Pat Donovan-Brandenburg, Stormwater, Soil and Erosion Control Manager, City of Jacksonville
The New River Estuary, located in Onslow County, is susceptible to an unhealthy growth of vegetation due to years of increased nutrients going into the estuary, which has caused algal blooms, cloudy water and low oxygen levels. All of this exacerbated the loss of oyster reef habitat through intense sedimentation. In 1995, the New River was so degraded that a massive hog waste spill did not have significantly negative effects because the river was so organically dead. However, Jacksonville City officials, scientists and volunteers led efforts to restore the New River with the introduction of water-filtering oysters, aeration, restored wetlands and stormwater mitigation efforts. Join Pat Donovan-Brandenburg as she shares the continuing efforts by agencies, organizations and the community to improve estuarine water quality through the creation of the “New River Oyster Highway.”
