Dataset Submitted

Oyster Flows: An Investigation of the Ecological Flow Connections from Watersheds to Oyster Growing Estuaries

Authors: Harlan, David, dharlan@TNC.ORG, Piazza, Bryan, bpiazza@tnc.org, Eddy, Michele, mceddy@rti.org, Lord, Benjamin, blord@rti.org, Bendick, Robert, rbendick@tnc.org, Blitch, Seth, sblitch@tnc.org
Identified On: Apr 22 2024 14:51 UTC
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7266/7zmxk2ky
UDI: H4.x955.000:0004
Project Information

Funded By:
National Academies of Sciences Gulf Research Program

Funding Cycle:
Healthy Ecosystems 4

Research Group:
OysterFlows: Using Science and Data Visualization to Evaluate Freshwater Impacts to Oysters in the Gulf

Point of Contact

David Harlan
The Nature Conservancy
dharlan@tnc.org

Data Collection Period
2007-01-01
to
2021-12-31
Theme keywords

oysters, salinity, freshwater, estuary

Abstract:

Oyster Flows is a science communication story map hosted on arcgisonline.com. This story map is based on a technical study and associated computer modeling to predict how climate change will affect freshwater flows in Louisiana estuaries and Mississippi Sound, and, thus, how suitable those estuaries will be in the years to come for the restoration of oysters and oyster reefs for their multiple values. The model results can be used along with other criteria to identify the best places to make the large investments required to restore and manage oyster reefs in Gulf coast estuaries. Where water control structures exist, modeling predictions of freshwater flows can help to guide the management of freshwater in floods and droughts to best maintain suitable conditions downstream for oyster restoration. This research is pioneering work, and the results should only be used with other inputs and studies for making on the ground decisions. Our objective, however, is to further enable the large-scale restoration of oysters to the Gulf of Mexico region. Oyster Flows can be accessed at https://freshwaternetwork.org/oysterflows.

Suggested Citation:

Harlan, David, dharlan@TNC.ORG, Piazza, Bryan, bpiazza@tnc.org, Eddy, Michele, mceddy@rti.org, Lord, Benjamin, blord@rti.org, Bendick, Robert, rbendick@tnc.org, Blitch, Seth, sblitch@tnc.org. Oyster Flows: An Investigation of the Ecological Flow Connections from Watersheds to Oyster Growing Estuaries. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/7zmxk2ky

Purpose:

To illustrate the relationships between freshwater inflows, salinity, and oyster health in estuaries, of the Gulf of Mexico.

Data Parameters and Units:

salinity (ppt), surface flow (cfs)

Methods:

Hydrologic modeling of the watersheds was completed to provide daily freshwater inflows to the coastal waterways, and observation data were used to quantify other physical drivers. Freshwater inflows were simulated using the Watershed Flow and Allocation model (WaterFALL ®) for 2007 through 2021. We modeled future conditions out to 2067 applying trends derived from the CMIP6 set of climate models for the region to historic climate data to form the input to the future simulation. The derivation of the climate trend method followed the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s climate projections methods for the Louisiana coast. For each selected coastal water location with salinity observations, a multiple linear regression model was developed to relate the physical characteristics, including daily inflow, to daily salinity levels. Only the physical characteristics that were statistically significant were used in the final model for each site, thereby identifying the most important drivers of salinity on a site-by-site basis. Once a model of historical salinity was created, the inputs were modified to their future projected values to estimate future salinity levels at each site.