REPORTS : Evaluation of groundwater flux through bottom sediments of Otsego Lake , 1999

Seepage meters were constructed to measure the influx of groundwater in Otsego Lake (Donnelly, 1999; after Lee, 1977). The meters were placed at the bottom of the lake to indicate the amount of water entering or leaving the lake through bottom sediments. Balloons attached to the meters were used to capture groundwater and samples were tested for chloride ion levels to ascertain whether it was groundwater. Results show that there is a flow of groundwater into Otsego Lake at some study sites, and that, in the areas monitored, the seepage was greatest near shore. Also, the chloride levels of the water collected were higher than those in lake water samples. However, seepage was highly variable. Further research is needed to determine whether the variation is due to precipitation events or to other changing factors, such as the heterogeneous nature of the glacially modified local geology, or water current combined with leakage in the seepage meters.