Watershed Manipulation Project

Bear Brook Watershed, Maine

University of Iowa researchers working on this site are investigating the chemical processes involved in the acidification and recovery of wathersheds. The west watershed is artificially acidified with ammonium sulfate and the east watershed is used as a control for comparison. Processes being investigated include sulfate, nitrate, lead, and aluminum mobility, and recovery mechanisms such as mineral weathering and base cation exchange. The project is funded by the U.S. Environmental Proctection Agency and includes investigators at many other universities.