HYDROLOGY OF A CAROLINA BAY LOCATED ON THE UPPER COASTAL-PLAIN OF WESTERN SOUTH-CAROLINA

Thousands of Carolina bays are found on the Atlantic Coastal Plain bet ween northern Florida and New Jersey. Most of these shallow depression s are wetlands, and many hold temporary ponds that fluctuate in respon se to seasonal or long-term climatic conditions. Despite the abundance of bays, few studies have described their hydrologic regime. This stu dy examines the hydrologic interactions of Thunder Bay, a 7-ha Carolin a bay located on the Upper Coastal Plain of western South Carolina. Da ta from 38 piezometers, borehole logs, and records of pond stage and w eather indicate that water ponded at Thunder Bay is a surface expressi on of the water table. Although fluctuation of pond stage is largely c ontrolled by precipitation and evapotranspiration, nearly continuous s eepage losses coupled with periodic ground-water inflow are also impor tant components of Thunder Bay's hydrologic regime.