title: Water quality in the Dickinson Bayou watershed (Texas, Gulf of Mexico) and health issues.
abstract: The Dickinson Bayou watershed (near Houston, Texas, Gulf of Mexico) provides habitat for numerous coastally influenced communities of wildlife, including scores of birds and fish. Encroaching development and impervious surfaces are altering the habitat and degrading water quality. Herein we have defined the current health of the bayou using water quality data collected between 2000 and 2006. Elevated bacteria (fecal coliform, Escherichia coli and Enterococcus) and depressed dissolved oxygen concentrations (often <3mgl(-1)) are the two major impairments to this ecosystem. While nutrient ratios indicate primary productivity may be nitrogen limited, concerns of eutrophication persist because the bayou has a low intrinsic flushing rate. Consistent with this is the magnitude of algal blooms (ca. 100microg chll(-1)) which often occur in spring/summer. The findings of this study will assist with the understanding of the influence of urban development on small watersheds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Marine Biology, Texas A&M University at Galveston, 5007 Avenue U, Galveston, TX 77551, United States. quigga@tamug.edu
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quigg
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Broach
authors.forename: Winston
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Denton
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000378:metabolism; D016983:Enterococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000032:analysis; D011891:Rain; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D054712:Salinity; D012621:Seasons; D013696:Temperature; D013781:Texas; D013995:Time; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014873:Water Pollutants; D002734:Chlorophyll; D010758:Phosphorus; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen