Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5201
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
Scientific Investigations Report 2008–5201
Water Quality Conditions in Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006
Prepared in cooperation with the Bureau of Reclamation
By Mary K. Lindenberg, Gene Hoilman, and Tamara M. Wood
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Figures
Figure 1. Bloom of the alga Aphanizomenon flos-aquae, disturbed by the wake of the boat, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 2. Location of meteorological, continuous water quality monitoring, and water quality sampling sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 3. Locations of meteorological, continuous water quality monitoring, and water quality sampling sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2005.
Figure 4. Schematic diagram of a typical mooring used for placement of continuous water quality monitors, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 5. Schematic diagram of the apparatus for Aphanizomenon flos-aquae dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 6. Configuration of land-based meteorological measurement sites around Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 7. Lakewide daily average wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity, and daytime solar radiation at meteorological sites in and near Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 and 2006.
Figure 8. Wind speed and direction for meteorological sites near Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 9. Measurements of chlorophyll a and dissolved nutrient concentrations in relation to duration of a dissolved oxygen concentration less than 4 milligrams per liter in water samples collected from site MDN, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2002–06.
Figure 10. Chlorophyll a, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, orthophosphate, ammonia, and nitrite-plus-nitrate concentrations, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, May–October 2006.
Figure 11. Relation between chlorophyll a to total phosphorus and total nitrogen concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 12. Relation between the ratio of total nitrogen to total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 13. Ratio of chlorophyll a to total phosphorus concentrations and total nitrogen to total phosphorus concentrations in water samples collected from Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 14. Statistical distribution of chlorophyll a, ammonia, orthophosphate, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentrations at sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 and 2006.
Figure 15. Relation of depth of photic zone to chlorophyll a concentration at sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 16. Rate of change in dissolved oxygen concentration measured from light and dark bottle incubation experiments at sites in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 17. Net rates of dissolved oxygen production and chlorophyll a concentrations, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 18. Clumping and mat formation of Aphanizomenon flos-aquae (AFA) at the surface showing the potential for self-shading of AFA below the surface, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 19. Chlorophyll a concentrations and 24-hour change in dissolved oxygen Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 20. Time series of 24-hour change in dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll a concentrations, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 21. Lakewide daily median dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen percent saturation, temperature, pH, and specific conductance, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 22. Daily median dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen percent saturation, temperature, pH, and specific conductance, Agency Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 23. Lakewide daily median dissolved oxygen concentration, dissolved oxygen percent saturation, temperature, pH, and specific conductance in Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 and 2006.
Figure 24. Relation of lakewide daily median dissolved oxygen percent saturation to temperature, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2005 and 2006.
Figure 25. Time series of daily median water quality conditions in nearshore and open-water areas away from the trench, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 26. Potentially harmful pH and dissolved oxygen conditions at representative surface, shallow, and deep sites in open-water areas of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 27. Potentially harmful pH and dissolved oxygen conditions in Agency Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 28. Chlorophyll a, ammonia, un-ionized ammonia concentrations, and pH, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 29. Possible occurrences gas bubble formation, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 30. Dissolved oxygen and pH conditions potentially harmful to fish in nearshore areas, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 31. Possible gas bubble formation in nearshore areas, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Figure 32. Temperature conditions in nearshore areas potentially harmful to fish, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Tables
Table 1. Continuous water quality monitoring and sampling sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
Table 2. Depth of incubator racks during dissolved oxygen production and consumption experiments, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
Table 3. Meteorological sites and parameters measured at each site, Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
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, May–October 2006.
Table 5. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients between daily average values of water quality conditions in nearshore and open-water areas of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon, 2006.
Table 6. Potentially harmful high pH and low dissolved oxygen conditions occurring during the same day, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
Table 7. Numbers of days having simultaneous occurrences of potentially harmful high pH and possible gas bubble formation at individual sites, Upper Klamath and Agency Lakes, Oregon, 2006.
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For more information concerning the research in this report, contact the Director, Oregon Water Science Center
U.S. Geological Survey
2130 SW 5th Avenue
Portland, Oregon 98402
http://or.water.usgs.gov
U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey