Assessing linkages between climate teleconnections and freshwater inflows to Texas bays and estuaries ...

• Main Author: Pantano, Jonathan David
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The University of Texas at Austin 2022
• Subjects: ENSO; PDO; NAO; PPT; FWIs; Texas; Estuary; Cross-correlation; Pacific; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.26153/tsw/45213; https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu/handle/2152/118334

Understanding spatiotemporal variability in freshwater inflows to the bays and estuaries along the Gulf of Mexico is critical for water resources management to maintain the health of the ecosystem and marine life. The objective of this study was to assess linkages between climate teleconnections (e.g. El Nino Southern Oscillation [ENSO], North Atlantic Oscillation [NAO], and Pacific Decadal Oscillation [PDO]), precipitation, and freshwater inflows to the Gulf of Mexico. Seasonal Trend Decomposition using LOESS (STL) analysis was used to decompose monthly precipitation and freshwater inflows (1941-2015) to each bay and estuary, isolating long-term variability, and comparing it to ENSO during warm and cool PDO phases and NAO. Results show that there are moderately strong positive correlations between ENSO and precipitation (R = 0.37 to 0.7) with mostly higher precipitation during El Nino and lower precipitation during La Nina. These correlations were weakened during PDO warm phase (R = 0.16 to 0.41) and ...