Assessment of Sediment-Related Processes in a Central Wisconsin Reservoir

• Main Authors: Gunnison, Douglas, Barko, John W.
• Other Authors: ARMY ENGINEER WATERWAYS EXPERIMENT STATION VICKSBURG MS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1992
• Subjects: Geology; Geochemistry and Mineralogy; Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Hydrology; Limnology and Potamology; Snow; Ice and Permafrost; *RESERVOIRS; *RIVERS; *WINTER; *WISCONSIN; *SEDIMENTS; ARMY; BIOCHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND; ENGINEERS; FISHES; HISTORY; ICE; OXYGEN; QUALITY; RELEASE; SUMMER; UNIFORMS; VALLEYS; WATER; WATER QUALITY; WATERWAYS; SYMPOSIA; Component; Dissolved oxygen; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADP007792; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADP007792

In 1937 the Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company (WVIC) constructed the 2,760-ha Big Eau Pleine Reservoir by impounding the Big Eau Pleine River. The reservoir was created to assist in providing uniform flows in the Wisconsin River, and has had a subsequent history of major winter fish kills and summer algal blooms (Shaw and Powers Undated). Based on results of previous studies, the winter fish kill problem is believed to result from an oxygen sag which develops periodically under the ice in upper reaches of the reservoir, and then moves downstream as water is withdrawn from the project (Gunnison and Barko 1988). The US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station (WES) was asked to examine results of previous studies and other available data to evaluate earlier recommendations for water quality improvement (Gunnison and Barko 1988). Results of this effort indicated that the reservoir is a sink for total phosphorous, but releases organic matter in the form of biochemical oxygen demand. Insufficient information was available to permit a determination of the environmental factors contributing to dissolved oxygen sag development and propagation. However, additional information related to the dissolved oxygen depletion problem is being obtained from intensive field investigation initiated in 1989. The objective of this initial report is to assess the role of sediment dynamics in dissolved oxygen depletion during the winter in the Big Eau Pleine Reservoir. This article is from 'Proceedings of the US Army Corps of Engineers Workshop on Sediment Oxygen Demand Held in Providence, Rhode Island on 21-22 August 1990,' AD-A253 650, p143-152.