The Limnology of a Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Oxbow Lake Following the Application of Conservation Practices

Scott Knight^*, Robert Cullum, Richard Lizotte

USDA-ARS National Sedimentation Laboratory, Oxford, USA.

DOI: 10.4236/jwarp.2015.79058                

Abstract

From 1995 and 2011, Beasley Lake watershed near Indianola, MS, was subjected to a variety of conservation measures designed to reduce water velocity, erosion and discharge of sediment laden water. Water quality monitoring during the period indicated a number of long term trends and relationships between the parameters measured. Conservation practices reduced sediments and nutrients during the course of the study that resulted in increased Secchi visibility and chlorophyll a. Annual mean dissolved oxygen decreased slightly over time and was strongly dependent upon temperature, and weakly associated with varying salinity and pH. Total phosphorus, ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen showed significant downward trends from 1995 through 2011. Chlorophyll a concentration was significantly dependent upon total nitrogen but not phosphate, indicating nitrogen limiting conditions. Watershed based conservation practices significantly changed the long term water quality of Beasley Lake by reducing sediment and nutrients, increasing water clarity and boosting primary production as indicated by chlorophyll a.

Keywords

Chlorophyll, Nutrients, Non-Point Pollution, Water Quality, Watershed

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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