21 



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demand or nutient regeneration in or beneath the plume later 

 in the year. Once the seasonal thermocline forms, most phyto- 

 plankton production is utilized within the river plume; 20 to 

 25 percent is transferred directly to zooplankton food chains. 

 Under these conditions, about 10 percent of phytoplankton 

 production is transported into bottom water in the form of 

 copepod fecal pellets. These pellets account for about 37% 

 of the oxygen demand below the pycnocline. Most of the 

 remaining oxygen demand appears to be supported by organic 

 inputs from estuarne runoff (33%) and ocean dumping (30% — 

 the total of sludge ari dredged material). 



The extensive anoxic episode in the New York Bight during 

 1976 was the result of the coincidence of rare but natural 

 oceanographic, meteorological and biological conditions. 

 However, in the summer months of normal years, localized areas 

 of low dissolved oxygen regularly occur in the bottom waters 

 of the Apex. Reductions in any of the three sources of BOD 

 ^re likely to produce some improvement. 



Use of 12-Mile and 106-Mile Sites 



As the national ocean agency with responsibility for 

 managing and protecting living marine resources, we are hesi- 

 tant to recommenc use of the oceans for waste disposal purposes. 

 Nonetheless, we recognize that under certain circumstances this 

 medium could pose the least risk to human health and overall 



