Permanent Link:

https://digital.lib.usf.edu/SFS0069711/00001

Material Information

Title:

SIMULATION OF THE FLOW SYSTEM OF BARTON SPRINGS AND ASSOCIATED EDWARDS AQUIFER IN THE AUSTIN AREA, TEXAS

Series Title:

USGS

Creator:

M. Slade, Raymond
Ruiz, Linda
Slagle Diana

Publication Date:

1985-01-01

Language:

English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:

Barton Springs ( local )
Ground-Water ( local )
Austin, Texas ( local )

Genre:

serial ( sobekcm )

Notes

Abstract:

A digital model of two-dimensional ground-water flow was used to estimate the hydraulic properties of the Edwards aquifer in a 151-square-mile area near Austin, Texas. The transmissivity, hydraulic conductivity, and specific yield were estimated for the part of the aquifer that discharges at Barton Springs in Austin. The aquifer is composed of the Edwards and overlying Georgetown Limestones of Cretaceous age and ranges in thickness from about 100 to about 450 feet.. More than 60 years of discharge measurements and 5 years of gaged discharge for Barton Springs were used to adjust springflow for the simulations. Barton Springs accounts for about 96 percent of springflow from the study area and 90 percent of the total discharge. The remaining discharge was pumpage from wells which was entered in the model. Four years of gaged recharge were used in the simulations. The potentiometric surfaces used by the models were constructed from water-level measurements in as many as 75 wells. The transmissivity was calibrated through steady-state simulations that used the mean value of recharge and mean potentiometric surface to represent average conditions for the aquifer. The transmissivities vary from about 100 feet squared per day in the western part of the aquifer to more than 1 million feet squared per day near Barton Springs. Specific yield was calibrated through transient-state simulations for 5 consecutive months using time-dependent data for recharge, discharge, and water levels. The mean specific yield for the aquifer is 0.014 and ranges from 0.008 to 0.064. Additional aquifer properties used in the simulations include storage coefficient, altitudes of the base and top of the aquifer, and hydraulic conductivity. A simulation for the year 2000 using projected pumping rates for municipal, industrial, agricultural, and domestic supplies indicates that the aquifer would be dewatered in the southwestern part of the study area and have large declines in the southeastern part of the study area. Another simulation of projecte

Original Version:

USGS, Vol. 85-4299 (1985-01-01).

Record Information

Source Institution:

University of South Florida Library

Holding Location:

University of South Florida

Rights Management:

This object is protected by copyright, and is made available here for research and educational purposes. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the object beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.

USFLDC Membership

Aggregations:

University of South Florida
Karst Information Portal

Postcard Information

Format:

serial