Faculty Advisor

Tepper, Jeff

Area of Study

Science and Mathematics

Publication Date

Summer 2020

Abstract

Many freshwater and marine ecosystems are affected by hazardous algal blooms (HABs) each year, and the number is rising. In most cases, the main cause of HABs is nutrient loading from anthropogenic sources, and often, the overloaded nutrient is phosphorus. To combat these HABs, alum treatment is commonly used. Alum treatment is the use of aluminum sulfate, which binds to phosphorus, effectively lowering the levels of free phosphorus and thus reducing algal growth. However, alum can also have adverse effects on water and sediment chemistry. Within Pierce County, Wapato and Waughop lakes present a unique opportunity to study the effects of alum treatment. Lake Waughop is scheduled to be treated with alum this March, and Wapato has been treated three times in the past. Together, these two lakes will give good insight into both the long and short term effects of alum treatment. The goal of this research is to collect water and sediment data both before and after alum treatment and identify and interpret any changes.

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Agricola

Publisher

University of Puget Sound

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Included in

Geology Commons

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