A Preliminary Sediment Budget for the Corsica River (MD): Improved Estimates of Nitrogen Burial and Implications for Restoration |
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| Authors: | Cindy M Palinkas Jeffrey C Cornwell |
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| Institution: | (1) Horn Point Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, 2020 Horns Point Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA |
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| Abstract: | The Corsica River, located on Maryland’s eastern shore, has been the site of restoration efforts targeting sediment and nutrient
load reductions. Previous work has indicated that agricultural activities supply most of these materials; however, their dynamics
and fate are largely unknown. To address these needs, bottom sediments have been collected and analyzed for their chemical
and textural properties. Long-term (decadal) accumulation rates are determined with 210Pb (half-life 22.3 years), verified with 137Cs, and range from 0.18 to 0.84 g/cm2/year in the subtidal region and 0.3–1.89 g/cm2/year in the marshes. These estimates are compared with likely sediment sources to determine the direction of exchange with
the adjacent estuary (Chester River), which is a subtributary of Chesapeake Bay, with the Chester River likely supplying 0.94 × 103 t/year of sediment to the Corsica, ∼16% of the total sediment input. The radiochemical data are used to interpret profiles
of grain size and nitrogen and to provide improved estimates of nitrogen burial. Comparison of the Corsica River to similar
systems highlights the importance of marshes in trapping sediment and nutrient inputs from the watershed. |
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