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Uniquely Utah: The Crystal Geyser

Posted at 10:07 PM, Aug 07, 2016
and last updated 2016-08-08 00:07:54-04

GREEN RIVER, Utah -- The Crystal Geyser near Green River has been releasing water since 1935 when an oil drilling expedition hit an underground aquifer.

Travertine deposits in the surrounding area were also noted by early explorer John Wesley Powell in 1869. He speculated springs had flown there in centuries past.

Today's geyser releases cold water, which is rather rare.

Carbon dioxide builds pressure within a chamber below the Earth's surface, creating random eruptions. And in the case of the Crystal Geyser, random is an understatement.

Watch this week's edition of Uniquely Utah to see what happened when Fox 13's Todd Tanner spent a day at the geyser.

There are also a variety of videos online which show the geyser going off, including this one shot by Dennis Udink of Price.