Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Abstract

Lake Auburn and its surrounding watershed act as a prime example of a freshwater system affected by point and non-point sources of P. Townsend Brook, one of the two major tributaries into Lake Auburn, has proven to be a major source of P into the larger watershed. This study investigates the possible sources and sinks of P across the Townsend Brook sub-catchment of Lake Auburn to gain a better understanding of the potential P loading and its effect on the watershed. Surface water samples were collected from various stream sites within the Townsend Brook sub-catchment in January and February of 2018 and analyzed for TP and ortho-P. TP and discharge data were provided by the AWD/LWD from 2005-2017. The January 2018 samples exhibited peak TP values along the main stem at 83 mg/L, and showed more spatial variability than the February samples. The historic TP and discharge data demonstrated high potential for P loading due to storm events with calculated TP potentially deposited into Lake Auburn at 5.79 mg/day. This study was limited however by the lack of discharge data collected along with the January samples. Further analysis of Townsend Brook should focus on the potential for P filtration due to the wetland.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Holly Ewing

Date of Graduation

5-2018

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

41

Community Engagement

1

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