RAPID: Short- and mid-term dynamics of water and sediment quality after Hurricane Idalia in the Apalachicola Bay

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

In August 2023, Hurricane Idalia created a unique opportunity to study the impact of hurricane events on coastal water and sediment quality in estuarine systems in terms of various parameters in short- and mid-term. The overarching goal of this RAPID project is to collect perishable coastal water and sediment quality data required for understanding short- and mid-term impacts of hurricane events on estuarine systems through studying an ecologically rich system, Apalachicola Bay in the Northern Florida Gulf. Although a number of studies have found an association between hurricanes and coastal water quality, a very limited number of studies have examined the relationship between post hurricane sediment quality and a range of coastal water quality parameters, including microplastics content. This RAPID project will investigate the aftermath of Hurricane Idalia to help fill an existing knowledge gap in the current understanding of such impacts. Collecting empirical data from this hurricane in terms of both coastal water and sediment quality at high frequency will provide a better understanding of the nature and impacts of hurricane events on estuarine systems. The outcomes of this project can be used to: (1) guide coastal planners to establish resilient estuarine environments; (2) provide a foundation to develop quantitative models for predicting the dynamics of coastal water and sediment quality after hurricane events in terms of a range of parameters; (3) assist emergency responders and managers to have a better understanding of indirect coastal water/sediment quality-related impacts of hurricanes and support the development of timely strategies for ecosystem health protection in estuarine systems; (4) inform and educate the public and stakeholders about the impacts of hurricanes on coastal water and sediment quality. Collaborating with the Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve's Coastal Training Program will facilitate dissemination of project findings to a broader non-scientific audience. A database will be created on a comprehensive range of parameters relevant to both coastal water and sediment influencing estuarine health, which consequently endanger aquatic habitats. These parameters include nutrients (nitrate, organic carbon, ammonium, phosphate and chlorophyll-a), salinity, suspended solids, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen and microplastics (MP) content for water and organic carbon, and size distribution and MP content for sediment samples. This empirical database will help pave the way to understand the short- and mid-term impacts of hurricanes on coastal water and sediment quality. The project seeks to answer the following scientific questions: (1) how do hurricanes affect dynamics of estuaries in terms of various water/sediment quality parameters? and (2) how does the impact of hurricanes vary with space and time in terms of characteristics of various water and sediment quality parameters (physical, nutrients, metals and MP)? The main hypotheses are: (1) hurrciane-induced resuspension of sediments from the bay bed results in abnormal water and sediment quality in terms of nutrients, organics and MP; and (2) short-term impacts on coastal water and sediment quality due to hurricanes gradually disappears days after the event for nutrients but more gradually for MP. To test these hypotheses, the project will collect data and study them through performing four main tasks. The investigators will work with an unfunded collaborator—Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (ANERR)—who have been collecting data on a range of water quality parameters in the Apalachicola Bay for two decades and is well familiar with the estuarine system. The main project tasks are: (1) deploy sensors to collect coastal water quality data; (2) conduct coastal water and sediment quality grab sampling; (3) analyze coastal water and sediment samples via laboratory experiments; (4) data processing. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.