This tiny pocket springs has been called Hog, Jonathan, Bathtub, Sittin’, and Mermaid. It is the first spring within the Gilchrist Blue sub-basin, proceeding Rum Island Spring.
It is a 3rd magnitude spring in Columbia County in the Santa Fe River basin. Two sand boils are located on the pool bottom at a depth of 1.5 ft . The pool has a sand bottom, and the shallow spring run is 10 ft wide and flows 35 ft into the Santa Fe River. The bottom of the run consists of sharp karst.
All springs within the Devil’s Eye Basin are impaired by high Nitrate-N levels measuring a median of 1.85 mg/L when the safe level is .35 mg/L requiring a minimal 73% reduction in Total Maximum Daily Load, TMDL.
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.
HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Maintain Septic tank: pump out every 10 yrs or upgradeTo learn more read the following:
Reduce water usage in home and on landscape
Minimize fertilizer use: don’t apply during rainy periods.
Sources:
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
Springs of Florida (FGS : Bulletin 66), USGS, 2004, https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00094032/00001/images/460
Florida Paddle Notes, James Steele, All Rights Reserved 2018, https://www.floridapaddlenotes.com/
OSFR President Joanne Tremblay
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
