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Environmental research projects of the Coastal Research and Extension Center (CREC) focus on two main issues: Water Quality and Wetlands. Good water quality is essential to life. The CREC works on many water quality projects that strive to provide sound, scientific data and information that can be transferred to state and federal regulatory agencies and local policy makers to assist when making decision that can improve public health and the overall quality of life of the residents of coastal Mississippi. The majority of these projects focus on nonpoint sources of pollution, specifically from failing septic systems and untreated stormwater runoff, and how these may impact drinking water supplies, nearshore waters and coastal habitats. These types of nonpoint source pollution can result in serious public health problems within the community such as dysentery, infectious hepatitis, cholera, typhoid fever, etc. and an overall degradation of aquatic resources resulting in beach closures, prohibitions on harvesting shellfish, and loss of biological productivity in coastal habitats. Wetlands provide essential functions and values that help maintain the integrity of biological communities and assure good quality of life for local residents. However, with expanding populations in coastal regions, sensitive wetland environments are often compromised in favor of development. Wetlands and the regulations designed to protect them have been the focus of considerable debate in both technical and public forums. Basic information about the physical and biotic characteristics of the various wetland types and the relative proportion of types within a watershed are not always well documented. The CREC is contributing to addressing these inadequacies. Water Quality Projects:
Wetlands Projects:
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Wetland Delineation and Hydrologic/Community Survey of the Davis Bayou Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore This three-year study is designed to provide baseline information and site characterizations of the Davis Bayou Unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore, Ocean Springs, MS. Information from this study will be used by park resource managers to develop recommendations that address the long-term protection of the Davis Bayou Unit's wetland habitats and upland communities. Work efforts included delineating wetland-upland boundaries and general plant communities. Surface and ground water quality studies in a wet pine savanna (completed in 1996) were conducted to determine existing baseline levels of pollutants that are commonly associated with stormwater runoff from residential areas. Monthly floristic surveys were completed in a wet pine savanna environment during the spring, summer, and fall months. A water quality monitoring plan was developed for the Davis Bayou area. |
Use of Constructed Wetlands to Improve Water Quality in Finfish Ponds, 1992-98 Research is conducted at the Coastal Aquaculture Unit on the use of constructed wetlands to improve water quality in finfish pond production in cooperation with the U.S. Departments of Agriculture (USDA) and Commerce (USDC), Mississippi Power Company and Delta Pride Catfish, Inc. Initiated in 1993 through a grant from USDA, with continued funding in 1995 (Phase II), this project seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of using constructed wetlands to improve the water quality in aquaculture ponds. Poor water quality in catfish production ponds can lead to the direct loss of fish and in many cases off-flavor problems in the harvested product. By circulating pond water through constructed wetlands, it is hoped that these problems can be reduced or eliminated, and if successful allow for increased catfish stocking densities and associated production levels. Phase I of this project involved initial testing of a standard design for the pond-wetland system and evaluations of variations in the design factors such as wetland size and flow rates of water through the wetlands. Analysis of economic costs versus benefits of using this technology was also conducted. Phase II of this project includes continued evaluations of these designs at higher stocking densities of fish. Additional funding for further expansion of this project was obtained from USDC in 1996 to increase the number of replicates of those wetlands with variable flow rates and variable sizes and simulate maturity of plants by increasing planting density. Twelve quarter-acre ponds and six constructed wetlands are currently used to further verify the improvement of pond water quality and the associated benefits and costs arising from the use of this technology at higher stocking densities. |
Water Quality Monitoring of Rock-Reed Wastewater Treatment Systems This was a demonstration project in the Bayou Cumbest community (Jackson County, MS) that replaced 38 failing conventional septic systems with rock-reed filter systems in an effort to reduce the levels of fecal coliform contamination affecting nearby oyster beds. This project involved bi-weekly water quality monitoring (over a 1-year period) of three rock-reed systems and 14 other stations within Bayou Cumbest, Bangs Lake and Point Aux Chenes Bay. The final report was completed in the spring of 1997. |
Nonpoint-Source Pollution Effects of Dockside Gaming This project assesses the impacts to coastal water quality from the increased stormwater runoff from casino related construction activities in coastal Mississippi. Documentation and evaluation of stormwater management practices implemented on the casino development sites highlight the inefficiencies of currently accepted stormwater management practices in the coastal zone. This information can be utilized by coastal zone managers to better protect and preserve the coastal resources. The project is part of a team effort between the Mississippi and Alabama coastal zone management agencies and contributes to the development of regional management strategies that mitigate potential adverse impacts to the shared resources of the Mississippi Sound. |
Modification of Septic Tank Requirements This project involved an analysis and evaluation of nonpoint source pollution resulting from failing septic systems within the six coastal counties of Mississippi. It includes an assessment of soil types found throughout the six coastal counties, management measures and guidelines to control of this type of nonpoint source pollution, projections of priority problem areas resulting from current population growth and projected population distribution patterns, and a strategy that details how to implement the management measures at the local and state levels. The strategy creates an extensive information network that efficiently reaches and can inform more individuals with less expenditure of energy or finances. This information serves as an integral part of the statewide nonpoint source pollution program currently being developed. |
Wetland Delineation and Hydrologic/Community Survey of the Davis Bayou Area of Gulf Islands National Seashore This three-year study is designed to provide baseline information and site characterizations of the Davis Bayou Unit of Gulf Islands National Seashore, Ocean Springs, MS. Information from this study will be used by park resource managers to develop recommendations that address the long-term protection of the Davis Bayou Unit's wetland habitats and upland communities. Work efforts include delineating wetland-upland boundaries and general plant communities. Surface and ground water quality studies in a wet pine savanna (completed in 1996) were conducted to determine existing baseline levels of pollutants commonly associated with stormwater runoff from residential areas. Monthly floristic surveys were completed in a wet pine savanna environment during the spring, summer, and fall months. A water quality monitoring plan was developed for the Davis Bayou area. |
Jackson County Advanced Identification This project identified and mapped (using Landsat thematic mapping imagery and GPS technology) nineteen wetland habitats throughout Jackson County, MS. Over 50 of the interpreted habitat types were groundtruthed. The exact location of each site was recorded using GPS technology and the wetland habitat was evaluated by conducting field assessments. The final map product identifies the essential, key and remote wetlands as well as non-wetland areas. This map is used as a planning tool by landowners, developers and regulators. Advanced knowledge of location of wetland areas facilitates and often eliminates the sometimes lengthy and complex permitting process. |
Monitoring Coastal Wetlands/Chevron Refinery This five-year project monitors a mitigation effort implemented at the Chevron, Pascagoula Refinery outfall. The mitigation consisted of constructing a breakwater in the Mississippi Sound in an effort to protect an adjacent salt marsh and ultimately create new salt marsh behind the breakwater. Monitoring consisted of quarterly sampling of sedimentation levels behind the breakwater, shoreline position behind the breakwater, vegetation density and fish and shellfish assemblages that use the enclosed area behind the breakwater. Project will be completed in January 1999 |
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