Texas Tech University Hydrologic Cycle Discussion

Background: Biogeochemical data has been added to typical water-cycle diagrams, (A) to describe variations in (1) nitrate, (2) silica, (3) pH and (4) conductivity within the cycle, (B) to interpret these variations in terms of processes and to link these processes to flow paths, and (C) to look for commonalities in how flow paths impact the water-quality variables.

Instructions: Values are typical averages for watersheds that are not highly developed (stream and groundwater data were obtained from the NAWQA database): https://cida.usgs.gov/nawqa_www/nawqa_data_redirect.html?p=nawqa: Concentrations are represented visually by circles with appropriately scaled diameters.

First describe variations around the cycle, and second hypothesize on controls for these variations given the supplemental information provided in each text box. You are responsible for explaining the “story” in a minimum of 2 typed pages (double spaced) for all 4 variations. As you are developing your story think about terms such as weathering reactions.

Make sure to describe and explain the pattern for each variable within the cycle, and to look for process-related commonalities among the different variables within the cycle. Also highlight these big-picture patterns in your story, and then discuss how we can use these measurements as tracers [albeit non-conservative ones] to examine surface-groundwater interactions and the sources of stream flow, as well as the value of applying multiple tracers to answer such questions.

futher details and diagrams will br provided later.