Dynamic Characteristics of Water Quality in Lake Utonai, Japan Considering Effects of Groundwater Flow and Sea-Land Wind

Abstract

The area of this study, Lake Utonai, is in eastern Tomakomai, Hokkaido, Japan. In recent years, the lake has been experiencing the ecological eutrophication resulted from nutrient salts and fine sediments from the rivers, which will damage the ecosystem. The lake water is affected by sea-land wind from costal regions, and by groundwater flow, due to the lake's shallow depth. This study proposed a water quality model and a water flow model for the shallow lake, considering effects of groundwater flow and sea-land wind.