ARTESIAN WELL

A Town Treasure and Historic Site

A DEEP WELL THROUGH WHICH WATER IS FORCED UPWARD UNDER PRESSURE. THE WATER IN AN ARTESIAN WELL FLOWS FROM AN AQUIFER, WHICH IS A LAYER OF VERY POROUS ROCK OR SEDIMENT, USUALLY SANDSTONE, CAPABLE OF HOLDING AND TRANSMITTING LARGE QUANTITIES OF WATER. THE GEOLOGIC CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR AN ARTESIAN WELL ARE AN INCLINED AQUIFER SANDWICHED BETWEEN IMPERVIOUS ROCK LAYERS ABOVE AND BELOW THAT TRAP WATER IN IT. WATER ENTERS THE EXPOSED EDGE OF THE AQUIFER AT A HIGH ELEVATION AND PERCOLATES DOWNWARD THROUGH INTERCONNECTED PORE SPACES. THE WATER HELD IN THESE SPACES IS UNDER PRESSURE BECAUSE OF THE WEIGHT OF WATER IN THE PORTION OF THE AQUIFER ABOVE IT. IF A WELL IS DRILLED FROM THE LAND SURFACE THROUGH THE OVERLYING IMPERVIOUS LAYER INTO THE AQUIFER, THIS PRESSURE WILL CAUSE THE WATER TO RISE IN THE WELL. IN AREAS WHERE THE SLOPE OF THE AQUIFER IS GREAT ENOUGH, PRESSURE WILL DRIVE THE WATER ABOVE GROUND LEVEL IN A SPECTACULAR, PERMANENT FOUNTAIN. WATER FROM AN ARTESIAN WELL IS USUALLY COLD AND FREE OF ORGANIC CONTAMINANTS, MAKING IT DESIRABLE FOR DRINKING.

THIS ARTESIAN WELL HAS BEEN IN EXISTENCE AND USED CONTINUOUSLY SINCE THE TOWN OF EAGLE HARBOR WAS SURVEYED IN 1925 AS A RESORT COMMUNITY ON THE BANKS OF THE PATUXENT RIVER FOR AFRICAN AMERICANS FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. AND BALTIMORE. IT SERVED AS THE ONLY WATER SOURCE FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS AT THAT TIME.

THIS WELL CONTINUES TO SUPPLY A SOURCE OF CLEAR REFRESHING WATER TO THE TOWN TODAY.