Fire characteristics and hydrologic connectivity influence short-term responses of north temperate lakes to wildfire

Abstract

Despite increasing wildfires, few studies have investigated seasonal water quality responses to wildfire characteristics (e.g., burn severity) across a large number of lakes. We monitored 30 total lakes (15 burned, 15 control) monthly following the Greenwood Fire in Minnesota, USA, a lake-rich region with historically prevalent wildfire. We found increases in median concentrations of total nitrogen (68%), total phosphorus (70%), dissolved organic carbon (127%), total suspended solids (71%), and reduced water clarity (48%) and pH (0.45) in burned lakes. Post-wildfire responses in drainage lakes were often persistent or cumulative throughout the open-water season, compared to isolated lakes. Total phosphorus (TP) increased linearly with watershed high-severity burns, and shoreline high-severity burns explained more variation in TP than lake morphometry and watershed variables. Post-wildfire chlorophyll-a responses were nonsignificant and inconsistent, possibly due to light limitation. Our results suggest that increasing wildfires have significant potential to affect water quality of inland lakes.