The Neuse River Estuary Modeling and Monitoring Project (ModMon) is a collaborative effort between the University of North Carolina and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NC-DEQ).
Click here to check out our upcoming sampling trips!
It supports North Carolina’s needs for space and time-intensive monitoring and assessment of water quality and environmental conditions, including:
1. nutrient-eutrophication dynamics
2. algal blooms
3. hypoxia
4. fish kills
5. related water quality issues pertinent to the public’s interests
6. provide science-based management decisions to state agencies
The MODeling component of ModMon:
The MODeling phase of MODMON involves both short and long-term modeling of the Neuse River Estuary based on data collected during the MONitoring phase.
The Neuse Estuary Eutrophication Model is being developed as part of the modeling portion of the project . The model simulates the processes depicted above to predict water quality in the Neuse River for various nutrient loading and hydrologic scenarios.
The MONitoring component of ModMon:
Below is a map of the current ModMon mid-river water quality sampling stations on the Neuse River (sampling stations 0 – 180). The Paerl Lab collects surface and bottom water from these stations on a bi-weekly basis throughout the year.
Additionally, water samples are collected monthly in Pamlico Sound (sampling stations 1 – 9 denoted by triangles). Surface and bottom water is collected from these stations that are further east (closer to the Atlantic Ocean) than the ModMon mid-river water quality samples.
The sampled water is then brought back to the lab where it is filtered for HPLC, chlorophyll a, CHN, CDOM, DOC/ DIC, and nutrients. YSI Sensor Sonde readings are also taken at each station for water temperature, salinity, conductivity, chl a, dissolved oxygen, ph, and fluorescence.
ModMon data can be accessed via the SECOORA Data Portal
A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) was completed for ModMon in 2022, available upon request. For further inquiries or questions, please e-mail Karen Rossignol @ krossign@email.unc.edu
Funding sources of ModMon have included:
NC-DEQ (Division of Water Resources, DWR)
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
Lower Neuse Basin Association (LNBA)
Neuse River Compliance Association (NRCA)
UNC Collaboratory
The MODMON project is affiliated with these organizations:
Neuse River Compliance Association and Lower Neuse Basin Association
Water Resource Research Institute of the UNC System
NC Division of Water Resources