Use of dead reef shell and its relation to estuarine conservation

Date

1972

Authors

Gunter G

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

A great deal of opposition among the general populace of coastal areas has developed to digging dead reef shell buried under the mud in spite of the fact that the operations vary from innocuous to beneficial, and in some instances, highly beneficial over and above the wealth gathered from the ground. Instances are given above and recommendations are made for the removal of another reef which would benefit Galveston Bay. Aside from objections which are preposterous, such as the statements that dredging will change the salinity of the water and pollute the bay by stirring up the bacteria on the bottom, the anti-dredgers seem to object mostly to the stirring up of the sediment or mud. They fail to realize that this material is not filth, but contains nutrient salts which enhance plankton growth when thrown back into the water. Additionally, these people simply do not realize that the sedimentation movement caused by the shell dredge is minuscule when compared to the sediment movement caused by the weather, water currents and natural geological processes which are going on all the time. These people should be taught carefully and patiently and, for the time being for the general welfare of everyone involved, they should be ignored

Description

110-121

Keywords

Bacteria, conservation, DO, Dredging, Galveston Bay, growth, mud, Plankton, Q1 01381 General, Salinity, Sediment, sedimentation, spring, Springs, USA, use, water, Water currents, Weather

Citation