| The overall goal of this project was to develop a predictive, environmental systems model in order to assist aquaculture facilities that may discharge effluent water containing phytoplankton and other organic matter into coastal, brackish, shallow tidal basins. The tidal basin near the Hidalgo Drainage Ditch near San Perlita, Texas was used as the model location for this project. An aquaculture facility nearby recirculates pond effluent water through treatment wetlands for reuse, but sometimes discharges effluent water in the coastal, brackish waters of the Laguna Madre tidal flats near the Hidalgo Drain ditch. This project was designed to assist scientists, aquaculture operators, and regulators in achieving a more complete understanding of the effects of phytoplankton and aquaculture effluent water on dissolved oxygen in shallow areas with tidal and wind driven mixing. A comprehensive dissolved oxygen model was developed in order to integrate aquaculture operations with the tidal marsh ecosystems by incorporating effects of complex biological phenomena such as algal photosynthesis and respiration, and the tidal and wind driven mixing. The model was used to predict the impacts of various practical discharge strategies for aquaculture operation integration with shallow tidal zone ecosystems. |
