BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE HYDROGEOLOGY OF THE FLINT HILLS Presented by P. Allen Macfarlane Wind & Prairie Task Force March 19, 2004

MY EXPERIENCE WORKING IN FLINT 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 ( )

SPRINGS OF THE FLINT HILLS Sawin et al., 1999 Crystal Spring Crystal Spring Number of Springs Flow Rate (gallons per minute)

AQUIFER AND NON-AQUIFER UNITS IN BEDROCK Lower Permian Series Chase Group Nolans Limestone Odell Shale Doyle Shale Barneston Limestone 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 SPRING SPRING 2000

SPRING DISCHARGE MEASUREMENTS 2.5 cubic feet per second 1,120 gallons per minute CRYSTAL SPRING DISCHARGE 2000 & Project Years Flow Rate (cubic feet per second) Percent of Time Discharge is Exceeded

CRYSTAL SPRING LOCAL RECHARGE AREAS Crystal Spring 1 mi (1.6 km) N

Other Typical Flint Hills Springs

WELL YIELDS IN GALLONS PER MINUTE MORRIS, CHASE, & MARION COUNTIES 1 Well Yield (gallons per minute) ,000 10, 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

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