Analyzing the Relationship Between Hydrodynamics and Water Quality Influenced by Oyster Reefs

Water flow impacts many oyster reef processes, such as feeding behaviors, food availability, particle aggregations in the water column, and the transport of particulate matter or biodeposits. Oyster reefs create flow instabilities that generate drag that slow down particles in the water column, allowing for increased filtration rates. Typically, the sensor used in research to measure water velocity have been Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCP). We used tilt meters as a cheaper alternative. Previous studies have suggested that tilt meters and ADCPs can yield similar water velocity readings in saltwater systems. However, there is not much prior work done utilizing tilt meters in mesohaline systems such as the Chesapeake Bay. Our study has two components. First, we evaluated the accuracy of tilt meters in estuarine systems. Tilt meter and ADCP water velocity data were collected on Chesapeake Biological Laboratory research pier for one week. Timeseries and regression models were created to observe patterns and correlations of the two sensors. Second, we analyzed the relationship between water quality and velocity in a restoration oyster reef in the St. Mary’s River. Three tilt meters and a water quality sonde were deployed for two weeks among the reef. Timeseries and regression models were used to analyze trends between water quality parameters and water velocity. Tilt meters were found to overestimate ADCP readings by an average of 0.55 cm/s. Preliminary results from the oyster reef suggest there was not any significant relationship between water quality and velocity.

Presentation Preference: Poster

Primary Presenter: Christopher Fan, University of Connecticut (chrisfan100@gmail.com)

Authors:

Christopher Fan, University of Connecticut  (chrisfan100@gmail.com)

Lora Harris, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science  (harris@umces.edu)

Kaitlin Beasley-Polko, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science  (kdbeasley@coastal.edu)

Casey Hodgkins, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science  (chodgkin@umces.edu)

Jeremy Testa, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science  (jtesta@umces.edu)