DOCSLIB.ORG

Pollutant Impacts to Cape Hatteras National Seashore from Urban Runoff and Septic Leachate ⇑ Michael A

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Pollutant Impacts to Cape Hatteras National Seashore from Urban Runoff and Septic Leachate ⇑ Michael A Marine Pollution Bulletin 64 (2012) 1356–1366 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Marine Pollution Bulletin journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul Pollutant impacts to Cape Hatteras National Seashore from urban runoff and septic leachate ⇑ Michael A. Mallin , Matthew R. McIver Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, 5600 Marvin K. Moss Lane, Wilmington, NC 28409, United States article info abstract Keywords: The sandy barrier islands of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, USA, attract large seasonal influxes of tour- Barrier island ists, and are host to numerous motels, rentals and second homes. To investigate the impacts of nearby Septic system urbanization on public trust waters, sampling was conducted in nine brackish water bodies within this Fecal bacteria coastal national park. A large tidal urban ditch delivered runoff-driven fecal-contaminated water directly Nutrients into public beach waters. At all sites except the control, ammonium, phosphorus and fecal bacteria con- Algal blooms centrations were high, strongly seasonal and significantly correlated with community water usage, indi- Hypoxia cating that increased septic tank usage led to increased pollutant concentrations in area waterways. Nutrients from septic systems caused ecosystem-level problems from algal blooms, BOD, and hypoxia while fecal microbes created potential human health problems. Septic system usage is widespread in sen- sitive coastal areas with high water tables and sandy soils and alternatives to standard septic systems must be required to protect human health and the environment. Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction scientific, management, and political communities. One such area where urban impacts can have direct impacts upon undeveloped Protected coastal areas, such as national, state, provincial or lo- adjoining areas is Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CAHA) located cal parks offer public opportunities for relaxation, recreation, and along the Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA. nature appreciation. Under idealized conditions these areas also South Bodie Island is a barrier island that forms the northern- present researchers with a rich variety of terrestrial and aquatic most section of Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Fig. 1). The park habitats for study under (relatively) unimpacted conditions. How- wetlands in the area contain significant fresh and brackish water ever, some of these parks have suffered from impaired water qual- resources (Cole and Bratton, 1995; Mallin et al., 2006a). Adjoining ity from adjacent or upstream human sources, especially CAHA is the Town of Nags Head, with a residential area extending agriculture. One example is the Everglades National Park in Florida, south along the seashore next to CAHA for about 7.3 km (Fig. 1). which receives fertilized runoff and other pollutants from agricul- This part of Nags Head is zoned R-2, or medium density residential ture, primarily from sugar cane farming adjacent to the parklands (Stone Environmental Inc., 2005); dwelling density near the beach (Lapointe and Barile, 2004; Sheikh and Johnson, 2004; Perry, 2008). in Nags Head averages 7.5 units/ha or 3 units/acre (Town of Nags Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia is an example of a Head, 2000). Nags Head seasonally has high summer visitor usage, coastal park whose adjacent waterways are impacted by municipal and sewage treatment in the area abutting the park consists of and industrial point-source discharges, as well as non-point source septic systems. The soils in this area of Nags Head are primarily fertilizers and animal waste, from upstream municipalities and highly permeable sands while the water table in this area is mainly agricultural areas in the Satilla and St. Mary’s River basins (Alber 0–1 m from the surface (Stone Environmental Inc., 2005). This et al., 2005). Nearby urbanization is also a potential pollution combination of geological and hydrological factors can lead to inef- sources for coastal parks. With the rapid human urbanization of fective treatment of human sewage by septic systems (Cogger et al., coastal zones in recent decades (Crossett et al., 2004; US EPA, 1988), which require between 2 and 5 feet (0.6–1.5 m) of aerated 2004) areas where protected land and waterscapes are in direct soil (the vadose zone) beneath the septic drainfield to completely contact with already-developed or urbanizing situations can pres- treat the pollutants in sewage (US EPA, 2002). Otherwise, pollutants ent case studies from which the impacts of such encroachment on such as fecal bacteria and nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) can natural areas can be assessed and (hopefully) learned from by the enter the upper groundwater table and move laterally up to several hundred feet until they enter surface water such as a ditch, pond, tidal creek, bay or sound (Lipp et al., 2001a,b; US EPA, 2002). Evans ⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 910 962 2358; fax: +1 910 962 2410. E-mail address: [email protected] (M.A. Mallin). and Houston (2000) reported that septic leachate from drainfields 0025-326X/$ - see front matter Ó 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.04.025 M.A. Mallin, M.R. McIver / Marine Pollution Bulletin 64 (2012) 1356–1366 1357 Fig. 1. Map of sampling sites on South Bodie Island, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina, USA. Upper panel – northern area; lower panel – southern area. in Nags Head increased nitrate concentrations in downslope nitrate concentrations that exceeded the US Environmental groundwater wells, with the wells nearest the drainfields having Protection Agency drinking water standard of 10 mg/L. 1358 M.A. Mallin, M.R. McIver / Marine Pollution Bulletin 64 (2012) 1356–1366 A ridgeline passing north to south through Nags Head delineates The main drainage ditch along Old Oregon Inlet Road in Nags the drainage direction (Evans and Houston, 2000; Fig. 1). Water Head collects urban runoff surface drainage (and possibly shallow (surface runoff and upper groundwater) moves from the ridgeline groundwater) and conveys it into a beachfront outfall adjacent to in Nags Head into a series of drainage ditches and tidal creeks that CAHA property at Ramp 1 (Fig. 1). Elevated Enterococcus bacteria run perpendicular to Old Oregon Inlet Road and flow westward, counts in the vicinity of the discharge into the beach water have pass under Highway 12, and drains into Roanoke Sound (Fig. 1). necessitated frequent beach swimming advisories by the N.C. In a comparison of ditch water quality and marsh sites within Shellfish Sanitation group (Stone Environmental Inc., 2005; Mallin CAHA west of Nags Head, Cole and Bratton (1995) found that drain- et al., 2006a). The urban ditch supports large surface algal blooms age ditches had significantly higher nutrients and fecal bacteria, and dense mats of free-floating and loosely-attached aquatic mac- but lower dissolved oxygen, than the marsh sites. East of the ridge- rophyte vegetation mats. line, much of the surface runoff in the part of Nags Head adjoining Wetland ponds occur throughout the area (Fig. 1). Some are CAHA flows into a 5 m wide ditch that parallels the west side of Old connected to the drainage system, while some are well away from Oregon Inlet Road. This ditch flows south and enters the ocean at an obvious urban drainage. These ponds are critical to area wildlife, outfall at Ramp 1 of CAHA beach property (Fig. 1). High fecal and water quality of the ponds affects the fish and other biota. bacteria counts from this outfall pollute the beach and have led Thus, selected potentially-impacted and control ponds were sam- to beach postings and closures by the N.C. Shellfish Sanitation Sec- pled to assess and compare their water quality. tion (Mallin et al., 2006a). This large drainage ditch also hosts dense algal blooms and macrophyte coverage, suggesting inputs of 3. Methods nutrients. Thus, stormwater runoff, as well as septic leachate, was considered a potential problem impacting adjacent public areas. 3.1. Sampling sites Development has continued in Nags Head (as well as in other municipal areas adjoining CAHA property on barriers further Sampling was conducted at the five drainage ditches (D-1 south); thus comprehensive water quality information was needed through D-5) where they intersect Highway 12 (Table 1; Fig. 1). to assess potential anthropogenic inputs on these drainage systems Additionally, the main drainage ditch along Old Oregon Inlet Road and associated natural areas. We hypothesized that: (1) based on (UR-D) was sampled before it is piped under the road and into the previous data, topography and local hydrology, elevated pollutant beach water at Ramp 1. Three ponds were sampled (Table 1; loads were draining from the adjacent urbanized areas into Fig. 1): the first is an urban pond (UR-P) that during rain events ac- ditches, tidal creeks, wetlands and beach waters on CAHA property, cepts surface runoff from the roads, lies on both town and park either through overland runoff or septic system leachate, (2) these property and is hydrologically connected to the ditches that flow pollutants were likely leading to associated ecosystem impacts across the island. The second (C-P) is on the west side of Highway caused by such pollutant loads, and (3) such pollutants also pres- 12 with no apparent hydrological connection to the ditches, and ent a human health problem to park users. To investigate these was considered a control pond. The third pond (WW-P) is within hypotheses we obtained physical, chemical, and biological water NPS property and located about 25 m west of Highway 12 (Table 1; quality data for tidal creek/ditch and brackish pond sites on, or Fig. 1). It is tidally influenced and there is evidence of considerable impacting NPS property in the South Bodie Island area adjoining wildlife usage in the immediate area, with well-worn trails and northern Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Managing Storm Water Runoff to Prevent Contamination of Drinking Water
    United States Office of Water EPA 816-F-01-020 Environmental Protection (4606) July 2001 Agency Source Water Protection Practices Bulletin Managing Storm Water Runoff to Prevent Contamination of Drinking Water Storm water runoff is rain or snow melt that flows off the land, from streets, roof tops, and lawns. The runoff carries sediment and contaminants with it to a surface water body or infiltrates through the soil to ground water. This fact sheet focuses on the management of runoff in urban environments; other fact sheets address management measures for other specific sources, such as pesticides, animal feeding operations, and vehicle washing. SOURCES OF STORM WATER RUNOFF Urban and suburban areas are predominated by impervious cover including pavements on roads, sidewalks, and parking lots; rooftops of buildings and other structures; and impaired pervious surfaces (compacted soils) such as dirt parking lots, walking paths, baseball fields and suburban lawns. During storms, rainwater flows across these impervious surfaces, mobilizing contaminants, and transporting them to water bodies. All of the activities that take place in urban and suburban areas contribute to the pollutant load of storm water runoff. Oil, gasoline, and automotive fluids drip from vehicles onto roads and parking lots. Storm water runoff from shopping malls and retail centers also contains hydrocarbons from automobiles. Landscaping by homeowners, around businesses, and on public grounds contributes sediments, pesticides, fertilizers, and nutrients to runoff. Construction of roads and buildings is another large contributor of sediment loads to waterways. In addition, any uncovered materials such as improperly stored hazardous substances (e.g., household Parking lot runoff cleaners, pool chemicals, or lawn care products), pet and wildlife wastes, and litter can be carried in runoff to streams or ground water.
    [Show full text]
  • Urban Flooding Mitigation Techniques: a Systematic Review and Future Studies
    water Review Urban Flooding Mitigation Techniques: A Systematic Review and Future Studies Yinghong Qin 1,2 1 College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China; [email protected]; Tel.: +86-0771-323-2464 2 College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Guangxi University, 100 University Road, Nanning 530004, China Received: 20 November 2020; Accepted: 14 December 2020; Published: 20 December 2020 Abstract: Urbanization has replaced natural permeable surfaces with roofs, roads, and other sealed surfaces, which convert rainfall into runoff that finally is carried away by the local sewage system. High intensity rainfall can cause flooding when the city sewer system fails to carry the amounts of runoff offsite. Although projects, such as low-impact development and water-sensitive urban design, have been proposed to retain, detain, infiltrate, harvest, evaporate, transpire, or re-use rainwater on-site, urban flooding is still a serious, unresolved problem. This review sequentially discusses runoff reduction facilities installed above the ground, at the ground surface, and underground. Mainstream techniques include green roofs, non-vegetated roofs, permeable pavements, water-retaining pavements, infiltration trenches, trees, rainwater harvest, rain garden, vegetated filter strip, swale, and soakaways. While these techniques function differently, they share a common characteristic; that is, they can effectively reduce runoff for small rainfalls but lead to overflow in the case of heavy rainfalls. In addition, most of these techniques require sizable land areas for construction. The end of this review highlights the necessity of developing novel, discharge-controllable facilities that can attenuate the peak flow of urban runoff by extending the duration of the runoff discharge.
    [Show full text]
  • Pollutant Association with Suspended Solids in Stormwater in Tijuana, Mexico
    Int. J. Environ. Sci. Technol. (2014) 11:319–326 DOI 10.1007/s13762-013-0214-3 ORIGINAL PAPER Pollutant association with suspended solids in stormwater in Tijuana, Mexico F. T. Wakida • S. Martinez-Huato • E. Garcia-Flores • T. D. J. Pin˜on-Colin • H. Espinoza-Gomez • A. Ames-Lo´pez Received: 24 July 2012 / Revised: 12 February 2013 / Accepted: 23 February 2013 / Published online: 16 March 2013 Ó Islamic Azad University (IAU) 2013 Abstract Stormwater runoff from urban areas is a major Introduction source of many pollutants to water bodies. Suspended solids are one of the main pollutants because of their Stormwater pollution is a major problem in urban areas. association with other pollutants. The objective of this The loadings and concentrations of water pollutants, such study was to evaluate the relationship between suspended as suspended solids, nutrients, and heavy metals, are typi- solids and other pollutants in stormwater runoff in the city cally higher in urban stormwater runoff than in runoff from of Tijuana. Seven sites were sampled during seven rain rural areas (Vaze and Chiew 2004). Stormwater has events during the 2009–2010 season and the different become a significant contributor of pollutants to water particle size fractions were separated by sieving and fil- bodies. These pollutants can be inorganic (e.g. heavy tration. The results have shown that the samples have high metals and nitrates) and/or organic, such as polycyclic concentration of total suspended solids, the values of which aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols from asphalt pavement ranged from 725 to 4,411.6 mg/L. The samples were ana- degradation (Sansalone and Buchberger 1995).
    [Show full text]
  • Probabilistic Assessment of Urban Runoff Erosion Potential
    307 Probabilistic assessment of urban runoff erosion potential J.A. Harris and B.J. Adams Abstract: At the planning or screening level of urban development, analytical modeling using derived probability distribution theory is a viable alternative to continuous simulation, offering considerably less computational effort. A new set of analytical probabilistic models is developed for predicting the erosion potential of urban stormwater runoff. The marginal probability distributions for the duration of a hydrograph in which the critical channel velocity is exceeded (termed exceedance duration) are computed using derived probability distribution theory. Exceedance duration and peak channel velocity are two random variables upon which erosion potential is functionally dependent. Reasonable agreement exists between the derived marginal probability distributions for exceedance duration and continuous EPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) simulations at more common return periods. It is these events of lower magnitude and higher frequency that are the most significant to erosion-potential prediction. Key words: erosion, stormwater management, derived probability distribution, exceedance duration. Résumé : Au niveau de la planification ou de la sélection en développement urbain, la modélisation analytique au moyen de la théorie de la distribution probabiliste dérivée est une alternative valable à la simulation continue car elle demande un effort computationnel beaucoup moindre. Dans le but de prédire le potentiel d’érosion par des eaux de ruissellement en milieu urbain, un nouvel ensemble de modèles probabilistes analytiques a été développé. Les distributions de probabilité marginales pour la durée d’un hydrogramme dans lequel la vélocité critique de courant dans le canal est dépassée (appelé durée de dépassement) sont calculées en utilisant la théorie de la distribution de probabilité dérivée.
    [Show full text]
  • Coral Reefs, Unintentionally Delivering Bermuda’S E-Mail: [email protected] fi Rst Colonists
    Introduction to Bermuda: Geology, Oceanography and Climate 1 0 Kathryn A. Coates , James W. Fourqurean , W. Judson Kenworthy , Alan Logan , Sarah A. Manuel , and Struan R. Smith Geographic Location and Setting Located at 32.4°N and 64.8°W, Bermuda lies in the northwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is isolated by distance, deep Bermuda is a subtropical island group in the western North water and major ocean currents from North America, sitting Atlantic (Fig. 10.1a ). A peripheral annular reef tract surrounds 1,060 km ESE from Cape Hatteras, and 1,330 km NE from the islands forming a mostly submerged 26 by 52 km ellipse the Bahamas. Bermuda is one of nine ecoregions in the at the seaward rim of the eroded platform (the Bermuda Tropical Northwestern Atlantic (TNA) province (Spalding Platform) of an extinct Meso-Cenozoic volcanic peak et al. 2007 ) . (Fig. 10.1b ). The reef tract and the Bermuda islands enclose Bermuda’s national waters include pelagic environments a relatively shallow central lagoon so that Bermuda is atoll- and deep seamounts, in addition to the Bermuda Platform. like. The islands lie to the southeast and are primarily derived The Bermuda Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extends from sand dune formations. The extinct volcano is drowned approx. 370 km (200 nautical miles) from the coastline of the and covered by a thin (15–100 m), primarily carbonate, cap islands. Within the EEZ, the Territorial Sea extends ~22 km (Vogt and Jung 2007 ; Prognon et al. 2011 ) . This cap is very (12 nautical miles) and the Contiguous Zone ~44.5 km (24 complex, consisting of several sets of carbonate dunes (aeo- nautical miles) from the same baseline, both also extending lianites) and paleosols laid down in the last million years well beyond the Bermuda Platform.
    [Show full text]
  • Problems and Solutions for Managing Urban Stormwater Runoff
    Rained Out: Problems and Solutions for Managing Urban Stormwater Runoff Roopika Subramanian* The Clean Water Rule was the latest attempt by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers to define “waters of the United States” under the Clean Water Act. While both politics and scholarship around this issue have typically centered on the jurisdictional status of rural waters, like ephemeral streams and vernal pools, the final Rule raised a less discussed issue of the jurisdictional status of urban waters. What was striking about the Rule’s exemption of “stormwater control features” was not that it introduced this urban issue, but that it highlighted the more general challenges of regulating stormwater runoff under the Clean Water Act, particularly the difficulty of incentivizing multibenefit land use management given the Act’s focus on pollution control. In this Note, I argue that urban stormwater runoff is more than a pollution-control problem. Its management also dramatically affects the intensity of urban water flow and floods, local groundwater recharge, and ecosystem health. In light of these impacts on communities and watersheds, I argue that the Clean Water Act, with its present limited pollution- control goal, is an inadequate regulatory driver to address multiple stormwater-management goals. I recommend advancing green infrastructure as a multibenefit solution and suggest that the best approach to accelerate its adoption is to develop decision-support tools for local government agencies to collaborate on green infrastructure projects. Introduction ..................................................................................................... 422 I. Urban Stormwater Runoff .................................................................... 424 A. Urban Stormwater Runoff: Multiple Challenges ........................... 425 B. Urban Stormwater Infrastructure Built to Drain: Local Responses to Urban Flooding .......................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Causes of Urban Stormwater Pollution
    THE CAUSES OF URBAN STORMWATER POLLUTION Some Things To Think About Runoff pollution occurs every time rain or snowmelt flows across the ground and picks up contaminants. It occurs on farms or other agricultural sites, where the water carries away fertilizers, pesticides, and sediment from cropland or pastureland. It occurs during forestry operations (particularly along timber roads), where the water carries away sediment, and the nutrients and other materials associated with that sediment, from land which no longer has enough living vegetation to hold soil in place. This information, however, focuses on runoff pollution from developed areas, which occurs when stormwater carries away a wide variety of contaminants as it runs across rooftops, roads, parking lots, baseball diamonds, construction sites, golf courses, lawns, and other surfaces in our City. The oily sheen on rainwater in roadside gutters is but one common example of urban runoff pollution. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) now considers pollution from all diffuse sources, including urban stormwater pollution, to be the most important source of contamination in our nation's waters. 1 While polluted runoff from agricultural sources may be an even more important source of water pollution than urban runoff, urban runoff is still a critical source of contamination, particularly for waters near cities -- and thus near most people. EPA ranks urban runoff and storm-sewer discharges as the second most prevalent source of water quality impairment in our nation's estuaries, and the fourth most prevalent source of impairment of our lakes. Most of the U.S. population lives in urban and coastal areas where the water resources are highly vulnerable to and are often severely degraded by urban runoff.
    [Show full text]
  • Hatteras Island FAM Itinerary April 15 – 19, 2013
    Hatteras Island FAM Itinerary April 15 – 19, 2013 The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau PR Team Aaron Tuell, PR Manager, OBVB office 252.473.2138 or [email protected] Martin Armes, OBVB PR Rep Dana Grimstead, Events and MarKeting Assistant, OBVB Media Guests WELCOME! Monday, April 15, 2013 12:30 PM Arrive NorfolK International Airport (Drive time is about 1 hour, 30 minutes) 1:00 PM Dana Grimstead gets the Key for “Southern Belle” rental home and drops off food for media cottage. 2:00 PM Lunch at Awful Arthur’s Oyster Bar in Kill Devil Hills 2106 N Virginia Dare Trail, Kill Devil Hills, NC 27948 252-441-5955 2:30 PM Call Josh Boles, National ParK Service, prior for tour of Wright Brothers. 3:00 PM Wright Brothers National Memorial - tour and flight room-talK with Josh. See where on a cold day in December, 1903 Wilbur and Orville Wright changed the world forever as their powered airplane, the “Wright Flyer”, sKimmed over the sands of the Outer BanKs for 12 seconds before returning to the ground. See the flight museum which still has exhibits from the First Flight Centennial Celebration. 5:00 PM Jomi, owner, Ketch 55 restaurant and catering gets into the home to begin prep for cooKing dinner. 6:00 PM ChecK into Rental Home, www.2OBR.com/450 “Southern Belle” in Avon, NC – 7 bedroom / 7 bath, 41375 Oceanview Dr, Avon, NC Home provided by Outer Beaches Realty 800.627.3150 www.OuterBeaches.com Alex J. Risser, President 800.627.3150 x3280 [email protected] Linda Walton, Guest Services Manager 252.995.7372 [email protected] 7:00 PM Dinner catered at Southern Belle rental home by Ketch 55, Avon Tuesday, April 16, 2013 Sunrise beach walK and Breakfast at your leisure.
    [Show full text]
  • Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Bodie Island Life Saving Station & Boat House, Historic Structure Report
    Cape Hatteras National Seashore Bodie Island Life- Saving Station & Boat House Historic Structure Report 2005 For Cultural Resources, Southeast Region National Park Service By Joseph K. Oppermann - Architect, P.A. P.O. Box 10417, Salem Station Winston- Salem, NC 27108 336/721- 1711 FAX 336/721- 1712 [email protected] The historic structure report presented here exists in two formats. A traditional, printed version is available for study at the park, the Southeastern Regional Office of the NPS (SERO), and at a variety of other repositories. For more widespread access, the historic structure report also exists in a web- based format through ParkNet, the website of the National Park Service. Please visit www.nps.gov for more information. Cultural Resources Southeast Region National Park Service 100 Alabama St. SW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 562-3117 2005 Historic Structure Report Bodie Island Life- Saving Station & Boat House Cape Hatteras National Seashore Manteo, NC LCS#: Life- Saving Station #07243 Boat House #091897 Cover image: Bodie Island Life- Saving Station, before 1900. (Outer Banks History Center, North Carolina Division of Archives and History) BODIE ISLAND LIFE-SAVING STATION/BOAT HOUSE HISTORIC STRUCTURE REPORT Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Nags Head, NC Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS Project Team………………………………………………………………...…………………7 Executive Summary…………………………………………...……………………………….9 Administrative Data……………………………………………...…………………………………….……...13 PART I – DEVELOPMENTAL HISTORY A. Historical Background and Context……………………………………………...…….I.A.1 Forces of Nature…………………………………………………………….I.A.1 What’s in a Name? Bodie Island…………………………………………... I.A.3 The Graveyard of the Atlantic……………………………………………... I.A.4 A National Life-Saving Service…………………………………….……… I.A.4 Getting Organized: 1871………………...…………………………………. I.A.5 Expanding the Service………………………………………………………I.A.6 Bodie Island Life-Saving Station………………………………………….
    [Show full text]
  • An Inventory of the Natural Areas of Dare County, North Carolina
    AN INVENTORY OF THE NATURAL AREAS OF DARE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Bruce A. Sorrie Inventory Biologist North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Office of Land and Water Stewardship Department of Environment and Natural Resources Raleigh, NC Funding provided by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund July 2014 Cover photograph: Buxton Woods, Maritime Shrub Swamp (Dogwood Subtype) taken by Bruce A. Sorrie. AN INVENTORY OF THE NATURAL AREAS OF DARE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Bruce A. Sorrie Inventory Biologist North Carolina Natural Heritage Program Office of Land and Water Stewardship Department of Environment and Natural Resources Raleigh, NC Funding provided by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund July 2014 ABSTRACT This inventory of the natural areas, biological communities, and rare species of Dare County was funded by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Trust Fund. The inventory identifies the most significant natural areas in the county, describes their features, and documents all natural communities and rare species of plants and animals associated with them. Habitat conditions, natural processes, and threats are also described. The inventory is intended to provide guidance for land use decisions by county, state, and federal governments, conservation and land management organizations, and interested citizens. Field work was carried out by Bruce A. Sorrie of the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program during 2012 and 2013. The inventory identifies 34 areas of outstanding ecological significance as determined by criteria established by the North Carolina Natural Heritage Program. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Many individuals and agencies contributed to the planning, progress, and completion of this inventory. Jame Amoroso, Misty Buchanan, John Finnegan, Harry LeGrand, Janine Nicholson, and Linda Rudd reviewed the draft report and maps and assisted in the production of the final copy.
    [Show full text]
  • Cape Hatteras National Seashore
    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Cape Hatteras Inventory & Monitoring Program Southeast Coast Network National Seashore Summary of Weather and Climate Monitoring, 2011 Vital Sign Weather and climate are key drivers for ecosystem patterns and processes, affecting both Overview biotic and abiotic components alike. Continuous weather monitoring is an important factor in separating the effects of climate from the effects of human-induced disturbance on other vital signs (e.g., plant and animal communities and population dynamics). In support of these efforts, the SECN has compiled and analyzed data from existing sources to (1) determine status, trends, and variability of precipitation and temperature over time inside and around SECN park units; (2) determine the status, trends, and variability of derived weather data (i.e., drought indices) inside and around SECN park units; (3) track the location, magnitude, and frequency of extreme weather events that affect SECN park resources. Significant Average monthly temperatures across all relevant with the lowest minimum relative humidity occurring Findings stations ranged from a low of 38.7°F at Duck tide in January and the highest occurring in September. station to a high of 82.2°F at Cape Hatteras Airport. Derivative climate measures indicated that growing Average monthly temperatures were above normal at season length varied from 310 to 342 days (Table 1) most locations for most of the year, although not between weather stations and variation was also outside the range of variation for the 30-year normal. present in other measures including the date of last freeze. Monthly precipitation was lower than average April– Table 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Assessment of Estuarine Water Quality at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores 2015 Data Summary
    National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Assessment of Estuarine Water Quality at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores 2015 Data Summary Natural Resource Data Series NPS/SECN/NRDS—2016/1056 ON THE COVER Low salt marsh on Shackleford Banks. View is looking eastward across Back Sound to South Core Banks. Photo courtesy of Jason Gardner—Southeast Coast Network. Assessment of Estuarine Water Quality at Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores 2015 Data Summary Natural Resource Data Series NPS/SECN/NRDS—2016/1056 Wendy Wright National Park Service Southeast Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network 135 Phoenix Drive Athens, GA 30605 September 2016 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Data Series is intended for the timely release of basic data sets and data summaries. Care has been taken to assure accuracy of raw data values, but a thorough analysis and interpretation of the data has not been completed. Consequently, the initial analyses of data in this report are provisional and subject to change. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically rc edible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner.
    [Show full text]