A Watershed-Scale Analysis of Nitrogen Loading from Cranberry Agriculture in the Weweantic Watershed of Southeastern Massachusetts

Summary

Cranberry bogs make up an important part of the landscape and cultural heritage of southeastern Massachusetts. Accurate estimates of nutrient contributions of cranberry bogs are critical for developing nutrient loading thresholds and nutrient reduction strategies for Massachusetts' coastal waters. We produce a watershed-scale analysis of the contribution of N from cranberry agriculture that gets delivered into the streams of the Weweantic River Watershed and through the river network to the Weweantic Estuary. This project will provide information that can be directly applied to making management choices about investments in N loading reduction strategies in coastal watersheds. It will allow managers to identify how the type of bog and the specific bog spatial location in the watershed contribute to N outputs and the ultimate contribution of N to the estuary.