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Drs. Humphrey and Iverson Receive NC Department of Environmental Quality Grant

Dr. Charles Humphrey (Co-PI) and Dr. Guy Iverson (Co-PI) received news that their project titled “A Paired-Watershed Approach to Evaluate the Influence of Onsite Wastewater Nutrient Inputs to Falls Lake, NC” was funded by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality ($111,829). This 1-year project is an interdisciplinary effort lead by Michael O’Driscoll (Coastal Studies, Water Resources Center) and includes Dr. John Hoben (Co-PI; Biology, Water Resources Center). The project aims to compare nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) inputs to watersheds served by municipal sewer systems to those served by onsite wastewater systems in the Falls Lake Watershed. Falls Lake is an important water supply reservoir for communities surrounding the lake, including the City of Raleigh. The Lake is currently listed as impaired on the 303(d) list for chlorophyll-a exceedances, which can be used as a tracer to indicate elevated nutrient levels from wastewater, fertilizers, stormwater, or other sources. Currently, there is limited information available on nutrient inputs originating from onsite wastewater in the Falls Lake Watershed and the goal of this project is to quantify the influence of these wastewater systems on nutrient loading to Falls Lake during baseflow and storm flow conditions. These information will further understanding of nutrient inputs from onsite wastewater and help guide nutrient management efforts for the Falls Lake Watershed.