Seasonal variation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and chlorophyll a in Lake Michigan and Green Bay, 1965

Total and dissolved phosphorus, nitrate, and chlorophyll a were measured at four stations in northern Lake Michigan (inshore Michigan, offshore Michigan, offshore Wisconsin, and inshore Wisconsin) and one station in southern Green Bay during 16 sampling periods in 1965. The nutrients were measured at depths of 2, 5, and 10 meters and chlorophyll a at 2 meters. In Green Bay total phosphorus (33.7 ppb) was about five times as high and dissolved phosphorus (7.0 ppb) more than twice as high as the averages for the four Lake Michigan stations, but nitrate nitrogen concentration (37.3 ppb) was only about onethird that in the lake. Total and dissolved phosphorus were about 50 percent higher in the inshore Michigan area than in the other three lake areas. Concentration and seasonal trends in nitrates differed relatively little among the four lake stations. Nitrate at all areas and depths sampled decreased to almost nondetectable levels during September. Chlorophyll a was 70 percent higher at the two inshore areas than at the two offshore areas in the lake and was more than four times higher in Green Bay than at any lake area.