Well said Mr Caffiene Cola, that is closer to our homes...like to hear that!
Hobart is the second driest by the way!

But there's 13 stars (at least) within the halo :p

It is interesting to see that spring re-starts isn't just a localised phenomenon (how far is between Tim and Ian?) but that is a wider experience.

:cheers: Will

Well, Will, it's about 25km between me and Tim, but about 250km between us and ROM.

This spring flow problem plus a lot of other natural, weather related forecasting phenomena have puzzled mankind for centuries and we still haven't got a clue as to what triggers most of them.
Take natural springs;
1 / The consistent and reliable ones will usually start to flow about 3 or 4 weeks before substantial rain arrives.
2 / Distance between them doesn't seem to matter if the same weather systems are a common factor.
2 / They are located and can flow anywhere from low sand dunes to rocky hill sides in the same time frame.
3 / There is a wide range of rain forecasting "reliability" between springs only a few tens of metres apart and seemingly on the same spring feed water geo-system.
4 / Some springs seem to be able to continue flowing apparently with about the same flow rates even after ten years of dry and drought.
5 / Some springs not only anticipate rain events but seem also to be able to react to future reduced rainfall or coming drought by shutting down and this happens in a period when the future rainfall should normally be on the increase.
6 / Springs only seem to react to winter rainfall effects and don't seem to anticipate summer rainfall events. [ at least as far as I can ascertain around here but I will stand corrected if otherwise. ]
7 / Some spring flow rates seem to linked in some way to the anticipated rainfall rates and amounts. Anticipated good rain events will induce higher flow rates in some springs well before the event.

The common factor with springs is that for them to be a real phenomena, the feed water for a spring or collection of springs will have to be collected above a very extensive non porous layer of some description deep within the soil / rock profile.
Alternatively, the spring feed water system may be connected to a localised artesian like system that will force water up from deeper down and into the spring water feed system when certain conditions are realised. This may be the case when the surrounding topography is not much higher than the spring source.

What are the spring flow triggering factors ??
1 / Despite air pressures vary over a wide range right through the year, springs will only flow when certain weather events are in the near future.
I suggest that air / atmospheric pressure is not a trigger.
2 / Humidity; Values can be very high in summer as well as in winter but often, some weeks prior to a rain event the humidity can be quite low but the springs still commence flowing.
I suggest that Humidity does not trigger spring flow.
3 / Sun / Moon tidal effects; No influence otherwise why do the springs start reducing and stop flowing when the rainfall drops off in mid winter in a drought.
4 / Electro magnetic effects and etc;
Maybe but how and is there any evidence that coming rainfall events can trigger electro magnetic effects some 3 or 4 weeks prior to their arrival; I think not and certainly not with that lead time.
4 / Stuffed if I know!? Any other ideas?

this is a very interesting thread, when i was down on the granite belt last weekend the property owner mentioned that the springs on the low side of his property had started running the week before and this may be a sign of rain comeing, he also said something about the moons phase and its timing along the lines of an upcoming new moon.

i wonder if there is some correlation between a few of these factors?

We are near Toowoomba, QLD, watching the dam dry up and assessing how to keep water up to the horses, yesterday we noticed a spring has starting flowing,and actually raising the dam level. The owner has owned the land for 20 years and had never known it was a spring fed dam before, although he's an old bushie and well aware springs start flowing before rain. Very interesting phenonomen, I wait impatiently for the drought breaking rain to follow....

Ian, you are starting to get that info on springs that you were looking for. Max

Yes, ROM very interesting stuff coming in from all, thanks for everyone's input. I would like to hear any other stories of springs up around the country atm too.
Let's get them listed and see how we go this year:
(1) ROM Horsham: springs/soak up approx 5/4/07
getting stronger 12/4/07
(2) Pepsi-Max Meadows Adelaide Hills: Springs in deeper gullies started flowing early April 2007
(3) Shayne b/ Frontera Granite Belt QLD: Springs on Low side of a property Granite Downs QLD 1st April approx 2007
(4) Coffee3190 Toowoomba QLD: Spring in dam started flowing and filling up Dam approx say 11th April 2007.

Any more additions please post in, thanks and I will keep the list up to date, together with any I hear of as well.

Cheers, Ian

Have a nieghbour with a soak,its getting damp will keep my eyes on it for a flow this week

Off topic but the ants are busy but very scattered not dark lines which usual means more distinct rainfall event wereas scattered means scattered rainfall events, and lots and lots of moths.

Springs are up and running well near Coleraine SW VIC also!

Would it be possible for a general reduction in atmospheric pressure be enough to "encourage" springs to the surface ? Obviuosly a reduction in air pressure would also likely preceed rain.

Apologies. I thought when I posed the question above this idea had not beeen answered from Hills original post. But on more careful inspection I note ROM has ruled it out.

I had thought after coincidence it was the most likely factor. I guess heating associated with lower pressures and in general preceeding rain events may also expand ground water at a greater rate than the soil/rock around it ??

Starwood, no need to apologise! ROM does not rule anything out as he has been known to be so wrong so often in his near 69 years that he gets very cautious about being too dogmatic about anything these days.
ROM

Well this thread is becoming very interesting. Good points from all and interesting to see what springs are starting to run where and when. Perhaps this is the 'study' that people were looking for

Lets hope they are all a precursur to a wet E/SE!

(Our springs haven't stopped running :p )

:cheers: Will

I have just posted an amalgamated report on the spring that I have been following for some time in the Agricultural Weather Forum > Bushy

Another couple of indicators that rain is on the way;
1 / Your fingers and palms get very shiny and slippery around a couple of days before rain.
This was told to me by a dutchman some 40 years ago and is certainly an indicator for me.
2 / Livestock, in this case sheep, as I aren't familiar with cattle horses and etc, become very restless a few nights before decent rain. If there are ewes with lambs are at foot then there can be quite a cacophony at night.
Strangely, as my wife and I have got older we also are finding that if there is a decent change or rain coming, then some two days or so before the event, we have a very restless night's sleep and finish up roaming around the house at all sorts of odd hours.
3 / In South Australia, it is rumored that when strong winds are forecast, the crows, the feathered types, line up at pilot shops to buy goggles and GPS units. They need these to fly backwards and wear goggles in SA's duststorms.
4 / Who put that in there?

Might I suggest ROM you install a couple web cams in the house? That way the Bureau can keep an eye on you and Mrs ROM for any movement during those odd hours and support any rainfall predictions.
I also have a foolproof heavy rainfall detection method. I look at the level of my dams. It only seems to work after the rain though.

There are some things that might look good on a webcam!
There are some things that need some heavy censoring on a web cam!
There are some things that you would never put on a webcam!
Mr and Mrs ROM would rate a very distant fourth on a webcam!

Springs starting to seep out in SE Western Plains Victoria for past 3 to 4 weeks.

Big Wood Moths coming out of ground around gums on our place last few days. Huge one last night at window, as big as a small bat it seemed.......good sign!