Table 1.
Attributes of the major sub-regions of the Gulf of Maine shown in Figure 1. n/a = Not Applicable; WWTP = wastewater treatment plant. Surface areas and average water depths data are taken from the Gulf of Maine Education Association [Available: http://www.gommea.org/about-the-gulf/physical-characteristics/physioregions/].
| Region | Surface Area in km2 (% of total area) |
Volume in 105 m3 (% of total volume) |
Major Rivers (% of total discharge) |
aTop Ten Hg Effluent Point Sources (kg year−1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf of Maine | 170,860 | 217 | cAll rivers: 8.81 × 1010 m3 year−1 | Point Sources Total: 586 (ca. 1991) |
| Coastal Regions | ||||
| Bay of Fundy | 12,810 (7.5%) | 9.61 (4.4%) | St. John (33%) St. Croix (3%) |
Moncton Sewerage Commission (27) |
| Eastern Coastal Shelf | 7,943 (4.7%) | 3.97 (1.8%) | See footnoteb | Yarmouth Sewage Treatment Plant (9) |
| Northern Coastal Shelf | 14,760 (8.6%) | 7.38 (3.4%) | Penobscot (12%) Kennebec + Androscoggin (13%) Saco (3%) Merrimack (6%) |
WWTPs: Kennebec Sanitation District (9); Greater Lawrence (27); Lynn (23); Haverhill (9) |
| Southern Coastal Shelf | 8,244 (4.8%) | 4.12 (1.9%) | See footnoteb | WWTPs: Deer Island (105); South Essex (41); Manchester (14) |
| Offshore Regions | ||||
| Browns Bank | 2,953 (1.7%) | 2.21 (1.0%) | n/a | n/a |
| Central Gulf of Maine | 59,040 (34.6%) | 88.6 (40.8%) | n/a | n/a |
| Georges Bank | 41,930 (24.6%) | 42.4 (19.5%) | n/a | n/a |
| Great South Channel | 5,198 (3.0%) | 3.90 (1.8%) | n/a | n/a |
| Georges Basin | 4,110 (2.4%) | 15.2 (7.0%) | n/a | n/a |
| Jordan Basin | 6,695 (2.4%) | 20.8 (9.6%) | n/a | n/a |
| Wilkinson Basin | 7,078 (4.1%) | 19.1 (8.8%) | n/a | n/a |
a
From NOAA (NOAA, 1994);
b
No rivers with flow > 3% total freshwater discharge.
c
Total discharge from river flows into the Gulf of Maine (McAdie, 1995).