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Southeastern Section - 64th Annual Meeting (19–20 March 2015)

Paper No. 6
Presentation Time: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM

EFFECTS OF TERRAIN MODIFICATION ON SURFACE WATER RUNOFF FROM THE BLUEBERRY COTTAGES WATERSHED AT MOUNTAIN LAKE, GILES COUNTY, VIRGINIA


DWYER, Dylan Michael, Department of Geology, Radford University, 801 East Main St, Radford, VA 24142, IMBURG, David Michael, Department of Geology, Radford University, Radford, VA 24142-6939 and WATTS, Chester F., Department of Geology, Radford University, Radford, VA 24142, dimburg@radford.edu

Mountain Lake, located in Giles County, Virginia, is one of two naturally formed lakes and is the only significant natural lake in the unglaciated southern Appalachians (Cawley et al., 2001). Updated theories on the formation of the lake suggest it formed from a rockslide in the Tuscarora Formation, along with colluvial damming. The lake is located immediately to the west of the Eastern Continental Divide. The watershed for Mountain Lake is roughly 321 acres, making it nearly 7 times greater than the lake at full pond (Roningen, 2011). This first order drainage basin fills from the south and empties to the north. The study area lies on the southwestern side of the lake where, in 2002, construction of the Blueberry Cottages occurred. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of construction at Mountain Lake on annual flow into the lake.

During construction two stormwater retention basins were constructed intentionally, while an unintentional stormwater basin resulted from modifications to the natural topography. Two larger catchment areas feed these basins. The study area was divided into land use coverage zones and assigned appropriate runoff coefficients. After classifying land use areas, annual flow values were estimated for pre and post construction models. Utilizing ArcMap 10.1, the catchment areas’ annual flow values were removed from the post construction annual flow value to account for the water lost within the system as a result of development. Comparison of the pre and post construction values showed a decrease in surface water runoff into the lake. This decrease in flow to the lake can be correlated to a decrease in lake water levels.

References:

Cawley, J. C., Parker, B. C., & Perren, L. J. (2001). New Observations on the Geomorphology and Origins of Mountain Lake, Virginia. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 429-440.

Roningen, J. M. (2011). Hydrogeologic Controls on Lake Level at Mountain Lake, Virginia.

Session No. 38--Booth# 27

T3. The Science behind Water and Land Management Practices (Posters)
Friday, 20 March 2015: 1:00 PM-5:00 PM
Ballroom (Chattanoogan Hotel & Conference Center)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 47, No. 2, p.92
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