Fixed station water quality monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore: 2010 data summary
Wright W , Gregory MB, Rinehart A. 2012. Fixed station water quality monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore: 2010 data summary. Natural Resource Data Series. NPS/2012/NRDS—2012/367. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/2190306
In 2005 the National Park Service (NPS) Southeast Coast Network (SECN) Inventory and Monitoring Program began collecting water-quality data in the estuarine waters near Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) as part the NPS Vital Signs monitoring program. The continuous monitoring data station is located at a dock at the Ocracoke Village boat ramp. This station collects pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, conductivity, turbidity and water level data every 30 minutes. Additional water quality measurements are made by SECN staff and include monthly measurements of water clarity conditions, nutrients, and chlorophyll a levels. This report summarizes data collected during 2010. Monthly water quality sampling indicated good water clarity, good to fair chlorophyll levels, good dissolved oxygen and fair levels of both nitrogen and phosphorus in the vicinity of Ocracoke Island during 2010. Dissolved oxygen levels briefly dropped below 2 mg/L several times during a brief three day period between November 4 and November 6. Values ranged from 0.13 mg/L during this period in November to 13.22 mg/L during February. Mean monthly values ranged from to 11.4 mg/L in February to 5.6 mg/L during September. Mean daily values were generally higher during the cooler winter months and dipped to their lowest level during late summer and fall. pH values ranged from 7.58 in January to 9.05 in May. Mean monthly pH levels range from 7. 9 to 8.2 and did not exhibit any discernible seasonal variation during 2010. Turbidity levels ranged from near 0 NTUs across all months to maximum reading readings of 238 NTUs and 346 NTUs in May and June, respectively. Daily mean values were generally higher during late spring and lowest in the summer months.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Wright, Wendy; Gregory, M.; Rinehart, Aaron
- Date of Issue
- 2012-09
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- DOI
- 10.36967/2190306
- Units
- CAHA , NRSS
- Keywords
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore, chlorophyll a, Depth, Dissolved Oxygen, pH, Salinity, Southeast Coast Network, specific conductance, Temperature, total dissolved nitrogen, total dissolved phosphorus, Turbidity, Water Clarity, Water Quality