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Reference Condition Approach for Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Oregon Estuaries
Citation:
Brown, C., Walt Nelson, AND Pat Clinton. Reference Condition Approach for Numeric Nutrient Criteria for Oregon Estuaries. Presented at Numeric Nutrient Criteria Technical Workshop, Seattle, WA, February 25 - 27, 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. WED scientists will be presenting an approach for numeric nutrient criteria for Oregon estuaries using the reference condition approach at the “Numeric Nutrient Criteria Technical Workshop” sponsored by OST and Region 10. The goal of this workshop is to share new scientific methods and data available to advance numeric nutrient criteria development and to discuss successes and challenges in criteria development.
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.