Prevailing weather patterns are such that the northeastern U.S. is sub- 

 ject to extensive fallout of acid and metals in precipitation (Figure 5). 

 Most of the acid apparently originates over the industrial Midwest. Trace 

 elements are higher in precipitation in the Northeast and Midwest or West 

 than elsewhere. Halogens, mercury, selenium, arsenic and antimony are vola- 

 tilized during coal combustion and many of the organic compounds identified 

 in precipitation are the same as those found in some fuels. 



Direct addition of acid from precipitation has caused a marked decline 

 in pH of lakes and streams in Scandanavia; Ontario, Canada; and the 

 Adirondak Mountains of New York. In many lakes in the Adirondaks, where the 

 water is poorly buffered, pH ranged from pH 6.0-7.5 in the 1930' s, but is 

 commonly less than 5.0 today. Lowered pH renders most heavy metals more 

 soluble and potentially more toxic to aquatic biota. Concentrations of mer- 

 cury, copper, cadmium, nickel, lead and zinc have been shown to be higher in 

 lakes affected by polluted precipitation than in others. Lowered pH also 

 promotes increased leaching of naturally occurring metals (e.g., aluminum) 

 from soils. 



Surveys of lakes indicate that fish populations are virtually absent in 

 waters with a pH below 5.5. Recent evidence indicates that lowland lakes 

 are decreasing in buffering capacity and small headwater streams may be af- 

 fected, particularly during spring melts. 



There is a critical need for more information about the extent and dis- 

 tribution of polluted precipitation and its effects on lakes and streams. 

 There is currently a lack of information on the chemistry and fish popula- 

 tions of vulnerable lakes in New England. The CNFRL field research unit at 

 Orono, Maine, is beginning a study to correlate the pH, and metal content of 

 lakes believed to be impacted in the northeastern United States. Diatom 

 analysis will be used to document the history of pH changes. Fish popula- 

 tions will be surveyed for species composition and age distribution. Fish 

 will be subjected to analysis for aluminum, arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, 

 silver, zinc, antimony and mercury. 



Our objectives are (a) to determine recent history of pH and metal con- 

 tent of selected New England lakes, (b) to determine the chronology of fish 

 population changes, (c) to correlate the heavy metal content with acid pol- 

 luted lakes, and (d) to determine water quality changes in headwater streams 

 in northern New England at spring thaw. 



The United States has vast coal reserves in the West. Most of the re- 

 serves used over the next 20 years will be taken by surface mining. Some of 

 it will be transported to points throughout the country, where it will be 

 converted to usable energy. However, much of it will be converted to elec- 

 tric power at coal-fired power plants near mining sites, and the electri- 

 city transported to the user (Figure 6). The energy output of coal -fired 

 facilities in Montana, Wyoming and the Dakotas will increase almost three- 

 fold between 1977 and 1985. The distribution and effects of airborne con- 

 taminants on aquatic and terrestrial systems are largely unkown. Questions 

 that need to be answered include such items as the manner and degree that 

 trace inorganics and organics cycle in the environment; the kinds of trans- 



11 



