Acid Rain in the Adirondacks By: Kaydee Oliver December 8, 2011

1. Acid Rain in the Adirondacks By: Kaydee Oliver December 8, 2011

2. Acid Rain • Causes: • Fossil fuel burning industries and other human activities • Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide • Natural Causes Forms of Acid Precipitation: Dry Deposition

3. Adirondack State Park • About the Adirondacks: • 6 million acres (privately owned, state owner, “Forever Wild Preserve) • 3,000 lakes • 30,000 miles of rivers and streams

4. History Acid Rain & The Adirondack State Park • 1852 Robert Angus Smith, Manchester England • 1951 C.V “Major” Bowes – Adirondacks Discovery • 1970 largest impact of acid rain

5. Acid Rain Target • Why? • Located in a mountain range • Buffering Capacity • - soil is only about 10,000 years old • - texture sandy and slightly acidic • - tends to be infertile

6. Acid Rain Impact on Lakes • 1,469/3,000 lakes are acidic under the pH of • 5.6 • In 2000 Big Moose Lake, largest dead lake of • 1,266 acres • Little Echo Lake pH of 4.2 most acidic body of • water • * Some lakes are coming back to life due to • stricter laws and regulations on industrial • pollutants . Brooke Trout Lake is one of them.

7. Acid Rain Impact on Lakes • Impacted Organism: • Fish very few can live in highly acidic waters • Invertebrates • Other species such as otters and loons have • to relocated to a different food source if lakes • die out and there is not enough food left.

8. Acid Rain: Mercury Poisoning in Lakes • Mercury consumption isn’t just unsafe for humans other species also suffer from it: • Nerve Damage • Behavioral Changes

9. Acid Rain: Aluminum Poisoning in Lakes • Released from the soil into the watershed • 0.1 mg/L of Al is poisonous to fish at pH level of 5.0-5.6 • Aluminum ions collect on fish gills creating slimy layers

10. Acid Rain: Impacts on Adirondacks Forest • Sugar Maple Depletion: • Calcium loss • less seed production • -However Beech trees are starting to thrive

11. Acid Rain Impact on Humans • Problems due to Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxides: • Asthma • Bronchitis • lung problems • Can cause premature death • Other problem: • Rusting

12. Acid Rain Control • 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments • - decreased Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen Oxide emissions • - companies required to use scrubbers, also used on vehicle tail pipes • Educate People • Use Less Fossil Fuels

13. Any Questions?

14. Works Cited • (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2011, from Acid Rain in the Adirondacks Past, Present and Future: • http://www.adkmuseum.org/acidrain/index.shtml • Acid Rain. (2011, March 24). Retrieved October 24, 2011, from United States Environmental Protection • Agency: http://www.epa.gov/acidrain/ • Agency, A. P. (2003 ). Geology of the Adirondack Park. Retrieved November 29 , 2011, from New York • State Adirondack Park Agency : http://apa.ny.gov/About_Park/geology.htm • B.V, L. (1998-2011). Aluminum and water: reaction mechanisms, environmental impact and health • effects. Retrieved December 2 , 2011, from Water Treatment Solutions Lenntech : http://www.lenntech.com/periodic/water/aluminium/aluminum-and-water.htm • Cappiello, D. (2000, September 12). Lake shows little revival. Retrieved October 31 , 2011, from Light For • All The Baltimore Sun : http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2000-09-12/news/0009120250_1_big-moose-lake-acid-rain-adirondack-lakes • Effects of Acid Rain on Adirondack Lakes. (1998 ). Retrieved October 29 , 2011, from Department of • Enviromental Conservation : http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/8631.html • MSNBC. (2011). Retrieved October 29, 2011, from Dead lake comes back to life, at least for now: • http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13049814# • New York State Adirondack State Park Agency . (2003). Retrieved October 28 , 2011, from • http://www.apa.state.ny.us/About_Park/more_park.html • New York Times . (1985, April 30 ). Retrieved October 29 , 2011 , from SCIENCE WATCH; Reviving 'Dead' • Lakes: http://www.nytimes.com/1985/04/30/science/science-watch-reviving-dead-lakes.html