Loch Vale Watershed Website Outline
April 29, 2010
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The Loch Vale Watershed is located in Rocky Mountain National Park. Long-term ecological research and
monitoring since 1982 addresses watershed-scale ecosystem processes, particularly as they respond to
atmospheric deposition and climate variability. Monitoring of meteorological, hydrologic, and water
quality parameters enable us to use long-term trends to distinguish natural from human-caused
disturbances. Research into snow distribution, hydrologic flowpaths, vegetation responses to N
deposition, isotopic transformations of N by forest and soil processes, trace metals, and aquatic
ecological responses to disturbance enable us to understand processes that influence high elevation
ecosystems. The Loch Vale Watershed long-term ecological research and monitoring project is operated
by the Biological Research Division of the US Geological Survey.
SITE DESCRIPTION
The Loch Vale watershed is located in Rocky Mountain National Park in north-central Colorado (latitude
40.2878 / longitude –105.6628). The watershed is 660 hectares in size and ranges in elevation from
3,110 m (10,200 ft.) at The Loch outlet to 4,192 m (13,153 ft.) at Taylor Peak. There are two main
subbasins in Loch Vale; Andrews Creek drains the northern subbasin, and Icy Brook drains the southern
subbasin. The watershed consists of 3 lakes (The Loch, Lake of Glass and Sky Pond). The majority of
Rocky Mountain National Park is underlain by igneous (granite) and metamorphic (schist and gneiss)
formations. The watershed consists of 83% bare rock, boulder fields, snow and ice; 11% tundra; 5%
forest; and 1% subalpine meadow (Baron, 1992). The sub-alpine forests of Loch Vale are dominated by
Englemann spruce (Picea englemannii) and sub-alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) with average ages ~500
years. The average annual precipitation of the area is 110 cm with 65-80% originating as snow. A more
detailed description of the Loch Vale watershed can be found in Baron 1992.
RESEARCH
Research Objectives:
1. To observe and differentiate natural biogeochemical and biological variability from humancaused disturbance in alpine and subalpine ecosystems through intensive long- term study.
2. To understand and better quantify the role of climatic variability, particularly changes in
precipitation and temperature, on alpine and subalpine processes.
3. To apply new and better methods to the addressing of the role of climate on winter snow
accumulation, redistribution, and melt processes.
4. Estimate potential ecosystem change induced by changes in climate due to regional land use
change and/or globally-increasing greenhouse gases.
Program Objectives:
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1. To share results and information on real and potential threats to natural alpine and subalpine
resources with the public, scientific community, and air, water, and land managers.
2. To apply information gained in Rocky Mountain National Park to other NPS and federallymanaged lands in Colorado, nationwide, and worldwide.
3. To offer a program of graduate education and research that develops future scientists and
knowledgeable resource managers.
4. To continue the Loch Vale Watershed long-term ecological research project as a successful
example of ecosystem study design, interdisciplinary collaboration, long-term continuity of
quality-assured data collection, data base management, and better applied natural resource
management.
Include figure of biogeochemical model with links to the following text:
Precipitation: The crest of the southern Rocky Mountains forms a continental-scale meteorological
boundary, which influences storm trajectories and precipitation patterns. The Southern Rocky
Mountains are characterized by prevailing westerly winds. The major sources of precipitation at
locations west of the mountain crest are synoptic-scale frontal disturbances bearing Pacific
moisture. These storms lose their moisture in decreasing amounts from west to east on successive
orographic barriers in their path. This type of storm is most prevalent during the winter months,
when precipitation is snow (~65-80% of LV moisture falls as snow with the average annual total
~110cm). The spring and summer moisture patterns for Loch Vale are mainly influenced by easterly
upslope storm events from the Front Range. These storms are a result of local convective activity
east of the Continental Divide and have been attributed to the higher N-deposition rates recorded
along the eastern side of The Divide.
Vegetation: Loch Vale vegetation is typical of the subalpine-alpine vegetation throughout the Rocky
Mountains, from central Alberta and British Columbia to Arizona and especially in the Central
Rockies. Loch Vale forests are northeast facing, old-growth closed-canopy Engelmann spruce (Picea
engelmannii) and Subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) stands at approximately 3200 m elevation. The
forests are characterized as cool, sheltered, well drained, with relatively deep soils. Limber pine is
found on open slopes and ridgetops. Patches of krummholz (dwarf forest) are found above
Timberline Falls. Forest covers approximately 6% of the Loch Vale watershed. Above timberline,
alpine tundra vegetation takes the form of low, mat-like plants that are able to withstand the harsh,
desiccating conditions that prevent tree survival. Alpine tundra vegetation occupies about 11% of
the watershed area. Wet meadows are interspersed with forests in areas of low topographic relief
along streambanks and bases of slopes, and cover about 1% of the watershed area.
Soils: Three soil regimes are recognized within the Loch Vale watershed: alpine ridge, forested, and
alluvial/bog soils. Alpine ridge is confined to Thatchtop Mountain and the ridge above Andrew's
Creek, with smaller areas above treeline in the basin that holds Sky Pond and Glass Lake. Forested
soils are found in the valley floor below Timberline Falls. Alluvial and bog soils are restricted to a
narrow band adjacent to Icy Brook and in one area of low relief adjacent to Andrew's Creek. Alpine
ridge soils cover 11%, forested soils 5%, and alluvial/bog soils approximately 1% of the watershed.
The remaining 83% of the Loch Vale basin is bare rock, boulder fields, surface water, or fields of
permanent snow over boulder fields.
Bedrock: The Colorado Front Range is a north-south trending massif located in the central region of
Colorado. The Front Range is a Laramide structure with a core of crystalline rocks made of
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predominantly Precambrian granite, schist, and gneiss. The core is framed by steeply dipping
Paleozoic sediments. The metamorphic schist and gneiss, thought to be of sedimentary origin, are
the oldest rocks in the range. Together with the Precambrian granites these rock types make up
most of the terrain in Rocky Mountain National Park (Cole, 1977). About 80% of the Loch Vale
watershed is dominated by bedrock.
Surface Water: The surface waters of Loch Vale include lakes, streams, ponds, and temporary melt
pools, although we focus our research efforts on lakes and streams only. There are three major
drainage lakes within the Loch Vale Watershed (Sky Pond, Glass Lake, and The Loch). All the lakes in
the basin are cirque lakes that were formed during Pinedale age advances of Taylor and Andrew's
Glaciers. These lakes are all connected by Icy Brook, which originates at the base of the snowfields in
the cirque above Sky Pond and leaves the watershed at The Loch outlet. For stream and lake
chemistry data, please refer to the data page on this website.
Biota: Subalpine and alpine lakes are generally low in phytoplankton abundance and lakes in the
Front Range of the Rocky Mountains are no exception. Low nutrient levels and cold temperatures
result in low productivity and biomass. Although a vast colonization pool of algae are present in the
form of wind-deposited spores, only those physiologically able to withstand the low temperatures
and extreme seasonality of light and hydrologic regimes are present in significant numbers. These
and other physical factors exert a strong control on the composition and biomass of the
phytoplankton community. In addition, ecological factors such as algal parasitism, nutrient
competition, and food web interactions may influence phytoplankton populations (Canter and Lund
1968; Kalff and Knoechel 1978; Bird and Kalff 1986; Carpenter et al. 1985; Carpenter and Kitchell
1988). The most common phytoplankton in LVWS include Asterionella formosa Hass. in the spring
and Oscillatoria limnetica Lemm. in the autumn. For detailed lists of Loch Vale phytoplankton and
macroinvertebrate populations, go to our species lists link below.
Sediments: Prior to 1980 there was no systematic collection of precipitation for chemical analysis
for the southern Rocky Mountains. Thus, we use lake sediment paleolimnological techniques to
reconstruct trends in deposition over time from the mid-1800s to the present (Baron et al. 1986).
Lake sediments are cored and analyzed for metals and diatom community assemblages. Sequential
layers from the sediment cores are radiometrically dated to reconstruct patterns of metal
deposition that could be attributed to an increase in industrial emissions. Diatoms have very specific
pH preferences, which are well documented, so that knowledge of diatom community changes over
time can be used to interpret lake chemical composition over time (Charles and Norton 1986).
DATA
Hydrologic Data
 Units of discharge are expressed as daily averages (of midnight, noon, minimum and maximum
flow) in cubic meters per second (cms).
 All stream discharge measurements are recorded at the Loch Outlet at an elevation of 3050m.
Water Chemistry Data

The Site column describes sample location and position.
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Locations in Loch Vale
Other Locations in RMNP
Position
The Loch
Emerald Lake
O = outlet
Little Loch Creek
Lake Haiyaha
I = Inlet
Andrew's Creek
Lake Husted
IN= Inlet North
Andrew's Tarn
Lake Louise
IS= Inlet South
Glass Lake
LS=Lake Surface
Sky Pond
LH=Lake Hypolimnion
LM=Lake Metalimnion
TI =Tarn Limit









“-999” refers to missing data.
RMNP refers to Rocky Mountain National Park
“TotalDischarge” refers to cumulative discharge from the Loch Outlet from the current sample
date to the next sample date.
“Temp” refers to water temperature in degrees C.
“FldCond” and “LabCond” refer to field and laboratory conductivity measurements in
microsiemens per centimeter (us/cm).
“FldpH” and “LabpH” refer to field and laboratory pH values.
“Alk” refers to alkalinity and units are expressed in microequivalents per liter (ueq/L).
All major anions and cations are expressed in units of mg/L except Al, Fe, and Mn, which are
expressed as micrograms per liter (ug/L).
· Silica (SiO2) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are expressed in mg/L.
“TN” refers to total nitrogen and “DON” refers to dissolved organic nitrogen. By taking TN and
subtracting out inorganic nitrogen, we calculate DON for stream and precipitation samples
starting in the spring of 1999.
Weather Data
 “Water Resources Division 2m/6m (1991-2002)” refers to weather data from the USGS-WRD
station at a height of 2 and 6 meters.
 “Biological Resources Division (1982-1992)” refers to weather data from the USGS-BRD station
in Loch Vale.
 Common climate parameters measured for both stations are: solar radiation, 2 meter air
temperature, relative humidity, 6 meter wind speed, and 6 meter wind direction. The station is
located at an elevation of 3159m.
 Quality assurance results dictate that complete Loch Vale weather data will be filled with BRD
data from September 8, 1983-December 31, 1994 and WRD data from January 1, 1995-on.
WRD VARIABLES
UNITS
BRD VARIABLES
UNITS
Daily Avg. QS rad. in
Langleys/hour
Hourly QS rad. in
Watts/m2
Daily Avg. QS rad. out
Langleys/hour
Daily Avg. QA rad. in
Langleys/hour
4
Daily Avg. QA rad. out
Langleys/hour
Daily Avg. net rad.
Langleys/hour
Min. 6/2m air temp.
oC
Avg. 6/2m air temp.
oC
Max. 6/2m air temp.
oC
Min. 6/2m rel. hum.
%
Avg. 6/2m rel. hum.
%
Max. 6/2m rel. hum.
%
Max. 6/2m wind speed
mph
6/2m EPA wind speed
mph
6/2m Camp.wind speed
mph
6/2mCamp.vector mag.
mph
6/2m EPA UT vector dir.
360 Degrees
6/2m EPA vector dir. sd
360 Degrees
6/2m Camp. vector dir.
360 Degrees
6/2m Camp.vector dir. sd
360 Degrees
2m-air temp.
oC
Rel. hum.
%
6m wind speed
m/sec.
6m wind dir.
360 Degrees
Baro. Press.
Millibars
Loch Vale and Fraser Soil Temperature
 Soil temperature data are recorded using Onset Optic StowAway temperature hobos and data
are collected hourly.
 Temperatures are reported in degrees C.
 Hobos are located in the center of all control and fertilized plots and are buried at a depth of
approximately 5 cm.
 Missing data are recorded as "-999."
 New probes were installed in each plot on 9/12/2003 for Loch Vale sites and 9/16/2003 for
Fraser sites.
 Data from the new probes were appended to the existing database at these above mentioned
dates due to suspect data from old probes (probes have ~5 year lifetime.)
Include links to data (in .txt, .xls, or .mdb format) and websites that disseminate Loch Vale Data (i.e.,
USGS NWIS and NADP, maybe NRCS SNOTEL as well).
Publications
Advani, S. 2005. Soil respiration responses to fertilization: a comparison of two forests with different
nitrogen deposition histories. M.S. Thesis, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State
University. 40 pp.
Allstott, E.J., 1995. Quality Assurance Report, Loch Vale Watershed Study, 1991-1994. Natural Resource
Ecology Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 80523. 22 pp.
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Allstott, E.J., M.Bashkin, and J.S. Baron. 2000. Loch Vale Watershed Project Quality Assurance Report:
1995-1998: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-111. Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. 48 pp.
Allstott, E.J., J.S. Baron, J.A. Botte. 2000. Loch Vale Watershed Project Methods Manual 2000. 70 pp.
Arthur, M.A. and T.J. Fahey. 1989. Mass and nutrient content of decaying boles in an Englemann spruce subalpine fir forest, Rocky Mountain National Park. Can. J. For. Res. 20:730-737.
Arthur, M.A. 1990. The effects of vegetation on watershed biogeochemistry at Loch Vale Watershed,
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University, Ithaca NY.
Arthur, M.A. and T.J. Fahey. 1992. Biomass and nutrients in a Picea englemannii/Abies lasiocarpa forest
in north-central Colorado: pools, annual production, and nutrient cycling. Can. J. For. Res. 22:315325.
Arthur, M.A. and T.J. Fahey. 1993. Controls on soil solution chemistry in a subalpine forest in northcentral Colorado. Soil Science Society of America Journal 57:1122-1130.
Arthur, M.A. and T.J. Fahey. 1993. Throughfall chemistry in an Englemann spruce, subalpine fir forest in
north-central Colorado. Can. J. For. Resear. 23:738-742.
Bachmann, S.A. 1994. Hydrology of a subalpine wetland complex in Rocky Mountain National Park,
Colorado. M.S. Thesis, Colorado State University.
Back, J.A. 1992. Stable isotopes as tracers of hydrologic sources to three alpine lakes, Rocky Mountain
National Park. M.S. Thesis, Colorado State University.
Balk, Ben, Kelly Elder, and Jill Baron. 1998. Estimating the spatial distribution of snow water equivalence
in a mountain watershed using geostatistical methods. Pp. 100-111 in: C.R. Troendle, ed. Western
Snow Conference Proceedings, Snowbird, UT. April 1998.
Balk, B. 1999. Statistical methods for spatial modeling of snow distirbution in a Colorado Front Range
watershed M.Sc. Thesis, Department of Earth Resources, Colorado State University. 236 pp.
Balk, B.C., and K. Elder. 2000. Combining binary decision tree and geostatistical methods to estimate
snow distribution in a mountain watershed. Water Resources Research 36:13-26.
Baron, J. 1983. Comparative water chemistry of four lakes in Rocky Mountain National Park. Wat. Res.
Bull. 19:897-902.
Baron, J.S. 2006. Hindcasting Nitrogen Deposition to Determine an Ecological Critical Load. Ecol. Appl. In
press.
Baron, J.S., K.R. Nydick, H.M. Rueth, B.M. Lafrancois, and A.P. Wolfe. 2005. High elevation ecosystem
responses to atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. Global
Change and Mountain Regions: A State of Knowledge Overview. Pp. 429-436 in: Ulli M. Huber,
Harald K.M. Bugmann, and M.A. Reasoner, eds. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
Baron, J. and P.M. Walthall. 1985. The nature of precipitation, soil and surface water chemistry in a
subalpine ecosystem. ch. 42, pp. 497-509 in: D.E. Caldwell, J.A. Brierly and C.L. Brierly, eds.
PLANETARY ECOLOGY. Van Nostrand Reinhold Company. New York.
Baron, J., D.R. Beeson, S.A. Zary, P.M. Walthall, W.L. Lindsay and D.M. Swift. 1985. Long-term research
into the effects of atmospheric deposition in Rocky Mountain National Park; summary report 19801984. NPS Technical Report 84-ROMO-2. 43 pp.
Baron, J., S.A. Norton, D.R. Beeson and R. Herrmann. 1986. Sediment diatom and metal stratigraphy
from Rocky Mountain lakes with special reference to atmospheric deposition. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci.
43:1350-1362.
Baron, J. and O.P. Bricker. 1987. Hydrologic and chemical flux in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain
National Park. pp. 141-156 in: R.C. Averett and D. McKnight eds. CHEMICAL QUALITY OF WATER
AND THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE. Lewis Publishers. Ann Arbor, MI.
Baron, J., McKnight, D.M., and A.S. Denning. 1992. Sources of dissolved and suspended organic carbon in
Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park, USA. Biogeochemistry 15:89-110.
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Baron, J. and A. S. Denning. 1993. The influence of mountain meteorology on precipitation chemistry at
low and high elevations of the Colorado Front Range, USA. Atmos. Environ. 27A:2337-2349.
Baron, J. 1990. Findings from ecological research program. in: Highlights of Natural Resources
Management. Natural Resources Programs, Natural Resources Report NPS/NRPO/NRR-90/02.
National Park Service.
Baron, J.S., 1991. Surface water dynamics and biogeochemical fluxes of Loch Vale Watershed, Colorado.
Ph.D. Dissertation, Department of Range Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 122 pp.
Baron, J. ed. 1992. Biogeochemistry of a subalpine ecosystem: Loch Vale Watershed. Ecological Study
Series #90. Springer-Verlag, New York.
Baron J., R.A. Pielke, W.J. Parton, D.S. Ojima, T.B. Kirchner, S.W. Running, and T.G.F. Kittel. 1992.
Dynamic land surface/atmosphere parameterization for the South Platte River drainage. pp. 273283 in: R.Herrmann, ed.: Am. Water Resour. Assoc. Symposium Proceedings: Managing Water
Resources During Global Change.
Baron, J., D.S. Ojima, E.A. Holland, and W.J. Parton. 1994. Nitrogen consumption in high elevation Rocky
Mountain tundra and forest and implications for aquatic systems. Biogeochemistry 27:61-82.
Baron, J.S., and D.H. Campbell. 1997. Nitrogen fluxes in a high elevation Rocky Mountain basin.
Hydrologic Processes 11:783-799.
Baron, J.S., E.J. Allstott, and B.K. Newkirk. 1995. Analysis of long term sulfate and nitrate budgets in a
Rocky Mountain basin. pp. 255-262 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W. Williams, and M. Tranter, eds.
Biogeochemistry of seasonally snow-covered catchments. IASH Publication No 228: International
Association of Hydrologic Sciences Press, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10
8BB, UK.
Baron, Jill, Roger Pielke, Bill Parton, Larry Band, and Steve Running. 1994. Dynamic land
surface/atmospheric parameterization at different spatial scales in the Colorado Rocky Mountains.
pp. 34-36 in: P.H. Gleick, A. Rango, and K. Cooley, eds., Proceedings of a workshop on the use of
hydrological models for evaluating the impacts of climate change in snowmelt water supply basins,
Santa Fe, NM 1993. Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security,
Oakland, CA 94612. 54 pp.
Baron, J.S., M.D. Hartman, L.E. Band, and R.L. Lammers. 1998. Sensitivity of high elevation Rocky
Mountain watersheds to climate change. Pp. 269-273 in: Proceedings of the Fifth National
Watershed Conference, Reno NV, May 1997.
Baron, J.S., D.S. Ojima, M.D. Hartman, T.G.F. Kittel, R.B. Lammers, L.E. Band, and R.A. Pielke, Sr. 1997.
The influence of land cover and temperature change on hydrological and ecosystem dynamics in the
South Platte River basin. Pp. 279-286 in: J.J. Warwick, ed. Proceedings of AWRA/UCOWR Symposium
on Water Resources Education, Training, and Practice: Opportunities for the Next Century. AWRA,
Herndon, VA, TPS-97-1, 988 pp.
Baron, J.S., M.D. Hartman, T.G.F. Kittel, L.E. Band, D.S. Ojima, and R.B. Lammers. 1998. Effects of land
cover, water redistribution, and temperature on ecosystem processes in the South Platte Basin.
Ecol. Appl.8:1037-1051.
Baron, J., and J. Turk. 1998. Aquatic ecosystems. Pp. 4-18 in: Haddow, D., R. Musselman, T, Blett, R.
Fisher, tech. Coords. Guidelines for evaluating air pollution impacts on wilderness within the Rocky
Mountain Region: report of a workshop, 1990. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-4. Fort Collins, CO US.
Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 31 p.
Baron, J.S., and N. Caine. 2000. The temporal coherence of two alpine lake basins of the Colorado Front
Range, USA. Freshwater Biology 43: 463-476.
Baron, J.S., D.M. Theobald, and D.B. Fagre. 2000. Management of land use conflicts in the United States
Rocky Mountains. Mountain Research and Development 20:24-27.
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Baron, J.S., M. Hartman, L.E. Band, and R.Lammers. 2000. Sensitivity of a high elevation Rocky Mountain
watershed to altered climate and CO2. Water Resources Research, 36:89-99.
Baron, J.S., and M.W. Williams. 2000. Preface to special section: recent Loch Vale Watershed research.
Water Resources Research 36:11-12.
Baron, J.S., Heather M. Rueth, Alexander M. Wolfe, Koren R. Nydick, Eric J. Allstott, J. Toby Minear, and
Brenda Moraska.. 2000. Ecosystem Responses to Nitrogen Deposition in the Colorado Front Range.
Ecosystems 3: 352-368.
Baron, J.S. 2001. Lessons learned from long-term ecosystem research and monitoring in alpine and
subalpine basins of the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA.. Ekológia (Bratislava) 20, Supplement 2:2530.
Baron, J.S. ed. 2002. Rocky Mountain Futures: An Ecological Perspective. Island Press, Washington.
325pp.
Baron, J.S., K.R. Nydick, H.M. Rueth, B.M. Lafrancois, and A.P. Wolfe. 2003. High elevation ecosystem
responses to atmospheric deposition of nitrogen in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. Global
Change and Mountain Regions: A State of Knowledge Overview. Ulli M. Huber, Harald K.M.
Bugmann, and M.A. Reasoner, eds. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. In
press.
Baron, J.S., J.A. Botte, and R. Shory, 2004. Effects of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition on High Elevation
Colorado Forests. pp. 10-14 in: Warren R. Keammerer and Jeffrey Todd, eds. Proceedings, HIGH
ALTITUDE REVEGETATION WORKSHOP NO. 16. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado,
March 3-5, 2004.
Baron, J.S., S. Del Grosso, D.S. Ojima, D.M. Theobald, and W.J. Parton. 2004. Nitrogen emissions along
the Colorado Front Range: Response to population growth, land and water use change, and
agriculture. Ecosystems and Land Use Change, Geophysical Monograph Series 153: 117-127.
Bigelow, D.S., A.S. Denning, and J. Baron. 1990. Differences between Nipher and Alter-shielded Universal
Belfort precipitation gages at two Colorado deposition monitoring sites. Environ. Sci. and Technol.
24:758-760.
Botte, J.A., and J.S. Baron. 2004. Quality Assurance Report, Loch Vale Watershed, 1999-2002. USGS
Open-File Report 2004-1306. 17 pp.
Botte, J.A., and J.S. Baron. 2004. Loch Vale Watershed Project Methods Manual 2004. 79pp.
Botte, J.A., and J.S. Baron. 2005. Loch Vale/Fraser Nitrogen Fertilization Experiment Methods 2005.
11pp.
Brock, Cynthia L. 1997. Sulfur isotope methods as an approach to sulfur dynamics in a subalpine
wetland, Loch Vale Watershed. M.S. Thesis. Department of Earth Resources, Colorado State
University. 66 pp.
Burkett, V.R., D.A. Wilcox, R. Stottlemyer, W. Barrow, D. Fagre, J. Baron, J. Price, J.L. Nielsen, C.Allen, D.L.
Peterson, G. Ruggerone, T. Doyle. 2005. Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic
change: Case studies and policy implications. Ecological Complexity 2:357-394.
Burns, D.A. 2002. The effects of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
and Southern Wyoming - a synthesis and critical assessment of published results. Water-resourcesinvestigations report 02-4066, U.S. Geological Survey, Troy New York.
Burns, D.A. 2003. The effects of atmospheric nitrogen depostion in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado
and southern Wyoming, USA-- a critical review. Environmental Pollution 127: 257-269, U.S.
Geological Survey, Troy, New York.
Campbell, D.H., D.W. Clow, G.P. Ingersoll, M.A. Mast, N.E. Spahr, and J.T. Turk. 1995. Temporal
variations in the chemistry of 2 snowmelt-dominated streams in the Rocky Mountains. Wat. Resour.
Resear. 31:2811-2822.
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Campbell, D.H., D.W.Clow, G.P. Ingersoll, M.A. Mast, N.E. Spahr, and J.T. Turk. 1995. Nitrogen deposition
and release in alpine watersheds, Loch Vale, Colorado, USA. pp. 243-254 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W.
Williams, and M. Tranter, eds. Biogeochemistry of seasonally snow-covered catchments. IASH
Publication No 228: International Association of Hydrologic Sciences Press, Institute of Hydrology,
Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
Campbell, D.H., J.S. Baron, K. Tonnessen, P. Brooks, and P. Schuster. 2000. Controls on nitrogen flux in
alpine/subalpine watersheds. Water Resources Research 36:37-48.
Campbell, Donald H.; Kendall, Carol; Chang, Cecily C. Y.; Silva, Steven R.; Tonnessen, Kathy A.. 2002.
Pathways for nitrate release from an alpine watershed: Determination using *15N and *18O. Water
Resources Research 38:10.1029/2001WR000294.
Chase, T.N., R.A. Pielke, Sr., T.G.F. Kittel, J. S. Baron, and T.J. Stohlgren, 1999. Potential impacts on
Rocky Mountain weather and climate due to land use changes in the adjacent Great Plains. Jour.
Geophys. Resear. 104, D14: 16,673-16,690.
Clements, S. 2001. Spatial and temporal variations of bulk snow properties and stream water chemistry
in an alpine/subalpine watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park. M.S. Thesis, Colorado State
University Department of Earth Resources. 314 pp.
Cline, D.W. 1994. Modeling the spatial distribution and temporal patterns of alpine and subalpine
snowmelt. Proceedings of the 1993 Eastern/Western Snow Conference.
Cline, D. 1995. Snow surface energy exchanges and snowmelt at a continental alpine site.
Biogeochemistry of Seasonally Snow-Covered Catchments, IAHS Publ. No. 228, pp. 157-166.
Cline, D.W., 1995. Studies supporting the development of spatially distributed, physically based
snowmelt models for continental alpine areas. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Colorado
Department of Geography.
Cline, D.W. 1997. Effect of seasonality of snow accumulation and melt on snow surface energy
exchanges at a contintental alpine site. J. Appl. Meteor. 36: 32-51.
Cline, D.W. 1997. Snow surface energy exchanges and snowmelt at a continental, midlatitude alpine
site. Wat. Resour. Resear. 33: 689-701.
Clow, D.W. 1992. Weathering rates from field and laboratory experiments on naturally-weathered soils.
Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Clow, D.W. and M.A. Mast. 1995. Composition of precipitation, bulk deposition, and runoff at a granitic
bedrock catchment in the Loch Vale Watershed. pp. 235-242 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W. Williams, and
M. Tranter, eds. Biogeochemistry of seasonally snow-covered catchments. IAHS Publication No 228:
International Association of Hydrologic Sciences Press, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford,
Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
Clow, D.W., and Drever, J.I., 1996, Weathering rates as a function of flow through an alpine soil,
Chemical Geology, v. 132, pp. 131-141.
Clow, D.W., M.A. Mast, T.D. Bullen, and J.T.Turk. 1997. Strontium 87/strontium 86 as a tracer of mineral
weathering reactions and calcium sources in an alpine/subalpine watershed, Loch Vale Colorado.
Wat. Resour. Resear. 33:1335-1351.
Clow, D.W., and J.K. Sueker. 2000. Relations between basin characteristics and stream-water chemistry
in alpine/subalpine basins in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Water Resources Research
36:49-62.
Clow, D.W., J.O. Sickman, R.G. Striegl, D.B. Krabbenhoft, J.G. Elliott, M. Dornblaser, D.A. Roth, D.H.
Campbell. 2003. Changes in the chemistry of lakes and precipitation in high elevation national parks
in the western United States, 1985-1999. Water Resources Research 39: 6: 1171, doi,
10.1029/2002wr001533.
9
Clow, D.W., L, Schrott, R. Webb, D.H. Campbell, A. Torizzo, and M. Dornblaser. 2003. Ground water
occurrence and contributions to streamflow in an alpine catchment, Colorado Front Range. Ground
Water, Vol. 41, No. 7, pp. 937-950.
Das, B., R. D. Vinebrooke, A. Sanchez-Azofiefa, B. Rivard, and A.P. Wolfe. 2005. Inferring sedimentary
chlorophyll concentrations with reflectance spectroscopy: a novel approach to reconstructing
historical changes in the trophic status of mountain lakes. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 62:1067-1078.
Denning, A.S. 1988. Quality assurance report, Loch Vale Watershed project, surface water chemistry
1982-1987.
Denning, A.S. Baron, J., M.A. Mast, and M.A. Arthur. 1991. Hydrologic pathways and chemical
composition of runoff during snowmelt in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park,
Colorado USA. Wat. Air, Soil, Pollut. 59:107-123.
Drever, J.I., and Clow, D.W., 1996, Weathering rates in catchments; IN S. Brantley, and A. White (eds.),
Chemical Weathering Rates of Silicate Minerals, Mineral. Soc. Am., Rev. Mineral., v. 31, pp. 463-483.
Edwards, R.L. 1991. Data Quality Report: 1989-1990, Loch Vale Watershed. Natural Resource Ecology
Laboratory, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
Fenn, M.E., M. Poth, J.D. Aber, J.S. Baron, B.T. Bormann, D.W. Johnson, A.D. Lemly, S.G. McNulty, D.F.
Ryan, and R. Stottlemyer. 1998. Nitrogen excess in North American ecosystems: a review of
predisposing factors, geographic extent, ecosystem responses, and management strategies.
Ecological Applications.8:706-733.
Fenn,M.E., R. Haeuber, G.S. Tonnesen, J.S. Baron, S Grossman-Clarke, D. Hope, D.A. Jaffe, S. Copeland, L.
Geiser, H. M. Rueth, AND J.O. Sickman. 2003. Nitrogen Emissions, Deposition and Monitoring in the
Western United States. BioScience 53:391-403.
Fenn, M.E. J.S. Baron, E.B. Allen, H. M. Rueth, K.R. Nydick, L. Geiser, W.D. Bowman, J. O. Sickman,
T.Meixner, and D. W. Johnson. 2003, Ecological Effects of Nitrogen Deposition in the Western United
States. BioScience 53:404-420.
Gibson, J.H. and J. Baron. 1984. Acidic deposition in the Rocky Mountain region. pp. 29-42 in: T.A.Colbert
and R.L. Cuany, eds. Proceedings: High-Altitude Revegetation Workshop No. 6. Information Series
No. 53. Colorado Water Resources Research Institute. Colorado State University.
Groffman, P.M., J.S. Baron, T. Blett, A.J. Gold, I. Goodman, L.H. Gunderson, B.M. Levinson, M.A. Palmer,
H.W. Paerl, G.D. Peterson, N.L. Poff, D.W. Rajeski, J.F. Reynolds, M.G. Turner, K.C. Weathers, J.
Wiens, 2006. Ecological thresholds: the key to successful environmental management, or an
important concept with no practical application? Ecosystems, in press.
Hartman, M.D., J. Baron, R.B. Lammers, D. Cline, L.E. Band, G.L. Liston, and C. Tague. 1999. Simulations
of snow distribution and hydrology in a mountain basin. Water Resources Research 35:1587-1603.
Hartman, M.D., J.S. Baron, and D.S. Ojima. 1995. Simulations of snow distribution and hydrology in a
mountain basin. GPAC workshop proceedings in computer applications in water management.
Hartman, M.D., J.S. Baron, D.S. Ojima. 2005. Application of a coupled ecosystem-chemical equilibrium
model, DayCent-Chem, to stream and soil chemistry in an alpine watershed. Ecol. Modeling, in
revision.
Hauer, R., J.S. Baron, D.H. Campbell, K.D. Fausch, S.W. Hostettler, G.H. Leavesley, P.R. Leavitt, D.M.
McKnight, and J.A. Stanford. 1997. Assessment of climate change and freshwater ecosystems of the
Rocky Mountains, U.S. and Canada. Hydrol. Proc. 11:903-924.
Heit, M., R. Klusek and J. Baron. 1984. Evidence of deposition of anthropogenic pollutants in remote
Rocky Mountain lakes. Water, Air, Soil Poll. 22:403-416.
Huang Jian-hui, Jill Baron, and Dan Binkley. 1996. The contribution of wetlands to stream nitrogen load
in the Loch Vale Watershed, Colorado, USA. Acta Phytoecologia Sinica 20:289-302.
10
Ingersoll, G.P., D.H. Campbell, and N.E. Spahr. 1996. Snow depth variability in a small alpine watershed.
Proceedings of the Western Snow Conference, 64th Annual Meeting, Bend, Oregon, April 15-18.
Colorado State University. pp 159-162.
Ingersoll, G.P. 1995. Estimating snowmelt contribution to the seasonal water balance in a small alpine
watershed. M.S. Thesis, University of Colorado Department of Geography.
Johnson, C.A., M.A. Mast, C.L. Kester. 2001. Use of 17O/16O to trace atmospherically-deposited sulfate
in surface waters: a case study in alpine watersheds in the Rocky Mountains. Geophys. Resear. Let.
28:4483-4486.
Kendall, C., D.H. Campbell, D.A. Burns, J.B. Shanley, S.R. Silva, and C.C.Y.Chang. 1995. Tracing sources of
nitrate in snowmelt runoff using the oxygen and nitrogen isotopic compositions of nitrate. pp. 339348 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W. Williams, and M. Tranter, eds. Biogeochemistry of seasonally snowcovered catchments. IASH Publication No 228: International Association of Hydrologic Sciences
Press, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
Kendall, C., Silva, S.R., Chang, C.C.Y, Burns, D.A., Campbell, D.H. and Shanley, J.B. 1995, Use of the d18O
and d15N of nitrate to determine sources of nitrate in early spring runoff in forested catchments, in
Isotopes in water resources management, proceedings of International Atomic Energy Agency
Symposium, Vienna, Austria, March 20-24, 1995, IAEA-SM-336/29, pp.167-176.
Kester, C.L., J.S. Baron, and J.T. Turk. 2003. Isotopic study of sulfate sources and residence times in a
subalpine watershed. Environmental Geology 43:606-613.
Klein, E.J. 1988. The variations in wet precipitation chemistry with elevation in Colorado. M.S. Thesis.
Colorado State University. 112 pp.
Körner, C., M. Ohsawa, E. Spehn, E. Berge, H. Bugmann, B. Groombridge, L. Hamilton, T. Hofer, J. Ives, N.
Jodha, B. Messerli, J. Pratt, M. Price, M. Reasoner, A. Rodgers, J. Thonell, M. Yoshino, J. Baron, R.
Barry, J. Blais, R. Bradley, R. Hofstede, V. Kapos, P. Leavitt, R. Monson, L. Nagy, D. Schindler, R.
Vinebrooke, T. Watanabe. 2006. Mountain Systems. Chapter 24 in: Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment. Current State and Trends: Findings of the Condition and Trends Working Group.
Ecosystems and Human Well-being, vol.1., Island Press, Washington DC.
Lammers, R.B., L.E. Band, and C.L. Tague. 1997. Scaling behaviour of watershed processes. in: P. van
Gardingen, G. Foody, and P. Curran, eds. Scaling Up, from Cell to Landscape. Cambridge University
Press, pp. 296-317.
Lammers, R.B. 1998. Extending hydro-ecological simulation models from local to regional scales: Ph.D.
Dissertation, University of Toronto, Toronto Ontario.
Martin, Michael. 1994. Late summer, inorganic nitrogen dynamics of an alpine watershed. M.S. Thesis,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
Mast, M.A. 1989. A laboratory and field study of chemical weathering with special reference to acid
deposition. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Wyoming, Laramie.
Mast, M.A., J.I. Drever, and J. Baron. 1990. Chemical weathering in The Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky
Mountain National Park, Colorado. Wat. Res. Resear. 26:2871-2978.
Mast, M.A., C. Kendall, D.H. Campbell, D.W. Clow, and J. Back. 1995. Determination of hydrologic
pathways in an alpine-subalpine basin using isotopic and chemical tracers, Loch Vale Watershed,
Colorado. pp. 263-270 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W. Williams, and M. Tranter, eds. Biogeochemistry of
seasonally snow-covered catchments. IASH Publication No 228: International Association of
Hydrologic Sciences Press, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
Mast, M.A., K.P. Wickland, R.T. Striegl, and D.W. Clow. 1998. Winter fluxes of CO2 and CH4 from
subalpine soils in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 12:607621.
Mast, M.A., J.T. Turk, G.P. Ingersoll, D.W. Clow, and C.L. Kester. 2001. Use of stable sulfur isotopes to
identify sources of sulfate in Rocky Mountain snowpacks. Atmospheric Environment 35:3303-3313.
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Mast, M.A., D.H. Campbell, D.P. Krabbenhoft, and H.E. Taylor. 2005. Mercury transport in a highelevation watershed in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution
161:21-42.
McKnight, D., C. Miller, R. Smith, J. Baron and S. Spaulding. 1988. Phytoplankton populations in lakes in
Loch Vale, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado: sensitivity to acidic conditions and nitrate
enrichment. U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations Report 88-4115, Denver, CO. 102
pp.
McKnight, D., M.V. Brenner, R. Smith and J. Baron. 1986. Seasonal changes in phytoplankton in lakes in
Loch Vale, Rocky Mountain National Park. USGS Water Resources Investigations Report 86-4101.
Denver, CO. 64 pp.
McKnight, D.M., R.L. Smith, J.P. Bradbury, J. Baron, and S.A. Spaulding. 1990. Phytoplankton
dynamics in three Rocky Mountain lakes, Colorado, USA. Arc. Alp. Resear. 22:264-274.
McKnight, D.M., R. Harnish, R.L. Wershaw, J.S. Baron, and S. Schiff. 1997. Chemical characteristics of
particulate, colloidal, and dissolved organic material in Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain
National Park. Biogeochemistry 36:99-124.
McLaughlin, P.W. 1988. The effect of storm trajectory on precipitation chemistry in Rocky Mountain
National Park. M.S. Thesis. Colorado State University. 70 pp.
Meixner, T., R.C. Bales, M.W. Williams, D.H. Campbell, and J.S. Baron. 2000. Stream chemistry modeling
of two watersheds in the Front Range, Colorado. Water Resources Research 36: 77-88.
Meixner, T., 1999. Alpine biogeochemical modeling: case studies, improvements, and parameter
estimation. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ. 246 pp.
Menounos, B., 1996. A Holocene debris-flow chronology for an alpine catchment, Colorado Front Range.
M.A. thesis, University of Colorado, Boulder. 160 p.
Menounos, B., 1997. The Water Content of Lake Sediments and its Relationship to other Physical
Parameters: an Alpine Case Study. The Holocene 7:207-212.
Menounos, B., 1997. Evidence for cirque glaciation in the Colorado Front Range during the Younger
Dryas chronozone. Quat. Resear. 48:38-47.
Michel, R.L, D.H. Campbell, D.W. Clow, and J.T. Turk. 2000. Timescales for migration of atmosphericallyderived sulphate through an alpine watershed, Loch Vale, Colorado. Water Resources Research
36:27-36.
Minear, J.T. 1998. Recent changes in water chemistry and diatom assemblages of high-altitude aquatic
ecosystems in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. Senior Thesis, The Colorado College,
Colorado Springs, CO.
Moraska Lafrançois, B. 2002. Algal and invertebrate responses to atmospheric nitrogen deposition in
Rocky Mountain lakes. Ph.D. Dissertation, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO.
Moraska Lafrançois B., K.M. Nydick, and B. Caruso. 2003. Influence of nitrogen on phytoplankton
biomass and community composition in fifteen Snowy Range lakes (Wyoming, U.S.A.). Arctic,
Antarctic, and Alpine Research 35:499-508.
Moraska Lafrançois, B., D. M. Carlisle, K. R. Nydick, B. M. Johnson, J. S. Baron. 2003. Environmental
Characteristics and Benthic Invertebrate Assemblages in Colorado Mountain Lakes. Western North
American Naturalist 63:137-154.
Moraska Lafrancois, B., K.R. Nydick, B.M. Johnson, and J.S. Baron. 2004. Cumulative effects of nutrients
and pH on the plankton of two mountain lakes. Can. Jour. Fish. Aquat. Sciences. 61: 1153-1165.
Muldoon, K. 2003. A hydrologic and nitrogen mass balance for Embryo Pond, Rocky Mountain National
Park, Colorado. M.S. Thesis, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Colorado State University, Fort
Collins, CO 80523. 53 pp.
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Nanus, L., D.H. Campbell, G. P. Ingersoll, D.W. Clow, M.A. Mast. 2003. Atmospheric Deposition Maps for
the Rocky Mountians. US Geological Survey, Denver, CO.
Newkirk, B.K., 1995. Loch Vale Watershed Methods Manual. Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory.
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523. 124 pp.
Nydick, K.R., 2002. Mountain lake responses to elevated nitrogen deposition. Ph.D. dissertation,
Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 162 pp.
Nydick, K.R., B. Moraska Lafrancois, J.S. Baron, and B.M. Johnson. 2003. Lake-specific responses to
elevated atmospheric nitrogen deposition in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. Hydrobiologia,
510: 103-114.
Nydick, K.R., B. Moraska LaFrancois, and J.S. Baron. 2004. NO3 uptake in shallow, oligotrophic, mountain
lakes: the influence of elevated NO3 concentrations. Journal of the North American Benthological
Society. 23(3): 397-415.
Nydick, K.R., B. Morasks LaFrancois, J.S. Baron and B.M. Johnson. 2004. Nitrogen regulation of algal
biomass, productivity, and composition in shallow mountain lakes, Snowy Range, Wyoming, USA.
Can. Journ. Fish. Aquat. Sciences. 61: 1256-1268.
Norton, S.A., C.T. Hess, G.M. Blake, M.L. Morrison and J. Baron. 1985. Excess unsupported 210Pb in lake
sediment from Rocky Mountain lakes: a groundwater effect. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 42:1249-1254.
Pielke, R.A., T.J. Lee, T.G.F. Kittel, J.M. Cram, T.N. Chase, G.A. Dalu, and J.S. Baron. 1993. The effect of
mesoscale vegetation distribution on the hydrologic cycle and regional and global climate. Pages 8287, in: Preprints, Conference on Hydroclimatology: Land-Surface/Atmosphere Interactions on Global
and Regional Scales, Anaheim, CA, Jan 1993. American Meteorological Society, Boston, Mass.
Planert, Debra. 1997. Nitrogen fertilization influences on microbial activity. M.S. Thesis, Department of
Forest Sciences, Colorado State University.
Rapport, D.J., C. Gaudet, J.R. Karr, J.S. Baron, C. Bohlen, W. Jackson, B. Jones, R.J. Naiman, B. Norton,
and M.M. Pollock. 1998. Evaluating landscape health: integrating societal goals and biophysical
processes. Journal of Environmental Management 53:1-15.
Reasoner, M.A. and Jodry, M.A. (2000). Rapid response of alpine timberline vegetation to the Younger
Dryas climate oscillation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, USA. Geology, Vol. 27, p. 51-54
Reasoner, M.A. 1996. Late Quaternary alpine and subalpine lacustrine records, Canadian and Colorado
Rocky Mountains. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Alberta Department of Earth and Atmospheric
Sciences.
Rueth, H.M., J.S. Baron, and E.J. Allstott. 2003. Responses of old-growth Engelmann spruce forests to
nitrogen fertilization. Ecological Applications 13:664-673.
Rueth, H.M., and J.S. Baron. 2002. Differences in Englemann spruce forest biogeochemistry east and
west of the Continental Divide in Colorado, USA. Ecosystems 5:45-57.
Rueth, H.M., and J.S. Baron. 2001. Englemann spruce nitrogen dynamics across a nitrogen deposition
gradient in Colorado, USA.. Ekológia (Bratislava) 20, Supplement 2:43-49.
Rueth, H.M. 2001. Englemann spruce forest responses to nitrogen deposition in northern Colorado.
Ph.D. dissertation, Colorado State University Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. 105 pp.
Shiller, A.M., and T.L. Hebert. 1998. Biogeochemical controls on dissolved trace elements in rivers.
Mineral Mag. 62A:1391-1392.
Shiller, A.M. 1999. Dissolved trace elements in a seaonally snow-covered catchment. Pp. 123-125 in: H
Ármánnsson, ed. Geochemistry of the Earth’s Surface. Balkema, Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Sorrano, P.A., K.E. Webster, J.L. Riera, T.K. Kratz, J.S. Baron, P. A. Bukaveckas, G.W. Kling, D.S. White, N.
Caine, R.C. Lathrop, and P.R. Leavitt. 1999. Spatial variation among lakes within landscapes:
ecological organization along lake chains. Ecosystems 2:395-410.
Spaulding, S.A. 1992. Phytoplankton and zooplankton under ice cover in a subalpine lake, The Loch,
Rocky Mountain National Park, 1987-89. U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-489.33 pp.
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Spaulding, S.A. 1991. Phytoplankton community dynamics under ice-cover in The Loch, a lake in Rocky
Mountain National Park. M.S. thesis, Colorado State University, Fort Collins.
Spaulding, S.A., J. Baron, and J.V. Ward. 1993. Phytoplankton community dynamics under ice cover in
The Loch, a lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Arch. Hydrobiol. 129:179-198.
Stohlgren, T.J., J. Baron, T.G.F. Kittel, and D. Binkley. 1995. Ecosystem trends in the Colorado Rockies.
Pages 310-312, in: Our Living Resources: A Report to the Nation on the Distribution, Abundance, and
Health of U.S. Plants, Animals, and Ecosystems. LaRoe, E.T., G.S. Farris, C.E. Puckett, P.D. Doran, and
M.J. Mac, eds. Department of Interior, National Biological Service, Washington, DC.
Stohlgren, T.J., J. Baron, and T.G.F. Kittel. 1993. Understanding coupled climatic, hydrological, and
ecosystem response to global climate change in the Colorado Rockies Biogeographical Area. Pages
184-200, in: Partners in Stewardship: Proceedings of 7th Conference on Research and Resource
Management in Parks and on Public Lands. W.E. Brown and S.D. Veirs, Jr. (eds.). The George Wright
Society, Hancock, MI.
Stohlgren, T.J., T.N. Chase, R.A. Pielke, Sr., T.G.F. Kittel, and J.S. Baron. 1998. Evidence that local land use
practices influence regional climate, vegetation, and stream flow patterns in adjacent natural areas.
Glob. Change Biology 4: 495-504.
Sueker, J.K., 1995. Chemical hydrograph separation during snowmelt for three headwater basins in
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. pp. 271-282 in: K.A. Tonnesson, M.W. Williams, and M.
Tranter, eds. Biogeochemistry of seasonally snow-covered catchments. IASH Publication No 228:
International Association of Hydrologic Sciences Press, Institute of Hydrology, Wallingford,
Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UK.
Sueker, J.K., 1996. Isotopic and chemical flowpath separation of streamflow during snowmelt and
hydrogeologic controls of surface water chemistry in six alpine-subalpine basins, Rocky Mountain
National Park, Colorado. Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Colorado Department of Civil,
Environmental, and Architectural Engineering.
Sueker, J.K., J.N. Ryan, C. Kendall, and R.D. Jarrett. 2000. Determination of hydrologic pathways and
sources of evapotranspiration water during snowmelt using two- and three-component hydrograph
separations for six headwater basins, Rocky Mountain National Park. Water Resources Research 36:
63-76.
Sullivan, T.J., B.J. Cosby, K.A. Tonnessen, and D.W. Clow. 2005. Surface water acidification responses and
critical loads of sulfur and nitrogen deposition in Loch Vale watershed, Colorado. Water Resources
Research 41: doi 10.1029/2004WR3414.
Turk J.T., Spahr N.E., and Campbell D.H. 1993 Planning document of water, energy, and biogeochemicalbudget (WEBB) research project, Loch Vale Watershed, Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado,
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 92-628, 18 p.
Turk, J.T., H.E. Taylor, G.P. Ingersoll, K.A. Tonnessen, D.W. Clow, M.A. Mast, D.H. Campbell, and J.M.
Melack. 2001. Major-ion chemistry of the Rocky Mountain snowpack, USA. Atmos. Environ. 25:39573966.
Walko, R.L., L.E. Band, J. Baron, T.G.F. Kittel, R. Lammers, T.J. Lee, R.A. Pielke, Sr., C. Taylor, C. Tague, C.J.
Tremback, and P.L. Vidale. 2000. Coupled atmosphere-terrestrial ecosystem-hydrology models for
environmental modeling. Jour. Appl. Meteorol. 39:931-944.
Walthall, P.M. 1985. Acidic deposition and the soil environment of Loch Vale Watershed in Rocky
Mountain National Park. Ph.D. dissertation. Colorado State University. 148 pp.
Wang, Y., T.G. Huntington, L.J. Osher, L.I. Wassenaar, S.E. Trumbore, R.G. Amundson, J.W. Harden, D.M.
McKnight, S.L. Schiff, G.R. Aiken, W.B. Lyons, R.O. Aravena, and J.S. Baron. 1998. Carbon cycling in
terrestrial environments. Pp. 577-610 in: C. Kendall and J.J. McDonnell, eds. Isotopic Tracers in
Catchment Hydrology. Elsevier, New York.
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Wickland, K.P., R.G. Striegl, S.K. Schmidt, and M.A. Mast. 1999. Methane flux in subalpine wetland and
unsaturated soils in the southern Rocky Mountains. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 13:101-114.
Williams, M.W., J.S. Baron, N. Caine, R. Sommerfeld, and R.L. Sanford. 1996 Nitrogen saturation in the
Rocky Mountains. Environmental Science and Technology 30:640-646.
Wolfe, A.P., A.C. VanGorp, J.S. Baron. 2003. Recent ecological and biogeochemical changes in alpine
lakes of Rocky Mountian Naitonal Park (Colorado, USA): a response to anthropogonic nitrogen
depositon. Geobiology: 1, 153-168.
Wolfe, A. P., J.S. Baron, R.J. Cornett. 2001. Anthroogenic nitrogen deposition induces rapid ecological
changes in alpine lakes of the Colorado Front Range (USA). Journal of Paleolimnology: 25: 1-7.
Wolfe, A.P., S.S. Kaushal, J.R. Fulton, D.M. McKnight. 2002. Spectrofluorescence of Sediment Humic
Stubstances and Historical Changes of Laucustrine Organic Matter Rovenance in Response to
Atmospheric Nutrient Enrichment. Environmental Science Technology: 36: 3217-3223.
Wolfe, A.P., J.S. Baron, and R.J. Cornett, 2001. Unprecedented changes in alpine ecosystems related to
anthropogenic nitrogen deposition. J. Paleolimnology 25:1-7.
EDUCATION
GK12: GK12 is a National Science Foundation funded project getting graduate fellows in K- 12
classrooms. The idea is to use the graduate students as liaisons between the primary science taking
place in the country’s universities and the K-12 students. The program stems from the idea that if K12 students see science as an active and hands-on approach – rather than a compendium of facts
stored in textbooks, they will become more interested in science – increasing the potential for
future scientists and scientific literacy in the general population.
Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado jointly hold a GK12 grant entitled
Human Impacts along the Colorado Front Range. The program funds the education of a number of
graduate and undergraduate students from both institutions to work in the Poudre Valley and Weld
County school district. Sanjay Advani recently finished two years of working with Northridge High
School in Greeley, Colorado. Working with both the biology and chemistry classes, Advani and the
Northridge teachers developed a curriculum investigating aspects of water quality in the Cache- La
Poudre River watershed. Jill Oropeza has just joined the GK12 project and will be developing her
particular project over time.
Posters: include links to posters.
REU: Research experience for undergraduates (REU) is a great opportunity for students to
participate in current Loch Vale research in a hands-on work environment. We provide students
with field and/or laboratory based projects to increase their understanding of ecological
applications, field techniques, and laboratory methodologies.
Fact Sheets:
Loch Vale Watershed Long-term Ecological Research and Monitoring
(conducted by US Geological Survey, National Park Service, and universities)
15
Objective: To be able to differentiate natural variability from human-caused disturbance, particularly
disturbances from atmospheric deposition and climate change. Through monitoring, experiments, and
modeling, we study changes in ecosystems and climate that may be affected by increasing urban,
agricultural, and industrial activity.
Current research in Loch Vale has three themes:
1) Long-term trends in climate and biogeochemical fluxes,
2) Ecosystem/atmospheric responses to nitrogen deposition, and
3) Effects of global change on mountain ecosystems.
Fact Sheet
This handout is a small primer on some of our findings, things we’d like to know if
we were park visitors. We’ve been doing this work since 1983, so this is our 20th
year of study. If you have questions, call, or email
Jill Baron 970-491-1968,
jill@nrel.colostate.edu
Jorin Botte 970-491-2153
jorin@nrel.colostate.edu
Our WEB address is http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/projects/lvws
Loch Vale in the News: (include links to articles associated with Loch Vale)
#1 The Denver Post (April 08, 2004)
Pollution's long commute
Air carrying mercury, pesticides to Rocky Mtn. Park, studies show
#2 Rocky Mountain News (August 30, 2004)
Pollutants raining down on Rockies
Nitrogen buildup putting national park's ecosystem at risk - and it could get worse, research
shows
#3 The Daily Times-Call (March 19, 2005)
RMNP begins effort to curb nitrogen levels in air
#4 Coloradoan (March 19, 2005)
RMNP ecosystem in danger
Groups pledge to work together to solve area's air-quality problems
#5 Boulder Daily Camera (March 19, 2005 )
16
Park's nitrogen problem grows
Regulators seek solution to RMNP pollution
#6 The Denver Post (March 20, 2005)
Long view taken on park's air: Coalition starting to address ways to clear up haze
PERSONNEL
Current Personnel
Name
Position
Phone
Email
Jill Baron
Principal
Investigator
(970) 491-1968
jill@nrel.colostate.edu
Lindsey Christensen
Research
Scientist
(970) 491-1609
lindsey@nrel.colostate.edu
Sanjay Advani
Research
Associate
(970) 491-3552
sanjay@nrel.colostate.edu
Melannie Hartman
Research
Associate
(970) 491-1609
melannie@nrel.colostate.edu
Jill Oropeza
Graduate
Student
(970) 491-5630
joropeza@nrel.colostate.edu
Sam Prentice
Graduate
Student
(970) 491-1604
michiko@nrel.colostate.edu
Lisa Foster
NPS Field
Technician
(970) 586-2399
lisahikes@hotmail.com
Past Personnel
Brett Johnson, Ph.D.
Fishery and Wildlife Biology, CSU
Brett.Johnson@colostate.edu
Mary Arthur, Ph.D.
Department of Forestry, University of Kentucky. Lexington, KY.
marthur@uky.edu
Jennifer Back, M.Sc. 1995
National Park Service Water Resources Division. Fort Collins, CO.
jennifer_back@nps.gov
Benjamin Balk, M.Sc. 1999
National Weather Sevice, NOAA. Anchorage, AK.
Ben.Balk@noaa.gov
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Cynthia Brock (Kester), M.Sc. 1997
USGS Denver, CO.
ckester@usgs.gov
Donald Campbell
USGS Water Resources Division. Denver, CO.
dhcampbe@usgs.gov
Donald Cline, Ph.D. 1997
National Weather Service, NOAA. Minneapolis, MN.
Donald.Cline@noaa.gov
David Clow, Ph.D.
USGS Water Resources Division. Denver, CO.
dwclow@usgs.gov
George Ingersoll
USGS Water Resources Division. Denver, CO.
gpingersoll@usgs.gov
Toben LaFrancois, M.Sc., 1995
University of Minnesota Philosophy Department.
Daniel Liptzin, Ph.D. (current).
INSTAAR, University of Colorado. Boulder, CO
daniel.liptzin@colorado.edu
Michael Martin, M.Sc. 1994
National Park Service Water Resources Division. Fort Collins, CO.
mike_martin@nps.gov
Alisa Mast, Ph.D.
USGS Water Resources Division. Denver, CO.
mamast@usgs.gov
Debbie Miller, M.Sc. 1996
National Park Sevice Air Resources Division.
Debbie_Miller@nps.gov
Brenda Moraska (LaFrancois), Ph.D. 2002
National Park Service, St. Croix Watershed Research Station. St. Croix, MN
brenda_moraska_lafrancois@nps.gov
Kathryn Muldoon, M.Sc. 2003
CSU Graduate Degree Program in Ecology.
Koren Nydick, Ph.D. 2002
Mountain Studies Institute
koren@mountainstudies.org
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Heather Rueth, Ph.D. 2001
Grand Valley State University
ruethh@gvsu.edu
Alan Shiller, Ph.D
Dept. of Marine Science, University of S. Mississippi. Stennis Space Center
alan.shiller@usm.edu
Julie Sueker, Ph.D
Exponent Environmental Group. Boulder, CO.
P. Mark Walthall, Ph.D.
Current address unknown
Undergraduate advisees/REU students:
1997
Julie Hawkins, Toby Minear, Matt Ridge
1998
Roger Andre, Katrina Gerkin
1999
Mary Fitzgerald, Seth Gates, Seth Martin, Andrew Ramey
2000
Hannah Afifi (Trinity College, Dublin)
2001
Bethany Caruso
2003
Stephanie Gieck
PHOTOS
Include pages for Scenery, Equipment, and People pictures.
LINKS
National Park Service - NPS
United States Geological Survey - USGS
Fort Collins Science Center -USGS
Loch Vale WEBB Program - USGS
Global Change Research in Biology - USGS
Mountain Research Initiative
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GK-12
Niwot Ridge - LTER
Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory - NREL
National Atmospheric Depositon Program - NADP
United States Forest Service - USFS
Unites States Forest Service - Rocky Mountian Research Station
Consortium of Regional Ecological Observatories-COREO
National Park Service - Nature and Science
National Science Foundation - NSF
CONTACT US
Email to jill@nrel.colostate.edu
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