Nutrient Concentrations In Large Reservoirs

The above graph shows the mean 2005 phosphorus concentrations in Table Rock Lake, as measured by volunteers of the LMVP. Concentrations in the Main Lake - or the White River - varied little (range 5 to 7 ug/L). However, in the arms the concentrations varied by as much as an order of magnitude. In the James River, for example, the phosphorus ranged from 76 ug/L above Cape Fair to 7 ug/L at the confluence of the James and the White.

Establishing nutrient criteria for large reservoirs must include some acknowledgement of the variability of nutrient concentrations across space. Otherwise a lake may be deemed out of compliance inappropriately or, conversely, dam-only measurements will not protect large lakes from nutrient rich inflows in arms several miles away.

Click to read a summary of our paper documenting phosphorus reductions in the James River Arm.