origin of springs

A spring is a concentrated discharge of groundwater appearing the ground surface as a current of flowing water.They occur when water table intersects the ground surface.A sprig is different from a seepage ina sense that in seepage water moves through the ground or other porous media to the ground surface or surface water bodies and that the movement of water in seepage is slower than that of the velocity of water flowing in a spring.

Springs occur in several forms and have been classified on the basis of rock structure,discharge,temperature and variabilty.

 Bryan divided all springs into following divisions:-

 

a)Those resulting from non-gravitational forces;&

 

b)Those resulting from gravitational forces.

 

Those resulting from non-gravitational forces:-

These include volcanic springs associated with volcanic rocks and the fissure springs,resulting from fractures extending to great depths in the earth's crust.Such springs are usually thermal (ie.,they discharge water having a temperature in excess of the normal groundwater).

Those resulting from gravitational forces:-

those formed where ground water surface intersects the water table and are called depression springs.Those created by a permeable water-bearing formation overlying a less permeable formation that intersects the ground surface are called contact springs.Artesian springs resulting from the release o water under pressure from the confined aquifers either at an outcrop of the aquifer or through an opening in the conining bed.Impervious rock springs occuring in tabular channels or fractures of impervious rock.ther are springs issuing water from the rounded channels such as lava tubes or solution channels or fractures in impermeable rock connecting with the ground water,and are called tubular or fracture springs.