Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Chesapeake Bay System, Effluent And Ambient Water Quality Conditions : An Interim Report To National Commission On Water Quality, Virginia Institute Of Marine Science

Reports

The Chesapeake Bay, lying in the eastern portions of Maryland and Virginia, is the largest estuary in the United States, and one of the largest in the world. It is approximately 180 statute miles long (156 nautical miles) from the mouth of the Susquehanna River'to the mouth of the Bay at the Cape Henry/Cape Charles line. The width ranges from 3.4 miles to 35 miles with an average depth of 27.7 feet. More than 50 rivers contribute fresh water. The five largest are the Susquehanna, the Potomac, the James, the Rappahannock and the York.

Acute Effect Of Free Chlorine On Selected Estuarine Invertebrates And Vertebrates : Final Report, Morris H. Roberts, Robert J. Diaz

Reports

The objective of this project was to determine acute toxic effects of chlorine on selected estuarine organisms found adjacent to the projected outfall of a sewage treatment plant in the lower York River. The test species specified under contract were ovster (Crassostrea virginica) and clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) larvae, Acartia tonsa (a dominant copepod), and the fishes, menhaden (Brcvoortia tyranus), pipefish (Svngnathus fuscus), blennies (Hypsoplennius hentzi) and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus). The parameter of interest in the tests was mortality when the animals were exposed to a constant level of chlorine for a 48 or 96 hr period.

Lower York River Dissolved Oxygen Study, Robert A. Jordan

Reports

Past studies of the lowerr York River have shown that dissolved oxygen (D .O.) concentrations decline in the summer months, occasionally falling one mg/ 1 near the bottom in deep water (Brehmer,1970; Jordan,1973) . Due to this apparently natural phenomenon the Virginia water quality standards for D.O. in estuaries (4.0 mg/1 allowable minimum, 5 .0 mg/1 minimum daily average, U.S.. E.P.A,1971), are not met during this period . Therefore additional waste-water discharges into the lower York River will not initiate violation of the standards, but may exacerbate the existing situation by extending the area and the time period affected by …

Report On Water Quality Data Evaluation And Program Design Services For The James And York Rivers In Conjunction With The "208" Planning Program For The Tidewater Region Of Virginia, Michael E. Bender, C. S. Fang, Bruce J. Neilson

Reports

The study area considered in this report includes the following: The James River from Fort Monroe to the mouth of the Chickahominy River (statute mile 45) including the small tributaries on the north shore but not the Chickahominy; the York River from its mouth to the confluence of the Mattaponi and Pamunkey at West Point (statute mile 33.5) including the small tributaries along the south shore; and the small drainage area adjacent to Chesapeake Bay lying between the York and James basins. The two rivers included in this basin are Poquoson River and Back River.

Shoreline Situation Report Northampton County, Virginia, William D. Athearn, Gary L. Anderson, Robert J. Byrne, Carl H. Hobbs Iii, John M. Zeigler

Reports

No abstract provided.

Shoreline Situation Report Newport News, Virginia, Carl H. Hobbs Iii, Gary L. Anderson, William D. Athearn, Robert J. Byrne, John M. Zeigler

Reports

No abstract provided.

Ecological Survey, Upper James River, Surry Nuclear Power Station Site, August 1974, M. Bender, R. Jordan, M. Ho, M. Cavell

Reports

In May of 1969 field surveys to characterize selected biological communities in the Hog Island area of the James River were begun. The objective of these surveys has been to determine if significant changes occurred in the species composition or population levels of certain communities which could be related to the operation of the nuclear power generation station. Although during the period of study, methods and stations have been changed to adjust the study to changing regulations, its basic character has remained. Communities studied have included benthos, zoo- and phytoplankton and fouling organisms.

Final Report On Environmental Effects Of The Second Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Construction To Virginia Department Of Highways : Effects On Benthic Communities, Donald F. Boesch, David H. Rackley

Reports

A sampling program was undertaken from July 1973 to June 1974, to assess the effects of construction of the second Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel on the benthic communities in the vicinity. Macrobenthic animals (defined as those retained by a 1.0 mm mesh sieve) were quantitatively sampled along three transects perpendicular to the new tunnel and in and around the fill "borrow areas" nearby on Willoughby Bank and Sewell's Point Spit. The effects of construction practices on the benthic communities·was assessed through interpretation of faunal composition, sediment characteristics, and bottom profiles.

Coastal Data Acquisition, Compilation And Analysis, Virginia Beach Coastal Compartment, Southeastern Virginia : Quarterly Technical Status Report June 10, 1974 - Sept. 10, 1974, Victor Goldsmith

Reports

No abstract provided.

James River Sediment Study: Operation Agnes Final Report, John Lunz, Robert J. Huggett

Reports

Bottom sediment samples were collected from the James River in Virginia and analyzed to evaluate the effects of tropical storm Agnes (summer, 1972) upon the sediment chemistry . The results of these analyses, frcm hereon called "post Agnes data," were compared with data from a similar study carried out during the summer of 1971 ( "pre-Agnes data"), reported under contract no. DACW-65-71-C-00~7 .

The post Agnes samples encompass three distinct shoaling areas involving a total of 34. 75 nautical miles of the James River . The first area extending from mile 24. 75 to 33. 50 can be considered os …

A Report On The Concentration, Distribution And Impact Of Certain Trace Metals From Sewage Treatment Plants On The Chesapeake Bay, Robert J. Huggett, O. P. Brickner, G. R. Helz, S. E. Sommmer

Reports

Population densities are ever increasing on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay and hence the flow of goods and services is being shifted to supply these people. This self perpetuating system demanismore and more of the surrounding envirorunent f or recreation, work and waste disposal. This is the case f or the Chesapeake and its sub- estuaries.

According to Brush (1974), of the total fresh water input into the Chesapeake Bay, between 1 and 2 percent is treated sewage. Toxic components on these waters may be of paramount importance in the Bay ecosystem and ma;y have disastrous effects on the …

Segmentation Of Chesapeake Bay: A Representative Exercise, Robert E. Ulanowicz, Bruce J. Neilson

Reports

The goal of the CRC/RANN Waste Water Program is to provide the tools to management agencies which will enable them to make sound quantitative decisions on the siting of future sewage outfalls and the upgrading or elimination of existing sewage treatment plants. Obviously, the available funds do not permit extensive field studies at every possible outfall site. Therefore, some system is needed which will allow data to be transferred from one area to other areas within the Bay which have similar characteristics. A system of "segmentation"., as suggested by Dr. D. W. Pritchard, was chosen by the Scientific Management Advisory …

A Program To Monitor The Environmental Effects Of Shipyard Expansion : A Final Report, Robert J. Diaz, M. E. Bender

Reports

Dredging and land reclamation are two of the potentially most damaging activities that man undertakes in estuarine areas. Hampton Roads, the world's largest natural harbor, is a multiple use port, being a major center for fishing and shellfishing, transportation, recreation and industrial sitings. Dredging which is a necessary perpetuation for some of these activities, could be directly or indirectly detrimental to others. It is in such a multiple use situation that environmental alterations, real or potential, must be carefully planned and closely monitored. Projects of the type underway can cause changes in circulation, water depth, turbidity, and patterns qf siltation, …

Function Of Marshes In Reducing Eutrophication Of Estuaries Of The Middle Atlantic Region, D. M. Axelrad, M. E. Bender, K. A. Moore

Reports

Annual nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon budgets for two Virginia salt marshes were determined by monthly measurements of water discharge and constituent concentrations over tidal cycles.

Considering all three forms of phosphorus measured (total, dissolved organic and orthophosphate) there was a net loss from the estuary to the marshes. The data reveal a loss of particulate μhosphorus of estuarine origin to marsh sediments and mineralization of this phosphorus in the marshes with subsequent export of dissolved inorganic and organic phosphorus back to the estuary.

Nitrogen flux data show a loss of nitrate and nitrite to the marshes. Particulate nitrogen is imported …

On The Use Of Drift Bottle And Seabed Drifter Data In Coastal Management, Christopher S. Welch, John J. Norcross

Reports

The use of drift bottle and seabed drifter information for use in coastal management is discussed. The drift bottle/seabed drifter portion of VIMS project MACONS (Mid Atlantic Continental Shelf) is described as an example of how a comprehensive survey using drift bottles and seabed drifters provides data useful for coastal management. The data from MACONS are analyzed to answer specific questions of interest to several different coastal managers: a manager siting a deep oil port, one siting a sewage outfall, a manager responsible for setting up emergency beach protection procedures before an accident occurs, and a manager responsible for the …

Development Of The Turbidity Maximum In A Coastal Plain Estuary : Final Report, Maynard M. Nichols, Galen Thompson

Reports

A study of the turbidity maximum in the Rappahannock Estuary; Virginia was conducted to determine how high concentrations of suspended sediment accumulate to form a maximum.

Time-series observations of current velocity, salinity and suspended sediment over 8 to 18 tidal cycles reveal that the maximum forms in a convergence of bottom residual currents near the transition between fresh and salty water. Sediment supplied mainly by the river is transported into the convergence by density currents and accumulates since velocity is nearly zero and settling exceeds upward mixing.

The maximum forms in the middle estuary after freshet or flooding and shifts …

Assessment Of The Potential Environmental Effects Of The Proposed Marina At York River State Park, Kenneth Marcellus, Gene M. Silberhorn, George M. Dawes

Reports

No abstract provided.

Investigation Of Surface Films - Chesapeake Bay Entrance, William G. Macintyre, Craig C. Smith, Et Al

Reports

Experimental point source oil releases have been conducted in the Chesapeake Bay mouth area. Predictions of oil slick motion were tested, and slicks were sampled and analyzed to measure their aging rates over periods up to 32 hours. Remote sensing. techniques were used to detect and measure the spreading rate of oil. Some laboratory oil film aging experiments were done to further document and elucidate aging processes. Results indicate· a,reasonable motion prediction, an explanation of the non-biological initial aging of oil films, and a fair corroboration of a theoretical oil spreading model.

New Approaches To The Study Of The Circulation On The Continental Shelf, Paul V. Hyer

Reports

The current state of knowledge of continental shelf circulation is summarized . Existing data collections are reviewed for quality and quantity. Descriptions are given of possible advanced experiments utilizing remote sensing and buoy technology to study water exchanges between the shelf and Gulf Stream.

A Report On Salinity And Oxygen Values In The Great Wicomico River In 1971 And L972 With Comments On The Low Set, Dexter Haven

Reports

Our studies in the Great Wicomico River showed that in 1971°':·oystefr larvae did not strike during early July in the usual number. In looking for a reason, we began to take samples for dissolved oxygen beginning on 12 July 1971. · Our studies showed that DO was low at the bottom from at least 12 July to 27 July. Salinity, according to limited data, ,~ appeared about average for the· season. (...)

Ecological Survey, Upper James River, Surry Nuclear Power Station Site, July 1973, Michael E. Bender, Marion Y. Hedgepeth, Et Al

Reports

Beginning in Hay of 1969 field surveys have been conducted in the Hog Island area of the James River to characterize the biota of the region. The objective of these surveys has been to determine any significant changes in the biota related to the operation of the nuclear power station. Although during the period of study, methods and stations have been changed to adjust the study to changing regulations, its basic character has remained. Communities surveyed have included benthos, epibenthos, zoo- and phytoplankton, fish, and fouling organisms. In addition, special studies of thermal tolerance have been conducted on oysters and …

Geostrophic Currents And Gulf Stream Study For The Outer Continental Shelf Area Of The Atlantic Ocean From Sandy Hook, New Jersey To Cape Canaveral, Florida, Christoper S. Welch

Reports

This document is being prepared for the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) as a portion of the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) response to the geostrophic current estimate portion of task 1 and task 5 of the contract. It consists of an estimate of mean geostrophic currents on the continental shelf of the East Coast of the United States between Sandy Hook, New Jersey and latitude 27°N. Also included is a surmmary of speeds of surface current in the Gulf Stream east of the area of interest.

In addition, the method of estimation for geostrophic currents is described and …

Oceanographic Data Collected In The Chesapeake Bight Of The Virginian Sea From 1966 Though 1969, E. P. Ruzecki, J. J. Norcross, F. J. Wojcik

Reports

This report is intended to make unsynthesized oceanographic data readily available to the scientific community. 3 Similar reports are envisioned which will include physical, chemical, biological and geological data collected by personnel of the Virginia Institute ·of Marine Science in areas of the continental shelf, and coastal zone to include beaches, wetlands, estuaries and tidal rivers - areas in which the Commonwealth of Virginia has a vested interest.

Instructions For Using Oceanography Form 1 (Virginia Institute Of Marine Science Hydrographic Data Form), Richard W. Moncure

Reports

Instructions for coding oceanographic data on Form 1.

Data Report: Operation York River, 1969, P. V. Hyer, E. P. Ruzecki, C. S. Fang

Reports

A field survey was carried out in October 1969 to gather field data from the Mattaponi, Pamunkey and York rivers in order to construct mathematical models for salinity and dissolved oxygen. The results of the field operation are presented, together with a description of the methods and instruments used in the data collection and analysis.

Study Of Channel Sediments, Baltimore Harbor, Norfolk Harbor, York Entrance Channel, R. J. Huggett

Reports

3ot~om sediment samples were collected from seven channel locations in the Chesapeake Bay and communicating river systems. The sampling format involved. long cores (designated "L") taken at two nautical mile intervals and surface samples (designated "S) taken at one-half mile intervals.

Bahamas Bibliography : A List Of Citations For Scientific, Engineering And Historical Articles Pertaining To The Bahama Islands, Carol Fang, W. Harrison

Reports

Specialized bibliographies are sometimes needed in connection with the research studies being pursued at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. The Bahamas Bibliography arose out of the needs of marine geologists, biologists and physical oceanographers engaged in studies of beaches, fishes and inlet currents in the Bahama Islands. Although the present bibliography may suffer from completeness, it significantly surpasses in number of citations the only other known bibliography of like kind.

Inner Shelf Sediments Off Chesapeake Bay. I - General Lithology And Composition, Maynard M. Nichols

Reports

The sedimentary materials and bottom topography of more than 2400 square miles of the inner continental shelf floor north off the Chesapeake Bay entrance have been surveyed for potential mineral resources. Sediments consist of two principal types: (1) fine sand and (2) medium to coarse sand. The fine sand is grey-colored, subrounded, rich in quartz and relatively 11clean 11 and well sorted. The medium-coarse sand is typically iron-stained, rich in shell and poorly sorted. The fine sand covers inner parts of the shelf floor whereas medium to coarse sand covers seaward parts. Additionally, shell-rich medium to coarse sand occurs on …

Storm-Wave And Storm-Surge Modification Of Virginia's Ocean Coast, Wyman Harrison

Reports

The purpose of this study was to begin work on a method for operational prediction of storm-induced beach changes. The thought was to use wind and storm-surge data that are predicted on a routine basis by the National Weather Service, NOAA, and it was felt that if such a procedure could be developed, it would be possible to provide estimates of beach erosion or deposition as part of routine weather forecasts whenever storms threatened. It was also hoped that it might be possible to make estimates of shoreline erosion during previous years by using historical storm data in the prediction …

Special Purpose Areas In Virginia's Coastal Zone, J. B. Pleasants

Reports

The Virginia Institute of Marine Science is charged with the responsibility of advising state management agencies on matters relating to the environments and resources of the coastal zone of Virginia. Under this broad requirement, we have been specifically assigned the task of recommending an ocean-dumping policy for the Commonwealth. This paper, a survey of specially designated areas in coastal waters of the state, is designed to provide some of the background material required in the development of such a policy.