TAHOE: STATE OF THE LAKE REPORT 2019 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
tahoe.ucdavis.edu 9 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Sources of clarity-reducing and blueness-reducing pollutants In 2018
Research has quantified the primary area. Part of the atmospheric particle Regional Water Quality Control Board, sources of nutrients (nitrogen and load is from these urbanized areas. For the Nevada Division of Environmental phosphorus) and particulate material that nitrogen, atmospheric deposition is the Protection, and the Tahoe Regional are causing Lake Tahoe to lose clarity and major source (57 percent). Phosphorus Planning Agency. Data were originally blueness in its upper waters. One of the is primarily introduced by the urban generated for the Lake Tahoe TMDL major contributors to clarity decline are (18 percent) and non-urban (47 percent) Program. These results are revised from extremely fine particles in stormwater watersheds. These categories of pollutant the original estimates as they are based that originate from the urban watershed sources form the basis of a strategy to on a longer time series of monitoring (67 percent), even though these areas restore Lake Tahoe’s open-water clarity data. cover only 10 percent of the basin’s land by agencies including the Lahontan
Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.1 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Pollutant loads from seven watersheds In 2018
The Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring stream phosphorus and nitrogen comes in Carson City, Nevada, UC Davis TERC, Program (LTIMP) measures nutrient from the Upper Truckee River, Trout the California Tahoe Conservancy, the and sediment input from seven of the 63 Creek, Blackwood Creek and Ward Creek. Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control watershed streams – a reduction of three The LTIMP stream water quality program Board, and the Tahoe Regional Planning streams since 2011. The vast majority of is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey Agency.
Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.2 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Nitrogen contribution by Upper Truckee River Yearly since 1989
Nitrogen (N) is important because, it remainder of the total nitrogen load are load of 59.5 MT. 2018 had 32.0 inches of along with phosphorus (P), stimulates shown here. The year-to-year variations precipitation, and a total nitrogen load of algal growth. The Upper Truckee River primarily reflect changes in precipitation. 25.1 MT. The long-term mean nitrogen is the largest of the 63 streams that flow For example, 1994 had 16.6 inches of load is 14.9 MT/yr. into Lake Tahoe, contributing about 25 precipitation and a low nitrogen load of percent of the inflowing water. The river’s 4.6 MT, while 2017 had 68.9 inches of (One metric ton (MT) = 2,205 pounds.) contribution of dissolved nitrate and the precipitation and a very high nitrogen
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.3 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Phosphorus contribution by Upper Truckee River Yearly since 1989
Soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) is precipitation in 2018 resulted in a Total iconic blueness. Total phosphorus is that fraction of phosphorus immediately Phosphorus level of 3.52 MT and a SRP the sum of SRP and other phosphorus, available for algal growth. As with load of 0.63 MT. These compare with the which includes organic phosphorus and nitrogen (Fig. 9.3), the year-to-year long-term averages of 2.44 and 0.37 MT phosphorus associated with particles. variation in load largely reflects the respectively. Decreasing nutrient inputs (One metric ton (MT) = 2,205 pounds.) changes in precipitation. Above average is fundamental to restoring Lake Tahoe’s
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Suspended sediment contribution by Upper Truckee River Yearly since 1989
The load of total suspended sediment the latter. Plans to restore lake clarity regardless of size, as well as restoration delivered to the lake by the Upper emphasize reducing loads of very fine of habitat for plants and wildlife. In 2018, Truckee River is related to landscape suspended sediment (less than 20 the suspended sediment load from the conditions and erosion as well as to microns in diameter) from urbanized Upper Truckee River was 1,807 MT. The precipitation and stream flow. Inter- areas. Efforts to restore natural stream highest load ever recorded was 6,100 MT annual variation in sediment load over function and watershed condition focus in 2006. The average annual load is 2,430 shorter time scales is more related to on reducing loads of total sediment MT.
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.5 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Lake nitrate concentration Yearly since 1980
Up through 2012, the volume-weighted has been increasing. In 2018, the volume- not take place, allowing for a continued annual average concentration of nitrate- weighted annual average concentration buildup of nitrate in the deep water. The nitrogen has remained relatively of nitrate-nitrogen was 20.9 micrograms average annual concentration is 16.8 constant, ranging between 13 and 19 per liter, the highest value on record. This micrograms per liter. Water samples are micrograms per liter. Since that time, high value is in part due to the seventh taken at the MLTP (mid-lake) station at however, the lake’s nitrate concentration successive year in which deep mixing did 13 depths from the surface to 450 meters.
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.6 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Lake phosphorus concentration Yearly since 1980
Phosphorus naturally occurs in Tahoe to the SRP that is measured in the average concentration of THP was 3.0 Basin soils and enters the lake from streams. Since 1980, THP has tended to micrograms per liter. Water samples are soil disturbance and erosion. Total decline, although in the last nine years taken at the MLTP (mid-lake) station at hydrolyzable phosphorus, or THP, is a the values have been increasing toward 13 depths from the surface to 450 meters. measure of the fraction of phosphorus levels that were present in the 1980s. that algae can use to grow. It is similar In 2018, the volume-weighted annual
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.7 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Nitrate distribution In 2018
Water samples are collected of nitrate. Concentrations below a depth decompose, the nitrate they consumed approximately every month (on dates of about 350 feet are generally elevated. reappears deep in the lake. At these indicated by the dashed lines) at 13 The surface waters, where there is depths, however, there is insufficient light depths (indicated by the dots) at the sunlight to enable algae to grow, usually for algae to grow and use these nutrients. middle of the lake, and analyzed in have low concentrations of nitrate. Deep lake mixing will bring the deep the TERC laboratory for nutrient Although most of the nitrate enters nitrate back to the surface. 2018 was a concentrations. Here the nitrate at the surface through atmospheric year with only partial mixing, and so concentration is shown in the form of deposition, it is rapidly taken up by most of the nitrate remained trapped in color contours. the algae and surface concentrations the deep water. Most evident is the vertical distribution are generally low. As algae sink and
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.8 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Orthophosphate distribution In 2018
Water samples are collected approximately concentration (the fraction of phosphorus that in 2018 nitrogen was the nutrient every month (on dates indicated by the that can be readily used by algae) is shown that limited algal growth. The high dashed lines) at 13 depths (indicated in the form of color contours. concentrations of phosphorus deep in the by the dots) at the middle of the lake, Phosphorus mainly enters the lake lake during summer are the result of algae and analyzed in the TERC laboratory in association with fine particles during sinking and then decomposing. Eventually for nutrient concentrations. Here the runoff events. The higher values near the the THP attaches to particles and settles to total hydrolyzable phosphorus (THP) surface in spring and summer suggest the lake bottom.
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.9 NUTRIENTS AND PARTICLES
Fine particle distribution In 2018
Water samples are collected particles (in the range of 0.5 to 8 microns) particles is the lowest due to mixing and approximately monthly (on dates are shown in the form of color contours. dilution. The particle concentration is indicated by the dashed lines) at 13 Clearly evident is that the highest highest in May, July and August, which depths (indicated by the dots) at the concentrations of fine particles (orange coincides with the annual variation in middle of the lake, and analyzed in the tones) are concentrated in the upper Secchi depth this year. The fine particles TERC laboratory for the concentration part of the lake. In March (winter), when gradually clump together (aggregate) and of fine particles in 15 different bin sizes. mixing is at its peak, clarity is generally allows them to more rapidly settle to the Here the distributions of the finest greatest, as the surface concentration of lake sediments at the bottom.
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Log Number of particles (<16 Micrometers) per milliliter Log
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Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2019 9.10