Spontaneous Mountain Spring

Geoff Lawton talks of seeing a dormant spring come back to life after the underground aquifer has been hydrated (I'm guessing via swales or damns). Does anyone know how to do this? Are there any books on creating springs and increasing their gallons per minute output? I'll take any leads that come my way. Thanks.

I do remember Geoff Lawton talking about this in one of his videos. Ultimately, all a spring is is when the water level rises above ground level.

Nadine McKenzie wrote: I'm guessing via swales or damns

Yes!!! That's definitely one way of recreating springs! Check out this video by Geoff Lawton which explains how swales affect the landscape and can create new springs.


I think the sepp holzer Spring Development thread may provide you with a few more leads.

Dave,
Thanks for sharing your wealth of information! Much appreciated!

I know this is old, but I just saw it. I'm not sure you can create a spontaneous spring, unless you drill into the ground. You can definitely restore a spring that dries up as it flows down hill; check dams are best for that!
As you restore the water table uphill, then the water table downhill also gets restored, as long as it is also managed properly. So if you fix the drying springs, spread the water evenely, then dried springs DOWNHILL should (theoretically) come back to life.

Here's a brief visual explanation of the dynamic from Lawton's water DVD. He's talking about restoring old springs and creating new springs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFeylOa_S4c

I had a clay-bottomed ravine in a field. I laid a piece of 3/4" perforated PVC pipe in the bottom of the ravine, and then built a clay dam, then filled the area where the pond would have been with sand and clay. The pipe would leak water for weeks or months after rain storms. Looked like a spring. Acted like a spring. Even though it was man-made.