Conor Watkins' Ozark Mountain Experience

Field Trip Guide to the
Geology, Scenery, And History of The Salem Plateau of the Ozarks
–In The Buckhorn, Dixon, and Rolla Areas
For The Fall 2003 MVOR hosted by MSM Spelunkers at Shriners Club, Buckhorn, MO - Oct 3-5, 2003
By Conor Watkins, University of Missouri - Rolla

Stop 2: Boiling Spring On The Gasconade

Boiling Spring (not to be confused with Boiling Spring on the Big Piney, a tributary of the Gasconade), is rated at 42 million gallons per day and has the 9th largest average flow of and spring in the Ozarks.  When viewed from a public access point, the spring appears as a boil in the far bank of the river.  This spring has been relatively unimpressive lately due to the dry weather, but is worth seeing.  Direct access to this spring is only available through privately owned land.  This spring is actually very close to Onyx Mountain Caverns and Conical and Slaughter Sink.  It is thought to be associated with the formation of these features.  Please do not drive down the private road as the landowners have many “No Trespassing” signs and obviously do not want uninvited sightseers.

Recent research by Jim Kaufmann of the UMR Geology and Geophysics Department and the MSM Spelunkers indicates that 84 million gallons per day is a much better estimate of the long term flow of Boiling Spring which historically has been measured only during extreme drought.  This concurs with the estimated recharge area of about 250 square miles which has been determined through dye tracing.  With a flow of 84 million gallons per day, Boiling Spring is the seventh largest in the Ozarks, just behind Blue Spring in Shannon County.

Photo mosaic of the Boiling Spring area by Gary Johnson using photos by
Conor Watking and Gary Johnson.  Boiling Spring is at a low flow in photo.

During the mid 1930's, four large dams were proposed along the Gasconade River near the towns of Richland, Arlington, Vienna, and Rich Fountain.  During the preliminary studies before building the dams, there was concern that the spring might reverse flow under the water pressure head induced by the reservoir impounded at Arlington, serving as a major leakage path from the reservoir.  Later studies indicated that  the spring would not reverse flow but would exit the bluff at pre-existing cave passages located in the bluff just above the spring.  These caves are likely prehistoric spring outlets for Boiling Spring that were developed before the Gasconade River had downcut to its current elevation. 

The laws dictating fluid flow are very similar to those controlling the flow of electrical current.  In fact, the laws are so similar that electrical models can be used to simulate fluid flow.  Don't worry, we won't get into any complex equations here.  The similarity were are interested in here is the fact that both electrical and fluid flows prefer to take the path of least resistance when moving between two points.  The increased pressure head in the reservoir would serve to drive some water flow away from the lower outlet to the older upper outlets.

DIRECTIONS - To Boiling Spring:

From Clifty Creek, return to Hwy 28 via Hwy W and head south (left) through Dixon on Hwy 28. Follow to Hwy PP which is on the left.  Turn here and follow until the road turns to gravel and descends down a hill.  The Boiling Spring Campground appears here soon after on the right side of the road.  Turn right and park near the Gasconade River by the boat launch.  The spring is almost directly across the river.  A $1.00 per person payment is requested for those using the campground for picnics, sightseeing, and other day uses.  An honor system payment box is provided near the entrance to the campground.

(C) 2004 by Conor Watkins