Nitrogen Pollution: A Danger to Long Island Waters
By Billy Schutt
Introduction:
Currently, Long Island is facing an ecological crisis due to a superabundance of
nitrogen in its surface waters. Excess nitrogen in a water body is harmful in and of
itself, but it often leads to an ecological response called eutrophication that can
damage the marine environment. In this paper, you will learn about a case of
extreme eutrophication at Hewlett Bay in Nassau County. I will then discuss Suffolk
County algal blooms, their environmental effects and their nitrogenous causes.
Finally, you will learn about what can be done to help alleviate the strain of nitrogen
pollution on the environment.
Hewlett Bay: A Case Study of Eutrophication
(Figure 1. Map of Sites referenced below)
Hewlett Bay, a beautiful saltwater estuary in Hempstead, New York, is in the midst
of an ecological crisis (Figure 1). The Bay Park sewage treatment plant pumps
approximately 60 million gallons of effluent (nutrient-rich water from which solids
2
have been removed) into the bay every day. Nitrogenous compounds in the effluent
lead to a serious problem called eutrophication.
Eutrophication is defined as an increased rate in the generation of organic
carbon, which in layman’s terms means that, due to phenomena such as heightened
nutrient levels in a water body, organisms such as phytoplankton are able to grow
and reproduce more quickly (Nixon, 1995). Increased production of algae can result
in a bloom, a problem more serious than it sounds due to the ecological effects of
having an unusually high density of algae in the water. The algal population grows
so large that it consumes all the available nutrients. This mass “starvation” leads to a
die-off of algae and the population crashes. The problem of algal blooms can be
made worse because some algae produce toxins that can be harmful to fish and
shellfish.
The next phase of this process occurs when the dead cells sink to the bottom.
The huge amount of organic matter making up the population of algae is
decomposed by aerobic bacteria that quickly deplete the water of dissolved oxygen.
When this process occurs, aerobic sea organisms like fish and shellfish literally
suffocate and will die unless they move out of the impacted area.
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Problems with Sewage Outflow Design:
(Figure 2. Overview of Hewlett Bay system)
The eutrophication of Hewlett Bay occurs in part because of the placement of the
sewage outflow from the Bay Park sewage treatment plant (Figure 2). The plant’s
designers intended the effluent to flow into the ocean as shown in Figure 3.
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(Figure 3. Intended effluent flow from Bay Park sewage treatment plant.)
In reality, the effluent almost never leaves the bay at all. Instead it flows up into the
bay where it remains, as shown in Figure 4. Here it encourages the growth of algae,
creating eutrophic conditions in Hewlett Bay.
(Figure 4. Actual effluent flow)
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Hewlett Bay Compared to Other Test Sites:
During the summer of 2011, I worked in Chris Gobler’s algal lab at SUNY Stony
Brook at Southampton. There, I was involved in a project that measured the effects
of the Bay Park sewage treatment plant on the surrounding waterways. The four
sites we surveyed, Hewlett Bay, Middle Bay, Jones Beach Inlet, and East Bay, make
up an area known as the Western Bays. (Figure 5)
(Figure 5. Map of entire test site)
Middle Bay and East Bay do not suffer as much eutrophication as Hewlett Bay due to
their proximity to Jones Beach Inlet and the ocean, which allows water to be flushed
from the two bays on a regular basis. The flow of ocean water into the two bays
dilutes nutrient concentration from the sewage plant outflow. In contrast, Hewlett
Bay, which is cut off from the other eastern bays by the landmass of Island Park,
does not undergo the same dilution process.
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A recent study of these waterways by Dr. Robert Swanson (unpub. data)
examined several factors important for algal growth. These data were plotted on
maps of the area and show the lack of ocean water flow into Hewlett Bay compared
to the other sites.
HB
MB
EB
(Figure 6. Map showing average summer temperature in Hewlett Bay and surrounding areas)
Figure 6 shows the average summer temperature in the four test sites. From this
map, we can see that ocean water has a much lower temperature and that very little
of this cooler water reaches Hewlett Bay and the northern part of Middle Bay. This
higher temperature allows algae to grow more quickly.
HB
MB
EB
(Figure 7. Map showing average salinity concentration)
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Figure 7 shows average salinity in the Western Bays. The salinity in Hewlett Bay is
very low, which is a good indication that the surrounding saline waters of the ocean
and East Bay do not enter Hewlett Bay.
HB
MB
EB
(Figure 8. Map showing average nitrate concentration)
The minimal exchange of water with the ocean in the area around the sewage
outflow allows the high concentrations of nitrogenous compounds in Hewlett Bay to
remain. The average nitrate level reaches its highest concentration around the
sewage outflow and in the northern area of Hewlett Bay (Figure 8).
EB
HB
MB
(Figure 9. Average dissolved oxygen levels)
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Figure 9 shows the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water. As you can see, the
area surrounding the sewage outflow and Hewlett Bay is hypoxic (dark blue). This
graph is different from the others because it does not show causes of
eutrophication; it shows the results.
These four maps show important factors that encourage the eutrophication
of Hewlett Bay and the extent of current eutrophication there. They show that the
cooler, saline ocean water does not flush the area in and around Hewlett Bay
(Figures 6, 7). Because of this, the high concentrations of nitrate (Figure 8) and
other nitrogenous compounds expelled from the sewage outflow are not diluted and
lead to the increased generation of phytoplankton. The effects of these
microorganisms and the proof that eutrophication is occurring are illustrated in
figure 9, where oxygen is shown to be depleted in the area surrounding the outflow.
If ocean waters flushed this area, the levels of nitrogen would be reduced and
eutrophication would not be as severe.
Hewlett Bay also has another unfortunate quality that compounds its hypoxia
problem. The bay is heavily dredged and thus very deep, up to 15 meters in some
areas. In aquatic ecosystems, the amount of dissolved oxygen decreases with depth,
This problem is exaggerated in Hewlett Bay because it does not experience inflow of
ocean water and because of the extent of eutrophication within the system. In
Hewlett Bay complete anoxia occurs only a few meters beneath the surface (Figure
10).
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(Figure 10. A vertical profile of dissolved oxygen levels (mg/L) in Hewlett Bay from August 2011)
At 7 meters below the surface, the dissolved oxygen levels in the water drop to zero.
At this particular area, no aerobic (oxygen using) life could survive.
Hewlett Bay Compared to the Surrounding Test Sites
To understand the extent of the problem in Hewlett Bay we can compare it to
surrounding areas that are regularly flushed with ocean water. We know that
Hewlett Bay suffers from more eutrophication and undergoes less water exchange
with the ocean than the other test sites, but how much more algal growth does
Hewlett Bay experience?
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(Figure 11. Average algal biomass at each test site)
Figure 11 shows the algal biomass located in the waters of each test site. Hewlett
Bay has roughly four times as much algal growth as the other sites. Once again, this
is an indication of the extent of eutrophication in the Hewlett Bay ecosystem.
Hewlett Bay is a case of extreme eutrophication due to huge amount of effluent
water pumped into the bay, but eutrophication occurs all over the island. The water
bodies of Suffolk County experience similar eutrophication and algal growth.
A History of Algal Blooms on the East End:
In 1985, several bodies of water on Long Island experienced large-scale blooms of a
previously unknown species of alga, which later became know as brown tide (Figure
12). The outbreaks also appeared simultaneously in several Northeastern states. On
Long Island, the Great South Bay and the Peconic estuaries were particularly hard
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hit ("Aureococcus anophagefferens," 2011). The alga, which was later named
Aureococcus anophagefferens, is now known to be extremely harmful to the marine
environment, affecting many trophic levels in aquatic ecosystems.
(Figure 12. Photo by Tom Iwanejko)
The brown tide bloom of 1985 had serious economic repercussions. It
singlehandedly caused the collapse of Long Island’s multimillion dollar scallop
industry. In 1982, Long Island shell fishermen harvested 500,000 lbs. of scallops, a
haul that accounted for 28% of the United States’ scallop industry (“Eelgrass and
bay”, n.d.). By 1985, the scallop business was effectively eliminated. It is only now
making steps towards recovery with the help of programs such as Suffolk County’s
Scallop Restoration Project, which are working to revitalize the diminished
population.
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How could a bloom of phytoplankton cause such ecological destruction? The
population of A. anophagefferens reached such high densities in 1985 that it
prevented adequate sunlight from reaching marine plants. Eelgrass (Zostera
marina) was particularly affected and suffered mass die offs in many locations
("Aureococcus anophagefferens," 2011). Eelgrass occupies a very important niche in
marine ecosystem for several reasons. First, its roots prevent sediment from being
stirred up and floating in the water column, clarifying the water (Pickerell, 2010).
Second, it serves as “nursery” habitat for juvenile fish and shellfish. Without the
safety of the eelgrass beds, the young of many aquatic species are more susceptible
to predation. Finally, like terrestrial plants, sea grasses are the primary producers
upon which the food chain is based. When eelgrass growth is stifled, so too are the
populations of all the organisms at higher trophic levels in the food chain.
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(Figure 13. Photo by Chris Pickerell and Kimberly Petersen Manzo)
A. anophagefferens is a particularly detrimental species of alga because it not
only kills primary producers, but it also produces toxins that are dangerous to
shellfish. The brown tide of 1985 was destructive because it simultaneously
destroyed the scallops’ eelgrass habitat and produced toxins that directly impaired
the ability of scallops to feed. This two-pronged assault resulted in the death of the
majority of scallops ("Aureococcus anophagefferens," 2011). The toxin produced by
A. anophagefferens evolved as a response to predation by mollusks. Scallops and
other shellfish are filter feeders. First, they catch floating plankton on structures
coated in mucus. Then, using cilia, they move the food to their mouth to be digested.
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The toxin produced by Aureococcus anophagefferens paralyzes the cilia of shellfish,
preventing them from feeding and leading to their starvation.
Since 1985, Long Island and many areas of the Northeast have experienced
recurrences of brown tide. The exact causes of brown tide blooms are still poorly
understood, although they have been linked to increased water temperatures and to
increased availability of organic nitrogen.
Although brown tide is the most famous and arguably most destructive algal
bloom on Long Island, blooms caused by other species of algae appear regularly on
Long Island. Since 2002, Cochlodinium polykrikoides has been reported in the
Peconic Bay system as well as Shinnecock Bay (Branca & Focazio, 2009). Chris
Gobler and his team at SUNY Stony Brook (unpub. data) have shown that C.
polykrikoides causes the death of all fish that are exposed to water containing the
alga for a 24 hour period. Another experiment demonstrated that scallops and
oysters exposed to the algae had a higher mortality rate. Although this bloom has
not yet caused serious ecological damage, C. polykrikoides has the potential to
become a deadly species of alga in Long Island’s estuaries, and is being monitored
closely.
These algal blooms are a serious problem. Not only do they cause damage to
marine ecosystems, but they also impact the industries that rely on the health of
bays. For this reason, state and local governments need to formulate a plan to
reduce algal growth in Long Island’s surface water.
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Suffolk County Nitrogen Problems:
Suffolk County’s coastal waters receive nitrogen from many sources. Septic
systems contribute a large proportion of this nitrogen, a majority in some areas, but
there are other producers as well. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen as well as
fertilizer use on golf courses, farms, and residences all contribute to nitrogen
pollution of the surface and groundwater.
Septic systems contribute a considerable amount of nitrogen into the
environment because they are very numerous in Suffolk County and are not very
efficient at nitrogen removal. Approximately eighty percent of the residences in
Suffolk County use onsite wastewater treatment systems, or septic systems
(McAllister, 2010). This type of sewage treatment allows nitrogen to flow into
ground water. To understand how, you must know how these systems work. In a
septic system, waste from a home flows into a large, buried tank where the solids
sink to the bottom of the repository and are decomposed by bacteria. The liquid
waste, which has a high concentration of nitrogen, particularly ammonium and
nitrate, enters the soil and seeps downward through an area called the zone of
absorption. This area removes some nitrogen as well as potentially harmful
microorganisms. However, during this process, much of the nitrate, the compound
most easily absorbed by phytoplankton, is not absorbed and flows into groundwater
(Gobler, 2011). From here, the effluent continues downward until it enters the
groundwater, where it eventually flows into bays, is used commercially, or
residentially.
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Nitrate and ammonium from the atmosphere also affect both ground and
surface waters. This nitrogen enters the atmosphere both naturally and via human
activity, such as the burning of fossil fuels (Porter et al., 2001). Once in the air, the
nitrogen can reach the ground in two ways. Rain and other forms precipitation carry
the molecules down to the earth, where the nitrogen either directly falls into the
surface water, flows as runoff into the water, or is absorbed by the soil, where it can
continue into the groundwater. The second way nitrogen can reach the ground is
through dry deposition, the direct transfer of nitrogen from the air to the ground or
vegetation.
Many fertilizers contain high levels of nitrogen. After being spread, the
nitrogen can enter both ground and surface waters in the form of runoff and soil
infiltration. Runoff occurs when the ground does not absorb the fertilizer and it
flows via water elsewhere, sometimes directly into surface water bodies. Fertilizers
can also contaminate the groundwater when nitrogen is not absorbed by plants, and
instead flows with ground water into the aquifer.
A recent study of part the South Shore Estuary Reserve, an area that
encompasses South Oyster Bay, Great South Bay, Moriches Bay, and Shinnecock Bay,
compared the contribution of these three nitrogen sources. In 2008, the New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation declared this area to be an
“impaired water body” due to its frequent algal blooms and high nitrogen
concentrations (Gobler, 2011). Kinney and Valiela (2011) determined the sources of
nitrogen for Great South Bay. However, in order to fully understand their
conclusions you must know that 50% of the residences surrounding Great South
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Bay are sewered, meaning their waste is treated at one of ten sewage treatment
plants in western Suffolk County. The largest of these plants pumps its effluent into
the ocean south of Fire Island, thus contributing no nitrogen to the area. The other
nine treatment plants release their effluent into the ground but remove 93% of the
nitrogen. Despite the ten sewage treatment plants, Kinney and Valiela (2011) found
that wastewater from septic systems and from the treatment plants contribute 55
percent of nitrogen entering Great South Bay. The next two largest sources are
nitrogen deposition from the atmosphere (31%) and fertilizer use (15%). In the
other bays on Long Island’s south shore, such as Moriches Bay and Shinnecock,
wastewater from septic systems is likely to contribute a higher proportion of
nitrogen because they are surrounded by unsewered residences (Gobler, 2011).
Excess nitrogen does not just affect the ecology of our bays. Suffolk County
derives all its drinking water from the aquifers that lay beneath our feet. Federal
and State regulations mandate that potable water must have nitrogen levels below
10 milligrams per liter in order to be safe for consumption. This restriction ensures
that no one becomes sick due to excess nitrogen in drinking water. Water high in N
can cause several negative physiological responses: the onset of anemia that can
decrease thyroid function, spontaneous abortion, and increased likelihood of cancer
(Rather, 2009). Should nitrogen levels rise to over 10 mg/L, public drinking wells
would have to be shut down until the nitrogen levels decline or new filtration
systems are put in place. If this ever happened, it would not only be a catastrophe
for the environment, but it could also do serious long-term damage to the island’s
economy and tourism industry.
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Suffolk County Septic Regulation:
The governments of New Jersey and Massachusetts are working to reduce the
nitrogen impact their septic systems have on the water around them (McAllister,
2010). While Suffolk County is now working to reduce fertilizer use, it must also
concentrate on reducing the effects of wastewater, the primary source of nitrogen
pollution in many water bodies (Gobler, 2011, McAllister, 2011). By adopting
progressive programs, and applying more stringent regulations, the county can
begin to explore the value of alternative septic technology and increase waste
treatment efficiency.
Currently, Suffolk County is trying to reduce the amount of nitrogen from
fertilizers infiltrating the groundwater though its fertilizer reduction initiative,
which began in 2008. This plan attempts to reduce nitrogen in numerous ways.
First, it bans all use of fertilizers from November 1st to April 1st by landscapers, a
period of time likely to be too cold for the nitrogen to be absorbed by plants
("Suffolk County Fertilizer, n.d."). This reduces the amount of N in runoff and in soil
water. The plan also restricts the use of fertilizers on all county land with the
exception of county owned golf courses, athletic fields, and the County farm in
Yaphank. It also limits the amount of fertilizer that can be used on golf courses to 3
pounds per 1000 sq. ft., a limit intended to reduce the amount of nitrogen
infiltration into the groundwater. The fertilizer reduction initiative also requires
that all licensed landscapers take a turf management course that teaches proper
fertilizer application technique. If this plan works as effectively as intended, it could
help to reduce the amount of nitrogen from fertilizers that enter the ground and
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surface waters, which, in the case of Great South Bay, contribute 15% of total
nitrogen (Kinney & Valiela, 2011).
However, water bodies of Suffolk County such as Forge River, Great South
Bay, Shinnecock Bay, Moriches Bay, are all severely impaired by waste from septic
systems (Gobler, 2011, Kinney & Valiela, 2011, McAllister, 2011). In order to reduce
the extent of eutrophication in Suffolk County, the amount of nitrogen that enters
ground and surface water must be reduced (McAllister, 2010). An example of a
program that is working towards this goal is the New Jersey Pineland Commission’s
Alternate Design Wastewater Treatment System Pilot Program.
The New Jersey Pineland Commission is an organization whose mission is to
protect New Jersey’s vast, southern Pinelands National Reserve, an area
approximately twice the size of Suffolk County, under which a large aquifer feeds
the state’s southern bays (“About the commission,” 2007). Like the aquifers on Long
Island, the pineland aquifers are relatively shallow, making them more susceptible
to nitrogen infiltration from septic systems. This fact has led the commission to
work towards reducing wastewater nitrogen that gets into surface and ground
water. To do this, they have been involved in a number of initiatives including
advocating for routine septic system maintenance, which was adopted in 2008
(Wengrowski, 2008). In 2002, they started the Alternate Design Wastewater
Treatment System Pilot Program in conjunction with New Jersey’s Department of
Environmental Protection (Pinelands Commission, 2009, Wittenberg, 2011). The
program analyzed four alternate septic systems in the field to see if they could meet
the commission’s goal of 2 mg/L nitrogen output. The different systems were
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installed on new residences and their nitrogen removing efficiency observed over
the course of five years.
The results of this program showed that two of the septic systems, with trade
names of Amphidrome and Bioclere, were able to reduce effluent nitrogen levels to
the commission’s standard of 2 mg/L (Pinelands Commission, 2009). The Pinelands
Commission (2009) recommends these systems be used throughout the area. Both
the Amphidrome and Bioclere systems were able to meet commission standards,
but of the two, the Bioclere preformed more efficiently, removing 7% more nitrogen
from the effluent. This program also monitored the cost of installation and
maintenance of each system over the course of five years. The Bioclere system was
the cheapest system tested, costing $29,734 overall. However, when compared to
the cost of a standard septic system, which can range from $3,000 to $10,000, the
Bioclere system is very expensive.
The problem of expensive technologies could be eased by modeling the
Massachusetts’ Barnstable County Community Septic Management Loan Program.
This program offers 5% interest loans, payable over a 20-year period, to
homeowners looking to upgrade their septic systems (Ayers, n.d.). Starting in 2006,
the Community Septic Management Loan program has provided for approximately
1,400 new systems and is now approving approximately 400 projects a year. This
organization is also self-sustaining and does not require new input of funds, instead
using interest collected to pay for all overhead costs. This is an example of a
program that could provide assistance to homeowners looking to upgrade their
septic systems, but do not have the funds available to pay for them.
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New Jersey’s Alternate Design Wastewater Treatment System Pilot Program
and Massachusetts’ Barnstable County Community Septic Management Loan
Program are examples of plans that could be used by Suffolk County as a means to
develop, implement, and help pay for more efficient septic system technology that is
suited to keeping Long Island’s shallow groundwater free from nitrogen pollution.
Conclusion:
Excess nitrogen poses a serious treat to marine environments due to its tendency to
cause eutrophication, an ecological phenomenon in which algae reproduce rapidly.
Large blooms of these algae are known to be harmful to the environment, as was the
case in 1985 when brown tide simultaneously destroyed both scallop and eelgrass
populations on the east end. After the algae die, they are decomposed by aerobic
bacteria, leading to the depletion of dissolved oxygen in the water column. This
process is extremely detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. In this paper I have
documented the extent of the damage at Hewlett Bay, where eutrophication has
impaired the ecosystem primarily through depletion oxygen. The cause of the
eutrophication and algal growth at Hewlett Bay is the Bay Park sewage treatment
plant, which pumps 60 million gallons of nitrogen rich effluent into the bay
everyday.
On the east end of Long Island, waste from septic systems poses a significant
threat to marine ecosystems by contributing large amounts of nitrogen into both the
ground and surface waters. Unless replaced by new, more efficient waste
management technologies, septic systems will continue to harm the environment
through eutrophication. By adopting programs such as the Pineland Commission’s
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Alternate Design Wastewater Treatment System Pilot Program and Barnstable
County’s Community Septic Management Loan Program, Suffolk County could
develop new, more efficient septic systems and help homeowners pay for them. The
reduction of nitrogen that flows into our waters is vital to preventing eutrophication
and sustaining our marine environments for future generations.
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Ayers, K. Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment,
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Nixon, S. W. (1995). Coastal marine eutrophication, a definition, social causes, and
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Images:
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<http://www.newswise.com/images/uploads/2011/02/18/Coverimagev2.j
pg>.
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Iwanejko, Tom. Image of brown tide on Long Island. Digital image. Newsday. 12 July
2009. Web. 21 Nov. 2011. <http://www.newsday.com/news/east-end-watershit-by-brown-tide-again-1.1306997>.
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