preview

Loueberry Lake Essay

Decent Essays

We found that the limiting nutrient in Loughberry Lake is phosphorous. The most natural way that phosphorous enters aquatic systems, is through the cycling and erosion of phosphorous rich rocks and sediments. The phosphorous cycle takes a long time to complete, but through human processes such as mining and runoff, phosphorous is able to enter our water sources much more quickly. There is also a small amount of deposition that may occur from the atmosphere to the water. The most common human source of phosphorous is urban and agricultural runoff. (Mahaney, Wendy. September 22…) In Saratoga Springs there is a concentration of residential and urban infrastructure, which is a source of runoff into Loughberry Lake and other surrounding waters. Fertilizers and manure also contain high amounts of phosphorous, and tend to be the key culprits in phosphorous runoff (Mahaney, Wendy. September 22…). The limiting nutrient in a water source is what controls algal growth, no mater how much other nutrients is present, without that nutrient there will be no growth. In this regard it is imperative to know what the limiting resource is in a drinking water system in order to maintain the health of the system. Since phosphorous is naturally found in small quantities in water, if too much phosphorous is present then algal growth will increase. Having such high levels of algal growth can dramatically affect the lake’s health, and can effect how a municipal government must treat its water. The

Get Access