Date of Award:
5-1975
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Geosciences
Department name when degree awarded
Geology
Committee Chair(s)
Raymond L. Kerns Jr.
Committee
Raymond L. Kerns Jr.
Committee
William T. Helm
Committee
Robert Q. Oaks
Abstract
Development by man through the last half century has caused a number of changes in Bear Lake. These changes include the diversion of Bear River water into Bear Lake, the pumping of lake water back into the river, and the building of breakwaters and other obstructions along the shore of Bear Lake.
The diversion of Bear River water into the lake has resulted in a yearly addition of an estimated 36,000 metric tons of calcium into the lake, which has caused the precipitation of an estimated minimum 90,000 metric tons of aragonite. The pumping of Bear Lake water back into the Bear River has resulted in an estimated yearly depletion of 10,900 metric tons of magnesium. This deficit may be compensated by the dissolution of detrital dolomite in the lake water.
Equilibrated samples of sediment and distilled water had little resemblance to the composition of lake water. There was also no correlation between the composition of the equilibrated water and the cation exchange capacity or mineral composition of the sediment.
A study of the dissolved oxygen content of littoral-zone waters indicated no development of vertical stratification of oxygen. There was also no statistically significant difference between the oxygen contents of waters on different sides of breakwaters.
Checksum
7833d814d2c30d895c005c774b676370
Recommended Citation
Fuller, Richard H., "Some Aspects of Geochemistry of the Water and Sediment of Bear Lake, Idaho-Utah" (1975). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 3168.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/3168
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