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NUTRIENT PATTERNS IN A MAINSTEM RESERVOIR, KENTUCKY LAKE, USA, OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD
Citation:
Yurista, P. M., D. S. White, G. W. Kipphut, K. Johnson, G Rice, AND S. P. Hendricks. NUTRIENT PATTERNS IN A MAINSTEM RESERVOIR, KENTUCKY LAKE, USA, OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD. LAKE AND RESERVOIR MANAGEMENT 20(02):148-165.
Impact/Purpose:
To examine seasonal and annual nutrient patterns in a mainstem reservoir
Description:
Nutrient patterns were examined spatially and temporally from 1989 to 1998 in Kentucky Lake, USA, the largest mainstem reservoir on the Tennessee River System. Seasonal patterns in most nutrient concentrations were described well by cosine functions. Seasonal descriptions had less variance than discharge-related descriptions of nutrient concentrations. Differing land-use practices on either side of the reservoir were associated with significantly different nutrient concentrations in their related embayments. The agriculturally dominated western side embayments had lower nutrient concentrations than either the forested eastern side of the reservoir or mainstem sites. Annual average nutrient concentrations did not vary greatly over the 10-year period, indicating no change in eutrophication potential during the sample period. Annual export of nutrients was computed from yearly regressions on seasonal concentrations and daily discharge rates. Nutrient export as an integration of wtershed processes was a function of annual discharge whereas nutrient concentrations were poorly related to discharge rate, possibly due to regulation of reservoir discharge.