The Gusher EarthCache
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Many people, for many years, have obtained drinking water from this
unique source. Bring along some extra containers and give it a try
for yourself.
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 sufficient 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. 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,a wide mouth container of known
volume, a thermometer and a camera.Measure the rate of water flow
from the well (gallons per minute).
Record the water temperature.
Post a photo of your GPS'r in front of the spring.
Email me your answers, when you log your find it.
**Any logs without the required info will be
deleted.**
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
n tnyyba enatr vf npprcgnoyr qhr gb gur ibyhzr bs jngre pbzvat bhg. (rk. 8-12 tny/zva)