Chemical Weathering Rates in the Flyin-W Catchment, Greenwood County, Kansas

The cation denudation rate for the Flyin-W catchment, near Eureka, Kansas, was estimated using a mass balance model based on annual cation concentrations and amounts of precipitation and discharge for the catchment. During the period of study, May 1986-April 1987, the cation denudation rate was 2136 ± 440 $\text{meq-m}^{-2}\text{-yr}^{-1}$. This cation denudation rate is high compared to studies from other areas of the country because the catchment is underlain predominantly by easily weathered limestone and the period of study was one of high precipitation and discharge. The average cation denudation rate for the catchment during years of normal precipitation and discharge is estimated to be 1234 $\text{meq-m}^{-2}\text{-yr}^{-1}$. The maximum contribution to the cation denudation rate from anthropogenic acid deposition is estimated to be 5 percent.