Snowpack ion accumulation and loss in a small first-order watershed adjacent to Lake Superior
Rutkowski D and Stottlemyer R. 1987. Snowpack ion accumulation and loss in a small first-order watershed adjacent to Lake Superior. Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America. 68(3):405
A major concern in the Great Lakes region has been the fate of anthropic ions in snowpacks during spring melt. The objective of this seven- year study is to relate winter precipitation ionic inputs, snowpack retention, and change in first-order stream chemistry with spring snowpack melt. Snowfall and snowpack increase with modest gain (125 m) in elevation above Lake Superior. Snowpack moisture varies yearly from 25 to 61\ of mean annua l precipitation. Snowpacks remain from 17-20 weeks, and solute load closely follows precipitation inputs for the first 9-10 weeks . Thaws then reduce solute loads by 30-50% within two weeks. During this initial thaw the watershed shows only slightly elevated stream concentrations of hydrogen, nitrate and sulfate. With peak stream discharge the snowpack hydrogen, nitrate and sulfate content average 22, 20 and 12\ of precipitation input. During the winter period sulfate discharge exceeds bulk precipitation inputs by 20-100% while hydrogen and nitrate are retained.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Rutkowski, Darcy; Stottlemyer, Robert
- Units
- ISRO
- Keywords
- Chemistry, Nutrients, Physical Sciences, Watersheds