Longitudinal changes in stream water chemistry from seventeen high elevation watersheds in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Conference · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States)

OSTI ID:7017072

Flum, T S; Nodvin, C; Rhodes, H L.H.; Williams, E M; Malick, M M; Rose, A K; Shubzda, J; Lowe, S B ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

A plan for monitoring water chemistry at 274 sites across the Great Smoky Mountains National Park was developed in response to observations of high levels of atmospheric S and N deposition. Sites range in elevation from 1675 m to 268 m, including five or more sites from each of 17 different watersheds. Bedrock geology plays a major role in stream chemistry, particularly where streams flow through the Anakeesta Formation where there is pyrite weathering. Streams in these areas have pH values as low as 4.6 and are devoid of brook trout. The ancient and highly eroded mountains have poor soil buffering capacity and streams across the Park are either sensitive to acidification (ANC < 200 [mu]eq/L) or extremely sensitive (ANC > 50 [mu]eq/L), especially above about 900 m. Un-logged, old-growth forests on the highest peaks are leaching large amounts of deposited N to streams so that at elevations above 900 m nitrate is the dominant anion with concentrations form 20 to 60 [mu]eq/L (1240 to 3720 [mu]g/L). Nitrate concentrations decline rapidly below 900 m, probably due to a combination of; (1) relatively young forests uptaking N from the soil, (2) dilution, and (3) uptake and sequestering in the stream. The relative role of these processes remains unknown.

• OSTI ID: 7017072
• Report Number(s): CONF-940894--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States) Journal Volume: 75:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120 -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
MONITORING
MOUNTAINS
NITROGEN
NONMETALS
PUBLIC LANDS
SULFUR
WATER CHEMISTRY