Samples were collected during the summers of 1994-97 using a stratified random sampling design to support probability-based estimates of the extent and the magnitude of degraded resources within various classes of estuaries. At each station, measurements were taken of a variety of environmental variables as indicators of:
(1) general habitat conditions (depth, physical properties of water, sediment silt-clay and moisture content, and organic carbon content);
(2) potential pollution exposure (sediment contaminants, sediment toxicity, ammonia and sulfide in sediment porewater, and low dissolved-oxygen conditions in the water column);
(3) in situ biotic conditions (diversity and abundances of macroinfaunal and demersal fish species); and
(4) aesthetic quality (presence of anthropogenic debris, visible oil, noxious sediment odor, and water clarity based on secchi depths).
Preliminary conclusions have been drawn from sampling conducted during the summers of 1994 and 1995. Pesticides (lindane, dieldrin, DDT and derivatives) and PCBs were the most dominant contaminants over the two-year period. While at least some evidence of stress was detectable over broad areas, co-occurrences of degraded infauna and adverse exposure conditions (contaminated and/or toxic sediments) were found at similar low proportions each year: 17% in 1994 and 25% in 1995. Only 4 sites, representing 5% of the province in 1994 and 8% in 1995, had degraded infauna accompanied by both sediment contamination and toxicity. This suggests that strong contaminant-induced effects on the benthos were limited to a fairly small percentage of the estuarine area province-wide.
Benefits of this joint study include avoiding duplication of effort, pooling limited funding resources, and building stronger complementary coastal data sets. Scientific support partners were: state agencies (e.g., South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Florida Department of Environmental Protection), universities (e.g., University of North Carolina-Wilmington, The Citadel, Clemson University, University of Georgia, University of Charleston), and private institutions.
References
Hyland, J. and J. Rosen. 1994. Carolinian Province Estuaries Component. Information Management Plan for Monitoring the Estuarine Waters of the Carolinian Province: Year One. (Unpublished report). December 1994. NOAA Carolinian Province Office, Charleston, S.C.
Kokkinakis, S., J. Hyland, and A. Robertson. 1995. Carolinian Province Estuaries Component. 1995 Quality Assurance Project Plan (Unpublished report). NOAA Carolinian Province Office, Charleston, S.C.
Kokkinakis, S., J. Hyland, and A. Robertson. 1995. Carolinian Demonstration Project 1995 Field Operations Manual (Unpublished report). NOAA Carolinian Province Office, Charleston, S.C.
Landsberg, J. 1995. Data Summary Report for the 1994. EMAP Carolinian Province Demonstration Project: Florida Region. Part II: Development of an Environmental Stress Index Using Parasites of Fish. Final Annual Report (Sept. 1995) under NOAA Cooperative Agreement No. NA47OA0178. Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, Florida Marine Research Institute, St. Petersburg , FL.
Nelson, G. 1995. Data Summary Report for the 1994 EMAP Carolinian Province Demonstration Project: Florida Region. Part I: Core Program Results. Final Annual Report (Sept. 1995) under NOAA Cooperative Agreement No. NA47OA0178. Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection, Florida Marine Research Institute, St. Petersburg, FL.
NOAA. 1995. Joint EPA/NOAA Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program: Carolinian Province Estuaries Component (brochure). July 1995. NOAA Carolinian Province Office, Charleston, S.C.
Ringwood, A.H., A.F. Holland, R. Kneib, and P. Ross. 1995. EMAP/NS&T Pilot Studies in the Carolinian Province: Indicator testing and evaluation in southeastern estuaries. Final Report (May 1995) under Grant NA9OAA-D-SG790 through S.C. Sea Grant College Program. S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources, Marine Research Institute, Charleston, S.C.
Ringwood, A.H., R.F.VanDolah, A.F. Holland, M.E. DeLorenzo, C. Keppler, P. Maier, J. Jones, M. Armstrong-Taylor. 1997. Year two demonstration project studies in the Carolinian Province by Marine Resources Research Institute: Results and summaries. Annual Report (January 1997) under NOAA Cooperative Agreement No. NA470A0177. South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston, S.C.
Ringwood, A.H. and C. Keppler. 1998. Seed clam growth: A sediment bioassay developed in the EMAP Carolinian Province. Environ. Monitor. and Assess.
Ringwood, A.H., A.F. Holland, R.T. Kneib, and P.E. Ross. 1996. EMAP/NS&T pilot studies in the Carolinian Province: Indicator testing and evaluation in southeastern estuaries. Final Report under Grant NA90AA-D-SG790 with S.C. Sea Grant College Program. S.C. Dept. of Natural Resources, Marine Resources Research Institute, Charleston, S.C. NOAA Technical Memorandum NOS ORCA 102.
