Physical and Chemical Characteristics of Cultus Lake, British Columbia.

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Abstract
Cultus lake is a rather small, fairly deep, clear lake of the western Cascade mountains, and is the home of one of the populations of Fraser river sockeye. The equable climate of the region is reflected in the low annual heat budget of the lake and its normal lack of an ice cover in winter, with continued complete or partial circulation of its water throughout that season. Judged by the low degree of hypolimnial oxygen consumption in summer, the lake is to be classed as distinctly oligotrophic. The oxygen content at all depths and seasons is sufficient for the respiration of salmonoid fishes. The water is moderately hard and slightly alkaline. Quantities of dissolved nitrates and phosphates in the water appear to be of the order characteristic of oligotrophic lakes. Silicates are present much in excess of the requirements of the lake's diatom populations. The number of adult sockeye returning to the lake in normal years is insufficient to add to its supply of nutritive salts in significant amount. Temperature observations and oxygen determinations, taken at frequent intervals for several years, have contributed to the knowledge of certain questions of general limnological interest. Such include (1) the manner in which the hypolimnion of a lake is warmed in summer; (2) the classification of the seasonal circulation periods in temperate lakes; and (3) the oxygen content of a lake at the close of vernal circulation, and its use as a standard from which to measure oxygen consumption throughout the summer.

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