| Waters from Alabama fish ponds from five soils areas were dilute solutions of alkaline earth carbonates and bicarbonates. Waters also contained low concentrations of sodium, potassium, chloride, and sulfate and trace quantities of iron, manganese, zinc, and copper. Nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations were not measured. The total concentration of ions (averages) by soils area were in the following order: Piedmont Plateau < Coastal Plains < Appalachian Plateau < Limestone Valley and Uplands < Prairies. Differences in total ionic concentrations resulted primarily from differences in carbonate and bicarbonate (total alkalinity) and calcium and magnesium (total hardness) concentrations.; Waters of a particular soils area often differed considerably in concentration of all variables, resulting in skewed distributions of data. Therefore, data are presented in histograms for each chemical species and each soils area. Means and standard errors are also presented.; Many relationships existed between ions, but few were strong enough to be useful in predicting ionic concentrations. The most useful relationship involves the use of the sum of total hardness and total alkalinity to estimate total ionic concentrations.; Watershed management practices did not greatly affect concentrations of major ions, but ponds in woods often had organically stained water, those in pastures often had plankton blooms, and the ones filled by runoff from watershed planted to row crops were often turbid with suspended soil particles. |
