KARST AQUIFERS & KING ROAD MINE

Karst aquifers exist wherever there is a large concentration of soluble rock, such as limestone in the case of the King Road Mine site. Karst aquifers can provide large supplies of groundwater, but also contain conduits that allow groundwater to quickly travel long distances to springs.

Dr. Kincaid’s study of the proposed mine site area specifically focused on identifying Karst features that could influence groundwater flow patterns. During the field studies, he scoured nearly all of the coastal wetlands and near shore waters between Beetree Slough and Dowry Creek to the north and south and Buckhead Road and Eleven Prong to the east and west.

Throughout that region, he observed numerous Karst features that were all clogged with clay and mucky sediments, and only two small springs. Dr. Kincaid concluded that the voids and conduits comprising the Karst aquifer become progressively filled with sediment closer to the coast. Because of this infilling, there is no significant spring flow west of Big King Spring and Little King Spring.

Since the proposed mine is located in the region where the Karst features have been filled with sediment, mining activities will not have any adverse impact on groundwater flow to those springs, or to Waccasassa and Withlacoochee Bays.