BRIEF OVERVIEW OFTHE HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE FLINT HILLS

Presented by P. Allen Macfarlane

Wind & Prairie Task ForceMarch 19, 2004

MY EXPERIENCE WORKING INFLINT HILLS GEOLOGY & HYDROGEOLOGY

• MS thesis (KU Environmental Geology, 1978)

Geologic Constraints on Land Use in Northeastern Morris County, Kansas

• Source-water Assessment Area delineation of Crystal Spring for KDHE and the city of

Florence (2000-2003)

SPRINGS OF THE FLINT HILLS

Sawin et al., 1999

CrystalSpring

Crystal Spring

Num

ber

of S

prin

gs

Flow Rate (gallons per minute)

AQUIFER AND NON-AQUIFER UNITS IN BEDROCK

Lower Permian Series

Chase Group

Nolans Limestone

Odell Shale

Do

yle

Sh

ale

Bar

nes

ton

Lim

esto

ne

Gage Shale

Towanda Limestone

Holmesville Shale

Ft. Riley Limestone

Oketo Shale

Florence Limestone

Matfield Shale

Wreford Limestone

Winfield Limestone

THE DISCHARGE POOL & OUTFALL FROM CRYSTAL SPRINGSPRING 2000

SPRING DISCHARGE MEASUREMENTS

2.5 cubic feet per second1,120 gallons per minute

CRYSTAL SPRING DISCHARGE2000 & 2002-2003 Project YearsF

low

Rat

e(c

ubic

fee

t pe

r se

cond

)

Percent of Time Discharge is Exceeded

CRYSTAL SPRING LOCAL RECHARGE AREAS

CrystalSpring

1 mi (1.6 km)

N

Other Typical Flint Hills Springs

Other Typical Flint Hills Springs

WELL YIELDS IN GALLONS PER MINUTEMORRIS, CHASE, & MARION COUNTIES

1

Wel

l Yie

ld (

gallo

ns p

er m

inut

e)

1

0.1

10

100

1,000

10,000

0.01 10 30 50 70 901 99 99.99

1018 Wells

11 gallons per minute

GROUND-WATER FLOW SYSTEM CHARACTERISTICS

• Small aerial extent

• Flow system usually contained within a single limestone unit

• Response to precipitation events dependent on conduit size & interconnectedness

• Chemical quality of ground water variable and tied to precipitation events

THE POTENTIAL IMPACT OF TOWERS & TOWER CONSTRUCTION

ON GROUND WATER

• Unlikely to disrupt ground-water flow or impair ground-water quality over the long term

• Short-term impacts on ground water are possible due to construction

Questions?