Surface Water
The Neosho River and the Spring River are the two major river systems that cut through the regulation area boundary of the Ozark Plateau aquifer. Both river systems are monitored by the United States Geological Survey and have United States Geological Survey streamflow gages positioned near Parsons, Kansas on the lower Neosho River and near Quapaw, Oklahoma on the Spring River.
The Parsons gage has been measured since 1922 and the Quapaw gage has been measured since 1940. The average streamflow at the Parsons gage is 2,734.2 cfs and 2,172.5 cfs at the Quapaw gage.
In 1984, the Kansas legislature amended the Kansas Water Appropriation Act to establish Minimum Desirable Streamflows on certain watercourses in Kansas including the Neosho River and Spring River.
Gage | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | June | July | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec |
Parsons | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 (100) | 50 (300) | 50 (300) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Quapaw | 175 | 200 | 250 | 300 | 450 | 350 | 200 | 160 | 120 | 120 | 150 | 175 |
Since Minimum Desirable Streamflow was established in 1984, the frequency of streamflow below the Minimum Desirable Streamflow criteria has been less at the Quapaw gage than at the Parsons gage. This is partly due to the fact that streamflows on the lower Neosho River are affected by operations of three federal reservoirs located within the basin -- Marion, Council Grove and John Redmond Reservoirs. The lower Neosho has a greater potential for flows below Minimum Desirable Streamflow criteria for consecutive years, resulting in the administration of Minimum Desirable Streamflow on the Neosho River in 2002, 2003, 2006 and 2007. Minimum Desirable Streamflow administration occurred for the first time on the Spring River in 2006.