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Groundwater Issues in the Paleozoic Plateau a Taste of Karst, a Modicum of Geology, and a Whole Lot of Scenery

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Groundwater Issues in the Paleozoic Plateau a Taste of Karst, a Modicum of Geology, and a Whole Lot of Scenery GGroundwaterroundwater IssuesIssues inin tthehe PaleozoicPaleozoic PlateauPlateau A Taste of Karst, a Modicum of Geology, and a Whole Lot of Scenery Iowa Groundwater Association Field Trip Guidebook No. 1 Iowa Geological and Water Survey Guidebook Series No. 27 Dunning Spring, near Decorah in Winneshiek County, Iowa September 29, 2008 In Conjunction with the 53rd Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference Grand River Center, Dubuque, Iowa, September 30 – October 2, 2008 Groundwater Issues in the Paleozoic Plateau A Taste of Karst, a Modicum of Geology, and a Whole Lot of Scenery Iowa Groundwater Association Field Trip Guidebook No. 1 Iowa Geological and Water Survey Guidebook Series No. 27 In Conjunction with the 53rd Annual Midwest Ground Water Conference Grand River Center, Dubuque, Iowa, September 30 – October 2, 2008 With contributions by M.K. Anderson Robert McKay Iowa DNR-Water Supply Engineering Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Bruce Blair Jeff Myrom Iowa DNR-Forestry Iowa DNR-Solid Waste Michael Bounk Eric O’Brien Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Karen Osterkamp Lora Friest Iowa DNR-Fisheries Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development Jean C. Prior Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey James Hedges Luther College James Ranum Natural Resources Conservation Service John Hogeman Winneshiek County Landfi ll Operator Robert Rowden Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Claire Hruby Iowa DNR-Geographic Information Systems Joe Sanfi lippo Iowa DNR-Manchester Field Offi ce Bill Kalishek Gary Siegwarth Iowa DNR-Fisheries Iowa DNR-Fisheries George E. Knudson Mary Skopec Luther College Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Bob Libra Stephanie Surine Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Huaibao Liu Paul VanDorpe Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Iowa DNR-Geological and Water Survey Iowa Department of Natural Resources Richard Leopold, Director September 2008 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION . 1 The Karst Landscape of Northeast Iowa . 1 References . 1 PALEOZOIC PLATEAU . 2 What is the Paleozoic Plateau? . 2 Bedrock Geology of Northeast Iowa . 2 Cambrian . 3 Ordovician . 5 Siluiran . 7 Devonian . 7 References . 7 Quaternary History of the Paleozoic Plateau . 8 Introduction . 8 Paleozoic Plateau Landform Region . 8 Early Studies of Northeastern Iowa – the “Driftless Area” . 9 Quaternary Materials in the Paleozoic Plateau . 9 References . 11 Karst and Cave Formation and Development on the Paleozoic Plateau . 12 Mechanical Karst Formation and Development in Iowa . 13 Distribution of Karst in Northeast Iowa . 14 References . 15 LIVING WITH KARST . 16 Sources of Bacteria in Karst. 16 Tourism and Agriculture . 16 Trout Fishing . 16 Landfi lls – Solid Waste in Karst . 17 Wastewater and Water Quality . 19 Animal Feeding Operations in Karst . 19 Forestry Planting – Alternative Land Use . 20 Pasture-based Dairies – Alternative Land Use . 20 GROUNDWATER RESOURCES . 20 An Overview of Water Use Permitting in Iowa . 20 Authority/Mission . 21 Usual Procedures . 21 FIELD TRIP STOPS . 23 STOP 1. 25 Guttenberg scenic overlooks . 25 South overlook . 25 North overlook . 25 Sinkhole Development . 25 STOP 2. 29 Allamakee County Park near Rossville . 29 Glenwood Cave . 29 References . 30 STOP 3. 31 Skyline Quarry – The View from Inside an Aquifer . 31 Decorah Ice Cave . 32 STOP 4. LUNCH . 33 Dunning Spring Park – The Bottom of an Aquifer . 33 Losing Streams . 33 STOP 5. 35 Roberts Creek Sinkhole . 35 Results from the Big Spring Basin Water Quality Monitoring and Demonstration Projects . 36 STOP 6. 39 Chicken Ridge . 39 Drinking Water . 39 MAP OF FIELD TRIP STOPS . inside back cover Figure 1. Generalized stratigraphic succession for northeast Iowa and the fi eld trip area (from Hallberg et al., 1983). INTRODUCTION The Karst Landscape of Northeast Iowa Bob Libra Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Geological and Water Survey A variety of geologic factors have produced Water – and any contaminants – enter karst- the karst, shallow rock, high relief landscape of carbonate aquifers via sinkholes, losing streams, northeast Iowa. First, Paleozoic age carbonate and by infi ltration through the shallow soils (limestone and dolomite) rocks form the up- in fl at upland areas. The water travels through permost bedrock over much of the area. These cracks and voids to the water table, below which carbonate strata are broken into various sized all voids are water-fi lled. The groundwater then “blocks” by vertical fractures and roughly hori- travels “down-fl ow” through the broken rocks zontal bedding planes. As groundwater circulates to springs and seeps along the deeply cut stream through these cracks, it slowly dissolves the rock valleys. These springs and seeps supply much away, creating wide fractures, pipes, voids, and of the stream fl ow in shallow rock areas. The caves. Second, erosion has removed much of the carbonate aquifers are underlain by less trans- glacial deposits that once covered the landscape, missive rocks, called confi ning beds, which act leaving the carbonate rocks near the surface, as the “bottom seal” of the aquifer. Springs and typically within 25 feet and often within 10 feet. seeps are most prominent where the contact be- When rock that contains voids and openings is tween the aquifer and the underlying confi ning combined with a thin cover of soil, the soil may bed is exposed in valleys. collapse into the rock openings producing sink- Figure 1 is a generalized stratigraphic col- holes. Finally, the proximity of this area to the umn for northeast Iowa, showing the sequence deeply cut Mississippi River Valley has resulted of rocks that underlie the area. The unit called in steep, deep stream valleys. the Galena Limestone is the most karst-affected These solutionally modifi ed karst-carbonate unit. In particular, most of the sinkholes and rocks are excellent aquifers. They are capable of large springs in this area are formed in this unit. transmitting large quantities of groundwater at The unit called the Prairie du Chien Dolomite quite fast rates. However, the presence of sink- is another carbonate unit that exhibits voids and holes allows surface runoff and any associated dissolved fractures, but few sinkholes. We will contamination to directly enter these rock strata. be referring to the rock column and geologic When sinkholes or enlarged fractures occur in map throughout the trip to keep ourselves geo- stream valleys and other drainage ways, entire graphically and geologically located. streams may disappear into the rock. These streams are called “losing streams.” In addition, References “between the sinkholes,” the thin soil cover pro- vides much less fi ltration of percolating water Hallberg, G.R., Hoyer, B.E., Bettis, E.A., III, and than occurs elsewhere in the state. These factors Libra, R.D., 1983, Hydrogeology, water quality, make the aquifers, and water wells tapping them, and land management in the Big Spring Basin, very vulnerable to contamination and allow any Clayton County, Iowa: Iowa Geological Survey, contaminants that reach the aquifer to spread Open-File Report 83-3, 191 p. long distances very quickly – especially by groundwater standards. 1 PALEOZOIC PLATEAU entrenched valley of the Mississippi River along the eastern margin of the region. What is the Paleozoic Plateau? When observing limestone and dolomite Jean C. Prior (retired) outcrops, notice the prominent vertical fractures Iowa Department of Natural Resources and crevices as well as the numerous horizontal Iowa Geological and Water Survey bedding planes, recesses, and overhangs. These intersecting pathways, occurring at nearly right Iowa has seven major landform regions, and angles, are the primary avenues for infi ltrating Paleozoic Plateau is the name given to the dis- groundwater. The lime-rich strata are slowly sol- tinctive, high-relief terrain in the northeastern uble in the percolating waters. Through geologic part of the state (Figure 2). This fi eld trip tra- time, this process has given rise to karst fea- verses through parts of Allamakee, Winneshiek, tures such as sinkholes, “disappearing streams,” and Clayton counties and examines the unique caves, and springs as well as an explanation for topography, geology, and hydrology that set the many sharply angled stream courses. These this region apart from the rest of Iowa. Watch carbonate rocks also contain valuable ground- for rugged terrain, steep escarpments, abundant water resources for wells throughout the region. rock outcrops, deep narrow valleys, springs, Thus, the karst topography characteristic of this seeps, fast-fl owing streams, and abundant wood- region, with its inseparable surface water and lands as well as broad sweeping views across groundwater interactions, results in a high vul- uniformly rolling summits. These unexpectedly nerability of this area to groundwater contamina- scenic landscapes were dubbed “the Switzerland tion problems. of Iowa” by Samuel Calvin, one of Iowa’s best Understanding the geologic and hydrologic known 19th century geologists. systems at work across and beneath the Paleo- The key to this dramatic difference in the zoic Plateau region is important to meeting the Iowa landscape is the dominance of shallow challenges of landuse, water quality, water sup- sedimentary bedrock at or near the land sur- ply, recreation, and conservation issues in this face. Whereas glacial deposits of various kinds part of Iowa. dominate other regions of the state, they are nearly absent here and more durable limestones
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