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.