3-51 



Sandy Point 



South of Sandy Point, a shallow station (Station 15, 2 m, MLW) 

 was monitored which was atypical of the rest of the harbor. High sur- 

 face temperatures, low salinities, and variable dissolved oxygen con- 

 centrations characterized this station. We believe that these conditions 

 were due to at least three causes: 1) West Haven Sewage Treatment Plant 

 discharge; 2) eddy entrapment of ebb tide water during flood tide; and 

 3) transport of inner harbor waters around or over Sandy Point to this 

 area during ebb tide. 



OuteT Harbor Proper 



Outer harbor stations (16, 18) showed a slight harbor influ- 

 ence, particularly by exhibiting reduced surface salinity during periods 

 of peak runoff. Otherwise this large area was not distinct from adja- 

 cent Long Island Sound. ' 



Long Island Sound 



No saline stratification was observed in this area. Dilution 

 by fresh water was uniform throughout the water column, since the Conn- 

 ecticut River, the major freshwater source for Long Island Sound, meas- 

 urably dilutes much of North Central Long Island Sound during the spring 

 freshet (Riley, 1952) . Thermal stratification was iincommon but did 

 occur briefly in July 1977. Dissolved oxygen concentrations rarely fell 

 below 7.0 mg/1; when this happened, it did not persist. Values of pH 

 were stable and usually between 8.0 and 8.5. Transparency was generally 

 greater than that observed within the harbor. 



