Water Quality Conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005
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Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation Water Quality Conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005 Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5026 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Cover: Photograph of algae bloom on surface of Upper Klamath Lake with Mt. McLoughlin in background. (Photograph taken by Dean Snyder, U.S. Geological Survey, Klamath Falls, Oregon, October 27, 2007.) Water Quality Conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005 By Gene R. Hoilman, Mary K. Lindenberg, and Tamara M. Wood Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5026 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2008 For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/pubprod Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS For more information on the USGS--the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living resources, natural hazards, and the environment: World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Hoilman, G.R., Lindenberg, M.K., and Wood, T.M., 2008, Water quality conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5026, 44 p. iii Contents Abstract ...........................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction.....................................................................................................................................................2 Purpose and Scope ..............................................................................................................................4 Description of Study Area ...................................................................................................................4 Methods...........................................................................................................................................................4 Continuous Water Quality Monitors ..................................................................................................4 Water Sample Collection .....................................................................................................................6 Dissolved Oxygen Production and Consumption Experiments .....................................................6 Meteorological Sites ............................................................................................................................8 Data Processing ..................................................................................................................................10 Meteorological Conditions .........................................................................................................................10 Nutrients and Chlorophyll a .......................................................................................................................14 Bloom Dynamics of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae .........................................................................14 Spatial Variability in Nutrient and Chlorophyll a Concentrations ...............................................22 Dissolved Oxygen Production and Consumption Experiments ............................................................23 Dissolved Oxygen Production and Consumption ..........................................................................23 Depth of Photic Zone ..........................................................................................................................25 Water Quality Conditions ............................................................................................................................26 Daily Median Water Quality Conditions ..........................................................................................26 Spatial Variability in Dissolved Oxygen Concentrations ..............................................................29 Variability on Monthly to Seasonal Time Scales ..................................................................29 Variability on Short Time Scales ..............................................................................................32 Stratification and Wind Speed ........................................................................................................32 Timing of Daily Extremes in Water Quality Conditions ..................................................................34 Occurrence and Duration of Water Quality Conditions Potentially Harmful to Fish .........................36 Dissolved Oxygen Concentration, pH, and Temperature .............................................................36 Ammonia...............................................................................................................................................37 Summary and Conclusions .........................................................................................................................39 Acknowledgments .......................................................................................................................................40 References Cited .........................................................................................................................................40 Appendix A. Quality Control and Quality Assurance of Water Samples .........................................43 iv Figures Figure 1. Photograph showing algal bloom Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, disturbed by the wake of the boat, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………………… 2 Figure 2. Map showing location of meteorological sites, continuous water quality monitoring sites, and water quality sampling sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005 ……………………………………………………… 3 Figure 3. Schematic diagram of a typical mooring used for placement of continuous water quality monitors in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon …………… 6 Figure 4. Schematic diagram of apparatus for dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………… 7 Figure 5. Schematic diagram showing configuration of land-based meteorological measurement sites around Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………… 9 Figure 6. Graphs showing lakewide daily median wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, and daytime solar radiation for meteorological sites in and around Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ……………………………………………… 11 Figure 7. Map showing water-current velocity predicted by the hydrodynamic model of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, under prevailing wind conditions ………………… 12 Figure 8. Histograms showing wind speed and direction for all meteorological sites in the vicinity of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………………………… 13 Figure 9. Graphs showing weekly measurements of chlorophyll a and dissolved nutrient concentration in relation to the duration of a dissolved oxygen concentration of less than 4 milligrams per liter at water samples collected from site MDN, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2002–05 …………………………… 15 Figure 10. Graphs showing concentrations of chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, ammonia, and nitrite-plus-nitrate in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………………………………… 16 Figure 11. Graph showing weekly qualitative observations of algal bloom conditions in Agency Lake, Oregon, 2005 ……………………………………………………… 18 Figure 12. Graph showing relation of chlorophyll a to total phosphorus concentration in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ……………… 19 Figure 13. Time-series graph showing ratio of chlorophyll a to total phosphorus and ratio of ammonia and nitrite-plus-nitrate (bioavailable nitrogen) to orthophosphate (bioavailable phosphorus) concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, May–October 2005 ………………… 20 Figure 14. Graphs showing relation of ammonia and orthophosphate concentrations to chlorophyll a concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………………………………………………………… 21 Figure 15. Graphs showing statistical distribution of ammonia, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a concentrations measured in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ……………………………… 22 Figure 16. Graphs showing rate of change in dissolved oxygen concentration measured from dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments at sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ……………………………………………… 24 v Figures—Continued Figure 17. Graphs showing relation of the natural logarithm of chlorophyll a concentration to dissolved oxygen production in the upper and lower incubation racks during dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………………………………………………………… 25 Figure 18. Graph showing relation of the natural logarithm of chlorophyll a concentration to the average depth of the photic zone for all dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 ………………… 25 Figure