Methane in surface waters of Oregon estuaries and rivers

Journal Article · Fri May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Limnology and Oceanography; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.4319/lo.1987.32.3.0716· OSTI ID:6898473

de Angelis, M A; Lilley, M D ^[1]

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1. Washington Univ., Seattle (USA)

Methane concentrations in surface waters of Oregon rivers and estuaries were measured over a four-year period. Geographic variations in riverine CH{sub 4} were observed. Results from undisturbed forest streams indicate that rivers can contain high natural levels of CH{sub 4} not attributable to pollution. Lateral diffusion and runoff from saturated forest and fertilized agricultural soils may be important in determining methane levels in rivers. Methane concentrations in well-flushed estuaries appear to be controlled mainly by mixing between high CH{sub 4}-containing river water and low CH{sub 4}-containing seawater endmembers. Rivers and estuaries were found to be sources of methane to the atmosphere. Calculated daily fluxes to the atmosphere ranged from 1.2 to 71 mg CH{sub 4} sq m for rivers and from 0.04 to 21 mg CH{sub 4} sq m for estuarine samples. 24 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6898473
• Journal Information: Limnology and Oceanography; (USA), Vol. 32:3; ISSN 0024-3590
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ESTUARIES
CONTAMINATION
METHANE
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
OREGON
WATER POLLUTION
RIVERS
MONITORING
ALKANES
FEDERAL REGION X
HYDROCARBONS
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
STREAMS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)