WHAT
IS A KARST
SPRING?
A main feature of karst springs is that water is rapidly
transported by caverns underground, so that
there is minimal filtering of the water and
little separation of different sediments.
Groundwater emerges at the spring
within a few days from precipitation.
Storms, snowmelt, and general
seasonal changes in rainfall have
a very noticeable and rapid
effect on karst springs. The
properties of karst springs
make them unsuitable for
drinking water. Poor filtering
and high hardness means the
water quality is poor.
The Royal Gorge
Bridge over the Arkansas
River in Colorado is 1,260
feet long and 955 feet
above the water. The
blob of white in the
yellow circle is a car.
of a portion of the cave are in a 130 ft deep chasm with
a natural bridge over it. Dye tests have proven that the
water flowing through the 130 ft chasm at Grand Gulf
exits through the existing cave and comes out at Mammoth
Spring.
The outlet pool is in Mammoth Spring State Park in
north-central Arkansas. The outlet pool is only 500 ft. south
of the Missouri border, and it can be seen from the highway.
The spring's large discharge volume rushes a few hundred
feet down the outlet channel before merging with the Warm
Fork of the Spring River to form the Spring River. The cold
water from the spring is excellent for trout fishing on the
Spring River.
Mammoth Spring was declared a National Natural
Landmark by the Department of the Interior in June 1972.
WHAT
IS A
WATER
TABLE?
The level below ground where
the ground is completely
saturated with water.
WHAT
IS A CHASM?
A fissure or deep cleft in the earth's
surface; also known as a gorge.
Of f icialKidsMag.com • FEBRUARY 2020 • 45
