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Central Coast Watershed Studies Team
 


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Nutrient transport and transformation in Natividad Creek

Full title

NUTRIENT FILTERING IN THE RESTORED RIPARIAN CORRIDOR AND WETLAND AREA OF NATIVIDAD CREEK PARK IN SALINAS, CALIFORNIA

A student project by Joy Larson, from the Central Coast Watershed Studies Team, CSUMB.

From the abstract:

In this follow up study, water samples were collected at three established monitoring stations (above, in the middle, and below the restored portion of the creek) during high flow and low flow conditions. Concentrations of nitrate and ammonia were compared across the three sampling stations and despite a qualitative decrease in concentration, no statistical difference was found between the three stations at a 95% confidence interval. Nitrate concentrations showed a significant difference between high flow and low flow (p<0.01) and were much greater during low flow, where as ammonia did not show a statistical difference (p=0.34) and was never detected to be above 1 mg/L. Nitrate and ammonia loads were calculated for high flow conditions and a strong statistical difference is seen in loads as water passed through the restored creek. Loads were not calculated for samples taken at low flow because the creek was not fully connected and so discharge could not be measured.

Report

Full report (454KB PDF)

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