Hydrological character of epikarst in Southwest China

Ten epikarst springs were monitored with manual measurement or sensors for more than one year.These epikarst springs widely distributed in southwestern China,representing subtropical epikarst.Monthly discharge and continued water lever curves of the springs indicate that strong hydrological unsteadiness is the typical characteristic of a subtropical epikarst spring.This strong hydrological unsteadiness results from the function of epikarst and monsoon climate.The ten epikarst springs were classified into two groups,namely,karst hill epikarst and peak cluster epikarst.It is reasonably to consider that the two types of epikarst are typical in southwestern China.Karst hill epikarst is covered by more consecutive soil,is apt to produce concentrated flow and is not as unsteady as peak cluster one.Epikarst spring in dolomite is not as unsteady as that in limestone.Epikarst covered by forest has not the same strong hydrological unsteadiness as epikarst covered by shrub.Thick soil and forest may reduce concentrated recharge which induced sudden increase and decrease of spring discharge or water lever.Epikarst in dolomite has more pore and fissures and less conduits than epikarst in limestone.