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Title: NOAA/USAID SMALL-SCALE SHRIMP PRODUCER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR NICARAGUA, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING COMPONENT - FINAL REPORT

Author
item Green, Bartholomew - Bart
item COSE, AGNES - U.CENTROAMERICAN,NICARAGU
item CARACAS, MARTIN - U.CENTROAMERICAN,NICARAGU
item ABUD, MARIA JOSE' - U.CENTROAMERICAN,NICARAGU
item MENDOZA, ALBERTO - U.CENTROAMERICANA,NICARAG
item PALACIOS, ERICK - U.CENTROAMERICAN,NICARAGU

Submitted to: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2002
Publication Date: 3/1/2002
Citation: GREEN, B.W., COSE, A.S., CARACAS, M.F., ABUD, M.A., MENDOZA, A.O., PALACIOS, E.S. NOAA/USAID SMALL-SCALE SHRIMP PRODUCER TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR NICARAGUA, ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING COMPONENT - FINAL REPORT. NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Interpretive summary not required.

Technical Abstract: Through the NOAA/USAID Small Shrimp Producer Assistance Program for Nicaragua: Environmental Monitoring Component, a water quality monitoring program for the Estero Real system was designed in consultation with the NOAA Consultative Group for Aquaculture and implemented by the Center for Environmental Research, Central-American University. The goal of the monitoring program is to achieve sustainable development of shrimp aquaculture in Nicaragua through knowledge of estuarine water quality. Data collected during 2001 showed that dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration at 0.5 m depth was high (5-7 mg/L) near the mouth of the Estero Real (El Chorro sample station), and declined with distance upstream. An area of DO concentrations < 1 mg/L generally was observed from the FRIXSA to the La Polvosa sample stations. At the Puente Real sample station, DO concentration generally was recovering and ranged from 1-4 mg/L.. Salinity concentration at 0.5 m depth generally was near 35 g/kg at the El Chorro sample station, and generally remained constant up to the Dos Aguitas sample station. Salinity dropped off to near 0 g/kg; at sample stations above Dos Aguitas, being affected by the volume of river discharge and watershed runoff entering the Estero Real. Dissolved oxygen/temperature/salinity profiles measured in situ monthly from June through November 2001 at the 11 stations along the Estero Real main channel during consecutive high and low tides showed that the same DO sag observed in surface water samples was present throughout the water column. Salinity was highest in the main channel of the Estero Real in August 2001, and lowest in October 2001.