Proceedings of the 2022 Mississippi Water Resources Conference

Year: 2022 Authors: Roldan M., Ramirez Avila J.J., Achury S.O., Schauwecker T., Czarnecki J.

The Catalpa Creek watershed is located in the northeastern part of Mississippi, in Oktibbeha and Lowndes County. The Mississippi department of environmental quality (MDEQ) has listed Catalpa Creek as an impaired waterbody due to sediments. As the city of Starkville and the Mississippi State University Campus are in the headwaters of the watershed, they play an important role in the generation of runoff and acceleration of stream processes in the watershed. A study is conducted hypothesizing the Rosgen's bankfull indicator based classification system can be systematically and consistently applied to the Catalpa Red Bud/Catalpa Creek watershed and potentially, the Tombigbee River Basin in Mississippi. The morphological classification of benchmarked stream channel reference sites along the mainstream and tributaries within the Red Bud/Catalpa Creek Watershed is conducted at the level II of the Rosgen's Classification. Physiographic characterization of the reaches has been performed since October 2021. Stratification of the Catalpa Creek/Red Bud Creek streams into the correct stream type could lead to a more appropriate prioritization and design of streambank-stabilization, stream restoration, and habitat-rehabilitation projects, and to the potential stratification of assessment and monitoring sampling programs.