Water quality surveys in Culebra: human dietary tracers—caffeine and sucralose—concentrations from 2023-05-03 to 2024-05-21 (NCEI Accession 0309236)

This record describes water quality human dietary tracer concentration metrics collected monthly between May 2023 to May 2024 to provide reference data of nearshore water quality on the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico. The water quality monitoring was conducted at 13 fixed nearshore stations co-located with long-term seagrass monitoring sites. Nearshore monitoring sites were selected to identify watershed discharge points, coastal hydrodynamics, as well as the existing level of LBSP exposure and anticipated changes to LBSP exposure due to management actions. Nearshore monitoring stations were designated based on their land based sources of pollution management implementation status (LBSP Treatment Group), as follows: 1) LBSP Restoration stations: Located downstream where land-based pollutant management has or is being implemented. 2) LBSP Control stations: Represent a range of land-based pollutant impairments, including sites with no LBSP management, no known direct discharge of LBSP but are representative of the range of external factors that may be encountered at the LBSP Restoration stations. 3) Negative Reference stations of know significant -anecdotal and quantified- LBSP impairment. 4) Positive Reference stations of low LBSP impairment. Nearshore water quality samples were collected at surface (10-25cm).

The data presented herein was collected with financial and in-kind support from NOAA Restoration Center, NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program, and NOAA National Centers for Coastal and Ocean Sciences.