Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2009CT207B

Stream chemical interactions within the urban environment: assessing the fate of nitrogen and mercury in a stream impacted by combined sewer overflows

Institute: Connecticut
Year Established: 2009 Start Date: 2009-03-01 End Date: 2011-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $31,355 Total Non-Federal Funds: $65,823

Principal Investigators: Joseph Bushey

Project Summary: Urban runoff and CSOs contribute significantly to contaminant loading within urban streams. However, chemical speciation, the potential bioavailability and the chemical fate within urban systems remain under-investigated. A thorough understanding of the fate and dynamics of N and Hg in urban streams is critical in assessing the potential loading and bioavailability in downstream areas. Assessing potential changes in speciation within these systems is a prerequisite to developing potential management strategies and cost-effective approaches for minimizing the negative environmental impacts of development and the urban stream syndrome. I propose an integrated field and laboratory investigation to examine the potential sources of N and Hg in stream flux and to assess potential changes in content and speciation that occur in urban streams. This investigation is designed to assess potential changes in bioavailability, particularly for Hg, resulting from the interconnections of biogeochemical cycling in the streams. The proposed research will focus on the North Park River watershed in Hartford, CT, a site impacted by combined sewer overflows and urban runoff. By assessing chemical cycling within the stream, I propose to improve assessments of remediation strategies concerning urbanized streams.