Splashing out of the ground EarthCache
Splashing out of the ground
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The Oak Hammock Marsh is a restored wetland located just North of
Winnipeg, Manitoba. Some interesting hydro geological features make
this place a unique and interesting place to visit for wildlife and
people alike.
Oak Hammock Marsh is the reclaimed remnant of the sprawling St.
Andrews Bog that once covered 450 square kilometers. The marsh was
almost completely drained and converted to agricultural use until
the 1970s when the federal and provincial governments, with
assistance from Ducks Unlimited, restored 36 square kilometers of
marsh and grassland on the original site.
Wavey creek was diverted to bring water to the newly restored
wetland but not all of the water came from creek diversion. Some
water at the Oak Hammock Marsh has quite a different origin. It
comes from underground.
Located approximately 10 kilometers west of the marsh, in
Stonewall, Manitoba, large outcrops of limestone occur near the
surface. The limestone was used as building material and its
accessibility promoted the development of the limestone quarry
industry in the late 19th century in this area.
Limestone is a porous, heavily fractured rock and allows water to
seep into the bedrock freely and to quickly move into aquifer and
groundwater basins. As the groundwater makes its way towards the
Red River to the East, it encounters a natural wall deep below the
marsh which forces the water to come out to the surface.
This phenomenon is known as an artesian well or spring. This
happens because the water table at its recharge zone in Stonewall
is at a higher elevation than the head of the well. In this
location, a pipe was used to help water come to the surface. In the
early days of the Red River settlement (Winnipeg), the water was
brought to the town via a large wooden pipeline (there's still a
street name Pipeline Rd in Winnipeg today) and used as its primary
source of drinking water.
Requirements
To log this EarthCache, email me the answers to the following
questions using the profile link above:
1) What type of material is the wall or trough made of, forcing the
water upwards?
2) What is the depth of the aquifer found in the area? (look on the
other sign for the answer)
3) Post a picture of yourself with you GPS at the spring site to
confirm your visit.
Note
Even though this water looks clear and pure, it is recommended to
boil it before drinking.
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)