Chlorophyll Concentrations In Wellfleet Harbor

Chlorophyll concentrations are an important yardstick to measure water quality by. It serves a way to measure the amount of algae in the water. The concern with algae is when the conditions are right there can be a bloom. When a bloom occurs it can lead to oxygen depletion when the algae dies and starts to decompose the decomposition process consumes large amounts of oxygen. A bloom is not a desirable outcome and it is why monitoring and controlling the nutrient levels in the water is critical to the long term health of a water body.

Wellfleet Harbor Water Quality Nitrogen

The water quality of Wellfleet Harbor has steadily deteriorated since 2007. Nitrogen concentrations have increased across the entire harbor system.

How much nitrogen is currently being extracted from harvested shellfish in Wellfleet Harbor?

(Updated 4.28.20) How much nitrogen is currently being extracted from Wellfleet Harbor when our shellfish are harvested? Shellfish contain nitrogen within in their meats and their shells. In shellfish, meat nitrogen is stored in proteins, and in their gut primarily as chlorophyll that they are feeding on. Their shells also contain nitrogen. When shellfish are […]

Featured

About this site, goals, sources, and my perspective.

Water presents Cape Cod’s most complex challenges both currently and in decades to come. Wastewater, sea level rise, fisheries, soaring property values driven by the proximity to valuable waterfronts.