Date of Graduation

Spring 2018

Degree

Master of Science in Geospatial Sciences

Department

Geography, Geology, and Planning

Committee Chair

Doug Gouzie

Abstract

Springfield, MO is located on the Springfield Plateau physiographic province. The Springfield plateau contains a number of Mississippian aged units and is mainly capped by the Burlington-Keokuk Formation. The Burlington-Keokuk is a highly fossiliferous limestone with nodular and interbedded chert. Beneath the Burlington-Keokuk lies the Elsey, Reeds Spring, and Pierson Formations respectively which comprise the Springfield Plateau aquifer hydrostratigraphic unit. Within the Springfield Plateau aquifer, a well-developed karst system includes springs, sinkholes, and caves. The Springfield Plateau aquifer is the predominant source for springs and seeps in the Springfield area. The purpose of this study was to understand the differences in water chemistry of individual karst groundwater basins. Different land use surrounding these groundwater basins as well as minute differences in the Burlington-Keokuk may lead to different water chemistry for each basin. Sampling was conducted at 12 sites in Springfield, MO from within what are believed to be five separate groundwater basins. Samples were collected over six months, and 11 variables were measured. Field tests included pH, temperature, conductivity, bicarbonate (as CaCO3), and flow. Lab analyses included major cations (calcium, magnesium, and sodium) and anions (chloride, sulfate, and nitrate). Statistical analyses were run using SAS 9.4 and included discriminant function analysis, factor analysis, and miscellaneous variable analyses. Results from two models suggest that there is enough difference in water chemistry between groundwater basins to develop statistical models that could accurately classify samples to the correct basin based on water chemistry.

Keywords

groundwater basins, geochemistry, karst, discriminant function analysis, sas 9.4, springfield missouri

Subject Categories

Applied Statistics | Fresh Water Studies | Geochemistry | Geology | Hydrology | Multivariate Analysis | Speleology

Copyright

© Benjamin E. Lockwood

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Open Access

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