Using Green Infrastructure to Support Water-Based
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USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT WATER-BASED RECREATION IN LAKE HERRICK by CHRISTOPHER LANE MORPHIS (Under the Direction of Jon Calabria) ABSTRACT Lake Herrick was constructed on the University of Georgia’s south campus in 1982 with facilities for swimming and boating. Following a period of declining water quality, the lake was closed and is now under-utilized. This research provides an understanding of the water quality problems and details how green infrastructure landscape design interventions can improve water quality. The ultimate goal is to enhance the lake’s water quality and ecological health to reverse impairments and reinstate water-based recreation. An inventory and analysis of current and historical watershed conditions was conducted. Projective design was used to explore the feasibility of implementing a series of stormwater control measures (SCMs) throughout Lake Herrick’s watershed. A total of 29 individual SCMs were proposed and illustrated with details including placement location, footprint, and total projected cost. The recommendations for lake management treatments provide insight and guidance for management and restoration planning at Lake Herrick. INDEX WORDS: Watershed Management, Water Quality, Limnology, Hydrology, Green Infrastructure, Stormwater Control Measures USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT WATER-BASED RECREATION IN LAKE HERRICK by CHRISTOPHER LANE MORPHIS BS, The University of Georgia, 2010 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE ATHENS, GEORGIA 2015 © 2015 Christopher Lane Morphis All Rights Reserved USING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT WATER-BASED RECREATION IN LAKE HERRICK by CHRISTOPHER LANE MORPHIS Major Professor: Jon Calabria Committee: Alfie Vick Laurie Fowler Jim Lanier Electronic Version Approved: Julie Coffield Interim Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2015 DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to Lake Allyn M. Herrick in the hope that its waters will one day be clean and filled with healthy and happy plants, animals, swimmers, and boaters. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Many people have been instrumental in the creation of this thesis. My reading committee has been top notch, and I am grateful for all of your assistance every step of the way. I would like to thank my major professor, Dr. Jon Calabria, for his extensive guidance and for taking time to listen, read, and advise on matters great and small. Professor Alfie Vick has likewise been a consistent and supportive mentor throughout my entire time in the MLA program; I owe him gratitude for cultivating my interests in ecological restoration and stormwater management. Dr. Laurie Fowler has shown interest and provided guidance in this project from the very beginning. And I am grateful for Jim Lanier’s participation – the time that he has dedicated to phone calls and trips to Athens has been invaluable in shaping my understanding of the practical aspects of managing a lake. There have been others who have shown great interest and support for this project. Dan Williams has been a source of kindness, encouragement, and valuable knowledge about the history of Lake Herrick. Tyra Byers and Andrew Lentini in the Office of Sustainability both helped me to initiate this research. Dexter Adams from the UGA Grounds Department, and Jane Russell and Jennifer Stewart from the Department of Recreational Sports also provided important information. I would also like to recognize all of my MLA friends and classmates who I am grateful to have had the opportunity to come to know through long hours in the studio and fun times both near and far. All of you have contributed to my excellent and unforgettable experience with UGA’s MLA program. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................................... x CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1 Problematic ......................................................................................................................... 1 Research Question .............................................................................................................. 5 Purpose................................................................................................................................ 6 Goals ................................................................................................................................... 6 Significance ...................................................................................................................... 11 Thesis Structure ................................................................................................................ 14 2 LIMNOLOGY ......................................................................................................................... 15 Lakes versus Reservoirs .................................................................................................... 15 Regional and Watershed Characteristics .......................................................................... 16 Lake and Reservoir Anatomy ........................................................................................... 19 Processes and Functions ................................................................................................... 23 Biota .................................................................................................................................. 30 Food Webs, Energy Flow, and Nutrient Cycling .............................................................. 33 Water Quality Parameters ................................................................................................. 34 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 42 3 INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS ........................................................................................... 44 History of the Lake Herrick Watershed ............................................................................ 45 vi Inventory of Current Conditions ....................................................................................... 71 4 GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE ............................................................................................. 106 The Hydrologic Cycle and Impacts of Development ...................................................... 106 Gray Infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 107 Green Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 110 Combining Green and Gray Infrastructures .................................................................... 114 Criteria for Effective Implementation ............................................................................. 117 Limitations and Challenges............................................................................................. 118 Types of Green Infrastructure ......................................................................................... 120 5 PROJECTIVE DESIGN ........................................................................................................ 140 Family Housing ............................................................................................................... 142 Tennis Courts, Fields, and Surface Lots ......................................................................... 158 The Parvo Pond Sub-Catchments ................................................................................... 166 Stream Connection Between Parvo Pond and Lake Herrick .......................................... 179 Intramural Fields ............................................................................................................. 181 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 183 6 CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 185 Reducing Contaminant Inputs and Removing Existing Loads ....................................... 185 Removing the Canada Geese .......................................................................................... 190 Developing a System to Monitor the Lake on an Ongoing Basis ................................... 190 Implementation Power .................................................................................................... 192 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 194 APPENDICES A CHARTS AND TABLES OF SELECT WATER QUALITY MONITORING PARAMETERS .............................................................................................................. 199 B SCM CATCHMENT FACT SHEET 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