A delightful post. I lived for a time in an area between the Hudson River and a small mountain range. The idea of water flowing naturally from a mountain source was natural to me, though of course I understood nothing about aquifers. We followed the stream from highlands down past our house, under the road and further down until it emptied into the river. In spring, when snows melted and rains came, the stream would swell almost over its banks and make a rushing noise I could hear from my bedroom window.
I loved your pictures. They reminded me of 'home'. A lovely description, full of information.
Looking forward to the next installment of this series.