The Three Rivers Springshed

The last leg of the Santa Fe begins at the confluence of the Ichetucknee and ends in the Suwannee River. The aerial image shows an increase in agricultural activities in this area.

Some of the springs below the Ichetucknee confluence are spring runs that pass through private property, many are mid-river boils. Though none are as pristine as the springs upriver, this stretch is busy with wildlife.

Florida Springs Institute ‘s Interactive Florida Springs Map allows the user to select a spring from the map to see an image of the spring with detailed information. The Interactive Map is a composite of decades of research by the Florida Geological Survey originally published in 1947and updated in 1977. “In recent decades, much has been learned about additional spring resources unreported in earlier compilations. In addition, a great deal of water chemistry information has been gathered to enable long-term trend analysis and interpretative dynamics of our subsurface aquifer flow regimes.” Springs of Florida.

The springs in the Three Rivers section include the following:

• At the confluence of the Ichetucknee and the Santa Fe, there is Suw917971 (Suwannee) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Suwannee County in the Ichetucknee River basin. 
• Gil99972 (Gilchrist) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Santa Fe River basin. 
• Troop Spring (Gilchrist) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Santa Fe River basin. 
• Suw917972 (Suwannee) is a 4th or higher magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Santa Fe River basin.
• Campground Spring (Gilchrist) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Trail Springs basin. 
• Gil107972 (Gilchrist) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Trail Springs basin. 
• Trail Spring (Gilchrist) is a 3rd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Trail Springs basin. 
• Suw107971 (Suwannee) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Suwannee County in the Santa Fe River basin. 
• Gil107971 (Gilchrist) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Santa Fe River basin. 
• Gil729971 (Gilchrist) is a 2nd magnitude spring in Gilchrist County in the Santa Fe River basin. 

For a Deeper Dive, read

Springs Fever:  A Field and Recreation Guide to Florida Springs,  Follman, J., and Buchanan, R. (n.d.). 2025 from http://thespringsfever.com/xxSantaFeChapter.html

Springs of Florida (FGS : Bulletin 66), USGS, 2004, https://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00094032/00001/images/493.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~