Alert Bay Ecological Park Earthcache EarthCache
Alert Bay Ecological Park Earthcache
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This earthcache is located inside the Alert Bay Ecological Park. The co-ordinates will take you to the middle of a boardwalk that crosses over a wetland which is fed by an underground spring.
What is a spring?
Springs occur when water pressure causes a natural flow of groundwater onto the earth's surface. As rainwater enters or "recharges" an aquifer (underground water storage), pressure is placed on the water already present. This pressure moves water through cracks and tunnels within the aquifer, and sometimes this water flows out naturally to the surface at places called springs.
The water source for a spring can vary. Some springs are fed by shallow groundwater seepage out of the soil, others are fed by deep aquifer water discharged under artesian pressure.
A spring is a formed when the side of a hill, a valley bottom or other excavation intersects a flowing body of ground water at or below the local water table, below which the subsurface material is saturated with water. A spring is the result of an aquifer being filled to the point that the water overflows onto the land surface. They range in size from intermittent seeps, which flow only after much rain, to huge pools flowing hundreds of millions of gallons daily.
During the late 1870’s and early 1880’s a dam was built half-way down the hill to store fresh water from the natural spring for a fish cannery. The main effect of the dam was that the subsurface water was substantially increased, and as a result, groundwater came to the surface, creating a stagnant swamp. Evidence of this process can still be seen today.
A boardwalk was built through the wetlands and allows visitors a close view of the swamp’s ecosystem. It provides an excellent viewing platform for the many bird species native to the area. A series of trails connected to the boardwalk provide visitors an opportunity to explore the surrounding forested area
Logging Requirements: In order to claim credit for the cache please e-mail me the answers to the following questions. Do not post the answers with your log
1). From the posted co-ordinates what evidence is still visible that this area was not always a wetland?
2). Prior to the dam being built, what signs should the engineers of the day have looked for to determine the impact of the dam on the local environment?
3). Optional, but appreciated, please post a photo of yourself from the boardwalk.
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Treasures
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