Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2009MD200B

Correlating Nutrient, Pesticide, and Bacteria levels in the Choptank River--Summer Fellowship

Institute: Maryland
Year Established: 2009 Start Date: 2009-03-01 End Date: 2010-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $5,500 Total Non-Federal Funds: $13,750

Principal Investigators: Allen Davis, Alba Torrents

Abstract: The Choptank River is an estuary and tributary on the eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Various segments of the Choptank River have been classified as “impaired waters” under the Federal Clean Water Act since 1998 due to fecal coliform, nutrients, and sediments, and for low scores on biotic integrity surveys. Approximately 60% of land use in the Choptank River watershed is agricultural. Only a few studies have been undertaken in coastal areas of the Chesapeake Bay to include simultaneous nutrient and pesticide monitoring in multiple sub-watersheds. The scope of this project is four fold: 1.) answer questions related to pathogen, pesticide, and nutrient distribution, viability, and interaction along the Choptank River, 2.) investigate the change in microbial population as a function of agricultural activity, 3.) propose ideas for water mitigation and waste storage strategies, and 4.) provide data on the effectiveness of present mitigation projects.