Impact of development on watershed hydrologic and nutrient budgets

This study assesses the impact of development on the hydrologic and nutrient budgets of contrasting watershed systems. Nutrient yields from the watersheds of oligotrophic Lake George (New York) and eutrophic Lake Wingra (Wisconsin) were estimated from measured nutrient concentrations and hydrologic flows and from hydrologic budget computations and were compared to reconstructed presettlement yields. Development-induced changes within the watersheds have altered phosphorus budgets more than nitrogen budgets, but the greatest impact on the Lake George budget comes from nitrogen-enriched precipitation. The Lake Wingra watershed appears to have been most affected by the alteration of its hydrology and morphology.