The Liminology of Oneida Lake - An Interim Report

Abstract

This interim report discusses the general concepts of lake eutrophication and presents the findings of the first year of field investigations on the eutophication of Oneida Lake, New York. Routine biological and chemical data revealed that the lake has become eutrophic both through the natural processes of lake aging and from the inflow of nutrient-rich water from the fertile drainage basin. The four most important factors affecting the biological activities within the lake are: (1) the high fertility of the drainage basin, (2) the physical position and shallowness of the lake, (3) mixing of the water by wind action, and (4) the inclusion of bottom sediments in the recycling of nutrient materials.