Evaluation of Stream Liming Effects on Water Quality and Anadromous Fish Spawning in Maryland Coastal Plain Streams: 1987 Results

摘要

Automated stream dosers that deliver a wet slurry of calcium carbonate were installed on two Maryland Coastal Plain streams subject to acidic pulses during rainstorms to evaluate the use of stream liming technology to maintain suitable water quality for early life stages of anadromous fish. Based on spawning adult surveys, ichthyoplankton collections and juvenile surveys, anadromous fish populations were found to be near historically low levels in the two treated and two control study streams. Results of water quality sampling indicated that significant changes in water chemistry occurred at the upstream (untreated) site during elevated flows on each stream. With the addition of calcium carbonate, stream chemistry conditions at the downstream (treated) sites during each event were similar to those observed during baseflow.