EUTROPHICATION IN JAMAICA BAY -
MANIFESTATIONS, CONTROL AND
RELATIONSHIPS TO WATER QUALITY OBJECTS
M. LANG* and D.W. ECKHOFF
*Commissioner of Water Resources, 2454 Municipal Buildings,
New York, N.Y. 10007, U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION
The results of the study of Jamaica Bay reported in this paper were obtained as part of
a comprehensive evaluation of water resources management alternatives for the Bay and
its tributary area, about 52,000 acres in the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New
York City. A principal objective of the project was the determination of optimum control
schemes for combined sewer overflows and other interacting discharges
(Engineering-Science, Inc., 1970) and this was complemented by thorough study of water
quality conditions in Jamaica Bay and quantification of waste discharge - water quality
response phenomena pertinent to the system. Utilization of a sophisticated
two-dimensional dynamic hydraulic and water quality model (Leendertse, et al, 1970)
greatly assisted in this regard, and initial environmental quality — ecological response
results were presented by Eckhoff, Armstrong and Lang (1970). This paper contains the
results of additional study oriented towards defining in detail the eutrophication
phenomena observed in the Bay and the delineation of methods for their control.
Because of the proximity of Jamaica Bay to a heavily urbanized areas, the uses of the
Bay have multiplied in number and extent, and the task of allocation of its resources has
become increasingly difficult. Over the years there has been an increasing awareness of
water quality problems, which has resulted in more stringent water quality requirements
for each of the uses of the Bay. The city's decision to enhance the quality of the Bay
environment to permit body contact sports on a large scale thus necessitated a close
examination of pertinent quality parameters and their amenability to control. Although a
wide spectrum of quality parameters was examined, consideration was given principally
to coliforms (total and fecal), dissolved oxygen, planktonic abundance and diversity,
transparency, sediment quality, benthic animal density and diversity, and nutrient
concentrations as being most indicative of eutrophication phenomena related to the
desired resource utilization.
METHODS
A detailed description of the sampling and analytical procedures is given elsewhere
(Engineering-Science, Inc., 1970). However, the basic investigative program was as
follows:
(1) Sources of Pollution
a. Four Water Pollution Control Facilities — sampled over two-year period
b. Combined Sewer Overflows — six major sites sampled over three-year period
c. Urban Storm Runoff — two sites sampled over three-year period
d. Rainfall — measured continuously and analyzed intermittently
231
MANIFESTATIONS, CONTROL AND
RELATIONSHIPS TO WATER QUALITY OBJECTS
M. LANG* and D.W. ECKHOFF
*Commissioner of Water Resources, 2454 Municipal Buildings,
New York, N.Y. 10007, U.S.A.
INTRODUCTION
The results of the study of Jamaica Bay reported in this paper were obtained as part of
a comprehensive evaluation of water resources management alternatives for the Bay and
its tributary area, about 52,000 acres in the Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens, New
York City. A principal objective of the project was the determination of optimum control
schemes for combined sewer overflows and other interacting discharges
(Engineering-Science, Inc., 1970) and this was complemented by thorough study of water
quality conditions in Jamaica Bay and quantification of waste discharge - water quality
response phenomena pertinent to the system. Utilization of a sophisticated
two-dimensional dynamic hydraulic and water quality model (Leendertse, et al, 1970)
greatly assisted in this regard, and initial environmental quality — ecological response
results were presented by Eckhoff, Armstrong and Lang (1970). This paper contains the
results of additional study oriented towards defining in detail the eutrophication
phenomena observed in the Bay and the delineation of methods for their control.
Because of the proximity of Jamaica Bay to a heavily urbanized areas, the uses of the
Bay have multiplied in number and extent, and the task of allocation of its resources has
become increasingly difficult. Over the years there has been an increasing awareness of
water quality problems, which has resulted in more stringent water quality requirements
for each of the uses of the Bay. The city's decision to enhance the quality of the Bay
environment to permit body contact sports on a large scale thus necessitated a close
examination of pertinent quality parameters and their amenability to control. Although a
wide spectrum of quality parameters was examined, consideration was given principally
to coliforms (total and fecal), dissolved oxygen, planktonic abundance and diversity,
transparency, sediment quality, benthic animal density and diversity, and nutrient
concentrations as being most indicative of eutrophication phenomena related to the
desired resource utilization.
METHODS
A detailed description of the sampling and analytical procedures is given elsewhere
(Engineering-Science, Inc., 1970). However, the basic investigative program was as
follows:
(1) Sources of Pollution
a. Four Water Pollution Control Facilities — sampled over two-year period
b. Combined Sewer Overflows — six major sites sampled over three-year period
c. Urban Storm Runoff — two sites sampled over three-year period
d. Rainfall — measured continuously and analyzed intermittently
231