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ATI Soils

Lesson Outline

Lesson Media Objects

Faculty/Instructor

Deana Namuth-Covert
Professor, Director of Online Education and Outreach, The Ohio State University; Agronomy & Horticulture Adjunct Professor, University of Nebraska
dcovert2@unl.edu

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Erosion

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Case Study on a Local Level

Case Study 1 - Local: HOLMES LAKE, Lincoln, NE

Map of sedimentation depths at Holmes Lake, Lincoln, NE. Image by Olsson Associates

The following case study demonstrates the secondary effect of soil erosion on surface water bodies. The case demonstrates how soil eroded from land makes its way to recreational lakes affecting the lakes storage capacity and aesthetic quality.

Holmes Lake is located in a 5.2 square mile watershed in Lancaster County, NE. Current use of watershed land is 80% to 90% residential and commercial. Since 1962, the bottom of the lake has risen eight feet and the lake has lost greater than 25% of its volume due to sedimentation. Increased lake sedimentation reduces the aesthetic appearance of the lake for recreation purposes, decreases aquatic and wildlife habitats, and most importantly it significantly reduces the lake’s ability to receive runoff from the watershed and control floods.

Much of the sediment that entered Holmes Lake came from development of land into residential and commercial housing.

Dredging and transporting 300,000m³ of sediment to an area near the lake will cost approximately 2 to 3 million dollars. These photos show a part of the Holmes Lake restoration project that began in 2003. (Source: Lincoln City Planner, 2003, personal communication)


Urban soil erosion. Rain water erodes exposed soil from construction sites. Image by R. Sutton	Aerial view of Holmes Lake. Image by Olsson Associates	Dredging removes several feet of sediment that was carried in from water erosion. Image by Olsson Associates

Restored Holmes Lake July 2005 Image by M. Mamo

For more information:

History of Holmes Lake Project (pdf)

Holmes Lake Project Information (pdf)

Thinking Question:

Without restoration and dredging, what do you think will happen to Holmes Lake in Lincoln, NE in 10 to 15 years?

What to do...

Develop model plans the city of Lincoln can take to prevent future damage to Holmes Lake.
Develop model plans developers can take to prevent future damage to Holmes Lake.
Develop model plans homeowners and businesses can take to reduce future damage to Holmes Lake.

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This project was supported in part by the National Research Initiative Competitive Grants CAP project 2011-68002-30029 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, adminstered by the University of California-Davis and by the National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Undergraduate Education, National SMETE Digital Library Program, Award #0938034, administered by the University of Nebraska. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the USDA or NSF.

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