The Hydromorphic Evolution of the
Owl Mountain and Nolan Creek Provinces,
Fort Hood Military Installation, Texas
Faulkner, Melinda S.1; McBroom, Matthew W.2; Farrish, Kenneth W.3; Stafford, Kevin W.1
1: Department of Geology, Stephen F. Austin State University
2: Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University
3: Division of Environmental Science, Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin State University
Abstract
The Owl Mountain and Nolan Creek provinces are dissected karst plateaus in the eastern section of the Fort Hood Military Installation (FHMI). The installation contains surficial exposures of carbonate strata from Lower Cretaceous Trinity and Fredericksburg groups, part of the Edwards and Trinity aquifers. These provinces are utilized by the U.S. Army for troop maneuvers and training; some sections have been extensively modified by anthropogenic activities while more remote areas are utilized as grazing land, endangered species habitat, and recreational areas for military families. As part of a comprehensive study of the Owl Mountain and Nolan Creek provinces, baseline geochemical data was collected from seven subaerial springs over a two-year period. These data were used to develop a hydrogeologic model for variable permeabilities of inter-fingering Comanche Peak and Edwards carbonates.