Physical, chemical, and mineralogical characteristics of a reservoir sediment delta (Lake Powell, U.S.A.) and implications for water quality during low water level.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
Lake Powell is a large reservoir in Utah and Arizona that has experienced large changes in water level during a recent drought. As a first step in assessing the connection between hydrologic and chemical changes at Lake Powell, we characterized the particle size and solid-phase bulk concentrations for 31 elements and 25 minerals in sediment from the inflow region and some shoreline locations by using laser diffractometry, X-ray fluorescence, elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction Our results are consistent with previous results that show a negative correlation between particle size and concentrations of most elements and most minerals other than quartz and some feldspars. In our samples, however, solid-phase iron, rather than particle size or organic carbon, is the best predictor variable for the solid-phase concentrations of elements and minerals. Sediment characteristics vary on a scale of tens of kilometers, with fine sediment that is enriched in trace elementsnearer to the dam. These trends allow formulation of an algorithm for determining a water-level threshold below which sediment resuspension may alter water chemistry in a generic reservoir with a long and narrow sediment delta.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Wildman, RA; Pratson, LF; DeLeon, M; Hering, JG
Published Date
- March 2011
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 40 / 2
Start / End Page
- 575 - 586
PubMed ID
- 21520765
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1537-2537
International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)
- 0047-2425
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.2134/jeq2010.0323
Language
- eng