# National Estuarine Eutrophication **Assessment Update** 

# effects of nutrient **enrichment in the nation’s estuaries:**  A Decade of Change

### More information or access to data, products, and services can be obtained from:
**National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment** www.ian.umces.edu/neea/; http://www.eutro.us/; http://www.eutro.org/
**University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science** http://ian.umces.edu/

**NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science** http://coastalscience.noaa.gov/
**NOAA’S Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment** http://ccma.nos.noaa.gov/
**To receive copies of the report, contact:** Suzanne Bricker Center for Coastal Monitoring and Assessment National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science N/NCCOS/CCMA SSMC4 Floor 9 1305 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 suzanne.bricker@noaa.gov

**For bibliographic purposes this book may be cited as:** Bricker, S., B. Longstaff, W. Dennison, A. Jones, K. Boicourt, C. Wicks, and J. Woerner. 2007. Effects of Nutrient Enrichment In the Nation’s Estuaries: A Decade of Change. NOAACoastal Ocean Program Decision Analysis Series No. 26. National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD. 328 pp.

Copyright © 2007 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
First published 2007
Front cover photo : Ben Longstaff. Inset photos (top to bottom) : Ben Longstaff, Adrian Jones, Tim Carruthers, Peter Doering, Jane Thomas

# Effects of Nutrient Enrichment In The Nation’s Estuaries: A Decade of Change

Assessing change in eutrophic condition from the early 1990s to 2004



# National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment Update

# effects of nutrient **enrichment in the nation’s estuaries:**  a decade of change **National Estuarine Eutrophication Update**

**Authors:** Suzanne Bricker 1 

### , Ben Longstaff 2 

### ,William Dennison 3

### , Adrian Jones 3

### , Kate Boicourt 2 

### , Caroline Wicks 2 

### , and Joanna Woerner 3

1 NOAA, National Ocean Service, National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, Silver Spring, MD

2 EcoCheck, NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office & University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, Oxford, MD

3 University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, MD



### Case study and chapter authors: Rex Baumberger, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution 

### Brad Bedford, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution 

### Robert W. Buddemeier, Kansas Geological Survey 

### Stefano Ciavatta, University of Venice (Italy) 

### Michael Connor, San Francisco Estuary Institute 

### William Dennison, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science 

### Susan Dunham, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

### Ken Dunton, University of Texas at Austin 

### Joao Ferreira, Institute of Marine Research (Portugal) 

### Diane M. Gould, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

### Holly Greening, Tampa Bay Estuary Program 

### Matthew Hall, Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

### Brian Lapointe, Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution 

### Ben Longstaff, NOAA /University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science 

### Douglas Lipton, University of Maryland College Park 

### Bruce Maxwell, Swarthmore College 

### Jan Newton, University of Washington 

### Chris Onuf, U.S. Geological Survey 

### Roberto Pastres, University of Venice (Italy) 

### Nancy Rabalais, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium 

### William Romano, Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

### Teresa Simas, Institute of Marine Research (Portugal) 

### Stephen V. Smith, Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, (CICESE) 

### Paul Stacey, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection 

### Brian Sturgis , National Park Service 

### Dennis Swaney, Cornell University 

### Peter Tango, Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

### David Taylor, Massachusetts Water Resource Authority 

### Mirta Teichberg, Boston University Marine Program 

### Mark Trice, Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

### Ivan Valiela, Boston University Marine Program 

### Peter Verity, Skidaway Institute of Oceanography 

### Baodong Wang, First Institute of Oceanography (China) 

### Rob Warner, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

### Catherine Wazniak, Maryland Department of Natural Resources 

### Xiao Yongjin, University of Algarve (Portugal) 

### Xuelei Zhang, First Institute of Oceanography (China) 

### Mingyuan Zhu, First Institute of Oceanography (China)

# foreword

In 1999, the National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment described the scale, scope, and characteristics of nutrient enrichment and eutrophic conditions in the Nation’s estuaries. At the time, it was the most comprehensive examination ever reported of nutrient-related water quality impacts, their causes, and expected changes in condition in U.S. coastal water bodies. The results showed that most estuarine systems exhibited some level of eutrophication impact in the early 1990s. One of the main aims of the report was to develop a national strategy to limit the nutrient enrichment problems affecting U.S. estuarine and coastal water bodies.
This updated 2007 report continues to examine eutrophic conditions into the 2000s. It attempts to look at changes that occurred in the past decade, and analyze the Nation’s progress in addressing what we now see as a ubiquitous problem. Coastal eutrophication is a global problem not limited to U.S. coastal waters. This report highlights the nutrient contamination in selected coastal systems throughout the U.S., Europe, Australia, and China in an effort to share what we know about the development of eutrophication, and to provide successful solutions to better manage the problem. In addition to gaining a broader view of the issue, this report has enhanced and improved upon earlier work in other ways. The innovative assessment approach using the experience and knowledge base of experts from around the Nation has been transformed into a web-enabled tool. This web-based tool allows investigators to share data and information effectively and communicate in a standardized manner. This represents one of few instances where web-based communication has been accomplished for ecological monitoring on such a large scale (accessible at http://ian.umces.edu/neea or http://www.eutro.us ). Effective communication is vital because the assessment will be updated on a periodic basis. The development of a complementary human use/socioeconomic indicator is also a significant enhancement designed to bridge the gap between scientific and public interest. Additionally, this report provides a valuable context for a number of ongoing and planned activities designed to address estuarine eutrophication such as the multi-agency National Coastal Condition Report and the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Governors’ Action Plan. We encourage you to use this work to stimulate further scientific and management efforts to protect our precious coastal resources.



## John H. Dunnigan Assistant Administrator for Ocean Services and Coastal Zone Management Dr. Donald F. Boesch President University of Maryland, Center for Environmental Science

# table of contents

**i Ke** **y Fi n**  **d i**  **ng s** 

**i i**  **i Ex**  **e c**  **u t**  **i v**  **e s u**  **m m**  **a r** **y**

**1 Ch**  **a p**  **t e**  **r 1 •**  **In t**  **r o**  **du c**  **t io**  **n a n**  **d b a**  **c k** **g r**  **ou n**  **d 2**  **U nd**  **e r**  **st a**  **ndin g e**  **u t**  **r o**  **p h**  **i c**  **a t**  **i o**  **n 4**  **C o**  **ndu c**  **t in**  **g a n a** **t i**  **o n**  **a l a**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t**  **5 U**  **p d**  **a t**  **in g t**  **he a s**  **s e**  **s s**  **me n**  **t 6**  **D e**  **v e**  **l o**  **p in**  **g a n o**  **nline t o**  **o l f**  **o r a**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t up**  **d a** **t e**  **s 8**  **A p**  **p li**  **c a** **t i**  **o n o**  **f t he up**  **d a** **t e** 


## 9 **Ch a**  **p t**  **e r 2**  **• Ap**  **p r**  **o a**  **c h**  **10 E** **v a**  **lu a** **t in**  **g e u**  **t r** **o p**  **h i**  **c a** **t i**  **o n**  **12 D**  **e t**  **e r**  **m in**  **in g in**  **flu e**  **nc in**  **g f a**  **c t**  **o r**  **s 14**  **D e**  **t e**  **r m**  **in in**  **g t he e**  **u t**  **r o**  **p h**  **i c co**  **ndi t**  **i o**  **n 19**  **D e**  **t e**  **r m**  **in in**  **g f u**  **t ur** **e ou t**  **l o**  **o k**  **20 A**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t o**  **f e st**  **u a**  **r ine t**  **r o**  **p h**  **i c st**  **a t**  **u s (A**  **S S**  **ET S)** 



## 21 **Ch a**  **p t**  **e r**  **3 •**  **Na t**  **io n**  **a l a**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t**  **22 S**  **umm a**  **r i**  **z in**  **g t he n**  **a t**  **i o**  **n ’**  **s e u**  **t r** **o p**  **h i**  **c co ndi**  **t i**  **o n**  **24 E**  **x p**  **l o**  **r in**  **g p h**  **y si**  **c a**  **l c h**  **a r** **a c**  **t e**  **r i**  **st i**  **c s o**  **n a n a** **t i**  **o n**  **a l s**  **c a**  **l e**  **28 A**  **s s**  **e s**  **sin g e**  **u t**  **r o**  **p h**  **i c**  **a t**  **i o**  **n o n a n**  **a t**  **i o**  **n a**  **l s c**  **a l**  **e 38**  **E u**  **t r** **o p**  **h i**  **c a** **t i**  **o n a**  **nd c lim**  **a t**  **e c h**  **a n**  **g e** 


## 39 **Ch a**  **p t**  **e r**  **4 •**  **Re g**  **io n**  **a l Su**  **m m**  **a ri**  **e s**  **40 N**  **o r**  **t h A** **t l**  **a n**  **t i**  **c r e**  **g i**  **o n**  **47 M**  **i d-** **A t**  **l a**  **n t**  **i c r** **e g**  **i o**  **n 55**  **S ou**  **t h A** **t l**  **a n**  **t i**  **c r e**  **g i**  **o n**  **64 G**  **ul f o**  **f M e**  **x i**  **co r e**  **g i**  **o n**  **74 P**  **a c**  **i fi**  **c C o**  **a st r** **e g**  **i o**  **n** 

## 83 **Ch a**  **p t**  **e r 5**  **• Ca**  **s e s**  **t u**  **d i**  **e s**  **84 E**  **x a**  **m in**  **in g e**  **u t**  **r o**  **p h**  **i c**  **a t**  **i o**  **n in o t**  **he r s**  **y st**  **e m**  **s : c**  **a s**  **e st u**  **di e**  **s 86**  **B o**  **st o**  **n , M**  **a s**  **s a**  **c hu**  **s e**  **t t**  **s 88**  **C a**  **s co B**  **a y**  **, M a**  **ine 92**  **C o**  **r si**  **c a R**  **i v**  **e r**  **, M a**  **r y**  **l a**  **nd 95**  **H o**  **o d C**  **a n**  **a l, W** **a s**  **h in**  **g t**  **o n**  **99 L**  **a g**  **un a M**  **a d**  **r e** **, T e** **x a**  **s 101**  **L o**  **n g I**  **s l**  **a nd S**  **ound, C o**  **nne c**  **t i**  **c u**  **t a nd N**  **e w Y**  **o r**  **k 104**  **L o**  **o e K** **e y**  **, F l**  **o r**  **i d**  **a 106**  **M a**  **r y**  **l a**  **nd C o**  **a st**  **a l B**  **a y**  **s 109**  **M i**  **s si**  **s sip**  **p i-** **A t**  **c h**  **a f**  **a l**  **a y**  **a R i**  **v e**  **r P lume** **, L oui**  **si a**  **n a**  **111 S**  **a n F**  **r a**  **nc i**  **s co B**  **a y**  **, C a**  **li f**  **o r**  **n i**  **a 113**  **S k**  **i d**  **a w** **a y R**  **i v**  **e r e**  **st u**  **a r**  **y , G**  **e o**  **rg i**  **a 115**  **T a**  **mp a B**  **a y**  **, F l**  **o r**  **i d**  **a 118**  **W a**  **q u**  **o i**  **t B a** **y , M**  **a s**  **s a**  **c hu**  **s e**  **t t**  **s 121**  **C h**  **a n**  **g j**  **i a**  **n g (**  **Y a**  **n g** **t z**  **e) E st**  **u a**  **r y**  **, C h**  **in a**  **124 J**  **i a**  **o z**  **hou B a** **y , C**  **h in**  **a 127**  **M o**  **nd e**  **g o R**  **i v**  **e r**  **, P o**  **r t**  **u g** **a l**  **131 M**  **o r** **e t**  **o n B**  **a y**  **, A u**  **st r** **a li**  **a 134**  **V e**  **n i**  **ce L a**  **g o**  **o n**  **, It a**  **l y**  

## 139

**140 142**  

## Ch **a p**  **t e**  **r 6 •**  **Imp r**  **o v**  **e me**  **n t**  **s t o t**  **h e a**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t**  **I mp**  **r o**  **v in**  **g t he me**  **t ho**  **d C**  **o mp**  **a r**  **in g t**  **he E P**  **A Na t**  **i o**  **n a**  **l C o**  **a st**  **a l A**  **s s**  **e s**  **s me**  **n t w**  **i t**  **h t he**  **N E**  **E A**  **1 44**  **153 D**  **e t**  **e r**  **m in**  **in g t**  **y p**  **o l**  **o g** **y D**  **e v**  **e l**  **o p**  **in g a hum**  **a n-u**  **s e indi**  **c a** **t o**  **r f o**  **r B a**  **r ne**  **g a** **t B a** **y**


## 157 **C h**  **a p**  **t e**  **r 7 •**  **c o**  **n c**  **l u**  **s i**  **o n**  **s a**  **n d**  **C O**  **N S**  **I D**  **E R** **A T**  **I O**  **N S**  **f o**  **r**

**M o**  **n i**  **t o**  **r i**  **n g** **, R**  **e s**  **e a**  **r c**  **h ,**  **a n**  **d M**  **a n**  **a g**  **e m**  **e n**  **t**

**A1 a**  **c k**  **no w**  **l e**  **d g**  **e me**  **n t**  **s**
**A3 re**  **f e**  **re nc**  **e s** 
**A5 Da**  **t**

**a sou r**  **c e**  **s**
**A7 e**  **s t**  **u a**  **r y s**  **u m**  **m a**  **ri e**  **s E**  **st u**  **a r**  **y s umm**  **a r**  **y in t**  **r o**  **du c**  **t i**  **o n**  **N o**  **r t**  **h A t**  **l a**  **n t**  **i c r** **e g**  **i o**  **n M**  **i d-** **A t**  **l a**  **n t**  **i c r** **e g**  **i o**  **n S**  **ou t**  **h A t**  **l a**  **n t**  **i c r** **e g**  **i o**  **n G**  **ul f o**  **f M e** **x i**  **co R e**  **g i**  **o n**  **P a**  **c i**  **fi c R** **e g**  **i o**  **n**