Walker Lake, a large terminal lake in west-central Nevada, is rapidly desiccating and becoming more saline. From 1937 to 1977, total dissolved solids increased from 5 650 to 10 650 mg 1 I. Ionically, the lake is a chlorocarbonate one; however, as desiccation continues it should eventually have about equal amounts of chloride, sulfate and carbonate. With regard to algal nutrients, the lake appears to be nitrogen limited. The phytoplankton is currently dominated by Nodularia spumigena; at times this produces noxious blooms. The zooplankton community is depauperate and composed of three species. The fish fauna is limited to three endemic fishes, with tui chub, Gila bicolor, dominant. Lahontan cutthroat trout, Salmo clarki henshawi, is restricted during summer to a narrow mid-water zone low enough in temperature and high enough in dissolved oxygen to meet physiological requirements.

The problem of estimating bulk light extinction coefficients in surface water impoundments is examined. It is shown that the bulk extinction coefficient can be accurately estimated from the Secchi disc depth. In addition, the equation derived is significantly different from that derived by Poole and Atkins in 1929. This empirical expression for the extinction coefficient is then used to develop a semiempirical expression for the euphotic depth as a function of the Secchi disc depth.

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The use of in situ microcosms for performing reservoir trophic studies and aiding in the design of reservoir restoration programs are discussed. The site of this study was Lahontan Reservoir, Nevada, which has experienced water quality problems associated with monospecific blooms of blue‐green algae and hypolimnetic dissolved oxygen depletions. In situ microcosms were used to investigate the response of phytoplankton species composition to additions of the nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and the phosphorus precipitant aluminum sulfate. At the end of the 16‐day experimental period, the microcosms receiving the phosphate treatments yielded the highest standing crops of algae and the greatest percentage composition of blue‐green algae. The microcosms receiving the nitrate treatment exhibited greater initial algal concentrations followed by a decline in photoplankton, which coincided with an increase in the zoo‐plankton population. The results presented here suggest that microcosms can be a cost‐effective method for assessing reservoir water quality and planning restoration programs.

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