Use of in situ microcosms for evaluating reservoir water management options

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Water Resources Bulletin; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1988.tb03016.x· OSTI ID:7192402

French, R H ^[1]; Cooper, J J ^[2]; Vigg, S ^[3]

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1. Desert Research Institute, Las Vegas, NV (USA)
2. Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Carson City (USA)
3. Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Clackamas (USA)

The use of in situ microcosms for performing reservoir trophic studies and aiding in the design of reservoir restoration programs are discussed. The site of this study was Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada, which has experienced water quality problems associated with monospecific blooms of blue-green algae and hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen depletions. In situ microcosms were used to investigate the response of phytoplankton species composition to additions of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and the phosphorus precipitant aluminum sulfate. At the end of the 16-day experimental period, the microcosms receiving the phosphate treatments yielded the highest standing crops of algae and the greatest percentage composition of blue-green algae. The microcosms receiving the nitrate treatment exhibited greater initial algal concentrations followed by a decline in phytoplankton, which coincided with an increase in the zoo-plankton population. The results presented here suggest that microcosms can be a cost-effective method for assessing reservoir water quality and planning restoration programs.

• OSTI ID: 7192402
• Journal Information: Water Resources Bulletin; (USA), Vol. 24:5; ISSN 0043-1370
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
MICROCOSMS
USES
WATER RESERVOIRS
WATER QUALITY
ALUMINIUM SULFATES
BIOMASS
NEVADA
NITROGEN
NUTRIENTS
PHOSPHORUS
PHYTOPLANKTON
WASTE MANAGEMENT
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IX
MANAGEMENT
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANKTON
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology