planktonic cornmunitv dominated by diverse mixture,
                 34                                                                                                                                                        Key on page 2U






                   NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - Soutli Atlantic
                   St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds
                                                       Kilkenny                                            St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds are characterized as having
                                                        Creek                                              moderate levels of chlorophyll-A and high levels of turbid--
                                                         B r                                               itv. No occurrences of biological resource impacts from nui-
                                F-                        Rwr                                              s@nce or toxic algae are reported. No anoxic or hypoxic con-
                                                     Medway                                                ditions are reported. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels are low.
                                      Hope           River
                                   Creek
                                     DW                                                                    These conditions occur primarily in the mixing and seawa-
                                     F@                                                                               Trends for nitrogen and phosphorus indicate sig-
                                                              Vl--                                         ter zones
                                                                        St. Catharines
                            Pea@k                    N@                "i Sound                            nificant increases in the mixing zone. Other trends were re-
                            Crook                    N-P.
                                                     FU_                                                    rted as unknown or, for nuisance/toxic algae, as no trend.
                                                                                                           @AOV is not present. Several of the values reported for chlo-
                                                                                                           rophyll--a nutrients, and dissolved oxygen are based on
                                                                                                           speculative inference.
                                                 South
                                               Ne  iver r?                                                 Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics

                                           sapalo                                                          Estuarine Drainage Area (mR) 963           Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 800
                                           River
                                                                       Sapato
                                                                       Sound               Atlantic                                    Tidal @resh          Mixing
                                                                                                                              'ua                                          Seawater
                                                                                            Ocean          J-_
                                                                                                           Surface f927                    0.4              54.9               36.9
                                                                                                           Area (mg)

                                                                                                           Average         14.5            7.6              14.7               22.7
                                                                                                           Depth (4)
                                                                                                           Volume         4S.9             0.09             22.5               23.4
                                                                                                           (billion cu it)

                                                                                         Tid.              i                                 island system comprised of small tidal
                                                                                      0                    1creeks. Receives minimal freshwater from mainland runoff, ground-
                                                                                        mmrg Z.-
                                               skid                      North        0 S--- Z-            water, and lateral flow from nearby rivers. Weak stratificatio-noccu-rs]
                                                                                      Salinity Zones
                                                             Doboy                                         A drowned river valley-barrier
                                                             Sound         +

                                                                                                           within Doboy Sound. EISEwhere, salinities are generally vertically
                   -Al-gal Conditions                                                                      homogeneous. Tides range 6.5 to 9 ft and are dominant f
                                                                                                           mechanism on salinity structure throughout most of estuary.
                           Tidal Fresh                 Mixing                Seawater
                                                                       X [@]                               Nutrients
                           Tidal Fresh area
                         not characterized
                           for this estuary                                                                        Tidal Fro h                Mixi                       'EM.-Wr


                                                                                                                                           L



                                                                                                                                           L
                                               LN]                       N

                                                                                                           Trends are associated with nonpoint sources.
                                               FN] - 7--
                                                                                                           Dissolved Oxygen

                                                                                                                  Tidal Fresh                 Mixing                  Seawater
                   Maximum chl-a concentrations occur periodically in             summer
                   with light lin-dtTng in mixing zone and silica limiting in sweawater
                   zone. Turbidity maximums occur periodically throughout year.


                   Ecosystem/Community Responses

                           Tidal Fresh               Mixing                  Seawater
                                                                       [N:S]
                                                N@S
                                               F P@

                   Primary productivity don-driated by intertidal wetlands.
                                                                                                           i
                                                                                                           F-

















































                           nic and benthic communities don-timted by diverse
                   Plankto
                   mixture.
                   Key on page 20                                                                                                                                                  35






                                                                                                                 NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
                Altamaha River
                                                                                                                 Altamaha River is characterized as having moderate to high
                                                                                                                 levels of chlorophyll-a and high levels oT turbidity. No oc-
                                                                                                                 currences of biological resource impacts from nuisance or
                                                                                                        j        toxic algae are reported. No hypoxic or anoxic conditions
                                                                                                                 are reported. Nutrients were reported as low in the seawa-
                                                                                                                 ter zone and moderate in the rest of the estuary.
                                                                                                                 These conditions occur primarily in the mixing zone which
                                                                                                                 represents approximately 80 percent of the estuary. Trends
                                                                                                                 are generally re orted as unknown or no trend with the ex-
                                                                                                                 ception of significant decreases in nitrogen in the tidal fresh
                                                                                                                 and mixing zones. SAV is not present.
                                                                                 Afd -                           Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
                                                                                C_k
                                                                                                                 Estuarine Drainage Area (mP) 1,512 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 14,900
                                                                                                                                   Estuary      Tidal Fresh           Mixing           Seawater
                                                                                                                 Surface           16.7               2.5             12.0                  2.2
                                                                                                                 Area (mi2)

                                                                                                                 Average           10.2               4.3             12.1                 13.1
                                                                                                                 Depth (ft)
                                                                                                                 F
                                                                                                                    lu
                                                                                                                    . :7e
                                                                                                                 mio-      ")      5.2                0.3                4.1                0.8

                   Safinify Zones                                                               N@ah             A coastal plain system consisting of the Altamaha River and several
                   C3 Tid,l F-h                                                                  +               tidal creeks.     Seasonal freshwater discharge is dominant forcing
                   0 ft@img Z-                                                                                   mechanism on salinity variability. Moderate to highly stratified
                   11                                                                                            conditions exist in central and lower estuary. During high-inflow,
                Algal Conditions                                                                                 vertically homogeneous conditions occur in Altamaha River above
                                                                                                                 Onemile Cut. Semi-diurnal tides range an average of 6.5 ft near
                          Tidal Fresh                 Mixi q     __F_sw,_a_te,                                   estuary mouth.

                                                                                                                 Nutrients
                                                                           M
                                                 H
                                                         i,         I I I         I                                        Tidal Fres                   Mixing                      Seawater
                                                 50-100%!
                                                                                                                                                  50-100%                   nL
                                                                         1 50-10
                                                 50-100%@


                                                                         IF-i
                                                                           N
                                                                         iL                                                                     X E-1

                                                                                                                 in tidal fresh zone, elevated nutrient concentrations occur
                                                                                                                 March to May, and in mixing zone, May to August.
                                                                           N

                                                                                                                 Dissolved Oxygen
                Maximum chl-a concentrations             occur episodicaBy       in mixim]
                                                                                            gg                             Tidal Fresh                  Mixing                    Seawater
                zone and periodically in seawater zone in summer. Medium chd- 1
                a concentrations occur periodically in mixing zone. Light is
                I Umiting in mixing zone and silica in seawater zone. Turbidity
                Imaximums occur continuously throughout year.                                                       [N
                Ecosystem/Comm unity Responses                                                                                                                              EN
                         Tidal Fresh                 Mixing                   Seawater
                                              @NSI --- NS@'
                                                                                             _j                                                                                                       _j
                                                                                                                           Tidal !Fesl
                                                                                                                                    ?





                Primary productivity dominated by intertidal wetland
                Planktonic and benthic communities dominated by diverse
                mixture.----
                36                                                                                                                                                      Key on page 20






           NOAA's Estuarine Eutroplucation Survey: Volume I - Soutli Atlantic
               t. Andrew/St. Simons Sounds
                                                                                                 St. Andrew/St. Simon Sounds are characterized as having
                                                                                                 moderate levels of chlorophyll-a. Turbidity is not character-
                                                                                                 ized because the estuary is classified as a blackwater sys-
                                                                                                 tem. No occurrences of biological resource impacts from nui
                                                                                                 sance or toxic algae are reported. No hypoxic or anoxic con-
                                                                                                 clitions are reported. Nitrogen is reported as generally mod-
                                   Hennitage P4Nnt e                              a              erate to high, and phosphorous is reported as generally mod-
                                                                                                 erate.

                                                                                                 The conditions re orted occur pri aril i in the mixing and
                                                                                                 seawater zones wEich represent ovimerW ercentoftheestu-
                                                                                  St. Simons     ary. Trends are generally reported as uZown or no trend
                                                                            R
                                                                                   Sound         with the exception of significant nutrient increases in the
                                                                        ..... kk F.
                                                                                                 tidal fresh and mixing zones. SAV is not present. Several of
                                                                                                 the values reported for chlorophyll-a, nutrients and dis-
                                                                                                 solved oxygen are based on speculative inference.
                                                  Lift S.W. A-                                   Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics

                                                                                                 Estuarine Drainage Area (Mi2) 3,213 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 2,500
                                                                          st  AW@W,
                                                                                                               Estuary     Tidal Fresh        Mixing      1   Seawater     1
                                               S.O. FU_                                          Surface       82.9             3.7            54.8              24.4
                                                                                                 Area (mP)

                                     Fm.h                                                        Average
                                                                                                 D
                                                                                                      'R'      14.3            10.3      1     12.9              13.0      1
                                                                                                 epth
                          Salinity Zones      North
                          M Tid@l Fresh          +                                               Volume        29.9            1.1               20              8.8       1
                          0 Mixing Zone   0      25    5                                         (biffion cu ft)
                            S-@[@rZne
                                                                                                 A drowned river valley system surrounded by barrier island features.      I
           Algal Conditions                                                                      Receives majority of freshwater from Satilla River, although seasonal
                                                                                                 salinities are also influenced by Altamaha River to the north. Salinity
                                              Mixin2                                             I.s WeAly stratified and dominated primarily by tidal mixing. Tides
                            sh
                       ztI Fre                                      Seawater                     range 6.5 ft at entrances of estuary to 7.8 ft near Hermitage Point.


                                                                                                 Nutrients
                    L

                                                                                                                                            - - ------- - ---
                                                                                                        Tidal Fresh                                        seawater


                                                                                                                   A,


                                                                                                     L5
                                                                                                    ! -P-100-,
                                                               ;B
                                                 L


                                                 F-1
                             ?
                              ?]                             @DN        E-
                                                                                                                            @ X L

                                                                                                 More than   50% of TDN is organic nitrogen. Elevated nutrient
                                                                                                 concentrations, in tidal fresh zone occur March to May; in mixing
                                                                                                 zone May to August. Trends associated with nonpoint sources
                                                               17N

           Maximum chl-a concentrations occur episodically in mixing and                         Dissolved Oxygen
           periodically in' seawater zone in summer. Medium chl-                .a                                                                             ate,
                                                                                                       Tidal Fresh                Mixin                   Se@a__!
           concentrations occur periodically in mixing zone. Light
           limiting in mixing zone and silica in seawater zone,

           Ecosystem/Community Responses
                                                                                                                                                    IL@_7]
                --ridal Fresh
                _?7.      FO
                          L
                                                                                                          01.
                                                                                                         1@
                                                                                                       -10
                                                                                                 @!' 400        t

                                                                                                     -rtdalFesh








           Pri-mary-p-roducer is intertidal wetlands. Planktorticmd. e-t c
           comm mities dominated by diverse mixture.

           Key on page 20                                                                                                                                              37






                                                                                                  NOAA's Estuarine Eutroplucation Survey: Volutne 1 - Soutlz Atlantic
            St. Marys River/Cumberland Sound
                                                                                                  St. Marys River/ Cumberland Sound is characterized as hav-
                                                                                                  in moderate levels of chlorophyll-a. Turbidity is not char-
                                                     Brckhill River                               ac
                                                                                                  ferized because the estuary is classified as a blackwater
                                                                                                  system. No occurrences of biological resource impacts from
                      kad                                                                         nuisance or toxic algae are reported. No hypoxic or anoxic
                   R or
                                                                                                  conditions are reported. Nutrients are generally low except
                                                                                                  for moderate nitrogen levels in the seawater zone.
                                                                                 Atlantic         The conditions reported occur primarily in the seawater zone
                                                                                   Ocean
                              King's Bay                                                          which represents arproximately 90 ercent of the estuary
                                                                                                  Trends are general vy reported as untnown or no trend ex-
                                                                                                  cept for a decrease in phosphorus in the mixing zone. SAV is
                                                                                                  not present.

                                   North
                                   Rival                                                          Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics

                                                                                                  Estuarine Drainage Area (mi2) 1,737 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) 8,171
                Ildl                                                                                                             I Fresh    _______FSeawater
                                                                     St. Mary's
                                                                                                                                                Mixing
                                                                     Entrance
                                                                                                  iSurface 1    33.8              0.1             3.7              30.0
              St. Malys                                                                           Area (m,2)
              River
                                                                 Amelia                           Average 1     197               5.7             8.4              21.1
                               dolly River                                                        Depth (ft)
                                                                River
                                                                                                  Volu:,e
                                                                                                               18.5 1            0-02             0.9              17.6
              Sl it                                                E
              2 1@,'@@IYHZ.@h                                                                     A bar-built estuary receiving the majority of freshwater inflow from
                                                                                                  St. Marys River, with discharge usually highest in late winter and
                                                                                                  spring. Salinity structure is determined primarily by seasonal pulses
                                                                                                  from the St. Marys River. Vertically homogeneous conditions occur
            Algal Conditions                                                                      throughout most of lower river and within Cumberland Sound due to
                                                                                                  tidal mixing. Tides average 6 ft near St. Mary's Entrance.
                                               Mixing                Seawater
                          Fresh                                                                   Nutrients
                      Tidal
                      area not                                   M*J
                   characterized for                                                               F-Ticial -Fresh __F__                T9-                   qawat  er
                     this estuary                               50-100%*1
                                                                                                                                                                  F--


                                                                                                                                                      @0_1 _00
                                                                 Bk
                                                    _J                              i
                                                            f



                                                                                                  More than 50% of TDN is organic nitrogen. Elevated ntti@7ent
                                                                                                  concentrations occur April to September.

                                                              F-
                                                              I INV
                                                                                                  Dissolved Oxygen
            Maximum d-d-a concentrations occur periodically June through                                Tidal Fresh                 Mixing-                Seawater
            August. Limitmg factor to algal biomass is light in mixing zone
            and silica in seawater zone.


            Ecosystem/Community Responses

                    Tidal Fresh
                                                                                                                                                    @' 7N
                                      INS                     INSh-_
                                                                       1L

            Primary producer is intertidal wetlands. Planktonic and benthic
            communities are dominated by diverse mixture.
            38                                                                                                                                    Key on page 201


		NOAA'S Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1-South Atlantic

St. Johns River
St. Johns River is characterized as having high to moderate
levels of chlorophyll-a and turbidity along with periodic
occurrences of nuisance algae and episodic occurrences of 
toxic algae. Nitrogen and phosphorus levels recorded for
the seawater zone. No anoxia or hypoxia are observed.

The conditions observed generally occur in the tidal fresh
and mixing zones which represent more than 95 percent of
the estuarine surface area. No trends were reported for
these conditions. Trends are observed for SAV with
relatively minor declines in the tidal fresh and mixing
zones.

Physical and hydrologic characteristics
An elongated estuarine system comprised of large lakes along most
of the rivers main stem. Tidal influences are  most apparent near the
river mouth where tides range approximately 4 ft. Moderate vertical
stratification results as freshwater overrides more dense sea water.
Wind and precipitation contribute to complexity of tidal influences
within estuary.

Algal conditons
Chl-a maximums occur periodically April to early fall. Light and
nitrogen are limiting factors in tidal fresh and mixing zones;
residence time is limiting in seawater zone. Turbidity maximums
occur April to July in tidal fresh and July to December in mixing
and seawater zones. Nuisance microcystis species occur
periodically June to July; toxic dinoflagellates occur episodically.

Ecosystem/community responses
Diatoms dominate planktonic community; benthic community
is dominated by annelids in seawater zone and mollusks in
tidal fresh and mixing zones.

Nutrients
More than 50% of TDN is organic nitrogen.

Dissolved oxygen

Key on page 20                          39





                                                                                                                              NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume 1 - South Atlantic
                   Indian River
                                                                                                                              Indian River is characterized as havingh high to
                                                                                                                              hy reui                                                                          zlevels of
                                                                                                                              turg        :rophic levels of chlorophyll-a and hig
                                                                                                                                   idity. Hiological resource impacts from nuisance and
                                                                                                                              toxic algae occur periodically during the summer. Nutri-
                                                                                                                              ents are reported as moderate to high. Bottom-water an-
                                                                                                             @j               oXia and hypoxia occur periodically over limited areas dur-
                                                                                                                              ing spring and summer.
                                                                       R-                                                     These conditions occur only in seawater zone. Trends are
                                              C_                                                                              gene@ally reported as unknown or no trend except for in-
                                                                                                                              creasing cholorophyl-a in the St. Lucie River. SAV is present
                                                                                                                              in low to moderate amounts though trends indicate it is
                                                                                            Atlantic                          decreasing in both areas for which it is reported. Many of
                                                                                            Ocean                             the values reported for this estuary are based on specula-
                                                   0 Met-                                                                     tive inference.
                                                                                                                              Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics

                              0                                                                                               Estuarine Drainage Area (mR) 1,184 Avg. Daily Inflow (cfs) N/A
                                                                                                                                             Estuary    Tidal Fres 1 Mixing                         Seawater
                                                                          6 .. he                                             Surface     1                                            Indian River St. Lucia R. Urban Aia&
                                                                                                                                               336                                    _296-          -
                                                                                                                                          1                                                                    11   36
                                                                   Urban                                                                  I
                                                                   A-                                                         Average          6.6                                         6.6                 9.0 6.6
                                                                                                                              Depth eft)
                                                                               P.-
                      Salinity Zon,s             NZ                                                                           Volume
                                                                                                                              (billion cuff)  64.4                                         55                  2.8 6.6
                      E] Tidal Front,
                      R M..mg zo-         0       10       20
                                   n@                                                                                         A narrow, lagoonal system influenced by wind forcing mechanisms,
                                                                                                                              stonn events, freshwater runoff and evaporation. Short-term wind
                   Algal Conditions                                                                                           events coupled with longer-term seasonal stonns affect overall
                                                                                                                              salinity structure.           Freshwater runoff from landward sources
                                                                                                                              determines lateral salinity stratification and variability. Saltwater
                                                                      Seawater
                                                                                                                              intrusion creates vertical stratification wi              In estuary. Tidal influence
                                                  Indian River      St. Lucia River      Urban Areas                          is maHy through 3 irdet strulctures@ Sebastian, t7t. Pierce and St.
                                                                                                                              Lucie. Tides range I ft near Ft. Pierce Het.
                                                 H__                 H*                  E
                                                                                                                              Nutrients


                                                                                                                                                Mixin                               Seawater
                                                                                                                                _jidal rires
                                                                                         H                                                                    Indian River        St. Lucie River              Urban Areas
                                                                                          ?

                                                                                                                                                                                1 ir
                                                                                                                                                                                i Lm@      -*                  -
                                                                                                                                                            M ---                                              FiH
                                                                    ---   *T__7                                                                                                                   I            faf-
                                                                     Y        ?          Y
                                                                                                                                                                                  H*--*                        [H
                                                                                                                                                                                                               ?
                                                                    Y         ?                                               Elevated nutrient concentrations occur April to September.

                   Maximum       chl-a concentrations occur episodically spring to fall
                   with light limiting in a zones. Maximum turbidity occurs                                                   Dissolved Oxygen
                   episodically spring to summer in tidal fresh zone, all year in mixing
                   zone, and periodically spring to summer in. seawater zone.
                   Nuisance and toxic algae events occur periodically June to August,                                           Tidal Fresh.    Mixin7a                            Seawater
                   lasting less than a week, and episodicay                   in tidal fresh and                                                             Indian River        St. Lucie River               Urban Areas
                   seawater zones.
                   Ecosystem/Community Responses                                                                                                                                                               Y
                                                                                                                                                                      ?     @ M_                               -.
                                                                     Sea%ntei,

                                                 Indian River      St. Lucie River       Urban Areas
                                                                                                                                                            Y                     Y                            Y ?

                                                                                                                                                                                 25-50%
                                                                                                                                                            10-25,                                             25-50Y.


                   SAV is dominant primary producer and flagellates are dominant
                                                                                                                              [
                                                                                                                              ALerage            -6
                                                                                                                              Depth           6

                                                                                                                              L
                   Tidal @Fmh        M    n


                   planktonic group. Benthic shift from annelids to mixture of                                                Periodic occurrences of anoxia/hypoxia occur April to September,
                   tnelids and crustaceans occurred in Indian River lagoon.                                                   typically at bottom of water column. Water column stratification
                   INonpoint sources associated with benthic shift and declining SAV.                                         was a major factor.

                   40                                                                                                                                                                      Key on page 20






                        NO,@,.-i's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic
                             iscayne Bay
                                                                                                                                                      Biscayne Bay is characterized as having enerallv low lev-
                                                                                                                                                      els of chlorophyll-a and low to moderate @Ievels of turbidity.
                                                                                                       mix @g                                         No biolo ical resource impacts from nuisance or toxic algae
                                                                                                         Zo'ne                                                     9
                                                                                                                                                      are reported. Nitrogen levels range from low to medium and
                                                                                                                                                      phosphorus levels are low. Bottom-water anoxia and hypoxia
                                                                                                                                                      occur only in localized areas that have been artificialiv aee                                               -
                                                                                Miami                     North                                       ened. Surface waters in canals and adjacent areas inay ge
                                                                                                                                                      anoxic or hypoxic during flood discharge events.
                                                                                      ",24--
                                                                                                                                                      These conditions occur in the mixing and seawater zones.
                                                                                                                                                      Trends are generally reported as no trends except.for de-
                                                                                                                                                      creasln      turbidity in the seawater zone and increasing nu-
                                                                                                                                                      t
                                                                                                                                                      rle        g                                                              d awater zones.
                                                                                                                                                       ntsinsomepartsof both themixingan se
                                                                                                   South                                              SAV is widely distributed and generally stable except with
                                                                                                                                                      slight increases reported for the north end of the seawater
                                                                                                                                                      zone. Values for nuisance and toxic algae are based on specu-
                                                     Culler Ridge 0             stoscayne-                           Atlantic                         lative inference.
                                                                                   Bay                                 Ocean
                                                                                                                                                      Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
                                                                                  j."            Elliot Key                                           Estuarine Drainage Area (m2) 2 876                          Avg. Daily Inflow         (cfs) NIA
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Seawater
                                                                                                                                                                   @ks@tuaT                                   Mixing
                                                                                                                                                                                  T@al_Eresh
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Axe.    North Area S@ulh Area
                                                           Mangrov                                                                                    Surface                                        North Area     South
                                                                                                 h
                                                                     a                           K                                                    L@Ta (mg)        269.5                              1.2         34.0             26.7            209.2
                                                                     a                 Old R odes
                                                              Point                              e,
                                                                                                                                                      [Average           7.7
                                                                                                                                                      D                                                   8.4          7.7              8.4            7.7
                                                                                                                                                      Depth pt)
                                                                               Key Largo                                        North
                           Salinity Zones
                          12 lid,                                                                                                                                                                         0.3           7.3             6.3            45         1
                                    Fresh
                                                                                                                                                                       58.9

                                                                                                                                Miles
                                                                                                                                                      A shallow, lagoonal estuary highly influenced by flood control and
                                                                                                                                                      upstream intrusion of saltwater. Salinity patterns are affected by
                        Algal      Conditions                                                                                                         periodic discharges from water control structures on canals and
                                                                                                                                                      tributaries. Circulation is tidally driven. Wind and tidal influences
                                Tidal Fresh                                                              Seawater                                     generally maintain a vertically mixed water column throughout the
                                                            Norih           __ï¿½0_Ui_h            __W@Wh_ --96u-th                                     estuary.
                                                                                                              Fi                                      Nutrients
                                                          L                                      L @--jl L
                                                                                                                                                          -fidal Fresh                       Mixing

                                                                                                                                                                                     North              South      J     North            South
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1 L
                                                              -1        F                                                                                                                F---       mlj'@
                                                                                                                 L -FL
                                                          L     ---                                                                                                                      L_        @.'0:25%


                                                          N! --- N                               N ---
                                                                                                              !N@ --- IIEL E_                                                                     F@ Li-

                                                                                                                                                      Elevated nutrient concentrations occur September to January in I'
                                                                                                                                                      both zones. Trends are associated with nonpoint sources.
                                                    !IN --- N                                    N               N
                                                                                                                                                      Dissolved Oxygen

                        I Chl-a maximums occur periodically September to October with                                                                    Tidal Fresh
                        pho@_phorus and light limiting algal biomass. Turbidity maximums
                                                                                                                                                                           ,      North              South              North            South         I
                        occur continuously in northern mixing zone :Tcd periodically in
                        northern seawater zone. impacts from suspended solids occur                                                                                        lFy 1' y
                        October to December in northern mixing zone.                                                                                                           Y I    ---
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      IN@---
                                                                                                                                                                               10-25%
                                                                                                                                                                                                TO-25%


                        Ecosystem/Community Responses
                                                                                                                                                                               Y'___            ': T@_ -]- @ F
                               Tidal Fresh                        KAivinn                               Seawater                                                               Y
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I N
                                                    -Nrlh                  South         [i      North        ___@outh
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       _J
                                                                      [H     E-- -               M               10             1                     Anoxia and hypoxia occur in              the north      mixing zone         fro         @e to
                                                               _P                                                               I
                                                                                                              =-11                                    September primarily in dredged areas and at the water surface in or
                                                                                                                                                      near canals. In the south mixing zone, anoxia and hypoxia re
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               frrare
                                                                                                                                                      and occur only during extraordinary releases of freshwat:r
                        Benthic community is dominated by seagrass, a                            nd some hardbottom                                   canals. In the channels and canals, water column strat
                        s,1i", =ty Zn,,,%,
                                    Fresh




















































                        areas are don-dinated by soft corals and sponges. Diatoms dominate
                                                                                                                                                      contributed moderately to anoxic and hypoxic conditions fr=
                        planktonic community.                                                                                                         discharges. The seawater zones are unstratified and have high                                    I
                                                                                                                                                      oxygen levels.

                        Key on page 20                                                                                                                                                                                                                    41







                                                                          Regional Summary

               Regional classification status of existing conditions for twelve parameters as a cumulative percent of total
               estuarine surface area for three salinity zones.


                  The spatial extent of existing conditions was recorded for each salinity zone in each estuary when concentrations of chl-a, turbidity,
                  nitrogen, or phosphorus were indicated as medium or greater, and when anoxia, hypoxia, or biologically stressful dissolved oxygen
             i    conditions were observed. Four broad ranges of spatial extent were used; high (100-51% of the surface area in a particular zone of an
                  estuary), medium (50-26%), low (25-11%), and very low (10-1%). For some estuaries, existing conditions were reported but spatial
                  extent was unknown.


                  The figure represents a method for quantifying these results. Black shows conservative estimates of cummulative spatial extent (e.g.
                  high spatial extent equals 51% of an estuary's surface area). Black with white lines shows liberal estimates (e.g. high equals 100%,
                  and unknown spatial extent also equals 100%). White shows the cummulative total surface area reported to have low concentrations
                  or no observed conditions. Gray shows the cummulative total surface area reported as unknown concentrations or conditions.

                                    Tidal Fresh                                                 Mixing                                                           Seawater
                                   (481.0 sq. mi)                                           (3264.6 sq. rni)                                                   (1108.2 @q. mi)

                    Chlorophyll a


                        Turbidity


                        Nitrogen                                                                                                                         V,___ 21@

                      Phosphorus


                          Anoxia


                         Hypoxia
                  Biological Stress                                          Concentration                Condition
                                                                           (Chka, Turb.,'N, & P) (Anoxia, Hypoxia, Bio. Stress)

                                                                               VlediuffVObsenved Low/Not Obsewed   Unknown


                                                                             F
                                                                                   Spatial
                                                                                   Extent
                                                                           Low-end    Hig    d Range)
                                                                           Range       Unknown Sptial
                                                                                         Coverage




                  The presence of suspended solids, nuisance algae, toxic algae, macroalgae, and epiphytes in each salinty zone were reported as
                  either impacting resources, not impacting resources, or unknown. The spatial extent of these conditions was not recorded.

                                     Tidal Fresh                                                 Mixing                                                            Seawater
                                    (481.0 sq. mi)                                            (3264.6 sq. mi)                                                   (1108.2 sq. rni)

                  Suspended Solids

                   Nuisance Algae Sol[=

                       Toxic Algae


                       Macroalgae


                        Epiphytes


                                                                                             Condition
                                                                        (Susp. Solids, Nuisancefroxic Algae, Macroalgae, Epiphytes)

                                                                           tffwcts Resoumes   No Resoume Irnpact      Unknown
                                                                                                    El
              @42






                                                   Appendix 1: Participants
           The persons below supplied the information included in this report. Survey participants provided the initial data to ORCA
           via surveyforms sent through the mail. Site visit participants provided additional data through on-site interviews with
           project staff. These persons also reviewed initial survey data where available. Workshop participants reviewed and revised,
           in a workshop setting, preliminary aggregate results and, where possible, provided additional data that was still missing.
           All participants also had the opportunity to provide comments and suggestions on the estuary salinity maps.
           I South Atlantic Regional Workshop

           North Section (Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds to Broad R.)

                Elizabeth Blood                    J.W. Jones Ecological Research Center
                David Chestnut                     South Carolina Department of Health & Environmental Conservation
                Mark Evans                         Coastal Services Center/NOAA
                Fred Holland                       South Carolina Department of Wildlife & Marine Resources
                Jeff Hyland                        Office of Ocean Resouces Conservation and Assessment/ NOS/ NOAA
                Michael Mallin                     Univeristy of North Carolina Department of Biological Sciences
                Hank McKellar                      University of South Carolina, Department of Environmental Health Science
                Joe Rudek                          North Carolina Environmental Defense Fund
                Donald Stanley                     East Carolina University, Institute for Coastal & Marine Research
                PatriciaTestor                     Southeast Fisheries Science Center/ NMFS/ NOAA
                BobVan Dolah                       South Carolina Department of Wildlife & Marine Resources
           South Section (Savannah R. to Biscayne Bay)
                Merryl Alber                       University of Georgia Department of Marine Science
                Jim Alberts                        University of Georgia Marine Institute
                Ramesh Buch                        Dade County Environmental Resources Management Division
                Wayne Magley                       Florida Department of Environmental Protection
                Jay Pinckney                       University of North Carolina Institute of Marine Science
                Peter Verity                       Skidaway Institute of Oceanography
                ConradWhite                        Brevard County Natural Resources Management Division
                JohnWindsor                        Florida Institute of Technology, Department of Oceanography


                                                 * participated in site visit
             Survey/Site Visits                  * participated in survey and site visit

           Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds                                             Bogue Sound
           JoAnn Burkholder*            NC State Univ.                          Larry Cahoon*                 Univ. of NC/Wilmington
           John E. Cooper               E. Carolina Univ.                       Michael Malline               11 11 11 11
           Donald W. Stanley            I 1      11 11                          Lisa Levin                    Scripps Inst. of Oceanog.
           Jess H. Hawkins III          NC Div. of Marine Fisheries             Jimmie Overton                NC Div. of Env. Mgt.
           Jimmie Overton               NC Div. of Env. Mgt.                    Frederick T. Short            Univ. of NH
           Hans Paerl                   Univ. of NC
                                                                                New River
           Pamlico/Pungo Rivers                                                 Larry Cahoon*                 Univ. of NC/Wilmington
           Vincent J. Bellis            E. Carolina Univ.                       Michael Malline               11 11 11 11
           Donald W. Stanley            I U      11 "                           Jimmie Overton                NC Div. of Env. Mgt.
           Jimmie Overton               NC Div. of Env. Mgt.
                                                                                Cape Fear River
           Neuse River                                                          Larry Cahoon                  Univ. of NC/Wilmington
           Richard Barber               Duke Univ.                              Michael Mallin                11 11 11 11
           JoAnn Burkholder*            NC State Univ.                          Donald W. Stanley             E. Carolina Univ.
           William W. Kirby-Smith       11 11 11 .                              Steve Tedder                  NC Div. of Env. Mgt.
           Larry Cahoon*                Univ. of INC/Wilmington                 Winyah Bay
           Michael Mallino              . 11     1 11
           Robert R. Christian          E. Carolina Univ.                       Dennis Allen                  Univ. of SC
           Donald W. Stanley            11 11 11 11                             Daniel L. Childers            Natl. Marine Fisheries Svc.
           Jimmie Overton               NC Div. of Env. Mgt.                    Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health & Env. Con.
           Hans Paerl                   Univ. of NC


                                                                                                                                           .43






          NOAA's Esti;arinc Entrophication Stirvey: Volitnic I - Soiith Atlantic

          North/South Santee Rivers                                             Lawrence Pomeroy*             Univ. of GA
          David M. Knott                SC Dept. Wildlife &- Mar. Res.          Richard Wiegert*              11 11 1, 11
          Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health &- Env@ Con.         Clark Alexander*              Skidawav inst. of Oceanog
          Charleston Harbor                                                     Jackson Blanton*
          Phillip Dunstan               College of Charleston                   James Nelson*
          A. Fred Holland*              SC Dept. of Nat. Res.                   Peter Verity*
          Hank McKellar                 Univ. of SC                             Randy Walker*
          Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health & Env. Con,          Herb Wind    om*
          Bob Van Dolah                 SC Dept. Wildlife & Mar. Res.           Jim Henry*                    CA State Univ.
                                                                                Stuart Stevens?               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.
          Stono/North Edisto Rivers
          David Chestnut                SC Dept. of Health &- Env. Con.         St. Andrew/St. Simons Sounds
          Bob Van Dolah                 SC Dept. Wildlife & Mar. Res.           Clark Alexander*              Skidaway Inst. of Oceanog.
                                                                                Jackson Blanton*
          St. Helena Sound                                                      James Nelson*
          Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health &- Env. Con.         Peter Verity*
                                                                                Randy Walker*
          Broad River                                                           Herb Windom*
          Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health & Env. Con.          Deborah Bronk*                Univ. of GA
          Savannah River                                                        Robert Hodson*
          James Alberts -            .  Univ. of GA                             Mary Ann Moran*
          Robert Hodson*                11 11 11 11                             Richard Wiegert*
          Jackson Blanton*              Skidaway Inst. of Oceanog,              Jim Henry*                    GA State Univ.
          James Nelson*                                                         Stuart Stevens?               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.
          Peter Veritv *
          Richard @@Ie-ert*                                                     St. Marys River/Cumberland Sounds
                                        SC Dept. Wildlife & Mar. Res.                                         Skiclaw'av Inst. of Oceanog.
          David M. Knott                                                        Clark Alexander*
          LouisE.Sage                   Acad. of Nat. Sciences                  Jackson Blanton*
          Russell W. Sherer             SC Dept. of Health & Env. Con.          James Nelson*
          Stuart Stevens*               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.                   Peter Verity*
                                                                                Randy Walker*
          Ossabaw Sound                                                         Herb Windom*
          James Alberts -               Univ. of GA                             Deborah Brank*                Univ. of GA
          Deborah Bronk*                                                        Robert Hodson*
          Robert Hodson*                                                        Mary Ann Moran'
          Mary Ann Moran*                                                       Richard Wiegert*
          Richard 1,N,*iegert*                                                  Jim Henry*                    GA State Univ.
          Clark Alexander*              Skidaway Inst. of Oceanog.              Stuart Stevens?               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.
          James Nelson*
          Peter Verity e                                                        St. Johns River
          Randy Walker*                                                         Bob Brody                     St. Johns R. Water Mgt. Dist.
          Jim Henry*                    GA State Univ.                          Betsy J. Deuerling            City of Jacksonville
          Stuart Stevens*               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.                   A. Quinton White              Jacksonville Univ.
          St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds                                          Indian River
          James Alberts*                Univ of GA                              Diane D. Barile               Marine Res. Council of E. FL
          Deborah Bronk*                                                        Bob Frease                    11 11 11    11
          Robert Hodson*                                                        David L. Correll              Smithsonian Env. Research Ctr.
          Mary Ann Moran*                                                       Terry L. Davis                FL Dept. of Env. Reg.
          Richard Wiegert*                                                      Greg A. Graves
          Clark Alexander*              Skidaway Inst. of Oceanog.              Guy P. Hadley
          Jackson Blanton*                                                      John C. Higman                St. Johns R. Water Mgt. Dist.
          James Nelson*                                                         Robert W. Virnstein
          Peter Verity*
          Randy Walker*                                                         Biscayne Bay
          Herb Windom*                                                          Richard W. Alleman            S. FL Water Mgt. Dist.
                                                                                Susan M. Markley              Dade Cty. Env. Res. Mgt. Div.
          Jim Henry                     GA State Univ.                          Cecelia A. Weaver
          Stuart Stevens*               GA Dept. of Nat. Res.

          Altamaha River
          James Alberts*                Univ. of GA
          Deborah Bronk*
          Robert Hodson*
          Mary Ann Moran@'

          44








                                                                                                                                    A
                                       Appendix 2: Estuary References

           The following references were recommended by one or more Eutrophication Survey participants as critical backgroulld
           materialfor understanding the nutrient enrichment characteris tics of individual South Atlantic estuaries. In some cases,
           the survey results are based directly upon these publications. This list is not comprehensive. Some estuaries are not in-
           cluded because no suggestions were received.

           Albemarle/Pamlico Sounds                                      Pamlico/Pungo Rivers

           Harned, D.A., and M.S. Davenport. 1990. Water-qual-           Burkholder, J.M., H.B. Glasgow, Jr, and C.W. Hobbs.
           ity trends and basin activities and characteristics for       1995. Fish kills linked to a toxic ambush-predator di-
           the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System, North Caro-           noflagellate: distribution and environmental condi-
           lina and Virginia. U.S.G.S. Open File Report 90-398.          tions. Marine Ecology-Progress Series 124:43-61.
           Raleigh, NC. 164 p.
                                                                         Burkholder, J.M., H.B. Glasgow, Jr., and E.J. Noga. 1993.
           Harned, D.A., G. McMahon, T.B. Spruill, and M.D.              The role of a new toxic dinoflagellat    'e in finfish and
           Woodside. 1995. Water-quality assessment of the               shellfish kills in the Neuse and Pamlico Estuaries. Wa-
           Albemarle-Pamlico Drainage Basin, North Carolina              ter Resources Research Institute, University of North
           and Virginia. U.S.G.S. Open File Report 95-191. Raleigh,      Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
           NC. 132 p.
                                                                         Carpenter, E.J. 1971a. Effects of phosphorus mining
           Hyland, J.L. Personal communication. Unpublished              wastes on the growth of phytoplankton in the Pamlico
           quantitative database on ecological conditions of south-      River Estuary. Chesapeake Science 12:85-94.
           eastern estuaries based on EMAP sampling in the Caro-
           linian Province, 1994-1995. NOAA Carolinian Province          Copeland, B.J. and J.E. Hobbie. 1972. Phosphorus and
           Office, Charleston, SC.                                       eutrophication in the Pamlico River Estuary, NC, 1966-
                                                                         1969-A summary. Report No. 65. Water Resources Re-
           Kuenzler, E.J., K.L. Stone, and D.B. Albert. 1982. Phy-       search Institute, University of North Carolina, Raleigh,
           toplankton uptake and sediment release of nitrogen and        NC.
           phosphorus in the Chowan River, North Carolina. Re-
           port No. 186. Water Resources Research Institute, Uni-        Copeland, B.J., R.F. Hodson, and S.R. Riggs. 1984. The
           versity of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.                       ecology of the Pamlico River, North Carolina: An es-
                                                                         tuarine profile. United States Fish and Wildlife Service
           Paerl, H.W 1982. Environmental factors promoting and          FWS/OBS-82-06. Slidell, LA.
           regulating N2 fixing blue-green algal blooms in the
           Chowan River. N.C. Report No. 176. Water Resources            Davis, G.J., M.M. Brinson, and W.A. Burke. 1978. Or-
           Research Institute, University of North Carolina, Ra-         ganic carbon and deoxygenation in the Pamlico River
           leigh, NC.                                                    Estuary. Report No. 131. Water Resources Research In-
           Sauer, M.M. and E.J. Kuenzler. 1981. Algal assay stud-        stitute, University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
           ies of the Chowan River, North Carolina. Report No.           Garret, R.G. 1994. Water quality from continuously
           161. Water Resources Research Institute, University of        monitored sites in the Pamlico and Neuse River Estu-
           North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.                                  aries, North Carolina, 1991-1992. U.S. Geological Sur-
                                                                         vey Report 94-27.
           Witherspoon, A.M., C. Balducci, O.C. Boody, and J.
           Overton. 1979. Response of phytoplankton to water             Hobbie, J.E., 1971. Phytoplankton species and popula-
           quality in the Chowan River system. Report No. 129.           tions in the Pamlico River Estuary of North Carolina.
           Water Resources Research Institute, University of North       Report No. 56. Water Resources Research Institute,
           Carolina, Raleigh, NC.                                        University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.






                                                                                                                                45






           NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Survey: Volurne I - South Atlantic


           Hobbie, J.E., B.J. Copeland, and W.G. Harrison. 1972.      Stanley, D.W, and S. W. Nixon. 1992. Stratification and
           Nutrients in the Pamlico River Estuary, NC, 1969-1971.     bottom-water hypoxia in the Pamlico River Estuary.
           Report No. 76. Water Resources Research Institute,         Estuaries 15:270-281.
           University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
           Kuenzler, E.J., D.B. Albert, G.S. Allgood, S.E. Cabaniss,  Neuse River
           and C.G. Wanat. 1984. Benthic nutrient cycling in the      Boyer, J.N., R.R. Christian, and D.W. Stanley. 1993. Pat-
           Pamlico River. Report No. 215, Water Resources Re-         terns of phytoplankton primary productivity in the
           search Institute, University of North Carolina, Raleigh,   Neuse River Estuary, NC, USA. Marine Ecology
           NC.                                                        Progress Series 97:287-297.

           Kuenzler, E.J., D.W. Stanley, and J.P. Koenings. 1979.     Christian, R.R., J.N. Boyer, and D.W'Stanley. 1991.
           Nutrient kinetics in the Pamlico River, North Carolina.    Multi-year distribution patterns of nutrients within the
           Report No. 139. Water Resources Research Institute,        Neuse River Estuary, North Carolina. Marine Ecology
           University of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.                 Progress Series 71:259-274.

           Stanley, D.W. 1987. Water quality in the Pamlico River     Christian, R.R., W.L. Bryant, and D.W. Stanley. 1986.
           Estuary 1986. Technical Report 87-01. Institute for        The relationship between river flow and Microcystis
           Coastal and Marine Resources, East Carolina Univer-        aeruginosa blooms in the Neuse River, NC. Report No.
           sity, Greenville, NC.                                      223. Water Resources Research Institute, University of
           Stanley, DW. 1992. Historical trends: Water quality and    North Carolina, Raleigh, NC.
           fisheries, Albemarle-Pamlico Sounds, with emphasis         Christian, R.R., W.M. Rizzo, and D.W. Stanley. 1989.
           on the Pamlico River Estuary. UNC Sea Grant College        Influence of nutrient loading on the Neuse River Estu-
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           Institute for Coastal and Marine Resources, East Caro-     ary as a filter. Academic Press, New York.
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           46





                                                                          NOAA's Estuarme Eittrophicatioji Stirvey: Voiurne I - Sotith Atlaittic

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           B.L. Peierls. 1995. Determining the role of nitrogen-en-     15:621-644.
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           Resources Research Institute, University of North Caro-      eastern estuaries based on EMAP sampling in the Caro-
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           cations. Marine Biology 107:247-254.

                                                                                                                             47






           NOAA's Estuarinc Eutrophication Survey: Volume I - South Atlantic


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           Litaker, W., C.S. Duke, and J. Ramus. 1993. Short-term       Office, Charleston, SC.
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           Williams, R.B. 1972. Nutrient levels and phytoplank-
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           Estuary Managerrient Symposium, Louisiana State              trends in three South Carolina estuaries, vol. 2, Winyah
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           Williams, R.B. and M.B. Murdoch. 1966. Phytoplank-           Consortium, Charleston, SC. 155 p.
           ton production and chlorophyll concentration in the
           Beaufort Channel, NC. Lininology and Oceanography            Coull, B.C. 1985. Long-term variability of estuarine
           11:73-82.                                                    meiobenthos: An 11-year study. Marine Ecology
           Cape Fear River                                              Progress Series 24:205-218.
                                                                        Coutinho, R. 1987. Ecology of macro algae In: North
           Carpenter, E.J. 1971. Annual phytoplankton cycle of the      Inlet Estuary@ SC. PhD dissertation, University of South
           Cape Fear River Estuary, North Carolina. Chesapeake          Carolina, Columbia, SC. 228 p.
           Science 12:95-104.                                           Gardner, L.R. and C. Gorman. 1984. Summertime net
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           and fisheries literature review, final report. EA Report     marsh basin, North Inlet, SC. Estuarine and Coastal
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           48



       I                                                                NOAA's Estuarine Eutrophication Surmy: Volume I - South Atlantic

         all, M. 1979. The species composition and abundance          Davis, K. and R. Van Dolah. 1992. Characterization of
         ycle of the phytoplankton. In: North Inlet Estuary,          the physical, chemical and biological conditions and
         outh Carolina with special reference to tidal effects.       trends in three South Carolina estuaries, vol. 1, Charles-
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       Hinde, R., M.C.A. Wenner, J. Smith, and D.R. Calder.
    11.981. Benthic and nektonic studies of Winyah Bay for            McKellar, H., E. Blood, T. Sicherman, K. Connelly, and
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       of the western turning basin. U.S. Army Corps of Engi-         1cs in the Cooper River Estuary. p. 47-48. In: R. Van
         eers. Contract Report DACW60-80-CO029.141 p.                 Dolah et al. (eds.), A physical and ecological character-
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       Lonsdale, D.J. and B.C. Coull. 1977. Composition and           Marine Resources Division, South Carolina Department
       seasonality of zooplankton of North Inlet, South Caro-         of Natural Resources, Charleston, SC.
       lina. Chesapeake Science 18:272-283.                           McKellar, H., A. Douglas, A. Smith, T Munnerlyn, and
       Ogburn, M.V., D.M. Allen, and WK. Michener. 1988.              R. Rao. 1995. Nutrient dynamics and water quality in-
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       Fishes, shrimps, and crabs of the North Inlet Estuary,         teractions in the Goose Creek sub-basin of the Charles-
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       tute, Baruch Institute Technical Report 88-1. Univer-          partment of Health and Environmental Control and the
       sity of South Carolina, Columbia, SC. 299 p.                   South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
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       Mathews, and MY, Kaluna, 1984. Benthic and sedimen_            rus, nitrogen, and organic carbon in a southeastern
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       material disposal site. South Carolina Marine Resources        plain interactions (Santee River). PhD dissertation.
       Center technical report no. 59. 97 p.                          University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC.
                                                                   A  Sicherman, T. 1989. Spatial and temporal variation of
       Zeeman, S.I. 1981. Phytoplankton photosynthesis and                       -a and organic carbon in the Cooper River
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       its relation to light intensity. In: A turbid estuary and
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       Zingmark, R.G. 1977. Studies on the phytoplankton and          Van Dolah, R.F., P.H. Wendt, E.L. Wenner (eds). 1990.
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       77-016. Gulf Breeze, FL. 86 p.
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                                                                      quantitative database on ecological conditions of south-
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       quantitative database on ecological conditions of south-       linian Province, 1994-1995. NOAA Carolinian Province
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       Charleston Harbor                                              quantitative database on ecological conditions of south-
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       water quality-status and trends. NOAA Estuary of the
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       ington, DC. April 1989. pp. 25-35.


                                                                                                                              49







                                               Appendix 3: NEI Estuaries

            One hundred twenty-nine estuaries are included in the National Estuarine Inventory. New systems are occasionally added.
            Some estuaries are actually subsystems of larger estuaries, although each is being evaluated indepedentlyfor the Eutrophi-
            cation Survey project (e.g., Potomac River is a subsystem of Chesapeake Bay). For more information on the National
            Estuarine lnventory@ see inside thefront cover of this report.


            North Atlantic (16)                        Cape Fear River                           Corpus Christi Bay
                                                       Winyah Bay                                Upper Laguna Madre
            Passamaquoddy Bay                          North/South Santee Rivers                 Baffin Bay
            Englishman Bay                             Charleston Harbor                         Lower Laguna Madre
            Narraguagus Bay                            Stono/North Edisto Rivers
            Blue Hill Bay                              St. Helena Sounds                         West Coast (34)
            Penobscot Bay                              Broad River
            Muscongus Bay                              Savannah River                            Tijuana Estuary
            Damariscotta River                         Ossabaw Sound                             San Diego Bay
            Sheepscot Bay                              St. Catherines/Sapelo Sounds              Mission Bay
            Kennebec/ Androscoggin Rivers              Altamaha River                            Newport Bay
            Casco Bay                                  St. Andrew/St. Simons Sounds              San Pedro Bay
            Saco Bay                                   St. Marys R./Cumberland Snd               Alemitos Bay
            Great Bay                                  St. Johns River                           Anaheim Bay
            Merrimack River                            Indian River                              Santa Monica Bay
            Massachusetts Bay                          Biscayne Bay                              Morro Bay
            Boston Bay                                                                           Monterey Bay
            Cape Cod Bay                               Gulf of Mexico (36)                       Elkhorn Slough
                                                                                                 San Francisco Bay
            Mid-Atlantic (22)                          Florida Bay                               Cent. San Francisco Bay/
                                                       South Ten Thousand Islands                  San Pablo/Suisun Bays
            Buzzards Bay                               North Ten Thousand Islands                Drakes Ester
            Narragansett Bay                           Rookery Bay                               Tornales Bay
            Gardiners Bay                              Charlotte Harbor                          Eel River
            Long Island Sound                          Caloosahatchee River                      Humboldt Bay
            Connecticut River                          Sarasota Bay                              Klamath River
            Great South Bay                            Tampa Bay                                 Rogue River
            Hudson River/Raritan Bay                   Suwannee River                            CoosBay
            Barnegat Bay                               Apalachee Bay                             Umpqua River
            New Jersey Inland Bays                     Apalachicola Bay                          Siuslaw River
            Delaware Bay                               St. Andrew Bay                            Alsea River
            Delaware Inland Bays                       Choctawhatchee Bay                        Yaquina Bay
            Maryland Inland Bays                       Pensacola Bay                             Siletz Bay
            Chincoteague Bay                           Perdido Bay                               Netarts Bay
            Chesapeake Bay                             Mobile Bay                                Tillamook Bay
            Patuxent River                             Mississippi Sound                         Nehalem River
            Potomac River                              Lake Borgne                               Columbia River
            Rappahannock River                         Lake Pontchartrain                        Willapa Bay
            York River                                 Breton /Chandeleur Sounds                 Grays Harbor
            James River                                Mississippi River                         PugetSound
            Chester River                              Barataria Bay                             Hood Canal
            Choptank River                             Terrebonne/Timbalier Bays                 Skagit Bay
            Tangier/Pocomoke Sounds                    Atchafalaya /Vermilion Bays
                                                       Mermentau Estuary
            South Atlantic (21)                        Calcasieu Lake                                                          North
                                                                                                                              Atlantic
                                                       Sabine Lake               West
            Albemarle /Pamlico Sounds                  Galveston Bay             Coast                      f
            Pamlico/Pungo Rivers                       Brazos River                                                        Mid-Atlantic
            Neuse River                                Matagorda Bay
            BogueSound                                 San Antonio Bay                                                  South
            New River                                  Aransas Bay                                          G f f     Atlantic
                                                                                                            Mexico



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