What are Springs?

Water infiltrates into the ground to become groundwater. It eventually drains out lower in the landscape under the influence of gravity. Such discharges are known as springs. Two main types of spring occur:

Types

Springs can vary in extent from a few square metres to several square kilometres. Two types are recognised based of their areal extent, localised springs and streambed seepages. There is however a complete gradation between these two end members.

Localised spring	Streambed seepage
Springs can be local features such as a faults or caves where water can often be seen coming out of the ground. Where are springs found in the NT?	Most discharge is less obvious however and consists of diffuse seepage into stream beds or swamps, often over many kilometres. A gradual downstream increase in stream flow marks these discharge zones. Where do streambed seepages occur?

 

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