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Kennebec County

Undergraduate Research Symposium (UGRS)

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The Impact Of Land Use Patterns And Watershed Characteristics On China Lake, Kennebec County, Maine, Rachel N. Carr, Caroline A. Polgar, Jakob B. Moe, F. Russell Cole, David H. Firmage, Kirsten L. Ness Jan 2006

The Impact Of Land Use Patterns And Watershed Characteristics On China Lake, Kennebec County, Maine, Rachel N. Carr, Caroline A. Polgar, Jakob B. Moe, F. Russell Cole, David H. Firmage, Kirsten L. Ness

Undergraduate Research Symposium (UGRS)

China Lake is located in Kennebec County, Maine. Since 1983 the lake has suffered from yearly algal blooms as a result of the addition of excess nutrients. The nutrient load was amplified by erosion within the watershed. Erosion varies widely depending on a number of factors, including the slope of the land, the type of soil, and the way the land is being used. Certain land use types have a high potential to add nutrients to the environment, while others may help absorb excess nutrients and prevent erosion and runoff into the lake. A comprehensive examination of the China Lake …