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The chemistry of the water flowing into Bear Lake plays a key role in determining what kinds of organisms live in the lake and how well they
are preserved as fossils. Since the mineral-rich nature of the water strongly affects stable isotope ratios and geochemistry,
we've collected water samples from various locations and depths within Bear Lake, and from many of the springs that flow into it. Samples are collected
using clean plastic or glass bottles (for isotope samples). The water is then pretreated according to the type of analysis planned, by filtering and
adding acid as needed. Water is collected from different depths by using a van Dorn or Kemmerer-style sampler.
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| An Lui, a University of Minnesota PhD student, filters water collected from a water sampler at
Bear Lake in September 1999. This water was later analyzed for stable isotopes and geochemistry.
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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey