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<br />Hueftle and Stevens: Test Flood Effects on Lake PoweU <br /> <br />6 <br /> <br />moved downlake. Isopleths indicate the <br />withdrawal zone extended from 50 to 100 or <br />more Ian up-lake, even accounting for vertical <br />uncertainty produced by localized seiche <br />oscillations (Fig. 4 & 6). Chemical data collected <br />near the dam before and after the test flood <br />show consistent decreases in ionic <br />concentrations by an average 4.4%, <br />demonstrating the refreshment of the forebay, <br />particularly in the upper hypolimnion (Table I). <br />The most pronounced shifts surrounding the <br />test flood occurred near the ROW. This was not <br />unexpected due to the meromictic conditions, <br />the influx of fresher conditions provided by the <br />20WI, and higher discharge, Surface and bottom <br />samples demonstrated the least change. <br />Calculations of the load of salt ions and DO <br />versus relative discharge from the ROWand <br />penstocks illustrate the disparity in discharge <br />versus meromixis (Table II). Although the ROW <br />only accounted for a third of the flood discharge, <br />they contained 23% higher conductance and <br />33% less DO than is found at the penstocks. <br />Consequently, the introduction of discharges <br />from the ROW had a disproportionate long-term <br />freshening effect upon the hypolimnion <br />compared with penstock withdrawals. <br />Continued dilution of the hypolimnion was <br />apparent (Fig. 5) following the test flood through <br />1997. This resulted from another high inflow <br />year and continued high releases from February <br />to June 1997, again, commenced during the <br />upwelling event. <br />Rates of change (in percent change per day) <br />for T"C, SC, and DO were calculated for a given <br />point between each of the interpolated isopleths <br />of the main channel from 28 February to 21 <br />April. These calculations excluded the top 30 m <br />of the lake and included the lower 209 <br />kilometers of the length (those zones affected by <br />seasonal influences). The results indicate the <br />greatest changes occurred between 2-5 April <br />immediately following the test flood <br />(summarized in Fig. 8). The next highest rates of <br />change were observed from March 22nd to April <br />2nd, during the test flood. These results further <br />substantiate the increased effects of the test <br />flood over normal operations. <br /> <br />Withdrawal Zone and Tailwaters Effects <br />During the experiment, wind and discharge <br />conditions contributed to water quality <br />oscillations from the Wahweap forebay station <br />to Lees Ferry (Figs. 3 and 7). Internal seiche <br />oscillations are frequently observed in high <br />temporal resolution data sets during the winter <br />at GCD. These oscillations are most evident <br /> <br />when the reservoir's chemocline impinges on the <br />penstock elevation, such as dUring the <br />ascending and descending limbs of hypolimnetic <br />upwelling. Isolated wind events such as those <br />on 20 April 1996 (National Climatic Data Center <br />1996), initiate wind-induced internal seiche <br />oscillations (Cole 1994, Horne and Goldman <br />1994, Wetzel 1975) of T"C, SC, DO and pH at <br />the dam. As mentioned previously, changes in <br />release rates also create rapid water quality <br />shifts at the penstock level due to the strength <br />and dimensions of the withdrawal plume (Hart <br />and Sherman 1996, Hueftle and Vernieu, 2000). <br />Although at least 4 strong wind events (Fig. 3) <br />occurred during the test flood and created <br />complex interfering seiche patterns, the <br />magnitude and timing of oscillations resulting <br />from the test flood are clearly distinguished <br />from wind induced seiches (Fig, 3). <br />The use of the hollow jet valves (the release <br />structure for the ROW) also creates a unique <br />signature. The valves ejected four plumes of <br />aerated water 10 m above the tailwater pool. <br />Combined with the draft tube discharges from <br />the penstocks, the higher discharge was more <br />turbulent than nonnal discharges. Turbidity <br />and total suspended solids increased from 0.2 to <br />0.6 NTU and 2 to 19 mgfL, respectively, during <br />the test flood (US Geological Survey 1996). The <br />effects of spray and turbulence from the hollow <br />jet valves immediately oxygenated the <br />tailwaters, resulting in mean DO saturation <br />increases from 79% to 105% (Fig. 7). Typically, <br />T"C, DO and pH reflect fluctuating diurnal <br />patterns that develop in the highly productive <br />25 Ian tailwater stretch of normally clear, lower <br />flows (Angradi et al. 1992, Ayers and McKinney <br />1996). Respiration of Cladophora glomerata (the <br />dominant algae) and other life forms contribute <br />to diel pH and DO fluctuations, while TOC <br />responds to insolation. During the test flood, <br />diurnal pH patterns were attenuated (Fig. 7), <br />demonstrating the reduction of respiration due <br />to increased drift (Shannon et al. this volume) <br />and lower light availability resulting from higher <br />discharges, greater turbulence, and deeper <br />water (M. Yard and D.L. Wegner, pers. comm.). <br />Diurnal pH and DO fluctuations recovered <br />quickly (within hours) once lower discharges <br />recommenced, although net respiration was <br />reduced from pre-flood levels due to the sheared <br />biomass. Diurnal pH fluctuation levels had <br />returned to pre-flood levels by late April 1996. <br />During the test flows, diurnal DO patterns, <br />though still present, were overshadowed by jet <br />valve aeration. Conductivity reflected short-term <br />seiche effects and higher salinity of the ROW <br />