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Nutrient input from the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District sewage-treatment plant to the Loxahatchee River Estuary, southeastern Florida

Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4020
Prepared in cooperation with the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, South Florida Water Management District, Palm Beach County, Martin County, Jupiter Inlet District, Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District, Town of Jupiter, Village of Tequesta, Jupiter Inlet Colony, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
By:  and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/wri844020

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Abstract

Two test discharges of treated-sewage effluent were made to the Loxahatchee River in February and September 1981 from the ENCON sewage-treatment plant to document nutrient loading and downstream transport of the effluent to the estuary under maximum daily discharge allowable by law (4 million gallons per day). Concentrations of total nitrogen in the effluent exceeded background concentrations by as much as 7 times during the February test, while concentrations of total phosphorus exceeded background concentrations by as much as 112 times during the September test. The effluent was transported downstream to the estuary in less than 24 hours. Discharge of treated sewage effluent to the river-estuary system in the 1981 water year accounted for less than 0.5 percent of the total nitrogen and 8 percent of the total phosphorus discharged from the major tributaries to the estuary. If maximum discharges of effluent (4 million gallons per day) were sustained throughout the year, annual nitrogen loading from the effluent would account for 5 to 18 percent of the total nitrogen input by the major tributaries to the estuary. With maximum discharges of effluent, annual phosphorus loading would exceed the amount of phosphorus input by the major tributaries to the estuary by 54 to 167 percent. (USGS)

Suggested Citation

Sonntag, W.H., and McPherson, B.F., 1984, Nutrient input from the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District sewage-treatment plant to the Loxahatchee River Estuary, southeastern Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Water-Resources Investigations Report 84-4020, iv, 23 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/wri844020.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Nutrient input from the Loxahatchee River Environmental Control District sewage-treatment plant to the Loxahatchee River Estuary, southeastern Florida
Series title Water-Resources Investigations Report
Series number 84-4020
DOI 10.3133/wri844020
Year Published 1984
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center
Description iv, 23 p.
Country United States
State Florida
Additional publication details