Effects of a dock on marine benthic organisms at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Conference · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Soc. Pet. Ind. Biol. 'Energy/Environ. '78' Symp. Proc.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6866734

Robilliard, G A ^[1]; Firth, R W; Chamberlain, D W

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1. Woodward-Clyde Consult.

During the summers of 1976 and 1977, the shallow water (< 6 m) marine benthic community was sampled in the vicinity of a 3 km long gravel dock located perpendicular to shore just west of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. The diversity and abundance distribution of species in the immediate area of the dockheads and near the easterly side of the dock were reduced compared with areas of similar depths remote from the dock or to the westerly side of the dock. Diversity and abundance on the easterly side of the dock were similar to those found in the shallow water (< 2 m) and were dissimilar to comparable moderate depth communities. (approx. 2-4 m). These differences may result from the propeller wash, bow wakes, plowing the bottom by the keel and propellers, and other physical disturbances due to the concentration of tugboat and barge activity at the dockheads. Alternatively, the dock may change local water current patterns by diverting offshore the low-salinity, high-temperature water flowing westerly along the shore from the Sagavanirktok River.

• OSTI ID: 6866734
• Report Number(s): CONF-7808149-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Ind. Biol. 'Energy/Environ. '78' Symp. Proc.; (United States)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
530200* -- Environmental-Social Aspects of Energy Technologies-- Assessment of Energy Technologies-- (-1989)
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
BENTHOS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
PRUDHOE BAY
SEAS
SHIPS
SPECIES DIVERSITY
SURFACE WATERS