62 Advancing the Understanding and Management of Groundwater Pollution with Arsenic and Other Geogenic Contaminants Using Geospatial Tools, Machine Learning, and Data Science (Posters)
The growing trend of data aggregation and analysis, along with emerging technologies like machine learning, has significantly improved our understanding of groundwater basins, enabling better assessments of water quality for direct consumption and treatment in groundwater supply management.
Sunday, 19 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1
Examining Nutrient Dynamics and Water Quality around Masonboro Island through Tourism Season
Paper number: 62-3
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Authors
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Lauren GranieroUniversity of North Carolina, Wilmington, Wilmington, NC
Abstract
As seasonal tourism increases, water quality decreases due to polluted runoff generated during periods of heavy rainfall or high-tide events, as well as an increase in boating traffic and other recreational water use. Lower water quality threatens the biodiversity, ecosystem health, and recreational use of the waters near the Masonboro Island Reserve in coastal North Carolina. This pilot study observes how seasonal runoff affects water quality in the protected Masonboro Island Reserve. We conducted water quality monitoring every two weeks in nearby tidal creeks, which drain into the reserve, and monthly within the reserve. Preliminary results indicate that an increase in chlorophyll-a concentrations and a drop in pH in mid-April were preceded by an increase in total suspended solids and refined oil. Nitrate trends appear to generally increase in the spring from March through July, which could be correlated with spring fertilizer usage. Temporal variation shows d15NPM values increasing from late February to late April, then decreasing until mid-June, when another increase in d15NPM values occurs. The E. coli and Enterococci bacteria increased significantly, reaching their peak during the week following the Fourth of July, indicating polluted runoff from the rainfall event days prior. Tourism causes low water quality, and the preliminary conclusions indicate this may have consequences for particulate matter, chlorophyll-a, and bacteria in the Masonboro Island Reserve during peak activity.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414461
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