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Impact of Potential Phosphate Mining on the Hydrology of Osceola National Forest, Florida

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Impact of Potential Phosphate Mining on the Hydrology of Osceola National Forest, Florida IMPACT OF POTENTIAL PHOSPHATE MINING ON THE HYDROLOGY OF OSCEOLA NATIONAL FOREST, FLORIDA U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water Resources Investigations 78-6 :.*' f^fj^^m \ Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT U.S. BUREAU OF MINES U.S. FOREST SERVICE IMPACT OF POTENTIAL PHOSPHATE MINING ON THE HYDROLOGY OF OSCEOLA NATIONAL FOREST, FLORIDA By James A. Miller, Gilbert H. Hughes, Robert W. Hull, John Vecchioli, and Paul R. Seaber U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations 78-6 Prepared in cooperation with U.S. BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT U.S. BUREAU OF MINES U.S. FOREST SERVICE February 1978 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CECIL D. ANDRUS, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY W. A. Radlinski, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Water Resources Division Suite F-240 325 John Knox Road Tallahassee, Florida 32303 CONTENTS Page Abstract ............................ 1 Introduction .......................... 2 Purpose and scope ..................... 2 Previous studies. ..................... 4 Acknowledgments ...................... 5 Regional setting ........................ 5 Cultural features ..................... 5 Vegetation. ........................ 7 Physiography. ....................... 7 Geology .......................... 10 Climate .......................... 15 Hydrology ......................... 17 Regional hydrologic system .............. 17 Surface water. .................... 19 Streamflow characteristics. ........... 19 Surface-water quality .............. 26 Ground water ..................... 27 Hydrogeologic units ............... 27 Movement of ground water. ............ 28 Fluctuations of potentiometric surfaces ..... 29 Ground-water quality. .............. 29 Methods of investigation .................... 33 Hydrogeology. ....................... 33 Surface water ....................... 38 Water quality ....................... 38 Geology and hydrology of Osceola National Forest ........ 38 Hydrologic system of the forest .............. 38 Geology .......................... 39 General. ....................... 39 Stratigraphy ..................... 40 Eocene Series .................. 40 General. .................. 40 Ocala Limestone. .............. 40 Miocene Series. ................. 42 Hawthorn Formation ............. 42 Pleistocene-Holocene Series ........... 47 Surface water ....................... 48 Drainage basins. ................... 48 Streamflow characteristics .............. 48 Surface-water quality. ................ 56 Ground water. ....................... 63 Hydrogeologic units. ................. 63 Surficial aquifer. .................. 65 Hawthorn confining unit. ............... 72 Floridan aquifer ................... 75 Aquifer tests. .................... 89 iii CONTENTS (Continued) Page Geology and hydrology of Osceola National Forest Continued Ground water Continued Aquifer tests Continued Well locations and instrumentation ....... 89 Methods of analysis and test results ...... 89 Floridan test ............... 92 Hawthorn test ............... 93 Laboratory and extensometer results. ...... 94 Evaluation of Floridan aquifer test results. 94 Water budget ....................... 96 Hydrologic effects of current phosphate industry operations in Hamilton County. ..................... 99 Phosphate industry operations ............ 99 Mining and beneficiation. .............. 99 Chemical processing ................. 101 Water uses and activities .............. 102 Effects of phosphate industry operations on streamflow . 103 Effects of phosphate industry operations on surface water quality. ..................... 108 Effects of phosphate industry operations on ground water . 123 Potential phosphate industry operations in Osceola National Forest. ........................... 124 General. ......................... 124 Summary of mining plan .................. 124 Summary of water demands ................. 126 Use of water. .................... 126 Quality of water. .................. 126 Sources of water. .................. 126 Losses of water ................... 127 Water balance .................... 127 Potential impact of phosphate mining and beneficiation opera­ tions on the hydrologic system of Osceola National Forest and environs. .......................... 128 Effects on surface water ................. 128 Water budget of the potential phosphate industry operations. .................... 128 Distribution of phosphate-ore deposits. ....... 129 Streamflow characteristics. ............. 130 Surface-water quality ................ 133 Effects on ground water. ................. 137 Potentiometric surfaces ............... 137 Surficial aquifer. ............... 137 Hawthorn confining unit. ............ 138 Floridan aquifer ................ 138 Ground-water quality .............. 147 iv CONTENTS (Continued) Page Potential impact of phosphate mining and beneficiation operations on the hydrologic system of Osceola National Forest and environs Cont inued Effects on ground water Continued Potentiometric surfaces Continued Ground-water quality Continued Surficial aquifer. ............... 147 Hawthorn confining unit. ............ 147 Floridan aquifer ................ 148 Upward movement of poor quality water . 148 Introduction of contaminants by way of sinkholes ................ 149 Downward movement of potential leachate . 149 Potential for sinkhole development ............ 149 Summary ............................ 151 References. .......................... 155 v ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1. Map showing location of Osceola National Forest, Florida, the four-county area, and weather stations discussed in this report. ............... 3 2. Map showing physiographic divisions of Baker, Columbia, Hamilton, and Suwannee Counties, Florida. ....... 9 3. Geologic map of northeast Florida ........... 12 4. Map showing structural features and generalized phosphate distribution in Florida ........... 13 5. Bar graphs showing - A, Average monthly rainfall at Lake City, 1941-70; B, Average monthly evaporation from standard Class A pan at Lake City, 1966-75 .... 16 6. Map showing average annual lake evaporation ...... 18 7. Map showing drainage basins in part of north Florida and south Georgia, and surface-water stations for which records are used for this study ......... 20 8. Graph showing magnitude and frequency of annual mini­ mum 30-day average flow at selected gaging stations on Suwannee River. .................... 24 9. Graph showing magnitude and frequency of annual mini­ mum 30-day average flow at four gaging stations in St. Marys River basin ................. 25 10. Map showing the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia in December 1973. ................... 30 11. A, Hydragraph of well 14 tapping the Floridan aquifer at Lake City; B, Graph of cumulative departure from the average annual rainfall at Lake City, 1947-76 ... 31 12. Map showing location of wells from which hydrologic, geologic, and geophysical data were obtained. ..... 34 13. Map showing structural surface of the Ocala Limestone in Osceola National Forest. .............. 41 14. Map showing structural surface of the Hawthorn For­ mation in Osceola National Forest ........... 43 15. Map showing thickness of the Hawthorn Formation in Osceola National Forest ................ 44 16. Map showing drainage basins, phosphate lease appli­ cation areas within Osceola National Forest, and three gaging stations used for this study .......... 49 17. Bar graphs showing - A, Monthly discharge of Middle Prong St. Marys River at Taylor, October 1955 to September 1967; B, Monthly rainfall at Lake City, 1955-67 ........................ 51 18. Graph showing relation between annual discharges of Middle Prong St. Marys River at Taylor and St. Marys River near Macclenny, 1955-67 water years ....... 52 vi ILLUSTRATIONS (Continued) Figure Page 19. Graph showing yearly discharge at two gaging stations in St. Marys River basin ............... 53 20. Graphs showing daily discharge of principal streams draining Osceola National Forest, April 1, 1976 to January 31, 1977 ................... 54 21. Graphs showing relation of dissolved solids sum and residue, and total organic carbon to discharge of Deep Creek near Suwannee Valley. ........... 62 22. Map showing thickness of the surficial aquifer in Osceola National Forest. ............... 66 23. Map showing generalized configuration of the water table in Osceola National Forest .............. 67 24. Hydrographs of wells that tap the surficial aquifer. 69 25. Map showing thickness of the Hawthorn confining unit in Osceola National Forest .............. 73 26. Hydrograph of well 3B that taps a sand near the middle of the Hawthorn confining unit ............ 76 27. Map of the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer, January 15, 1977. .............. 80 28. Map of the potentiometric surface of the Floridan aquifer, November 10, 1976 .............. 81 29. Hydrographs of wells that tap the upper part of the Floridan aquifer ................... 84 30. Graph showing comparison of stage of Suwannee River with water levels in three wells tapping the Floridan aquifer in Osceola National Forest .......... 85 31. Sketch showing locations of wells at aquifer test site. 90 32. Section showing generalized geology, well consturction, and static water levels at aquifer test site ..... 91 33. Map showing drainage basins and areas of phosphate mining, Hamilton County, Florida ........... 100 34. Graph showing daily discharge of Swift Creek at Facil, May 20, 1976 to January 31, 1977
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