Document Type
Presentation
Study Date
2002
Abstract
The Colby Environmental Assessment Team (CEAT) investigated the water quality of Webber Pond in Vassalboro, Maine from June through December 2002. CEAT analyzed several factors that contribute to water quality, including physical and chemical measurements, land use patterns, and the impact of residential and commercial development. All of these measurements were compared and used to compute models, which enabled CEAT to discover the sources of pollution most threatening to the current and future water quality of Webber Pond. These data were also compared to those collected in previous years to gain a historical perspective. Water quality is affected by the accumulation of nutrients, particularly phosphorus, due to surface runoff, erosion, and internal nutrient loading. When concentrations of phosphorus reach threshold levels, a lake can experience algal blooms that decrease the aesthetic, recreational, ecological, and economic value of the lake.
Recommended Citation
Colby Environmental Assessment Team, Colby College and Problems in Environmental Science course (Biology 493), Colby College, "The State of Webber Pond: Understanding the Factors Affecting Water Quality in the Webber Pond Watershed" (2002). Colby College Watershed Study: Webber Pond (2002). 1.
https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/webberpond/1
Comments
Publication Date: December 5th, 2002
Date of Study: June through December 2002