On the corner 800 South and 500 East is situated a small park were every day hundreds of people stop to fill their water jugs with water flowing from an artesian well. Many travel miles to get their drinking water that they believe is superior to all others. Public Utilities has received calls from consumers living as far as Ogden, but who knows there may be individuals who travel even greater distances to partake of this water.
Containing numerous minerals with a total dissolved solids of about 700 to 1,000 parts per million. Those who fill their gallon bottles or even larger containers swear on the benefits of drinking this water.
The well dates back to pioneer times, when it was a stock water hole. It is said that oxen used to transport granite slaps from Little Cottonwood Canyon to the LDS Temple stopped at the well site for rest and water.
Salt Lake City filed an underground water claim with the State Engineer on March 14, 1936 for the natural flow ranging from 2 to 20 gallons per minute from a 2 inch well casing at a total depth of 130 feet between January 1 to December 31 each year.The claim noted the water was used for domestic and culinary purposes and also furnishes the supply for a public drinking fountain. The priority date was listed as 1890.
The current park improvements were make in the fall of 1979 at a cost of $79,450 converting an area that was described as being neglected for years, being unpleasant and creating hazards such as wet sidewalks and traffic congesions. At that time the filling stucture was constructed. In 1983 the well casing and plumbing was upgraded.
Artesian Systems
The word artesian comes from the French town and province of Artois (called Artesium during Roman times) near Calais, where the first European artesian well was drilled in A.D. 1126, by Carthusian monks, and is still flowing today.
The term artesian can be applied to any system in which groundwater is confined and builds up high hydrostatic (fluid) pressure. Water in such a system is able to rise above the level of the aquifer if a well is drilled through the confining layer (aquiclude), thereby reducing the pressue and forcing the water upward.
For an artesian system to develop, three geologic conditions must be present.
1.the aquifer must be confined above and below to prevent water from escaping
2.the rock sequence is usually tilted and exposed at the surface, enabling the aquifer to be recharged
3.there is suffient precipitation in the recharge zone to keep the aquifer filled
The elevation of the water table in the recharge area and the distance of the well head from the recharge area determine the height to which artesian water rises in a well. The surface defined by the water table in the recharge area, called the artesian-pressure surface, is indicated by the sloping dashed line in the figure.
Image
An artesian well will flow freely at the ground surface only if the wellhead is at an elevation below the artesian pressure surface. In this situation, the water flows out of the well because it rises toward the artesian-pressure surface, which is at a higher elevation than the wellhead.
In addition to artesian wells, many artesian springs also exist. Such springs can occur if a fault or fracture intersects the aquifer allowing water to rise above the aquifer. Because the geologic conditions necessary for artesian water can occur in a variety of ways, artesian systems are quite common in many areas of the world underlain by sedimentary rock.
To log this cache, you will need to bring along a timing device and a widemouth container of known volume. Measure the rate of water flow from the well. Gallons, quarts, litres per minute...your choice. Email us your answer, when you log your find.
- Also, (optional)Include a photo in your online log of you at the cache site with your GPS.