Lake Michigan Tributary Characteristics, Nutrient Loading Trends, and River Plume Dynamics

In response to the increasing frequency of water quality impairment near tributary outlets, understanding the delivery of nutrients to the nearshore region of the Great Lakes is becoming increasingly important. This study assessed the transport of nutrients from tributaries to the nearshore region of lakes by evaluating the dynamics of tributaries and river plumes. Analysis focused on answering the following questions: (1) How do hydrologic characteristics of Lake Michigan tributaries vary historically and in comparison to each other; (2) How do nutrient concentrations vary episodically and chemostatically within Lake Michigan tributaries, and how does this impact nutrient loading; (3) How do Lake Michigan river plumes’ spatial characteristics and classification vary temporally, and what are the ecological implications?

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil Engineering

Year

2016

Author dc:creator

• Essig, Rebecca Rose

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cary D. Troy
• Tomas O. Hook
• P.S. C. Rao
• Keith A. Cherkauer

• Hydrology
• Lake Michigan
• Nutrient Loading
• River Plumes
• Streamflow
• Trends

Repository record dc:identifier

https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/open_access_dissertations/1249

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:docs.lib.purdue.edu:open_access_dissertations-2465