Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

This site is currently in beta, and your feedback is helping shape its ongoing development.

Water quality surveys in Culebra: comprehensive assessment of inorganic nutrient concentrations 2023-05-03 to 2024-05-21 (NCEI Accession 0306499)

Published by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce | Metadata Last Checked: January 29, 2026 | Last Modified: 2025-11-04T00:00:00.000+00:00
This record describes water quality inorganic nutrient concentration metrics collected monthly between May 2023 to May 2024 to provide reference data of nearshore and watershed water quality on the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico. The water quality monitoring was conducted at 18 fixed stations. Five stations were selected to quantify Land Based Sources of Pollution (LBSP) stressor loads at key point and non-point sources in the Cabra, Coronel, and Aeropuerto watersheds. Levels of LBSP exposure were measured at 13 nearshore stations co-located with long-term seagrass monitoring sites. Nearshore monitoring sites were selected to identify watershed discharge points, coastal hydrodynamics, as well as the existing level of LBSP exposure and anticipated changes to LBSP exposure due to management actions. Nearshore monitoring stations were designated based on their land based sources of pollution management implementation status (LBSP Treatment Group), as follows: 1) LBSP Restoration stations: Located downstream where land-based pollutant management has or is being implemented. 2) LBSP Control stations: Represent a range of land-based pollutant impairments, including sites with no LBSP management, no known direct discharge of LBSP but are representative of the range of external factors that may be encountered at the LBSP Restoration stations. 3) Negative Reference stations of know significant -anecdotal and quantified- LBSP impairment. 4) Positive Reference stations of low LBSP impairment. Nearshore water quality samples were collected at two depths: surface (10-25 cm ) and bottom (2 m deep). Watershed water quality samples were collected only at surface. Water quality inorganic nutrient concentration metrics include: Nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and silica. The research questions, survey design and monitoring localities were specific to this study and the associated water quality data is unsuitable in a regulatory framework. The data presented herein was collected with financial support from NOAA Restoration Center and NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).

Find Related Datasets

Click any tag below to search for similar datasets

0306499 AMMONIUM (NH4) NITRATE NITRITE NITROGEN phosphate silicate Total nitrogen TOTAL PHOSPHORUS laboratory analysis Niskin bottle nutrient autoanalyzer spectrophotometer in situ laboratory analyses manual sample collection physical NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation CORAL REEF STUDIES Caribbean Sea oceanography DOC/NOAA/NMFS > National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce 30033 Reducing LBSP threats from unpaved roads on Culebra Island Numeric Data Sets > Chemistry Numeric Data Sets > Water Quality EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrate EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrite EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrogen EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrogen > Total EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphate EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphate > Total EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphorus EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Silicate EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > AMMONIA EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRATE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRITE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITROGEN EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PHOSPHATE EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > SILICATE Dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations AUTOANALYZER > AUTOANALYZER NISKIN BOTTLES OPTSPEC > Optical Spectrometer COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Puerto Rico > Culebra Island (18N065W0011) OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea /North Atlantic Ocean > Puerto Rico > Culebra Island (18N065W0011) OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA Culebra Island, Puerto Rico ERCP08

Complete Metadata
@type dcat:Dataset
accessLevel non-public
contactPoint 
                                            {
  "fn": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "vcard:Contact",
  "hasEmail": "mailto:ncei.info@noaa.gov"
}
describedByType application/octet-steam
description This record describes water quality inorganic nutrient concentration metrics collected monthly between May 2023 to May 2024 to provide reference data of nearshore and watershed water quality on the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico. The water quality monitoring was conducted at 18 fixed stations. Five stations were selected to quantify Land Based Sources of Pollution (LBSP) stressor loads at key point and non-point sources in the Cabra, Coronel, and Aeropuerto watersheds. Levels of LBSP exposure were measured at 13 nearshore stations co-located with long-term seagrass monitoring sites. Nearshore monitoring sites were selected to identify watershed discharge points, coastal hydrodynamics, as well as the existing level of LBSP exposure and anticipated changes to LBSP exposure due to management actions. Nearshore monitoring stations were designated based on their land based sources of pollution management implementation status (LBSP Treatment Group), as follows: 1) LBSP Restoration stations: Located downstream where land-based pollutant management has or is being implemented. 2) LBSP Control stations: Represent a range of land-based pollutant impairments, including sites with no LBSP management, no known direct discharge of LBSP but are representative of the range of external factors that may be encountered at the LBSP Restoration stations. 3) Negative Reference stations of know significant -anecdotal and quantified- LBSP impairment. 4) Positive Reference stations of low LBSP impairment. Nearshore water quality samples were collected at two depths: surface (10-25 cm ) and bottom (2 m deep). Watershed water quality samples were collected only at surface. Water quality inorganic nutrient concentration metrics include: Nitrite, nitrate, ammonium, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and silica. The research questions, survey design and monitoring localities were specific to this study and the associated water quality data is unsuitable in a regulatory framework. The data presented herein was collected with financial support from NOAA Restoration Center and NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF).
distribution 
                                            [
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Dataset Landing Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://doi.org/10.25921/1e3k-9922",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "Descriptive Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for a descriptive web page with download links.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/oas/306499",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "HTTPS",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Navigate directly to the URL for data access and direct download.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/archive/accession/download/306499",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "FTP",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "These data are available through the File Transfer Protocol (FTP). FTP is no longer supported by most internet browsers. You may copy and paste the FTP link to the data into an FTP client (e.g., FileZilla or WinSCP).",
    "downloadURL": "ftp://ftp-oceans.ncei.noaa.gov/nodc/archive/arc0233/0306499/",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024_Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024_Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024f_Appendix-A_Identifying_Priority_Fixed-Site_Monitoring_Locations.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024f_Appendix-A_Identifying_Priority_Fixed-Site_Monitoring_Locations.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024c_Nearshore_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024c_Nearshore_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024e_Seagrass_Monitoring_Transects_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024e_Seagrass_Monitoring_Transects_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024b_Watershed_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024b_Watershed_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/uscrtf_watershed_tools/Priority_Ecosystem_Indicators_Final%202_18_16.pdf",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Related report",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/uscrtf_watershed_tools/Priority_Ecosystem_Indicators_Final%202_18_16.pdf",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "GCMD Keyword Forum Page",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Global Change Master Directory (GCMD). 2025. GCMD Keywords, Version 21. Greenbelt, MD: Earth Science Data and Information System, Earth Science Projects Division, Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). URL (GCMD Keyword Forum Page): https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD+Keywords",
    "downloadURL": "https://forum.earthdata.nasa.gov/app.php/tag/GCMD%2BKeywords",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  },
  {
    "@type": "dcat:Distribution",
    "title": "NCEI Contact Information",
    "mediaType": "placeholder/value",
    "description": "Information for contacts at NCEI.",
    "downloadURL": "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact",
    "describedByType": "application/octet-steam"
  }
]
identifier gov.noaa.nodc:0306499
issued 2025-07-23T00:00:00.000+00:00
keyword 
                                            [
  "0306499",
  "AMMONIUM (NH4)",
  "NITRATE",
  "NITRITE",
  "NITROGEN",
  "phosphate",
  "silicate",
  "Total nitrogen",
  "TOTAL PHOSPHORUS",
  "laboratory analysis",
  "Niskin bottle",
  "nutrient autoanalyzer",
  "spectrophotometer",
  "in situ",
  "laboratory analyses",
  "manual sample collection",
  "physical",
  "NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation",
  "NOAA Office of Habitat Conservation",
  "CORAL REEF STUDIES",
  "Caribbean Sea",
  "oceanography",
  "DOC/NOAA/NMFS > National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce",
  "30033",
  "Reducing LBSP threats from unpaved roads on Culebra Island",
  "Numeric Data Sets > Chemistry",
  "Numeric Data Sets > Water Quality",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrate",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrite",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrogen",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Nitrogen > Total",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphate",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphate > Total",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Phosphorus",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > Oceans > Ocean Chemistry > Silicate",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > AMMONIA",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRATE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITRITE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > NITROGEN",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > PHOSPHATE",
  "EARTH SCIENCE > OCEANS > OCEAN CHEMISTRY > SILICATE",
  "Dissolved inorganic nutrient concentrations",
  "AUTOANALYZER > AUTOANALYZER",
  "NISKIN BOTTLES",
  "OPTSPEC > Optical Spectrometer",
  "COUNTRY/TERRITORY > United States of America > Puerto Rico > Culebra Island (18N065W0011)",
  "OCEAN BASIN > Atlantic Ocean > Caribbean Sea /North Atlantic Ocean > Puerto Rico > Culebra Island (18N065W0011)",
  "OCEAN > ATLANTIC OCEAN > NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN > CARIBBEAN SEA",
  "Culebra Island, Puerto Rico",
  "ERCP08"
]
landingPage https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/contact
language 
                                            []
license https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
modified 2025-11-04T00:00:00.000+00:00
publisher 
                                            {
  "name": "NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information",
  "@type": "org:Organization"
}
references 
                                            [
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024_Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024f_Appendix-A_Identifying_Priority_Fixed-Site_Monitoring_Locations.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024c_Nearshore_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024e_Seagrass_Monitoring_Transects_WorkPlan.pdf",
  "https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/oceans/coris/library/NOAA/CRCP/NMFS/OHC/Projects/30033/Culebra_LBSP_RidgeToReef_Monitoring_Program/Vargas-Angel2024b_Watershed_WaterQuality_Monitoring_WorkPlan.pdf",
  "https://www.coris.noaa.gov/activities/uscrtf_watershed_tools/Priority_Ecosystem_Indicators_Final%202_18_16.pdf"
]
rights otherRestrictions
spatial -65.2444444,18.288611,-65.3083333,18.319444
temporal 2023-05-03T00:00:00+00:00/2024-05-21T00:00:00+00:00
title Water quality surveys in Culebra: comprehensive assessment of inorganic nutrient concentrations 2023-05-03 to 2024-05-21 (NCEI Accession 0306499)

data.gov

An official website of the GSA's Technology Transformation Services

Looking for U.S. government information and services?
Visit USA.gov