2018/2019 data summary of wet nitrogen deposition at Rocky Mountain National Park

Morris K. 2021. 2018/2019 data summary of wet nitrogen deposition at Rocky Mountain National Park. Natural Resource Report. NPS/NRSS/ARD/NRR—2021/2339. National Park Service. Fort Collins, Colorado. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrr-2288455

The National Park Service is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Environmental Protection Agency Region 8 (referred to as the Memorandum of Understanding agencies) to reduce atmospheric nitrogen deposition at Rocky Mountain National Park due to its detrimental effects on park ecosystems. The data summarized in this report informs these agencies, stakeholders, and the public about the current status and trends of nitrogen deposition in accordance with the RMNP Nitrogen Deposition Reduction Plan (NDRP). Analyses include assessment of progress along the glidepath and trend analyses for RMNP and other regional sites for the following time periods: long-term/period of record (>31 years), since 2006 when the NDRP was initiated, and short-term (the most recent 7 years). Wet N deposition in 2019 at Loch Vale in RMNP was not below glidepath. Long-term trends showed that N deposition levels are stable, with ammonium concentrations increasing and nitrate concentrations decreasing at most of the sites. Trends from 2006–2019 and 2013–2019 indicated that wet N deposition and ammonium concentrations were mostly stable, but nitrate concentrations decreased at some sites. There were several changes made to the methods in 2018, including a new approach for data substitution when sample concentrations and precipitation amounts were invalid or missing, and more strict criteria for reporting significant trends over time.

Type
Published Report
Authors
Morris, Kristi
Date of Issue
2021-12
Publisher
National Park Service
DOI
10.36967/nrr-2288455
Units
ARD , NRSS , ROMO
Subjects
Ecological Framework: Air and Climate | Air Quality | Wet and Dry Deposition

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