Altamaha river water chemistry monitoring Dr. Samantha B. Joye University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

mjoye@uga.edu http://www.marsci.uga.edu/directory/samantha-b-joye Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Project

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

gcelter@uga.edu https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/ Dr. Samantha B. Joye University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602-3636 USA

mjoye@uga.edu http://www.marsci.uga.edu/directory/samantha-b-joye Principal investigator 2000-01-01 Jack T. Sandow Aquatic Research South

Georgia USA

jtsandow@btconline.net Affiliated investigator Kimberley S. Hunter University of Georgia

Dept. of Marine Sciences University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 USA

kshunter@uga.edu Research technician 2026

We collect water samples at the head of tide in the Altamaha River (weekly) as well as in the main tributaries of the river (quarterly) to assess nutrient concentrations in the water entering the GCE domain. Additional samples are collected during high or low-flow events. Samples are collected by Jack Sandow (Aquatic Research South) and analyzed by the Joye lab for DIN, DIP, DSi species, organics (DOC, DON, DOP), major ions, chlorophyll, and CN. Changes in Altamaha River discharge are reflected in salinity and water quality, with NOx dominating dissolved nitrogen loading during low flow but DON increasing in importance during high flow (Weston et al. 2003). A paper describing nutrient delivery variability is in preparation (Hunter and Joye).

Area 2: Patterns within the Domain (more information) Question 1: What are the long-term patterns of environmental forcing to the coastal zone? (more information)

LTER NSF Altamaha River GCE chlorophyll CN DIN DIP DSi species ions nutrients organics water quality Overall geographic extent of the research project -81.582311 -81.237936 31.401403 31.296034 2000-01-01

National Science Foundation grant numbers OCE-9982133 and OCE-0620959. This project was leverage funded by the Georgia DNR Coastal Incentive Grant program between 2005 and 2007 (Nutrient delivery to the coastal zone by the Altamaha River to J.T. Hollibaugh).

estuary marsh complex Altamaha River - Altamaha River transect used for GCE quarterly hydrographic monitoring surveys. Nominal profiling stations are defined every 2km from -4km to 40km (relative to station 0km at the line of demarcation), based on an estimated Thalweg line running up the main river channel. -81.582311 -81.237936 31.401403 31.296034 Sampling locations used to assess nutrient concentrations entering the GCE domain. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/resources/projects/SandowSamplingMap.png Takagi, K., Hunter, K.S., Cai, W.-J. and Joye, S.B. 2017. Agents of change and temporal nutrient dynamics in the Altamaha River Watershed. Ecosphere. 8(1):33. (DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1519) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.1519/full Alber, M., Schaefer, S.C., Pomeroy, L.R., Sheldon, J.E. and Joye, S.B. 2008. Presentation: Nitrogen inputs to the Altamaha River estuary (Georgia, USA): a historic analysis. American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, 3/08, Orlando, FL. Weston, N.B., Hollibaugh, J.T., Sandow, J.T. Jr. and Joye, S.B. 2003. Nutrients and dissolved organic matter in the Altamaha river and loading to the coastal zone. In: Hatcher, K.J. (editor). Proceedings of the 2003 Georgia Water Resources Conference. Institute of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia. http://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/files/pubs/Weston_gwrc_2003.pdf NUT-GCEM-1909 - Long-term water quality monitoring in the Altamaha River near Doctortown, Georgia from January 2013 to December 2022. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/dataset_details.asp?id=691 NUT-GCEM-0909b - Long-term water quality monitoring on the Altamaha River and major tributaries from September 2000 through April 2009 https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/dataset_details.asp?id=317 CHM-GCEM-0501 - Surface water DIC, total alkalinity, and pH for the September 2002 through December 2004 Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER oceanographic surveys https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/dataset_details.asp?id=461 Photograph: Just downstream of Altamaha River sample site. Low water conditions, note exposed sandbars. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/resource_details.asp?id=786 Photograph: One bend upstream of Altamaha River sample site. Low water conditions, note exposed sandbars. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/resource_details.asp?id=785 Photograph: One bend upstream of Altamaha River sample site. Low water conditions, note exposed sandbars. https://gce-lter.marsci.uga.edu/public/app/resource_details.asp?id=784