Benthic and Sedimentological Studies of the Georgetown Ocean Dredged Material Disposal Site.

Abstract

Specific objectives of this study were to: (1) Provide a review of existing information on the physical, chemical and biological conditions in the vicinity of the Georgetown DMDS and provide a succinct description of biological, recreational, or other resources that might be affected by ocean disposal; (2) Describe the mineralogical, textural, and chemical characteristics of the bottom sediments in the Georgetown DMDS, in a control site, in three stations 'down current' of the DMDS, and in the navigation channel; (3) Describe the sediment bedforms present in the Georgetown DMDS, in the control area and in the three 'down current' stations with regard to their size, orientation, and composition; (4) Ascertain whether the sediment characteristics of the DMDS and the stations 'down current' have been altered by current disposal practices; (5) Describe temperature-depth, salinity-depth, and dissolved oxygen-depth profiles in the water column at all stations, and determine concentrations of metals, pesticides, PCB's, high molecular weight hydrocarbons, and the turbidities at four stations (one DMDS station, one control station, one 'down current' station, and one entrance channel station); (6) Characterize the species composition and density of benthic communities in the DMDS, in the control site, and in the 'down current' stations; (7) Determine the degree of bioaccumulation of pollutants in selected sedentary benthic organisms collected from the DMDS, control site, and 'down current' stations; and (8) Assess the effects of the present dredged material disposal practices on bottom communities in the DMDS and the three 'down current stations.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 01, 1984
Accession Number
ADA153478

Entities

People

  • D. M. Knott
  • E. L. Wenner
  • M. P. Katuna
  • R. F. Van Dolah
  • T. D. Mathews

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Birds
  • Chemistry
  • Eutrophication
  • Fish
  • Fisheries
  • Habitats
  • Wildlife

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Aquatic Ecology
  • Immunology and Pathology
  • Oceanography.