Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5026
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5026
Water Quality Conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005
Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation
By Gene R. Hoilman, Mary K. Lindenberg, and Tamara M. Wood
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Figures
Figure 1. Algal bloom Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, disturbed by the wake of the boat, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 2. Location of meteorological sites, continuous water quality monitoring sites, and water quality sampling sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 3. Schematic diagram of a typical mooring used for placement of continuous water quality monitors in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon.
Figure 4. Schematic diagram of apparatus for dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 5. Configuration of land-based meteorological measurement sites around Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 6. Lakewide daily median wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, and daytime solar radiation for meteorological sites in and around Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 7. Water-current velocity predicted by the hydrodynamic model of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, under prevailing wind conditions.
Figure 8. Wind speed and direction for all meteorological sites in the vicinity of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 9. Weekly measurements of chlorophyll a and dissolved nutrient concentration in relation to the duration of a dissolved oxygen concentration of less than 4 milligrams per liter at water samples collected from site MDN, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2002–05
Figure 10. Concentrations of chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, orthophosphate, ammonia, and nitrite-plus-nitrate in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 11. Weekly qualitative observations of algal bloom conditions in Agency Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 12. Relation of chlorophyll a to total phosphorus concentration in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 13. Ratio of chlorophyll a to total phosphorus and ratio of ammonia and nitrite-plus-nitrate (bioavailable nitrogen) to orthophosphate (bioavailable phosphorus) concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, May–October 2005.
Figure 14. Relation of ammonia and orthophosphate concentrations to chlorophyll a concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 15. Statistical distribution of ammonia, orthophosphate, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a concentrations measured in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 16. Rate of change in dissolved oxygen concentration measured from dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments at sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 17. Relation of the natural logarithm of chlorophyll a concentration to dissolved oxygen production in the upper and lower incubation racks during dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 18. Relation of the natural logarithm of chlorophyll a concentration to the average depth of the photic zone for all dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 19. Daily median temperature, dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen percent saturation, pH, and specific conductance recorded by continuous monitors in Agency Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 20. Lakewide daily median dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen percent saturation, temperature, pH, and specific conductance recorded by continuous monitors in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 21. Daily dissolved oxygen percent saturation at water quality monitoring sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 22. Representative hourly vertical variability in pH, dissolved oxygen, and temperature at sites MDN, MDT, and EPT, and hourly median wind speed at site MDN, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 23. Daily extreme of dissolved oxygen concentration, pH, and water temperature from a representative shallow (HDB), middepth (BLB), and deep site (EPT) in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 24. Lakewide measures of conditions potentially harmful to fish in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005: dissolved oxygen concentration less than 4 milligrams per liter, and pH greater than 9.7.
Figure 25. (A) chlorophyll a concentration, (B) total ammonia concentration, (C) un-ionized ammonia concentration, and (D) pH in water samples collected at all sites, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Tables
Table 1. Description of continuous water quality monitoring sites used for the 2005 data-collection program, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon.
Table 2. Depth of incubator racks at each site during dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Table 3. Description of meteorological sites and parameters measured at each site, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005.
Table 4. Maximum and minimum chlorophyll a concentrations and dates relative to Aphanizomenon flos-aquae blooms and decline during sampling season, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, June–October 2005.
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Send questions or comments about this report to the author, G.R. Hoilman, (541) 273-8689.
For more information about USGS activities in Oregon, visit the USGS Oregon Water Science Center home page.
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