The Artesian System in South Australia.

Otago Witness, Issue 1585, 8 April 1882, Page 29

The Artesian System in South Australia.

Future geologists have an interesting problem to solve in determining what becomes of the enormous volume of water which finds its way from the west, north, and east into the great basin called, Lake Eyre. This, country is so far from the settled districts that very little is known of its general features, and especially of the wonderful artesian water supply existing there. It may interest some of your readers to get information, and, with your permission, I should like to state what I have on a recent visit seen there. My remarks refer to the west side of Lake Eyre ; the east side I have not seen. Owing •to the terrible three to four years' drought prevailing in .our Far North, the country from 50 miles north of Port I Augusta to Alice Springs is at present a vast desert— sand, dust, and stones ;, no grass, no herbage; the salt-bush burnt up into dry sticks ; even the box and gum trees in the beds of rivers and creeks dying wholesale— nothing but desolation. How sheep and cattle exist is a marvel. Squatters are losing heavily : but fencing and wells, -and in the very Far North the magnificent artesian wells, are, at any rate, saving them from utter ruin. These springs are generally called " mound springs," owing to the curious fact that they are always found on the tops of conical mounds, which are composed of a soft limestone, varying in height from a few feet to, I should say, one hundred and fifty feet. The mounds are supposed to be formed by the ' deposit of minute particles of lime, which are 'being constanly brought up in the water from below. This depositing takes place equally at the rim of the spring, and has thereby, where nature has not been disturbed, formed an almost round cup or basin, from which a constant overflow takes place. A singular feature with these springs is, also, that they throw up a slimy .black mud, which settles in the basin, and in which reeds as tall as 10 to 20 feet high find a footing. Where the water is required for use they must be cleaned out occasionally. The quality of the water varies ; some is brackish, some perfectly fresh, but most contains more or less sulphur. Wheie.this is the case a deposit of brimstone shows on the ground where the overflow has evaporated. The temperature ranges from cold to boiling (in the Primrose spring), and is permanent. The volume of water emitted varies from mere moisture of the ground,' where the springs are not opened, to Buch as the Fountain and Dalhousie, giving forth some hundred thousands of gallons each- per day, causing an everflowing creek, visible by a green , streak for some miles, till it loses' itself in the thirsty soil. The first of these springs is the Myrtle, 30 miles south of Farina, the next is the Hergott (splendid water) 1 32 miles north of Farina, to which the Gums railway is to be extended. From there to the Alice, in a distance' of say 500, miles north-west by a width of from from 20 to 50 miles, and skirting Lake Eyre, with a few breaks here and there, thousands of < these springs are known to 'exist, and many; could be opened whioh do not flow now, be1 cause wherever this limestone is found it only v requires breaking into, and the spring is there. , The most extensive batch I know are theStrangways Springs. Here we have what look like a low range, about one hundred and fifty feet or more nigh, and about two miles long, entirely composed of these springs— l waß told over 400— all situated considerably above the level of Lake?Eyre.— South Australian, in the' Adelaide Register.