Continued Monitoring of an Urban Museum Campus to Inform Long-Term Watershed Management

Abstract

Urban wetlands play a critical role in water quality and ecosystem resilience, yet anthropogenic activities can affect their function. This study assesses water quality trends on the Museum of Life and Science’s (MLS) urban campus and wetland in Durham, North Carolina, over an 8-week period (October - December 2024) to inform long-term watershed management. Building on a 2019 Master’s Project with a similar focus, we analyzed six sites for nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, and fecal coliform levels. The MLS campus is located in a highly urbanized watershed and displays water quality that is broadly typical of the Ellerbe Creek Watershed. However, fecal coliform levels are elevated at some sites. Monitoring stations that drain adjacent residential neighborhoods consistently exceed state standards, while one station downstream of the animal exhibits and a wetland area complied with the fecal coliform standard. These results attribute water quality issues in the catchment to both museum management practices and runoff from adjacent residential areas. Recommendations include actions to maintain water quality on campus and prevent any downstream pollution. To support ongoing monitoring of the urban wetland, we developed an interactive ArcGIS dashboard and a set of sampling guidelines. This research project provides important insights into the influences of urban land use and long-term conservation planning on water quality, while also providing a template for continued sampling to inform future management decisions by MLS.