Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) Workshop

Tuesday to Wednesday, May 29 to 30, 2007

Isles Yacht Club in Punta Gorda, Florida

Hosted by Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program

 

Thank you to everyone who participated.

The final agenda with discussion questions,

links to PowerPoint presentations,

abstracts and

participants are now available as is a

summary report of the workshop as is a conceptual diagram of CDOM.

 

 

The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP) is hosting a Colored Dissolved Organic Matter (CDOM) Workshop. This two-day, technical exchange workshop is an opportunity for scientists and resource managers to network; explore research and technologies; share ideas and gain a better understanding on CDOM dynamics in the Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay watersheds.

 

Recent research has shown that dissolved organic matter in aquatic systems is the largest reservoir for organic carbon in the aquatic environment. Colored DOM (or CDOM) contributes to light absorption, and may also fuel bacterial respiration while carrying large quantities of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorous to estuaries, which may contribute to eutrophication. In Charlotte Harbor, Florida, CDOM can account for 13-66% of light attenuation in the water column. Changes in CDOM concentrations in the Peace River seem to be linked to landuse changes. Also, there has been a trend toward higher CDOM concentrations in the Calooshatchee River in recent years. Therefore, understanding the sources, sinks, and processed that affect CDOM is important for aquatic resource management. Numeric water quality targets for chlorophyll a, turbidity and CDOM were recently established for the Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay region. This workshop on colored dissolved organic matter is an imperative first step in the implementation of these water quality targets.

 

Workshop Goals: The CHNEP wishes to determine the following information at a minimum from this workshop.

  1. Should agencies be collecting additional information to better understand CDOM dynamics? Can this information be added to current monitoring programs? What are current monitoring protocols in southwest Florida and in other regions? Should the protocols in Charlotte Harbor be changed?

  2. What are the spatial-temporal components of CDOM in Lemon Bay, Charlotte Harbor and Estero Bay? Can we obtain this information using existing data or do we need specific research project(s) or monitoring programs to obtain this information? If specific studies/new instrumentation are needed, a brief description of these needs should be determined. Should the research results and methods be integrated into monitoring programs?

  3. Can landuse models (e.g., WAMView), used to estimate pollutant loadings to receiving waterbodies, be improved to better estimate CDOM "event mean concentrations" (EMCs)? Would this analyte be an important addition to models for resource management in Charlotte Harbor and southwest Florida region?

  4. Can we add CDOM to our management strategies? Can we add "quality of light" to our water quality targets? How?

  5. Why are CDOM concentrations important to monitor/understand? What are CDOM impacts on primary productivity and what is the CDOM contribution to turbidity, hyoxia, organic matter in estuary/sediments? What contributes to CDOM concentrations -- —terrestrial plants, aquatic plants (phytoplankton, seagrasses, macroalgae, hydrocarbons [parking lots, marinas, dumping], pesticides). What are the sources and sinks of CDOM?

  6. Are CDOM concentrations changing in Charlotte Harbor? If so, why?

  7. Data management/sharing amongst partners.

You are invited to attend and participate in this scientific forum which offers numerous opportunities to share your ideas; explore research, management and applications and to network with scientists and managers specializing in aquatic resources and CDOM dynamics.

 

The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is a partnership of citizens, elected officials, resource managers, and commercial and recreational resource users working to improve the water quality and ecological integrity of the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed. The Program’s partners use a cooperative decision-making process to address diverse resource management concerns in the 4,700 square-mile study that includes all or portions of Lee, Charlotte, Sarasota, Manatee, Polk, Hardee and DeSoto counties. Charlotte Harbor was recognized as an “estuary of national significance” and accepted into the National Estuary Program in 1995. The program management plan was completed and approved in 2001, marking the beginning of action to protect and restore the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed.

 

Sponsors

  • Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP)

  • Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF)

  • Estero Bay Buddies

  • Tampa Bay Estuary Program

  • NOAA Coastal Services Center