Adirondack lakes survey: An interpretive analysis of fish communities and water chemistry, 1984--1987

Technical Report · Mon Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1990

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6173689· OSTI ID:6173689

Baker, J P ^[1]; Gherini, S A; Munson, R K ^[2]; Christensen, S W ^[3]; Driscoll, C T ^[4]; Gallagher, J ^[5]; Newton, R M ^[6]; Reckhow, K H ^[7]; Schofield, C L ^[8]

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1. Baker (Joan P.), Raleigh, NC (USA)
2. Tetra Tech, Inc., Pasadena, CA (USA)
3. Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
4. Syracuse Univ., NY (USA)
5. Adirondack Lakes Survey Corp., Ray Brook, NY (USA)
6. Smith Coll., Northampton, MA (USA)
7. Duke Univ., Durham, NC (USA)
8. Co

The Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation (ALSC) was formed as a cooperative effort of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Empire State Electric Energy Research Corporation to better characterize the chemical and biological status of Adirondack lakes. Between 1984 and 1987, the ALSC surveyed 1469 lakes within the Adirondack ecological zone. As a follow-up to the survey, the ALSC sponsored a series of interpretive analyses of the ALSC data base. The primary objectives of these analyses were as follows: Evaluate the influence of mineral acids (from acidic deposition) and nonmineral acids (natural organic acids) on lake pH levels; classify Adirondack lakes according to lake and watershed features expected to influence their responsiveness to changes in acidic deposition; evaluate the sensitivity of Adirondack lakes to changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in mineral acids or dissolved organic carbon concentrations; identify lake characteristics important in explaining the observed present-day status of fish communities in Adirondack lakes, in particular the relative importance of lake acidity; evaluate changes that have occurred over time in Adirondack fish communities and probable causes for these trends by using the available historical data on fish communities in the Adirondacks and the ALSC data base; and determine the degree to which the existing fish resource might be at risk from continued acidic deposition, or might recover if acidity levels were reduced. The basic approach examined relationships observed in the ALSC data base among watershed characteristics, lake chemistry, and fish status. Individual reports are processed separately for the data bases.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA); Adirondack Lakes Survey Corp., Ray Brook, NY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/ER; EPA
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• OSTI ID: 6173689
• Report Number(s): ORNL/M-1148; ON: DE91005645
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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ABSTRACTS
ACID RAIN
ACIDIFICATION
ADIRONDACK MOUNTAINS
ANIMALS
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CHEMISTRY
DATA
DOCUMENT TYPES
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FISHES
INFORMATION
LAKES
LEADING ABSTRACT
MOUNTAINS
NUMERICAL DATA
PH VALUE
POPULATION DYNAMICS
RAIN
SENSITIVITY
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
TABLES
VERTEBRATES
WATER CHEMISTRY
WATER QUALITY