Florida
Spring Facts
The State of
Florida alone holds 17 of the 75 "first magnatude" springs
in the United States( A first magnatude spring emits a minimum of
100 cubic feet of water a second). Florida also has 49 second magnatude
springs (flows of 10 and 100 second-feet). Florida accounts for
the largest (Silver Springs,NE of Ocala) and deepest (Wakulla Springs)
with depths over 300 feet in its darkest passages.
The water that flows from underground is cool and varies between
68 and 78 degrees, generally remaing these constant temperatures
year round (cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you gotta
love it!). The water at Lithia Springs is a constant 72 degrees!
A Springs flow varies based on the amount of water stored in their
contributing underground basins. These basins depend on mostly rainfall
for their supplies, and discharges are directly related to the amount
of rainfall they recieve. When rainfall is low, the spring flow
tempers. In extreme instances some springs have been known to reverse
flow, sucking surface water underground. To my knowledge this has
never occured at Lithia Springs.
Florida's Springs are a host of interesting, as well as, a diverse
abundance of wild life above and especially below it's crystal clear
waters. They are often reffered to as "inland reefs" due
to the colorful and abundant amount of fish and other underwater
animals.
Below the surface, many of the spring inhabitants are seasonal visitors.
Traveling from the ocean and up the rivers into the springs, sealife
searches out the warm constant tempratures that the springs provide
in the cold winter months, only to return to sea once the summer
months begin to warm the Gulf of Mexico. I once experienced a large
school of Crevelle Jacks while diving Magnolia Springs (Crystal
River) in fresh water over 30 miles from the ocean! One still had
hook and line in its mouth! |
Photo
shows a typical spring enviroment |
