Water sampling frequency

        Water sampling was conducted on three occasions between December 20, 2001 and January 10, 2002 prior to construction activities.  Following completion of construction and beginning in April 2002, samples were collected at two-week intervals over a 12-week period for a total of six sampling occasions.  Afterwards, samples were collected once a month for six months until early February 2003.  Samples were collected at or near flood tide.  Water samples in Howe Creek were collected on a monthly basis from August 2001 through February 2003, also at or near high tide.

Sample locations

        Water samples were collected at five locations (Fig. 1).  One station was located in the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway near the entrance to Mason Creek, one was located along Mason Creek midway between the ICW and Banks Channel, one was located in Banks Channel near the south sedimentation basin, and a fourth was also in Banks Channel north of Mason Creek.  The fifth was located in the inlet throat adjacent to the Shell Island Resort prior to dredging activities, and was moved to the mouth of the new inlet following completion of dredging and construction.  GPS coordinates are provided in Table 1.

Table 1. Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinates and location descriptions of UNCW sampling stations in and near Mason Inlet, 2001-2003.
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MI-1    N 34 14.215     W 77 46.512         Throat of inlet
MI-2    N 34 14.637     W 77 46.233         Banks Channel 500 ft north of Mason Creek mouth
MI-3    N 34 14.895     W 77 46.079         Banks Channel outside of the south sedimentation basin
MI-4    N 34 14.827     W 77 46.535         In Mason Creek 1000 ft east of ICW
MI-5    N 34 15.196     W 77 46.755         In ICW at Channel Marker 122
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