A new web-based app developed by the Department of Natural Resources gives
people the ability to submit reports on the location of springs in Minnesota.
The data will help researchers with important groundwater
research.
A spring is any natural flow of water from an aquifer--an
underground layer of rock--to the Earth’s surface. “We can’t protect something
we don’t know is there,” said DNR research scientist Jim Berg. “We need a
better inventory of springs in Minnesota, and this new app is the tool to
improve the inventory.”
Reported springs will be loaded into the database and then
verified by DNR staff. The contact information users enter will help with
confirmation, allow the DNR to seek permission for access to verify reports,
and notify people when the spring they reported is on the map.
Spring location and reporting is important because springs
create and sustain vital ecosystems. They can indicate groundwater health and
help protect against invasive species. Land stability and building integrity
depend on knowing where springs are located. Trout streams and other coldwater
fisheries, calcareous fens, and many streams and lakes require springs. Springs
also have aesthetic and historical value that creates a special sense of place
for residents and visitors.
The DNR spring reporting app runs on Android, iOS and
Windows, by searching for “Minnesota DNR Spring Inventory.” People can also
submit spring reports via email at mnspringinventor
More information about the app, how to use it and how the
DNR will use the information is available at mndnr.gov/mnspringinventory.
Funding for the project was provided by the Minnesota
Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, as recommended by the
Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
