Modeling toxic materials in Galveston Bay

Date

1993

Authors

Armstron, Neal E., David S. Clarke, and George H. Ward

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Galveston Bay National Estuary Program

Abstract

The history of pollution in Galveston Bay is closely tied to the development of urban areas, primarily the City of Houston and associated industries, and other cities and industries of the Bay's periphery. Water quality problems from biodegradable organic wastes peaked in the early 1970s, then decreased with improved waste treatment. The exact status of toxic materials in the Bay is still unknown, however, for there have been few definitive studies to delineate toxic material concentrations. Armstrong (1980) summarized the knowledge of toxic materials in Galveston Bay based on toxic material discharges, toxic material concentrations in the Bay, and an algal assay used to detect growth rate depression due to toxic materials. Armstrong used information from the original Galveston Bay project (e.g., Beal, 1975; Oppenheimer et al., 1973) and concluded that specific toxic materials were present in concentrations believed to affect organisms in the Bay. Estimates of the discharge of toxic materials to Galveston Bay by Neleigh (1974) and Goodman (1989) determined that a variety of toxic materials were being discharged to Galveston Bay from point sources and tributaries.

Description

pgs. 331-337

Keywords

modeling, toxicants, estuaries, mathematical models

Citation