Oxygen in Lake Carnegie and its Relation to Water Quality

Abstract

Lake Carnegie is unique due to its two main sources of water, the Stony Brook River and the Millstone River. These two sources may provide water of different quality to Lake Carnegie. The first section of the Lake is made up of water flowing from the Stony Brook River and the second section of the Lake is made up of a mix of the two rivers. To see the effects these two sources had on the dissolved oxygen and water quality of the lake, data was collected from five main sites along the Lake. This data was used to examine dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen saturation percent, and temperature throughout the lake. Supplementary data was collected from outside sources. Statistical analysis of the data showed significant differences in dissolved oxygen levels, oxygen saturation percent, and temperature from the Stony Brook section to the Millstone. This means that the two sources of water are creating differences in the water quality of Lake Carnegie. The Stony Brook section was very low oxygen, while the Millstone section contain more oxygen. However, at depth throughout the entire Lake dissolved oxygen concentration is at or near hypoxic conditions. Supplementary water quality data of turbidity and phosphorus were seen as relatively similar between the two rivers. Turbidity was good throughout the Lake area while phosphorus was in excess, alluding to the possibility of a positive feedback loop. The Lake was shallower, meaning sediments have built up at the bottom, possibly causing more issues with dissolved oxygen and water quality. This data can be of help for future water quality management.