Blow Wells Project
On February 19th 2022 volunteers braved the (frankly horrendous) weather to learn about our fantastically rare springs in North East Lincolnshire known as blow wells.
Thanks to funding from Natural England the LCSP were able to facilitate this training day which gave an introduction to surveying and a fascinating overview of the geology of these sites by expert Michael Oates.
The aim of the project is to collect more information about the blow wells to help better inform a plan to manage them for ecology and people.
The volunteers have been assigned different blow well sites and their data is starting to flow in which is fantastic news!
Blow Wells Information
A blow well outflows in the coastal plain as opposed to a spring found at the bottom of a hill or slope. It is between Louth and Barton-Upon Humber that the geological conditions for blow well formation are found. The chalk that forms the Lincolnshire Wolds extends beneath the Lincolnshire Marsh and continues under the Humber Estuary. Rainfall which occurs over the Lincolnshire Wolds percolates down to the water table and follows the chalk under the Marsh towards Humber Estuary. Ground beneath the marsh is typically clayey and covers the chalk and the groundwater it contains. The groundwater here is under pressure (artesian) and where there is an opening in the clays from the chalk to the surface and there is enough pressure, groundwater can emerge at surface. It is set of circumstances that differentiates a blow well from other types of spring.
About the funders
The project was funded by Natural England’s ‘Nature Recovery Seed Corn Funding’ scheme, the project is part of the Government’s bid to help further the aims of the Nature Recovery agenda and connect people with nature.
