Hurricanes can disrupt surface water quality by altering nutrient loads, salinity gradients, and biogeochemical processes, yet their impacts vary widely across systems. Dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics, in particular, have shown diverse responses to tropical cyclones, with some studies reporting hypoxia, temporary increases, or no significant change. However, most research has been limited to individual storms or specific estuaries, making it difficult to determine whether observed patterns are event- or site-specific or if generalizable trends exist.
This study analyzed DO trends before, during, and after hurricane events across ten estuary systems along the southeast Atlantic coast of the U.S. using long-term monitoring data from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS). Study sites represented a range of watershed conditions, including developed and undeveloped catchments, freshwater and marine influences, and different estuarine morphologies. Our analysis, focusing on data post-2014 due to availability constraints, revealed minimal changes in DO following hurricanes, with no evidence of hypoxia or prolonged disruptions.
These results suggest that estuarine water quality responses to hurricanes may be more resilient than previously assumed, at least in relatively protected reserves with small drainage areas. By integrating large-scale water quality monitoring datasets with geospatial analytics, this study provides a broader perspective on how estuarine systems respond to extreme weather events.