What is a spring

spring

In the world there are different types of fresh water storage. One of them is the spring. Many of them were considered sacred places in certain ancient cultures. There are springs distributed all over the world and each of them has unique characteristics. Most of them have a common characteristic and that is that their water has a high level of purity.

In this article we are going to teach you everything you need to know about springs, their characteristics and types.

What is a spring

protected water spring

70% of the land is water. This essential element for life appears in various states and is distributed in various geographical features. This water can be found in oceans, lakes, rivers and can also be frozen in glaciers. However, water also hides in the ground, in aquifers or underground pools. Understanding these types of sources will help us understand what spring water is and where the water that flows from it comes from.

Spring water comes from the flow of water from the ground or between rocks and rises to the surface. Some of the spring water seeps from rain, snow, or igneous rocks to form hot water. Therefore, the flow of some springs will depend on the season and rainfall, causing the springs caused by the seepage to dry up during periods of low rainfall. On the contrary, those with a lot of traffic can be used to supply the local population. The origin of spring water is what allows us to establish various types.

The characteristic of spring water is that it is pure enough to be considered fit for human consumption. This is because the water is obtained directly from the underground reservoir. The so-called aquifer plays a natural protective role to prevent water from being contaminated by other water sources (such as rivers or oceans).

However, this water is subject to very strict quality control so that it can be consumed. For the extraction and commercialization of spring water, the company must be registered in the General Food Hygiene Registry administered by AESAN (Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition). Even so, Spain still has many companies dedicated to bottled water. In Castilla y León alone, more than 600 million liters of spring water are bottled each year, which represents only 10,5% of the national production.

Spring types

natural places with water

Three types of springs can be distinguished: perennial, intermittent and artesian springs. In perennials the water comes from a depth below the water table (saturation zone), where the flow of water occurs continuously.

In an intermittent spring the water appears when the water level is close to the groundwater level; therefore, its water only flows when the groundwater level reaches its highest level, that is, during the rainy season. Finally, Artesian springs are man-made artificial springs. They are built as a result of drilling deep wells, and their groundwater level is higher than the ground.

At present, due to human activities, the accumulation of groundwater or aquifers is being seriously affected. The excessive exploitation of groundwater does not obtain the time necessary for self-regeneration, which translates into a decrease in the amount of available water.

In addition, overexploitation of groundwater completely affects its quality. If this situation continues, we may have to watch these precious aquifers dry up. Experts in this area have warned that the reduction in available groundwater sources is worrisome, posing risks for millions of people around the world.

Water consumption

healthy water

We must know that a spring has unique characteristics that make it a small ecosystem with high biological value. Let's see what the special conditions are:

  • They are located in mountain slopes and the bottom of canyons or similar structures. Their marine can also appear on the bottom.
  • They are created when an underground reservoir fills up as a result of water infiltration. This water comes from the abundant rainfall in a region.
  • The springs can be both permanent and ephemeral depending on the type of terrain and the rock that make it up. The rock can filter more or less amount of water. You also have to analyze the amount of water it receives from the resurfacing tank.
  • The hot springs are also considered as springs. The only differential aspect is that the water can exceed 40 degrees in temperature.

In order to consume the water from a spring, a water treatment process must first be carried out. When the spring water reaches the treatment plant collected and / or extracted from the natural environment, the conversion process begins. First, the largest particles are removed through a sand filter. In the next stage, the water passes through a carbon filter, where the chlorine is removed by absorption, making the water more pure. Later, the UV process is activated to disinfect the water in search of possible microorganisms or bacteria.

Flora and fauna

Springs are not the area with the greatest biological diversity. Perennial waters are usually the habitat of various freshwater fish, including trout. Some amphibians and reptiles stay in it for a long time, mammals and birds can come to drink water, refresh themselves or feed. Insects are more common in their environment.

Larger springs can support a wider range of life forms. Others, due to the concentration of carbon dioxide or minerals in their waters, cannot support the life of fish or other animals, but they can harbor bacteria and other microorganisms. When it comes to vegetation, they can be surrounded by almost any type, including forests and grasslands, because they are not unique to biomes or ecosystems.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about what a spring is and its importance.


A comment, leave yours

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *

*

*

  1. Responsible for the data: Miguel Ángel Gatón
  2. Purpose of the data: Control SPAM, comment management.
  3. Legitimation: Your consent
  4. Communication of the data: The data will not be communicated to third parties except by legal obligation.
  5. Data storage: Database hosted by Occentus Networks (EU)
  6. Rights: At any time you can limit, recover and delete your information.

  1.   Caesar Salad said

    These knowledge that we generally do not know is very valuable and interesting, I invite you to continue enriching ourselves with this knowledge of Mother Nature that we must preserve for new generations ...