Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2010 Further hydrogeologic investigations in the Davis Spring drainage basin, Greenbrier County, West Virginia John Kazimierz Tudek Jr. West Virginia University Follow this and additional works at: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd Recommended Citation Tudek, John Kazimierz Jr., "Further hydrogeologic investigations in the Davis Spring drainage basin, Greenbrier County, West Virginia" (2010). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 2982. https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/2982 This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you must obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by an authorized administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Further Hydrogeologic Investigations in the Davis Spring Drainage Basin, Greenbrier County, West Virginia John Kazimierz Tudek Jr. Thesis submitted to the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science In Geology Dr. Henry Rauch, Ph.D., Chair Dr. Dorothy Vesper, Ph.D. Dr. Douglas Boyer, Ph.D. Department of Geology and Geography Morgantown, West Virginia 2010 Keywords: karst, hydrology, Davis Spring Copyright 2010 John K. Tudek Abstract An 11 month investigation was undertaken to determine the nature of the flow system feeding Davis Spring. Davis Spring was monitored for stage, temperature and conductivity. Milligan Creek, a major infeeder to the system was also monitored. Quantitative and qualitative dye traces were performed to establish travel times through the system as well as further define drainage basin boundaries. From tracer analysis, storm pulse travel time analysis and hydrograph peak analysis Davis Spring was determined to be an open flow conduit during most of the year. Exceptions may occur during the winter-spring when intense rain and meltwater may fill the system. Increased winter-spring discharge appears to flush out nearly all stored water in the system. Once removed, conductivity rises until the next winter when the cycle repeats. Milligan Creek was found to be the closest major tributary of Davis Spring. Tracer travel times from Milligan Creek vary from 15 days at baseflow to 4 days during flood conditions. A large discrepancy was discovered between the Milligan Creek discharge the expected discharge for its catchment area. Additionally, a water budget for the period revealed unusually high evapotranspiration (80%) for the basin. Several possibilities exist for these discrepancies, and are discussed. By utilizing previous and recent tracer tests a linear trend of distance to transport time was established for baseflow conditions. The exception to this was Wood Sink. A similar trend was not observed under flood conditions because travel time increases proportionally with precipitation. Wood Sink was discovered to drain into Davis Spring. Tracer tests from Wood Sink require at least twice as long to reach Davis Spring as traces from farthest points of the basin. There is no firm explanation for why this occurs, but the influence of structural formations in the area may be responsible For mom, dad, and Jen Who watched me play in the dirt and prayed something useful would come of it. It did. iii 2 Table of Contents 1 Abstract ................................................................................................................................................ ii 2 Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................. iv 2.1 List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. vii 2.2 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ ix 3 Overview of the Davis Spring Basin ...................................................................................................... 1 3.1 Geography ..................................................................................................................................... 1 3.2 A Brief History of Exploration and Study in the Davis Spring Basin .............................................. 5 3.3 Geology of the Area ...................................................................................................................... 6 3.3.1 Geologic Setting .................................................................................................................... 7 3.3.2 Lithologic Sequence .............................................................................................................. 9 3.3.3 Structural Geology .............................................................................................................. 11 4 Thesis Objectives ................................................................................................................................. 13 4.1 Tasks necessary to accomplish objectives .................................................................................. 13 5 Methods and Procedures .................................................................................................................... 14 5.1 GIS Mapping ................................................................................................................................ 14 5.2 Water Budget .............................................................................................................................. 14 5.2.1 Background and Governing Principles ................................................................................ 14 5.3 Datalogging ................................................................................................................................. 18 5.3.1 Explanation of datalogging equipment. .............................................................................. 18 5.3.2 Location of datalogging equipment. ................................................................................... 19 5.3.3 Equipment used to measure flow ....................................................................................... 20 5.3.4 Difficulties with flow measurements at the datalogging sites ............................................ 21 5.4 Streamflow Measurement .......................................................................................................... 23 5.4.1 Procedure for streamflow measurement. .......................................................................... 23 5.4.2 Flow to discharge conversion; rating curve. ....................................................................... 23 5.4.3 Conversion of Stage to Discharge ....................................................................................... 24 5.4.4 Rating Curve Methodology ................................................................................................. 24 5.4.5 Locations for Stage Measurement ...................................................................................... 25 5.4.6 Previous rating curves ......................................................................................................... 25 iv 5.5 Data Reduction and Curve Generation ....................................................................................... 26 5.6 Verification of the Rating Curve .................................................................................................. 28 5.7 Field Reconnaissance – ............................................................................................................... 30 5.8 Dye Tracing – ............................................................................................................................... 31 5.8.1 Quantitative Dye Tracing Overview. ................................................................................... 31 5.8.2 Dyes used, relative advantages and disadvantages. ........................................................... 31 5.8.3 Determination of amount of dye needed. .......................................................................... 32 5.8.4 Dye detection process; Charcoal and automatic sampling ................................................. 33 5.8.5 QTRACER2 Background ....................................................................................................... 36 5.8.6 Chemical Analysis ................................................................................................................ 37 6 Data Analysis and Results ................................................................................................................... 39 6.1 Further Definition of the Davis Spring Drainage Basin boundaries ............................................ 39 6.1.1 North, northwest and western boundaries ........................................................................ 39 6.1.2 Eastern and Northeastern