Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Waller Mill Reservoir, in upper York County, is the major source of drinking water for the residents of Williamsburg, Virginia. Recent development at the headwaters of the reservoir’s major tributary, Queen’s Creek, provides potential for disruption of the reservoir’s hydrologic system (i.e. sediment and water discharge). Initial research - consisted of reviewing the Williamsburg Environmental Group’s Water Quality Impact Assessment of the Lowe’s project. Searching for another stream in the reservoir’s basin, without as much potential for impact due to urbanization, was also a major part of my initial research. Stilling wells were constructed at both sites and dataloggers were connected to monitor the fluctuation of stream height. Suspended sediment and discharge measurements were conducted with each field visit as well as chemical analyses. Six months of field and laboratory research has revealed that the two streams do not respond in the same manner to high-flow events. The undisturbed site responded to the same storm events with a much longer lag time (4:15-6:15), lower peak flow (~0.05 m?/sec/km7), and returned nearly to the same base flow it was at before the event. The disturbed site had nearly half the lag time (2:15-5:45) as the control site, a much greater peak discharge (~0.2 m’/sec/km’), and its base flow increased after each event. The total amount of sediment that each system is discharging is different as well. Between October 15 and November 4, the experimental site discharged nearly 140,000 g/sec/km? whereas the control site discharged only 4300 g/sec/km’.
Date Awarded
2000
Department
Geology
Advisor 1
Gregory S. Hancock
Advisor 2
Gerald H. Johnson
Recommended Citation
Lotspeich, Russ, "The Effect of Urbanization on Waller Mill Reservoir, York County, Virginia" (2000). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 65.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/65
