Findings From The USES Project

In order to assess the impacts of urbanization on small, high salinity estuaries in the southeast United States, researchers involved with the USES project have examined estuarine processes and made comparisons between an estuary which is bordered by urban development (Murrells Inlet, South Carolina) and an estuary which has not been developed (North Inlet, South Carolina). The results of these comparisons lend support to several important groups of findings.

The following list is a selection of the findings supported by results from USES related research. For more information on a particular finding, click the link following each item.

• The removal of upland forested areas has negative impacts on estuaries including the removal of filtering potential and the reduction in the availability of key nutrients such as iron and dissolved organic carbon to estuarine species.

• Hard stabilization devices such as bulkheads and sea walls alter estuary ecology.

• Estuaries in urban areas have increased densities of fecal coliform bacteria (FCB).

• Estuaries in urban areas experience increased loading of potentially harmful nutrients and other contaminants (Nonpoint Source Pollution).

• Disturbance by boat traffic can impact estuaries.