Jonathan, Rum Island, Gilchrist Blue, and Naked Springs are within a sub-basin of the Devils Eye Springshed. Springsheds are complex, cavern dominated, and partially interrelated systems that “should be treated as one until additional research can better delineate their boundaries (Upchurch et al. 2011).” The surrounding lands have high recharge capacity meaning everything above ground: fertilizer, herbicide, septic waste, and rain, trickles into our aquifer.
For a more in depth understanding of these dynamic systems, read Florida Springs, Springs 101, Florida Springs Institute, https://floridasprings.org/springs-101/ for more information.
The Devil’s Complex Priority Focus Area (PFA) consists of 125,528 acres. It is IMPAIRED by high Nitrate-N levels which trickle into our aquifer. Our once blue springs are now often greenish. High Nitrate-N levels allow algae to flourish, giving the springs a green tint, and is a health hazard to all life. The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) of Nitrates-N in the Devils Ear Springshed is 2,249,219 lbs/yr consisting of “flows at Devil’s Ear, Gilchrist Blue, Ginnie, Rum Island, and other associated springs in the Devil’s Complex spring system from 2012 through 2022.” (Draft Santa Fe River Basin Management Action Plan, April 2025.)
Aquifer pressure is also reduced by high consumptive use by agriculture, water bottling, and landscaping. The reduced flow is unable to flush the algae out of our springs. The 2022 Revised Minimum Flow Levels (MFL’s) suggest that there has been an 8.1% reduction in flow is considered within ‘an allowable’ range (Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers MFL Status | Suwannee River Water Management District.)
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
- Reduce water usage in home and on landscape
- Minimize fertilizer use: don’t apply during rainy periods.
- Maintain Septic tank: pump out every 10 yrs or upgrade
Additional springs in the Gilchrist Blue sub-basin include:
- Jonathan Spring (Columbia) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Columbia County in the Santa Fe River basin.
- Col101974
- Col101975
- Rum Island Rum Island Spring (Columbia) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Columbia County in the Blue Spring (Gilchrist County) basin.
- Johnson Spring (Gilchrist) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Blue Spring (Gilchrist County) basin.
- Gilchrist Blue Spring (Gilchrist) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Blue Spring (Gilchrist County) basin.
- Naked Spring (Gilchrist) is a 4th or higher magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Blue Spring (Gilchrist County) basin.
- Little Blue Spring (Gilchrist) is a 4th or higher magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Blue Spring (Gilchrist County) basin.
To learn more read:
BLUEPRINT FOR RESTORING SPRINGS ON THE SANTA FE RIVER, Florida Springs Institute, 2021, https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Santa-Fe-River-and-Springs-Restoration-Blueprint-01_27_21.pdf
Draft Santa Fe River Basin Management Action Plan, April 2025, https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/250410_SAFE_BMAPUpdateMeetingMaterials.pdf
Lower Santa Fe and Ichetucknee Rivers MFL Status | Suwannee River Water Management District, SRWMD, 2022, accessed May, 2025, https://www.mysuwanneeriver.com/DocumentCenter/View/18580/LSFI_Status_Assessment-2022-final?bidId=
REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE TRENDS IN FLORIDA’S SPRING AND WELL GROUNDWATER QUALITY (1991-2003), STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION, Rick Copeland, Neal A. Doran, Aaron J. White, and Sam B. Upchurch, 2011 , https://web.archive.org/web/20210526060040id_/http://publicfiles.dep.state.fl.us/FGS/FGS_Publications/B/B69rev_2011.pdf, accessed online May 4, 2025.
RUTH B. KIRBY GILCHRIST BLUE SPRINGS STATE PARK, Suwannee River Planning Region, https://floridadep.gov/sites/default/files/Gilchrist%20Blue%20Chapter%20AG%20Draft.pdf
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