ABSTRACT:Lake water sulfate values were examined for two areas in western Norway and the western United States presently receiving low levels of sulfate in atmospheric deposition. Data from these areas were used to estimate background concentrations of sulfate in lakes found in areas currently receiving acidic deposition. The two areas contain dilute lakes with concentrations of sea‐salt corrected Ca+ Mg less than 50 μeq/l or conductivity4.8. Based on observations from these areas, we conclude that background sulfate concentrations were probably no more than 10 to 15 μeq L‐1for areas of Norway and the U.S. containing lakes with low concentrations of base cations. For southern Norway and the northeastern U.S., present lakewater sulfate concentrations represent an increase of 7 to 10 fold above these estimated backgro
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