Spring Assessment and age dating

Spring Assessment and Age Dating of Spring Source Water for a Highland Distillery

In 2024, Flow-5 was commissioned to carry out a detailed assessment of a natural spring used as the primary water source for a distillery in the north of Scotland.

The project began with a comprehensive desk-based review to develop an initial conceptual model of the groundwater system. This early-phase analysis helped delineate the spring’s catchment area and provided insight into the hydrogeological processes driving the spring’s flow.

This was followed by field survey and data collection to further refine the conceptual understanding of this spring source to a higher degree of confidence; including stream flow gauging and field and laboratory water quality sampling throughout the catchment area in dry (summer) and wet (winter) conditions.

A key and particularly insightful aspect of the study was the laboratory age-dating of the spring water. Samples were analysed at the British Geological Survey laboratory for atmospheric trace gases—SF₆ (sulphur hexafluoride), and CFC-12, CFC-11, and CFC-113 (chlorofluorocarbons). These indicators reveal how long it has been since the water originally fell as precipitation, providing a crucial dataset for understanding the groundwater’s residence time and flow pathways.

Although specific results cannot be shared publicly, the age-dating analysis was conclusive and strongly aligned with the  conceptual understanding of the source. Further monitoring and assessment are planned to be completed in 2025 to build on these findings.

To learn more about our hydrogeological assessment capabilities or discuss your own project needs, please Contact Flow-5 here.