Wakulla Springs
Wakulla Springs is located 14 miles (23 km) south of Tallahassee, Florida and 5 miles (8.0 km) east of Crawfordville in Wakulla County, Florida at the crossroads of State Road 61 and State Road 267. It is protected in the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park.
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[edit] Description
Wakulla cave is a branching flow-dominated cave that has developed in the Floridan Aquifer under the Woodville Karst Plain of north Florida.[1]
It is classified as a first magnitude spring and is the longest and deepest known submerged freshwater cave system in the world. Wakulla Springs is a major exposure point for the Floridan Aquifer. The spring forms the Wakulla River which flows 9 miles (14 km) to the southeast where it joins the St. Mark's River. After a short 5 miles (8.0 km) the St. Mark's empties into the Gulf of Mexico at Apalachee Bay.
[edit] History and discovery
Scientific interest in the spring began in 1850, when Sarah Smith reported seeing the bones of an ancient mastodon on the bottom. Since that time, scientists have identified the remains of at least nine other extinct mammals that date to the last glacial period, deposited as far as 1,200 feet (360 m) back into a cave. Today, at a depth of about 190 feet (58 m), the fossilized remains of mastodons are in full view along with other fossils.
The Florida Geological Survey (FGS) commissioned their first study in August and September 1930 with geologist Dr. Herman Gunter.[2] Dr. Gunter's work focused on the recovery of fossils found in the spring basin. He utilized Hard Hat diving techniques, a dredge, and "long-handled grappling tongs".[2] A mastodon recovered from their work is now on display at the Museum of Florida History.[2]
The FGS later conducted studies in 1955, 1956, and 1962 under the direction of paleontologist, Mr. Stanley J. Olsen.[2] Olsen's team of six divers from Florida State University recovered fossils from deeper within the cave. This team recovered evidence of early man however the association between the recovered materials could not be demonstrated because no field controls were used.[2][3]
[edit] Prehistoric humans
Upper Paleolithic - Paleo-Indians lived at or near the spring over 12,000 years and were descendants of people who crossed into North America from eastern Asia during the Pleistocene. Clovis spear points have been found at Wakulla Springs.
[edit] Prehistoric animal life
- American Mastodon (Mammut americanum) found at Wakulla.
- Ice Age camel (Camelops hesternus)
- Giant ground sloth (Eremotherium laurillardi)
- Saber-toothed Tiger (Smilodon populator) found at Wakulla.
- Columbian Mammoth (Mammutus columbi)
- Ancient Bison (Bison antiquus)
- Equus (Equus scotti) found near Wakulla.
- Short-faced bear (Arctodus simus)
- Miocene Dugong (Metaxytherium crataegense) found near Wakulla.
- American lion (Panthera leo atrox) found in Florida.
[edit] Animal life today
Found in and around Wakulla Springs are West Indian Manatees, White-tailed deer, North American River Otters, American Alligators, Suwannee River Cooters (Pseudemys suwanniensis), snapping turtles, softshell turtles, Limpkin, Purple Gallinules, herons, egrets, Bald Eagles, Anhingas, Ospreys, Common Moorhens, Wood Ducks, Black Vultures and Turkey Vultures.
[edit] Hydrology
[edit] Underwater cave system
Wakulla cave consists of a dendritic network of conduits of which 12 miles (19 km) have been surveyed and mapped. The conduits are characterized as long tubes with diameter and depth being consistent (300 ft or 90m depth); however, joining tubes can be divided by larger chambers of varying geometries. The largest conduit trends south from the spring/cave entrance for over 3.8 miles (6.1 km). Four secondary conduits, including Leon Sinks intersect the main conduit. Most of these secondary conduits have been fully explored. On December 15, 2007, Woodville Karst Plain Project divers physically connected the Wakulla Springs and Leon Sinks cave systems establishing the Wakulla-Leon Sinks cave system with total explored and surveyed passageway exceeding 28 miles (45 km) in length.[1]
[edit] Specifics on flow rate
Flow rate of the spring is 200-300 million US gallons (1,100,000 m3) of water a day. A record peak flow from the spring on April 11, 1973 was measured at 14,324 US gallons (54,220 L) per second - equal to 1.2 billion US gallons (4,500,000 m3) per day.[4]
[edit] Wakulla Springs in film
Beginning in 1938, several of the early Tarzan films including Tarzan's New York Adventure starring Johnny Weissmuller were filmed on location in Wakulla Springs. Other films such as Creature from the Black Lagoon, Night Moves, Airport '77 and Joe Panther starring Brian Keith and Ricardo Montalbán were also filmed on location at Wakulla Springs.[5]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ a b Kernagis DN, McKinlay C, Kincaid TR (2008). "Dive Logistics of the Turner to Wakulla Cave Traverse". In: Brueggeman P, Pollock NW, eds. Diving for Science 2008. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences 27th Symposium. Dauphin Island, Alabama: AAUS;. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/8011. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
- ^ a b c d e Gerrell, Philip R (1987). "The history and future of archaeological and paleontological work at Wakulla Springs (8WA24)". In: Mitchell, CT (eds.) Diving for Science 86. Proceedings of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences Sixth Annual Scientific Diving Symposium. Held October 31 - November 3, 1986 in Tallahassee, Florida, USA. (American Academy of Underwater Sciences). http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/9072. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
- ^ Olsen, S.J. (1959). The Wakulla Cave. Harper & Row. 369–373.
- ^ University of Wyoming: Wakulla Springs
- ^ Wakulla County.org
[edit] External links
- Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park
- Wakulla Spring: A Giant Among Us Interactive Exploration of Wakulla Spring
- St. Marks River and Wakulla Springs Protection - Florida DEP
- List of First Magnitude Springs (This is an inactive link on 8-15-2011)
- Florida's Indians
- Tallahassee Democrat Online Special: Saving Our Springs
- Friends of Wakulla Springs State Park
Coordinates: 30°14′01″N 84°18′19″W / 30.23361°N 84.30528°W
