Stream chemistry in the eastern United States. 2. Current sources of acidity in acidic and low acid-neutralizing capacity streams
- Utah State Univ., Logan (United States)
The authors examined anion composition in National Stream Survey (NSS) data in order to evaluate the most probably sources of current acidity in acidic and low acid-neutralizing capacity (ANC) streams in the eastern US. Acidic streams that had almost no organic influence (less than 10% of total anions) and sulfate and nitrate concentrations indicative of evaporative concentration of atmospheric deposition were classified as acidic due to acidic deposition. These acidic streams were located in small (<30 km{sup 2}) forested watersheds in the Mid-Atlantic Highlands (an estimated 1,950 km of stream length) and in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain (1,250 km). Acidic streams affected primarily by acidic deposition but also influenced by naturally occurring organic anions accounted for another 1,180 km of acidic stream length, and were located in the New Jersey Pine Barrens, plateau tops in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Highlands, and the Florida Panhandle. The total length of streams acidic due to acid mine drainage in the NSS (4,590 km) was about the same as the total length of acidic streams likely affected by acidic deposition (4,380 km). Acidic streams whose acid anion composition was dominated by organics were located in Florida and the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain. In Florida, most of the acidic streams were organic dominated, whereas about half of the streams in the Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain were organic dominated. Organic-dominated acidic streams were not observed in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Highlands.
- OSTI ID:
- 6030653
- Journal Information:
- Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 27:4; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ACID MINE DRAINAGE
ACID NEUTRALIZING CAPACITY
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
COASTAL REGIONS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
FEDERAL REGION II
FEDERAL REGION IV
FLORIDA
IONIC COMPOSITION
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
RAIN
STREAMS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WATER CHEMISTRY