Alkalinity regulation in soft-water Florida lakes

Technical Report · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5163430

Baker, L A; Pollman, C D; Eilers, J M

Major ion chemistry data collected as part of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Eastern Lake Survey was examined to evaluate the mechanisms and extent of alkalinity regulation in 37 undisturbed, soft-water lakes in Florida. Comparison of major ion-Cl ratios in atmospheric deposition and in lake water shows the reactions resulting in retention of sulfate and nitrate are the dominant sources of alkalinity; production of organic acids and ammonium retention are the major alkalinity-consuming processes. Based on average reactions, enrichment of major cations accounted for only 12% of net alkalinity generation in the study lakes. In general, calcium and potassium were depleted in low-ANC lakes, presumably by in-lake sinks, and were enriched in most higher ANC lakes by ground water inputs. Differences in alkalinity among these lakes reflect hydrologic factors and the proximity of clay and carbonate deposits to the lake bed. Overall, net-alkalinity generation nearly balanced H+ predicted from evaporative concentration of atmospheric acid inputs; the close balance suggests that the alkalinity status of these lakes is very sensitive to changes in atmospheric loadings and groundwater alkalinity inputs.

• Research Organization: Northrop Services, Inc./Environmental Sciences, Corvallis, OR (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5163430
• Report Number(s): PB-90-110081/XAB
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Pub. in Jnl. of Water Resources Research, Vol. 24, No. 7, 1069-1082(Jul 1988)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACID RAIN
WATER POLLUTION
FLORIDA
LAKES
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
CATIONS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINE IONS
GROUND WATER
HYDROLOGY
NAPAP
NITRATES
SULFATES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATERSHEDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMISTRY
FEDERAL REGION IV
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
IONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RAIN
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
540120 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)