Hot Springs

Abstract

Abstract A spring is a source of water that flows naturally from an aquifer or soil onto the land or into a body of surface water. Its occurrence depends on the nature and relationship of rocks (especially permeable and impermeable strata), on the position of the water table, and on topography. Springs are generally classified as gravity springs and artesian springs. Thermal springs are typically considered a type of artesian spring. The vast majority of springs are gravity springs. Gravity springs are created by water that moves downgradient (downhill) and emerges at the surface. Two gravity springs, contact and fault springs are shown in Fig. 2. Artesian (nongravitational) springs occur when the potentiometric level of the groundwater system is above the land surface and water flows at the land surface under pressure either at the aquifer outcrop or from fractures or faults.