Impact of Coastal Development

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Salinity (ppt)Salinity (ppt). Forested. Urban/. Industrial. Sub- urban ... BFBF DPDP FTFT HBHB LHLH LCLC LILI RTRT. DLDL KPKP SHSH. VRVRSMSMNMNM.
Coastal Watersheds: The Lateral Link to Estuaries

Fred Holland & Denise Sanger

Estuarine Gradients

Upland Creek

Saltmarsh Creeks

Objectives of Talk „

Provide the scientific underpinnings linking watershed characteristics and estuarine water quality (at the scale of tidal creeks).

„

Document that tidal creek ecosystems are at great risk to land cover alterations.

„ Complex food webs

„ Refuge and nursery habitat

„ Primary hydrologic link to uplands „ Preferred sites for development

Land Use Change in Horlbeck Creek

1994

1999

Reference Developed

Myrtle Beach

Georgetown

Charleston

Beaufort

Measured Parameters „ Watershed Characteristics ‹

Drainage basin area, land cover and impervious cover

„ Physical/Chemical ‹ ‹ ‹

Water quality: salinity, temperature, DO, pH Sediment characteristics & contamination Fecal coliform bacteria

„ Macrobenthos & Nekton ‹

Population and community level properties

Wando River

Forested Watershed

In te rs ta te 52 6

Suburban Watershed

James Island High School

Industrial Watershed

Urban Watershed

1999 1992

100 90 80 70 60 50

Urban Criteria

40 30 20

Forested

Suburban

SH

KP

DL

VR

SM

NM

YC

PC

MC

HB

CC

BL

RT

LC

LI

LH

FT

0

Suburban Criteria DP

10

BF

Impervious Surface Coverage (%)

Impervious Cover

Urban/Industrial

Human Population Density Population (People/Hectare)

35 r2 =0.52 p