Nitrate Deposition and Impact on Adirondack Streams

摘要

Acidic deposition has a great impact on water chemistry and fish populations in the Adirondack region. Although the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 have resulted in some reductions of sulfate deposition, nitrate deposition has not yet been well controlled, and continues to impact aquatic resources. As part of the USEPA funded Episodic Response Project four Adirondack headwater streams were intensively monitored over an 18 month period. Atmospheric deposition was also monitored at a centrally located station. The quantity of nitrate being deposited on the study watersheds was calculated based on monthly net deposition data which ranged from 0.6 kg/ha/month to 3.6 kg/ha/month. These data were then compared to the monthly export of nitrate from the watershed in these streams. Nitrate concentrations were highest in the streamwater during the spring snowmelt period prior to the time when forest vegetation actively utilizes nitrate. On an annual basis the amount of nitrate which left the watershed via stream water exceeded the amount which fell as nitrate deposition.