Pollutant sources, depositional environment, and the surficial sediments of Onondaga Lake, New York

Journal Article · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1996 · Journal of Environmental Quality

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq1996.00472425002500010006x· OSTI ID:245355

Auer, M T; Johnson, N A; Penn, M R ^[1]

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1. Michigan Technological Univ., Houghton, MI (United States); and others

A physical and chemical characterization of the surficial sediments of polluted, hypereutrophic Onondaga Lake, New York is presented. Seventy samples were analyzed for a suite of parameters: particle size, moisture content, volatile solids, calcium carbonate, clastics, N, P, chemical oxygen demand, and inorganic and organic C. The lake`s sediments are enriched in calcium carbonate (averaging 66% dry weight, DW), at least in part due to an industrial discharge of Ca{sup 2+}. Enrichment with calcium carbonate serves to dilute other sediment constituents, yielding concentrations of N, P, and organic matter (volatile solids) unusually low for a hypereutrophic system. The distribution of sediment constituents is strongly influenced by lake morphometry: fine sediments ({Phi} = 4.6) relatively high in N (0.45% DW), P (0.12% DW), and volatile solids (10.7% DW) are characteristic of low energy, deep-water depositional environments and coarse ({Phi} = 1.7), calcium carbonate-rich (83% DW) sediments are typical of shallow, high energy nearshore sites. The location of tributary and point source inputs and the lake`s predominant circulation pattern also influence the distribution of clastics, organic matter, and P. Cluster analysis was used to identify regions of common sediment character: (1) nearshore sediments rich in calcium carbonate, (2) shallow water sediments directly influenced by tributary and point source discharges, and (3) deep-water sediments rich in N, P, and organic matter. The deep-water sediment type was further subdivided in recognition of the high chemical oxygen demand characteristic of the deepest portions of the depositional basin. 46 refs., 6 figs., 6 tabs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 245355
• Journal Information: Journal of Environmental Quality, Journal Name: Journal of Environmental Quality Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 25; ISSN JEVQAA; ISSN 0047-2425
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
LAKES
NEW YORK
NITROGEN
PARTICLE SIZE
PHOSPHORUS
POLLUTION SOURCES
SEDIMENTS
WATER POLLUTION
WATER QUALITY
WATERSHEDS