Chemical and physical characteristics of lakes in the upper midwest United States

Journal Article · Mon Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Environmental Science and Technology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00167a005· OSTI ID:5548111

Eilers, J M; Brakke, D F; Landers, D H ^[1]

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1. Northrop Services, Inc., Corvallis, OR (USA)

A statistical sampling of 592 lakes, representing an estimated 8575 lakes, was conducted in northern Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan during Fall 1984 as part of the EPA's Eastern Lake Survey. The survey was designed to quantify the number of lakes with surface area greater than 4 ha that are acidic or that have low acid neutralizing capacity (ANC). The largest estimated number (102) and percentage (9.8%) of acidic lakes (ANC {<=} 0) in the upper Midwest were found in the upper peninsula of Michigan. There were an estimated 45 acidic lakes in northcentral Wisconsin, representing 3% of the target lakes, and the highest percentage (41.4%) of low ANC ({<=} {mu}equiv/L) lakes was also observed in this area. No acidic lakes were sampled in the remaining portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. Sulfate concentrations, relatively low compared to those in portions of the Northeast, were greatest in the upper peninsula of Michigan and were intermediate in northeastern Minnesota. Acidic lakes had low concentrations of major base cations and high sulfate concentrations and were most common in areas receiving greatest acidic deposition. The strong relationship of lake chemistry to the depositional gradient of hydrogen ions and the relatively modest concentrations of DOC in acidic lakes, coupled with the predominance of sulfate in these lakes, provide support for the hypothesis that some lakes in the upper Midwest have been acidified by acidic deposition.

• OSTI ID: 5548111
• Journal Information: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA), Journal Name: Environmental Science and Technology; (USA) Vol. 22:2; ISSN ESTHA; ISSN 0013-936X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMISTRY
DATA
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FEDERAL REGION V
INFORMATION
LAKES
MICHIGAN
MINNESOTA
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
NORTH AMERICA
NUMERICAL DATA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
RAIN
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
US EPA
US ORGANIZATIONS
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY
WISCONSIN