[NatureNS] Sewer Strolls: Before and After Harbour Cleanup ?

From: "Dusan Soudek" <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
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Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2015 21:52:54 -0400
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I can see that a well-deigned and properly maintained (i.e., =
mechanically aerated) sewage lagoon or engineered marsh can support a =
highly diverse and productive ecosystem. But not if the decomposing =
sewage makes the water column anoxic. Nothing but anaerobic bacteria =
survive there...
Dusan Soudek


From: David & Alison Webster=20
Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 8:19 PM
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Sewer Strolls: Before and After Harbour Cleanup =
?

Hello:
Would not many forms of zooplankton species
Feed directly on soup that is made out of feces ?
And thus form a meal for the next larger size
Until some can be seen using unaided eyes.
Yt, DW, Kentville
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Dusan Soudek=20
  To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
  Sent: Tuesday, January 06, 2015 6:59 PM
  Subject: RE: [NatureNS] Sewer Strolls: Before and After Harbour =
Cleanup ?

  These are interesting observations. I can see how fertilizing a =
harbour with sewage will increase its primary production and shift if =
from attached plants (kelp, eelgrass, etc.) to phytoplankton. But I =
doubt that the unmentionables we flush down our toilets are directly =
available to seabirds and seals as food. The stuff forms local sewage =
upwellings (sewage is warm),  is dispersed by tidal currents, and broken =
down by decomposers, which eventually liberate the phosphates and =
nitrates...=20
  Dusan Soudek=20
    On January 6, 2015 at 12:40 PM jen cooper <iffercooper@hotmail.com> =
wrote:=20


    Hello all,=20

    I can't speak to Halifax Harbour but for comparison...=20
    The Sydney side of Sydney harbour was fitted with wastewater =
infrastructure within the last ten years. Since the diversion of =
wastewater the clusters of diving ducks and seals, have either left or =
are very obviously not as plentiful as they used to be. On the west side =
of the harbour where infrastructure is yet to come (but on the way!) =
ducks still frequent the outfalls.=20

    My two cents on why, are these:=20

    Wastewater does cause eutrophication, fertilizing plants and algae =
(an onwards up the web). Food availability would definatley be different =
at outfalls than where there are none.=20

    Often times, here, the warmer water at outfalls causes openings in =
the ice. In some areas these are the only access points to the water.=20

    :) Jen=20




-------------------------------------------------------------------------=
---
    From: soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca=20
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Sewer Strolls: Before and After Harbour =
Cleanup ?=20
    Date: Sun, 4 Jan 2015 18:21:18 -0400=20


    Joanne,=20
       an excellent question. A broader one is what is it that attracts =
birds to the outfalls? The warm temperature of the discharge? it seems =
that a lot of the herring and great black-backed gulls that used to =
frequent the Point Pleasant Park outfalls were just bathing. Lots of =
preening, wind fluttering, etc. is the attraction the fish that are =
themselves attracted to this warm water? The sewage itself?=20
       Dusan Soudek=20
    From: Joanne Cook=20
    Sent: Sunday, January 04, 2015 5:44 PM=20
    To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
    Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Sewer Strolls: Before and After Harbour =
Cleanup ?=20
    Dusan,=20


    I was wondering the same thing yesterday, and also wondering about =
the temperature of the current effluent, and what effects it has - if =
any - where it emerges.=20


    cheers,=20
    Joanne=20




    ____________________________________=20
    Do not meddle with the Forces of Nature, for you are small, =
insignificant, and biodegradable.=20
    ____________________________________=20
    On Sun, Jan 4, 2015 at 5:25 PM, Dusan Soudek =
<soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca> wrote:=20

         Just curious: Have there been any noticeable changes in the =
numbers and species of waterfowl associated with Halifax Harbour sewer =
outlets since the Harbour Solutions project was completed? Only a small =
percentage of the city=E2=80=99s raw sewage gets dumped into the harbour =
these days, more so after periods of heavy rainfall when the sewage =
plants are overwhelmed by discharge from combined sewers...=20
         Dusan Soudek=20

   =20
  No virus found in this message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  Version: 2015.0.5577 / Virus Database: 4257/8882 - Release Date: =
01/06/15

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<DIV>I can see that a well-deigned and properly maintained (i.e., =
mechanically=20
aerated) sewage lagoon or engineered marsh can support a highly diverse =
and=20
productive ecosystem. But not if the decomposing sewage makes the water =
column=20
anoxic. Nothing but anaerobic bacteria survive there...</DIV>
<DIV>Dusan Soudek</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV=20
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<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style=3D"font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A =
title=3Ddwebster@glinx.com=20
href=3D"mailto:dwebster@glinx.com">David &amp; Alison Webster</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, January 06, 2015 8:19 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=3Dnaturens@chebucto.ns.ca=20
href=3D"mailto:naturens@chebucto.ns.ca">naturens@chebucto.ns.ca</A> =
</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Re: