The remarkable phenomenon of the Fonts Ufanes in Campanet.

The remarkable phenomenon of the Fonts Ufanes in Campanet. | L. Planas

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterCampanet09/11/2016 00:00
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The Fonts Ufanes springs in Campanet are now in a similar condition to that of the 1990s when their appearance was sporadic. The past winter was one of the driest that can be remembered. They appeared on only five occasions, while in recent years the phenomenon has been witnessed on average up to thirty days.

Jordi Giménez of the directorate for water resources says that the situation is like it was during the drought from 1992 to 1994 when the springs broke through only once and the level of the aquifer fell to 60 or 70 metres. It is now 48 metres below the surface.

The last time the springs appeared was on 3 April, and they did so with little strength for a period of only two days. Prior to this, there had been three days in the middle of February. Between 2013 and 2015, by contrast, there was a maximum of 51 days over the period from December to March, with an intense phase of 28 days between 5 February and 4 March 2015.

The Fonts Ufanes are a phenomenon that is unique in the Balearics. They are described as intermittent surges which emerge in a diffuse, powerful and sudden manner because of the accumulation of sufficient rainfall in the Puig Tomir and its surroundings.

In 2001, the Balearic government declared the springs a natural monument which meant protection for the aquifer against over-exploitation for commercial purposes. The finca of Gabellí Petit where they are located was bought by the government four years later. For the first time, this gave the public free access to go and look at the phenomenon. This has brought about a problem because of the number of people wishing to visit, so Campanet town hall has had to establish a maximum number of visitors per day.