ARS | Publication request: Seasonal variation in water quality and dissolved methane of Barren River Lake

Submitted to: Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Symposium
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: February 10, 2011
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
Citation: Loughrin, J.H., Bolster, C.H. 2011. Seasonal variation in water quality and dissolved methane of Barren River Lake. Kentucky Water Resources Research Institute Symposium. 13-15. http://www.uky.edu/WaterResources/2011_Proceedings.pdf

Technical Abstract: Using a method for water collection that we recently developed, we monitored water quality and dissolved methane in Barren River Lake for eleven months in 2009. During the spring and winter months nitrate concentrations were essentially equal throughout the water column at eight to six mg L/L. During summer stratification, on the other hand, nitrate concentrations fell and ammonium concentrations increased with depth. In the absence of thermal stratification, manganese concentrations throughout the water column were low. In the summer, however, manganese concentrations were high the lake bottom, indicating dissolution from sediments. Other metals such as iron and were not elevated during stratification. Elevated manganese concentrations were not likely due to depressed pH that occurred during stratification. In the absence of stratification, pH was essentially equal throughout the water column. While there were pronounced differences in pH due to depth during stratification, however, this was due more to increases in pH at shallower depths rather than decreases in pH near the lake bottom. Methane concentrations at the lake bottom were elevated during summer stratification, indicating anaerobic decomposition of detritus in the lake. As a result, significant fluxes of methane are likely to occur from the lake during the summer months.