Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID AR_2025_Speir

Effects of whole reservoir draining on nitrogen and phosphorus stores in Lake Conway, Arkansas

Institute: Arkansas
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $22,194 Total Non-Federal Funds: $22,194

Principal Investigators: Shannon Speir

Project Summary: Reservoirs in Arkansas and the Southeastern USA were built to last for 50-100 years. Lake Conway in central Arkansas is now over 75 years old and has issues with sedimentation. This has decreased the average depth of the reservoir, putting it at risk of harmful algal blooms. As a result, the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission is draining the reservoir to restore the lake. While this may increase the depth of the lake, we don't know how this will affect water quality. We will measure sediment nutrients to see if nutrients could be released when the lake is refilled. This work is not only relevant to water quality in Arkansas, but also across the Southeastern USA. This project can guide reservoir maintenance to prevent harmful algal blooms downstream.