Color
Color
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Color in water bodies is greatly influenced by the decomposition of organic material. Therefore factors such as wetlands and seasonal leaf litter increase the color of the stream water. The greatest variation in color throughout the Nequasset watershed is during the fall months. This is due to an increase in decomposing fall foliage as well as decomposition in wetlands. The range in color becomes smaller in the winter months due to the decrease in the input of new organic matter. The spiking color at Hedge Bridge Road and Meadow Road during early October is attributed to especially high leaf loss. Furthermore the high color at these locations can be attributed to the specifically deciduous leaf litter which inputs a greater amount of organic material in comparison to conifers which lose a smaller percentage of their needles. Locations such as Meadow Road and Indian Road remain generally higher in color in comparison to the other sites throughout because they are dominated by wetlands. Converselyafter November the color at Wright Lane decreases due to the abscence of wetlands. In Nequasset Park a different factor influences the lack of color. Upstream of the park on Nequasset Lake bacteria are broken down by ultraviolet light which they have been exposed to as a result of the lake's large surface area and slower moving water. Also, it is possible that organic material which otherwise may have comtributed to water color is incorperated in the lake food web and therefore removed from the system. |
