Data Series 555
1U.S. Geological Survey, 215 Limekiln Road, New Cumberland, PA 17070
2Delaware River Basin Commission, 25 State Police Drive, West Trenton, NJ 08628
ABSTRACTThe Delaware River Basin Commission is charged with establishing water-quality objectives for the tidal and non-tidal portions of the Delaware River, which include developing nutrient standards that are scientifically defensible. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Delaware River Basin Commission and the Academy of Natural Sciences, studied the effects of nutrient enrichment in the upper, middle, and lower sections of the non-tidal Delaware River. Algal samples were collected from the natural habitat using rock scrapes and from the artificial nutrient enrichment samplers, Matlock periphytometers. The knowledge gained from this study is to be used in helping determine appropriate nutrient criteria for the Delaware River in the oligotrophic, mesotrophic, and eutrophic sections of the river and is a first step toward gathering data that can be used in selecting nutrient effect levels or criteria thresholds for aquatic-life use protection. This report describes the methods for data collection and presents the data collected as part of this study. |
First posted February 10, 2011
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Brightbill, R.A., Limbeck, Robert, Silldorff, Erik, and Eggleston, H.L., 2010, Nutrient enrichment study data from the upper, middle, and lower sections of the non-tidal Delaware River, 2009: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 555, 9 p.
Abstract
Introduction
Site Selection
Sample Collection and Laboratory Analyses
Biological and Environmental Data
Summary
Acknowledgments
References Cited
Appendix 1