W2 PM Chesapeake Bay Restoration (Part 2)
Wednesday, 16 November 2005: 1:50 PM - 5:30 PM in Ballroom 2

(HUN-1117-738153) The Science of Chesapeake Bay Nutrient Standards: A Municipal Perspective.

Hunley, W¹, Bell, C², ¹ Hampton Roads Sanitation District, Virginia Beach, VA, USA² Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., Newport News, VA, USA

ABSTRACT- Ambient water quality criteria for dissolved oxygen, water clarity, and chlorophyll a for the Chesapeake Bay and tidal tributaries were published by the USEPA in 2003. Since their publication the States have promulgated (or are in the process of promulgating) those criteria into their water quality standards. The development of a scientifically defensible chlorophyll a standard for the James River, Virginia has been controversial. This presentation will outline the municipal concerns regarding the efficacy of this standard to affect meaningful environmental benefits. The role of excessive inorganic suspended sediment based turbidity and the historical loss of filter-feeding stocks will also be discussed as factors complicating a restoration of the James River system. Alternative management solutions and needs for further research will be indicated.

Key words: Chesapeake Bay, James River, Chlorophyll