Water chemistry changes during artificial aeration of spruce Knob Lake, West Virginia

Abstract

The water mass below 3 .5 m in Spruce Knob Lake was artificially aerated with a modified full lift aerator during two consecutive summers (1974 and 1975) of an investigation that began in July of 1973 and ended in September, 1975 . Artificial aeration increased water temperature below 3 .5 m without causing destratification . Several chemical parameters were significantly affected by artificial aeration, especially from July to autumnal overturn in 1974 and 1975 . Below 3.5 m, total inorganic carbon, total alkalinity, nitrite, soluble reactive phosphorus, and total phosphorus, were lower during aeration than in the summer of no aeration (1973). Although artificial aeration lowered soluble reactive and total phosphorus, there was no significant impact on the phosphorus budget of the impoundment. In 1975, continuous aeration from vernal overturn to autumnal overturn resulted in higher nitrate concentrations below 3 .5 m than in the preceeding summers . Lower pH values encountered through the whole water column in 1975 followed a brief isothermal interruption of summer stratification in early June. There was no direct effect of artificial aeration on either temperature or water chemistry parameters in the epilimnion . Significantly lower chlorophyll concentrations observed in 1975 were related to destratification in June . Primary production was unaffected by aeration .

Water management of Lake Yogo targeting internal phosphorus loading

“…(1996), more than four aerators were required to allow sufficient circulation to prevent the formation of an anoxic water layer. An increase in water temperatures in the hypolimnetic layer and the earlier turnover in autumn under the condition of insufficient destratification by artificial aeration has been observed in other studies (Bernhardt 1967; Toetz 1977; Labaugh 1980). The maximum water temperature in the hypolimnetic layer had risen to ≈ 25°C from < 20°C before 1992 and the autumn turnover has occurred earlier by > 1 month (i.e.…”

Responses of Physico-chemical Variables to Hypolimnetic Aeration in Lake Naukuchiyatal, Central Himalaya, India

“…In contrast to the results of the Naukuchiytal lake regarding phosphorus, several workers have reported lower concentration of phosphate phosphorus during aeration in their respective studied water bodies (e.g. La Baugh, 1980;Burgi and Stadelman, 2002). Several other studies have found accumulation of phosphorus in the hypolimnion and reduction of it in the epilimnion and metalimnion due to aeration (Grochowska and Gawronska, 2004, Engstorm, 2005Liboriussen et al, 2009).…”

Impact of hypolimnetic aeration on zooplankton and phytoplankton populations

“…At Lake Waccabuc, New York, Fast (9) reported spring increases and summer decreases in secchi disk readings during the second year of aeration. At Spruce Knob Lake, West Virginia, La Baugh (12,13) reported lower chlorophyll a levels during the second year of aeration, but attributed this to destratification rather than to the effects of hypolimnetic aeration. Hickel (11) gives a detailed account of phytoplankton successional patterns at Grebner See, F.R.…”