Episodes of high streamwater acidity have been cited in the literature as causal in fish-kills; such episodes are often associated with acid precipitation. An investigation utilising continuous monitoring of both precipitation and streamwater for a remote upland site in SW Scotland is reported and the occurrence of two episodes of streamwater acidification is described. The apparent mechanism for these episodes is one of ion exchange in the catchment soils following precipitation inputs laden with sea-salts. The investigation indicates the potential importance of sea-salts in streamwater acidification within the British context. The data provide insights into the mechanisms of acidification from precipitation input to ftreamwater output.
