Acid precipitation and lake susceptibility in the Central Washington Cascades

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00105a008· OSTI ID:7019392

Logan, R M; Derby, J C; Duncan, L C

Bulk precipitation was monitored at five sampling sites across the Cascade mountains east and windward of the urban Puget Sound area January 1981 through July 1981. The volume weighted average pH over the collection period at the Cascade Crest (Snoqualmie Pass) was 4.71. Sulfate was the dominant anion. The average strong acid composition in terms of sulfate and nitrate over the five collector sites ranged from 57 to 62 equiv % sulfuric acid. The sulfate deposition for 1981 at the Cascade Crest is estimated to be 16.0 kg ha/sup -1/ year/sup -1/ of SO/sub 4/ (sea salt corrected). The strong acid content of the samples was observed to increase in the summer months. Twenty-nine watershed source lakes lying along the Cascade Crest 3-20 miles north of the precipitation collectors were sampled during the summer of 1981. All of the source lakes were found to be susceptible but not acid, with alkalinities ranging from 4 to 190 ..mu..equiv/L. (Median alkalinity was 57 ..mu..equiv/L.) The composition of the waters in terms of alkalinity and calcium concentration was similar to that of nonacidified waters of northwestern Norway and northwestern Ontario.

• Research Organization: Central Washington Univ., Ellensburg
• OSTI ID: 7019392
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 16; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR QUALITY
ALKALI METALS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CALCIUM
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION X
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
MAGNESIUM
METALS
MONITORING
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PH VALUE
POTASSIUM
RAIN
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA
WASHINGTON