Urban Discharge . . . A Point of Concern
Data in red represent monthly readings recorded from Sugar Creek in 1994 and data in black represent monthly lake averages of readings recorded from four widely dispersed sites (LWLM sites 2, 3, 4 and 5) in 1994 (Deutsch et al. 1995). |
Urban discharges have degraded portions of the upper part of Lake Martin, probably contributing to the low oxygen levels detected at site 2 (see findings). LWLM has monitored Sugar Creek, which flows from Alexander City (see map), and found it to be of significantly poorer quality than the lake. The graphs above document that Sugar Creek had consistently low oxygen concentration, high turbidity and alkalinity, and a pH that was higher than optimal for aquatic life (gray shaded area on pH graph).
 
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The Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) has put Sugar Creek on the 303(d) list of impaired streams, and will develop a restoration plan (including a total maximum daily load or TMDL) to reduce creek and lake pollution. |
ADEM has also detected excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen) entering the upper part of the lake near Highway 280. Concentration of chlorophyll a (a plant pigment which is an indicator of nutrients) at the Highway 280 site was twice as great as at three other lake sites, and in the "eutrophic" range of lake quality (see graph above, and definitions). ADEM (1999a) has indicated in its "305(b) Water Quality Report to Congress" that nutrients and other substances are pollutants "of concern" for the upper part of Lake Martin.
This report was compiled by Alabama Water Watch program personnel
in partnership with Lake Watch of Lake Martin.
