Hotsprings, A Steamy Subject ...
Where does the spring water come from?
Most of the rain and snow that falls on the slopes of a mountain ends up in
rivers and streams. Some of it, however, filters down through the cracks and
pores in the mountain rock, pulled by gravity to a depth of three kilometres
below the surface. It is this water which later returns to the surface in our
hot springs.
Why is it warm?
As it seeps into the ground, the water becomes hotter and hotter — heated by
radioactive decay in the earth's core. When the water boils, pressure forces it
upward, just like the water in a coffee percolator. The speed at which the water
rises, and the degree to which it mixes with cold ground water, causes the
temperature to fluctuate.
Where does the odor come from?
As the water heats up, it dissolves minerals in the surrounding rock. When these
dissolved minerals break down, they release hydrogen sulphide gas, which smells
like rotten eggs. Pyrite and gypsum are two common sulphur-bearing minerals
dissolved in the Banff and Miette hot springs. The water at Radium Hot Springs
is odorless because of the type of rock in that area.
What is tufa? (pronounced too-fa)
As the hot springs water bubbles from its underground channel, it begins to drop
the load of minerals it gained on its journey through the earth. One of these
minerals, calcium carbonate, hardens into a porous grey/brown rock called tufa.
The entire hillside around each springs is composed of tufa.
Hot Springs Comparison Chart
No two hot springs are the same.
Differences in location, often mean differences in the amount, temperature and
mineral content of the water. For example, the deeper the water goes, the hotter
it gets. Rainfall and snow melt cause water temperatures to fluctuate. The type
of rock in the area determines what minerals are dissolved in the spring water.
Water Volume:
Banff Upper Hot Springs - Banff National Park
454 L/min
Radium Hot Springs - Kootenay National Park
1375 L/min
Miette Hot Springs - Jasper National Park
1540 L/min
Maximum Temperature:
Banff Upper Hot Springs
47.3 °C
Radium Hot Springs
45.5 °C
Miette Hot Springs
53.9 °C
The Threatened Banff Springs Snail
The most "at-risk" species in park
An inconspicuous little snail, found nowhere else in
the world, lives in five hot springs in Banff National Park. In April 1997, the
Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) classified
the Banff Springs snail (Physella johnsoni) as a "threatened" species.
This means it is the most at-risk species in the park. It also means that if
current conditions continue, the species could become "endangered" and
face imminent extinction....
