AN INTRODUCTION TO HOT WATER SPRINGS

When we talk about hot or thermal springs, these are defined as springs where the temperature of water lies significantly above the mean annual air temperature of the region. A mineral spring is defined as one that contains a reading of 400 parts/million of total dissolved solids.

In the case of the thermal springs in the Rockies, their formation tends to be quite consistent. As rain falls on the surrounding peaks, it percolated into the rather porous sedimentary rocks. As it descends through the rock, it picks up a variety of materials, everything from radium to sulphur. Also, as it moves further beneath the surface, it heats up from the primal heat of the Earth. Eventually, it encounters a large thrust fault, or crack. As water descends behind it, it forces the now heated water to ascend along the fault-line to surface as a hot or warm spring. Also critical in the creation of a hot spring, is an express route to the surface. If the water moves slowly from depth to the surface, it will cool back down before it bubbles out as a spring. Luckily, since many of these springs occur in limestone formations, the openings allowing the water to the surface may be enlarged by dissolving of the limestone to create a virtual pipeline to the surface. This assures a quick trip and warm waters.

There are hot springs on all continents and in many countries around the world. Countries that are renowned for their hot springs include China, Costa Rica, Iceland, Iran, New Zealand, Peru, United States, Taiwan, and Japan, but there are hot springs in many other places as well. The Frying Pan Lake in Waimangu Volcanic Rift Valley, New Zealand is the world's largest hot spring.

There are many hot water springs in Pakistan, as:

GARAM CHASHMA PAKISTAN: At the distance of almost 2 hours, is located the ancient valley of Injigan near chitral, nowadays Garam Chashma (natural hot water spring), and could be approached by a jeep, car etc.Elevation: 1859 meters (6,100) feet). Distance: 45 km, (28 miles) north-west of Chitral.

CHUTRON HOT WATER SPRINGS in Baltistan. It is in Basha Valley, the left hand tributary to the Shigar River.

NATURAL SULPHUR SPRING IN THATTAPANI. Thattapani is on the Shimla-Mandi Highway in Mandi District, Himachal Pradesh AJK. It lies on an altitude of 655m on the banks of the Satluj.

SULPHUR SPRING NEAR GILGIT: A beautiful diversity of nature. These springs are located at about 2hrs drive from Gilgit to Rawalpindi. Due to presence of Sulphur underground, the water of the spring is hotter than the boiling water. Absolutely hard touch even!

Springs have their own distinctive invertebrate fauna, comprising a small suite of stenotopic (able to tolerate only a narrow range of environmental conditions) invertebrates that are at least partially subterranean.  Several organisms are true cavernicoles (cave dwelling species), lacking eyes and body pigment. However, a number of other invertebrates associated with springs are also frequently encountered in seepages and other associated habitats and lack specialized adaptations to subterranean life. Because heated water can hold more dissolved solids, warm and especially hot springs also often have a very high mineral content, containing everything from simple calcium to lithium, and even radium. Because of both the folklore and the claimed medical value some of these springs have, they are often popular tourist destinations, and locations for rehabilitation clinics for those with disabilities.

A thermophile is an organism — a type of extremophile — that thrives at relatively high temperatures, between 45 and 80 °C (113 and 176 °F). Thermophiles are found in hot springs, as well as deep sea hydrothermal vents and decaying plant matter such as peat bogs and compost. Some hot springs biota is infectious to humans. For example:

Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba, lives in warm waters and soils worldwide and may cause meningitis. Several deaths have been attributed to this amoeba, which enters the brain through the nasal passages.

Acanthamoeba also can spread through hot springs, according to the US Centers for Disease Control.

Legionella bacteria have been spread through hot springs.

Viruses have been collected from very extreme environments, for example, a hot spring with a temperature of 87 to 93 °C (189 to 199 °F) and an incredibly acidic pH of 1.5 in Pozzuoli, Italy. These viruses were observed to infect cells in the laboratory.

On the other hand, a bath in hot water springs lowers blood pressure due to dilation of blood vessels by hot water, reduces insomnia as suggested by some medical experts, improves joint mobility because combination of warmth and buoyancy is extremely beneficial to Arithritis sufferers eliminates toxins due to stimulation of sweating and facilitate healing in a number of ways.

In short, the advantages of these springs are more than harmful impacts, so they should be saved and public needs to be warned to maintain our natural environment.