Previous studies of the nutrient budgets of lakes in Precambrian Shield regions have generally ignored the role of groundwater as a source or sink (influx or efflux) of nutrients. This paper and its companion (Part 2) address this science gap by probing the role of groundwater in the nutrient balance for a restricted bay of a Precambrian Shield lake that has undergone extensive shoreline development. In Part 1, we introduce a conceptual model of the relevant processes, including the role of groundwater. A cottage study site is described, concentrations of nutrients and septic tracers (artificial sweeteners), water levels and other data are reported. This includes data from samples of the septic wastewater plume in groundwater at the cottage, and samples from the bay. The artificial sweetener data indicate seepage of septic plumes to the bay, but significant attenuation of septic-derived nutrients in the subsurface. These data are used for numerical modeling in Part 2.

先前对前寒武纪地盾地区湖泊养分收支的研究普遍忽略了地下水作为养分源或汇（流入或流出）的作用。本文及其同伴（第 2 部分）通过探讨地下水在经历了广泛的海岸线开发的前寒武纪地盾湖的受限海湾的营养平衡中的作用来解决这一科学空白。在第 1 部分中，我们介绍了相关过程的概念模型，包括地下水的作用。描述了一个小屋研究地点，报告了营养物质和化粪池示踪剂（人造甜味剂）的浓度、水位和其他数据。这包括来自小屋地下水中化粪池废水羽流样本的数据以及来自海湾的样本。人造甜味剂数据表明化粪池渗入海湾，但地下化粪池衍生的营养物质显着衰减。这些数据用于第 2 部分中的数值建模。