QUANTITATIVE DYE-TRACING INVESTIGATION OF GROUNDWATER FLOW IN THE WARD BRANCH WATERSHED, SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI

Quantitative groundwater tracers provide valuable information about groundwater movement. Four groundwater tracing experiments were performed in Springfield, Missouri to establish connections between sinkholes and springs within the Ward Branch Watershed. Two of the four traces reconfirmed traces reported in the 1970s, and the other two established new connections. Hourly water samples collected during each of the traces were analyzed using a spectrofluorometer. The results from the water samples were used to develop hydrographs for each trace. Analysis of each hydrograph provided information about arrival time, mean travel time, and trailing time. Additional data collected for the fourth trace includes the percent of mass dye recovery. Cave size and geometry of the conduit linking the sinkhole to the spring were estimated with the data from the fourth trace. Each of the four sinkholes was found to connect to the same springs located within the watershed. This research provided insight into the complexity of the underground water networks along Ward Branch.