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What happens to nutrients in offstream reservoirs in the lower South Platte River basin

The practice of storing South Platte River water in offstream reservoirs reduces nutrient concentrations but also contributes to the growth of algae, which may adversely affect the recreational use of the reservoirs. Results of a study of fi ve offstream reservoirs in the lower South Platte River Basin during the 1995 irrigation season showed that the reservoirs trapped 20 to 88 percent of incoming nitrogen and phosphorus, except for phosphorus in one reservoir. Total nitrogen concentrations in the reservoirs were highest in March and decreased through September, largely as a result of uptake by algae and other aquatic life for growth. Total phosphorus concentrations in the reservoirs were more variable because of the recycling of phosphorus by aquatic life. Chlorophyll-a concentrations indicated that the amount of algae in all reservoirs increased during the summer and that all reservoirs were eutrophic. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus are essential for all plant and animal life. In excess amounts, however, nutrients can accelerate the growth of aquatic plants and cause algal blooms that deprive deeper water of the sunlight needed by other aquatic plants and animals. This process is known as eutrophication. The subsequent decay of algae and other aquatic plants consumes dissolved oxygen, which can lead to fi shkills. Algal blooms and excess aquatic plant growth also can make a water body unsuitable for recreation. Sources of nutrients in the South Platte River are both natural and human derived and include precipitation, discharges from wastewater-treatment plants, and fertilizers and manure used on croplands in agricultural areas and on lawns in urban areas. In 1995, as part of the National Water-Quality Assessment (NAWQA) South Platte River Basin Study, the U.S. Geological Survey did a study to determine how the practice of storing South Platte River water in offstream reservoirs affects the concentration of nutrients in the stored water during the irrigation season from March through September. These reservoirs serve as critical sources of irrigation water for agricultural areas in the basin. Several also are used for fi shing, boating, and swimming and are habitats for birds, including bald eagles, white pelicans, and a variety of ducks and geese.