Wakulla Springs
Florida is home to hundreds of natural springs, & the Florida Springs Institute is working to help save one of its biggest - Wakulla Springs
The Springs
Believe it or not, Wakulla Springs is the largest and deepest freshwater spring system in the world. Located 14 miles south of Tallahassee and protected within Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park, the springs are a summer hotspot for swimming, but this invaluable natural water system offers so much more. The springs are a cultural, ecological, and archaeological treasure, and the Florida Springs Institute is dedicated to protecting it.
Fifty-four archeological sites have been identified in the springs area. Archaeological finds at the springs have proven that the area was inhabited by humans approximately 12,000 years ago, and these ancient inhabitants hunted now-extinct megafauna, such as mastodons. The bottom of the spring bowl also contains the bones of giant sloths, giant armadillos, and other ancient creatures. More recently, archaeologists have found artifacts from Seminole, Fort Walton, Weeden Island, and other indigenous occupations.
Wakulla Springs also has a deep cultural significance to Floridians. Several movies have been filmed at the springs, including Creature from the Black Lagoon and many of the early Tarzan films. The state park has a lodge built by Edward Ball, and boat tours are regularly conducted. In short, Wakulla Springs is a treasure, and it is crucial that it be protected.
Wakulla Springs in located in northern Florida, just south of the capital, Tallahassee.
What's Happening to the Water?
"I remember when Wakulla Springs was crystal clear."
Water color test used for the springs. For months now, the water color has stubbornly stayed at the color labelled with 19. Only a few decades ago, it only darkened after periods of rain.
Talk to locals long enough and you'll hear that lament - Wakulla Springs used to be clearer than it is today. The springs have a higher turbidity than they did only a few decades ago, and this is deeply worrying.
Historically, Wakulla Springs was a clear aqua blue except after periods of high rainfall, when it turned brown from tannins flowing into the aquifer. The water cleared when the rains ceased, but in recent years the spring has remained dark much of the time.
Historically, tannin pigments leached from leaves have come primarily from the watersheds of three sinking streams to the north: Black, Fisher, and Jump Creeks. Tannins from Lost Creek are now adding to that inflow more often. Discharges to its sinkhole formerly flowed mostly south to the Spring Creek springs at the coast. Now they flow north to Wakulla Springs during periods of low rainfall. Sea level rise and changes in rainfall patterns have contributed to this situation.
Beyond the water itself, certain species that once flourished in Wakulla Springs, such as the Florida applesnail and the Limpkin bird, have seen their numbers drastically reduced. It is believed that this is a result of water contamination.
Wakulla Springs in relation to its surrounding Basin Management Area
Is it Too Late to Save Wakulla Springs?
Thankfully, concerned citizens, scientists, and local officials are taking steps to ensure that the beauty and ecological importance of Wakulla Springs is not completely destroyed.
The Wakulla Springs Protection Zone is one such attempt at protecting the springs. The land conservation project has acquired over 4,000 acres for protection. However, protecting the land doesn't prevent pollutants from entering the spring system. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has started the Springshed Initiative, which is designed to prevent the amount of pollutants on the land and prevent them from entering the water supply.
Furthermore, good stormwater management practices are crucial for the health of the spring. The City of Tallahassee has gotten creative with its stormwater management practices, creating Cascades Park in 2014. Cascades Park is a popular destination for locals, but it doubles as an important facet of the city's stormwater management resources. During periods of heavy rain, Cascades Park's culvert system, ponds, and natural vegetation provide floodplain storage volume. This prevents excess water from flooding into streets, where it can carry pollutants from the impervious surface, eventually depositing them into the Wakulla Springs system.
Citizen scientists play an important role in the protection of Wakulla Springs and the restoration of its water quality. Groups from all over Florida, including the Florida Springs Institute, conduct citizen scientist initiatives to educate the public and encourage everyday citizens to take a role in the conservation of our invaluable springs.
What We Do
The Florida Springs Institute takes a hands-on approach to measuring the health of Wakulla Springs. A group of dedicated volunteers meet regularly to conduct water quality tests. Here is a brief summary of the tests conducted:
TEMPERATURE:
Due to the subterranean source of emerging groundwater, the temperature of Florida’s springs is typically around 72°F (22°C). Water temperature at river stations fluctuates more rapidly and tracks air temperatures.
pH:
pH is a measure of the balance between hydrogen and hydroxide ions. A pH of 7 standard units (s.u.) indicates neutrality while a lower pH indicates acidity and a pH higher than 7 s.u. indicates basic conditions. Groundwater feeding springs generally have a pH above 7 s.u. because of the influence of dissolving limestone.
DISSOLVED OXYGEN:
Dissolved oxygen (DO) refers to the amount of “free oxygen”, or O2 molecules, dissolved in the water. Adequate concentrations of DO are necessary for rooted aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish to prosper. Spring water typically has lower DO compared to river water due to its underground origin, where groundwater is not in contact with air. Once water emerges at a spring, DO concentrations often increase with distance downstream due to diffusion from the air and as a by-product of photosynthesis by submerged aquatic vegetation.
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE:
Specific conductance is a measure of how easily an electrical current can pass through water. Specific conductance is proportional to the mass of electrically-charged ions dissolved in the water. Since groundwater typically carries dissolved limestone, its specific conductance is higher than what is measured in surface water that originates from rainfall. Specific conductance levels are not only influenced by naturally occurring ions in spring water, but also by pollution (e.g., nitrate-nitrogen and phosphorus) or the presence of sodium and chloride salts from sea water intrusion.
PAR:
Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) measures visible light which is the wavelengths used by plants for photosynthesis. Light attenuation refers to how much of this visible light is absorbed by the water and is unavailable for the submerged vegetation. PAR measurements also allow calculation of light transmittance which is an indicator of water clarity.
NOx:
Nitrate is the most common form of nitrogen in groundwater and is typically reported with nitrite as NOx. Concentrations of NOx have been increasing in Florida’s groundwater and springs due to sources like human/animal waste disposal and urban and agricultural fertilizers and is currently the most prevalent pollutant of concern.
FLOW:
Flow/Discharge refers to the volume of water flowing out of a spring, river, or stream. Spring flow is directly tied to groundwater levels (pressures). Reductions in spring flow negatively impact springs health and wildlife support.
VEGETATION SURVEY:
The cover of floating and submerged aquatic plant communities in springs and spring runs are visually estimated along a transect, providing an indication of plant diversity and biomass. Declines in the cover or diversity of native plants are an indication of springs stress. Many springs have entirely lost their native plant communities, replaced by unpalatable and toxic filamentous algae.
FISH COUNTS:
SI scientists conduct visual fish surveys in Florida’s springs. All fish are identified to species or group and their length is estimated to calculate their total live weight (biomass). Divided by the area counted, fish density and diversity can be compared between different springs. Greater fish biomass and species diversity generally indicates a healthy spring ecosystem.
Florida Springs Institute volunteers conduct water quality tests in the springs.
Volunteers use a secchi disk to test water clarity.
Map courtesy of Florida Springs Institute
How Can I Help?
We ALL have an impact on the Floridan Aquifer. Here are some ways you can help:
AT HOME:
- Reducing your shower by 2 minutes will save 4 gallons of water
- Plant native, drought tolerant plants in your home landscape to save water and eliminate fertilizer use
- Install a rain barrel to capture rainwater for home garden use
IN YOUR COMMUNITY:
- Become a member of a springs focused service organization
- Join your local springs' "Friends of" group
- Find out what your County is doing to reduce fertilizer and groundwater use
- Contact your local officials to talk about springs issues
IN THE VOTING BOOTH:
- Join a springs Advocacy group (like the Florida Springs Council, or Florida Conservation Voters) to stay up-to-date on springs politics and political candidates
- Vote as if your water depended on it!
Learn more at https://bluewateraudit.org/take-action/
About FSI
The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute is a science and education based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was founded in 2010. Located in the "Springs Heartland" of historic downtown High Springs, the mission of the Florida Springs Institute (FSI) is to provide a focal point for the understanding of springs ecology and to foster the development of science-based education and management actions needed to restore and protect springs throughout Florida.
In addition to FSI's comprehensive ecological springs monitoring projects, the Florida Springs Institute's citizen science program, SpringsWatch, monitors the health of 11 different spring systems across the state including Wakulla, Wekiva, Weeki Wachee, Homosassa, Ichetucknee, Santa Fe River, Jackson Blue, West Panhandle Springs, Kings Bay, Silver River and Rainbow River.
FSI's monthly citizen science springs monitoring program ensures that water quality data is continually monitored at these important spring systems. All SpringsWatch data is checked for quality control by FSI environmental scientists, then uploaded to FDEP's publicly available water quality database, the Watershed Information Network (WIN). Springswatch volunteers become intimately involved with the health of their spring system and through this knowledge become ambassadors for the health of Florida's springs.
Learn more at https://floridaspringsinstitute.org/springswatch/
