Sediment & Physical Parameters
Levi Dawes
Richard Yang
Paul Schiller
Paul Burke
Outline
 Quick background
 What we did (Methods and Results)
 Conclusions and Suggestions
Background
 North of Potlatch and
owned by Larry & Lael
Turnbow
 Dug out 3 years ago,
added depth and size
 High turbidity
 Ground water inflow
 Bass and rainbow trout
present
Pond Sample Locations
Basic Materials
Material List
KB core sampler
KB core tube
KB core plug
Messenger
Van dorm sampler
Sampling bottle
Secchi disk
Turbidity tube/ turbidity
probe
Numbers Needed
1
9
18
2
1
18
1
1
Methods
 Riparian
Vegetation
 Turbidity
 Secchi Depth
 KB Core
KB Core Results
Organic Matter (%)
0.000
0
Depth (cm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
1.000
2.000
3.000
4.000
A1
A2
B2
C1
KB Core Results
Bulk Density (g/mL)
0.0000
0
Depth (cm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
1.0000
2.0000
3.0000
4.0000
A1
A2
B2
C1
KB Core Results
Water Content (%)
0.000
0
Depth (cm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
20.000
40.000
60.000
80.000
A1
A2
B2
C1
Secchi Depth
Location Duplicate Number
A
1
2
3
B
1
2
3
C
1
2
3
Average
Secchi Depth (m) Photic Zone Depth (m)
0.34
0.68
0.36
0.72
0.31
0.62
0.33
0.66
0.33
0.66
0.32
0.64
0.31
0.62
0.32
0.64
0.31
0.62
0.33
0.65
Turbidity
Turbidity (NTU)
0
20
40
60
80
100
0
Depth (m)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
A
B
C
Riparian Vegetation
http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/water/resources_stormwater/shoreline_plants_in_south_carolina_waterfronts.html
Pond Bottom
 Low organic matter suggests large
amounts of clay
 Pond will not leak, however it is not
good for aquatic vegetation
 Adding more aquatic vegetation will
eventually increase organic matter
Suggestions (long term)
 Plant more riparian and bank
vegetation, especially shrubs
 Increased root length and size will
stabilize soil and lower turbidity
 Increased plant diversity will lead to
increased aquatic animal diversity
Suggestions (short term)
 Apply calcium sulfate (CaSO4) (gypsum)
 CaSO4 binds to clay particles
Negative charges repel
each other
Cations bind to clay
and make it neutral
 May alter water chemistry
Suggestions (short term)
 Add alfalfa to shallow areas
 2 square bales/acre of surface
area in spring and summer
 Decomposition => positively charged
molecules
 Adds food for microbes and
bugs
 Decomposition consumes O2
Summary
 Turnbow Pond has high turbidity
 Our results suggest high clay input
 Treat with riparian buffer zone and hay
Questions?
References
Clearing ponds that have turbid (muddy) water. Missouri
Department of Conservation. Online source. Accessed
on 9 December 2014.
Riparian Buffers. Stream Notes 1. Online source. Accessed on 9
December 2014.
Schlosser, I.J., Karr, J.R. 1981. Water quality in agricultural
watersheds: impact of riparian vegetation during base
flow. Water Resources Bulletin 17:233-240.
Yi, Y., Lin, C.K. wei, Diana, J.S. 2003. Techniques to mitigate
clay turbidity problems in fertilized earthen fish ponds.
Aquacultural Engineering 27:39-51.