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AUTUMN CHEMISTRY OF OREGON COAST RANGE STREAMS 1
Author(s) -
Wigington P. J.,
Church M. R.,
Strickland T. C.,
Eshleman K. N.,
Sickle J. Van
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1752-1688.1998.tb04152.x
Subject(s) - streams , hydrology (agriculture) , bedrock , nitrate , surface runoff , environmental science , water quality , oceanography , chemistry , ecology , geology , biology , geomorphology , computer network , geotechnical engineering , computer science
During an autumn runoff event we sampled 48 streams with predominantly forested watersheds and igneous bedrock in the Oregon Coast Range. The streams had acid neutralizing capacities (ANC) > 90 μeq/L and pH > 6.4. Streamwater Na + , Ca 2 + , and Mg 2 + concentrations were greater than K + concentrations. Anion concentrations generally followed the order of Cl ‐ > NO 3 ‐ > SO 4 2‐ . Chloride and Na + concentrations were highest in samples collected in streams near the Pacific Ocean and decreased markedly as distance from the coast increased. Sea salt exerted no discernible influence on stream water acid‐base status during the sampling period. Nitrate concentrations in the study streams were remarkably variable, ranging from below detection to 172 μeq/L. We hypothesize that forest vegetation is the primary control of spatial variability of the NO 3 ‐ concentrations in Oregon Coast Range streams. We believe that symbiotic N fixation by red alder in pure or mixed stands is the primary source of N to forested watersheds in the Oregon Coast Range.