Browsing by Author "Downes Gastrich, Mary"
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Item Assessment of Historical and Current Trends in Mercury Deposition to New Jersey Aquatic Systems through Analysis of Sediment/Soil Cores - Year 2: Research Project Summary(Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Technology, 2004-08) Shuster, Edward L.; Bopp, Richard F.; Kroenke, Amy E.; Downes Gastrich, MaryAtmospheric deposition is an important source of mercury (Hg) to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and has global, regional, and local components. Deposition of mercury to waterbodies in New Jersey has resulted in elevated levels of mercury in fish across the state. Several recent studies have found elevated levels of mercury in fish sampled from many freshwater bodies including pristine lakes in remote areas. Results from the first year study showed that mercury fluxes (i.e., deposition rate) were comparable to fluxes in other parts of New Jersey and to regional atmospheric fluxes to the Great Lakes. However, the first year of this study identified Woodcliff Lake as a site of elevated mercury levels in sediments. This follow-up study included the collection of sediment cores across three sites in northeastern New Jersey to assess the importance of local sources of atmospheric mercury deposition to Woodcliff Lake and surrounding areas.Item Assessment of Historical and Current Trends in Mercury Deposition to New Jersey Aquatic Systems through Analysis of Sediment/Soil Cores: Research Project Summary(Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Technology, 2003-02) Kroenke, Amy E.; Shuster, Edward L.; Bopp, Richard F.; Downes Gastrich, MaryAtmospheric deposition is an important source of mercury to aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and has global, regional, and local components. Deposition of mercury to waterbodies in New Jersey has resulted in elevated levels of mercury in fish across the state. Potentially significant sources of mercury to waterbodies in New Jersey include coal-burning power plants, municipal solid waste incineration, and metal smelting. Analysis of dated sediment cores has been a most useful tool for documenting historical changes in atmospheric mercury fluxes to waterbodies. This is the first study to analyze sediment cores to estimate the historic pattern of mercury to New Jersey aquatic systems. The objectives were to identify and characterize the extent of atmospheric mercury deposition to New Jersey aquatic systems and to identify indications of local sources of mercury contribution to these systems. Sediment core samples were taken from five lakes and one coastal marsh, dated based on radionuclide analyses, and analyzed for total mercury. The results indicated that mercury fluxes have generally decreased since an historic high rate in the late 1940s. Mercury fluxes were, however, still significantly elevated at most sites compared with estimates of mercury fluxes in remote areas in North America receiving background mercury deposition. However, the results in NJ lakes are comparable to recent mercury fluxes to the Great Lakes suggesting a large-scale regional influence. One site, Woodcliff Lake in northeastern NJ, had particularly elevated fluxes of mercury similar to Central Park Lake, NY and future efforts will be directed to determine if the mercury deposition to these water bodies reflects a more localized area of elevated mercury deposition, and if so, to provide information on its likely sources.Item Brown Tide Bloom Assessment Project in NJ Coastal Waters: 2000-2002: Research Project Summary(Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Technology, 2003-10) Downes Gastrich, Mary; Lathrop, Richard; Haag, Scott; Weinstein, Michael P.; Danko, Michael; Caron, David A.; Shaffner, RebeccaBrown tide blooms, caused by the rapid growth of a minute alga, Aureococcus anophagefferens, caused the demise of the scallop industry in coastal bays of Long Island, NY, in the mid-1980s. These blooms were also suspected in Barnegat Bay, NJ, at the same time but were not confirmed until 1995. Because of limited data, and to determine whether these blooms were a threat to coastal waters in NJ, the Division of Science Research and Technology (DSRT) established the Brown Tide Assessment Project to assess brown tide blooms in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor (BB/LEH) from 2000-2002 through 1) mapping the abundances of the brown tide using the Brown Tide Bloom Index; 2) assessing the relationship between the brown tide abundances and environmental factors (e.g., salinity, temperature, nitrogen species); and 3) analyzing of the risk of brown tide blooms to submerged aquatic vegetation communities. Brown tide abundances were detected at all stations; the most severe brown tide blooms (Category 3), as well as less severe (Category 2) blooms, recurred during each of the three years of sampling and covered significant geographic areas of the BB/LEH. While the highest abundances of brown tide are positively associated with warmer water temperatures and higher salinity, these factors are not sufficient to promote blooms. Extended drought conditions with corresponding low freshwater inputs and elevated bay water salinities occurred during this time, possibly contributing to these blooms. Abundances of brown tide in New Jersey coastal bays are high enough to cause potentially harmful effects on juvenile hard clams. Results of the analysis of the risk of brown tide blooms to submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitat indicated that 35% of the state’s SAV habitat in BB/LEH is at significant risk of negative impacts due to brown tide blooms. Over 70% of the state’s SAV habitat is located in BB/LEH. Graphic displays of the spatial patterns of the brown tide blooms and environmental factors can be viewed at: http://crssa.rutgers.edu/projects/btide/index.html.Item Hydrographic Study of Barnegat Bay: Research Project Summary(Trenton, N.J. : New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Science, Research and Technology, 2004-07) Guo, Qizhong (George); Psuty, Norbert P.; Lordi, George P.; Glenn, Scott; Mund, Matthew R.; Downes Gastrich, MaryThe Barnegat Bay in Ocean County, New Jersey, is an important ecosystem for natural resource species and recreational uses. Similar to other coastal ecosystems, the Bay receives elevated inputs of pollutants from various sources. The transport of pollutants is determined by the ambient circulation pattern of the Bay. The primary objective of this study was to gather a complete set of hydrographic field data (including water surface elevation, current velocity, salinity and temperature) to calibrate and verify an appropriate model that would provide detailed information on the circulation patterns and dispersal of pollutants in the Bay. In addition, several bay-wide circulation parameters were quantified based on the data collected. The calculation results indicated that a large fraction of the water that exited the Bay on the previous ebb tide re-entered the Bay on the following flood tide because it was not quickly dispersed away from the vicinity of the Barnegat Inlet. The calculation results also indicated that the average flushing time (= average time it takes a pollutant to be moved through the bay), or residence time, in Barnegat Bay was very long at about 49 days with seasonal variation. Normalizing the flushing time by the Bay volume and drainage area indicated that Barnegat Bay is much more susceptible to point sources of pollution and similarly susceptible to non-point sources of pollution in comparison to the Chesapeake Bay. Moreover, the amount of direct groundwater seepage to the Barnegat Bay was quantified to be small relative to the total amount of surface water input to the Bay.