BULLETIN 465 MARCH 197 Total Alkalinity and Hardness of Surface Waters in Alabama and Mississippi I <4~p AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION AUBURN UNIVERSITY R. Dennis Rouse, Director Auburn, Aiabomo CONTENTS Page MATERIALS AND METHODS 4 5 -- RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......- LITERATURE CITED ... 15 Auburn University is an Equal Opportunity Employer FIRST PRINTING 3M, MARCH, 1975 Total Alkalinity and Hardness of Surface Waters In Alabama and Mississippi CLAUDE E. BOYD and W. WAYNE WALLEY* A NUMBER OF WORKERS reported that fish production in unfertilized waters increased with increasing total alkalinity (2,3,9, 10,18,19,25,26). The importance of total alkalinity as a limnological variable was discussed by Mairs (16), who concluded that biological productivity was generally greater in waters with high alkalinity than in waters with low alkalinity. Generally, ponds with low alkalinity must be- limed for fertilization to be effective in increasing plankton and fish production (4,12,22,24,28). Alkalinity is also an important variable influencing the distribution of aquatic plants (7,17,27). Considerable data are available for total alkalinity of surface waters in the New England States where waters of high alkalinity are restricted to areas of extensive limestone (6,16). Moyle (19) prepared an atlas to the total alkalinity of surface waters in Minnesota where the magnitudes of total alkalinity values were related to the types of geologic formations. Shoup (21) reported data for 371 streams in Tennessee, where levels of total alkalinity were generally correlated with the nature of geological formations comprising stream beds and soils. Zeller and Montgomery (28) reported that total hardness of pond waters in Georgia varied among soil regions and only ponds of the limestone belt in northwestern Georgia had hard waters. Total alkalinity was not measured. * Associate Professor, Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Auburn University and Chairman, Department of Biology, Belhaven College, Jackson, Mississippi. 4 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION The present report contains data on total alkalinity, total hardness, and calcium hardness of surface waters from the major physiographic divisions of Alabama and Mississippi. MATERIALS AND METHODS Samples of surface water were collected from small streams (6 to 60 feet wide) and ponds during the summer and fall of 1965, 1971, and 1973. Some ponds of the Yazoo Basin were small bayous of natural origin, but all ponds in other areas were manmade. Ponds varied in size from 0.1 to 50 acres and most were filled entirely by direct precipitation and runoff. A small percentage of the ponds also received the flow of streams or springs. Collections were made only during periods of dry weather when streams were at low or medium flow and ponds were not swelled by recent runoff. Sampling sites were not selected unless their locations could be plotted accurately on highway maps and physiographic identities made with certainty. Each body of water was sampled only once. However, since there are relatively small temporal changes in total alkalinity of most lakes and the alkalinity of streams does not fluctuate greatly with season in humid regions, this procedure seems justifiable (15,16,20). The physiographic map presented by Fenneman (8) was modifled by deletion of some restricted belts of the Coastal Plain (Ripley Cuesta, Buhrstone Cuesta, and Hatchetigbee Anticline). This map was enlarged to the same scale as maps bearing locations of sampling sites and reproduced on transparent paper. Dots representing sampling sites were then accurately plotted on physiographic maps by tracing. Samples were stored in polyethylene or glass bottles and analyzed as soon as possible (usually 2 days or less). Standard procedures were employed for chemical analyses (1). Total alkalinity was estimated by titration to the methyl orange endpoint with 0.02 N (normal) sulfuric acid. Total hardness was determined by titration with 0.01 M (molar) EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) using eriochrome black-T as the indicator. Calcium hardness was determined by EDTA titration to the murexide endpoint and approximate concentrations of calcium and magnesium ions were calculated from data on total and calcium hardness. TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The Coastal Plain province comprises almost all of Mississippi and about two-thirds of Alabama. The belted formations of the Coastal Plain are sedimentary in origin and of Cretaceous or younger age. Other physiographic provinces in the two states include the Interior Low Plateaus in the extreme northeast corner of Mississippi and the Piedmont, Ridge and Valley, Appalachian Plateaus, and Interior Low Plateaus in Alabama. Formations of these four provinces are Paleozoic in age. Underlying rocks of the Piedmont are metamorphic, while the other three provinces are underlain by sedimentary deposits. Geological data regarding these provinces were obtained from Fenneman (8), Hodgkins (13), and Hunt (14). Streams are numerous throughout Alabama and Mississippi, but with the exception of bayous in the Yazoo Basin of Mississippi, natural lakes and ponds are rare. Many ponds have been constructed in both states. The Alabama Department of Conservation estimates that Alabama has about 30,000 fish ponds with a total area of approximately 100,000 acres. Reliable estimates of the number and total area of ponds in Mississippi are not available. A number of large reservoirs (larger than 500 acres) have also been constructed in both states, but these reservoirs were not considered in this study. The distribution of 729 total alkalinity values, 308 for streams and 421 for ponds, is illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4. Earlier reports accepted 40 mg. per 1. total alkalinity as a reasonably good division between hard and soft waters for biological purposes (16,17,18,19). However, the three illustrated intervals for soft waters between 0 and 40 mg. per 1. total alkalinity, figures 1, 2, and 3, were chosen for convenience. Averages and standard deviations for total alkalinity values of each physiographic region are listed, tables 1 and 2. The total alkalinity of stream waters was closely related to the nature of subsurface formations. Waters from streams of the Fall Line Hills, Pine Meadows, Southern Pine Hills, and Red Hills usually had less than 20 mg. per 1. total alkalinity. These belts of the Coastal Plain are underlain primarily by sands. Calcareous formations of the Black Belt and the heavy clay alluvium of the Yazoo Basin yielded waters of high alkalinity. Values were usually above 100 mg. per 1. and occasional samples had total 6 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION INTERIOR PLATEAUS c LOW I I I Red ~II/ 01P I/ I le I5 lo I i / - II", I/ 0 co i' .0 0 S0 0 0 0 T \o1 o" \PLAIN 0I 00 °00 // *' *1 \ o 0\0 "o \' ! LI'K 0. r 000 0 %O 0 00 0 0 C' / 0 0 ° o? O . N - 0 5/CASA g /o ,J ' \iI- I / s/$000 0 I a" 0 o0 J10000 0O 0 ~J0 ' 00 0eO o 0 0 0j 0 OA LALNT *0 0006" '50 0/ 0 0ttlakaiiy ausles0an1 0 80 STR0A0 FI.1 Dsrbtino gpe 0 . 0nwtr EUtivAlEnTol alaiiylvl bv ? IM sr 00 mg aes pe1 80SRehaMSl uburac frmonso totgl of alkalinity vauslswta FIG.l 1.kDitiion tratr ofnpondunrd itream ofAlaamaand VMississipp 0m er cinPatas I.eqinwters n IteriFrLatwodstJaksonarelcieandLotessillsdeotheoastale Planinusuallyphavnaehighcascontensot.waterssfrommstreamseof mrbine adpqartziucomprsingloratideositsofthaPidmtontar tAlalii ty.Costramwlaitsofhiglal inity werenfatrequentl greatest for ponds on fertile loam and clay soils and lowest for ponds on unproductive sandy soils. Ponds of the highly fertile TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 7 Yazoo Basin and Black Belt usually had waters with high alkalinity (greater than 40 mg. per 1.), while most ponds of the Jackson Prairie, Loess Hills, and Flatwoods had waters of intermediate alkalinity (20 to 40 mg. per 1.). Local areas of sandy or acid soils exist in the Black Belt where ponds contained between 20 and 40 mg. per 1. total alkalinity. Likewise, a few ponds with water of very low alkalinity (less than 20 mg. per 1.) were present on poorer soils of the Jackson Prairie, Loess Hills, and Flatwoods. Soils of the remainder of the Coastal Plain are often sandy, and as a rule, ponds had water of low alkalinity. Percentages of ponds with less than 20 mg. per 1. total alkalinity Pine Meadows 87.5 percent, Fall Line Hills 76.2 percent, Southern Pine Hills 68.4 percent, and Red Hills 78.8 percent. However, ponds on the more fertile soils of these areas had waters with 20 were: \INTERIOR LOW PLATEAUS 0 . 1 r O 00 01 > > 1. / l °I1 I" it t I" 0I/N Highland - Rim) 0/ 0 " I Q' Ya z oo / I0 1 , 00 0 0 0 0 10°1 0 1 P I V\oj° 0 oc.0\ p 0 a. Basin / 00 , 0\ \% COASTAL tI 0*\01I e °00 CI /~ I O 0/0 0 '*o O 0e O °"®o. Q® p2 N / '00 " 0'0. O'0/7 B~*~~ 6 I0. ',PLAIN . /00 00 0 ' I\ I\,- *" *0 -®0 _o _ ,/.O\ 00 0 / - 0 oo o° ;,0 r'0P,0 ° * / Ie0p 0./I0 ° i -+0 _° 0 00\:eN~ 00 0 000001 0 NeedwsMLS OD ' 0/ 09 0 TOA LKLNT ° 1 \o mg/ C/ 0 0 EQUIVALENT o 0 0 80 KILOMETERS STREAMS0 FIG. 2. Distribution of total alkalinity values between. 10 and 19.9 mg per I. in waters of ponds and streams of Alabama and Mississippi. 8 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION . 0 1 *. o * 0"* " / ;ooRed , Hills -, *I 00o 0 / . I , *\o TOTAL ALKALINITY CaCO 3 mg/I EQUIVALENT I -, \ Meadows I o 'MILES 50 PONDS S KILOMETERS STREAMS p FIG. 3. Distribution of total alkalinity values between 20 and 40 mg per I. in waters of ponds and streams of Alabama and Mississippi. to 40 mg. per 1. alkalinity. A few ponds with distinctly alkaline waters (greater than 40 mg. per 1.) were also located. These ponds either received runoff from local calcareous soils or were filled by flow from springs issuing from local deposits of limestone. For example, ponds near Auburn, Alabama, typically had water with less than 20 mg. per 1. total alkalinity, but Palmer's Pond located 5 miles southeast of Auburn contained water with a total alkalinity of 81.5 mg. per 1. Examination of the watershed revealed that Palmer's Pond received flow from a spring of a limestone deposit. All ponds located on the acid, base-deficient soils of the Piedmont province contained soft waters. Total alkalinity values for waters of ponds of the Interior Low Plateaus, Appalachian Plateaus, and Ridge and Valley provinces were distributed among all four illustrated intervals. This wide range in TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 9 total alkalinity of pond waters reflected the great local variation in soils of these provinces. In general, stream waters of a particular physiographic area had higher values for total alkalinity and total hardness than pond waters, tables 1 and 2. Waters of streams during periods of low flow consist primarily of ground water entering where streams cut below the water table. Ground water has relatively long contact with rocks and soils under reducing conditions and at high centrations con- of carbon dioxide (11,15). These circumstances favor solution of minerals, and ground water is normally more with ions than runoff, which has rather brief contact with trated concen- surficial rocks and soils. Most of the ponds sampled in this study were filled largely or entirely by direct precipitation and runoff. Such waters were usually less concentrated with ions than ground water. INTERIOR LOW PLATEAUS / .0 /0 . 0/ /0 0 00 0 °0 00 0 ighand Rim 10 ,COASTAL 4'o 0 1 1/ 1 I" I \" " 0 ° * 0 a * ~0 0 0 0 0 , / IS / 1 0 0 01G0F ° \ '/s. 0- 00000 00 0 0 0 0 0 \°AK.. & 0~ LA1 ~ ~?~~ 0/r0\ ,\\I \00 " PLAIN °". I /O/ '0 C e$ cf '/s ". ®0 0" 0"0 0 0 2.~N I- o - °00000()0 000 a--; 0-00 Hills spin t 0 \&\ horn "N / KIOETR Red 0 S /0 - Hills 50 \MILES TOTAL ALKALINITY CaCO 3 mg/I EQUIVALENT ; Meaows ______ ,0z0 i S 0 KILOMETEso PONDS STREAMS 0 FIG. 4. Distribution of total alkalinity values above 40 mg per I. in waters of ponds and streams of Alabama and Mississippi. 10 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION There was usually a high correlation between total alkalinity and total hardness, tables 3 and 4, and values for total alkalinity and total hardness were usually of similar magnitude, tables 1 and 2. These observations suggest that both total hardness and total alkalinity in waters of most physiographic areas were deTABLE 1. AVERAGE ± ONE STANDARD DEVIATION FOR TOTAL ALKALINITY, TOTAL VALUES FOR WATERS FROM PONDS AND HARDNESS, AND CALCIUM HARDNESS STREAMS OF DIFFERENT BELTS OF THE COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCES OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI. CALCIUM TO MAGNESIUM RATIOS ARE ALSO PRESENTED Description of samples Total alkalinity Total hardness Calcium hardness mg/1 Ca ratio Pine Meadows Southern Pine Hills Jackson Prairie Red Hills Flatwoods Black Belt Fall Line Hills Yazoo Basin Loess Hills 6.4 Streams 10.6 Ponds Streams 14.5 18.9 Ponds Streams 40.9 25.8 Ponds Streams 20.3 16.5 Ponds Streams 29.8 34.4 Ponds Streams 112.5 56.8 Ponds Streams 21.9 Ponds 16.0 Streams 154.5 101.2 Ponds Streams 40.1 Ponds 24.9 mg/i mg/1 4.1 ± 6.3 ± ± 13.2 16.7 ± 15.3 ± 16.7 14.5 ± 15.4 ± 45.9 44.6 ± 49.7 ± 19.9 25.9 ± 24.0 ± 16.2 18.1 ± 10.5 ± 15.2 14.5 ± 13.6 77.7 ± 81.4 ± 39.3 ± 30.1 33.3 ± 30.0 ± 73.6 113.8 ± 66.3 57.8 ± 26.8 ± 23.6 25.1 ± 46.7 ± 31.6 14.6 ± 12.5 ± 12.5 88.5 ± 104.3 ± 117.8 ± 69.4 59.2 ± 42.4 ± 54.2 48.2 ± 58.3 8.1 ± 18.3 14.4 ± 11.4 ± 10.8 ± 38.7 ± 20.0 ± 11.8 ± 9.2 ± 42.5 ± 25.7 ± 103.6 ± 53.3 ± 16.7 ± 10.5 ± 52.7 ± 37.1 ± 28.4 ± 8.7 ± 12.6 13.1 48.2 21.3 7.7 7.1 40.8 23.5 65.0 26.6 32.6 11.1 55.7 20.6 31.7 5.7 3.53 4.80 10.82 5.80 3.08 2.85 1.99 5.48 16.93 19.58 3.28 4.24 2.43 2.79 2.63 2.52 TABLE 2. AVERAGE + ONE STANDARD DEVIATION FOR TOTAL ALKALINITY, TOTAL HARDNESS, AND CALCIUM HARDNESS VALUES FOR WATERS FROM PONDS AND STREAMS OF FOUR PHYSIOGRAPHIC PROVINCES IN ALABAMA. CALCIUM TO MAGNESIUM RATIOS ARE ALSO PRESENTED Description of samples Total alkalinity mg/1 Total hardness mg/1 17.9 ± 14.9 10.5 ± 5.4 83.9 ± 45.5 22.0 ± 20.0 81.6 ± 54.0 22.8 ± 19.0 98.9 ± 51.6 40.8 ± 28.7 Calcium hardness mg/1 11.1 6.9 60.2 17.0 57.9 17.3 87.1 33.1 ± ± ± ± ± ± ± - Mga ratio Piedmont Streams Ponds Ridge and Valley Streams Ponds Streams Appalachian Ponds Plateaus Streams Interior Low Plateaus Ponds 24.2 ± 12.8 ± 84.6 ± 24.1 ± 76.6 ± 24.6 ± 96.8 ± 40.2 ± 17.0 5.4 43.5 19.7 48.3 18.5 50.8 28.2 11.9 3.8 37.9 16.5 43.6 17.3 49.1 24.9 2.69 3.17 4.19 5.63 4.03 5.21 12.15 7.09 TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 11 rived from solutions of calcium and magnesium carbonates. Significant exceptions to relationships between hardness and alkalinity were noted in waters of streams of the Flatwoods, ponds of the Loess Hills, and ponds and streams of the Yazoo Basin, tables 1 and 3. In the case where total hardness greatly exceeded total alkalinity, sulfate ions were proportionally more abundant. Sodium and potassium were associated with alkalinity anions in situations where alkalinity greatly exceeded hardness. Calcium was more abundant than magnesium in all waters and average Ca to Mg ratios of 2.0 to 6.0 were usual, tables 1 and 2. Waters of the Black Belt had especially high Ca to Mg ratios since the Selma Chalk formations of this belt are calcitic rather IN mg/i EQUIVALENT TABLE 3. EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATING TOTAL HARDNESS CaCO 3 FROM TOTAL ALKALINITY (x) IN mg/i EQUIVALENT CaCO 3 . EQUATIONS ARE BASED ON SAMPLES FROM PONDS AND STREMS OF DIFFERENT BELTS OF THE COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI Coefficient Description of samples Equation mfndteon (r2) (Y) Southern A Pine Hills Streams Ponds A Y= 3.439 + 0.898x ± 0.0007x2 0.65* Y A A = 4.750 +0.300x 5.727 + - 0.0066x 2 0.72" 0.991 Jackson Prairie Streams Y = 9.316 + 0.564x + 0.0036x 2 Ponds Y = A +0.288x + 0.0127x2 + 0.761x 0.97" 0.82* 0.904* Red Hills Flatwoods Black Belt Streams Ponds Y=A 2.647 ±{ 1.319x 1.457 Y= A A A Streams Ponds Streams Ponds Y= - + - 0.00,90x 2 0.0009x2 0.0010x2 0.04 2.428 +-I-1O00x- 0.98* 0.83** 0.86* Y= y= A A A 9.126 + 1.064x 7.584 2.577 +0.694x + 0.0028x + 0.992x ± 0.0008x2 2 Falls Line Hills Streams A Y= A Ponds Yazoo Basin Streams Y= 2.206 197.384 Y=- + + 0.0006x-" 0.530* 0.96*0 0.55* 0.629x4.550x - 0.0058x 0.0119x 2 2 Ponds Loess Hills Streams Ponds *Significant Y= Y=A Y= - 1.311 + 0.890x - 0.0022x2 0.0045x2 0.0165 2 0.26 0.6704 11.983 + 1.993x 7.120 + 1.4 8 2x x 0.63" at the 0.05 level of probability. * * Significant at the 0.01 level of probability. 12 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION than dolomitic (8). Correlations between total hardness and calcium hardness were high for waters from all physiographic areas, tables 5 and 6. Although a number of authors pointed out that plankton and fish production was normally greater in hard than in soft waters, this relationship must be qualified (2,3,9,10,16,18,19,25,26). Studies mentioned above were conducted in natural waters which were not fertilized intentionally or polluted by human activity. Water with high total alkalinity or total hardness has a greater complement of most ions than water with low alkalinity (11,15). Therefore, correlations between alkalinity and productivity were related to differences in phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations rather than to alkalinity per se (18,19,25). Further support of the indirect nature of correlations between alkalinity and fish production is afforded by experience on pond fertilization. Fish production in fertilized ponds of the Black Belt is no greater than production in most fertilized ponds of the Piedmont, even though Black Belt ponds usually have waters with much higher alkalinities than Piedmont ponds, tables 1 and 2. Waters of ponds constructed on fertile soils were observed in the present study to have higher alkalinities than ponds constructed on sandy, infertile soils. Unfertilized ponds on fertile soils produce more fish than unfertilized ponds on poor soils (12,22,23,25). Again, this TABLE 4. EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATING TOTAL HARDNESS (Y) IN mg/1 EQUIVALENT CaCO3 FROM TOTAL ALKALINITY (X) IN mg/ EQUIVALENT CaCO3. EQUATIONS ARE BASED ON SAMPLES FROM PONDS AND STREAMS IN FOUR PHYSIOGRAPHIC PROVINCES IN ALABAMA A Coefficient Description of samples Equation ofindeter(r ) Piedmont Streams Ponds Y= Y A -= A A 3.650 + + 0.403x + 0.0053x° 0.97*0 0.81 * 2.169 + 0.401x 7.564 + 0.0167x' Ridge and Valley Streams Y= A A A A -= A 1.163x - 0.0008x' 0.0015x' 0.990* 0.99** 0.91*0 Ponds Appalachian Plateaus Streams Ponds Interior Low Plateaus Streams Y= Y=Y =Y 3.391 + 1.110x- 10.668 + 1.554x - 0.0033x' 1.858 + 0.995x + 0.00021x' 0.97** 1.008 + + 1.008x + 0.00002x' 0.990** 0.910x + 0.0011x' 0.99** 1.579 Y -= Ponds ** Significant at the 0.01 level of probability. TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 13 A TABLE 5. EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATING CALCIUM HARDNESS IN mg/i EQUIVALENT CaCO, FROM TOTAL HARDNESS (X) IN mg/i EQUIVALENT CaCO 3 . EQUATIONS ARE BASED ON SAMPLES FROM PONDS AND STREAMS OF DIFFERENT BELTS OF THE COASTAL PLAIN PROVINCE OF ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI (Y) Coe~fficient Description of samples Equation mfnation Southern Pine Hills I Streams Ponds Y= A A 1.140 ± 0.442x + 0.0057x" 0.951 - Y A A A A = 0.407 2.427 + 0.730x + 0.0014x' 0.9444 0.860x 0.782x Jackson Prairie Streams Y= - Ponds Y= Y= Y= A A A A + 1.747 + 1.420 2.594 Red Hills Flatwoods Black Belt Fall Line Hills Streams Ponds Streams Ponds Streams Ponds Streams Ponds 0.864 + 0.515x + + +0.0013x° 0.9940 +0.0036x-'0.90$ 0.0007x2 0.994 - 0.854x 0.0044x2 0.901 0.89 0.974 0.964 0.98 0.824 Y = - 12.910 + 1.342x Y= Y= Y= - - 0.0043x' 0.0017x' 0.0021x2 0.0020x2 - 0.946x - 0.242 + 0.851x-0.0004x" 4.536 A 1.070x 1.013 Y = - 11.582 + 1.272x A A Y= Y= A A A +0.516x-0.0052x - 0.94 Yazoo Basin Streams 1.656 ± 0.652x 2.772 A- 0.522x- 0.0004x' 0.0001x' Ponds Loess Hills Streams Y= Y= 2.589 ±-0.828x-0.0018x2 0.005ix' 0.92'" 0.94~ 0.991 0.991 Ponds Y= 0.395 + 0.479x SSignificant at the 0.01 level of probability. - increase in fish production is normally related to greater concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, and other nutrients derived from solution and exchange of substances in bottom muds (12,25). Ponds with less than 20 mg. per 1. total hardness or total alkalinity may not respond to fertilization with nitrogen and phosphorus (4,24,28). Phytoplankton growth in these waters may be limited by inadequate supplies of carbon dioxide or bicarbonate and low concentrations of calcium. Equilibrium concentrations of phosphorus are also lower in ponds with soft waters and acid bottom muds than in ponds with harder waters and neutral, or nearly neutral, bottom muds Therefore, ponds with waters of less than 20 mg. per 1. total hardness or alkalinity should be limed to increase the availability of carbon for photosynthesis, (5). 14 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION supply calcium, and conserve phosphorus applied in fertilizer (4, 5,24,28). Pond waters with less than 20 mg. per 1. total alkalinity and hardness were commonly encountered in all areas of Alabama and Mississippi except the Black Belt and Yazoo Basin, figures 1 and 2. Ponds with more than 20 mg. per 1. were not restricted from the typically soft water areas, figures 1 and 2. Therefore, any decision on liming a pond should be based on examination of water, rather than reference to data presented in this publication. A TABLE 6. EQUATIONS FOR CALCULATING CALCIUM HARDNESS (Y) IN mg/l EQUIVAIN mg/1. EQUIVALENT CaCO 3 . LENT CaCO3 FROM TOTAL HARDNESS (X) EQUATIONS ARE BASED ON SAMPLES FROM PONDS AND STREAMS IN FOUR PHYSIOGRAPHIC PROVINCES IN ALABAMA Description of samples Equation Coefficient of determination (r2) Piedmont Streams Ponds Y= A A 8.032 + 0.232x 0.795 2.420 2.244 4.088 0.224 12.064 5.478 Y = A +- 0.518x Ridge and Valley Streams Ponds Y= A + + + 0.471x 0.438x 0.811x 0.666x Y= A + 0.0073x2 + 0.0049x2 +- 0.0020x2 + 0.0060x' - 0.9911 0.89" 0.900* 0.96" 0.84*0 0.98*0 0.9911 0.9800 Appalachian Plateaus Streams Ponds Y= Y= A 0.0004x2 0.0027x' 0.0007x2 A + + - Interior Low Plateaus Streams Y =A + + 1.090x1.105x Ponds Y= - 0.0027x 2 * Significant at the 0.01 level of probability. TOTAL ALKALINITY AND HARDNESS OF SURFACE WATERS 15 LITERATURE CITED (1) AMERICAN PUBLIC HEALTH ASSOCIATION. 1971. Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater. 13th ed., New York. 874 pp. (2) BALL, R. C. 1945. A Summary of Experiments in Michigan Lakes on the Elimination of Fish Populations with Rotenone, 1934-1942. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 75:139-146. (3) BARRETT, P. H. 1953. Relationships between Alkalinity and Adsorption and Regeneration of Added Phosphorus in Fertilized Trout Lakes. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 82:78-90. (4) BOYD, C. E. 1974. Lime Requirements of Alabama Fish Ponds. Auburn Univ. (AL) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 459. 20 pp. (5) BOYD, C. E. AND E. SCARSBROOK. 1974. Effects of Agricultural Lime- stone on Phytoplankton Communities of Fish Ponds. Arch. Hydrobiol. 74: 336-349. (6) BROOKS, J. L. AND E. S. DEEVEY, JR. 1963. New England, p. 117-162. In: D. G. Frey (ed.). Limnology in North America. Univ. Wisconsin Press, Madison. (7) ELLIS, L. L. 1955. Preliminary Notes on the Correlation between Alkalinity and the Distribution of Some Free-floating and Submerged Aquatic Plants. Ecology 36:763-764. (8) FENNEMAN, N. M. 1938. Physiography of the Eastern United States. McGraw-Hill. New York. 714 pp. (9) GEAGAN, D. W. AND T. D. ALLEN. 1960. An Ecological Survey of Factors Affecting Fish Production in Louisiana Waters. Wildlife Fisheries Comm. Baton Rouge. 100 pp. Louisiana (10) North American Lakes as Related to the Quantity and the Trophic Level of Fish, the Lake Dimensions, and the Water Chemistry. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 93:53-57. (11) HEM, J. D. 1970. Study and Interpretation of the Chemical Characteristics of Natural Water. U.S. Geol. Surv., Water-Supply Paper 1473, Gov. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 363 pp. HAYES, F. R. AND E. H. ANTHONY. 1964. Productive Capacity of (12) (13) HICKLING, C. F. 1962. Fish Cultures. Faber and Faber. London. 295 pp. HODGKINs, E. J. 1965. Southern Forest Habitat. Regions Based on Physiography. Auburn Univ. (AL) Agr. Exp. Sta., Forestry Dept. Series No. 2. 12 pp. (14) HUNT, C. B. 1967. Physiography of the United States. W. H. Freeman, San Francisco. 480 pp. LIVINGSTONE, D. A. 1963. Chemical Composition of Rivers and Lakes. (15) U.S. Geol. Surv., Prof. Paper 440 G. Gov. Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 64 pp. (16) MAIRS, D. F. 1966. A Total Alkalinity Atlas for Maine Lake Waters. Limnol. Oceanogr. 11:68-72. 16 ALABAMA AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION (17) MOYLE, J. B. 1945. Some Chemical Factors Influencing the Distribution of Aquatic Plants in Minnesota. Amer. Midl. Natur. 34:402420. (18) MOYLE, J. B. 1946. Some Indices of Lake Productivity. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 76:322-334. (19) MOYLE, J. B. 1956. Relationships between Chemistry of Minnesota Surface Waters and Wildlife Management. J. Wildl. Mgmt. 20:303320. (20) RYDER, R. A. 1964. Chemical Characteristics of Ontario Lakes as Related to Glacial History. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 93:260-268. (21) SHOUP, C. S. 1946. Geochemical Interpretation of Water Analyses from Tennessee Streams. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 74:223-229. (22) SCHAEPERCLAUS, W. 1933. Textbook of Pond Culture. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser. Fishery Leaf. 311. 260 pp. (23) SWINGLE, H. S. AND E. V. SMITH. 1950. Management of Farm Fish Ponds. Alabama Polytech. Inst. (AL) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 254. 32 pp. ,(24) THOMASTON, W. W. AND H. O. ZELLER. 1961. Results of a Six-Year Investigation of Chemical Soil and Water Analysis and Lime Treatment in Georgia Fish Ponds. Proc. Ann. Conf. Southeast Game and Fish Comm. 15:236-245. (25) TOTH, S. J. AND R. F. SMITH. 1960. Soil Over Which Water Flows Affects Ability to Grow Fish. New Jersey Agr. 42:5-11. (26) TURNER, W. R. 1960. Standing Crops of Fishes in Kentucky Farm Ponds. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 89:333-337. (27) WELCH, P. S. 1952. Limnology. McGraw-Hill. New York. 538 pp. (28) ZELLER, H. D. AND A. MONTGOMERY. 1957. Preliminary Investigations of Chemical Soil and Water Relationships and Lime Treatment of Soft Water in Georgia Farm Ponds. Proc. Ann. Conf. Southeast. Game and Fish Comm. 10:71-76.