Faculty Mentor
Dr. Edward Lo
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
On-going
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
School of Earth Environment & Sustainability
Department
Environmental Science
Abstract
Oluwatunmise Akanmu1, Aguinaldo Silva2, Jéssica Franzon Cruz Santo3, Edward L. Lo1,4
1School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, Georgia Southern University
2Faculty of Engineering, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul
3Faculty of Data Science, SENAI São Paulo
4Institute of Water and Health, Georgia Southern University
Sediment geochemistry plays a fundamental role in regulating nutrient availability, cycling organic matter, and moderating primary productivity in aquatic systems. The Clarks Hill Lake (J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir) is a temperate reservoir filled in 1952 along the Savannah River, which forms the Georgia–South Carolina state line. The reservoir experiences periodic algal blooms driven by excess nutrient inputs. Comprehensive characterization of surface sediments is therefore critical for understanding sedimentation patterns, nutrient enrichment, and their implications for reservoir productivity and management. In this study, lake floor sediment samples were collected using a Ponar grab sampler across spatial gradients in November 2025 and January 2026, capturing variations in hydrology and sediment input Sediments were analyzed for elemental composition using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF), total organic carbon using infrared cell detection, and grain-size distribution using laser diffraction to quantify sediment texture and nutrient-related geochemical properties. By linking sediment geochemistry and grain-size distributions to hydrologic and depositional gradients, this study advances understanding of sediment dynamics and nutrient accumulation in a regulated temperate reservoir. This limnogeological study offers preliminary insight into the potential reuse of dredged nutrient-rich reservoir sediments to improve biomass production in nutrient-limited soils of the Southeastern United States.
Program Description
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DOI
10.20429/GS4.2026.002
Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Akanmu, Oluwatunmise Emmanuel, "Comprehensive Characterization of Lake Floor Sediments, Clarks Hill Lake, Southeastern USA." (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 29.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/29
Comprehensive Characterization of Lake Floor Sediments, Clarks Hill Lake, Southeastern USA.
Russell Union Ballroom
Oluwatunmise Akanmu1, Aguinaldo Silva2, Jéssica Franzon Cruz Santo3, Edward L. Lo1,4
1School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability, Georgia Southern University
2Faculty of Engineering, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul
3Faculty of Data Science, SENAI São Paulo
4Institute of Water and Health, Georgia Southern University
Sediment geochemistry plays a fundamental role in regulating nutrient availability, cycling organic matter, and moderating primary productivity in aquatic systems. The Clarks Hill Lake (J. Strom Thurmond Reservoir) is a temperate reservoir filled in 1952 along the Savannah River, which forms the Georgia–South Carolina state line. The reservoir experiences periodic algal blooms driven by excess nutrient inputs. Comprehensive characterization of surface sediments is therefore critical for understanding sedimentation patterns, nutrient enrichment, and their implications for reservoir productivity and management. In this study, lake floor sediment samples were collected using a Ponar grab sampler across spatial gradients in November 2025 and January 2026, capturing variations in hydrology and sediment input Sediments were analyzed for elemental composition using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (XRF), total organic carbon using infrared cell detection, and grain-size distribution using laser diffraction to quantify sediment texture and nutrient-related geochemical properties. By linking sediment geochemistry and grain-size distributions to hydrologic and depositional gradients, this study advances understanding of sediment dynamics and nutrient accumulation in a regulated temperate reservoir. This limnogeological study offers preliminary insight into the potential reuse of dredged nutrient-rich reservoir sediments to improve biomass production in nutrient-limited soils of the Southeastern United States.
