Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Suspended Solids Concentrations in Tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary Watershed in 2015

Nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment loads to the Great Bay Estuary are a constant concern. The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) calculates the nitrogen load from tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary for its State of Our Estuaries reports. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to collect representative data on nitrogen, phosphorus, and suspended sediment concentrations in tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary in 2015. The study design followed the tributary sampling design which was implemented by the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services between 2001 and 2007 and sustained by the University of New Hampshire from 2008 to the present, so as to provide comparable data to the previous loading estimates. The purpose of this memorandum is to document the results of quality assurance checks on the 2015 water quality data collected by UNH, so that PREP can calculates the nitrogen load from tributaries to the Great Bay Estuary. DES reviewed these data to ensure that they met data quality objectives for PREP and for Section 305b water quality assessments