2014 GSA Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia (19–22 October 2014)

Paper No. 310-6
Presentation Time: 10:30 AM

EUTROPHICATION TRACKING THROUGH INTERCONNECTED KETTLE LAKES IN AGRICULTURAL INDIANA


HIXSON, Jase1, STONE, Jeffery2, YEAGER, Kevin M.3 and SCHINDLER, Kimberly3, (1)Earth and Environmental Systems, Indiana State University, 600 Chestnut Street, Terre Haute, IN 47809, (2)Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, Indiana State University, Terre Haute, IN 47809, (3)Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506

Chain O’ Lakes State Park, located in northern Indiana, consists of nine interconnected lakes and four satellite lakes, with depths that range from 1 to 20 m. Park managers have reported increasing cyanobacteria blooms throughout last decade, which has resulted in periodic closure of on-site recreational facilities. Park managers are concerned about the impact on the lake ecosystems and tourism to the park.

Chain O’ Lakes State Park is bordered by farmland in the extreme northeast and southwest corners of the park, and has a correctional facility in the eastern-most section of the park. Some additional nutrient loading may be coming from the previously non-compliant on-site sewage treatment plant associated with the corrections facility.

In the spring of 2013, we collected plankton from samples from each lake, and found that most of the flora were dominated by species indicating elevated nutrient levels, however there were some trends between lakes. Diatom species indicative of higher phosphorus levels tended to be greatest in the eastern lakes, generally decreasing through the chain westward. Analyzed sediment cores taken from each of the interconnected lakes show increased signs of eutrophication in more recent sediment, and suggests rapid introduction of nutrients.

Our project is designed to explore the impact of eutrophication through a chain of interconnected lakes, and the impacts of human development and agriculture on the system of lakes over the last two centuries. We have analyzed a series of diatom assemblages from short cores taken from each lake in the system. One long core was taken from Long Lake in order to establish a baseline nutrient level for the lake systems. Charcoal will be analyzed to establish when Native Americans first colonized the area. We ultimately intend to compare the timing of eutrophication within individual systems as a means of exploring the influence of lake hierarchy on nutrient cycling in a flow-through system.

Session No. 310

T173. From Peak to Playa, Saline to Fresh—The Great Diversity of Lakes (Poster)
Wednesday, 22 October 2014: 9:00 AM-6:30 PM
Exhibition Hall C (Vancouver Convention Centre-West)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 46, No. 6, p.745
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