A "Witches' Well" (Estonian: Nõia kaev) refers in this case to a man-made phenomenon whereby drainage systems in disused mines get overwhelmed by meltwater – their intentional function in fact.

In the case of the two adjacent Witches' wells in Ratva village, Alutaguse Rural Municipality, the pipe springs were constructed in 2018 to manage excess water which had accumulated in old mine shafts leftover from the nearby Viru mine, which was built in the Soviet era and decommissioned in 2013.

Since opening in the mid-1960s, the mine had extracted over 80 million tonnes of oil shale.

This work however disrupted the natural water table in the area; the conduits were designed to direct this excess water to a safer location, preventing flooding of the surrounding fields and forest.

Typically, Witches Wells only issue water in late winter/early spring time, depending on when the snow and ice melts and how much had accumulated.
However, this year's mild winter led to the phenomenon appearing far earlier than that.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!