Waterfowl waste as a source of nutrient enrichment in two urban hypereutrophic lakes

A study to determine the influence of waterfowl waste on the nutrient budget of two small, urban, hypereutrophic lakes has been conducted on the University Lakes System in Baton Rouge, La. Campus Lake (3.7 ha surface area, 1.1 m mean depth), which supports a resident flock of 57 ducks and 5 geese, receives about 7 percent of its total annual phosphorus loading from the waterfowl. College Lake (1.4 ha surface area, 1.3 m mean depth) has a resident flock of 14 ducks and 17 geese and receives about 8 percent of its annual phosphorus budget in waterfowl waste. This loading is slightly high considering the other loading sources to the lakes. The management implications of including waterfowl populations in lake plans are discussed.