The Heinz Center's State of the Nation's Ecosystems
ecosystem: Core National Indicators
indicator Name: Movement of Nitrogen
page # in printed report: 47
location on page: na
data source: Data Source: U.S. Geological Survey National Stream Quality Network (NASQAN), National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA), and Federal-State Cooperative Program. Coverage: selected major rivers.
notes: please see technical notes for further details on accessing these data from their original source; this data table comes from a specific graphic in The State of the Nation's Ecosystems report (www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems)


Units: Nitrate Load, Thousands of Tons (not metric)
  Columbia St. Lawrence Susquehanna Mississippi
1955       473
1956       333
1957       475
1958       406
1959       367
1960       356
1961       302
1962       304
1963       193
1964       262
1965       391
1966       224
1967       251
1968       437
1969       522
1970       508
1971     34 435
1972     52 624
1973     35 739
1974   51 34 717
1975 54 50 41 681
1976 54 58 39 631
1977 39 50 46 565
1978 46 57 40 893
1979 47 57 55 1116
1980 54 59 30 1153
1981 60 59 34 753
1982 83 61 39 1256
1983 87 63 49 1823
1984 76 67 58 1454
1985 59 68 39 1312
1986 72 82 52 1007
1987 53 76 41 1022
1988 53 59 35 693
1989 58 58 48 637
1990 69 59 63 848
1991 72 60 41 1162
1992 50 53 46 819
1993 56 59 66 1457
1994 54 45 64 1624
1995 102 75 37 1029
1996 134 84 80 970
1997 119   38 1218
1998 75   51 1031
1999 93   32 1156
2000 66   37 547
2001 35   25 952
2002 44   33 1006
2003       765

Data for comparison Plots (in Tons)
Year Columbia Update 2003 data Columbia data from new USGS model St. Lawrence Update 2003 data St. Lawrence data from new USGS model Susquehanna Update 2003 data Susquehanna data from new USGS model Mississippi Update 2003 data Mississippi data from new USGS model
1955             473 473
1956             333 332
1957             475 475
1958             406 406
1959             367 367
1960             356 356
1961             302 302
1962             304 304
1963             193 193
1964             262 262
1965             391 391
1966             224 224
1967             251 251
1968             437 437
1969             522 522
1970             508 507
1971         34   435 434
1972         52   624 624
1973         35   739 739
1974     51 52 34 33 717 717
1975 54 53 50 50 41 40 681 681
1976 54 52 58 56 39 38 631 631
1977 39 42 50 49 46 45 565 565
1978 46 49 57 55 40 39 893 893
1979 47 51 57 55 55 56 1116 1240
1980 54 59 59 57 30 30 1153 912
1981 60 65 59 56 34 35 753 900
1982 83 87 61 58 39 40 1256 1489
1983 87 91 63 60 49 51 1823 1690
1984 76 81 67 66 58 61 1454 1521
1985 59 65 68 68 39 41 1312 1307
1986 72 76 82 83 52 56 1007 1105
1987 53 57 76 79 41 44 1022 696
1988 53 56 59 64 35 37 693 577
1989 58 58 58 66 48 50 637 675
1990 69 65 59 72 63 67 848 951
1991 72 64 60 77 41 43 1162 1088
1992 50 44 53 74 46 48 819 979
1993 56 48 59 89 66 68 1457 2005
1994 54 51 45 77 64 66 1624 1148
1995 102 85   75 37 38 1029 1082
1996 134 129   84 80 80 970 1059
1997 119 114       38 38 1218 969
1998 75 76       51 50 1031 1133
1999 93 98         32 1156 949
2000 66 59         37 547 513
2001   35         25 952 947
2002   44       33 1006 923
2003             765 769
USGS Comments: The nitrate loads are updated since the 2003 EPA ROE report and reflect the inclusion of additional monitoring data and use of newly calibrated and improved load models.   The most notable change occurred for the St. Lawrence where new monitoring data were added for the period 1986-96; nitrate load now shows an upward trend over the period of record.

Close Window