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ASSESSING SEDIMENTATION ISSUES WITHIN AGING FLOOD CONTROL RESERVOIRS IN OKLAHOMA 1
Author(s) -
Bennett Sean J.,
Cooper Charles M.,
Ritchie Jerry C.,
Dunbar John A.,
Allen Peter M.,
Caldwell Larry W.,
McGee Thomas M.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/jawr.2002.38.5.1307
Subject(s) - sediment , hydrology (agriculture) , sediment control , geology , silt , flood myth , flood control , sedimentation , erosion , environmental science , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , geography
Since 1948, the USDA‐NRCS has constructed nearly 11,000 flood control dams across the United States, and many of the reservoirs are rapidly filling with sediment. To rehabilitate these structures, the impounded sediment must be assessed to determine the volume of accumulated sediment and the potential hazard this sediment may pose if reintroduced to the environment. An assessment of sedimentation issues within two reservoirs, Sugar Creek No. 12, Hinton, Oklahoma, and Sergeant Major No. 4, Cheyenne, Oklahoma, is presented. Sediment cores obtained using a vibracoring system were composed of alternating layers of gravel, sand, silt, and clay. Stratigraphic analysis coupled with 137Cs dating techniques enabled the discrimination of pre‐construction sediment from post‐construction deposition. An acoustic profiling system was unencumbered by the relatively shallow water depth at Sugar Creek No. 12 and the seismic horizons agreed well with the sediment core data. Total sediment volume determined from the acoustic survey and the sediment core data for comparable areas differed by only 1.4 percent. The seismic profiling system worked well in the relatively deeper Jake of Sergeant Major No. 4 and showed good correspondence to the collected core data. Detailed chemical analyses showed that overall sediment quality was good at both locations and that chemical composition was spatially invariant. Implementation of these techniques will aid action agencies such as the USDA‐NRCS in their assessment and effective management of aging flood control reservoirs.