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LAKES AND STREAMS RECOVERING FROM ACID RAIN
Release Date: 10/07/99
Contact Information:
- United States Communications, Education,
Environmental Protection And Media Relations
Agency (1703)
Press Advisory
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FOR RELEASE: THURSDAY, OCT. 7, 1999
LAKES AND STREAMS RECOVERING FROM ACID RAIN
Lakes and streams in North America and Europe are beginning to show recovery from acid rain as the result of environmental regulations and agreements to control emissions that cause acid rain, according to research conducted under the auspices of EPA’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP). The international study involving investigators in nine countries found significant declines of one to six percent per year in sulfate levels in many lakes and streams in the 1990s, resulting in recovery for some waters and expected recovery in others. Sulfate is the primary ingredient in acid rain. To study how rapidly lakes and streams are recovering after many years of acid rain, the scientists examined their buffering capacity, called alkalinity, as well as components of acid rain such as sulfate and nitrate. The scientists selected 205 lakes and streams from five large geographic regions in North America and three in Northern Europe. The research found that lakes and streams in Europe showed recovery from acid rain, based on changes in alkalinity. However, the water bodies in only one of the North American regions (Vermont/Quebec) experienced recovery. Though the other regions in the U.S. and Canada have not yet shown recovery of alkalinity, declining sulfate levels indicate that recovery may occur in the future. The research by EPA’s Office of Research and Development will be incorporated into acid rain assessments and will provide guidance to the Agency in making regulatory decisions to protect lakes and streams from acid rain. This study is being published in the Oct. 7 edition of the journal,
“Nature.”
R-122 ###
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