Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2010ME225B

Phosphorus Dynamics in Androscoggin Lake, Wayne and Leeds, Maine

Institute: Maine
Year Established: 2010 Start Date: 2010-06-14 End Date: 2010-08-13
Total Federal Funds: $4,982 Total Non-Federal Funds: $2,441

Principal Investigators: John Peckenham

Project Summary: This project investigates phosphorus dynamics in Androscoggin Lake at a higher time resolution than current steady-state models, using automated and manual sampling to resolve events at timescales of minutes to weeks. It focuses upon (1) external loading from the 30-Mile River watershed as a function of stormflow, (2) water-column dynamics in Androscoggin Lake in relation to river inputs and weather, and (3) the potential for internal phosphorus loading from sediments in relation to changing dissolved-oxygen concentrations in overlying waters. Integration of these records provides insight into the controls on phosphorus loading and their sensitivity to potential future climate and land-use change.