WHERE DID THE NAME "LAMEL SPRINGS" COME FROM?
Lamel Springs are a nice little oasis that is about halfway up the hike to the top of Mt. Baden Powell. On the trail there is a wooden sign at the end of a switchback that points the way to the Lamel Spring, which makes for a tranquilly floral spot to take a rest, or have a drink of fresh mountain water.
For many years I have pondered on the origin of the name for this little spring. Lamel is not a common name, and some sleuthing revealed that it comes from a latin derivative of "Lamella".
Lamella means literally "plates". Some more searching led to the connection of lamella with water. In the water clarification process, Lamella Clarifiers are often used to remove sediments and particles from water.
The Lamellas use an incline, and a series of capture plates, (hence the name lamella) with the solids settling near a bottom point, and the pressure of the water forcing the water back up to an opening for release , now purified of sentiments.
The process of settling tanks and Lamella plates for water is not a modern technology (although large treatment facilities are very sophisticated) its practice is definitely old enough to have been a source for the name of our local springs.
Mt. Baden Powell acts as a sort of Lamella Plate in filtering the water from its watershed, releasing its spring water at pressure point in the rocks.
I propose this as a reasonable and logical hypothesis for the origin to the name!
Your Friend,
Bill Lussenheide
