Combined Nitrate + Nitrite
Combined
nitrate + nitrite a measure of inorganic nitrogen, the sum of nitrates and nitrites.
Both are essential plant nutrients but can cause algal overgrowth in excess
amounts. Fertilizer, sewage leaks and decomposing plant material all contribute
to combined nitrogen levels in aquatic environments. The state criterion for
combined nitrogen in a healthy water body is .008 mg/L. All of the data collected
from Enchanted Lakes gave combined readings that far exceeded the
state criteria figure. All of the sites that were analyzed are located in
heavily populated residential areas and are subject to fertilizer-rich runoff.
This could explain the high combined nitrogen levels collected over the study period.