Big Spring (Missouri)
| Big Spring | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Big Spring |
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| location | ||||
| Country or region | Carter County , Missouri ( United States ) | |||
| Coordinates | 36 ° 57 ′ 8 ″ N , 90 ° 59 ′ 38 ″ W. | |||
| height | 131 m above sea level NHN | |||
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| geology | ||||
| Mountains | Ozark Mountains | |||
| Source type | Karst spring | |||
| Hydrology | ||||
| River system | Mississippi River | |||
| Receiving waters | Current River → Black River → White River → Mississippi River → Gulf of Mexico | |||
| Bulk | 13,000 l / s | |||
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Coordinates: 36 ° 57 ′ 8 " N , 90 ° 59 ′ 38" W.
The Big Spring is one of the richest karst springs in the USA .
The source is located in the US state of Missouri on the edge of the Ozark Mountains . It is located in the valley of the Current River , about 4 miles from Van Buren, Missouri .
Data
As is usual with Karstquelle, the pouring fluctuates very strongly depending on the season. Big Spring achieves water volumes of 7–57 m³ per second. This results in an annual average of approx. 13 m³ or 13,000 liters per second. However, an absolutely exact measurement of the bulk quantity is not possible due to the backwater in the mouth of the Big Spring through the already very powerful Current River. Nevertheless, Big Spring clearly surpasses most other karst springs in terms of bedding and is by far the largest spring in the Ozarks , ahead of Greer Spring and Mammoth Spring .
The source rises at the foot of a cliff at 131 m above sea level. NHN and with only 300 meters it is the shortest, but the second largest tributary of the Current River in terms of water volume . The water leaves the rock at a temperature of approx. 13 ° C. On average, around 175 tons of dissolved limestone are brought into the daylight by the spring.
Surroundings
The spring is surrounded by a recreational park-like setting in the middle of one of Missouri's first state parks . There is a campsite, a picnic area, the "Big Spring Lodge" restaurant and the park administration building. This, as well as the buildings and facilities located there, is maintained by employees of the National Park Service .
See also
Web links
- https://www.nps.gov/ozar/planyourvisit/big-spring.htm
- http://www.stateparks.com/big_spring_state_park_in_missouri.html
- Jerry D. Vineyard, Gerald L. Fender [1974]: Springs of Missouri (PDF), Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey, 1982, Library of Congress Card Catalog No. 73-620125.
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- ↑ USGS Surface Water data for US - Big Spring 1981-2009
- ↑ Vineyard and Federer, 1982, p. 68