Sources of acidity in lakes and streams of the United States

Philip R. Kaufmann, Alan T. Herlihy, Lawrence A. Baker

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19 Scopus citations

Abstract

Acidic (acid neutralizing capacity [ANC]≦0) surface waters in the United States sampled in the National Surface Water Survey (NSWS) were classified into three groups according to their probable sources of acidity: (1) organic-dominated waters (organic anions >SO4* + NO3-); (2) watershed sulphate-dominated waters (watershed sulphate sources > deposition sulphate sources); and (3) deposition-dominated waters (anion chemistry dominated by inputs of sulphate and nitrate derived from deposition). The classification approach is highly robust; therefore, it is a useful tool in segregating surface waters into chemical categories. An estimated 75% (881) of acidic lakes and 47% (2190) of acidic streams are dominated by acid anions from deposition and are probably acidic due to acidic deposition. In about a quarter of the acidic lakes and streams, organic acids were the dominant source of acidity. In the remaining 26% of the acidic streams, watershed sources of sulphate, mainly from acid mine drainage, were the dominant source of acidity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)115-122
Number of pages8
JournalEnvironmental Pollution
Volume77
Issue number2-3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1992
Externally publishedYes

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