Journal article
Nutrient dynamics in an alpine headwater stream: use of continuous water quality sensors to examine responses to wildfire and precipitation events
Hydrological processes, Vol.29(14), pp.3193-3207
07/01/2015
DOI: 10.1002/hyp.10426
Abstract
Stream water quality can change substantively during diurnal cycles, discrete flow events, and seasonal time scales. In this study, we assessed event responses in surface water nutrient concentrations and biogeochemical parameters through the deployment of continuous water quality sensors from March to October 2011 in the East Fork Jemez River, located in northern New Mexico, USA. Events included two pre-fire non-monsoonal precipitation events in April, four post-fire precipitation events in August and September (associated with monsoonal thunderstorms), and two post-fire non-monsoonal precipitation events in October. The six post-fire events occurred after the Las Conchas wildfire burned a significant portion of the contributing watershed (36%) beginning in June 2011. Surface water nitrate (NO3N) concentrations increased by an average of 50% after pre-fire and post-fire non-monsoonal precipitation events and were associated with small increases in turbidity (up to 15NTU). Beginning 1month after the start of the large regional wildfire, monsoonal precipitation events resulted in large multi-day increases in dissolved NO3N (6xbackground levels), dissolved phosphate (100xbackground levels), specific conductance (5xbackground levels), and turbidity (>100xbackground levels). These periods also corresponded with substantial sags in dissolved oxygen (<4mgl(-1)) and pH (<6.5). The short duration and rapid rates of change during many of these flow events, particularly following wildfire, highlight the importance of continuous water quality monitoring to quantify the timing and magnitude of event responses in streams and to examine large water quality excursions linked to catchment disturbance. Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Nutrient dynamics in an alpine headwater stream: use of continuous water quality sensors to examine responses to wildfire and precipitation events
- Creators
- Lauren R. Sherson - University of New MexicoDavid J. Van Horn - Univ New Mexico, Dept Biol, Albuquerque, NM 87131 USAJesus D. Gomez-Velez - New Mexico Institute of Mining and TechnologyLaura J. Crossey - University of New MexicoClifford N. Dahm - University of New Mexico
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Hydrological processes, Vol.29(14), pp.3193-3207
- DOI
- 10.1002/hyp.10426
- ISSN
- 0885-6087
- eISSN
- 1099-1085
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Number of pages
- 15
- Grant note
- 1440478 / Division Of Environmental Biology; National Science Foundation (NSF); NSF - Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/01/2015
- Academic Unit
- Civil and Environmental Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984962533502771
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