Impact/Purpose:

The overall objective of this research is to understand the role of BMPs and land use decisions on water quality in the face of climate change. We hypothesize that the efficiency of BMPs at reducing sediment and pollutant yield will decrease with increasing storm magnitude; however in large multi-use watersheds any reduction in suspended sediment as a result of conservation practices may be annulled by landuse change. Two objectives have been developed to guide this research: Objective #I. Determine the capacity ofBMPs to reduce large event caused delivery of sediment in lakes with small watersheds in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MA V). Objective #2. Determine the role that BMP development and landuse decisions have had on event associated sedimentation rates in a lake with a large watershed.

Description:

Suspended sediment is a major non-point source pollutant of surface waters. Best management practices (BMPs) and current landuse decisions may not be sufficient to protect water quality in a changing climate, as a result of a loss of efficiency at reducing suspended sediment at high storm intensities. Climate change is expected to increase the magnitude of storm events across the Southeast United States, potentially resulting in impacts to water quality in this region. Interactions among BMPs, land management, land use change, and water quality as storm events change in magnitude are unknown. It is important to understand the efficiency of BMPs and land-use decisions in affecting water quality so that policy makers can make informed, proactive decisions with regard to future water quality policies.

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT( ABSTRACT )

Start Date:01/01/2012

Completion Date:12/31/2014

Record ID: 250926

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Related Organizations:

Role :OWNER

Organization Name :MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY

Organization Name :DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

Citation :Mississippi State

State :MS

Zip Code :39762

Project Information:

Approach :

We will examine overall and event caused sedimentation rates in I) oxbow lakes in the MA V (small watersheds) where BMPs have been implemented and shown to reduce sedimentation rates in lakes and 2) Ross Barnett Reservoir a large multi-use watershed of the Upper Pearl River, MS. We will correlate sedimentation rates with climatic history to determine watershed response pre- and post-BMP and/or historical land use. In the large watershed we will combine the sedimentation record with historical and current water quality data to determine historical levels of total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. We will combine these efforts with geochemical analyses to determine the source of sediment being discharged into these depositional areas - allowing us to diagnose BMPs and landuse decisions.

Cost :$363,258.00

Research Component :Global Climate Change

Approach :

We will examine overall and event caused sedimentation rates in I) oxbow lakes in the MA V (small watersheds) where BMPs have been implemented and shown to reduce sedimentation rates in lakes and 2) Ross Barnett Reservoir a large multi-use watershed of the Upper Pearl River, MS. We will correlate sedimentation rates with climatic history to determine watershed response pre- and post-BMP and/or historical land use. In the large watershed we will combine the sedimentation record with historical and current water quality data to determine historical levels of total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. We will combine these efforts with geochemical analyses to determine the source of sediment being discharged into these depositional areas - allowing us to diagnose BMPs and landuse decisions.

Cost :$363,258.00

Research Component :Water Quality

Approach :

We will examine overall and event caused sedimentation rates in I) oxbow lakes in the MA V (small watersheds) where BMPs have been implemented and shown to reduce sedimentation rates in lakes and 2) Ross Barnett Reservoir a large multi-use watershed of the Upper Pearl River, MS. We will correlate sedimentation rates with climatic history to determine watershed response pre- and post-BMP and/or historical land use. In the large watershed we will combine the sedimentation record with historical and current water quality data to determine historical levels of total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus. We will combine these efforts with geochemical analyses to determine the source of sediment being discharged into these depositional areas - allowing us to diagnose BMPs and landuse decisions.

Cost :$363,258.00

Research Component :Air Quality and Air Toxics

Project IDs:

ID Code :R835186

Project type :EPA Grant