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| Title | Quality Assurance Project Plan: Characterization of Groundwater Discharge to Lake Whatcom | |||
| Month-Year Published | December 2002 | |||
| Online Availability |
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| Short Description |
Lake Whatcom is currently listed on the Washington State 303(d) list of waterbodies not attaining water quality criterion for dissolved oxygen. The State Department of Ecology′s Environmental Assessment Program is undertaking a comprehensive water quality sampling program for the lake throughout 2002 and 2003. Water quality samples will be analyzed for target nutrients (total dissolved phosphorus, orthophosphate, nitrate+nitrite as nitrogen, ammonia as nitrogen), as well as several diagnostic analytes that help to characterize geochemical controls on nutrient transport (dissolved oxygen, iron, manganese) or serve as source indicator parameters (total dissolved solids, chloride, dissolved organic carbon, boron, methylene blue active substances). (Also see abstract below) | |||
| Publication Number | 02-03-082 | |||
| Author(s) | Pitz, C. | |||
| Print Availability | ||||
| Number of pages | 21 pp. | |||
| Keywords | assessment, characterization, county, discharge, environmental, groundwater, lake, model, plan, quality assurance, quality assurance project plan, study, water, water quality, Whatcom | |||
| Subject Waterbodies |
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| Related Web Content | Groundwater assessment in Washington state | |||
| Related Publications | Title | Relationship | ||
| Lake Whatcom Total Maximum Daily Load Groundwater Study | similar topic | |||
| Abstract | Long Description |
Lake Whatcom, located in western Whatcom County, is currently listed on the Washington State 303(d) list of waterbodies not attaining water quality criterion for dissolved oxygen. In response, the Washington State Department of Ecology′s Environmental Assessment Program is undertaking a comprehensive water quality sampling program for the lake throughout 2002 and 2003. To support this evaluation, a study is proposed to improve the understanding of the role of groundwater inflow in the water quality of the lake. The primary goal of the study described in this plan is to document the phosphorus and nitrogen content of the groundwater that is directly discharging into Lake Whatcom from the adjacent aquifer system. A secondary goal is to evaluate the possible sources for any nutrients observed. Characterization of the quality of groundwater entering Lake Whatcom will assist in the development of an up-to-date, lake-wide nutrient budget, and in construction of a water-quality model. To provide sufficient data for this purpose, a network of approximately 12-15 lake-bed piezometers will be installed and sampled in the littoral zone sediments at points distributed around the perimeter of the lake. Piezometers will be sampled quarterly for a one-year period, for a total of four sampling rounds. Water quality samples will be analyzed for target nutrients (total dissolved phosphorus, orthophosphate, nitrate+nitrite as nitrogen, ammonia as nitrogen), as well as several diagnostic analytes that help to characterize geochemical controls on nutrient transport (dissolved oxygen, iron, manganese) or serve as source indicator parameters (total dissolved solids, chloride, dissolved organic carbon, boron, methylene blue active substances). |
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