spring-fed pond

熊本県で起こった地震の影響で、地下水の在り方に変化が出ています。池の水がなくなることで、美しい景色が変わってしまったようです。

Quakes disrupted flows of Kyushu groundwater

KUMAMOTO — Abnormalities have been observed in Kumamoto Prefecture’s abundant groundwater sources, apparently due to a series of earthquakes that hit the prefecture and its surrounding area.

Water in the spring-fed pond of Suizenji Jojuen park, commonly called Suizenji Park, has almost disappeared. The park in Chuo Ward, Kumamoto, is designated by the government as a place of scenic beauty and a historic site.

“The flow of groundwater could have changed due to the earthquakes,” an expert said.

Toru Iwata, 68, representative priest of Izumi Shrine, which manages the park, said he found that about 70 percent to 80 percent of the water in the one-hectare pond was gone on the morning of April 15, the day after a major tremor that is now recognized as a foreshock to the main quake. The depth of the water had been up to 50 centimeters before the series of quakes began.

The pond was refilled as groundwater was pumped into it, but about 70 percent to 80 percent of the water disappeared again after the main shock on April 16.

The Suizenji-Lake Ezu Springs that surround the park were designated in 2008 by the Environment Ministry as part of the Selected 100 Exquisite and Well Conserved Waters in the Heisei era. Suizenji Park has been a popular tourist site attracting about 400,000 visitors annually.

“All we can do is to wait for the groundwater to recover,” Iwata said.

http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0002909737

今回取り上げるのはspring-fed pondです。『ライトハウス英和辞典』（第5版　研究社）でspringとfeedをそれぞれひいてみましたが、直接の意味を見つけることはできませんでした。ただ、水に関することとして、springは名詞で「泉、水源、源泉」という意味であることが確認できました。

よくよく考えるとhot springと言うではないかと調べてから気がつきました。インターネットで調べてみますと、英辞郎on the webには、「湧水池」とありました。feedには「必要なものを絶えず供給する」という意味があるので、源泉が絶えず湧き出ているというのをハイフンを用いて形容詞形にしているのだと思われます。(aqua)