Ebert, Jessica L 1 ; Driscoll, Charles T 2
1 University of Colorado at Boulder
2 Syracuse University
Urban stormwater runoff is a critical water quality problem for older cities in the Northeast, including Syracuse NY. In this study we examined the response of Onondaga Creek to high flow events at two locations, Dorwin and Spencer, upstream and downstream of Syracuse. For this poster we focus our analysis on the mobilization of mercury during storm events, because of interest in inputs of mercury to Onondaga Lake. Onondaga Lake is contaminated with mercury and remediation is underway to mitigate this contamination. The objective of this study was to investigate the hydrology and mercury dynamics of Onondaga Creek at Dorwin and Spencer during hydrologic events associated with snowmelt and summer and fall storms. Water samples were collected over during hydrologic events using an automated ISCO sampler located in the onsite gauging stations. These samples were then analyzed for both total and dissolved mercury, particulate and dissolved organic carbon and several other analytes. Hydrologic responses varied greatly with the season of the event. There was a clear pattern of water sources from Syracuse during the summer event, while discharge during snowmelt was similar at both sites. Large increases in mercury occurred during all events, primarily in the particulate fraction. A strong and consistent relationship between particulate mercury and particulate organic carbon was evident at both sites during all events. The urban runoff at Spencer sites displayed higher total mercury concentrations, while the rural Dorwin site displayed higher dissolved mercury concentrations.
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