Abstract
Large fluctuations in Ca and Mg concentrations occur in the discharge of karst springs in southeastern Missouri after major storm events. Rapid flow of relatively dilute, storm‐derived water through solution conduits in the aquifer causes the fluctuations in chemistry. A cation balance for the discharge of one spring indicates that about 25% of the total spring flow is storm‐derived water. These storm‐derived contributions reach a maximum during the recession of storm responses in the spring flow hydrograph. At the peak of the responses, spring flow is composed primarily of prestorm water that has been displaced in the conduit system by the storm‐derived water. The observed chemical fluctuations and hydrograph components differ from those observed in streamflow where the time of the maximum dilution usually coincides with the time of peak discharge.
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