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A COMPARISON OF IMPOUNDMENTS AND NATURAL DRAINAGE LAKES IN THE NORTHEAST USA
Citation:
Whittier, T R., D P. Larsen, S A. Peterson, AND T. M. Kincaid. A COMPARISON OF IMPOUNDMENTS AND NATURAL DRAINAGE LAKES IN THE NORTHEAST USA. HYDROBIOLOGIA. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Hingham, MA, 470:157-171, (2002).
Description:
In order to characterize and compare impoundments and natural drainage lakes, we classified 235 randomly selected lentic waterbodies (>1 ha) in the Northeast USA as human created, or natural. We compared geographic extent and distribution, morphology and hydrology, trophic state, and fish assemblage metrics of impoundments and natural drainage lakes. Using the inverse of sample inclusion probabilities as weights, we estimated that 46.5% of the 10,607 (+1,695; 95% CI) lentic waterbodies in the region were impoundments or quarries; 70.6% of Upland lakes and 30.0% of Lowland lakes were natural. Impoundments were smaller, shallower, had shorter water residence times, and were in watersheds with greater human activity than were natural drainage lakes. Nearly half (47.6%) of Lowland impoundments were eutrophic, accounting for 64.9% of eutrophic or hypereutrophic lentic waterbodies in the Northeast. An estimated 90% of eutrophic lakes and impoundments were <23 ha. Impoundments had greater proportions of fish species and individuals tolerant of disturbed conditions, and greater proportions of non-native species and individuals than did natural drainage lakes. We discuss some management implications of the differences between impoundments and natural drainage lakes.