622 



annual. Although such a program could be carried out by multiship 

 operations, moored arrays of instruments capable of sampling the 

 entire water column would probably be better. Such a program should 

 permit evaluation of wind, river inflow, tide, and internal waves as 

 transport mechanisms. 



(2) To improve our ability to predict the fate of pollutants intro- 

 duced into estuaries and coastal waters under specific environmental 

 conditions, a study is recommended of the effects of intermediate-scale 

 variations in the current pattern on the time-varying concentrations 

 of waste components at various distances from the source, using tracers 

 such as fluorescent dyes as well as waste components from existing 

 outfalls. 



(3) It is recommended that the large-scale processes which lead to 

 exchange of coastal water with oceanic water be studied. One possibil- 

 ity is the development of a fluorometer capable of sampling at all 

 depths which is an order of magnitude more sensitive than at present 

 so that large-scale dye tracer experiments could be carried out eco- 

 nomically. Another possibility is a search for a more economical tracer. 



Decay of nonconservative constiticents as related to physical factors 



A series of controlled field experiments should be conducted to study 

 the nonconservative properites of such constituents of wastewater as 

 enteric bacteria and other toxic substances discharged into coastal and 

 estuarine waters. As soon as reliable detection and enumeration tech- 

 niques have been developed these studies should be expanded to include 

 pathogenic viruses. 



Interactions hetween floatable and settlable components of wastes 

 and physical factors 

 Floatables are defined here as those materials which appear at the air- 

 water interface. These materials may appear in the form of floating 

 particulate matter (detritus), surface films (monolayers, duplex, or 

 lenses) , scum, and foam. 



(1) Studies should be conducted to ascertain the prevalence, prop- 

 erties, and character of floatables of wastewater and sludge origin (in- 

 cluding barged materials) in coastal waters and in estuaries. The 

 substances comprising the various forms of the floatables (particulate 

 matter, films, scum, and foam) should be identified as to primary 

 source. 



(2) Investigations should be made to determine the means by which 

 the floatables are collected and compressed into slicks or streaks on the 

 water surface as well as the natural mechanisms available for trans- 

 porting the materials in the water surface. 



(3) Studies should be made to ascertain methods of treating or 

 handling the wastewaters and sludges to reduce or eliminate problems 

 of surface pollution. 



(4) Studies should be conducted to evaluate the movement and dis- 

 persion of releases of sludge at sites currently in use, such as in the 

 New York Bight and off southern California. These studies should 

 include, but not necessarilv be limited to, investigation of the meth- 

 ods of introducing the sludge; i.e., by barge or outfall, and the trans- 

 port mechanisms, including settling and resuspension, which influ- 

 ence the distribution and spread of the materials. 



