Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Identifying The Effects Of Alum Treatment On Water And Sediment Chemistry Of Two Lakes In Pierce County, Washington, Colin Glaze

Summer Research

Many freshwater and marine ecosystems are affected by hazardous algal blooms (HABs) each year, and the number is rising. In most cases, the main cause of HABs is nutrient loading from anthropogenic sources, and often, the overloaded nutrient is phosphorus. To combat these HABs, alum treatment is commonly used. Alum treatment is the use of aluminum sulfate, which binds to phosphorus, effectively lowering the levels of free phosphorus and thus reducing algal growth. However, alum can also have adverse effects on water and sediment chemistry. Within Pierce County, Wapato and Waughop lakes present a unique opportunity to study the effects …