Responses of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, to Relaxation of Sewage Stress

Abstract

Kaneohe Bay is a subtropical coral reef/estuary complex which was subjected to increasing sewage loading; that sewage was diverted in 1977 and 1978. Even the most heavily impacted portion of the Bay showed only modest increases in dissoved nitrogen levels within the water column. Nutrient recycling within the Bay was the major immediate source for the nutrients for the observed rapid metabolic activity. Diversion lowered the land-derived inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus input to the Bay by 70-80 percent.