2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/21/2019  |   11:15 AM - 11:30 AM   |  REDUCED FLOWS ALTER NUTRIENT EXPORT OVER MULTIPLE SEVERE DROUGHTS IN SOUTHWEST GEORGIA, USA   |  250 AB

REDUCED FLOWS ALTER NUTRIENT EXPORT OVER MULTIPLE SEVERE DROUGHTS IN SOUTHWEST GEORGIA, USA

The Southeastern US is predicted to have warmer summers, more variable precipitation and increased human water demand, increasing the frequency and severity of water scarcity. Since 1994, water-quality constituents have been measured monthly in two adjacent watersheds in southwestern Georgia, USA. Land-use is similar between the watersheds except that Chickasawhatchee creek flows through the second largest wetland complex in Georgia allowing for a greater influence of floodplain activity. We calculated daily yield of water quality constituents under normal conditions across four years (minimum flow 2.57 and .0991 m3/s) and moderate to extreme drought conditions across five years (minimum 0.125 and 0 m3/s) to examine the effect on nutrient transport. Reduced nutrient export was observed during drought years across all constituents with average yearly yield reduced by half or more. During normal years, nutrient exports were largely comparable with a greater reduction in Chickasawhatchee creek during drought years. We attribute this to greater floodplain disconnection and tributary drying caused by low rainfall, greater withdrawals, and consequently reduced groundwater levels. Increased water scarcity could have important consequences for aquatic life through reduced flow and export of biologically important materials to downstream communities.

  • Connectivity
  • Floodplain
  • Nutrients

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Presenters/Authors

Chelsea Smith (), The Jones Center at Ichauway, chelsea.smith@jonesctr.org;


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Stephen Golladay (), The Jones Center at Ichauway, steve.golladay@jonesctr.org;


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