Near my home in Rockingham County, Va., there is a phenomenon known locally as Tide Spring. When dormant it appears as a small depression in the ground (about the size of a hot-tub) with a dry creekbed leading away from it. It can, however, fill within minutes and pour several thousand gallons per minute into the creek, only to stop and sink again.
The cycles vary in length, apparently depending on the level of the groundwater. I have seen it run as often as every 20 minutes- yet other times I have sit for hours to no avail.
I recall reading a local newspaper article years ago when the spring was discussed as a possable park site that there are six or seven other’s like it known in the world. So how does it work, and where are some of the others? Any help appreciated.
From 'The Mystery Of Tide Spring: “Breathing spring” goes on and off like a faucet '- Times-Dispatch
"As it turned out, one of the original researchers on this topic — Jefferson — proved to be correct in his assessment of the nature of the spring. He concluded that Tide Spring was a Syphon fountain.
Tide Spring does indeed function as a siphon, but what makes it different is that it’s a self-cycling siphon, said Lehman, who wrote about his findings in the Journal of Geological Education in 1990.
The subterranean reservoir lies somewhere beneath the surface, carved out of layers of limestone and dolomite that are common in western Virginia. The water in the reservoir comes from precipitation absorbed from the surface. An underground channel leads from the reservoir to the surface, and pressure changes create a siphoning effect that periodically cycles water through the channel to the surface.
What makes Tide Spring even more quirky is its habit of flowing backwards.
The reversal occurs when, during a flow, the reservoir stops releasing water into the channel; at that point, the momentum of the forward-moving mass of water causes the discharge end of the flow to be temporarily higher than the source end. As the water adjusts itself to a common level, the flow reverses."
If I understand your description, there are two such images that come to mind. First,
the ultimate of such phenomenon is the Bay of Fundy where the Atlantic Ocean is “funneled” into a dead-end between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Tides cause water levels to rise from bone-dry mud flats up to 30-50 feet in a very short amount of time. Cool to obeserve!
This leads to the second phenomenon which comes to mind known as “reversing falls” where rivers attempting to empty into the Bay of Fundy will have reverse flow when the incoming tide pushes water upstream.
I should add that a friend of mine has found places along the Maine coast where the reversing phenomenon can be observed, too.
My friend was not in the vicinity of the Bay of Fundy. I think he was where the Penobscot (sp?) River meets the Atlantic.
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tidal bores, as I recall.
But I think that the phenomenon described in the OP is totally different. it would be more like having your bathtub fill with sewer water, then watching the water return to the sewer when the sewer’s status returned to normal.
That’s a fine analogy, so long as I’m not taking a bath.
I take offense at that ! I’ve met some absolutely fascinating people at the seashore. :0
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