Reelfoot Lake, is the largest natural lake in Tennessee. Outflows from the lake are conveyed approximately 16 miles downstream to the Obion River via an an old spillway south of the lake through the Running Reelfoot Bayou (RRB) canal. The areas adjacent to RRB are agricultural lands where the main crop is soybeans. Water discharged from the lake into RRB, often times inundates the agricultural fields downstream from the lake. The inundation is especially problematic in April, as it delays plantation of crops. The study area is the floodplain along the entire length of the RRB. The objective of the project was to determine the optimum discharge from the lake to reduce inundation of the areas downstream from the lake, with specific focus on the month of April. In conclusion, it is imperative to the surrounding agriculture that optimum water levels be maintained prior to the start of growing season in April. However, reducing the pre-growing season discharge also entails the risk of raising water levels in other areas of the lake. This could potentially cause flooding in residential and other agricultural areas around the lake.   

A bobcat entering an abandoned mine.

In the past 15-20 years southwestern Colorado has experienced consistent droughts from climate change, which weakens trees and make them more susceptible to bark-beetle infestation.  This has led to higher tree mortality rates and reduced land coverage, and in turn an increase in surface runoff and erosion.  With the help of the RUSLE model, we are able to estimate the amount of sheet and rill erosion in the study area. This talk presents results of the RUSLE model alongside an estimate of erosion caused by increased avalanche activity. 

An alluvial fan complex has formed along the eastern margin of the Reelfoot Lake due to channelization of the streams flowing into the lake; and improper land-use practices in the uplands east of the lake.

In a 2.5 mile stretch of Highway 160 on the La Veta Pass in southwestern Colorado, several small slope failures have been identified. These slope failures occurred in the new section of the highway after it was built in the mid 1960’s. And thus, road construction has been identified as the main driving force behind these slope failures. This stretch of Highway 160 was constructed in the Pennsylvanian/Permian Sangre de Cristo Formation composed mainly of arkosic sandstone and conglomeratic sandstone with minor interbeds of shale and limestone. The objective of this study is to rank the driving forces in order of importance and identify how they interact with road construction to cause landslides.