Water Quality and Flow Characteristics of Barton Springs
Water Quality and Flow Characteristics of Barton Springs Abby Tomasek http: //www. ci. austin. tx. us/watershed/ordinances. htm
Barton Springs Pool • Main discharge point for the Barton Springs segment of the Edwards Aquifer • Main aquifer recharge comes from 6 surface streams • During dry periods, the flow is dominated by water from the aquifer matrix • During wet periods, flow is dominated by stream discharge • Implications for water quality concerns
Why do we care? • The salamander! • Water quality important for the health and safety of visitors • Aesthetics (for example eutrophication and turbidity) http: //www. ci. austin. tx. us/watershed/bartonsprings_salamander. htm
Data • Edwards aquifer and surrounding HUC-10 subwatersheds • DEM and hillshade to visualize topography for area • Added main contributing surface waters from NHD flowlines • Determined contributing area and compared to City of Austin data • Land use and population data • USGS NWIS for streamflow and water quality data
Edwards Aquifer and Contributing Areas
Land Use Change from 1990 -2008 1990 2008
Population in Contributing Area
![Discharge at gage 08155200 [cfs] 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0](http://slidetodoc.com/presentation_image_h/e2b78f24f3d1290ff0fb1c539becc012/image-8.jpg "Discharge at gage 08155200 [cfs] 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0")
Discharge at gage 08155200 [cfs] 8000 7000 6000 5000 4000 3000 2000 1000 0 1/1/1990 140 90 40 -10 Discharge at gage 08155500 [cfs] Discharge at gage 08155240 [cfs] Discharge Along Barton Creek -60 6/24/1995 12/14/2000 6/6/2006 11/27/2011 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 1/1/1990 6/24/1995 12/14/2000 6/6/2006 11/27/2011
Flooding at Barton Creek and Barton Springs
![Filt nitrate concentration [mg/L as N] Nitrate and Phosphorous Concentrations along Barton Creek 2](http://slidetodoc.com/presentation_image_h/e2b78f24f3d1290ff0fb1c539becc012/image-10.jpg "Filt nitrate concentration [mg/L as N] Nitrate and Phosphorous Concentrations along Barton Creek 2")
Filt nitrate concentration [mg/L as N] Nitrate and Phosphorous Concentrations along Barton Creek 2 1. 8 1. 6 1. 4 1. 2 1 0. 8 0. 6 0. 4 0. 2 0 1/1/1990 08155500 08155240 08155200 6/24/1995 12/14/2000 6/6/2006 11/27/2011 Unfilt phosphorous conc. [mg/L as P] 0. 8 0. 7 0. 6 0. 5 08155500 0. 4 08155240 0. 3 08155200 0. 2 0. 1 0 1/1/1990 6/24/1995 12/14/2000 6/6/2006 11/27/2011
![DO [mg/L] and Nitrate Concentration [mg/L] SC, Discharge [cfs] and Water Temperature [C] Barton](http://slidetodoc.com/presentation_image_h/e2b78f24f3d1290ff0fb1c539becc012/image-11.jpg "DO [mg/L] and Nitrate Concentration [mg/L] SC, Discharge [cfs] and Water Temperature [C] Barton")
DO [mg/L] and Nitrate Concentration [mg/L] SC, Discharge [cfs] and Water Temperature [C] Barton Springs Continuous Water Quality Data
Summary and Next Steps • Area surrounding Barton Springs has experienced rapid population growth and land use change • Unique flow system of Barton Springs creates sensitivity to change • Obviously cannot stop development, but increased awareness can help preserve health of system • Investigate more nutrient parameters and contaminants (i. e. atrazine and tetrachloroethane) • Expand analysis to entire contributing area
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