Discipline: Ecology Environmental and Earth Sciences
Subcategory: Water
Session: 3
Room: Exhibit Hall
Ramona Gomez - Missouri State University
Co-Author(s): Dr. Mélida Gutiérrez, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
The Springfield Plateau groundwater provenance is an unconfined, karst aquifer that extends over southwestern Missouri and parts of Oklahoma and Arkansas; that is vulnerable to waste contaminants from animals or other surface activities. Polk County holds the second largest number of cattle in Missouri. During a 12-month period samples were collected biweekly and analyzed for pH, alkalinity, turbidity, sulfate, chloride, calcium, magnesium, and nitrate; to determine which springs had a higher risk of contamination. Topographic maps were collected to provide more detail on the watershed, confirm drainage patterns for the streams, and elevation for the sample area. The results will show the extent of contamination of groundwater (springs) and their impact on receiving streams and will aid in deciphering what rock layers the springs are in contact with and to better explain the differences between springs.After sample collection, the one-liter plastic containers were immediately sealed, labeled, and placed in an ice chest to prolong changes in the CO2 levels. Unfiltered samples were placed into the DRT-15CE Turbidimeter, standardized to 0.02 NTU. After filtering the samples, the pH was measured using an electrode with a calibrated Fisher Science Education pH Meter. The nitrates were measured using a Hach DR 3900 spectrophotometer to mg/L. Titrimetric analysis was used for measuring alkalinity and chloride. Sulfates were measured by the turbidimetric method. To remedy readings that were too high for the turbidimeter, some samples were diluted by either half or a quarter and then multiplied by their fractions to get the actual ppm. Quality control was performed by rinsing glassware with distilled water between uses, calibrating instruments before each set of sample analysis, and taking replicate samples when necessary. Unexpectedly, the concentrations of nitrate and chlorides were low compared to background studies and safe water regulations. Carbonate dissolution was the primary geochemical process due to high alkalinity and pH; however, Eudora Springs was high in sulfides and low in alkalinity. For Future work I would like to conduct a comparison of these results to similar karst regions by statistical analysis. Then an extensive study of the area geology by pulling well logs to find a more conclusive range of depth of the underlying strata.References: Adamski, J.C., 2000. Geochemistry of the Springfield Plateau aquifer of the Ozarks Plateaus Province in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma, USA. Hydrological Processes, 14, 849-866. Pope, L. M., Mehl, H. E., Coiner, R. L., 2009. Quality Characteristics of Ground Water in the Ozark Aquifer of Northwestern Arkansas, Southeastern Kansas, Southwestern Missouri, and Northeastern Oklahoma, 2006–07; USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2009-5093; U.S. Geological Survey: Reston, VA, USA, 72 pp. Department of Natural Resources Missouri. United States Department of Agriculture. United States Geological Survey.
Funder Acknowledgement(s): The study was supported in part by Missouri Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (MoLSAMP).
Faculty Advisor: Dr. Mélida Gutiérrez, mgutierrez@missouristate.edu
Role: I have been in involved in all aspects of this project. Deciphering ideal locations, collection and analysis.