Coyote Creek, USA
Main Contributors:
Johanna Yletyinen
Other Contributors:
Summary
Coyote Creek is a river emptying into San Francisco Bay. In 1979, a breakdown of a waste treatment plant caused a significant discharge of partly-treated waste into the South San Francisco Bay through Coyote Creek. The decomposition and nitrification of the sewage components depleted dissolved oxygen and caused hypoxia and anoxia. Fishermen reported absence of fish and pelagic invertebrates. Water quality improved rapidly after treatments and fish returned after the end of hypoxia. It is unclear exactly how much the sewage spill affected South San Francisco Bay fauna.
Type of regime shift
Ecosystem type
- Freshwater lakes & rivers
Land uses
- Fisheries
Spatial scale of the case study
- Local/landscape (e.g. lake, catchment, community)
Continent or Ocean
- North America
Region
- California
Countries
- United States
Locate with Google Map
Key References
-
Cloern J, Oremland R. 1983. Chemistry and microbiology of a sewage spill in south San Francisco Bay. Estuaries 6, 399,406.
Citation
Johanna Yletyinen.
Coyote Creek, USA.
In: Regime Shifts Database, www.regimeshifts.org.
Last revised 2011-12-13 11:24:20 GMT.
