An overview of classifications and modern research of springs in the world and in Croatia

Because of their importance, water springs have been the subject of scholarly study since the late 17th century. With the development of science in the 19th, and especially in the 20th and 21st centuries, they became the object of study of various fields and branches of science. The result of the diverse studies of springs is a rich knowledge of their properties and the development of numerous classifications. Most basic classifications were created at the beginning of the 20th century, but a need for interdisciplinary research and classification of springs has emerged in the last twenty years. Today, however, there is no internationally-accepted interdisciplinary classification or database of springs that would facilitate the comparison of researched features and the use of research data. In Croatia, water-rich karst springs, which are attractive phenomena, have been thoroughly researched and classified, while non-karst springs have been examined less. The aim of this paper is to present the development of spring classifications throughout history, to emphasize the variety of research approaches that have been used, and to present the most important modern research of springs in the world and in Croatia.