Salinity gradients in the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve

Kimberly Bittler

Salinity

Freshwater ~0

Saltwater ~35

EstuaryBrackish

Mission-Aransas NERR

Questions

• On what temporal scale does salinity vary?• On what spatial scale does salinity vary?• Coupled models?

Temporal Variability in Salinity

4/1/2007

6/30/2007

9/28/2007

12/27/2007

3/26/2008

6/24/2008

9/22/2008

12/21/2008

3/21/2009

6/19/2009

9/17/2009

12/16/2009

3/16/2010

6/14/2010

9/12/2010

12/11/2010

3/11/2011

6/9/2011

9/7/2011

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

CEMBABCWSC

Date

Salin

ity (p

pt)

Salinity(ppt)

Salinity(ppt)

Salinity(ppt)

Salinity(ppt)

Salinity(ppt)

Salinity(ppt)

Nov. 2009

Salinity(ppt)

Dec. 2009

Salinity(ppt)

Jan. 2010

Spatial Variation

Spatial Variation

Salinity Range (ppt)

March 2008

Salinity Range (ppt)

Oct. 2009

Salinity Range (ppt)

Nov. 2009

Salinity Range (ppt)

Dec. 2009

Salinity Range (ppt)

Jan. 2010

Summary

• Temporal variation present in salinity– Tidal at some sites– Event-driven– Short and long-term

• Spatial variation present between NERR sites• Investigate if finer spatial variation exists

References

• http://cdmo.baruch.sc.edu/• http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu/• http://midgewater.twdb.state.tx.us/tceq/

soap/wateroneflow.wsdl• http://midgewater.twdb.state.tx.us/tpwd/

soap/wateroneflow.wsdl• Thanks to Dr. Maidment and Fernando Salas