Chemical content of snow and effect of melting on Cascade Mountain lakes
Journal Article
·
· Northwest Sci.; (United States)
OSTI ID:5314367
Observations on changing chemical content in the waters of Angeline, Big Heart, and Copper Lakes - located in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness area at 1219 to 1555 m elevation - indicated that snowmelt and iceout did not result in episodes of low pH and alkalinity. The minimum pH was 5.8 and neither pH nor alkalinity showed a seasonal trend following iceout, although specific conductance did decrease slightly. The lack of an acidification episode was not surprising because of pH of snow from a site near the studied lakes averaged 5.3. The snow was richer in cations than had been reported earlier in precipitation from the Cascades, even though sulfate concentrations were similar. Chemical stratification was apparent in the surface 20 m layer of the lowest elevation lake (Copper Lake) while the upper 50 m of the highest elevation lake (Angeline Lake) was similar in alkalinity content to that observed in snow. The intermediate elevation lake (Big Heart Lake) showed a slight tendency to stratify in the upper 50 m. These observations suggest that snowmelt does not mix with the whole lake volume in these deep lakes with relatively low watershed:lake surface area ratios and low flushing rates as might be expected in lakes with more extreme characteristics. 15 references, 3 figures, 2 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Washington Univ. Seattle
- OSTI ID:
- 5314367
- Journal Information:
- Northwest Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Northwest Sci.; (United States) Vol. 58:2; ISSN NOSCA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION X
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
MOUNTAINS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RUNOFF
SNOW
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WASHINGTON
WATER CHEMISTRY
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CASCADE MOUNTAINS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMISTRY
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION X
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
MOUNTAINS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RUNOFF
SNOW
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WASHINGTON
WATER CHEMISTRY