Grantee Research Project Results

1999 Progress Report: CISNet: In Situ and Remote Monitoring of Productivity and Nutrient Cycles in Puget Sound

EPA Grant Number: R826942
Title: CISNet: In Situ and Remote Monitoring of Productivity and Nutrient Cycles in Puget Sound
Investigators: Emerson, Steven , Devol, Allan
Current Investigators: Emerson, Steven
Institution: University of Washington
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: October 1, 1998 through September 30, 2001 (Extended to September 30, 2002)
Project Period Covered by this Report: October 1, 1998 through September 30,1999
Project Amount: $581,876
RFA: Ecological Effects of Environmental Stressors Using Coastal Intensive Sites (1998) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Environmental Statistics , Aquatic Ecosystems , Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration

Objective:

The purpose of this research project is to develop a profiling mooring to monitor water quality remotely. The mooring will be deployed in Carr Inlet, South Puget Sound, Washington State. With extensive urbanization of the area predicted for the next 10 years, South Puget Sound is potentially at risk to impacts from eutrophication. This mooring will have a variety of chemical and optical sensors that will enable us to monitor the tidal, diel, seasonal, and interannual cycles and trends in stratification, oxygen and nutrient concentrations, water clarity, phytoplankton abundance, and community distribution.

Progress Summary:

The goal of the first year of the proposed project was to purchase, develop, and test the components of the profiling mooring and initiate the field-sampling component of the project. To achieve this, we hired two postdoctoral researchers. One, John Dunne, is working with Steve Emerson and Allan Devol on the development and maintenance of the profiling mooring system, which we have named the Oceanic Remote Chemical/Optical Analyzer (ORCA). The second postdoctoral fellow, Rick Reynolds, is an optical oceanographer and ecologist working one-half time with Dr. Jan Newton of the Washington State Department of Ecology and half with Dr. Mary Jane Perry at the University of Washington. His responsibilities include the optical and primary productivity portions of the CISNet research. Dr. Dunne's salary is paid entirely by the University of Washington through a local initiative to study Puget Sound (The Puget Sound Model, PRISM) and half of Dr. Reynold's salary comes from the Washington State Department of Ecology, thus representing considerable leverage of funds to the CISnet grant. ORCA consists of a large, toroidal surface float (2.3 m diameter) that will be deployed in a three-point mooring configuration. A submerged weight ring serves as ballast. All of the components except for the sensor package are mounted on a platform resting atop the float. This includes the TT8 microcomputer, cellular system, deep-cycle batteries, solar panels, and an electric winch with level-wind and slip rings for reliable autonomous use. The microcomputer and power-regulating system is housed in a water-tight polyvinyl chloride (PVC) case, and all connections are made with SeaCon underwater connectors. In addition to numerous laboratory tests, to date we have conducted three field deployments of the winch system. Currently, the system is programmed to complete a sampling cycle that consists of a continuous profile in one direction, followed by a return profile that includes stops at preprogrammed depths for various lengths of time. The temperature, salinity, and pressure data are logged and accessible via cell phone.

Future Activities:

The last in-water tests of the conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) system were completed on December 20 and 21, 1999. The tests will continue on a roughly biweekly basis until the mooring is ready for remote deployment with CTD, fluorometer, transmissometer, and oxygen sensor. We anticipate this will be in February or March 2000.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 11 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

ecosystem, aquatic, environmental chemistry, ecology, Pacific Coast, marine., Scientific Discipline, Water, Geographic Area, Ecosystem Protection/Environmental Exposure & Risk, Nutrients, State, Monitoring/Modeling, Ecological Risk Assessment, anthropogenic stress, aquatic ecosystem, coastal ecosystem, eutrophication, nutrient supply, nutrient transport, remote sensing, CISNet, bioavailability, chemical speciation, coastal zone, remote sensing data, Puget Sound, CISNet Program, biomass, Washington (WA), nutrient cycling, water quality, gas concentrations, nutrient transport model, in situ chemical profiles

Relevant Websites:

Marine water & sediment monitoring

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.