Uploaded July 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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Sprinkler Geyser (Sprinkler Group) (2024)
Geysers are hot springs that episodically erupt columns of water. They occur in few places on Earth. The highest concentration of geysers anywhere is at the Yellowstone Hotspot Volcano (northwestern Wyoming, USA).
Sprinkler Geyser is a cluster of several vents in a subcircular depression in the Sprinkler Group of Yellowstone’s Lower Geyser Basin. This is vent 28 (& vicinity) of Wolf & Paperiello, 1989 (Report on the Kaleidoscope & Sprinkler Groups, pp. 24, 45-36). In 2014 to 2016, the only activity was low perpetual spouting from a couple different vents (only one at any particular time). In late summer 2017, a vent in the Sprinkler Geyser complex was having moderately large eruptions - this was observed on multiple occasions in late July and early August 2017. The same activity was seen in summer 2018 and August 2019. The erupting vent is located at 44° 33' 15.25" North latitude, 110° 48' 39.70" West longitude (using a summer 2016 satellite photo via Google Earth) - this is 4 to 5 meters southeast of West Sprinkler Geyser.
Observed eruptions are between 1 and 1.5 minutes in duration. Two fairly precisely timed durations have been obtained: ~1 minute, 17 seconds and ~1 minute, 16 seconds. In summer 2017, closed intervals (= eruption start to eruption start) ranged from 29 to 63 minutes. In June 2018, closed intervals were about 1 hour and 20 minutes to 2 hours. In August 2018, closed intervals ranged from 40 to 62 minutes. In August 2019, closed intervals ranged from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 19 minutes. In August 2023, an interval of 1 hour, 42 minutes was reported. In June 2024, intervals ranged from 54 minutes to 1 hour and 44 minutes.
2017-2024 activity is broadly similar to Sprinkler Geyser’s reported activity before and after the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake (see Marler, 1973, Inventory of Thermal Features of the Firehole River Geyser Basins and Other Selected Areas of Yellowstone National Park, p. 251 - “Activity starts by a sudden rise, after which the eruption abruptly beings. Maximum height is about 15 feet. At first the column is quite massive, with jets giving a sprinkler effect. The eruption lasts about a minute and a half. There is no steam phase. The intervals vary between about 20 and 30 minutes. Practically no water gets beyond the main crater.”). I can’t be sure that the erupting vent shown here is the same exact vent that was seen decades ago - multiple active and potentially active vents (how many?) are present in Sprinkler Geyser’s basin. I have nicknamed this vent “Big Sprinkler Geyser”.
June 2019 activity from the Sprinkler Geyser area involved often-decent sized eruptions from the eastern part of the complex - not the “Big Sprinkler” vent. Durations were ~3 to 5 minutes long and intervals ranged from 14 minutes to 1 hour and 43 minutes. An apparent 3 hour and 11 minute interval was observed on 7 June 2019. In June 2023, decent-sized eruptions from the Sprinkler Geyser complex were 2 to 3 minutes in duration, with intervals of 26 to 28 minutes - these may have been from the eastern part of the complex as well.
Filmed from the Fountain overlook platform.
Clip 1 - Big Sprinkler Geyser’s 12:10 to 12:11 PM eruption on 13 June 2024.
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Sprinkler Geyser (Sprinkler Group) (2024)
Geysers are hot springs that episodically erupt columns of water. They occur in few places on Earth. The highest concentration of geysers anywhere is at the Yellowstone Hotspot Volcano (northwestern Wyoming, USA).
Sprinkler Geyser is a cluster of several vents in a subcircular depression in the Sprinkler Group of Yellowstone’s Lower Geyser Basin. This is vent 28 (& vicinity) of Wolf & Paperiello, 1989 (Report on the Kaleidoscope & Sprinkler Groups, pp. 24, 45-36). In 2014 to 2016, the only activity was low perpetual spouting from a couple different vents (only one at any particular time). In late summer 2017, a vent in the Sprinkler Geyser complex was having moderately large eruptions - this was observed on multiple occasions in late July and early August 2017. The same activity was seen in summer 2018 and August 2019. The erupting vent is located at 44° 33' 15.25" North latitude, 110° 48' 39.70" West longitude (using a summer 2016 satellite photo via Google Earth) - this is 4 to 5 meters southeast of West Sprinkler Geyser.
Observed eruptions are between 1 and 1.5 minutes in duration. Two fairly precisely timed durations have been obtained: ~1 minute, 17 seconds and ~1 minute, 16 seconds. In summer 2017, closed intervals (= eruption start to eruption start) ranged from 29 to 63 minutes. In June 2018, closed intervals were about 1 hour and 20 minutes to 2 hours. In August 2018, closed intervals ranged from 40 to 62 minutes. In August 2019, closed intervals ranged from 1 hour and 10 minutes to 2 hours and 19 minutes. In August 2023, an interval of 1 hour, 42 minutes was reported. In June 2024, intervals ranged from 54 minutes to 1 hour and 44 minutes.
2017-2024 activity is broadly similar to Sprinkler Geyser’s reported activity before and after the 1959 Hebgen Lake Earthquake (see Marler, 1973, Inventory of Thermal Features of the Firehole River Geyser Basins and Other Selected Areas of Yellowstone National Park, p. 251 - “Activity starts by a sudden rise, after which the eruption abruptly beings. Maximum height is about 15 feet. At first the column is quite massive, with jets giving a sprinkler effect. The eruption lasts about a minute and a half. There is no steam phase. The intervals vary between about 20 and 30 minutes. Practically no water gets beyond the main crater.”). I can’t be sure that the erupting vent shown here is the same exact vent that was seen decades ago - multiple active and potentially active vents (how many?) are present in Sprinkler Geyser’s basin. I have nicknamed this vent “Big Sprinkler Geyser”.
June 2019 activity from the Sprinkler Geyser area involved often-decent sized eruptions from the eastern part of the complex - not the “Big Sprinkler” vent. Durations were ~3 to 5 minutes long and intervals ranged from 14 minutes to 1 hour and 43 minutes. An apparent 3 hour and 11 minute interval was observed on 7 June 2019. In June 2023, decent-sized eruptions from the Sprinkler Geyser complex were 2 to 3 minutes in duration, with intervals of 26 to 28 minutes - these may have been from the eastern part of the complex as well.
Filmed from the Fountain overlook platform.
Clip 1 - Big Sprinkler Geyser’s 12:10 to 12:11 PM eruption on 13 June 2024.
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