Alaskan Geothermal Waters
What are Hot Springs?
We can observe hot springs across the globe, even in arctic and sub-arctic climates. What are hot springs though? Thermal springs are warm water pools on the surface layer of the Earth that has erupted from geothermally heated ground water. Hot springs generally can be found where there are fissure lines in the Earth’s crust where ground water can emerge from.
This spring fed water is heated beneath the Earth’s crust where ground water gains heat by cooled volcanic rock that was once magma. In Alaska there are close to 100 active geothermal springs. We can observe most of these in the Southeastern region of Alaska. This is where the Pacific Plate grinds underneath the North American plate. As the layers of the Earth slowly collide, small cracks, or fissures, open to release steam and water from the layers below.
A Hot Spring’s Natural Environment
It is more often than not that you will smell a hot spring before you see it. This is due to the Sulphur that occurs naturally in the water. Some describe the smell as rotting cabbage or spoiled eggs. Don’t let that deter you though, there are many benefits to enjoying a hot spring. Just remember to rinse off after you take a dip into any thermal water. Each thermal pool is compromised of a different assortment of natural minerals.
Some commercial areas offer the amount percentages they have been able to infer from samples taken. And there are some geological surveys available of the natural mineral contents of backcountry areas of hot springs. Some minerals that are beneficial to your health that occur in these hot springs are silica, sodium, iron, potassium, aluminum, carbonate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, sulfate, fluoride, nitrate, lithium, boric acid, and ammonia.
It is more often than not that you will smell a hot spring before you see it. This is due to the Sulphur that occurs naturally in the water. Some describe the smell as rotting cabbage or spoiled eggs. Don’t let that deter you though, there are many benefits to enjoying a hot spring. Just remember to rinse off after you take a dip into any thermal water. Each thermal pool is compromised of a different assortment of natural minerals.
Geological Survey
Some commercial areas offer the amount percentages they have been able to infer from samples taken. And there are some geological surveys available of the natural mineral contents of backcountry areas of hot springs. Some minerals that are beneficial to your health that occur in these hot springs are silica, sodium, iron, potassium, aluminum, carbonate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, bicarbonate, sulfate, fluoride, nitrate, lithium, boric acid, and ammonia.
Naturally occurring hot springs typically have an organic layer of rock at the bottom. So, you might want to consider some kind of water shoes if this is an experience you are considering. The mineral content of the water can change the color of rocks and plants nearby as well. You might see some hues of orange, yellow, and green around the edge of the pool due to the process of the minerals reacting with nearby organic material.
Plant Adaptations
This mineral reaction also feeds aquatic plants that are sometimes slippery and slimy. Some plants have adapted well to these waters such as mosses, ferns, and algae. These dynamic and adaptive relationships between plants and the naturally occurring thermal water create delicate and vital ecosystems. Surrounding a hot spring, you may see a bacterial mat. This occurs near the border of the pools where microbes have made many layers over hundreds of years. They are a truly beautiful piece of Earth’s art; it is essential to leave them alone and intact.
Where Geothermal Activity Happens
In Alaska, most people can find hot springs in the Southeastern region. This line of volcanic activity starts in the Northwest region of the Brooks Mountain Range and extends to the Aleutian Islands. A majority of any geothermal water found in Alaska is near a volcano. In some areas, you can access commercialized hot springs and backcountry hot springs. About 25% of Alaska’s hot springs are open for use.
Backcountry hot springs require some planning, some navigation, and a bit of a hike. Commercialized settings, like Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks, require a fee to enjoy. This commercialized setting offers lodging, attractions, hot tubs, and a natural rock pool. Backcountry hot springs are sometimes maintained by locals who make sure that the integrity of the thermal dynamic system stays intact for all to enjoy. The collaborative effort of people to ensure side walls stay reinforced and adjust thermal vents in the springs with natural materials is what helps to maintain the natural structures. Want to make the most of your trip? Consider creating a bucket list experience.
Potential Energy
When it comes to the use of geothermal water in Alaska, there are some other applications to consider besides just recreational use. Each hot spring has a different temperature range and can vary from pool to pool. Some are lukewarm, others are warmer than bathwater while simultaneously not being scolding hot, and others are so hot that they can lead to fatalities if someone were to go in.
Those pools that are extremely hot can also have some considerable heat transference. Steam is created when water goes from cold to hot quickly, like when groundwater hits the scorching rock below the Earth’s surface. The potential energy of the steam can then be captured and converted in electricity. So, not only can hot springs support your overall health, these thermal waters can offer a cleaner energy source that helps sustain itself and support these colder climate regions.
Resources
- Rozell, N. (2024, February 22). Alaska hot springs, far, and wide. University of Alaska Fairbanks. Retrieved November 30, 2024, from https://www.gi.alaska.edu/alaska-science-forum/alaska-hot-springs-far-and-wide-0
- Water Science School (2015, January 10). Hot springs (Alaska) caused by geothermal activity underground. USGS. Retrieved November 30, 2024, from https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/hot-springs-alaska-caused-geothermal-activity-underground#:~:text=The%20water%20is%20hot%20not,way%20to%20the%20land%20surface.
