Research on water quality of reservoir tailwaters
Many reservoirs experience seasonal thermal stratification often accompanied by dissolved oxygen (DO) depletion in bottom waters. When water is released to the downstream environment, reaeration occurs. Eventually, the water quality recovers to a more natural stream condition. The recovery distance, which depends on physical and biogeochemical factors, is often on the order of miles. To address this need, a study was conducted on poor water quality associated with deep, anoxic releases at four sites: (1) the tailwater of Lake Greeson, Little Missouri River, Arkansas; (2) tailwater of Nimrod Reservoir (Fourche La Fave River, Arkansas); (3) tailwater of Rough River Reservoir, Kentucky; and (4) Buford Dam tailwater on the Chattahoochee River, Georgia. The objectives were: to develop an improved understanding of chemical transformation in tailwaters; to provide guidance on sampling and analysis of tailwater quality; and to develop an easy-to-use PC model to predict impacts of reservoir releases on tailwater quality. Preliminary results are reported for the Greeson tailwater study only. The major process affecting DO concentrations was stream reaeration. Flow rate was shown to affect oxidation rates (e.g. for iron and manganese) so that a generalized formulation for reduced iron and manganese oxidation kinetics may need to account for the local temperature, DO concentration, pH, possible a flow-related variable, and the type of substrate in the stream. 14 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.
- OSTI ID:
- 5727865
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Environmental and water-quality operational studies: spatial and temporal distribution of sulfide and reduced metals in the tailwater of Narrows Dam (Lake Greeson), Arkansas. Final technical report
Effects of hypolimnetic discharge on fish health below a reservoir
Related Subjects
ARKANSAS
WATER RESERVOIRS
GEORGIA
KENTUCKY
WATER QUALITY
AERATION
ANOXIA
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
DISSOLVED GASES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXYGEN
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
CHEMISTRY
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FEDERAL REGION IV
FEDERAL REGION VI
FLUIDS
GASES
GEOCHEMISTRY
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
SOLUTES
SURFACE WATERS
USA
VARIATIONS
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)