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( Spring (hydrosphere))
A spring is a point where groundwater flows out of the ground, and is thus where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. Dependent upon the constancy of the water source (rainfall or snowmelt that infiltrates the earth), a spring may be ephemeral (intermittent) or perennial (continuous). Water issuing from an artesian spring rises to a higher elevation than the top of the confined aquifer from which it issues. When water issues from the ground it may form into a pool or flow downhill, in surface streams. Sometimes a spring is termed a seep. A stream carrying the outflow of a spring to a nearby primary stream is called a spring branch or run. The cool water of a spring and its branch may harbor species such as certain trout that are otherwise ill-suited for a warmer local climate.
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Spring (hydrosphere) Subcategories
Spring (hydrosphere) Articles
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