WATER-QUALITY CHARACTERIZATION OF THE SPRING RIVER BASIN, SOUTHWESTERN MISSOURI AND SOUTHEASTERN KANSAS By Jerri V. Davis and John G. Schumacher U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Water-Resources Investigations Report 90-4176 Prepared in cooperation with the MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, DIVISION OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY Rolla, Missouri 1992 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, JR., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director For additional information Copies of this report can be write to: purchased from: District Chief U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey Books and Open-File Reports Section 1400 Independence Road Federal Center Mail Stop 200 Box 25425 Rolla, Missouri 65401 Denver, Colorado 80225 11 CONTENTS Page Abstract...................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction......................................................................................^ 2 Purpose, scope, and methodology....................................................................................................... 2 Previous investigations....................................................................................................................... 4 Description of the Spring River basin....................................................................................................... 5 Water-quality problems on the Spring River and tributaries................................................................. 12 Center Creek....................................................................................................................................... 13 Turkey Creek...................................................................................................................................... 13 Short Creek......................................................................................................................................... 14 Shod Creek........................................^ 14 Spring River........................................................................................................................................ 15 Selection of data for water-quality characterization................................................................................ 16 Water-quality characteristics.................................................................................................................... 21 Analysis of spatial characteristics ..................................................................................................... 21 Physical properties...................................................................................................................... 26 Discharge.............................................................................................................................. 34 Specific conductance............................................................................................................. 34 pH......................................................................................................................................^ 36 Temperature......................................................................................................................... 36 Dissolved oxygen.................................................................................................................. 38 Suspended solids.................................................................................................................. 39 Fecal coliform bacteria ................................................................................................................ 39 Major constituents....................................................................................................................... 40 Nutrients...................................................................................................................................... 43 Trace constituents....................................................................................................................... 46 Baseline water-quality characteristics.............................................................................................. 52 Relation of water-quality constituents to discharge......................................................................... 56 Analysis of seasonal characteristics................................................................................................... 64 Comparison of instantaneous loads................................................................................................... 71 Trends in water quality...................................................................................................................... 82 Summary.................................................................................................................................................... 88 Selected references..................................................................................................................................... 92 Additional data........................................................................................................................................... 99 111 ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figures 1-4. Maps showing: 1. The Spring River basin.............................................................................................. 3 2. Location of lead-zinc and coal mines in the Spring River basin.............................. 8 3. Physiography and general geology of the Spring River basin................................. 10 4. Areas of known and unknown water-quality contribution to the Spring River near Baxter Springs, Kansas, and location of water-quality sampling stations in the Spring River basin....................................................................................... 17 5. Chart showing availability of long-term monitoring water-quality data....................... 20 6-12. Graphs showing: 6. Boxplot example......................................................................................................... 25 7. Graphical representation of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests......................................................................................................................... 27 8. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of selected constituents between long-term monitoring stations......................... 28 9. Distribution of specific conductance values at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations.................................................................................................... 35 10. Distribution of pH values at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations...... 37 11. Distribution of calcium concentrations at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations.................................................................................................................... 41 12. Distribution of sulfate concentrations at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations.................................................................................................... 42 13. Map showing stiff diagrams for long-term monitoring and ancillary stations in the Spring River basin......................................................................................................... 44 14-17. Graphs showing: 14. Distribution of total nitrite plus nitrate concentrations at the long-term monitoring stations................................................................................................ 47 15. Distribution of total ammonia concentrations at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations............................................................................................. 48 16. Distribution of total phosphorus concentrations at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations............................................................................................. 49 17. Distribution of dissolved zinc concentrations at the long-term monitoring and ancillary stations.................................................................................................... 51 IV ILLUSTRATIONS-Continued Page Figures 18-25. Graphs showing: 18. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of selected constituents between seasons for the Spring River near Waco, Missouri.................................................................................................................. 65 19. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of selected constituents between seasons for Center Creek near Carterville, Missouri.................................................................................................................. 66 20. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of selected constituents between seasons for Center Creek near Smithfield, Missouri.................................................................................................................. 67 21. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of selected constituents between seasons for Turkey Creek near Joplin, Missouri.................................................................................................................. 68 22. Results of analysis of variance and multiple-comparison tests on mean ranks of