Turbidity in Lake Carl Blackwell: Effects of Water Depth and Wind

Seasonal changes in turbidity were measured in Lake Carl Blackwell, Oklahoma, as part of an EPA Clean Lakes Project. Turbidity stratified with the onset of thermal stratification with the highest turbidities occurring in the hypolimnion. During winter, surface values were low and little variation existed among stations. In summer, values were high and increased from the dam to upstream. Resuspension of bottom sediments is a major cause of turbidity in the lake. Turbidity was highly correlated with the quantity of wind received ('wind value') for the two days preceding the sampling date. The inverse relationship between turbidity and depth had the highest level of significance when the average depth was determined for a 750-m-radius circle around each station. The best linear relationship between turbidity and the exposure/depth ratio was based on a 500-m circle with depth raised to the 1.5 power.