Abstract
The objective of this study was to comprehensively evaluate and interpret hydrogeochemically the extensive legacy surface-water data for the expansive Republican River watershed in southcentral Nebraska. Historical (1968–1991) hydrochemistry data [major cations and anions, total salinity [specific conductance (SC)] and pH supplied by the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality and the US Geological Survey were hydrogeochemically and statistically analyzed. Interpretation of this large legacy dataset (315 sample analyses at 12 Republican River sampling stations) revealed that the Republican River’s range in SC is relatively low (200–1020 µS/cm), with a river-wide median of 587 µS/cm (~ 380 mg/L). The range in SC for 10 tributaries (204 sample analyses) is 190–2910 µS/cm with a median value of 550 µS/cm (~ 360 mg/L). The Ca–HCO3 hydrochemical facies dominates throughout the watershed followed by the Na–HCO3 facies. Hydrochemical equilibrium modeling reveals that most samples occurred in an aqueous environment characterized by gypsum undersaturation but slight calcite and dolomite supersaturation; low supersaturation values comprise a line of evidence for the thermodynamic equilibrium or near equilibrium of the studied surface waters. Scatter plots of meq/L concentrations for selected anions and cations reveal the impact of silicate mineral (e.g., feldspars) weathering on the aqueous hydrochemistry throughout the watershed. These ubiquitous feldspar minerals most likely originated along the eastern slope of the Front Range during Late Cretaceous time (Laramide Orogeny) and were subsequently transported into the study area. The relatively high concentrations of sulfate and sodium in numerous samples collected from the Arikaree River probably originate in the underlying Pierre Shale, rich in S-bearing minerals.
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Some or all hydrochemical data that support the findings of this study are available from the author through email upon reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
The author greatly appreciates the highly professional effort of Mr. Les Howard, Conservation and Survey Division, University of Nebraska–Lincoln, in preparing the CADD base map for Fig. 1 and the approval of his supervisor, Paul Hanson, PhD, Associate Director and Professor, to prepare this map. This article is dedicated to my parents—Don and Mildred Atkinson.
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Retired. Certified Professional Geologist (CPG-07347) conferred by the American Institute of Professional Geologists (AIPG).
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(a) Summary statistics for chemical-quality parameters, Frenchman Creek at Culbertson (USGS), (b) Summary statistics for chemical-quality parameters, Frenchman Creek at Culbertson (NDEQ) (DOCX 39 KB)
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Atkinson, J.C. Baseline evaluation of legacy hydrochemical data for the Republican River watershed, southcentral Nebraska, USA. Environ Earth Sci 80, 77 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-09358-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-020-09358-9