>>2725699That and subsurface water will be pumped up certain topographic features and will find the path of least resistance to exit the feature, naturally. Most of the spring waters are actually from underground aquifers that follow topography, and local snow and precipitation does not always indicate aquifer health, as the entire crust of the earth is essentially a giant sponge and has liquid water. For example, almost every single low desert wash has water flowing through it beneath the surface, even in the 120F temps and 4" of annual rainfall climates. The water flows back to the ocean both above and below ground, and gets pumped up and down topographic features.
To see an example of people taking advantage of this in extreme climates (let alone in beautiful mountain forest regions with plenty of rainfall and snow and shade cover with water at the surface already) look up middle eastern qanats. Due to natural pumping action via pressure and topography, natural springs will emerge at both the tops of mountains, and at the bases of them in canyons. Central AZ alone has thousands of such springs which ultimately end up in the Salt, Verde, Gila or Colorado rivers. Beaver dams also historically raised the ground water levels across most of the west, in some areas where they've been reintroduced permanent flows returned in sections for the first time in 150 years (see San Pedro River, AZ).
