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Approaches for Development of Nutrient Criteria in Oregon Estuaries
Citation:
Brown, C. AND Walt Nelson. Approaches for Development of Nutrient Criteria in Oregon Estuaries. Presented at Webinar with Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Region 10, N/A, February 10, 2014.
Impact/Purpose:
Development of nutrient criteria for all water body types of the US remains a top priority for EPA. Under SSWR Task 2.3A, ORD has been developing tools and approaches to aid in the development of numeric nutrient criteria. At this informational webinar, we will be presenting a potential approach for the development of nutrient criteria for estuaries in Oregon.
Description:
Development of nutrient criteria for all water body types of the US remains a top priority for EPA. Estuaries in the Pacific Northwest receive nutrients from both the watershed and the coastal ocean, and thus are particularly complex systems in which to establish water quality criteria. We will first summarize our knowledge on causal and response variables relevant to development of nutrient criteria for Oregon estuaries, and summarize some research approaches being used to clarify nutrient inputs and responses in these systems. Based on currently available data, a reference condition approach which incorporates both landscape and marine drivers appears most promising. A variety of tools are also in development to aid in compliance monitoring and identification of nitrogen sources.