Life Sciences Commons^™

Lakes And Forests As Determinants Of Downstream Nutrient Concentrations In Small Mountain Watersheds, P. D. Brown, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, K. Nydick

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

Lakes are dynamic processors of nutrients and may hold an active role in modifying the water chemistry of stream systems. In this study, we examine the influence of lakes and an important terrestrial component—forest cover—on the nutrient levels of stream water in 11 Rocky Mountain (Idaho) watersheds. Water samples were collected from the inflow and outflow of lakes with varying amounts of upstream lakes and forested area during spring runoff and summer base flow. During base flow, mean total nitrogen concentrations at the inflow of final lakes were significantly related to relative upstream lake area, increasing from 34 to 103 …