Manatee Spring

Description

Manatee Spring is the most powerful spring flowing into the Suwannee River – and there is quite a competition, e.g. Lafayette Blue Spring, Fanning Spring and others.

The spring has formed in Ocala Group Limestone, Eocene. For most of the time, its beautiful spring pool is filled with clear, blue-green water that is discharged from the spring vent in incredible amounts.

The spring pool is 18 by 23 m large and up to 8 m deep. It is located in the forest near the Suwannee River and the spring water flows about 380 m through tidal hardwood forest towards the river. The spring run is about 20 – 40 m wide and, on average, 0.9 m deep.

The mean discharge of Manatee Spring from January 2001 to September 2023 has been 4,262 l/s, thus it is a convincing 1st magnitude spring.

This spring serves as a refuge for manatees, especially during the winter, when the constant spring water temperature (22.1 °C) is higher than the water temperature in the river.

The area around the spring pool has been modified by the infrastructure for visitors – walkways and stairs. This is one of the most frequently visited springs in Florida.

Manatee Spring is one of 30 Outstanding Florida Springs – especially interesting and beautiful springs with a specific set of rules for their protection.

Unfortunately, even if the spring water is clear, the pollution with nitrates from the agricultural runoff gradually increases in its water. This promotes the growth of filamentous algae in the spring pool and spring run.

Manatee Springs Cave System

The spring vent marks the start (or, rather, the end) of the Manatee Springs Cave System, a 7,125 m long and up to 29 m deep cave. This cave is a favourite destination for cave divers who, most often, enter the cave through another sinkhole nearby – Catfish Hotel.

Previously, a dive from Catfish Hotel towards Manatee Spring was popular. Now it is too dangerous due to the occasional extreme force of the current in conjunction with the collapse of the cave ceiling that has partly blocked the passage. This situation has led to the death of some cave divers.

When the nearby Suwannee River is flooded, the water flow can be reversed and the river water then enters inside the Manatee Springs Cave System. This natural process is important for the cave dwellers, such as Hobb’s cave amphipod, the pallid cave crayfish, and the swimming little cave isopod, because the floodwater brings new food for them.

History

Near the spring, there was a prehistoric human settlement by the Weedon Island Culture (1st millennium AD), but people used the spring for hunting long before this.

The spring was named by the explorer William Bartram (1739-1823) – the first researcher of Florida forests. He reached it in 1774 and was astonished by the unusual beauty of its blue-green water. He saw the carcass of a dead manatee at the shore of the spring and hence the spring got its name.

In 1949, Florida State acquired the land and in 1954, Manatee Springs State Park became the very first of the major Florida springs to be managed by the Florida Park Service (3.).

In 1971, the spring was designated a registered National Natural Landmark.

References

1. Manatee Spring NR Chiefland Fla – 02323566, USGS. Accessed on August 27, 2023.
2. Manatee Springs. Suwannee River Water Management District, Water Data Portal. Last accessed on 9th September 2023.
3. Summary of Existing Data –
   Manatee Springs (Levy Co.) (PDF file). Last accessed on 24th September 2023.

Manatee Spring is included in the following article: