Water Quality in the Northwest Lake Champlain Basin

Introduction

    The purpose of this project is to catalog basic cation (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and anion (Cl, SO₄, alkalinity) chemistry of surface water and groundwater from five watersheds in the northwest Lake Champlain Basin (Great Chazy River, Little Chazy River, Saranac River, Salmon River, Little Ausable River and Ausable River).  Dr. Robert Fuller (CEES Faculty) is coordinating analytical work.  Two undergraduate students, Matthew Valentine and Katie Wynne are analyzing water samples and assisting in field sampling.  We are using an AA and IC for analysis for the analysis of the samples.

The anticipate date of completion for this project is July, 2001.

	One of our field sites:  Debar Mountain in the background, Clear Pond in the foreground.  Photograph taken at Meacham Lake State Park Photograph:  E. Romanowicz
	Matthew Valentine and Katie Wynne filter water and measure pH and specific conductivity. Photograph:  E. Romanowicz

Results:

Results from the research were recently presented at the Annual Meeting of The Geological Society of America in Boston, MA  (November 8, 2001).

Piper Plots:

Piper Plots and Box Plots

The Piper Plot shows some interesting trends.   Many of the water samples are clustered as high in calcium and alkalinity (bicarbonate).  There is a mixing trend towards more sodium, potassium and chloride rich waters.  This mixing trend is most likely an effect of road salt during the winter season.  Box plots of cation and anion concentrations and percent contributions show that during the fall (October – December 2000) concentrations of all cations and anions were generally greater than during the following winter (January – April 2001).  The median percent contributions of cations and anions were unaffected by the seasons.  However, during the winter the 75^th and 99^th percentiles of both Na and Cl increased.  Some of the water samples collected during the winter were very high in NaCl, suggesting that this mixing trend is an effect of road salt on natural water with very dilute concentrations of cations and anions.  Thus, even small concentrations of road salt are enough to change the type of water.

I gratefully acknowledge funding and equipment time for this project was provided by the Lake Champlain Research Institute at SUNY Plattsburgh.

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