Resqual II: A dynamic water quality simulation program for a stratified shallow lake or reservoir: application to Lake Chicot,Arkansas

Abstract

The inflow of fine suspended sediment from Connerly Bayou into Lake Chicot, Arkansas (Figs. I-I and 1-2) has caused a profound change in the appearance, the ecology, and the recreational use of the lake. Before 1920, Lake Chicot, a large oxbow lake with limited drainage area along the Mississippi River, was attractive for recreation. A disastrous flood in 1927, construction of levees, clearing of the land for row crops, and other events have significantly increased the suspended solids content and thereby the turbidity of the lake. To reduce the turbidity and to stabilize the lake level, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has constructed a new lake outlet structure and a 6500 cfs pumping station to divert inflow from Conner1y Bayou to the Mississippi River (Rothwell and Fletcher, 1979; Schiebe et a1., 1981).