ISOTOPIC VARIATIONS IN HAMILTON HARBOR WATER AS AN INDICATOR OF LAKE ONTARIO EXCHANGE FLOW

In September, 1993, and May, 1994, surface water samples were collecte d from Hamilton Harbour at the western end of Lake Ontario to determin e if hydrogen and oxygen isotopes could be used to estimate the volume of lake water entering the harbor through the Burlington Canal, a shi pping canal at the harbor's eastern end. In addition, the survey sough t to determine if the isotopic variations were significantly different to allow mapping of the lake Mater plume present within the harbor. T he results of this preliminary survey show a west to east enrichment i ll stable oxygen and hydrogen ratios. This distribution results front mixing via the Burlington Canal of lake water at the eastern end of th e harbor that is enriched in O-18 and H-2, with harbor water that is d epleted in O-18 and H-2 relative to lake water. The results suggest th at variations in the isotopic signature between Lake Ontario and Hamil ton Harbour waters differ significantly to allow the use of oxygen and hydrogen isotopes to examine lake water-harbor water mixing relations hips. A more derailed sampling will allow the amount of exchange acros s the Burlington Canal to be calculated and the extent of the harbor's lake water plume to be determined.