A fresh water spring can be classified based on the rate of its water flow.
Parameter: water flow in liters per second (L/s)
|
Flow in L/s
|
Magnitude
|
US Unit Flow
|
|
< 0.008
|
8 (8th)
|
< 1 pint/min
|
|
0.008 to 0.063
|
7 (7th)
|
2 to 8 pints/min
|
|
0.063 to 0.630
|
6 (6th)
|
1 to 10 gal/min
|
|
0.63 to 6.3
|
5 (5th)
|
10 to 100 gal/min
|
|
6.3 to 28
|
4 (4th)
|
100 to 448 gal/min
|
|
28 to 280
|
3 (3rd)
|
1 to 10 cubic feet/sec
|
|
280 to 2,800
|
2 (2nd)
|
10 to 100 cubic feet/sec
|
|
> 2,800
|
1 (1st)
|
> 100 cubic feet/sec
|
where:
• Magnitudes 5 and 6 and 1 to 3 show 10-fold increases.
• 1 cubic foot per second = 448 gallons per minute
If the site is historic and no longer has water flowing then it is termed 0 magnitude.
