Citation:

Bash, J., P. Campbell, T. Spero, AND D. Schwede. State of the Science: Atmospheric Deposition. Summit to Sea, Chapel Hill, NC, August 22 - 23, 2018.

Impact/Purpose:

Linking the numerous sources, transport and transformation of surface/subsurface generated runoff, dissolved and particulate matter from Summit-to-Sea is recognized as a major scientific and management challenge. The linkage of a local discharge of water and pollutants to downstream water bodies integrates atmospheric and land derived sources, with transport and transformation processes from headwater upland, riparian and channel zones, through regional drainage networks including estuarine and coastal ocean. Most of our knowledge and methods of managing runoff and pollutant sources, transport and fate are developed in experimental settings in labs or over very localized extents, but need to be implemented to treat and beneficially restore headwater through regional watersheds and aquatic ecosystems. As examples, treatment scales (e.g. stormwater and nonpoint source pollution BMPs, channel restoration) are typically very localized and have typically been studied in isolation, but have uncertain cumulative impacts at much larger scales. The “hot spot, hot moment” biogeochemistry paradigm suggests the outsize role of small spatial and temporal extent influencing large scale nutrient loading. Major challenges include how emerging, much finer resolution watershed through estuarine information, describing inputs, stores, transport and transformation of biogeochemicals from new sensor systems, can be integrated and assimilated into mechanistic or data-based models that can scale from numerous local sources through regional impacts. This workshop will review current understanding and existing programs addressing these topics, defined here as the “Summit-to-Sea” challenge, identify gaps in the development, implementation, testing and operationalizing data/model approaches, and develop plans for moving forward. A group of hydrologic and data science participants will address central guiding science and management questions, with the goal of synthesizing how these two communities can leverage and integrate their tools and perspectives to build new approaches and solutions.

Description:

This short presentation introduces the current state of the science of atmospheric deposition modeling used by the Chesapeake Bay Program and recent model developments. The presentation documents the connectivity of the models used by the Bay Program, data needs to advance the science, and computational limitations. The presentation is part of a series of short presentations tasked with briefly informing the participants on the state of the science and kicking off a general discussion.

Record Details: