Episodic response project: Wet deposition at watersheds in three regions of the eastern United States
During the period from August 1988 to June 1990, wet-only sampling of precipitation was carried out at three Episodic Response Project sites and at one supplemental site. The three watershed sites are Moss Lake, Biscuit Brook, and Linn Run. The supplemental site was the MAP3S site at Pennsylvania State University that characterizes the central group of northern Appalachian streams. The site operators adhered by varying degrees to the sample collection protocol based on the daily sampling protocol of the MAP3S Precipitation Chemistry Network. Sulfate and nitrate ion together accounted for more than 80% of total anions (in {mu}Eq/L) in the precipitation at all sites. Wet deposition of sulfate at Moss Lake, Biscuit Brook, Penn State, and Linn Run averaged 223, 230, 253, and 402 mg/m{sup 2}/month, respectively, whereas nitrate wet deposition averaged 197, 195, 160, and 233 mg/m{sup 2}/month, respectively. Sulfate deposition was a factor of 2 to 4 higher in summer than in winter. The seasonal pattern for nitrate deposition was weak; the seasonal contrast was less than a factor of 2.5 at all sites. The association between the wet deposition and precipitation chemistry at the MAP3S monitoring site and the average for the study watersheds was dependent on the distance between the site and watershed and the intervening terrain. Precipitation chemistry at the monitoring site is representative of that at the ERP study watersheds in the Adirondack and Catskill regions and in the south-western group of watersheds in the Appalachian region. High spatial variability in precipitation amounts makes this assumption weaker for wet deposition. Chemical input to watersheds from dry deposition has not been determined at any site but could range from a factor of 0.3 to 1.0 of the wet deposition. 7 refs., 38 figs., 12 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USEPA; Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 6000749
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-7876; ON: DE92004709
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACID RAIN
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
DEPOSITION
NITRATES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SULFATES
SURFACE WATERS
ACIDIFICATION
WATER CHEMISTRY
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
REGIONAL ANALYSIS
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
US EPA
WATERSHEDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
ECOSYSTEMS
MOUNTAINS
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
RAIN
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
US ORGANIZATIONS
VARIATIONS
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540220 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)