Water Storage-Springs

Springs

From the LDS Preparedness Manual
http://www.green-trust.org/freebooks/Preparedness.pdf

Page 111

Springs or artesian wells are ideal sources of water. Like a conventional well, the water should be tested for pathogens, VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds such as fuel oil or benzene), pesticides and any other contaminants found in your area. If the source is a spring it is very important to seal it in a spring box to prevent the water from becoming contaminated as it reaches the surface. It is also important to divert surface runoff around the spring box. As with a well, you will want to periodically treat the spring box with chlorine, particularly if the spring is slow moving. The spring may also be used for keeping food cool if a spring-house is built. If this is the case, it is still recommended to build a spring box inside the house to obtain potable water.

Spring Water (doesn't refer to the time of year)
https://grandpappy.org/hwater.htm

* For Fair Use and Educational Purposes Only.

When it rains, the water does two things. Some of it travels along the top surface of the ground and ends up in creeks and streams. But a lot of it soaks into the earth and some of it makes its way down to the natural water table in the area. The earth is an excellent water filter. If the water table is 100 feet or more beneath the surface, then the water there is usually safe for human consumption without any treatment. That's why people in the country drill deep wells - they want clean water that doesn't need treatment.

The next question is, how does a person get to that deep water out in the middle of the woods?

Do NOT waste your time trying to dig for it. It isn't worth the effort.
Head of the Spring

The best way is to find where a spring heads out. Let me explain. Because of gravity, water seeks the lowest possible level. You can usually find a stream or creek at the bottom of most hills or mountains. When you find one, begin walking upstream. Every now and then you will find a tiny feeder stream flowing into the main stream. The main stream will continue along the foot of the hill. Follow the tiny feeder stream up the side of the hill. Sooner or later you will eventually come to its source. It will just emerge from the ground. This is called the "head of the spring." The underground water table in this area is very close to the surface of the earth at this one spot and this particular exit point just happened as a result of nature. The water at the head of the spring hasn't had a chance to become polluted with lots of animal waste so it is the purest water you will find in the woods.

The head of a spring is normally a reasonable distance up the side of a hill or mountain. If there is any level ground near the spring head, this is usually an excellent place to set up camp. You avoid both the peak and bottom of the hill (high winds and flooding waters), and you are near a really clean reliable source of good water.

Usually (not always) this spring water it so clean it doesn't need to be boiled. I only know of one way to determine if the spring water contains harmful micro-organisms (called pathogens). Take a small water sample to your local water authority (county water service) and have it tested. They will tell you if it is fit for human consumption without being treated.

There is one more important consideration. After a really good rain shower, there are usually many, many feeder springs running into the main stream at the bottom of the hill. The water table rises and it leaks out all the holes near the surface of the earth. After a short period of time, most of these holes run dry because the water table falls back to its normal level. Therefore, the best time to look for the head of a spring isn't after a good rain. At that time they are easy to find but most will be undependable for the long haul. Wait until you have had a few good sunny days and then look for a spring head that is still running strong.