Journal article
Flow, Organic, and Inorganic Sediment Yields from a Channelized Watershed in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain
Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol.50(4), pp.943-962
08/2014
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/108166
Abstract
Many small streams in coastal watersheds in the southeastern United States are modified for agricultural, residential, and commercial development. In the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain, low‐relief topography and a shallow water table make stream channelization ubiquitous. To quantify the impacts of urbanization and stream channelization, we measured flow and sediment from an urbanizing watershed and a small forested watershed. Flow and sediment export rates were used to infer specific yields from forested and nonforested regions of the urbanizing watershed. Study objectives were to: (1) quantify the range of runoff‐to‐rainfall ratios; (2) quantify the range of specific sediment yields; (3) characterize the quantity and quality of particulate matter exported; and (4) estimate sediment yield attributable to agriculture, development, and channelization activities in the urbanizing watershed. Our results showed that the urban watershed exported over five times more sediment per unit area compared with the forested watershed. Sediment concentration was related to flow flashiness in the urban watershed and to flow magnitude in the forested watershed. Sediments from the forested watershed were dominated by organic matter, whereas mineral matter dominated sediment from the urban stream. Our results indicated that a significant shift in sediment quality and quantity are likely to occur as forested watersheds are transformed by urbanization in coastal South Carolina.
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Details
- Title
- Flow, Organic, and Inorganic Sediment Yields from a Channelized Watershed in the South Carolina Lower Coastal Plain
- Creators
- Anand D Jayakaran - Clemson UniversitySusan M Libes - Coastal Carolina UniversityDaniel R Hitchcock - Clemson UniversityNatasha L Bell - University of Illinois at Urbana‐ChampaignDavid Fuss - Horry County Stormwater Management
- Publication Details
- Journal of the American Water Resources Association, Vol.50(4), pp.943-962
- Number of pages
- 20
- Grant note
- SC Water Resources Research Institute (2008SC55B) Howard Hughs Medical Institute NOAA (NA10OAR4170073) NIFA/USDA (SC‐1700394) SC Life Undergraduate Research Program at Clemson University Horry County Stormwater USGS
- Identifiers
- 99900547252901842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article