Paleolimnological Reconstruction of Nutrient Transport Through the Chattahoochee River Reservoirs

Explore a 16-minute conference talk from the Georgia Water Resources Conference examining how nutrients move through reservoir systems in the Chattahoochee River. Learn about a study using paleolimnological techniques to analyze sediment cores from six reservoirs downstream of Atlanta, revealing historical patterns of phosphorus and nitrogen transport. Discover how the Clean Water Act of 1972 influenced nutrient loading from Atlanta's wastewater treatment plants, and understand how reservoir chains process and store nutrients differently. Gain insights into how Lake Harding and West Point Lake sequestered the majority of phosphorus, while nitrogen deposition patterns were more closely tied to reservoir residence time and primary production. Understand the distinct N:P ratio patterns between upstream and downstream reservoirs, and how this research contributes to improving water quality management in multi-reservoir systems.