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Applicability of trophic status indicators to Colorado Plains reservoirs

dc.contributor.authorStednick, John D., author
dc.contributor.authorHall, Emile B., author
dc.contributor.authorColorado Water Resources Research Institute, publisher
dc.coverage.spatialColorado
dc.date.accessioned2007-01-03T04:41:09Z
dc.date.available2007-01-03T04:41:09Z
dc.date.issued2003
dc.description.abstractThe recent proposed change in Cherry Creek Reservoir TMDL brought to light several issues about using a trophic status index (TSI) for water quality in Colorado reservoirs. Concerns range from applicability to interpretation. Off channel storage reservoirs along the South Platte River downstream of Denver, Colorado are often filled with river water that may contain high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous. This study measured reservoir nutrient concentrations from April through October 2001 in Jackson, Prewitt and North Sterling Reservoirs. Median total nitrogen (TN) concentrations were as follows: Jackson (2,550 mg/L), Prewitt (3,100 mg/L) and North Sterling (3,550 mg/L). Median total phosphorous (TP) concentrations were as follows: Jackson (208 mg/L), Prewitt (267 mg/L) and North Sterling (183 mg/L). An analysis of the applicability of common Trophic Status Index (TSI) models suggested that all reservoirs are eutrophic - hypereutrophic based upon chlorophyll-a, TP and Secchi depth measurements. Models using chlorophyll-a generally resulted in a lower trophic designation than those based upon TP. Model precision analysis (correlation coefficients, 95% confidence intervals, and average and percentage error) was used to evaluate 24 common models that predict chlorophyll-a from nutrient concentrations. Using precision analysis, models based upon TP were the best at Prewitt Reservoir, while models using TN and TP were best at Jackson and Sterling Reservoirs. This study suggested that one model does not fit all reservoirs. Based on precision analysis and model selection methods, nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations should be used when assessing off channel storage reservoir trophic status.
dc.description.sponsorshipFinanced in part by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Geological Survey, through the Colorado Water Resources Research Institute and Grant no. 01HQGR0077.
dc.format.mediumreports
dc.identifierCOMP195.pdf
dc.identifierCCRICWRI100014CRPT
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10217/789
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relationWWDL
dc.relation.ispartofCompletion Reports
dc.relation.ispartofCompletion report (Colorado Water Resources Research Institute), no. 195
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.subject.lcshEutrophication -- Colorado -- Statistics
dc.subject.lcshWater quality -- Colorado -- Measurement -- Statistics
dc.titleApplicability of trophic status indicators to Colorado Plains reservoirs
dc.typeText
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