West Virginia trout streams: target for acid precipitation

Book · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1983

OSTI ID:6803843

Gasper, D C

West Virginia is greatly effected by the Ohio River Valley sources of sulfur because of the westerly winds. Estimates indicate that before 1930 the pH of precipitation was above 5.3, but now the average pH is 4.2. The effects of pollution on trout streams are discussed from two points of view. First, the streams have little ability to neutralize acid from any source, and they are very near (or below) the threshold of a trout's acid tolerance. Secondly, since stream nutrient levels are largely a product of drainage, the hypothesis is presented that if the air is cleaned up the trout streams will be lost. The increased acid activity is leaching from the soil the nutrients that are necessary to maintain the trout populations. Acid shock events are discussed in relation to water quality by acid rain. Present levels of acidity in precipitation threatens over 1/4 of West Virginia trout water with extinction.

• OSTI ID: 6803843
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
DISSOLUTION
DRAINAGE
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION III
FISHES
LEACHING
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
NUTRIENTS
PH VALUE
POLLUTION
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOILS
STREAMS
SULFUR
SURFACE WATERS
TROUT
USA
VERTEBRATES
WATER QUALITY
WEST VIRGINIA