As the ground dries out farmers and landholders across the district are noticing springs popping up in places they have never been seen before. It’s become a huge talking point and many share the belief that springs or seeps opening up spontaneously is a sign of rain coming. Unfortunately, that myth isn’t true and the reason behind new springs is a bit more mundane. Hydrologist and internationally recognised scientist in the field of riverine ecosystems Martin Thoms said there was actually very little literature about springs and the movement of water in the regolith – the layer of ground under the topsoil that sits on top of the solid bedrock geology. Professor Thoms is the chair of Geography and Planning and the director of the Riverine Landscapes Research Laboratory at the University of New England. Read also:  He explained to that as the ground becomes extremely dry from drought conditions the regolith begins to crack and move, providing potential new pathways for surface water in the regolith. “The shallow water in the regolith – as opposed to deep water or artesian water – is relatively new or recent water that’s held in the upper part of the ground,” Professor Thoms said. “This water is moving through the regolith and as the regolith dries it can crack and move in amazing ways opening new pathways for subsurface water to flow along and this can be expressed at the surface in different places in the landscape. It’s like a dynamic patchwork. “In terms of ecosystems, the water is very important for natural and agricultural systems. We are seeing a redistribution of local sub-surface water because of the way the soil is drying and cracking in places.”