A chlorophyll a model and its relationship to phosphorus loading plots for lakes

Abstract

A model predicting the summer concentration of cholorophyll a in a phosphorus‐limited lake is derived from simple empirical and semitheoretical relationships. The model is rearranged and expressed as a phosphorus loading plot which agrees closely with the predictions of Vollenweider's model. The model can be used to gain insight into the phosphorus loading concept. The primary conclusion is that a lake's tolerance to phosphorus loading is a function of two processes: sedimentation and flushing rate. At low areal water loads, in‐lake forces which remove phosphorus to the sediments predominate. At high areal water loads, flushing of phosphorus through the lake's outlet is the factor governing eutrophication. The importance of the steady state assumption is also demonstrated by using data for Lake Washington.