Erosional Features of the Davidson Creek Drainage Basin Within Oxford, Mississippi and the University of Mississippi

EROSIONAL FEATURES OF THE DAVIDSON CREEK DRAINAGE BASIN WITHIN OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI By Charles T. Swann, R.P.G. Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute 220 Old Chemistry Building University, Mississippi Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Open - File Report 07-01S February, 2007 EROSIONAL FEATURES OF THE DAVIDSON CREEK DRAINAGE BASIN WITHIN OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI AND THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI By Charles T. Swann, R.P.G. Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute 220 Old Chemistry Building University, Mississippi Mississippi Mineral Resources Institute Open - File Report 07-01S February, 2007 On The Cover: The photographs on the cover are from the Davidson Creek drainage basin. The upper photograph is the limestone-lined culvert beneath the railroad right-of-way adjacent to the Stone Park public swimming pool. The middle photograph is taken from just north of the Oxford Square on North Lamar Boulevard looking westward across the parking area toward the government complex. The lower photograph is a knickpoint on a tributary of Davidson Creek at the Phillips Road crossing. All photographs were taken early in 2006. Table of Contents List of Tables.................................................................v List of Figures ............................................................... vi Acknowledgments .............................................................1 Abstract .....................................................................2 Introduction ..................................................................3 The Channel / Flood Plain System (Fluvial System) .............................4 Characteristics of the Davidson Creek Drainage Basin.................................8 Soils..................................................................8 Geology..............................................................10 Fluvial System of Davidson Creek ...............................................11 Erosion Control Measures in Study Area ..........................................16 Discussion of Specific Problem Areas.............................................20 Washington Street Extended Area..........................................20 Phillips Road Area ......................................................22 Other Areas of Concern..................................................24 General Recommendations to Mitigate Erosion Derived From Urbanization ..............26 1) Complete drainage basin management - A unified approach...................27 2) Development Plans - Retention Ponds and Flow Control Measures .............28 3) Restrictions - Flood Plain and Channel Development and Alteration ............28 4) Channels and Flood Plains Zoned as Green Ways ...........................28 5) Set Back Provision - Culverts...........................................29 6) Set Back Provision - Discharge Area of Engineered Ditches ..................29 7) Alignment of New Culverts ............................................29 8) Set Back Provision - Fifty foot “no construction” set back adjacent to active channels .......................................................29 9) Minimize Paving and Maximize Natural Areas.............................29 10) Emphasize Construction Methodologies That Incorporate Permeable Surfaces ........................................................29 11) Erosion Retarding Ground Cover .......................................30 12) Assist Existing Local Landowners ......................................30 Site-Specific Recommendations .................................................30 iii Recommended Mitigation for the Washington Street Extended Area ..............30 Recommended Mitigation for the Phillips Road Area ...........................30 Recommended Mitigation for the Other Areas of Concern .......................31 Conclusions.................................................................31 References Cited .............................................................33 Appendix A .................................................................34 iv List of Tables Table 1 - Soil Types Within the Drainage Basin and Selected Characteristics (from Morris, 1981) ......................................................8 v List of Figures Figure 1 - Shumm (1977) described a fluvial system as composed of the three major components illustrated above (1a). Oxford and the University are in Zone 1, so it is of particular interest in this study. The natural (geological) flood plain (1b) is formed by the stream periodically flooding and can serve as a direct indication of where flooding is likely. Although the stream / flood plain system is complex, the major components are illustrated in (c). Note that the flood plain is a topographic feature that can be identified on site................................................................................. 6 Figure 2 - Davidson Creek, as indicated above, is included within the Little Tallahatchie Drainage Basin (shades of yellow). The lighter shade of yellow is the portion of the Davidson Creek Drainage Basin that is included in the primary study area. The green color is the Yocona River Drainage Basin. Note that both Oxford and the University of Mississippi are located on the divide and encompass portions of both of the Little Tallahatchie and Yocona River Drainage Basins. ............................................ 7 Figure 3 - This geological map of the Oxford / University area contains five units. The Eocene Meridian and Tallahatta Formations which consist of sand and subordinate amounts of clay, the Quaternary loess deposits which consists of silts and silty clays. There is a small area of Pleistocene(?) terrace material in the southwest corner of the map containing sandstone cobbles and boulders. The modern geological flood plains are composed of varied lithologies. The distribution of the loess is discontinuous and represents the erosional remnants of a landscape covered by wind-blown silts deposited between 300,000 and 12,500 years ago........................................................................... 12 Figure 4 - Extensive paving and buildings near the Oxford Square contribute to increased surface run off from precipitation. The increased run off can trigger erosion as streams adjust to changed conditions. This photograph is taken from North Lamar and is looking westward into the Davidson Creek drainage basin (photograph taken August 1, 2006). ............................................. 13 Figure 5 - The area near the Ford Center on the University of Mississippi campus has extensive paved parking areas. Note that the paver surface in the foreground allows some infiltration of precipitation into the underlying soils. Permeable surfaces are an improvement over impermeable asphalt and concrete surfaces as some precipitation can infiltrate into the soil rather than run off into the local streams (photograph taken August 1, 2006). ........................................................................... 14 Figure 6 - The large oak tree adjacent to the range pole is growing on the scarp marking the edge of the modern flood plain. The new flood plain is the flat area where the range pole rests with the channel consisting of the sandy area to the right. Although this flood plain and channel is younger than the one approximately six feet above it, the sycamores in the channel suggest it has been stable for a number of years and there is little on-going erosion. This photograph was taken between Ford Boulevard and Washington Street Extended on the University of Mississippi campus (photograph taken March 8, 2006). ........................ 15 Figure 7 - There are a number of retention ponds, grade control structures, and underground flow control structures in the primary study area as well as adjacent areas. Both the University and the City of Oxford are actively including these measures as mandatory requirements (City of Oxford) or as standard procedure (University of Mississippi)....................................................................... 17 Figure 8 - This grade control structure is one of several in the Lake Patsy City Park. The purpose of these structures are to control the downward erosion of the stream channel. These appear to have been successful in fulfilling their purpose. A similar structure could also stabilize the up stream migration of a knickpoint (photograph taken June 6, 2006). ........................................................ 18 vi Figure 9 - This retention pond is located north of Jackson Avenue opposite of Stockard - Martin Towers dormitories (which are on the University of Mississippi campus). By ponding surface run off it slows the velocity of the water moving downstream. Slowing water velocity will lower its ability to erode and thereby provide a measure of erosion control downstream from the pond. The pond also provides protection from the erosion that often results downstream of large culverts. This stream is a tributary of Davidson Creek and drains the central portion of the University campus (photograph taken June 6, 2006). ....................... 18 Figure 10 - The large culverts in this photograph will serve as an underground flow control structure on the University of Mississippi campus. The surface run off will flow into this set of connected culverts which will have an eight inch outflow. The smaller outflow will result in the run off being stored, water velocity slowed which will lead to lowered erosion potential. This structure is located on

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