COASTAL 



TIDINGS 



Researchers Monitor Sewage Spill Impact 



Larly results from the monitoring of ajuly 

 sewage spill in New Hanover County's Hewletts 

 Creek show that the water column concentration 

 of bacteria declined rapidly after the spill, 

 according to North Carolina Sea Grant researcher 

 Larry Cahoon. 



However, Cahoon says that sediment 

 concentrations of bacteria in the tidal creek 

 near Wilmington remained high, indicating that 

 bacteria settled from the water column into the 

 sediments. 



"As a result of the spill, researchers will 

 now be able to estimate how rapidly fecal 

 contaminants are moved from both water 

 and sediments under natural conditions," says 

 Cahoon. "Sediment-associated fecal microbes are 

 widely recognized as a source of contamination to 

 shellfishing and recreational waters." 



When fecal coliform concentrations in 

 sediments are mixed upward by wind and waves, 

 the levels can be sufficient to close overlying waters 

 to shellfishing or other uses, he adds. 



Cahoon and Mike Mallin, both of the 

 University of North Carolina at Wlmington, are 

 monitoring the effects of the Hewletts Creek Pump 

 Station leak that caused as much as 3 million 



gallons of raw sewage to flow into the creek's 

 upper reaches. City of Wilmington crews spent 

 1 7 hours repairing the equipment problem. 



'Two weeks after the original spill, a 

 rainstorm apparently washed additional 

 contaminated sediments from the high marsh 

 into the creek, driving another increase of bacteria 

 in the water column," says Cahoon. "However, 

 the sediment levels of indicator bacteria declined 

 again after several days. Hewletts Creek was much 

 more dangerously contaminated than water 

 column sampling alone would have indicated." 



Mallin and Cahoon are continuing to 

 sample the spill as part of an ongoing North 

 Carolina Sea Grant study on the importance of 

 sediment-associated fecal indicator bacteria in 

 Hewletts Creek and other tidal creek ecosystems. 

 The researchers used data from earlier Sea Grant 

 work when comparing results of the spill. 



Mallin cites system-wide effects on the 

 ecosystem from the spill. 



"During the day after the spill, a fish kill 

 occurred that included adult flounder, mullet, 

 eels and thousands of larval and juvenile fish," 

 he adds. "Some waterfowl also died after feeding 

 within the spill area." — A.G. 



N.C. Seafood Festival 



lark your calendars for the 19th Annual 

 North Carolina Seafood Festival, Sept. 30 to Oct. 

 2 on the Morehead City waterfront. 



The festival is filled with activities 

 that illustrate the positive impact of seafood 

 industries and commercial fishing on North 

 Carolina's economy and citizens. 



The festival features continuous live 

 entertainment on three stages, street clowns, 

 a boat show and a variety of seafood and arts, 

 and craft vendors. 



Sporting events for the whole 

 family will be held throughout 

 the festival at the Sportsman's 

 and Oceanana piers in Adantic 

 Beach. 



The festival opens to 

 the public at 5 p.m. Friday 

 with a Habitat for Humanity 

 fish fry, rides, exhibits and 



entertainment on all three stages. At 10 a.m. 

 Saturday, the educational exhibits will open. 

 North Carolina Sea Grant will share a booth 

 with other National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

 Administration partners. 



The Blessing of the Fleet will take place 

 at the N.C. State Port at 10 a.m. Sunday. This 

 ceremony will remember those who died 

 working in the fishing industry and thank those 

 who work in these occupations today. 



The festival's proceeds will help 

 establish scholarships for young 

 people pursuing educations in 

 seafood-related industries, and 

 also support local nonprofit 

 and civic groups. 



For more information 

 and a complete schedule of 

 activities, go online to www. 

 ncseafoodfestival.org. -J.H. 



NORTH CAROLINA'S • 2005-06 



COASTAL 

 BOATING GUIDE 



ncwaterways.com 



/ould you like to have an updated 

 boating guide to North Carolina's coastal 

 waterways? 



The N.C. Department of 

 Transportation and the N.C. Wildlife 

 Resources Commission have released 

 "North Carolina's 2005-2006 Coastal 

 Boating Guide." 



From Calabash to Currituck, the guide 

 lists North Carolina attractions and places 

 of interest such as lighthouses, recreation 

 areas and aquariums. It also lists fishing 

 tournaments from May to November, and 

 provides information about N.C. ferries, 

 the U.S. Coast Guard and other boating 

 contacts. 



A portion of the guide is devoted 

 to educating boaters about protecting 

 submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV). 



The guide is not for navigational 

 purposes, yet it does illustrate 145 of North 

 Carolina's coastal marinas and boatyards. 

 Amenities such as ramps, supplies, fuel, 

 repair, restaurants and more are listed in a 

 chart on the guide. 



For a free copy of "North Carolina's 

 2005-2006 Coastal Boating Guide," visit 

 www.ncwateiways.com, or call 877/DOT- 

 4YOU (877/368-4968). -J.H. 



COASTWATCH 5 



