KARST –

anisotropis
-sekunder

NON-KARST –
intergranuler-primer-
isotropik
 In karst region
Always exposes
problems to define
hydrological boundary
 Hydrologic Units
of the Big Spring Basin, Missouri
 Tracer Flow Routes
in the
Barton Springs Basin,
Edwards Aquifer, Texas

Courtesy of
Nico M. Hauwert, Hydrogeologist
Watershed Protection and
Development Review Department
City of Austin
 Southwest Fillmore County, Minnesota
Watershed Boundaries (PINK and BLUE)

Courtesy of Jeff Green, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

 Tufa Falls Karst
Basin
Sequoia and Kings Canyon
National Parks, California

Courtesy Joel Despain, NPS

Cartography by Shane Fryer

Green: watershed boundary

Red: karst basin boundary
Basins in the Western Pennyroyal, Kentucky
Hydrologic Unit Boundaries (blue)
Karst basin boundaries (green)

HUC boundaries make significant excursions from karst basin boundaries.

 Storm Response of Karst Springs
P recipitation cm /10 m in

P re cipitation cm /1 0 m in
2.0 2.0

1.5 1.5
2.27 cm
4.84 cm
1.0 1.0
Precipitation
0.5 0.5

0.0 0.0
20 700
18
D isch arge fro m sp rin g, C M S

600
16
Turbidity

S pecific C on ductivity
14 Discharge 500

a nd T urbid ity
12
400
10 Conductivity
300
8
6 200
4
100
2
0 0
6

6
u l- 9

u l- 9

u l- 9
2 9 -J

3 0 -J

3 1 -J
D isch arge hydrograph and chem ograph for the July 1996 hig h-flow event at P leasant G rove S pring.
 Summary
• Karst basins sometimes respond rapidly to
precipitation, in a manner similar to surface
streams.
• Karst basin boundaries frequently do not
coincide with hydrologic unit boundaries.
• These discrepancies are commonly
significant.
One of several proposed models in karst
KARST HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM
autogenic

autogenic

allogenic
2 KARST MAIN FLOW TYPE
Conduit Flow
 Karst Dynamic System (KDS)

KDS is an open system because of the development corridor

in the karst aquifer conduit that is connected directly to the
surface through a sinkhole. Its going to change very quickly
depending on the conditions of each phase, so the time scale
changes are not necessarily depending on the season, but
can be daily, hourly, even shorter again
 3 KARST MAIN FLOW COMPONENTS ACCORDING TO
ITS CRACK SIZE

1. Diffuse flow, karst flow component which recharge

underground river that flows from the aquifer
through the cracks by size of 10-3-10 mm

2. Fissure flow, karst flow component which recharge

underground river that flows from the aquifer
through the cracks by size of 10-102 mm

3. Conduit flow, karst flow component which recharge

underground river that flows from the aquifer
through the cracks by size of 102-104 mm or more
 Fissure

Diffuse

Conduit
 How to characterized, which flow
component is dominant within one
underground river system ???

This will be your next experience within 2 session

Supervised Practicum of Karst Recession
Constant Analysis, today-22 Dec, and tomorrow-23
Dec 2010