Nutrients Criteria Research Framework Workshop

March 10-12 , New Orleans, LA
St. Charles Avenue Hilton

Workshop Overview
Workshop Purpose
Conference Materials and Presentations
Resources and References

Workshop Overview

The workshop examined the state of our understanding of nutrient flux and the corresponding ecological response for estuaries and near shore coastal systems of the Gulf of Mexico using a shared outline for presentations:

Introduction of Nutrient Research and Principle Investigators
Overview of Physical and Hydrologic Characteristics
Overview of the Nutrient Regime
Overview of Biological Resources and Response
Current Research Activities Addressing Nutrient Flux and Ecological
Response

Workshop Purpose

A common problem in the Gulf of Mexico region is excessive nutrients in coastal waters. The Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) is developing a Nutrients Criteria Research Framework for nutrient studies to provide the information needed to understand the transport, fate, and effects of nutrients and inform the process of developing estuarine nutrient criteria. The following goals will guide the development of a monitoring framework:

Standardize a nutrient study design using a regional approach that can be used at locations around the Gulf of Mexico, in a range of conditions and types of coastal waters. This design will be able to accommodate modifications that address local conditions and needs;
Identify the core monitoring needed to characterize and better understand nutrient sources, fate, transport, and effects; and
Provide sufficient understanding of the relationships between nutrients, water quality, physical processes, and biological communities to develop protective nutrient criteria for coastal ecosystems.

GOMA will gather existing information and consult with local estuary experts to assist with study design and overall data collection and interpretation. Workshop presentations will focus on Gulf estuaries and near shore coastal waters, the ecological attributes of each system, and the documented effects of nutrients on altering food webs or responses in community structure and function.

Conference Materials & Presentations

Draft Agenda (pdf, 47kb)

1. NCRF Workshop Welcome and Intro (pdf, 272kb)
2. Nutrient Criteria Research Framework (pdf, 533kb)
3. Florida Synthesis (pdf, 180kb)
4. Corpus Christi Bay (pdf, 963kb)
5. Nueces Estuary (pdf, 1.1mb)
6. Mission-Aransas NERR (pdf, 1.7mb)
7. Galveston Bay 1 (pdf, 1.9mb)
8. Galveston Bay 2 (pdf, 993kb)
9. Pontchartrain Estuary (pdf, 1.5mb)
10. Atchafalya Bay (pdf, 2.0mb)
11. Breton Sound (pdf, 1.7mb)
12. Barataria Estuary (pdf, 1.9mb)
13. Louisiana Shelf (pdf, 5.1mb)
14. Texas Coastal Waters (pdf, 2.5mb)
15. Mississippi Coastal Waters (pdf, 3.2mb)
16. Mobile Bay (pdf, 1.2mb)
17. Perdido Bay (pdf, 2.6mb)
18. Northern Gulf (pdf, 538mb)
19. MS River (pdf, 2.8mb)
20. Workshop summary (pdf, 199kb)

Resources and References

Gulf of Mexico Alliance Nutrient Reduction Priority Issue Team

Gulf of Mexico Alliance Draft Nutrient Criteria Research Framework

EPA Biological Condition Gradient conceptual model

EPA Water Quality Standards - Nutrient Criteria - EPA's clearinghouse for all things related to nutrient criteria including agency directives, guidance documents, ambient water quality criteria recommendations, and access to the National Nutrient Database.

NOAA: Effects of Nutrient Enrichment in the Nation’s Estuaries: A Decade of Change

A Classification of U.S. Estuaries Based on Physical and Hydrologic Attributes