Geochemistry of a spring-dense karst watershed located in a complex structural setting, Appalachian Great Valley, West Virginia, USA

Abstract

The distribution and chemistry of the springs in the Tuscarora Creek watershed is controlled by both geologic structure and karst dissolution. The watershed is located in eastern West Virginia in the structurally complex Great Valley of the Appalachian Valley and Ridge province. The upper portion of the stream parallels strike along a mapped fault zone and is bordered by clastic rocks that comprise North Mountain. The lower reaches of the stream flow cross-strike through Cambro-Ordovician carbonates. The controlling chemical signature in the spring water is carbonate dissolution. Little evidence was seen for the recharge from adjacent clastic rocks although differences in the Ca/Mg molar ratio between springs indicated the presence of localized spring basins in headwater reaches. Na, Cl and Ca generally increased from upstream to downstream in the cross-strike reaches. Comparison of stream and cumulative spring discharge was consistent with significant groundwater base-flow contribution directly to the creek, particularly in the strike-parallel region. The largest spring in the watershed (>162 L/s) was sampled during and after a large storm event along with the adjacent creek. The creek displayed a typical dilution response with each flood pulse, whereas the spring had only a limited or delayed response. The overall chemical and thermal stability of the spring, relative to the creek, indicated the lack of significant direct hydraulic connection between the two. The conceptual model for the area includes localized flowpaths in the headwater region where the stream flow is parallel to strike and a thrust fault. In addition to the shallow localized flowpaths, a deeper, more regional flowpath likely exists for a large spring further downstream.