Healing Springs Earthcache EarthCache
Hidden : 7/31/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:


Artesian wells supply legendary mineral waters to pilgrims seeking help for all kinds of ailments. Historical accounts and legend date this spring back to pre-European era when Indians considered these waters sacred and bathed in them for healing when sick or hurt. Tradition relates that during the American Revolution, four mortally wounded British soldiers were left here in the care of two able bodied men until they died and were buried. The local Indians took in these six men and nursed them back to health. Six months later, all six returned to their garrison in Charleston, much to the surprise of all the men in their garrison, further perpetuating the springs' legend for healing.

This spring is located at point where groundwater flows out of the ground, and is thus where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. Man-made pipes have been inserted in the aquifer to help bring that water up in a controlled way so that visitor may drink some or take some with them.

Dependent upon the constancy of the water source for this spring (rainfall or snowmelt that infiltrates the earth), it might be considered ephemeral (intermittent) or perennial (continuous).

Water issuing from the healing spring rises to a higher elevation than the top of the confined aquifer from which it issues. When water issues from the ground it may form into a pool or flow downhill, in surface streams. Sometimes a spring is termed a seep. The nearby stream that is visible from this location, is one of those surface streams that is fed by this underground spring.

Minerals typically become dissolved in the water as it moves through the underground rocks. This may give the water flavor and even carbon dioxide bubbles, depending upon the nature of the geology through which it passes. This is why spring water is often bottled and sold as mineral water, although the term is often the subject of deceptive advertising. Springs that contain significant amounts of minerals are sometimes called 'mineral springs'. Springs that contain large amounts of dissolved sodium salts, mostly sodium carbonate, are called 'soda springs'. Many resorts have developed around mineral springs known as spa towns. But in the case of this spring, there is no significant minerals present. That is why the water has no taste or smell of any kind.

How are springs formed?

Springs may be formed in any sort of rock. Small ones are found in many places. In North Carolina, the largest springs are formed in limestone and dolomite in the karst topography of the region. Both dolomite and limestone fracture relatively easily. When weak carbonic acid (formed by rainwater percolating through organic matter in the soil) enters these fractures it dissolves bedrock. When it reaches a horizontal crack or a layer of non-dissolving rock such as sandstone or shale, it begins to cut sideways, forming an underground stream. As the process continues, the water hollows out more rock, eventually admitting an airspace, at which point the spring stream can be considered a cave. This process is supposed to take tens to hundreds of thousands of years to complete.

Healing Springs in particular flows through the native limestone, a sedimentary rock composed of calcium carbonate and is a rock of marine origin derived from the lime mud and ooze that accumulated on calm, shallow sea floors millions of years ago. Healing Springs also sits on a karst landscape. Its characterized by the presence of caves, springs, sinkholes and losing streams, created as groundwater dissolves soluble rock such as limestone or dolomite. The evidence is all around you as you will notice. Below Healing Springs surface are natural cavities filled with water. The nearby tunnels and caves are formed when slightly acidic water combines with limestone or dolomitic rock, and dissolves the rock, creating a cavity.

Water flow from springs

The amount of water that flows from springs depends on many factors, including the size of the caverns within the rocks, the water pressure in the aquifer, the size of the spring basin, and the amount of rainfall. Human activities also can influence the volume of water that discharges from a spring, ground-water withdrawals in an area may reduce the pressure in an aquifer, causing water levels in the aquifer system to drop and ultimately decreasing the flow from the spring.

The scale of magnitude is as follows:

0 Magnitude - no flow (sites of past/historic flow)
1st Magnitude - > 100 cubic feet per second (cfs)
2nd Magnitude - 10 -100 cfs
3rd Magnitude - 1 ? 10 cfs
4th Magnitude - 100 gal/min (gallons per minute) - 1 cfs (448 gal/min)
5th Magnitude - 10 to 100 gal/min
6th Magnitude - 1 to 10 gal/min
7th Magnitude - 1 pint to 1 gal/min
8th Magnitude - Less than 1 pint/min

In order to claim this EarthCache, you must submit a picture of yourself at the EarthCache and email me with the answers to these questions:

1) What is the magnitude of this spring?
2) Is this spring ephemeral (intermittent) or perennial (continuous)?
3) How many streams of water flow out here?

*** Congrats to Ollie46 and Tombstone1 for their FTF!!! ***

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