Geologic Controls on Water Resources in the National Parks

Ozark National Scenic Riverways: Geologic Controls on Water Quality of Spring-fed Streams

Pictured above: Big Spring along the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. Photograph provided by Randy Orndorff, USGS.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways, one of America's natural resource treasures, contain more than 134 miles of clear spring-fed streams and superb scenery in the southeastern Missouri. The spring system in this area is unparalleled in North America. The region contains the three largest single-conduit springs in the United States, as well as numerous other major springs, which issue billions of gallons of water per day. Ground-water dye studies have shown conclusively that the recharge areas for these springs can be quite large and encompass source areas encompass source areas that have no obvious relationship to the pattern of surface drainage. The Ozark National Scenic Riverways also lie at the southern end of the Viburnum Trend, which is the world's most productive lead-mining district. The region surrounding the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways has been developed in the past for mineral resources and still is being explored for new deposits of base metals. The National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, and many environmental agencies requested USGS assistance in researching the geologic controls on water resources of the region, especially as they might pertain to potential mining activity

The USGS has produced detailed geologic maps that accurately portray the types and distributions of bedrock formations, as well as the nature and extent of faults and fractures. In addition, features such as springs, seepage, caves, and karst collapse structures were mapped. The maps will aid in understanding ground-water recharge, flow, and discharge and will be valuable in determining the suitability of possible surface sites for mine operations. Existing subsurface data also were analyzed to portray the regional distributions of aquifers and aquitards and to evaluate possible mineralized areas.

Yellowstone National Park: Environmental Behavior of Mineral Deposits Associated with Hydrothermal Systems

Yellowstone National Park, with its spectacular hydrothermal systems, is a natural laboratory in which the development and life cycle of associated mineral deposits can be studied. Geophysical, geologic and geochemical studies of the Yellowstone caldera are focusing on an improved understanding of the life cycle and environmental impacts of mineralized and hydrothermal areas.

Pictured above: Little Whirling Geyser erupting. A National Park Service photograph.

USGS research will provide basic geophysical and geochemical data for the following purposes:

Assessing the crustal structure and composition of the Park, its relationship to the Yellowstone caldera, and locations of previously and currently active hydrothermal systems;
Assessing the effects of past mining in the area north of the Park near Cooke City;
Determining whether potentially toxic elements are due to human activity or natural lake bottom or subaerial geothermal influences, and if these toxic elements are entering the food chains.

Prince William Forest Park, Virginia: Environmental Behavior of Mineral Deposits

Prince William Forest Park is the largest natural area in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region. The park has one of the few remaining Piedmont forest ecosystems and protects the Quantico Creek watershed. It is a sanctuary for native plants and animals.

A recent USGS project examined the environmental behavior of mine wastes from historic mining sites in the Park. The research was designed to address the following goals:

Understand the environmental behavior of solid-mine wastes from a sulfur mine and their impact on the ecosystem,
Assess the success of the reclamation effort by the National Park Service at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine through ground and surface water sampling. Toward this end, ground- and surface-water samples were collected on a quarterly basis for one year, ending in the fall of 1998. In addition, the relationship of surface water quality in artificial ponds made during this process to amphibian population restoration was conducted. This was a cooperative project between the USGS and a herpetologist from the National Park Service, and
Investigate the environmental impact of mercury amalgamation, a mining processes that was used historically at the abandoned Greenwood Mine site. This mine is situated on a 43-acre tract recently acquired by the National Park Service.

Pictured above: A pile of reclaimed tailings at the Cabin Branch Pyrite Mine, Prince William Forest Park. This photo was taken in September 1997, approximately two years after the reclamation was complete. Quantico Creek flows along the base of the pile, just in front of the people pictured in the foreground.