Texas Springs Inventory, Flow, and Water Quality

Transcription

1 Texas Springs Inventry, Flw, and Water Quality Franklin T. Heitmuller Gegrapher U.S. Gelgical Survey In cperatin with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, the Texas Water Develpment Bard, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service One rifice f Cmal Springs in Landa Park, New Braunfels, TX

2 Outline 1. Imprtance f Springs 2. Histry f Assessment 3. Current Studies in Texas 4. Recent USGS Activity 5. Pssible Future Wrk

3 Imprtance f Texas Springs Discrete cnnectins between grund water and surface water; water budget studies Maintain baseflw fr numerus perennial rivers in Texas Frm unique habitats fr a variety f species, including rare, threatened, and endangered species Recreatin Histrical r cultural significance Municipal r industrial watersupply Unique features in their wn right; educatin Hancck Springs at Lampasas, Texas

4 Histry f Assessment in Texas USGS mnitring began in 1894 Bartn Springs in Austin (Cmal, San Felipe, and Las Mras fllwed in 1895) Meinzer (19) called attentin t large springs in the U.S. and prpsed a magnitude classificatin system Texas Bard f Water Engineers (TBWE) and Texas Water Cmmissin (TWC) cunty recrds f wells and springs 19s-6s Texas Water Develpment Bard (TWDB)

5 Meinzer (19) Spring Magnitude MAGNITUDE AVERAGE DISCHARGE AVERAGE DISCHARGE First 1 ft 3 /s 2.83 m 3 /s Secnd 1 1 ft 3 /s m 3 /s Third 1 1 ft 3 /s m 3 /s Furth 1 gallns per minute (gpm) 1 ft 3 /s m 3 /s Fifth 1 1 gpm cm 3 /s Sixth 1 1 gpm cm 3 /s Seventh 1 pint per minute 1 gpm cm 3 /s Eighth < 1 pint per minute < 7.89 cm 3 /s

6 Histry f Assessment in Texas Gunnar Brune (1975) Majr and Histrical Springs f Texas (TWDB Reprt 189) 281 springs Guytn & Assciates (1979) Gehydrlgy f Cmal, San Marcs, and Huec Springs (TWDB Reprt 234) Gunnar Brune (1981) Springs f Texas: Vl. 1 (183 f 4 Texas cunties)

7 Research Tday Uliana and Sharp (21) Investigatin f reginal flw paths and lcalized cntributins t spring flw in Trans-Pecs Texas Schuster (1997) M.S. thesis n precipitatin and springs in Trans-Pecs Texas Mahler and Lynch (1999) Suspended sediment frm Bartn Springs Helen Besse effrt t publish Springs f Texas Vlume 2 TPWD (Chad Nrris) Assessments f spring flw and water quality f springs in Central Texas USGS Use f ADV t mnitr flw in Bartn Springs and Jacb s Well USGS Aggregate infrmatin n springs, flw, and waterquality int a singular database (Heitmuller and Reece, 23)

8 USGS-Mnitred Springs CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED Bartn Springs 8168 Huec Springs Cmal Springs 817 San Marcs Springs Jacb s Well 84 Giffin Springs 8456 Las Mras Springs DISCRETE VISITS Upper Bartn Springs (QW nly) Eliza Spring (QW nly) Old Mill Spring (QW nly) Dve Creek Spring Springs at Frt McKavett San Saba Springs Seven Hundred Springs Tanner Springs San Antni Springs San Pedr Springs 845 Phantm Lake Spring 845 San Slmn Springs San Antni Spring; San Antni, TX

9 3-phase Texas springs prject 1. DATABASE - Aggregatin f knwn springs and spring flw measurements frm selected surces int a singular database (Heitmuller and Reece, 23) cmplete 3/fr MAJOR SPRINGS - Identify large r significant springs; aggregate all knwn water quality and quantity data fr these springs int a singular database; identify gaps in the data cmplete 3. SAMPLING - Sample springs frm Phase 2 t fill gaps in water quantity and quality data; status and trends analysis planned Small spring alng fracture in Guadalupe / Canyn Lake spillway canyn

10 Phase I Spring and spring flw 12 database W 1 W 36 N 2,61 springs 34 N Over 7, spring flw 16 measurements, nt W 14 W N including cntinuusly N mnitred data EXPLANATION Springs 28 N KILOMETERS Albers equal area prjectin parameters Base mdified frm Texas Natural Resurces Central meridian: -1. Infrmatin System (TNRIS) digital data at Standard parallel 1: :24, () Standard parallel 2: ubs/f/23/fr3-315 Latitude f rigin: MILES 98 W N 96 W 94 W

11 Phase I Issues 1. Sme accuracy issues derived frm histrical data surce Lcatin reprted t minute accuracy Sme lcatins nly frm descriptin (e.g., 13 miles NNW f Camern) Alternate names resulting in tw pints fr ne spring (e.g. Frt Stcktn Springs, Cmanche Springs) 2. Data limited t selected surces Brune (1975) and Brune (1981) nt digitized; althugh TWDB digital data cntained many; many Brune springs w/ crdinate data Andersn Cunty 3 springs in database; 23 springs when ther data surces were searched (DRGs, very ld USGS and miscellaneus reprts)

12 Phase I Lena Springs, Grup 2 Lena Springs, Grup Lena Springs near Uvalde, Texas Lena Springs, Grup MILES

13 Phase I Cmal Springs at New Braunfels, Texas MILES

14 Phase I Rbertsn Spring Big Biling Spring Salad Springs at Salad, Texas Spring Grves Spring MILES

15 Cmal Springs and Gdenugh Spring Flw - Cmal Springs and Gdenugh Spring Gdenugh Cmal 4 Discharge (ft 3 /s) - Cmal Springs Discharge (ft 3 /s) - Gdenugh Spring Date

16 Raring Springs Texas Panhandle Raring Springs Precipitatin - Matadr Spring Flw Annual precipitatin (in) Spring flw (ft 3 /s) Date μ 1.38 ft 3 /s; σ. ft 3 /s. 196s Flw becmes sensitive (lcal pumping?)

17 Hannah Springs Lampasas Hannah Springs Precipitatin - Lampasas Spring Flw 3.5 Annual precipitatin (in) Spring flw (ft 3 /s) Date μ 1.44 ft 3 /s; σ.48 ft 3 /s Mre rapid respnse t precipitatin small recharge area. Decline in flw pumping r pl cnstructin that applies a greater cnstant head

18 Hannah Springs in Lampasas, TX

19 Cmal Springs New Braunfels Cmal Springs Precipitatin - New Braunfels Precipitatin - Uvalde Spring Flw Annual precipitatin (in) Spring flw (ft 3 /s) Date μ 287 ft 3 /s; σ 86 ft 3 /s Lag perid f ~ 1 year frm peak rainfall t peak flw High precipitatin in Uvalde lagged pulse in flw that remains fr a few years

20 San Slmn Spring - Balmrhea San Slmn Springs. Precipitatin - Balmrhea Precipitatin - Frt Davis Spring Flw Precipitatin - Van Hrn Annual precipitatin (in) Spring flw (ft 3 /s) Date μ ft 3 /s; σ 6.4 ft 3 /s Very steady spring flw; highest discharge related t lcal precipitatin events Large cntributing zne

21 Eurycea habitat assessment

22 Phase II Aggregatin f waterquality data Stakehlder meetings 24 Select springs based n established criteria and mailed questinnaires 2 springs selected t represent all level III ecregins 12 W 1 W 36 N 98 W 34 N 16 W 14 W N N EXPLANATION Springs - Edwards Plateau 28 N LEVEL III Ecregins 31 - Suthern Texas Plains 23 - Arizna/New Mexic Muntains - Texas Blackland Prairies 24 - Chihuahuan Deserts 33 - East Central Texas Plains - High Plains 34 - Western Gulf Castal Plain - Suthwestern Tablelands 35 - Suth Central Plains - Central Great Plains N 29 - Crss Timbers MILES KILOMETERS 96 W 94 W Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin:

23 Phase II

24 Phase II 12 W 1 W Few water-quality data fr High Plains and Gulf Castal Plain crrespnd with few springs Wide availability f waterquality data in Blackland Prairie because largest, mst clsely mnitred springs issue frm this ecregin, althugh QW assciated with Edwards Plateau 16 W N N N 34 N 14 W 24 EXPLANATION Level III ecregins Number f independent water-quality values N 98 W W W , 1,1-2,5 2,51-5, MILES KILOMETERS N Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin:

25 Phase II 12 W 1 W Median ttal disslved slids highest in Chihuahuan Desert springs; assciated with lng, deep flw paths and subsurface gelgy Median ttal disslved slids lwest in Suth Central Plains; mst bttling cmpanies use these springs W 14 W N EXPLANATION N 34 N N 28 N Level III ecregins Median ttal disslved slids cncentratin in milligrams per liter W W W , 1,1-1, MILES KILOMETERS N Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin:

26 Phase II 12W 12W 12 W 36N 1 W 98W 16W N 34N 96W 98W 16 W N 34 N 96W 16W N N N 28N 28N EXPLANATION EXPLANATION EXPLANATION Level III ecregins Level III ecregins Level III ecregins Median silica cncentratin in milligrams per liter Median sdium cncentratin in milligrams per liter 1-15 Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) N MILES 12W 36 N MILES 34N 94W 16W W 96W 34N 16W N N 31 28N 28N EXPLANATION EXPLANATION EXPLANATION Level III ecregins Level III ecregins Level III ecregins Median sulfate cncentratin in milligrams per liter Median chlride cncentratin in milligrams per liter 21-5 N MILES KILOMETERS Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin: Median ph N N W N 96W 94W W ph W 94W Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin: MILES KILOMETERS chlride W 14W N N N Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) W 96W 1-5 sulfate 98W Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin: KILOMETERS 12W N 14W N W N 1W Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) N Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin: KILOMETERS Median bicarbnate cncentratin in milligrams per liter N W W 14W N W W bicarbnate 94W W sdium 94W 23 silica 1W 36N 36N 34N 1W N MILES KILOMETERS Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin: N MILES KILOMETERS Base mdified frm U.S. Envirnmental Prtectin Agency (EPA) digital data (24) Albers equal area prjectin parameters Central meridian: -1. Standard parallel 1: Standard parallel 2: Latitude f rigin:

27 Phase III Visit and measure 2 springs selected in Phase II Standardized spring flw measurement and waterquality sampling 2 purpses Identify additinal springs fr lng-term mnitring Update existing data and identify status and trends f flw and water quality Cld Spring alng Twn Lake in Austin, Texas

28 References Brune, G., 1975, Majr and histrical springs f Texas: Texas Water Develpment Bard Reprt 189, 95 p. Brune, G., 1981, Springs f Texas vlume 1: Frt Wrth, Tex., Branch-Smith, Inc., 566 p. Heitmuller, F.T., and Reece, B.D., 23, Database f histrically dcumented springs and spring flw measurements in Texas: U.S. Gelgical Survey Open-File Reprt 3-315, 4 p., database n CD-ROM. Mahler, B.J., and Lynch, F.L., 1999, Muddy waters Tempral variatin in sediment discharging frm a karst spring: Jurnal f Hydrlgy, v. 214, p Meinzer, O.E., 19, Large springs in the United States: U.S. Gelgical Survey Water- Supply Paper 557, 94 p. Schuster, S.K., 1997, Hydrgelgy and lcal recharge analysis in the Tyah Basin aquifer: unpublished M.S. thesis, The University f Texas at Austin, 1 p. Uliana, M.M., and Sharp, J.M., 21, Tracing reginal flw paths t majr springs in Trans-Pecs Texas using gechemical data and gechemical mdels: Chemical Gelgy, v. 179, p William F. Guytn & Assciates, 1979, Gehydrlgy f Cmal, San Marcs, and Huec Springs: Texas Water Develpment Bard Reprt 234, 85 p.