Gushet
Emergence Setting and Hydrology
Sketch of Gushet spring type. A=aquifer; I=impermeable stratum; S=spring source. The inverted triangle represents the water table or piezometric surface. Fault lines are shown where appropriate. Drawing by Victor O. Leshyk www.victorleshyk.com.
Discrete source flow gushes from a cliff wall of a perched, unconfined aquifer.
For Example: Thunder River, Grand Canyon, AZ
Description
Gushet springs emerge from discreet sources in cliff faces. They were proposed as a unique sphere of discharge by Springer et al. (2008). They typically discharge from perched, unconfined aquifers, often along fractures. Gushets often support madicolous habitat, thin sheets of water flowing over rock faces (Hynes 1970). Gushet springs frequently contain many different microhabitats, supporting diverse ecosystems. Although they occur primarily in areas dominated with steep escarpments, such as Grand Canyon, they are also found in regions with more modest topographic relief.
Dutton Spring in Grand Canyon National Park. Photo by Jeri Ledbetter.