Responses of Karst Springs to Precipitation Reflect Land Use, Lithology, and Climate

Monday, December 4, 2017: 3:30 p.m.
101 D (Music City Center)
Alan E. Fryar , Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
James W. Ward, PG , Department of Physics and Geosciences, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX
Brett A. Howell , Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Thomas M. Reed, PG , Amec Foster Wheeler, Lexington, KY

Numerous studies have documented how discharge (Q), water temperature (Tw), and chemistry of karst springs respond to precipitation (P). Fewer have compared responses between regions with differing land use, lithology, and seasonal precipitation patterns. We monitored Tw, specific conductance (SC), and stage (correlated to Q) at Blue Hole spring in Versailles, Kentucky, for 574 d. Blue Hole drains a gently rolling, primarily urban basin developed on flat-lying limestone; there are no pronounced wet or dry seasons. We monitored Tw and stage at three springs (Zerouka, Sidi Rached, and Ribaa), plus stable isotopes of water at Zerouka, in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco for 423 d. The Middle Atlas plateau consists of tabular, faulted dolomitic limestones. The landscape is forest and rangeland; the climate is Mediterranean with dry summers. Average local P during each study period was similar for Blue Hole (2.15 mm/d) and the Middle Atlas (2.38 mm/d). The number of events (defined as total P ≥ 2.5 mm with gaps ≤ 8 h) and maximum hourly P were greater for Blue Hole, whereas median values of event P and event duration were greater for the Middle Atlas. At Blue Hole, the difference between maximum and minimum Tw values during events (ΔTw) was as much as 5.58°C. Tw responses for Middle Atlas springs were more subdued (maximum ΔTw 0.74°C at Ribaa). For storms at Blue Hole, ΔTw increased and minimum SC decreased as maximum Q increased. Stage at Sidi Rached and Zerouka tended to decline gradually from spring to summer before rebounding. Deuterium and oxygen-18 at Zerouka fluctuated with time but did not show pronounced seasonality. We attribute regional differences to the greater extent of impervious cover in the Blue Hole basin and the lower intensity of storms and the lesser extent of carbonate weathering in the Middle Atlas.

Slides in PDF
Alan E. Fryar, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Alan Fryar is Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Kentucky. He holds a BS in Geology and History from Duke University, an MS in Geology from Texas A&M University, and a PhD in Geology from the University of Alberta.



James W. Ward, PG, Department of Physics and Geosciences, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX
James Ward is Associate Professor of Geology at Angelo State University. He received his BS in Environmental Geology and MS in Geology from Sul Ross State University and his PhD in Geology from the University of Kentucky.


Brett A. Howell, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Brett Howell received his BS in Geology from Illinois State University in 2014 and his MS in Geology from the University of Kentucky in 2016.


Thomas M. Reed, PG, Amec Foster Wheeler, Lexington, KY
Tom Reed is Senior Hydrogeologist and Project Manager for Amec Foster Wheeler Environment & Infrastructure. He received his BS and MS in Geology from the University of Kentucky.


NGWA Groundwater Summit is being held in conjunction with Groundwater Week.

Find out more about NGWA and our events.

National Ground Water Association
601 Dempsey Road
Westerville, Ohio 43081
USA
Phone 614 898.7791
(toll-free within the United States 800 551.7379)
Fax 614 898.7786
Email ngwa@ngwa.org

Websites:

http://www.ngwa.org/ —home site of NGWA

http://www.wellowner.org — information for well owners