Jersey Estuary Research Articles

Petroleomic depth profiling of Staten Island salt marsh soil: 2ω detection FTICR MS offers a new solution for the analysis of environmental contaminants

Staten Island is located in one of the most densely populated regions of the US: the New York/New Jersey Estuary. Marine and industrial oil spills are commonplace in the area, causing the waterways and adjacent marshes to become polluted with a range of petroleum-related contaminants. Using Rock-Eval pyrolysis, the hydrocarbon impact on a salt marsh was assessed at regular intervals down to 90 cm, with several key sampling depths of interest identified for further analysis. Ultrahigh resolution data are obtained by direct infusion (DI) atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI) on a 12 T solariX Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer (FTICR MS) allowing trends in the compositional profile with depth to be observed, such as changes in the relative hydrocarbon intensity and the relative contributions from oxygen- and sulfur-containing groups. These trends may correlate with the timing of major oil spills and leaks of petroleum and other industrial chemicals into the waterways. The use of gas chromatography (GC) coupled to a 7 T solariX 2XR FTICR MS equipped with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) ion source offers retention time resolved and extensive compositional information for the complex environmental samples complementary to that obtained by DI-APPI. The compositional profile observed using GC-APCI FTICR MS includes contributions from phosphorous-containing groups, which may be indicative of contamination from other anthropogenic sources.

Annual Residency Patterns and Diet of Phoca vitulina concolor (Western Atlantic Harbor Seal) in a Southern New Jersey Estuary

From 1996 to 2011, researchers observed Phoca vitulina concolor (Western Atlantic Harbor Seal) on regional overwintering grounds in the Great Bay–Mullica River estuary in southern New Jersey. Over this 15-y time series, 299 observations were completed, with maximum local abundance increasing from 100 individuals in 1996 to 160 individuals in 2011. Our study did not document the presence of Atlantic Harbor Seal pups. In addition, we analyzed 142 scat samples, resulting in 1419 sagittal fish otoliths recovered and identified. Dominant recovered otoliths were as follows: 48% Phycidae (Urophycis regia [Spotted Hake]/Urophycis chuss [Red Hake]; 25% Clupeidae (Clupea harengus [Atlantic Herring], Alosa sapidissima [American Shad], Brevoortia tyrannus [Atlantic Menhaden], A. pseudoharengus [Alewife], and A. aestivalis [Blueback Herring]); 13% Ammodytidae (Ammodytes americanus/A. dubius [sandlance]); 6% Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Winter Flounder); and 4% Scophthalmus aquosus (Windowpane Flounder). Average back-calculated prey lengths across all prey groups (min–max = 5–41 cm, average = 19.75 cm) indicated that Western Atlantic Harbor Seals might utilize both estuarine and ocean environments for foraging. This temperate estuary currently represents the southern limit of routine Western Atlantic Harbor Seal occupancy in the Northeast. As such, our results are valuable in monitoring future changes in habitat use potentially resulting from climate change.

Modeling the Effects of a Power Plant Decommissioning on an Estuarine Food Web

While a number of studies have looked at the impingement and entrainment impacts of power generation facilities on recreationally and commercially important fish species, few have assessed the effects on forage species or the broader aquatic community. Here, we constructed a trophic-based ecosystem model for the Barnegat Bay, New Jersey estuary, which is home to the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Utilizing this model, we developed two scenarios: a baseline scenario for 1981–2030 and a decommissioning scenario where the generating station substantially reduces its water withdrawals beginning in 2020. The effect on the biomass of an individual species tended to be small (<3 %), and the direction of the change varied by species. Trophic interactions played an important role in determining the overall change in a species’ biomass, as some species directly impacted by the generating station had a reduced biomass in the decommissioning scenario due to increased predation mortality. The differences in results between the static mixed trophic impact analysis and the dynamic simulation analysis highlight the value of dynamic modeling in assessing management strategies.

Assessment of anthropogenic influences on surface water quality in urban estuary, northern New Jersey: multivariate approach

Concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Fe, and Zn), nutrients (NO (3) (-) and NH(3)), fecal coliform colonies, and other multiple physical-chemical parameters were measured seasonally from 12 locations in an urban New Jersey estuary between 1994 and 2008. Stepwise regression, principal component analysis, and cluster analysis were used to group water quality results and sampling locations, as well as to assess these data's relationship to sewage treatment effluents and the distance to the mouth of the river. The BOD(5), NH(3), NO (3) (-) and fecal coliform counts clustered as one group and positively correlated to the distances from treated effluent and the measures of magnitude at the discharge points. Dissolved solids and most metal species scored high along a single principal component axes and were significantly correlated with the proximity to the industrialized area. From these data, one can conclude that the effluent discharge has been a main source of anthropogenic input to the Hackensack River over the past 15years. Therefore, the greatest improvement to water quality would come from eliminating the few remaining combined sewer overflows and improving the removal of nutrients from treated effluents before they are discharged into the creeks and river.

An Evaluation of Boat Basin Dredging Effects: Response of Fishes and Crabs in a New Jersey Estuary

AbstractDredging is one of the most common human modifications of estuaries and although its effects have often been studied, there has been little effort in evaluating the effects on mobile macrofauna, such as fishes and crabs. We evaluated the response of fishes and crabs to 4 d of dredging in a small boat basin within a polyhaline marsh creek of a New Jersey estuary. We used several measures, including fish and crab species composition, abundance, and size from trap collections and movements of marked mummichogs Fundulus heteroclitus before, during, and after dredging. In general, the fauna changed little during the 4 d of dredging relative to the 1.5‐month sampling period. Species composition variations that did occur may have been due to seasonal changes that are typically observed during the fall based on annual sampling at this site. The movement of tagged mummichogs was minimal, with most recaptures taking place in the boat basin. Individuals that left the boat basin moved into pools in an adjacent marsh for the winter. These results suggest that the short‐term effect of this low‐sediment‐volume dredging project was negligible for the benthic fishes and crabs studied, which we believe are representative of the high‐salinity portions of estuaries in the northeastern United States.

Inter and intra‐estuary variability in ingress, condition and settlement of the American eel Anguilla rostrata: implications for estimating and understanding recruitment

The objective of this study was to quantify spatial and temporal variability of anguillid glass eel ingress within and between adjacent watersheds in order to help illuminate the mechanisms moderating annual recruitment. Because single fixed locations are often used to assess annual recruitment, the intra-annual dynamics of ingress across multiple sites often remains unresolved. To address this question, plankton nets and eel collectors were deployed weekly to synoptically quantify early stage Anguilla rostrata abundance at 12 sites across two New Jersey estuaries over an ingress season. Numbers of early-stage glass eels collected at the inlet mouths were moderately variable within and between estuaries over time and showed evidence for weak lunar phase and water temperature correlations. The relative condition of glass eels, although highly variable, declined significantly over the ingress season and indicated a tendency for lower condition A. rostrata to colonize sites in the lower estuary. Accumulations of glass eels and early-stage elvers retrieved from collectors (one to >1500 A. rostrata per collector) at lower estuary sites were highly variable over time, producing only weak correlations between estuaries. By way of contrast, development into late-stage elvers, coupled with the large-scale colonization of up-river sites, was highly synchronized between and within estuaries and contingent on water temperatures reaching c. 10-12 degrees C. Averaged over the ingress season, abundance estimates were remarkably consistent between paired sites across estuaries, indicating a low degree of interestuary variability. Within an estuary, however, abundance estimates varied considerably depending on location. These results and methodology have important implications for the planning and interpretation of early-stage anguillid eel surveys as well as the understanding of the dynamic nature of ingress and the spatial scales over which recruitment varies.

Habitat Use, Site Fidelity, and Movement of Adult Striped Bass in a Southern New Jersey Estuary Based on Mobile Acoustic Telemetry

AbstractTo determine individual patterns of habitat use, site fidelity, and movement, adult striped bass Morone saxatilis (n = 81; mean fork length = 70.8 cm [range, 48.3‐95.3 cm]) were implanted with individually coded acoustic transmitters and tracked with a mobile hydrophone from July 2003 through July 2005 in Mullica River‐Great Bay estuary in southern New Jersey. Striped bass in this small coastal bay‐estuarine system preferred deeper water near shorelines and were found at the same location 56.6% of the time. In fact, the persistence of individual home ranges at the scale of meters was observed within and among years. When fish were moving, their pattern was characterized by sporadic swimming followed by long periods of little movement. Seasonally, movement in the estuary was highest in April, followed by two secondary peaks in October and December. Daily movement was highest around sunset. Mobile telemetry demonstrated important dynamics in habitat use, site fidelity, and estuarine movements that were not detectable by a parallel study using a fixed array of omnidirectional hydrophones. In addition, the high degree of site fidelity across seasons and years implies that habitat management at the appropriate spatial scale can be an important component of fisheries management for this species.

Alternate Realities: The Many Ways of Seeing New Jersey Baymen

The men who work the bays and estuaries along the New Jersey coastline have historically been considered baymen. This label assumes that these "baymen" are very similar, when in fact the realities of bay life for the men who work New Jersey's bays and estuaries are very different. Not only do the groups of men operate in vastly different ecosystems, but their access to seasonal employment necessary to supplement their income varies greatly. This paper intends to investigate whether the baymen label has made it more difficult for those people who operate outside the perceived norm to find support and respect for their jobs and traditions. How has the accepted notion of what makes a baymen impacted fishing communities along the New Jersey Coast? Are the fishing communities that operate outside the accepted reality more likely to become victims of change and gentrification or have they been able to capitalize on being "baymen"?

A simple model for predicting water table fluctuations in a tidal marsh

Wetland restoration efforts are ongoing in many urban estuaries. In this context the hydrologic characteristics of restored wetlands are of paramount importance since the spatially and temporally variable position of the water table and of soil saturation establishes the oxidation state of the substrate, which, in turn, affects the wetland's biogeochemical composition and the biological communities it is capable of supporting. A relatively simple analytical model developed here describes tidal marsh hydrology from creek bank to interior, considering transient drainage, net meteorological inputs, and tidal effects. Given a series of physical and time‐dependent inputs, the analytical solution derived predicts the position of the water table at points along a transect perpendicular to a tidal creek. Validation of the model using water table time series data collected along three transects at Piermont Marsh, a tidal wetland on the Hudson River in the New York/New Jersey Estuary, indicates good general agreement between observations and predictions, although it may not be precise enough for some kinds of ecological applications. A sensitivity analysis on the model indicates that a range of pairs of transmissivity and specific yield values that increase with distance from the creek results in the same spatial and temporal fluctuations in the water table. This equifinality result is discussed as it relates to the predictive capacity of the model presented.

Movement and growth of juvenile (age 0 and 1+) tautog ( Tautoga onitis [L.]) and cunner ( Tautogolabrus adspersus [Walbaum]) in a southern New Jersey estuary

The extent to which individual juvenile fish occupy specific sites is largely unknown. This complicates efforts to identify optimum habitats and habitat-specific information such as growth and mortality rates which, in turn, can influence recruitment success. Using tag–recapture information, we examined movements and growth of juvenile tautog ( Tautoga onitis [L.]) and cunner ( Tautogolabrus adspersus [Walbaum]) in Great Bay–Little Egg Harbor estuaries in southern New Jersey. Fishes were trapped, tagged with small disks (bee tags), released in an embayment (mean depth = 2.5 m, mean salinity = 28‰) adjoining a tidal creek and recaptured from April through November 1992. Of 729 tautog (25–187 mm TL) released, there were 228 recaptures (31%) of 114 individuals, with a high percentage of recaptured individuals (37%) caught more than once (up to 13 times) during nearly 3 months at liberty. Of 410 cunner (24–99 mm TL) released, there were 95 recaptures (23%) of 66 individuals of which 30% were recaptured repeatedly (up to 6 times) over a 2-month period in summer and fall. Recaptured individuals of both species generally moved relatively little (< 22 m) from the common release site even though recapture efforts occurred over the scale of meters to kilometers. Age 1+ individuals tended to travel shorter distance than age 0 individuals for both species. The short distance traveled and high recapture rates indicate that these species exhibited strong site fidelity. The mean growth of both species was 0.25 mm day − 1 from spring through fall although growth varied between species, age class and season. These movement and growth characteristics indicate that at least some of the 0+ individuals “settle and stay” and 1+ individuals “return and stay” in estuarine habitats. The high site fidelity, in this and other studies, implies that growth rates may be good measures of habitat quality for tautog and cunner at least from spring through fall.

The link between hydrology and restoration of tidal marshes in the New York/New Jersey Estuary

The objectives of this paper are to summarize existing knowledge on the hydrologic characteristics of tidal marshes in the New York/New Jersey (NY/NJ) Estuary, to document the extensive linkages between hydrology and tidal marsh function, to underline their importance in designing restoration projects, and to identify research needs in this area. Hydrologic processes are responsible for the evolution, inter- and intra- marsh variability, and functional value of tidal marshes. Hydrology also controls the movement of materials and organisms between estuaries, wetlands, uplands, and the atmosphere. The importance of hydrology to tidal marsh function is widely recognized by the scientific community. Hydrologic research in tidal wetlands of the NY/NJ Estuary, however, is lacking. Anthropogenic development activities have resulted in drastic losses of tidal wetland value, and restoration is now finally a priority in many of the region’s natural resource management plans. The success of tidal marsh restoration efforts depends on how appropriately hydrologic factors and their interdependencies are recognized and incorporated into design; yet, little guidance about how best to restore tidal marsh hydrology is available. There is a need to document better the hydrologic characteristics of existing and historical tidal wetlands, to improve hydrologic modeling capabilities, and to accompany other ecological investigations in tidal marshes with hydrologic documentation.

Juvenile atlantic menhaden ( Brevoortia tyrannus) in Delaware Bay, USA are the result of local and long-distance recruitment

We examined patterns of abundance, age, and spawning date distribution for juvenile Atlantic menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus, collected during monthly sampling in Delaware Bay salt marshes during 1996 and 1997 in order to determine temporal patterns of recruitment and their spawning locations. Two distinct cohorts were present during both years of the study; the first cohort appeared in April–May and persisted throughout the summer, while the second cohort appeared in July but was only represented in subsequent collections during 1997. Back-calculated birth dates indicated that some fish had spawned during the fall (September and October) during both years, probably in the vicinity of Delaware Bay. However, the majority of individuals were spawned during winter months (primarily December and January) when water temperatures were too cold to permit local spawning. These winter-spawned individuals probably originated south of Cape Hatteras where winter water temperatures are warm enough (>16 °C) to allow spawning and larval development. These winter-spawned fish were an important but variable fraction of the fish surviving to the juvenile stage in Delaware Bay fish (92 and 73% during 1996 and 1997, respectively). The pattern of fall and winter-spawned juvenile Atlantic menhaden using Delaware Bay is consistent with an earlier study of larval Atlantic menhaden in another southern New Jersey estuary and thus suggests that contributions of spawning from both the Middle Atlantic States and south of Cape Hatteras may occur consistently for Atlantic menhaden and other species.

Long-term assessment of settlement and growth of juvenile winter flounder ( Pseudopleuronectes americanus) in New Jersey estuaries

We examined patterns of metamorphosis, settlement, and growth for young-of-the-year winter flounder over a ten year period (1990–1999) in four estuaries spanning the coast of New Jersey, USA, with the objective to determine the spatial and temporal coherence in these processes. We hypothesised that these processes could be influenced by large-scale climatic factors such as temperature and small-scale, local factors such as predator and prey abundances and differences associated with the localised population structure of winter flounder. Newly settled juveniles were collected in late May/early June each year. Increment counts on sagittal otoliths were used to determine the date of metamorphosis, and increment widths were used to estimate growth rates at two times, just after settlement and just prior to capture. A high level of consistency in spatial patterns among four individual estuaries was evident, and was largely driven by the northernmost site, Sandy Hook, which had higher fish densities and later metamorphosis than the three other sites, and faster growth rates than the two mid-coast sites (Barnegat Bay and Great Bay). In contrast to spatial patterns, consistent temporal patterns were evident only in the timing of metamorphosis, which was delayed in colder years at all sites. Weekly plankton sampling over the same ten year period at one site (Great Bay) yielded winter flounder larvae during a relatively narrow period in spring, with a later peak of abundance in colder years, in agreement with back-calculated dates of metamorphosis for settled juveniles. These patterns suggest that the timing of settlement is driven by large-scale climatic factors that influence the timing of spawning and/or larval development. Interannual variability in densities and growth rates, however, appeared to be independent at each site, indicating control by local environmental factors or genetic differences among local populations. The spatial consistency of growth rates suggests that appropriate nursery areas can be readily identified for juvenile winter flounder. However, subsequent recruitment needs to be verified at the level of local populations to identify contributing source habitats.

Some factors affecting size distribution and density of grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio) populations in two New Jersey estuaries

Mature Palaemonetes pugio, from a polluted estuary, Piles Creek (PC) are larger than those in a more pristine estuary in Tuckerton (TK). Possible causes for the differences in size-structure could be differences in environmental factors at the two creeks, differential competition at the two sites, inherent factors causing a greater growth rate in the PC population, differences in reproductive timing, or differential predation at the two sites. Lab microcosm studies were used to examine the possibility of inherent population differences or environmental conditions (including differences in salinity) causing faster growth in PC. There was no evidence that PC shrimp grew faster than TK shrimp, nor that PC conditions fostered greater growth compared to TK. Salinity adjustments in PC and TK tanks also had no effect on growth. Therefore, it appears that genetic and environmental factors did not play a significant role in greater shrimp growth in PC. In the field, data on relative abundances of Fundulus heteroclitus and P. pugio, and size-frequency distributions of P. pugio were collected from the two estuaries. Gravid females and recruits of young shrimp physically appeared at approximately the same time within both systems, eliminating earlier reproduction as a cause of the size discrepancy. There were three times as many shrimp in PC than in TK (eliminating the possibility of increased population density and competition at TK as a cause) and three times as many F. heteroclitus present in TK than in PC. Since it has already been established that the Fundulus at PC are smaller than at TK and that they are poor predators, differences in Fundulus predation would appear to be an important factor in determining the number and size-frequency of the grass shrimp.

Diet of Winter Flounder in a New Jersey Estuary: Ontogenetic Change and Spatial Variation

Juvenile and adult winter flounder,Pseudopleuronectes americanus Walbaum (Pleuronectidae), from the Navesink River and Sandy Hook Bay, New Jersey, U.S., were examined for ontogenetic, seasonal, and spatial variation in dietary content. Fish (n=1291 non-empty) were placed by cluster analysis of dietary content into three size groups: 15–49, 50–299, and ≥300 mm total length. Clear ontogenetic patterns were revealed, in particular the disappearance of calanoid copepods from the diet as fish grew >50 mm and an increase in number of taxa in the diet with growth. Fish in size group 1 fed upon spionid polychaetes, the calanoid copepodEurytemora affinis, and ampeliscid amphipods. Fish in size group 2 added various species of polychaetes, amphipods, and siphons of the bivalveMya aremaria to their diets. Size group 2 was present during all months of the survey, but only minor seasonal differences in their diet were apparent. One obvious change was the increase in consumption of the shrimpCrangon septemspinosa in summer and fall. Size group 3 fish, collected mainly in fall, ate large volumes ofM. arenaria and glycerid polychaetes. Cluster analysis showed a largescale spatial pattern in diet among fish of size group 1, related to the presence ofE. affinis in winter flounder diets in the river and a marsh cove in the bay. Small-scale spatial differences in diets of fish in size group 2 were possibly related to prey distribution.

Effects of Phenanthrene on Primary Production of Phytoplankton in Two New Jersey Estuaries

Effects of Phenanthrene on Primary Production of Phytoplankton in Two New Jersey Estuaries

Movements of juvenile black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus) in a southern New Jersey estuary

Tag–recapture experiments of black sea bass Centropristis striata (Linnaeus) were conducted in the Great Bay estuary in southern New Jersey U.S.A. to examine habitat fidelity, movements, and growth for recently settled individuals in the first summer ( n=337, 34–106 mm TL) and the following spring ( n=367, 43–111 mm TL) in order to determine the temporal and spatial patterns of habitat use. During the 15-month (March 1992–July 1993) study, there were 225 recaptures of 180 fish up to 121 d after their initial release. Recapture frequency was high (31%) for fish released in spring and summer and recently settled fish (21%) released in summer and indicated a high degree of habitat fidelity for both of those age groups during those seasons. Almost all recaptures (99%) were made within 30 m of the release site, and of the 35 fish that were recaptured at least twice, 46% were recaptured at the original capture site. Growth, based on recaptured fish, was fastest during the summer (0.74 mm d −1), but averaged 0.45 mm d −1 from spring through fall. The low rate of recapture, as well as shorter recapture intervals, during the fall are consistent with a movement into the ocean at that time. Estimates of total loss (=mortality+emigration) of young-of-the-year released in summer were higher during the first 18 days (0.187 d −1) following their release than during subsequent days (0.013 d −1 up to day 88), and averaged 0.033 d −1 for the summer and early fall. In summary, some proportion of the juvenile black sea bass population is resident in polyhaline, subtidal estuarine habitats in the summer and in the spring when they are growing the fastest. As a result, habitat-specific responses during these periods may have important implications for survival and subsequent recruitment to the adult population for this species.

Patterns of Seasonal Availability and Habitat Use by Fishes and Decapod Crustaceans in a Southern New Jersey Estuary

We examined the community structure of fish and selected decapod crustaceans and tested for within estuary differences among habitats at depths of 0.6 m to 7.9 m, in Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor in southern New Jersey. Several habitat types were identified a priori (e.g., eelgrass, sea lettuce, and marsh creeks) and sampled by trawl (4.9 m headrope, 19-mm mesh wings, 6.3-mm mesh liner), monthly, from June 1988 through October 1989. Repetitive (n=4) 2-min trawl tows were taken at each habitat type from 13 locations. The fishes and decapod crustaceans collected were typical of other Mid-Atlantic Bight estuaries but varied greatly inseasonal abundance and species. In the years sampled, bay anchovy (Anchoa mitchilli) was the dominant species (50.5% of the total number), followed by spot (Leiostomus xanthurus) (10.7%), Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia) (9.7%), fourspine stickleback (Apeltes quadracus) (5.9%), blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) (4.6%), and northern pipefish (Syngnathus fuscus) (4.2%). The biota were examined by multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) for habitat associations and “best abiotic predictor” of community structure. Percent silt combined with salinity was the most important abiotic determinant of the faunal distributions among habitats. Temperature was a major factor influencing seasonal occurrence of the biota but had less effect on habitat comparisons. The analysis confirmed the distinct nature of the assemblages associated with the habitats, that is, eelgrass, upper estuary subtidal creeks, channels, and open bay areas. Several species were associated with specific habitats: for example,A. quadracus andS. fuscus with eelgrass, clupeids with subtidal creek stations,L. xanthurus with marsh channels, and black sea bass (Centropristis striata) and spotted hake (Urophycis regia) with sponge-peat habitat. Species richness appeared to be positively related to habitat structural heterogeneity. Thus, the best predictors for these estuarine fish and decapod crustacean assemblages were seasonal temperature, percent silt and salinity combined, and the physical heterogeneity of the habitat.

Fishing in a polluted estuary: fishing behavior, fish consumption, and potential risk.

People make subjective judgments about hazards relying on what they know and feel. These risk perceptions may be based on accurate or inaccurate information and are often optimistically biased. The existence of uncertainties in the evaluation of many environmental hazards effects how risks are perceived. This paper examines fish consumption and risk perception of urban fishermen in the New York/New Jersey estuary, in areas where there were consumption advisories. We interviewed 318 fishermen and crabbers in the Arthur Kill, Raritan Bay, and New Jersey shore. Fish were eaten an average of at least four times per month in all regions, but fishermen in the Arthur Kill fished most frequently, averaging over eight times per month. Although 60% of fishermen and crabbers in the Arthur Kill reported hearing warnings about consuming fish caught in these waters, 70% of fishermen and 76% of crabbers said they are their catch. Significantly fewer fishermen in the Bay and Shore regions had heard warnings (28% and 30%, respectively), and more reported consuming their catch (88% and 82%, respectively). In all regions, most people thought that the fish were safe to eat, many believing they were "fresher" than store bought fish. Thus, most people ignored the consumption advisories in effect for these waters. Some of these people are consuming high quantities of fish and crabs, and thus are exposed to potentially deleterious levels of contaminants. In general, people failed to consider the possibility of chronic effects and did not perceive that this enjoyable, familiar pastime could be hazardous. Further, fishermen generally had great confidence in their own knowledge, which proved to be inaccurate in many cases, and often expressed distrust in the information source (government). Clearly, simply issuing consumption advisories is insufficient to promote risk-reducing behavior.

Sources of Pollution and Sediment Contamination in Newark Bay, New Jersey

A review of historical water quality and sediment quality data and chemical body burdens in biota reveals significant levels of a wide range of chemicals and water quality stressors throughout the Newark Bay, New Jersey estuary. The estuary, which encompasses the Passaic River, Hackensack River, Kill van Kull, and the Arthur Kill, has been heavily impacted by both industrial and urban expansion for more than 200 years. The available information was sufficient to identify the major sources of pollution and the contributions of various metals and organic chemicals to the aquatic environment. Mass loadings for several chemicals and water quality parameters were estimated for publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) and combined sewer overflows (CSOs), industrial waste discharged either directly to the estuary or through POTWs, stormwater runoff, and accidental spills of petroleum products and hazardous chemicals. The recent trend toward regionalized waste treatment systems to provide secondary levels of treatment have provided some reductions of overall contaminant mass loadings. However, CSOs remain a significant source of untreated waste in the estuary. Additionally, the magnitude of the major sources relative to the ability of the estuary to absorb and dilute the various waste streams suggests that much more must be done to reduce chemical inputs at the source.