Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin
Water quality data collected between 2007 and 2014 within the Allen Creek Watershed were used to: (1) determine the factors controlling the temporal variations in turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) within a representative, high-gradient headwater basin in the Southern Appalachians;...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2015-06-01
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| Series: | Water |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/7/6/3123 |
| _version_ | 1811270051956785152 |
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| author | Jerry R. Miller Jacob T. Sinclair Danvey Walsh |
| author_facet | Jerry R. Miller Jacob T. Sinclair Danvey Walsh |
| author_sort | Jerry R. Miller |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water quality data collected between 2007 and 2014 within the Allen Creek Watershed were used to: (1) determine the factors controlling the temporal variations in turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) within a representative, high-gradient headwater basin in the Southern Appalachians; and (2) assess the recovery of water quality following extensive logging operations during the early to mid-1900s. Regression analysis suggests that suspended sediment is primarily derived from upland areas and variations in concentration reflect rainfall intensity and total event precipitation. Overall, SSC and turbidity were low in stream waters in comparison to both reference values for stable streams and more developed basins in the region. Some floods were characterized by high SSC values, but limited turbidity and vice versa. Differences in measured SSC and turbidity between storms reflect different controls on the two parameters, and the apparent influence of natural organic matter on turbidity during rainfall events that are incapable of transporting sediment to the channel via overland flow. Low SSC and turbidity values are presumably related to the reforestation of hillslopes and riparian buffers following the cessation of logging operations. They also are due to a historical reduction in the sedimentological connectivity of hillslopes and tributaries with the axial channel that occurred during logging operations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:53:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-625a6334dc70451c999133af635dc6b9 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T21:53:59Z |
| publishDate | 2015-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-625a6334dc70451c999133af635dc6b92022-12-22T03:15:23ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412015-06-01763123314810.3390/w7063123w7063123Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater BasinJerry R. Miller0Jacob T. Sinclair1Danvey Walsh2Department of Geosciences and Natural Resources, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USAGeology Department, Wichita State University, 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260, USADepartment of Geosciences and Natural Resources, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723, USAWater quality data collected between 2007 and 2014 within the Allen Creek Watershed were used to: (1) determine the factors controlling the temporal variations in turbidity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) within a representative, high-gradient headwater basin in the Southern Appalachians; and (2) assess the recovery of water quality following extensive logging operations during the early to mid-1900s. Regression analysis suggests that suspended sediment is primarily derived from upland areas and variations in concentration reflect rainfall intensity and total event precipitation. Overall, SSC and turbidity were low in stream waters in comparison to both reference values for stable streams and more developed basins in the region. Some floods were characterized by high SSC values, but limited turbidity and vice versa. Differences in measured SSC and turbidity between storms reflect different controls on the two parameters, and the apparent influence of natural organic matter on turbidity during rainfall events that are incapable of transporting sediment to the channel via overland flow. Low SSC and turbidity values are presumably related to the reforestation of hillslopes and riparian buffers following the cessation of logging operations. They also are due to a historical reduction in the sedimentological connectivity of hillslopes and tributaries with the axial channel that occurred during logging operations.http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/7/6/3123suspended sediment concentrationturbiditywatershed recoverySouthern Appalachians |
| spellingShingle | Jerry R. Miller Jacob T. Sinclair Danvey Walsh Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin Water suspended sediment concentration turbidity watershed recovery Southern Appalachians |
| title | Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin |
| title_full | Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin |
| title_fullStr | Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin |
| title_full_unstemmed | Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin |
| title_short | Controls on Suspended Sediment Concentrations and Turbidity within a Reforested, Southern Appalachian Headwater Basin |
| title_sort | controls on suspended sediment concentrations and turbidity within a reforested southern appalachian headwater basin |
| topic | suspended sediment concentration turbidity watershed recovery Southern Appalachians |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/7/6/3123 |
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