A well that discharges water held in a confined aquifer. Artesian wells are usually thought of as wells whose water is free flowing at the land surface. However, there are many other natural systems that can result in such wells. The classic concept of artesian flow involves a basin with a water-intake area above the level of groundwater discharge. These systems can include stabilized sand dunes; fractured zones along bedrock faults; horizontally layered rock formations; and the intermixing of permeable and impermeable materials along glacial margins.