Concentrations and loads of nutrients and major ions in the Niagara River, 1975–2018

Abstract

Environment and Climate Change Canada has monitored Niagara River water quality in support of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement since establishing a fixed site at Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1975. Using over 40 years of data from this site along with the Fort Erie location added in 1983, we examine the status and trends of concentrations and loadings of nutrients and major ions and assess evidence of sources between the two stations. Trends were observed for the majority of measured parameters and there is strong agreement between trends in concentrations and loadings which are generally higher at the downstream site; however, upstream/downstream differences indicate relatively little loading occurs along the length of the river itself. For total phosphorus (TP), inputs from Lake Erie via the Niagara River account for the majority of loading to Lake Ontario and, in some years, exceed the 7000 MTA Lake Ontario target. Between 2014 and 2018, we calculate the mean Niagara River TP loading to be 5275 MTA. We highlight the major changes in water quality constituents over time, including TP, and reveal increased seasonal consumption of TP and SiO2, reflecting potential increases in the biological productivity in Lake Erie. The long and rich Niagara River dataset, which comprises year round sampling (including rare winter data), provides detailed tracking of changing Great Lakes water quality and could be further utilized to assess the impacts of climate change, improve understanding of diatom and harmful algal bloom dynamics, and enhance knowledge of in-lake major ion and nutrient dynamics.