Spatial Distribution of Acid-sensitive and Acid-impacted Streams in Relation to Watershed Features in the Southern Appalachian Mountains

Abstract

A geologic classification scheme was combined with elevation to test hypotheses regarding watershed sensitivity to acidic deposition using available regional spatial data and to delimit a high-interest area for streamwater acidification sensitivity within the Southern Appalachian Mountains region. It covered only 28% of the region, and yet included almost all known streams that have low acid neutralizing capacity (ANC ≤20 μeq l−1) or that are acidic (ANC ≤0). The five-class geologic classification scheme was developed based on recent lithologic maps and streamwater chemistry data for 909 sites. The vast majority of the sampled streams that had ANC ≤20 μeq l−1 and that were totally underlainby a single geologic sensitivity class occurred in the siliceous class, which is represented by such lithologies as sandstone and quartzite. Streamwater acid-base chemistry throughout the region was also found to be associated with a number of watershed features that were mapped for the entire region, in addition to lithology and elevation, including ecoregion, physiographic province, soils type, forest type and watershed area. Logistic regression was used to model the presence/absence of acid-sensitive streams throughout the region.