Abstract Aridland springs maintain groundwater-dependent habitats for aquatic and terrestrial species. San Solomon Spring (Texas, USA) is part of a regional karst spring complex in the Chihuahuan Desert that supports several species of federal and state conservation interest. However, drought, climatic variability, and groundwater abstraction threaten discharge and water quality. In the surrounding Delaware Basin, expansion in unconventional oil and gas development using hydraulic fracturing may increase demands on aquifers that also provide flows to the springs. A critical knowledge gap limiting habitat conservation and sustainable groundwater abstraction is that the flow system is not well understood. While the source of most spring discharge is from a Pleistocene-recharged regional flow system, evidence suggests that a modern local flow component provides fresh water influx. However, the exact sources, mechanisms, and timing of localized recharge are unknown. To address these questions, this study combined long-term in-situ spring water quality monitoring (specific conductance, turbidity, and temperature) data with weather station-corrected 4 km gridded precipitation data to quantify the lag response at San Solomon Springs to mesoscale storm events and to delineate potential local recharge zones. Between April 2011 and March 2012, 26 event-flow responses were documented, with an average lag of 43 days between storm event and spring response. Response time varied depending on storm magnitude, spatial extent, and antecedent soil moisture conditions. Cross-correlation analysis of spatially distributed precipitation indicated zones of potential local recharge in the mountain block/mountain front zones and alluvial channels issuing from the Davis Mountains. Some local flow paths appear to cross known watershed boundaries, suggesting that groundwater abstraction in sensitive capture zones should be managed carefully to maintain spring flows and conserve habitats.

中文翻译：

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干旱地区春季对中尺度降水的响应：对依赖地下水的生态系统可持续性的影响

摘要 干旱地区的泉水为水生和陆生物种维持着依赖地下水的栖息地。圣所罗门泉（美国德克萨斯州）是奇瓦瓦沙漠地区喀斯特泉水综合体的一部分，支持多种联邦和州保护物种。然而，干旱、气候变化和地下水抽取威胁着排放和水质。在周围的特拉华盆地，使用水力压裂进行非常规油气开发的扩张可能会增加对也为泉水提供流量的含水层的需求。限制栖息地保护和可持续地下水抽取的一个关键知识差距是对流动系统的了解不够。虽然大部分泉水的来源来自更新世补给的区域水流系统，有证据表明，现代局部流量组件提供了淡水流入。然而，局部补给的确切来源、机制和时间尚不清楚。为了解决这些问题，本研究将长期原位泉水水质监测（比电导率、浊度和温度）数据与气象站校正的 4 公里网格降水数据相结合，以量化圣所罗门泉对中尺度风暴的滞后响应事件并划定潜在的当地补给区。2011 年 4 月至 2012 年 3 月期间，记录了 26 次事件流响应，风暴事件和春季响应之间的平均滞后时间为 43 天。响应时间因风暴强度、空间范围和前期土壤湿度条件而异。空间分布降水的互相关分析表明，在山地块/山前带和从戴维斯山脉发出的冲积河道中存在潜在的局部补给区。一些局部流动路径似乎跨越了已知的流域边界，这表明应谨慎管理敏感捕获区的地下水抽取，以维持泉水流动并保护栖息地。