Assessing Two Centuries of Anthropogenic Impacts on Silver Lake, Summit County, Ohio

The increase in human population and human activities often negatively impacts the quality of our waters. Lake sediment often preserves a record of past anthropogenic activities and can be used to assess the impact of humans on the lake system. This study examines Silver Lake, a groundwater-fed kettle lake located in the Village of Silver Lake, Summit County, Ohio. Surface samples and water column profiles were collected to assess present-day conditions. The lake is eutrophic, with an anoxic hypolimnion during the summer months that allows phosphorus to be released from the sediment. Since 1982 lake transparency has been decreasing as evidenced by a shallowing in Secchi depth reading. Silver Lake contains two basins, and sediment cores were collected from both basins to assess long-term changes in the lake. The sediment in both basins displayed similar trends. Below 163.5 centimeters below lake floor core depth, a dark green-brown, organic-rich gyttja with relatively high C/N ratio is interpreted to represent forested watershed conditions prior to the arrival of New Englanders in 1804. The decline in sediment organic content and corresponding increase in bulk density at 125 cmblf likely reflects the impact of land clearance within the watershed following settlement. Between 79 -117.5 cmblf, a black mud having an oily odor and low organic content is present. This black mud has pronounced increases in trace metals, ferrimagnetic content, combustion particles, and bulk density, and likely was deposited between 1874 and 1918 when a major amusement park, complete with steamboat rides, occupied the western shore of the lake. This period is also inferred to contain the 1913 flood shown by an increase in Cr content. When the park closed in 1918, the land was converted into suburban housing and by the mid-late 20th century the entire watershed was occupied by suburban housing. The brown mud above 79 cmblf core depth displays decreasing trends in ferrimagnetic content, trace-metal content, and combustion particles, reflecting changes in anthropogenic activities during the mid- to late 20th century. Study of the lake sediment allows the impacts of humans on the Silver Lake system to be assessed and the present-day conditions to be placed in a long-term context.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Geology-Earth Science

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Akron

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Shaw, Kelly Ann

Contributors dc:contributor

• Peck, John

• Geology
• Limnology
• Environmental Geology
• Silver Lake Ohio
• anthropogenic history
• pollution history
• trace metals
• combustion particles
• eutrophication
• lake quality

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1365692437

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:akron1365692437