Impact of a ski basin on a mountain watershed

Abstract

The input of heavy metals by automobile exhaust pollution associated with the ski basin activities is the primary concern of this paper. Stream, snowpack and lichen samples were collected and analyzed for Pb, Zn, and Cu. Some lichen samples were also analyzed for Ca, Mg, Na, K, Fe, and Mn, as well as Pb, Zn, and Cu. Snowpack samples from roadside areas demonstrated increased levels of Pb and Cu in comparison to areas up to 180 m from the road, but heavy metal levels at more remote areas were comparable to roadside levels. In all snow samples the heavy metals associated with the particulate matter was the major form of all inputs. Heavy metals in streams were also highly correlated with the particulate matter content. Heavy metal inputs to the watershed were greater than stream export, indicating an accumulation of heavy metals by the system. The forest canopy appears to be the major factor in the accumulation of heavy metals, probably due to better interception and impaction of the particulate matter by the canopy.

Hydrology and water quality in two mountain basins of the northeastern US: assessing baseline conditions and effects of ski area development

“…The body of scientific literature in the US on the effects of alpine ski area operations on watershed processes is sparse and drawn largely from a few studies conducted in the western states (Shanley and Wemple, 2002). A series of studies in the southern Rocky Mountains documented minimal impacts of ski area operations on bacteriological water quality, elevated levels of heavy metals, elevated levels of dissolved ions, and some impacts on the aquatic macroinvertebrate community (Gosz, 1977;Moore et al, 1978;White et al, 1978;Molles and Gosz, 1980). Studies in Colorado have estimated consumptive losses from man-made snowmaking that range from 13-37% of water used for snowmaking, but the authors caution that consumptive losses would be considerably less in more humid areas such as the eastern USA (Eisel et al, 1988(Eisel et al, , 1990.…”