Florida Trend editor to talk about Florida's vanishing water

Published 9/29/07
Cynthia Barnett, author of Mirage: Florida and the Vanishing Water of the Eastern U.S., will talk about Florida's water during an appearance at Stetson University's Rinker Auditorium 7-9 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4.

Proposals to tap the St. Johns River for drinking water will be covered in her talk, along with "the promise and the peril of desalinization."

Floridians still believe there's plenty of water available for tapping in Florida, Barnett said, and there is not.
Source

Sturgeon encounter proves fatal

Published September 29, 2007
The body of a 22-year-old Chiefland man was recovered from the Suwannee River on Tuesday at about 5 p.m. after a boating accident late Monday afternoon, according to Lt. Evan Sullivan, Levy County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

Sturgeon can be as long as eight feet and weigh in excess of 200 pounds, Parker said. From the description of the event, she said, it sounded typical of an encounter with a sturgeon. These fish jump up in the Suwannee River and have knocked people out of boats. The fish have broken the bones of people and cut them.
Source

Interdenominational baptism linked to environment

Published September 28, 2007 Tallahassee Democrat
Mark Wheeler says he has difficulty separating his faith from his environmental concerns when it involves the water flowing from Wakulla Springs.

Wheeler, a family physician in Tallahassee, is organizing an interdenominational baptism and covered dish supper Oct. 7 at Wakulla Springs State Park.
Source

D.I.P. In the Park

Date: Saturday, October 6 2007 - Tours beginning at 8, 9, 10, and 11AM
Description: Take this opportunity to get a look at one of Pasco's few remaining salt marsh habitats and coastal marshlands in a quiet, back to nature environment. Interested parties are invited to bring their canoe or kayak and take a 1 hour guided tour through the bayous, over the salt springs itself and through the marshes of the park. Points of interest will be native vegetation, park geology, fish, birds and animals. Groups will be no larger than 10 - 12 watercraft per tour. Sponsored by Salt Springs Alliance Citizens Support Group.
Fees: $5.00 per craft
Contact: For more information call 727.816.1890
Source
Florida Online Park Guide

Public Invited to October 11 Meeting of Blue Springs Group

The public is invited to attend a meeting of the Jackson Blue Spring Basin Working Group, Thursday, October 11, in the Public Service Building Lecture Hall at Chipola College.

Presentations begin at 9 a.m. and will run until 2 p.m. with a lunch break.
Source

Econfina Creek Springs

Pitt Spring (Bay County, FL)
Inside Pitt Spring Recreation Area
Contact: 850-539-5999
Cost: Free
Directions: Just off State Road 20 about seven miles west of where 20 intersects with U.S. 231 north of Panama City. Turn into Pitt Spring Recreation Area immediately past the bridge.

Currently no swimming is allowed

Pictures taken 10/5/2007




More Photos


More Info:
Florida Springs Bulletin #66 (PDF)
Florida Springs Database
Springs Fever...

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Sylvan Springs No. 1 (Bay County, FL)
Inside Pitt Spring Recreation Area
Contact: 850-539-5999
Cost: Free
Directions: Just off State Road 20 about seven miles west of where 20 intersects with U.S. 231 north of Panama City. Turn into Pitt Spring Recreation Area immediately past the bridge.

Take Nature Trail to Spring.



More Photos



More Info:
Florida Springs Bulletin #66 (PDF)
Florida Springs Database
Springs Fever...

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Williford Spring (Washington County, FL)
Pictures taken 6/6/2008

More Photos

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Outfitter
Econfina Creek Canoe Livery
(850) 722-9032
5641 Porter Pond Rd # A
Youngstown, FL 32466
They rent kayaks and canoes.

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Click image to enlarge


A total of 11 springs or spring groups, comprised of more than 36 vents, were identified in the Econfina Creek basin. These springs were concentrated in the area 0.75 miles north of Walsingham Bridge to 0.5 miles south of Highway 20 (Figure 7). Some areas that were historically listed as “potential” springs (Follman, www.tfn.net/springs) were investigated and found to be simply turbulent upwelling of surface water caused by the creek channel geometry. Some springs, such as Deep Spring in Bay County were determined to be Surficial Aquifer discharge points instead of Floridan Aquifer springs and were not included in the inventory.

Source: Econfina Creek Spring Inventory - Washington and Bay Counties, FL
See document for GPS coordinates and descriptions of Springs.
Source (PDF)

Click image to enlarge


Source: Econfina Creek Canoe Trail Brochure
Source (PDF)

More Info:
Econfina Creek-Panama City Trip Report
Springs Fever...
The Big Picture - Econfina Creek (PDF)

Officials silent on desal proposal

Published Sep 24, 2007
A Progress Energy Florida official said Monday the company won’t comment on whether it might be willing to co-locate a future seawater desalination plant at the Crystal River Energy Complex until it hears from the water supply authority making the proposal.

The proposal for desalination is contained in the Withlacoochee Master Regional Water Supply Planning and Implementation Program. A draft of the long-range water supply planning document was presented at a meeting of the water supply authority Sept. 19. Water transfers were the main topic at the meeting.
Source

Law lets thirsty areas look far

Published September 25, 2007
Lawyers and water officials say growth in Central Florida may tap the Withlacoochee.

The Withlacoochee water supply authority's long-range plan, funded by Swiftmud, identified several sources for the Villages, including Lake Rousseau, which could yield more than 87-million gallons per day and the Withlacoochee River, which could provide as much as 52-million gallons.
Source

Democrat's springs stories win award

Published September 25, 2007
The 1000 Friends of Florida growth management group is recognizing the Tallahassee Democrat for its "Saving Our Springs" stories in 2006
Source

Aquifer's advocate

Published September 23, 2007
Skiles has lugged a movie camera deep into Peacock Springs State Park, 252 acres of wilderness near Tallahassee, to make a five-minute documentary about waters such as this. It is a spring, once crystal-clear and fast-running, now matted and nearly still.

The documentary will be used by the officials of the Suwannee River Water Management District in a campaign to protect the region's springs, weakened by a lengthy drought, threatened by pollution and increased water usage.

"I'll speak out for the aquifer for the rest of my life," Skiles said. "It's my passion. But I guess I could have made a better choice. I picked the deathly hollows of narrow underwater spaces where my friends go to die.

Article includes links to:
Cave diver and Conservationist, Wes Skiles is concerned about Florida's springs Video

Slideshow: Wes Skiles, the dean of Florida cave divers
Source

Marion Springs Festival is watershed event

Published Sep. 23, 2007
The dinner was held at the Silver Springs attraction and included local elected officials, business people and supporters of both Rainbow and Silver springs. The Marion County Springs Festival was held Saturday at the Rainbow Springs State Park.

The Rainbow Springs is a first-magnitude artesian spring and pumps 490 million gallons of water daily into the Rainbow River, which empties into the Withlacoochee River.

Silver Springs is one of the largest springs in the world, producing about 550 million gallons of water a day, forming the headwaters of the Silver River, which empties into the Ocklawaha River.
Source

Orange City: Second Annual Paddle Battle

Saturday, September 29th, 2007
3 ½ mile kayak and canoe race on the St. Johns River from Blue Spring State Park to Hontoon Island State Park. In conjunction with National Public Lands Day. Admission: $15.00 registration fee. Blue Spring State Park, 2100 W. French Ave.
Hours: 8:00am-noon. Contact: 386-775-3663
Source

It's time for the springs law

Published Sep. 22, 2007 (Opinion)
The state of our springs is not good, despite initial appearances. Unchecked pollution from various sources over the past few decades has caused their quality and clarity to deteriorate, and will continue to do so unless our elected leaders take a proactive approach to protecting them.

Next month, after almost three years of discussion and rewriting, the County Commission will be positioned to do just that, holding public hearings to adopt the springs protection ordinance.

Commissioners, barring any changes, will establish primary and secondary springs protection zones around the springsheds of Rainbow and Silver springs.
Source

Outdoor baptism event in 2 weeks

Published 9/20/07
The Second Annual Baptism Sunday at Ichetucknee Springs will bring eight different churches and hundreds of people from many different denominations and locations. The gathering will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 30.

Baptism Sunday was created for two reasons, according to Wheeler. It brings different churches and denominations together, much like the different aquifers that flow into the spring. It also raises awareness for protection of the springs.
Source

Falmouth Spring (Suwannee County)

Listed as a First Magnitude Spring but technically this is considered a Karst Window
Cost: Free
Directions:
From I-10 take exit 275 heading West on Hwy 90. Go aprox 3.1 miles and look for the sign that says "Falmouth Springs" park entrance is off of Hwy 90.

Swimming not recommended, at least not when it's this low.







More Photos


More Info:
Florida Springs Database
Florida Springs Bulletin #66 (PDF)
Springs Fever...
Suwannee Water Management District

State on brink of losing its treasures

Published September 21, 2007 (Editorial)
In the several years that I have been here (traveling, swimming, kayaking back waterways), I have been astonished at both the natural beauty in the state and the dire lack of oversight, enforcement and adequate protective legislation.

Go to famous Silver Springs and you won't see a fraction of the fish you once did. The same now faces such treasures as Juniper Spring, Salt Spring, Alexander Spring, Blue Spring, Lake George, and many other systems.
Source

$16 million allocated for Florida trails

Published 9/20/07
Gov. Charlie Crist and the Florida Cabinet gave a long-awaited gift Wednesday to outdoor enthusiasts in Central Florida, agreeing to buy 51 miles of railroad corridor for an ambitious trail project that will one day connect Enterprise with Edgewater and Titusville.

After several years, county officials are still working on right of way for the Spring to Spring Trail that will connect Gemini Springs Park and DeLeon Springs State Park. A section of about 5.4 miles of the proposed 24-mile Spring to Spring Trail has been built. Another 3.4 miles are under construction.
Source

Vendors sought for High Springs Fall Festival, set for Oct. 13

Published 9/20/07
High Springs Fall Festival organizers are seeking applications from vendors interested in participating in the fouth annual festival, which is scheduled for Oct. 13.

Attractions at the event include kids activities, food and drink, arts and crafts and live entertainment. Each year, the event draws visitors from throughout the North Central Florida area.

Application fees range from $75 to $125, depending on the type of vendor. For more information and application forms, visit: http://www.highsprings.com
Source

Ocala Water Wars Summit

...the Smart Growth Coalition of North Central Florida (SGC)-- in Conjunction with the Putnam County Environmental Council (PCEC)-- is sponsoring a ”Ocala Water Wars Summit” on Sunday, October 7, from 2:00 to 4:00 at the Marion County Commission Auditorium, McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala.

Event planners fear environmental damage will occur if SJRWMD’s 126 mile, $500 million pipeline is built. They also point out that losing the Ocklawaha River to Central Florida deprives residents of Marion, Putnam and other counties of a possible local water supply for their own future needs.
Source: e-mail sent to me.

Rivers to quench a thirsty south?

Published September 18, 2007
A plan to pipe water from the Ocklawaha and St. Johns rivers and other water bodies to Central Florida communities is moving forward. The project could cost as much as $1.2 billion and pipe up to 262 million gallons a day to three dozen utilities including those serving Leesburg, Orlando and The Villages.

Most U.S. communities divert water bodies to provide water for drinking, irrigating crops and supplying businesses. But the plan represents a significant shift for Florida, which has until now relied mainly on groundwater to supply the public.
Source

Underwater Link between Wakulla Springs and Leon Sinks will be Discussed

Published 9/19/07
After 17 years of exploring, divers with the Woodville Karst Plain Project finally discovered the missing link between Wakulla Springs and Leon Sinks on July 28. The Wakulla Watershed Coalition is inviting the public on Tuesday, Oct. 2 to meet Casey McKinley to see the video of these underwater adventures, and to talk with Todd Kincaid and Hal Davis about the maze beneath our feet that makes up the conduits for our vital drinking water supply.

The dialog is sponsored by the Wakulla Watershed Coalition, an organization of groups such as Concerned Citizens of Wakulla, Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park, and the Sierra Club. For more information contact the coalition at 850/273-0278, wakullawatershed.com.
Source

The 2007 Springs Conference has been canceled.

Please contact Connie Bersok at 850-245-8479
or at connie.bersok@dep.state.fl.us with any questions.
Source

Shepherd Spring (Wakulla County)

Contact: (850) 925-6121

A very long hike, but a beautiful spring to see. An 8-10 foot alligator was spotted in the spring, swimming is not recommended.

Part of the Florida Trail

Inside the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge



More Photos


More Info:
Florida Springs Database
Florida Springs Bulletin (PDF)
Springs Fever...
Trail Map - Wakulla Unit

Santa Fe Springs Working Group

On September 19, 2007 at the Poe Springs Lodge from 1 PM – 4:30 PM

28800 NW 182nd Avenue, High Springs
Phone at the entry gate: 386-454-1992
Agenda and Directions

Springs fest combines education, recreation

Published Sep. 16, 2007
The sixth annual Marion County Springs Festival will be at Rainbow Springs State Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, giving area residents a chance to learn about water resources while enjoying a family day at the park.

"Basically, we're educating the public about the Floridan aquifer and how it works and what we can do to preserve it as best we can," said Criss Specht, event coordinator.
Source

More Info:
Marion County Springs Festival

10 things to do this weekend - Antique Car Expo

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park and the Friends of Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park will host the Antique Car Expo from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at the park in Homosassa Springs. 352-628-5343.
Source

Even with rain, drought deepens

Published 9/14/2007
Drought conditions extend through most of Florida, according to federal measurements, which rate the southwest portion of the state as "severe." Lake Okeechobee hit a record low of 8.82 feet in July and is not much deeper now.

Aquifers that feed wells in Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties are four feet lower than they were at this time last year, a nearly unprecedented level.
Source

Free guided hikes planned this month

Published Sep. 14, 2007
The 6th annual Marion County Springs Festival will be held later this month. Two free guided backcountry hikes are being offered.

One will be a 6.9-mile hike at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 23 from the Santos Trailhead to the land bridge, and the other will be a Yearling Trail "moonlight walk" of 2.5 miles starting from Pat's Island Florida National Scenic Trailhead at 5:30 p.m.
Source

Forced to follow the law - finally

Published Sep. 13, 2007 Opinion
...no one really knows for sure how much water can be taken from the Ocklawaha before permanently harming the river and its fragile watershed, which incudes Silver Springs.

That question can only be answered by establishing the river's "minimum flows and levels," or MFLs. MFLs require complex scientific analysis to determine just how low the river can be drawn down before environmental havoc occurs. After all, a river's or lake's watershed is home to untold varieties of plants, animals and geological formations, all dependent on a certain level of water flow to remain healthy and vibrant. St. Johns says it is preparing to measure the Ocklawaha's MFLs, presumably between 2008 and 2010, but that is only because it is being, at long last, forced to do so due to the pump-and-pipe proposal.

...Establishing MFLs for Florida's aquifers, rivers and lakes was a well-known part of the Florida Water Resources Act of 1972, the legislation that formed the state's five water management districts and most of the law regulating water disbursement today.
Source

Fort White Middle School students use springs, forest as a classroom

Published 9/13/07
Teachers at Fort White Middle School have teamed up with Ichetucknee Springs State Park to introduce students to the natural wonders that flow, chirp and grow just miles from where they sleep at night.

He and other teachers at the school believe the project, named PARKnership, will open the eyes, minds and hearts of Fort White youngsters to the importance of the environmental rarities that have all but defined their area for centuries.
Source

Water Wars, Part II: Pipeline would take water from river for towns

Published 9/13/07
A proposed pipeline to pump 100 million gallons of water a day from the Ocklawaha River in Marion County to the Orlando area should be a concern for everyone in North Central Florida, according to a local environmental group.

That's because the half-a-billion dollar, 100-mile pipeline could set a precedent for moving water across county and even water management district lines, according to the environmental group Save Our Suwannee.

Part of Florida’s law, commonly referred to as “Local Sources First,” says that water can be transferred across water district boundaries only on the conditions that the transfer does not diminish the availability of water for the present and future needs of the sending area and also that the receiving area must have exhausted all reasonable local sources and options.
Source

Wakulla Springs Cave Systems Dialogue to be Held

"The Missing Link." October 2, 2007 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
Published 9/12/07

The dialog will feature: Casey McKinley (with video), cave dive leading explorator; Dr. Todd Kincaid, hydrology trace studies; Hal Davis, USGS, hydrogeologist; and Jim Stevenson, Florida Springs Initiative. The dialog will be moderated by David Murrell, president of the Wakulla Watershed Coalition.

Location: Wakulla County Public Library, Medart (U.S. 319, south of Crawfordville).
Phone: 850-926-7415

Woodville Karst Plain divers explored the cave systems leading to Wakulla Springs for 17 years. In July of this year those explorations were successful in discovering the missing underground link between some Wakulla County caves and the Leon Sinks geological feature northeast of the Wakulla Spring.

The Wakulla Watershed Coalition is planning a public dialog about what should be done to further protect this important spring.
Source

Newport Spring (Wakulla County)

Some local residents I talked to referred to this spring as Sulphur Spring (for good reason, there was a very strong sulphur smell)








More Photos


More Info:
Florida Springs Database
Florida Geological Survey - Bulletin #66 (PDF)
Springs Fever...

Cherokee Sink (Wakulla County)

(Part of Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park)




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Directions (Map - PDF)

Rhodes Springs (Leon County)

Corner of Old Plank Rd and Natural Bridge Rd.
Inside of the Tallahassee Ranch Club at the Rhodes Spring Recreation Area
(Boardwalk leads down to the Rhodes Spring)

(Thanks go out to the staff member at the welcome center for allowing me permission to take these pictures)

According to the Florida Geological Survey Bulletin #66 on pg 205 Rhodes Springs are each considered to be a karst window "meaning a depression opening that reveals portions of a subterranean flow, or the unroofed portion of a cave (a vertical window)" Thus Rhodes is not technically a spring.