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Geology and geography.

Article Excerpt
Chair: David Ufnar, University of Southern Mississippi

Vice-chair: James Starnes, MS Department of Environmental Quality

FRIDAY MORNING

Hunter Henry Brunson

9:00 HYDROGEOLOGIC ASSESSMENT OF A PROPOSED RESERVOIR SITE, SMITH COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI

Jason A. McIlwain*, Darrel W. Schmitz, and James H. May, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762

The Oakohay Creek watershed in Smith County, Mississippi, is a proposed site for the development of a reservoir intended to boost the county's economy. The site is being assessed for suitability based on the hydrogeology of the area. There are three components to the site assessment. The first component involves examining the hydrologic characteristics of the drainage basin. Stream discharge is monitored at eight locations along Oakohay Creek and its tributaries. Stage-discharge hydrographs are constructed based on the obtained data. The second component of the study is based on studying the site's geology. The geology is being studied through field reconnaissance, surface mapping, and examination of geophysical well log data from the MDEQ as well as drillers' logs from seismic exploration. Cross-sections have been constructed based on the available data. Surface mapping of the Glendon/Marianna formations (limestones and marls) of the Vicksburg Group is being conducted. Outcrops of the Glendon/Marianna formations are present along Oakohay Creek near the proposed dam site. Potential dissolution of the Glendon/Marianna formations could cause leakage and instability of the dam. Currently, drilling, along with coring of the Glendon/Marianna formations, is taking place that will provide information for the project. The third component of the study involves the assessment of water quality within the basin. Samples are taken for analysis by the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory.

9:20 DETERMINING THE POTENTIAL FOR DIRECT RECHARGE IN THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER ALLUVIAL AQUIFER USING SOIL CORE ANALYSES, WASHINGTON CO., MS

Claire E. Rose (1), Jeannie Bryson (2), and Stan Galicki (1), (1) Millsaps College, Jackson, MS 39210 and (2) USGS, Pearl, MS 39208

The potential for water and chemical transport to the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer in the Bogue Phalia watershed via vertical recharge was investigated by determining the hydraulic conductivity of sediment in the upper 6 m. Three methods were used; direct measurement of core segments using a falling head permeameter, bulk density and sediment composition data in conjunction with the Rosetta Stone software, and the Hazen method using particle size distribution data. The upper 3 m of topostratum consists of a clay loam with vertical hydraulic conductivity values ranging from [10.sup.-5] to as low as [10.sup.-7] cm/s. The interval from 3 m to approximately 6 m was a sandy loam with hydraulic conductivity values ranging from [10.sup.-3] to [10.sup.-4] cm/s. The sediment composition, bulk density values, and vertical hydraulic conductivity values in the upper 3 m indicate that a relatively homogenous blanket of lower permeability clay loam persists in the area and that that the potential for vertical recharge is low. Appreciable lateral recharge from the nearby Bogue Phalia River is likely as the river incises through the clay loam to the higher conductivity fine, sandy loam interval.

9:40...

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