4.5 Statistical Analysis.32 
5. Spatial and temporal patterns in water quality parameters in the Yaquina Estuary.34 
5.1 Salinity.34 
5.2 Nutrients.35 
5.3 Chlorophyll a .37 
5.4 Nutrient Limitation and Primary Productivity.38 
5.5 Relationships between TN and TP and Chlorophyll a .40 
6. Nitrogen and Phosphorus as Water Quality Criteria.43 
6.1 Seasonal, Zonal, and Long-term Trends in N and P.43 
6.2 Percentile Approach for Nitrogen and Phosphorous.48 
7. Chlorophyll a as a Water Quality Response Measure.50 
7.1 Seasonal, Zonal, and Long-Term Trends in Chlorophyll a .50 
7.2 Percentile Approach for Chlorophyll a .52 
8. Dissolved Oxygen as a Water Quality Response Measure.53 
8.1 Seasonal, Zonal and Long-term Trends in Dissolved Oxygen.53 
8.2 Percentile Approach for Dissolved Oxygen.58 
9. Water Clarity (kj) and Turbidity as Water Quality Response Measures.60 
9.1 Seasonal and Zonal Patterns in Water Clarity and Turbidity.60 
9.2 Percentile Approach for Water Clarity and TSS.62 
10. Macroalgal Biomass as a Water Quality Response Measure.65 
10.1 Introduction.65 
10.2 Approach.65 
10.3 Results and Discussion.65 
10.3.1 Annual Variation: 1997 - 1998.65 
10.3.2 Seasonal Variation: 1999-2000.66 
10.4 Percentile Approach.68 
10.5 Comparisons with Findings from Other Regions.69 
11. Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) as a Management Objective (Designated Use) ...71 
11.1 Background.71 
11.2 Spatial Seagrass Patterns.73 
11.3 Temporal Seagrass Patterns.75 
Vll 
