ESSENTIAL PLANNING INFORMATION:
This earthcache will require watercraft and a thermometer, and a few hours of your time. This cache is only accessible by canoe, kayak, raft, or wading. Both sides of the river are flanked by private property, please do not trespass. The difficulty rating can vary depending on whether you are wading or using watercraft, and your expertise navigating around rocks.
It is about a 12 km canoe journey if you start at Glen Morris and end at Paris -- plan on about 3 hours. If you are looking for a longer journey, there is a boat launch at the start of the rail trail in Cambridge and you can put in there. That will be about a 21 km journey to Paris taking about 5 hours. These approximate times are at a slow comfortable paddle with the usual slow summer flow rate and little wind. It shouldn't take any longer than the times suggested, but could easily be shorter if you put some effort into it.
LET'S LEARN ABOUT SPRINGS!
A spring may be the result of karst topography where surface water has infiltrated the Earth's surface (recharge area), becoming part of the area groundwater. The groundwater then travels through a network of cracks and fissures—openings ranging from intergranular spaces to large caves. The water eventually emerges from below the surface, in the form of a karst spring.
The forcing of the spring to the surface can be the result of a confined aquifer in which the recharge area of the spring water table rests at a higher elevation than that of the outlet. Spring water forced to the surface by elevated sources are artesian wells. This is possible even if the outlet is in the form of a very deep cave. In this case the cave is used like a hose by the higher elevated recharge area of groundwater to exit through the lower elevation opening.
Non-artesian springs may simply flow from a higher elevation through the earth to a lower elevation and exit in the form of a spring, using the ground like a drainage pipe.
Still other springs are the result of pressure from an underground source in the earth, in the form of volcanic activity. The result can be water at elevated temperature such as a hot spring.
A LITTLE INFORMATION ABOUT THE GRAND RIVER
The Grand River is the largest of the Great Lakes tributaries that flow through the South Central part of Ontario originating near Dundalk and terminating near Port Maitland, emptying into Lake Erie. The Grand River drainage basin is approximately 6000 square kilometers of both warm and cold water streams that are inhabited by a large population of freshwater fish species. The cold water areas are great for trout fishing and the warm water areas are great for bass. Not to mention an excellent river for a paddle in a canoe or kayak.
The Grand River's water supply is fed by ground seepage, underground springs and cold water tributaries that flow into the main river. This action drives down the average water temperature, providing suitable conditions for different fish species in different sections of the river. Listen as you paddle down the river and you can hear various small springs emptying into the river.
ALRIGHT ... NOW FOR THE LOGGING REQUIREMENTS!
The posted coordinates take you to a spring coming out of a large rock rising up about 6" above the water's surface in the middle of the river (see picture on this listing). It will be difficult to steady your boat here due to the current, either bring an anchor or exit your boat (it's knee-deep at most).
Coming out of the top of the rock is a small spring with noticeably different temperature water coming out compared to the ambient water in river. Please complete the following and email to the CO (please do not include in your log):
1. What kind of spring is this and why do you think so?
2. What is the flow rate of this spring?
3. Using a thermometer, measure the temperature of the water coming from the spring and compare that to the temperature of the water in the river? Is it warmer or cooler? (answers may vary by season!)