Bivens Arm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bivens Arm |
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 Bivens Arm
Location in Florida
Bivens Arm
Location in the United States
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| Location | Gainesville, Florida |
| Coordinates | 29°37′28″N 82°20′41″W / 29.62450°N 82.34459°W |
| Basin countries | United States |
Bivens Arm is a body of water located in Gainesville, Florida. It's found west of U.S. Route 441 and south of Archer Road. This small, shallow lake is part of the amazing Paynes Prairie.
Even though it's in a city, Bivens Arm is a special place. It covers about 189 acres and is home to many different plants and animals. Water flows into Bivens Arm mainly from Tumblin Creek, which gets its water from small springs. When the lake gets too full, its water spills over into Paynes Prairie. From there, it eventually goes into the underground water system, called an aquifer, through a natural opening called Alachua Sink.
History of Bivens Arm
The early history of Bivens Arm isn't fully known because it's a smaller lake. However, we do know some interesting facts about the area around it.
Early Uses of the Land
The first known use of the land around Bivens Arm was by Native Americans. They used it as a place to hunt for food. Later, starting in the late 1800s, the land was mostly used for farming. People raised cattle and pigs, grew vegetables, and even had orange groves.
Becoming a Sanctuary
In the 1930s, Bivens Arm became a special place for birds. It was named a bird sanctuary and a rookery, which is a place where birds gather to breed. There was even a park ranger who lived there to take care of the birds and the sanctuary.
In 1965, the state of Florida officially made the lake area a wildlife sanctuary. This meant it was protected by law.
Bivens Arm Nature Park
In 1981, the City of Gainesville bought the land between the lake and Williston Road. This land became the Bivens Arm Nature Park. This park is a beautiful place with many large Live Oak trees. It also has marshlands, which are wet areas that sometimes get covered by water when the lake levels rise.
