N. Reid and S.K. Hamilton
Presented at the All Scientist Meeting (2003-09-12 )
Impoundments change the characteristics of a water body from a river to a lake, affecting chemical, physical and biological characteristics. Two reservoirs of differing trophic status were sampled weekly in order to quantify the roles of the reservoirs as sinks for nutrients. Lake Allegan is a 1587-acre hypereutrophic impoundment, and is located 43 miles downstream of Morrow Lake, a 1000- acre eutrophic impoundment on the same river. No major tributary inputs exist between the reservoirs. Despite their spatial proximity, in 1999 a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for phosphorus was developed for Lake Allegan to control summer algal blooms, whereas Morrow Pond lacks summer algal blooms. The inflow and outflow waters of Lake Allegan and Morrow Pond were sampled and analyzed for inorganic nitrogen forms, phosphorus, major solutes and chlorophyll. The biogeochemical changes in river water during passage through the reservoirs will be analyzed, and the two systems will be compared.
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