This blog was written by Kassidy Troxell, Ph.D., a Research Assistant Professor at Florida international University’s Institute of Environment, and collaborator with Ocean Conservancy on our work to promote healthy Florida aquatic ecosystems. Dr. Troxell is a lead scientist executing the nitrogen fingerprinting discussed in this blog.
November was Manatee Awareness Month, a month dedicated to highlighting the popular aquatic mammal and the broader importance of clean, healthy waterways in Florida. One of the greatest challenges to water quality in areas like Tampa Bay is nutrient pollution. Excess nutrients in coastal waters fuel harmful algae which “bloom” into patches, one example is the well-known Karenia brevis referred to as red tide, causing fish kills and human respiratory problems while also reducing the sunlight needed by underwater seagrasses to flourish. These blooms diminish essential seagrass habitats, impacting marine species like manatees, harming local ecosystems and affecting human health. Identifying the primary sources of nutrient pollution is crucial for developing targeted strategies to control nutrient levels and maintain the health of delicate ecosystems.
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In Tampa Bay, my lab at Florida International University has partnered with Ocean Conservancy to do just that: understand and address nitrogen pollution, the nutrient that contributes to water quality impairment, in the Hillsborough Bay and the larger Tampa Bay ecosystem. By using manmade or commonly used chemicals, we can pinpoint the sources of nitrogen—whether from untreated stormwater street runoff, treated home, business or industrial wastewater, or agriculture—allowing for more targeted management efforts. Just as each of us humans have our own unique fingerprints made of various patterns and distinctions, contamination sources have a unique makeup of compounds that allows us to fingerprint and track their movements throughout a watershed.
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Key findings from recent study in Tampa Bay
The Hillsborough River, which flows into Hillsborough Bay and is vital to the health of Tampa Bay’s ecosystem, serves as the geographic focus of our study. Our preliminary results reveal that nitrogen levels in these waters rise significantly during the wet season when runoff is at its peak. Chemical tracers, which act like “markers” for pollution sources, suggest that reused non-drinkable treated water (reclaimed water), stormwater and agriculture are contributing sources of nitrogen into the waterway. Within the Hillsborough River watershed, nitrogen levels show distinct patterns (i.e., “fingerprints”) linked to various sources: reclaimed water and agricultural activities are prominent in the upper watershed, while urban stormwater runoff and wastewater inputs are notable near the river’s mouth. Potential contributions from other sources, such as septic systems, are still under investigation.
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Now that we have identified the preliminary nitrogen sources and hotspots, the next phase of the project will focus on the sources that are contributing the largest nitrogen loads, the geographic origins of those sources and the amounts of the nitrogen going into the waterways. Future sampling will expand sampling sites in the tributaries that feed into the preliminary hotspot locations along the mainstem (the primary downstream river segment in contrast to its tributaries). This information will help tailor interventions to reduce nitrogen loads at the source and guide management efforts to improve water quality and ecosystem recovery in Tampa Bay.
The future of Florida’s water quality
Our research underscores the need to better manage nutrient levels to protect Florida’s coastal waters. The data generated from our study will give policymakers a more precise geographical understanding of nitrogen hotspots for prioritizing actions to curb nutrient pollution. Indeed, Ben Albritton, the incoming Majority Leader of the Florida state senate, recently said as much when he pointed to the importance of fresh, accurate data needed to drive solutions, whether these are new policies, investments or on-the-ground management practices.
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Our activities on land—whether through treated wastewater, stormwater runoff or agricultural practices—have direct impacts on coastal ecosystems. While the Hillsborough River is the focus of this pilot study, we believe the nutrient fingerprinting techniques will be a valuable water quality management tool in other Florida estuaries and bays as well. By pinpointing and quantifying the largest nutrient sources, we can better protect the health of our marine environments and communities alike, which will benefit all Floridians.
Undoubtedly, Florida’s waterways are facing enormous challenges. Ocean Conservancy is dedicated to addressing nitrogen pollution, in part, for marine species like manatees that are so greatly impacted by threated water quality. Take action with Ocean Conservancy to demand greater protections for imperiled manatees and improvements in water quality in Florida and beyond.
The post Fingerprinting the Source of Nitrogen Pollution in Tampa Bay appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
