Response of Lake Ontario to Reductions in Phosphorus Load, 1967–82

Abstract

Total phosphorus (TP) loading to Lake Ontario has declined from 14 600 t∙yr−1 in 1969 to 8900 t∙yr−1 in 1982. Midlake spring TP has responded rapidly to these reductions, decreasing at the rate of 1.09 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 from a maximum of 30.6 μg∙L−1 in 1973 to 12.8 μg∙L−1 in 1982. Spring soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) exhibited a proportionally larger decrease than TP such that 1982 SRP was 33% of 1973 levels, compared with 42% for TP. A multiple regression equation indicated an 80% response time of spring TP within 2 yr and a 90% response time within 4 yr. Spring nitrate plus nitrite has increased since 1969 at the rate of 9.5 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 causing N:P ratios to increase from 10 to 32. Mean summer epilimnetic TP declined at the rate of only 0.3 μg∙L−1∙yr−1 from 1977 to 1982 so that mean summer TP levels now exceed spring TP by 1–2 μg∙L−1. This suggests that loading to the lake during the stratified period has not shown a similar decline and may be responsible for the lack of a trend in algal biomass indicators during this period.