Abstract
Changes in SO sup2-inf4 deposition predicted to occur in response to implementation of announced SO2 emission control programs in Canada and the U.S.A. have been used as input to water chemistry models thereby giving an estimate of the changes in lake acid neutralizing capacity (ANC) and pH that can be expected from these programs. Eastern Canada has been divided into 22 subregions for the purpose of this analysis. Relative to the current level (1982–86) of SO sup2-inf4 deposition (Scenario 1), the effect of the Canadian SO2 emission control program alone (Scenario 2) is compared to that obtained when controls are implemented throughout North America (Scenarios 3 and 4). SO2 emission reduction will effect a shrinkage of the high wet SO sup2-inf4 deposition field in NE North America such that under Scenario 4 conditions, almost no area will remain in Canada that receives >20 kg ha-1 yr-1. The greatest decrease in deposition and resulting change in lake chemistry occurs in southern Ontario and southwestern Quebec. ANC distributions shift to higher concentrations and the percentage of lakes having pH<6 decreases in these areas. The Atlantic Provinces will obtain only a minor benefit from the control programs, i.e. experiencing only a small decrease in deposition and improvement in water quality. High sensitivity of the terrain in many parts of Atlantic Canada means that large numbers of lakes will remain acidic (i.e. ANC<0) and/or have pH<6 (an important biological threshold) even after full implementation of the current plans for SO2 control in Canada and the U.S.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
BarthH. (ed.): 1987, Reversibility of Acidification, Elsevier Applied Science Publ. Ltd., New York, 175 pp.
CharlesD. F. (ed.): 1991, Acid Deposition and Aquatic Ecosystems: Regional Case Studies, Springer-Verlag, New York, 747 pp.
DennisR. L., BarchetW. R., ClarkT. L., SeilhopS. K., and RothP. M.: 1989, ‘Evaluation of Regional Acidic Deposition Models’, NAPAP SOS/T Rep. 5, National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, Washington, D.C.
DillonP. J., JeffriesD. S., and ScheiderW. A.: 1982, ‘The Use of Calibrated Lakes and Watersheds for Estimating Atmospheric Deposition Near a Large Point Source’, Water, Air Soil Pollut. 18, 241.
Dupont, J.: 1988, ‘Etat de l'acidité des lacs de la région hydrographique de l'Outaouais’, Québec Ministry of the Environment, Report No. PA-13, 74 pp.
Dupont, J: 1989, ‘État de l'acidité de lacs de la région hydrographique de la Maurice’, Québec Ministry of the Environment, Report No. Pa-38. 131 pp.
EllentonG., LeyB., and MisraP. K.: 1985, ‘A Trajectory Puff Model of Sulfur Transport For Eastern North America’, Atmos. Environ. 19, 727–777.
EllentonG., MisraP. K. and LeyB.: 1988, ‘The Relative Role of Emission Change and Meteorological Variability in Variation of Wet Sulfur Deposition: A Trajectory Model Study’, Atmos. Environ. 22, 547–556.
FraserA. S., JonesJ. L. and JeffriesD. S.: 1990, ‘Long Range Transport of Atmospheric Pollutants Eastern Canada Database Characteristics’, NWRI Contribution #90-61, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Ontario.
GunnJ. M., HamiltonJ. G., BoothG. M. WrenC. D., BeggsG. L., RietveldH. J., and MunroJ. R.: 1990, ‘Survival Growth, and Reproduction of Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycus) and Yellow Perch (Perca flavesens) after Neutralization of an Acidic Lake Near Sudbury, Ontario’, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 47, 446.
HélieR. G., and WickwareG. M.: 1990, ‘Quantitative Assessment of Surface Water Resources at Risk Due to Acidification in Easern Canada’, Discussion Paper No. 1, Sustainable Development Branch, Environment Canada, Ottawa.
HenriksenA., LienL., TraaenT. S., SevaldrudI. S., and BrakkeD. F.: 1988, ‘Lake Acidification in Norway —Present and Predicted Chemical Status’, Ambio 17, 259–266.
HenriksenA., LienL., and TraaemT. S.: 1990, ‘Critical Loads For Surface Waters — Chemical Criteria for Inputs of Strong Acids’, Report 22/1990, Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo, Norway.
KelsoJ. R. M., MinnsC. K., GrayJ. E., and JonesM. L.: 1986, ‘Acidification of surface Waters in Eastern Canada and Its Relationship to Aquatic Biota’, Can. Spec. Publ. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 87, 42.
KresterW., GallagherJ., and NicoletterJ.: 1989, ‘Adirondack Lakes Study 1984–1987: An Evaluation of Fish Communities and Water Chemistry’, Adirondack Lakes Survey Corporation, Ray Brook, New York.
LamD. C. L., SwayneD. A. StoreyJ., WongI., and FraserA. S.: 1988, ‘Regional Analysis of Watershed Acidification using the Expert Systems Approach’, Environ. Software 3, 127.
LamD. C. L., SwayneD. A., StoreyJ., and FraserA. S.: 1989a, ‘Watershed Acidification Models Using the Knowledge-Based System Approach’, Ecol. Modelling 47, 131.
LamD. C. L., SwayneD. A., FraserA. S., StoryJ., and WongI.: 1989b, ‘A Knowledge-Based Approach to Regional Acidification Modelling: A Case Study of New Brunswick, Canada’, in Kamari et al. (eds.), Regional Acidification Models; Geographic Extent and Time Development, Springer-Verlag, Berlin pp. 213–226.
LamD. C. L., BobbaA. G., BourbonniereR. A., HowellG. D. and ThompsonM. E.: 1989c, ‘Modelling Organic and Inorganic Acidity in Two Nova Scotia Rivers’, Water Air Soil Pollut. 46, 277.
MarmorekD. R., JonesM. L., and MinnsC. K.: 1985, ‘A Simple Model to Predict the Extent of Damage to Inland Fisheries Due to Acidic Precipitation’, Environmental and Social Systems Analysts Ltd., Toronto, Canada.
MarmorekD. R., JonesM. L., MinnsC. K., and ElderF. C.: 1990, ‘Assessing the potential Extent of Damage to Inland Lakes in Eastern Canada Due to Acidic Deposition, I, Development and Evaluation of a Simple ‘Site’ Model’, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 47, 55.
MatuszekJ. E., GoodierJ., and WalesD. L.: 1988, ‘The Occurrence of Cyprinids and Other Small Fish Species in Relation to pH in Ontario Lakes’, Ontario Fisheries Acidification Report Series, No. 88-14, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Toronto, Ont., 109 pp.
MinnsC. K., MooreJ. E., SchindlerD. W., and JonesM. L.: 1990, ‘Assessing the Potential Extent of Damage to Inland Lakes in Eastern Canada Due to Acidic Deposition. IV, Predicting the Response of Potential Species Richness in Several Taxa of Aquatic Biota’, Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 47, 821.
NearyB. P., DillonP. J., MunroJ. R., and ClairB. J.: 1990, ‘The Acidification of Ontario Lakes; An Assessment of Their Sensitivity and Current Status with Respect to Biological Damage’, Ontario Ministry of Environment Report, Dorset Research Centre, Dorset, Ontario, 170 pp.
Nilsson, J., and Grennfelt, P.: 1988, ‘Critical Loads for Sulphur and Nitrogen’, Proc. U.N. ECE Workshop on Critical Loads, Skoskloster, Sweden.
NiraguJ. O. (ed.): 1984, Environmental Impacts of Smelters, John Wiley & Sons, Toronto, 608 pp.
OliverB. G., ThurmanE. M., and MalcolmR. L.: 1983, ‘The Contribution of Humic Substances to the Acidity of Colored Natural Waters’, Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 47, 2031.
RochelleB. P., ChurchM. R., and DavidM. B.: 1987, ‘Sulfur Retention at Intensively Studied Sites in the U.S. and Canada’, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 33, 73.
RMCC: 1990a, ‘The 1990 Canadian Long-Range Transport of Air Pollutants and Acid Deposition Report, Part 4: Aquatic Effects’, Federal-Provincial Research and Monitoring Committee, Ottawa, Ontario.
RMCC: 1990b, ‘The 1990 Canadian Long-Range Transport of Air Pollutants and Acid Deposition Report, Part 3: Atmospheric Sciences’, Federal-Provincial Research and Monitoring Committee, Ottawa, Ontario.
RMCC: 1990c, ‘The 1990 Canadian Long-Range Transport of Air Pollutants and Acid Deposition Report, Part 2: Emissions and Controls’, Federal-Provincial Research and Monitoring Committee, Ottawa, Ontario.
SchnoorJ. L., LeeS., NilolaidisN. P., and NairD. R.: 1986, ‘Lake Resources at Risk to Acidic Deposition in the Eastern United States’, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 31, 1091.
ShawR.: 1982, ‘Deposition of Atmospheric Acid from Local and Distant Sources at a Rural Site in Nova Scotia’, Atmos. Environ. 16, 337.
SmallM. J., and SuttonM. C.: 1986, ‘A Regional pH — Alkalinity Relationship’, Wat. Res. 20, 335–344.
ThorntonK., MarmorekD., and RyanP. F.: 1990, ‘Methods for Projecting Future Changes in Surface Water Acid-Base Chemistry’, NAPAP SOS/T Rep. 14, National Acid Precipitation Assessment Program, Washington, D.C.
U.S.-Canada: 1983, ‘Memorandum of Intent on Transboundary Air Pollution’, Report of the Impact Assessment Working Group 1, Section 3 — Aquatic Effects, 259 pp.
United States Congress: 1990, ‘1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, Public Law 549 of the 101st Congress’, House Document Room, Washington, D.C.
WattW. D.: 1986, ‘The Case for Liming Some Nova Scotia Salmon Rivers’, Water, Air, Soil Pollut. 31, 775.
WrightR. F., LotseE., and SembA.: 1988, ‘Reversibility of Acidification Shown by Whole-Catchment Experiments’, Nature 334, 670–675.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Jeffries, D.S., Lam, D.C.L., Wong, I. et al. The predicted effect of SO2 emission controls on the water quality of eastern Canadian lakes. Environ Monit Assess 23, 99–113 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406955
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00406955