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Air Quality at a Snowmobile Staging Area and Snow Chemistry on and Off Trail in a Rocky Mountain Subalpine Forest, Snowy Range, Wyoming

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Air Quality at a Snowmobile Staging Area and Snow Chemistry on and Off Trail in a Rocky Mountain Subalpine Forest, Snowy Range, Wyoming Environ Monit Assess (2007) 133:321–334 DOI 10.1007/s10661-006-9587-9 Air quality at a snowmobile staging area and snow chemistry on and off trail in a Rocky Mountain subalpine forest, Snowy Range, Wyoming Robert C. Musselman & John L. Korfmacher Received: 26 May 2006 /Accepted: 30 November 2006 / Published online: 8 February 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2007 Abstract A study was begun in the winter of 2000– quality at this high elevation ecosystem. Pollutant 2001 and continued through the winter of 2001–2002 concentrations were generally low both winter and to examine air quality at the Green Rock snowmobile summer. In a separate study, water chemistry and staging area at 2,985 m elevation in the Snowy Range snow density were measured from snow samples of Wyoming. The study was designed to evaluate the collected on and adjacent to a snowmobile trail. Snow effects of winter recreation snowmobile activity on air on the trail was significantly denser and significantly quality at this high elevation site by measuring levels more acidic with significantly higher concentrations of nitrogen oxides (NOx, NO), carbon monoxide of sodium, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, fluo- (CO), ozone (O3) and particulate matter (PM10 mass). ride, and sulfate than in snow off the trail. Snowmo- Snowmobile numbers were higher weekends than bile activity had no effect on nitrate levels in snow. weekdays, but numbers were difficult to quantify with an infrared sensor. Nitrogen oxides and carbon Keywords Anions . Carbon monoxide . Cations . monoxide were significantly higher weekends than Dispersion . High elevation . Nitrogen oxides . Ozone . weekdays. Ozone and particulate matter were not Particulate matter . Winter recreation significantly different during the weekend compared to weekdays. Air quality data during the summer was also compared to the winter data. Carbon monoxide levels at the site were significantly higher during the Introduction winter than during the summer. Nitrogen oxides and particulates were significantly higher during the Air quality in high elevation ecosystems in the summer compared to winter. Nevertheless, air pollu- western US is generally considered to be relatively tants were well dispersed and diluted by strong winds good with low concentrations of air pollutants. common at the site, and it appears that snowmobile However, high-elevation environments in the western emissions did not have a significant impact on air United States are sensitive to the effects of atmo- spheric deposition derived from anthropogenic sour- ces (Finley 1992). Nitrogen deposition is of particular : importance in these ecosystems. Emissions of nitro- R. C. Musselman (*) J. L. Korfmacher gen oxides are increasing in the western US (Placet Rocky Mountain Research Station, USDA Forest Service, 240 West Prospect Road, 1990), as well as nitrogen (N) deposition in terrestrial Fort Collins, CO 80526-2098, USA ecosystems (Fenn et al. 2003; Williams et al. 1996). e-mail: [email protected] Research has shown that atmospheric deposition can 322 Environ Monit Assess (2007) 133:321–334 also cause major changes in aquatic ecosystems Ecosystem Experiments Site (GLEES), a high eleva- (Irving 1992; Schindler 1988). tion alpine and subalpine research area in the Snowy The effect of emissions from snowmobile activity Range of SE Wyoming (Musselman 1994), indicate on air quality and deposition in high elevation that higher amounts of N deposition occur at this high ecosystems has been studied primarily at Yellowstone elevation (3,200 m) site than at nearby lower National Park (YNP) in NW Wyoming. Most snow- elevations (Korfmacher and Musselman 2004), even mobiles currently are equipped with two-stroke though the site is remote from any major source of N engines that are more polluting than four-stroke emissions. Higher deposition is likely due to the engines (Bishop et al. 2001; USDI 2000). They emit higher precipitation loading, about 120 cm/year at the hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NOx), particu- GLEES, primarily in the form of snow. Wind blown late matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO), and non- snow and dust also contributes to higher deposition at combusted fuel vapors (USDI 2000). Combustion the GLEES. engine emissions contain carcinogens, including Although much of the atmospheric deposition in benzene, butadiene, and polycyclic aromatic hydro- remote areas such as the GLEES is thought to result carbons (USDI 2000). Combustion engines also emit from long-range transport, local sources of deposition large amounts of carbon dioxide. Extensive visitor use cannot be discounted. Many public lands, including of snowmobiles has raised concerns about air quality the Medicine Bow National Forest in southeastern (especially HC, VOC and CO) and park employee Wyoming, are experiencing increased winter recrea- health at YNP. Bishop et al. (1999), (2001) docu- tion snowmobile use. Use is often higher on week- mented ‘in-use’ snowmobile pollutant emissions ends and holidays. It is possible that increased (pollutant evaluation of snowmobiles in use for snowmobile use will increase the potential for impact recreational travel) but did not directly address in the Snowy Range of Wyoming. associated air quality issues. Kado et al. (2001) Contribution of snowmobiles to chemical deposi- addressed the potential health hazards to park service tion to snow in this area is unknown, and information employees by measuring ambient air quality at YNP’s about deposition impacts of snowmobiles is limited. West Yellowstone entrance station and at a remote site Research has shown that ammonium and sulfate near Old Faithful geyser. They found levels of CO, concentrations in snow were higher under snow PM and VOC to be elevated but not in violation of machine trails than off the trails, but nitrate concen- recommended exposure limits for outdoor employees. trations did not change within 100 m of the trail However, the National Park Service (National Park (Ingersoll 1999; Ingersoll et al. 1997). Nitrates are of Service 1995; USDI 2000) found concentrations of particular concern, since wet and dry deposited CO at the West Yellowstone entrance to exceed nitrates accumulate in the winter snowpack and can National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) be an important source of N for plant growth during periods of heavy snowmobile traffic (>450 (Bowman 1992); and can cause changes in ecosystem snowmobiles per hour). processes, species productivity, and composition to Other potentially deleterious effects of recreational alpine meadows (Bowman and Steltzer 1998; snowmobile use have been documented, including Bowman et al. 1993). Interlandi and Kilham (1998) wildlife disturbance (e.g., Creel et al. 2002) and suggest that high elevation aquatic ecosystems are health hazards to park employees (Kado et al. 2001) sensitive to N deposition from automobile and and snowmobile riders (Eriksson et al. 2003; Snook- snowmobile emissions. Fussel 1997). Snowmobile trails have been shown to increase Atmospheric dry deposition (CASTNET1) and wet snow density resulting in longer lasting, delayed, spring deposition (NADP2) monitored at the Glacier Lakes melt and lower temperature under the snow (Hogan 1972; Keddy et al. 1979; Wanek 1971); factors that may be important in plant species distribution (Atkin and Collier 1992; Kudo 1991; Walker et al. 1993). 1 CASTNET – Clean Air Status and Trends Network: http:// www.epa.gov/castnet/. Damage to ecosystems from increased density of 2 NADP – National Atmospheric Deposition Program: http:// snowpack after snowmobile activity may be caused nadp.sws.uiuc.edu/. by acceleration of heat loss and colder temperatures Environ Monit Assess (2007) 133:321–334 323 under the snowpack (Keddy et al. 1979; Neumann and Materials and methods Merriam 1972; Pesant et al. 1985; Wanek 1971). A study was conducted to monitor air quality at a The air quality monitoring study was conducted at the snowmobile staging area and trailhead for a major Green Rock Picnic Area snowmobile trailhead and groomed snowmobile trail in the Snowy Range in staging area (Fig. 1), Medicine Bow National Forest, southeastern Wyoming. The site has different terrain about 12 km west of Centennial, Wyoming at 2,985 m and meteorological characteristics than the Yellow- elevation in the Snowy Range of Wyoming. The road stone snowmobile area. Temporal investigation of the parallels a stream and is widened at the Green Rock NOx, CO, O3 and PM dynamics of this study area site for parking where snowmobiles are unloaded, provides information on present conditions and fueled, started, and warmed before excursions are insight towards possible snowmobile contribution to begun. Wyoming State Highway 130 through the changes in air quality at the site. A separate study not Snowy Range is closed west of this site to automobile related to the air quality study at the snowmobile traffic during the winter season; and the road right-of- staging area examined snow density and snow water way is designated Snowmobile Trail U. About 2 km chemistry on and off a snowmobile trail about 2 km from the trailhead, another trail branches north from the trailhead. (Snowmobile Trail O) following the snow-covered Fig. 1 Location of air quality monitoring and snow sample collection, Medicine Bow National Forest, Snowy Range, Wyoming. The CASTNet CNT169 is located at the Brooklyn Wet and Dry Deposition Monitoring site 324 Environ Monit Assess (2007) 133:321–334 Brooklyn Lake Road, a gravel Forest Service road. Metal Works, Inc. particulate
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