Southeast Alaska Network freshwater water quality monitoring program: 2014 annual report

Sergeant, Christopher; Johnson, William

Freshwater water quality is an indicator of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem health and one of twelve priority Vital Signs in the National Park Service’s Southeast Alaska Network (SEAN), which includes Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, and Sitka National Historical Park. Data collected under this program inform several management-relevant topics: • Assessing whether state and federal water quality standards are exceeded • Measuring the natural quality of wilderness lands in Glacier Bay • Describing effects of a changing climate on the physical and chemical properties of park waters (For example, how do changes in glacial watershed coverage, wetland water filling patterns, or forest cover affect long-term water quality patterns?) This fifth annual report is intended to be a concise data summary and regular product for park staff, managers, superintendents, and other interested parties. All annual reports and data products are publicly available at the SEAN website: http://science.nature.nps.gov/im/units/sean/FQ_Main.aspx In 2014, hourly water temperature, specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH data were collected in the Salmon River (Glacier Bay) from April 18 through November 13, and in the Indian River (Sitka) from April 30 through September 25. The same parameters plus turbidity were collected in the Taiya River (Klondike Gold Rush) from April 7 through November 14. No observations signaled point source pollution or a change to the fundamental water quality of the three rivers. Compared to previous monitoring seasons, water temperatures collected in 2014 were generally warmer than previous monitoring years 2010 through 2013, but not of concern. Daily mean temperature for the Salmon River ranged from 3.8 to 11.7°C, while the Indian River ranged from 5.5 to 10.8°C. Both rivers peaked in temperature on August 10. Daily mean temperature for the glacially influenced Taiya River ranged from 1.9 to 6.6°C and peaked on August 3 and September 17. Taiya River hourly turbidity measurements ranged from 0 to greater than 1,000 NTU and were synchronized with high flow events. Patterns in the medians and distributions of specific conductance, dissolved oxygen, and pH were similar to previously observed ranges for all three rivers. The low dissolved oxygen conditions of the Indian River observed during summer 2013 were not repeated in 2014, likely due to more frequent rainfall, slightly lower water temperatures in August, and reduced abundance of spawning pink salmon... [cont'd in actual report]

Southeast Alaska Network freshwater water quality monitoring program: 2014 annual report

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