SEDIMENT GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS, CLASSIFICATION, AND DISTRIBUTION: A SURFICIAL INVESTIGATION OF THE BENTHIC REGION IN KENTUCKY LAKE

The damming of the Tennessee River in 1944 in western Kentucky formed Kentucky Lake.  Very few studies have looked at the benthic sediments in detail since the lake’s formation.  This study investigates the physical and chemical characteristics of the deposited sediments.  Samples were collected in the summer of 2003 using both Ekman and Ponar grab samplers from 50 randomly chosen sites within the study region.  The particle sizing will differentiate between the four main sediment classes: clay, silt, sand, and gravel respectively by utilizing the pipette and settling tube method.  Chemical analysis will be performed on all sediment sizes less than –1 phi using a Series II CHNS/O Analyzer 2400.  The information obtained through this study will provide biologists, chemists, and geologists alike a more detailed understanding of the benthic region of this young and unique reservoir system.