Risk to Salmonids of Water Quality in the Turkey Lakes Watershed as Determined by Bioassay

Abstract

Batchawana Lake, the headwater lake in the Turkey Lakes Watershed, was devoid offish. Although a number of factors could cause this fishless state, we conducted in situ studies to partially address conditions related to lake acidification. The spring pH depression did not induce significant, consistent mortality to rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) or lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) caged in situ. In 1981, however, considerable mortality occurred to fish caged in Batchawana Lake during or immediately following the maximum spring pH depression. In the remaining lakes, mortality occurred later in the exposure period. Whole-body concentrations of Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in rainbow trout caged (1980) in three lakes of the watershed were similar; however, K+ appeared slightly higher (but not statistically different) in fish held in the headwater lake. Static bioassays indicated that the 96-h pH-LC50 for brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) was 3.80–4.09, considerably lower than the lowest pH, 4.66, observed during spring. Brook trout corralled in Batchawana Lake grew slightly faster and accumulated more Pb and Hg than fish held in a downstream lake. Although pH and trace metal levels in Batchawana Lake may at times be inhospitable to fish, other factors likely contributed to the fishless condition of this lake.