Impacts of suspended sediment on nearshore benthic light availability following dam removal in a small mountainous river:In situ observations and statistical modeling
July 29, 2019
The 2011–2014 removal of two dams from the Elwha River, WA, delivered ~ 19 Mt of sediment to the marine environment, creating an opportunity to study the sensitivity of a coastal ecosystem to large-scale sediment input. Macroalgae, the primary habitat-forming species in the nearshore, disappeared from the region. It was hypothesized that this mortality event was caused by a reduction in benthic light availability due to increased turbidity. To investigate this connection, nearshore processes and benthic light availability were monitored at 7 locations along the 10-m isobath in 2016 and 2017. The primary driver of light attenuation was suspended sediment, with measured chlorophyll-a and CDOM concentrations contributing
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2019 |
|---|---|
| Title | Impacts of suspended sediment on nearshore benthic light availability following dam removal in a small mountainous river:In situ observations and statistical modeling |
| DOI | 10.1007/s12237-019-00602-5 |
| Authors | H E Glover, A S Ogston, I M Miller, E F Eidam, Steve Rubin, H D Berry |
| Publication Type | Article |
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Series Title | Estuaries and Coasts |
| Index ID | 70206401 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Western Fisheries Research Center |