Episodic acidification of Adirondack lakes during snowmelt
Maximum values of acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) in Adirondack, New York lake outlets generally occur during summer and autumn. During spring snowmelt, transport of acidic water through acid-sensitive watersheds causes depression of upper lake water ANC. In some systems lake outlet ANC reaches negative values. The authors examined outlet water chemistry from II Adirondack lakes during 1986 and 1987 snowmelts. In these lakes, SO concentrations were diluted during snowmelt and did not depress ANC. For lakes with high baseline ANC values, springtime ANC depressions were primarily accompanied by basic cation dilution. For lakes with low baseline ANC, No increases dominated ANC depressions. Lakes with intermediate baseline ANC were affected by both processes and exhibited larger ANC depressions. Ammonium dilution only affected wetland systems. A model predicting a linear relationship between outlet water ANC minima and autumn ANC was inappropriate. To assess watershed response to episodic acidification, hydrologic flow paths must be considered. (Copyright (c) 1990 by the American Geophysical Union.)
- Research Organization:
- Syracuse Univ., NY (United States). Dept. of Civil and Enviromental Engineering
- OSTI ID:
- 5672680
- Report Number(s):
- PB-91-177162/XAB; EPA--600/J-90/435
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACIDIFICATION
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BASELINE ECOLOGY
CHEMISTRY
ECOLOGY
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HYDROLOGY
LAKES
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MOUNTAINS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
RUNOFF
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SNOW
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER POLLUTION
WATERSHEDS