Lake Waco Project

Project Title: Lake Waco Comprehensive Study
Funding Agency & Period: City of Waco via ENSR; 2002-2005
Project Management: Tom Conry (CoW). Ken Wagner (ENSR), Robert Doyle (Baylor)
Baylor Investigators: Robert Doyle, Joseph White, Owen Lind, Laura Davalos-Lind, Rene Massengale, Bryan Brooks, Bruce Byars.
Funding Summary: $1,013,467

Project Summary: ENSR was contracted by the City of Waco to oversee a comprehensive limnological evaluation of Lake Waco.  This project was divided into numerous tasks, and several of the key data generation tasks were conducted by scientists at Baylor University Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research.  These tasks have now been complete, and final reports are currently being prepared or reviewed.  Following is a brief summary of the key tasks performed by Baylor personnel. 

Task 1f&g, 5a & 10c.. Modeling (J. White & B. Byars).  The modeling effort includes the development of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) datasets, developing a water quality models (watershed & reservoir), applying the water quality model, assessing the effects of lake level rise on the environment, and providing web-based data access to the project.

Task 2b. Sediment Settling and Resuspension (O. Lind). Verify the importance of settling and resuspension processes in determining water quality in Lake Waco Quantify settling rate of particles that enter Lake Waco and probability of resuspension from any depth range.  Evaluate variability location in reservoir, primarily related to fetch length.  Link findings to background turbidity and expected distribution of light in the reservoir.

Task 2c. Algal Growth Potential (AGP, L. Davalos-Lind). Measure algal growth potential (AGP) of Lake Waco’s water and the identification of the limiting nutrient for algal growth.  Quantify changes of AGP and limiting nutrient over distance, depth, and time in Lake Waco.  Assess variability of AGP of the water over distance, depth and time. Assess variability in the limiting nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus and micronutrients) over distance, depth and time.

Task 2e. Internal Nitrogen Generation (R. Doyle). Determine importance of nitrogen fixation as a source of internal nitrogen loading to the productivity of Lake Waco  Quantify planktonic nitrogen fixation over two-year cycle and determine environmental controls of this process.

Task 2f. Pathogen Assessment (R. Massengale). Determine the transport of viable pathogens into Lake Waco from various watershed and input sources and the associated level of health threat.  Assess initial and periodically-sampled concentrations of pathogens at major intake points in Lake Waco. Pathogens to be assessed include Giardia, Cryptosporidia, E. coli, and total coliform bacteria.   Assess concentration and viability of pathogens upstream from intake to identify input points that are possible sources of contamination. Assess water samples from established sampling stations in Lake Waco to determine impact of pathogen influx from inputs on total pathogen levels in the lake.

Task 3b.Paleolimnology (O. Lind). Evaluate trends in lake conditions since formation of the new reservoir in 1965.  Define historical lake conditions on a short time scale from core sample analysis and known relationship between diatom and pigment remains, sediment chemistry and water quality.

Task 5c. Limnological Monitoring (R. Doyle, B. Brooks). Baylor assisted the City of Waco in conducting the ongoing monitoring “backbone” for the project.  Specific tasks conducted by Baylor included the pre-post rise shoreline assessment (R. Doyle), pre-post rise benthic assessment (B. Brooks) and zooplankton assessment (B. Brooks).