Sediment and Phosphorus Inputs from Perennial Streams to Lake Whatcom, Washington State

Research Article| August 01, 2017 Sediment and Phosphorus Inputs from Perennial Streams To Lake Whatcom, Washington State Katherine R. Beeler; Katherine R. Beeler Associated Earth Sciences, Inc., 29111/2 Hewitt Avenue, Suite 2, Everett, WA 98201 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert J. Mitchell Robert J. Mitchell 1 Western Washington University, Department of Geology, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 1Corresponding author email: robert.mitchell@wwu.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Katherine R. Beeler Associated Earth Sciences, Inc., 29111/2 Hewitt Avenue, Suite 2, Everett, WA 98201 Robert J. Mitchell 1 Western Washington University, Department of Geology, 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 1Corresponding author email: robert.mitchell@wwu.edu Publisher: Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists First Online: 15 Nov 2017 Online Issn: 1558-9161 Print Issn: 1078-7275 © 2017 Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists Environmental & Engineering Geoscience (2017) 23 (3): 153–164. https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.23.3.153 Article history First Online: 15 Nov 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Katherine R. Beeler, Robert J. Mitchell; Sediment and Phosphorus Inputs from Perennial Streams To Lake Whatcom, Washington State. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience 2017;; 23 (3): 153–164. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.23.3.153 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyEnvironmental & Engineering Geoscience Search Advanced Search Abstract Relationships among suspended sediment, phosphorus, and discharge vary temporally and spatially in the Lake Whatcom watershed, a 125-km2, high-relief, moderately developed, forested basin in northwestern Washington State. The lake is subject to a Total Maximum Daily Load to limit phosphorus inputs. Phosphorus, which largely enters the lake adsorbed to suspended sediment in streams, has led to increased algae growth and depletion of dissolved oxygen. We used the results of high-resolution storm event sediment and phosphorous sampling in five streams to examine the effects of varying watershed features on loading and to develop sediment-discharge and phosphorus-discharge models to estimate phosphorus loading to the lake during the 2013 water year. During most storm events, the sediment peak preceded the discharge peak. The magnitude of hydrograph rise was the best predictor of the maximum sediment concentration during the event. Of the five basins studied, a large, forested watershed that contains steep slopes susceptible to mass wasting yielded the most sediment per area. The highest phosphorus yield was from a smaller, lower-relief watershed containing 29 percent residential development. Our sediment and phosphorous yields were comparable to estimates from similar streams in the Puget Sound region in northwest Washington State. Total suspended solids and total phosphorus were significantly correlated to discharge in most streams in the watershed, but variability within and among storm events resulted in uncertainty when calculating fluxes based on discharge. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.