York River Survey Report

Objectives

To establish the capability of simulating sediment and associated pollutant transport, as well as to understand their influence on water quality and ecosystems.

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Status

This Project was started in July 1996. Seventeen slackwater surveys have been conducted at about 26 stations along the axis of the river, a total length of about 180 km (including the Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers). Currently, only Temperature (T), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), and Salinity (S) profiles, and Total Suspended Solid (TSS) data at 1 m above the bottom and 1 m below the surface, are available from the 13 surveys. Particulate Organic Carbon (POC), and Particulate Nitrogen (PN) data at 1m above the bottom and 1m below the surface are available for only two survey (Oct. 16, 1996 & Aug. 20, 1997), While Chlorophyll A data are available only in October 96 survey.

Because of the extremely wet year of 1996, the salinity was low at West Point. Some of the surveys showed that the locations of turbidity maximum have moved downstream from their usual locations which are upstream of West Point. The maximum TSS was on the order of 250 mg/L at 1m above the bed. The limited number of data indicate a very good linear relationship between PC and TSS. PN and TSS are also strongly correlated.

In addition to the monthly slackwater surveys mentioned above, we plan to carry out the following: (1) Cross sectional survey of the parameters mentioned previously; (2) Measuring settling velocity for suspended solid; (3) Time series measurements of sediment flux at upstream and downstream boundaries using mooring stations; (4) Measuring the critical bed shear stress and erosion rate at selected stations to provide some of the bottom conditions; (5) Collecting rainfall information from NOAA Weather Stations in the York River Basin; (6) Collecting river discharge information from USGS guaging stations in the York River system.

We are developing an Intelligent Winch system to obtain profile measurements of TSS, PH, Chlorophyll A, and Light Attenuation Coefficient as well as the S, T, and DO profiles. After this system is completed, the cross sectional surveys will be conducted. A computer system that can automatically link to the Weather Stations and USGS guaging stations in the York River basin will be established in order to obtain data on storm runoff and sediment input flux.

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