Hydrology of Polk County, Florida

[Pages:140]Hydrology of Polk County, Florida

By Rick M. Spechler and Sharon E. Kroening

Prepared in cooperation with the Polk County Board of County Commissioners South Florida Water Management District Southwest Florida Water Management District St. Johns River Water Management District

Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5320

U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

U.S. Department of the Interior DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Secretary U.S. Geological Survey Mark D. Myers, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2007

For product and ordering information: World Wide Web: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. Suggested citation: Spechler, R.M., and Kroening, S.E., 2007, Hydrology of Polk County, Florida: U.S. Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5320, 114 p.

iii

Contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................................................1 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................2

Purpose and Scope...............................................................................................................................2 Previous Investigations........................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgments.................................................................................................................................3 Site-Numbering System.......................................................................................................................3 Description of Study Area.............................................................................................................................4 Population, Industry, and Land Use....................................................................................................5 Physiography..........................................................................................................................................6 Climate.....................................................................................................................................................8 Ground-Water Use..............................................................................................................................10 Chapter 1--Ground-Water Resources of Polk County................................................................13 Data Collection..............................................................................................................................................13 Geologic Framework....................................................................................................................................13 Stratigraphy..........................................................................................................................................13 Karst Features......................................................................................................................................18 Ground-Water Resources...........................................................................................................................18 Surficial Aquifer System....................................................................................................................19 Intermediate Confining Unit and Intermediate Aquifer System..................................................26 Floridan Aquifer System.....................................................................................................................33

Upper Floridan Aquifer..............................................................................................................33 Middle Semiconfining Unit and Middle Confining Unit........................................................35 Lower Floridan Aquifer..............................................................................................................37 Sub-Floridan Confining Unit......................................................................................................38 Ground-Water Flow System.....................................................................................................38

Recharge and Discharge.................................................................................................38 Potentiometric Surface....................................................................................................38 Long-Term Trends in Ground-Water Levels....................................................................................42 Head Relations.....................................................................................................................................46 Water Budget.......................................................................................................................................50 Ground-Water Quality..................................................................................................................................51 Surficial Aquifer System....................................................................................................................52 Intermediate Aquifer System............................................................................................................57 Floridan Aquifer System.....................................................................................................................58 Vertical Distribution of Chloride and Sulfate Concentrations.............................................62 Chapter 2--Streamflow and Lake-Level Characteristics in Polk County............................67 Purpose and Scope......................................................................................................................................67 Methods.........................................................................................................................................................67 Streamflow and Lake-Level Characteristics...........................................................................................67 Streamflow Characteristics...............................................................................................................68 Peace River Basin......................................................................................................................70 Kissimmee River Basin..............................................................................................................74 Alafia, Hillsborough, Ocklawaha, and Withlacoochee River Basins.................................77

iv

Low-Flow and Flood-Frequency Statistics......................................................................................77 Lake Characteristics...........................................................................................................................77

Regulation of Lake Levels.........................................................................................................81 Temporal Trends in Lake Levels...............................................................................................84 Factors Controlling Lake Levels...............................................................................................85 Summary........................................................................................................................................................88 Selected References...................................................................................................................................91

Appendix 1. Well and spring data-collection sites......................................................................... 99-105 Appendix 2. Chemical and physical data for water from the surficial aquifer system,

intermediate aquifer system, and the Upper Floridan aquifer wells in Polk and parts of adjacent Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Orange, and Osceola Counties.... 107-112 Appendix 3. Lake and stream data-collection sites..................................................................... 113-114

Figures

1. Map showing location of study area in central Florida..........................................................4 2. Graph showing historical population for Polk County.............................................................5 3-4. Maps showing generalized:

3. Land use in Polk County, 1995...........................................................................................6 4. Physiography of Polk County............................................................................................7 5-6. Graphs showing: 5. Annual rainfall at Lakeland, Mountain Lake, and Avon Park, Florida,

1931-2003..............................................................................................................................9 6. Monthly evapotranspiration at the Disney Wilderness Preserve in eastern

Polk County, August 2000 to December 2005...............................................................10 7. Diagram showing total ground-water use, by category, for 2000.......................................11 8. Piechart showing historical total ground-water use in Polk County, 1965-2002..............11 9-10. Maps showing location of:

9. Wells with periodic or continuous water-level data...................................................14 10. Wells and spring where water-quality data were collected from 1998-2003.........15 11. Lithologic chart showing relation of stratigraphic and hydrogeologic units....................16 12. Geologic map of Polk County....................................................................................................17 13. Aerial photograph showing sinkhole-formed lakes near Winter Haven, Florida.............19 14. Map showing location of sinkholes and depressions in Polk County................................20 15. Photograph showing loss of water from the Peace River through underlying conduit during low-flow period, May 2004..............................................................................21 16. Map showing location of hydrogeologic sections................................................................22 17-18. Diagrams showing generalized hydrogeologic sections: 17. A-A' and B-B'.....................................................................................................................23 18. C-C' and D-D'.....................................................................................................................24 19. Map showing generalized thickness of the surficial aquifer system.................................25 20. Graphs showing water levels at selected wells tapping the surficial aquifer system......26

21-25. Maps showing: 21. Transmissivity of the surficial and intermediate aquifer systems............................27 22. Generalized altitude of the top of the intermediate confining unit and the intermediate aquifer system...........................................................................................28 23. Generalized thickness of the intermediate confining unit and the intermediate aquifer system...........................................................................................29 24. Water levels of the intermediate aquifer system (Zone 2), September 2003..........30 25. Water levels of the intermediate aquifer system (Zone 2), May 2004......................31

26. Graphs showing water levels at selected wells tapping the intermediate aquifer system.............................................................................................................................32

27-31. Maps showing: 27. Altitude of the top of the Floridan aquifer system.......................................................34 28. Transmissivity of the Upper Floridan aquifer................................................................36 29. Altitude of the top of the middle confining unit............................................................37 30. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer, September 2003.................39 31. Potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer, May 2004.............................40

32. Graphs showing water levels in selected wells tapping the Upper Floridan aquifer........41 33-34. Maps showing:

33. Predevelopment potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer.................42 34. Change in the potentiometric surface of the Upper Floridan aquifer from

predevelopment to average 2000-2004 conditions......................................................43 35-37. Graphs showing:

35. Discharge at Kissengen Spring, 1898-1960..................................................................43 36. Long-term water levels in observation wells tapping the surficial aquifer

system and the Upper Floridan aquifer.........................................................................45 37. Water levels in selected wells open to the surficial aquifer system, the

intermediate aquifer system, and the Upper Floridan aquifer..................................47 38. Map showing head differences between the surficial aquifer system and the

Upper Floridan aquifer, May 2004.............................................................................................48 39. Graphs showing water levels during drilling of monitoring wells.......................................49 40. Diagram showing water budget for Polk County, Florida, 1994-2003.................................50 41. Trilinear diagram for water from wells tapping the surficial aquifer system....................52 42-45. Maps showing generalized distribution of:

42. Specific conductance in water from the surficial aquifer system...........................53 43. Chloride concentrations in water from the surficial aquifer system.......................54 44. Sulfate concentrations in water from the surficial aquifer system..........................55 45. Nitrate concentrations in water from the surficial aquifer system..........................56 46. Trilinear diagram for water from wells tapping the intermediate aquifer system............57 47. Map showing generalized distribution of selected constituents in water from the intermediate aquifer system...............................................................................................58 48. Trilinear diagram for water from wells tapping the Upper Floridan aquifer......................59 49-53. Maps showing generalized distribution of: 49. Specific conductance in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer.............................60 50. Chloride concentrations in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer.........................61 51. Sulfate concentrations in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer...........................62 52. Hardness concentrations in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer.......................63 53. Nitrate concentrations in water from the Upper Floridan aquifer............................64

vi

54. Graphs showing chloride and sulfate concentrations in water samples obtained during drilling of monitoring wells............................................................................................65

55-57. Maps showing: 55. Estimated altitude of water in the Floridan aquifer system having chloride concentrations greater than 250 milligrams per liter..................................................66 56. Location of lakes and streams analyzed in this report...............................................68 57. Major surface-water drainage basins, tributaries, and lakes..................................69

58. Flow-duration hydrographs for Peace River at Bartow, water years 1979-2003..............70 59. Graph showing flow-duration curves for selected stream sites in Polk County,

water years 1979-2003................................................................................................................71 60. Graph showing flow-duration curves for Kissimmee River at S-65, water years

1930-1969 and water years 1979-2003......................................................................................75 61. Flow-duration hydrographs for Kissimmee River at S-65 (site 74), water years

1930-1969 and 1979-2003............................................................................................................76 62. Map showing location of Lake Hamilton and Winter Haven Chain of Lakes....................82 63-65. Graphs showing:

63. Generalized seasonal variations in lake levels in Lake Deeson, 1954-2003............83 64. Seasonal variations in lake levels in Saddle Blanket Lake during a period of

below normal rainfall........................................................................................................83 65. Seasonal variations in lake levels and the minimum daily air temperatures

at a lake (Swim Lake) affected by ground-water pumpage......................................84 66-67. Maps showing temporal trends in lake levels in:

66. Polk County, 1960-2003.....................................................................................................86 67. Polk County, 1990-2003.....................................................................................................87

Tables

1. Results of trend analysis for long-term observation wells and for rainfall stations...............44 2. Mean annual flow and runoff for selected streams in Polk County, water years

1991-2003.............................................................................................................................................69 3. Temporal trends in streamflow over 20-year periods for Peace River at Bartow...................72 4. Temporal trends in streamflow over 30-year periods for Peace River at Bartow...................72 5. Temporal trends in streamflow over 40-, 50-, and 60-year periods for Peace River

at Bartow.............................................................................................................................................73 6. Low-flow frequency statistics for Catfish Creek near Lake Wales...........................................78 7. Low-flow frequency statistics for Fox Branch near Socrum......................................................78 8. Low-flow frequency statistics for Green Swamp Run near Eva................................................78 9. Low-flow frequency statistics for Bowlegs Creek near Fort Meade........................................79 10. Low-flow frequency statistics for Livingston Creek near Frostproof........................................79 11. Low-flow frequency statistics for Peace Creek Drainage Canal near Wahneta....................79 12. Low-flow frequency statistics for Tiger Creek near Babson Park............................................80 13. Low-flow frequency statistics for Peace River at Bartow..........................................................80 14. Low-flow frequency statistics for Peace River at Fort Meade..................................................80 15. Flood-flow frequency statistics for selected sites in Polk County............................................81 16. Temporal trends in mean annual water levels for selected lakes in Polk County,

1960-2003.............................................................................................................................................85

vii

Conversion Factors, Vertical Datum, Abbreviations, and Acronyms

Multiply

By

To obtain

Length

inch (in.) foot (ft)

mile (mi)

2.54 0.3048 1.609

centimeter (cm) meter (m) kilometer (km)

square foot (ft2) square mile (mi2)

Area 0.09290 2.590

square meter (m2) square kilometer (km2)

cubic foot per second (ft3/s) gallon per minute (gal/min) million gallons per day (Mgal/d)

inch per year (in/yr)

Flow rate

0.02832 0.06309 0.04381 25.4

cubic meter per second (m3/s) liter per second (L/s) cubic meter per second (m3/s) millimeter per year (mm/yr)

Hydraulic conductivity

foot per day (ft/d)

0.3048

meter per day (m/d)

Transmissivity*

foot squared per day (ft2/d)

0.09290

Leakance

foot per day per foot [(ft/d)/ft]

1

meter squared per day (m2/d) meter per day per meter

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (?F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (?C) as follows: ?C = (?F ? 32) / 1.8

Vertical coordinate information is referenced to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29). Altitude, as used in this report, refers to distance above the vertical datum.

*Transmissivity: The standard unit for transmissivity is cubic foot per day per square foot times foot of aquifer thickness [(ft3/d)/ft2]ft. In this report, the mathematically reduced form, foot squared per day (ft2/d), is used for convenience.

viii

Acronyms and Additional Abbreviations

AMO CaCO3

ET FGS LOWESS ?g/L ?S/cm mg/L NOAA NWIS NO3NO2-

N PDO ROMP SJRWMD SFWMD SWUCA SWFWMD

QS QO QR USGS

Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation calcium carbonate evapotranspiration Florida Geological Survey locally weighted scatterplot micrograms per liter microsiemens per centimeter at 25 ?C milligrams per liter National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Water Data Information System nitrate nitrite nitrogen Pacific Decadal Oscillation Regional Observation and Monitoring-Well Program St. Johns River Water Management District South Florida Water Management District Southern Water Use Caution Area Southwest Florida Water Management District spring discharge subsurface outflow surface-water runoff U.S. Geological Survey

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download