Assessing the potential for Sediment release in Marion Reservoir, KS


Start Date: 2007

End Date: 2007

Full Citation:

Marion County Conversation District, 2007, $12,988. "Assessing the potential for Sediment release in Marion Reservoir, KS." PI: A. Dzialowski, Co-PI: N. Lim.

Category:

  • Aquatic

Associated with the KU Field Station: No

Research Summary:

This project was completed for the Marion Reservoir Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy and funded by the Marion County Conservation District. We assessed internal nutrient (phosphorus) release rates in Marion Reservoir, Kansas, using a laboratory sediment core incubation study. Sediment cores were collected from the reservoir and exposed to either anoxic (no oxygen) or oxic conditions and phosphorus release rates were then measured over a seven day period. Our results show that under anoxic conditions large quantities of phosphorus can be released from the lake sediment. The average release rate from all of the anoxic cores combined was 20.7 + 4.9 mg P/m2/day. We also presented data to show that Marion Reservoir exhibited brief periods of anoxia near its sediment surface indicating that it has the potential for internal nutrient recycling. As such, our results strongly suggest that internal sources can contribute to eutrophication in Marion Reservoir and highlights the importance of considering internal sources in management and restoration efforts for this reservoir.

Final report - 145. Dzialowski, A.R., N.C. Lim, P. Liechti, , and J. Beury. 2007. Internal Nutrient Recycling in Marion Reservoir. Open-file Report No. 145. Kansas Biological Survey, Lawrence, KS. 17 pp.