List of major springs in Florida facts for kids

Alexander Spring in Lake County

Florida is a special place with over 700 freshwater springs. Geologists believe this is the largest collection of springs on Earth! A spring is a natural spot where water flows up from underground to the surface. This underground water comes from an aquifer, which is like a giant sponge of rock and sand holding water. You can find springs in 21 of Florida's state parks.

Long ago, in the 1800s, people loved the clear water of these springs. Many towns in Florida even have "Spring" in their names, like Green Cove Springs. Some spring names, like Blue Spring, were so popular that counties had to add their names to tell them apart!

Scientists have been studying Florida's springs for a long time. The first big study was in 1947. Later, in 2004, a report found 720 springs. These springs are ranked by how much water flows out of them. A "first magnitude" spring has a huge amount of water flowing out, more than 64.6 million gallons each day!

Springs also have different types:

• A river rise (RR) is where a river that flowed underground comes back to the surface.
• A single spring (SS) has one main underground source.
• A group spring (GS) has many underground sources that come together.
• A sink (SK) is a hole in the ground where water might flow in or out.

Sadly, the amount of water flowing from many springs has gone down since the 1990s. This is because of dry weather and more water being pumped from the Floridan aquifer for people to use. Some springs, like White Springs, where tourists used to visit, have even stopped flowing completely.

Exploring Florida's Springs

Many springs are open for people to visit and enjoy. Some are in state parks, while others are on private land. Even if land around a spring is private, if the spring connects to a navigable waterway (a river or stream that boats can use), the public might still have access to the water itself.

Understanding the Spring Data Table

The table below shares details about many of Florida's amazing springs. Here's what the different columns mean:

• Mag: This is the "magnitude" or how much water flows out of the spring each day.
• Type: This tells you what kind of spring it is (RR, SS, GS, or SK).
• Daily flow in millions: This is the amount of water flowing out every day, measured in millions of gallons.
• Temp: This is the water temperature in degrees Fahrenheit or Celsius.
• Own: This shows who owns the land around the spring: S (State), F (Federal), P (Private), or C (County).
• You can click the arrows in the table headers to sort the list by that column!

Key to the Table Symbols

Key Spring is located within a Florida State Park Spring is located within the Ocala National Forest Limited access: you might need permission or access from the water § Volume is for a group of springs, not just one. Scuba diving is allowed here.

Daily magnitude 1st More than 64.6 million gallons (100 ft³/s) 2nd More than 6.46 million gallons (10 ft³/s) 3rd More than 646,000 gallons (1 ft³/s) 4th More than 144,000 gallons (100 gal/min) Zero No water flow

Mag	Spring name	Outflow body	Type	County	Daily flow in millions	Temp	Own	Photo
1st	Alapaha Rise	Alapaha River	RR	Hamilton	383.9 US gallons (1,453 L)	70.3 °F (21.3 °C)	P
1st	Alexander	St. Johns River	SS	Lake	60.9 US gallons (231 L)	74.5 °F (23.6 °C)	F
2nd	Apopka	Lake Apopka	SS	Lake	16.0 US gallons (61 L)	75.5 °F (24.2 °C)	P
2nd	Aucilla (Wacissa)	Wacissa River	GS	Jefferson	189.4 US gallons (717 L) §	68.9 °F (20.5 °C)	P
2nd	Baltzell	Chipola River	GS	Jackson	31.5 US gallons (119 L)	67.7 °F (19.8 °C)	S/C
2nd	Beecher	St. Johns River	SS	Putnam	5.8 US gallons (22 L)	73.1 °F (22.8 °C)	S
1st	Big Blue (Wacissa)	Wacissa River	GS	Jefferson	189.4 US gallons (717 L) §	68.9 °F (20.5 °C)	P
1st	Blue	St. Johns River	SS	Volusia	102.0 US gallons (386 L)	73.0 °F (22.8 °C)	S
3rd	Blue (Levy County)	Waccasassa River	SS	Levy	4.42 US gallons (16.7 L)	70.9 °F (21.6 °C)	C
1st	Blue Grotto (Silver)	Silver River	GS	Marion	359.3 US gallons (1,360 L) §	74.3 °F (23.5 °C)	P
2nd	Blue Hole (Florida Caverns State Park)	Chipola River	SS	Jackson	12.71 US gallons (48.1 L)	67.80 °F (19.89 °C)	S
1st	Blue Hole (Ichetucknee)	Ichetucknee River	GS	Columbia	130.2 US gallons (493 L) §	71.4 °F (21.9 °C)	S
4th	Boulware	Sweetwater Branch Creek	SS	Alachua	0.2 US gallons (0.76 L)	72.0 °F (22.2 °C)	C
2nd	Branford	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	4.3 US gallons (16 L)	69.5 °F (20.8 °C)	C
2nd	Buckhorn Main	Alafia River	GS	Hillsborough	9.7 US gallons (37 L)	76.5 °F (24.7 °C)	P
2nd	Bugg	Lake Denham	SS	Lake	5.5 US gallons (21 L)	74.2 °F (23.4 °C)	P
1st	Cedar Head (Ichetucknee)	Ichetucknee River	GS	Columbia	130.2 US gallons (493 L) §	71.4 °F (21.9 °C)	S
1st	Chassahowitzka	Chassahowitzka River	GS	Citrus	34.3 US gallons (130 L)	73.4 °F (23.0 °C)	S
2nd	Citrus Blue	Withlacoochee River	SS	Citrus	10.5 US gallons (40 L)	72.8 °F (22.7 °C)	P
2nd	Columbia	Santa Fe River	SS	Columbia	25.5 US gallons (97 L)	72.3 °F (22.4 °C)	P
2nd	Copper	Suwannee River	GS	Dixie	8.8 US gallons (33 L)	71.1 °F (21.7 °C)	P
NA	Cow	Suwannee River	SK	Lafayette	NA	71.8 °F (22.1 °C)	P
2nd	Crystal Springs	Hillsborough River	SS	Pasco	30.0 US gallons (114 L)	72 °F (22 °C)	P
1st	Cypress	Holmes Creek Choctawhatchee River	SS	Washington	65.3 US gallons (247 L)	67.7 °F (19.8 °C)	P
2nd	De Leon	Spring Garden Creek St. Johns River	SS	Volusia	17.6 US gallons (67 L)	73.3 °F (22.9 °C)	S
NA	Devil's Den	None	SK	Levy	NA	72.0 °F (22.2 °C)	P
2nd	Devil's Ear/Eye/Little	Santa Fe River	GS	Gilchrist	17.8 US gallons (67 L)	72.6 °F (22.6 °C)	P
1st	Emerald (Gainer #2)	Econfina Creek	GS	Bay	124.6 US gallons (472 L) §	70.5 °F (21.4 °C)	P
2nd	Ellaville	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	26.3 US gallons (100 L)	73.2 °F (22.9 °C)	P
1st	Falmouth	Karst fenster	SS	Suwannee	102.8 US gallons (389 L)	69.3 °F (20.7 °C)	S
1st	Fanning	Suwannee River	SS	Levy	33.3 US gallons (126 L)	72.9 °F (22.7 °C)	P
2nd	Fenney	Shady Brook Lake Panasoffkee	SS	Sumter	9.0 US gallons (34 L)	73.6 °F (23.1 °C)	P
2nd	Fern Hammock	Juniper Creek Lake George	GS	Marion	6.9 US gallons (26 L)	71.7 °F (22.1 °C)	F
1st	Gainer #3	Econfina Creek	GS	Bay	124.6 US gallons (472 L) §	70.9 °F (21.6 °C)	P/S
4th	Gator	Hammock Creek	SS	Hernando	0.2 US gallons (0.76 L)	65.5 °F (18.6 °C)	P
2nd	Gilchrist Blue	Santa Fe River	GS	Gilchrist	6.9 US gallons (26 L)	72.8 °F (22.7 °C)	P
2nd	Gemini Springs	Lake Monroe	GS	Volusia	6.5 US gallons (25 L)	72 °F (22 °C)	C
2nd	Ginnie	Santa Fe River	GS	Gilchrist	37.6 US gallons (142 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	P
4th	Glen	Hogtown Creek	SS	Alachua	0.1 US gallons (0.38 L)	71.8 °F (22.1 °C)	P
3rd	Green Cove	St. Johns River	SS	Clay	1.8 US gallons (6.8 L)	75.9 °F (24.4 °C)	C
3rd	Green Springs	Lake Monroe	SS	Volusia	5.98 US gallons (22.6 L)	72 °F (22 °C)	C
2nd	Guaranto	Suwannee River	SS	Dixie	6.0 US gallons (23 L)	73.0 °F (22.8 °C)	C
2nd	Hardee	Withlacoochee River	SS	Hamilton	17.5 US gallons (66 L)	76.6 °F (24.8 °C)	S
2nd	Hart	Suwannee River	GS	Gilchrist	26.7 US gallons (101 L)	71.9 °F (22.2 °C)	C
2nd	Hernando Salt	Mud River	SS	Hernando	21.3 US gallons (81 L)	74.9 °F (23.8 °C)	P
1st	Holton Creek Rise	Suwannee River	RR	Hamilton	157 US gallons (590 L)	71.8 °F (22.1 °C)	S
1st	Homosassa	Homosassa River	GS	Citrus	56.2 US gallons (213 L)	74.3 °F (23.5 °C)	S
2nd	Hornsby	Santa Fe River	SS	Alachua	32.9 US gallons (125 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	P
2nd	Hunter (Kings Bay)	Crystal River	GS	Citrus	630.2 US gallons (2,386 L) §	73.4 °F (23.0 °C)	C/P
1st	Ichetucknee	Ichetucknee River	GS	Columbia	130.2 US gallons (493 L) §	71.5 °F (21.9 °C)	S
1st	Jackson Blue	Merritt's Millpond Chipola River	GS	Jackson	41.1 US gallons (156 L)	69.7 °F (20.9 °C)	S/C
2nd	Juniper	Juniper Creek Lake George	GS	Marion	5.3 US gallons (20 L)	71.6 °F (22.0 °C)	F
1st	Kings Bay	Crystal River	GS	Citrus	630.2 US gallons (2,386 L) §	73.2 °F (22.9 °C)	S/P
1st	Kini/Upper River Sink	Karst fenster	SK	Wakulla	113.8 US gallons (431 L)	69.8 °F (21.0 °C)	P
Zero	Kissingen	Peace River	GS	Polk	0.0 US gallons (0 L)	72.0 °F (22.2 °C)	P
1st	Lafayette Blue	Suwannee River	SS	Lafayette	29.7 US gallons (112 L)	71.1 °F (21.7 °C)	S
4th	Levy Blue	Waccasassa River	SS	Levy	1.1 US gallons (4.2 L)	69.8 °F (21.0 °C)	C
1st	Lime Sink Run	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	111.8 US gallons (423 L)	72.2 °F (22.3 °C)	S
2nd	Lithia Major, Minor	Alafia River	GS	Hillsborough	19.7 US gallons (75 L)	77.2 °F (25.1 °C)	C
3rd	Little	Weeki Wachee River	SS	Hernando	3.4 US gallons (13 L)	74.6 °F (23.7 °C)	P
2nd	Little River	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	54.9 US gallons (208 L)	72.1 °F (22.3 °C)	S
1st	Madison Blue	Withlacoochee River	SS	Madison	46.1 US gallons (175 L)	70.3 °F (21.3 °C)	S/C
4th	Magnolia	Hammock Creek	SS	Hernando	0.3 US gallons (1.1 L)	74.3 °F (23.5 °C)	P
2nd	Manatee	Suwannee River	SS	Levy	99.5 US gallons (377 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	S
1st	McCormick (Gainer #1)	Econfina Creek	GS	Bay	124.6 US gallons (472 L) §	70.8 °F (21.6 °C)	P
1st	Morrison	Choctawhatchee River	SS	Walton	40.6 US gallons (154 L)	67.8 °F (19.9 °C)	S/C
1st	Natural Bridge	Karst fenster St. Marks River	SS	Leon	98.2 US gallons (372 L)	68.1 °F (20.1 °C)	P
1st	Nutall Rise	Aucilla River	RR	Jefferson	232.7 US gallons (881 L)	70.3 °F (21.3 °C)	P
3rd	Orange	Orange Creek Oklawaha River	GS	Marion	1.9 US gallons (7.2 L)	74.0 °F (23.3 °C)	P
2nd	Otter	Suwannee River	SS	Gilchrist	3.1 US gallons (12 L)	72.7 °F (22.6 °C)	P
NA	Paradise	None	SK	Marion	NA	73.0 °F (22.8 °C)	P
3rd	Peacock	Suwannee River	GS	Suwannee	5.7 US gallons (22 L)	69.5 °F (20.8 °C)	S
2nd	Pitt	Econfina Creek	GS	Walton	3.6 US gallons (14 L)	71.6 °F (22.0 °C)	C
2nd	Poe	Santa Fe River	SS	Alachua	3.9 US gallons (15 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	C
2nd	Ponce de Leon	Sandy Creek Choctawhatchee River	GS	Holmes	5.7 US gallons (22 L)	67.8 °F (19.9 °C)	S
1st	Rainbow	Rainbow River Withlacoochee River	GS	Marion	409.8 US gallons (1,551 L)	74.1 °F (23.4 °C)	S/P
1st	Roaring (Ichetucknee)	Ichetucknee River	GS	Columbia	130.2 US gallons (493 L) §	70.0 °F (21.1 °C)	S
2nd	Rock	Rock Springs Run Wekiva River	SS	Orange	30.0 US gallons (114 L)	74.9 °F (23.8 °C)	C
2nd	Rock Bluff	Suwannee River	GS	Gilchrist	17.9 US gallons (68 L)	71.6 °F (22.0 °C)	P
Zero	Rossetter	Withlacoochee River	SS	Hamilton	0.0 US gallons (0 L)	76.6 °F (24.8 °C)	S
3rd	Royal	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	1.6 US gallons (6.1 L)	72.7 °F (22.6 °C)	C
2nd	Running East, West	Suwannee River	GS	Lafayette Suwannee	18.2 US gallons (69 L)	71.8 °F (22.1 °C)	P
2nd	Salt (Marion)	Lake George	SS	Marion	49.4 US gallons (187 L)	74.5 °F (23.6 °C)	F
2nd	Sanlando	Wekiva River	SS	Seminole	8.5 US gallons (32 L)	76.4 °F (24.7 °C)	P
2nd	Santa Fe	Santa Fe River	SS	Columbia	81.4 US gallons (308 L)	73.0 °F (22.8 °C)	P
2nd	Santa Fe Rise	Santa Fe River	RR	Alachua	48.5 US gallons (184 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	S
2nd	Shangri La	Merritt's Millpond Chipola River	SS	Jackson	2.5 US gallons (9.5 L)	69.7 °F (20.9 °C)	P
1st	Silver	Silver River Oklawaha River	GS	Marion	359.3 US gallons (1,360 L) §	73.8 °F (23.2 °C)	S
2nd	Silver Glen	St. Johns River	GS	Marion	70.5 US gallons (267 L)	74.1 °F (23.4 °C)	F
1st	Siphon Creek Rise	Santa Fe River	RR	Gilchrist	77.6 US gallons (294 L)	72.4 °F (22.4 °C)	S
1st	Spring Creek	Apalachee Bay	SS	Wakulla	198.4 US gallons (751 L)	70.9 °F (21.6 °C)	S/P
1st	St. Marks Rise	St. Marks River	RR	Leon	292.1 US gallons (1,106 L)	68.8 °F (20.4 °C)	P
2nd	Starbuck	Wekiva River	SS	Seminole	9.4 US gallons (36 L)	76.1 °F (24.5 °C)	P
1st	Steinhatchee Rise	Steinhatchee River	RR	Taylor Dixie	226.2 US gallons (856 L)	70.0 °F (21.1 °C)	S
2nd	Sun	Suwannee River	SS	Gilchrist	4.5 US gallons (17 L)	72.7 °F (22.6 °C)	P
2nd	Suwanacoochee	Withlacoochee River	SS	Suwannee	0.3 US gallons (1.1 L)	69.9 °F (21.1 °C)	S
2nd	Suwannee	Suwannee River	GS	Suwannee	9.1 US gallons (34 L)	72.5 °F (22.5 °C)	S
2nd	Suwannee Blue	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	8.6 US gallons (33 L)	70.9 °F (21.6 °C)	P
1st	Tarpon Hole (Kings Bay)	Crystal River	GS	Citrus	630.2 US gallons (2,386 L) §	73.2 °F (22.9 °C)	C/P
2nd	Telford	Suwannee River	SS	Suwannee	20.1 US gallons (76 L)	70.2 °F (21.2 °C)	P
2nd	Three Sisters (Kings Bay)	Crystal River	GS	Citrus	630.2 US gallons (2,386 L) §	73.3 °F (22.9 °C)	P
1st	Treehouse	Santa Fe River	SS	Alachua	25.8 US gallons (98 L)	71.4 °F (21.9 °C)	P
1st	Troy	Suwannee River	SS	Lafayette	98.2 US gallons (372 L)	71.0 °F (21.7 °C)	S
2nd	Volusia Blue	St. Johns River	SS	Volusia	56.2 US gallons (213 L)	73.6 °F (23.1 °C)	S
2nd	Vortex	Blue/Sandy Creek Choctawhatchee River	SS	Holmes	4.5 US gallons (17 L)	71.6 °F (22.0 °C)	P
2nd	Wacissa Group	Wacissa River	GS	Jefferson	189.4 US gallons (717 L) §	68.90 °F (20.50 °C)	S/P
1st	Wakulla	Wakulla River	SS	Wakulla	252.02 US gallons (954.0 L)	70.2 °F (21.2 °C)	S
3rd	Waldo	Fenholloway River	SS	Taylor	0.7 US gallons (2.6 L)	74.5 °F (23.6 °C)	P
3rd	Wall	Boggy Bayou	SS	Pinellas	4.2 US gallons (16 L)	74.0 °F (23.3 °C)	C
3rd	Warm Mineral	Myakka River	GS	Sarasota	5.5 US gallons (21 L)	86.4 °F (30.2 °C)	P
1st	Weeki Wachee	Weeki Wachee River	SS	Hernando	104.0 US gallons (394 L)	74.7 °F (23.7 °C)	S
2nd	Wekiva	Wekiva River (Waccasassa River tributary)	SS	Levy	16.82 US gallons (63.7 L)	73.2 °F (22.9 °C)	P
2nd	Wekiwa	Wekiva River	SS	Orange Seminole	43.0 US gallons (163 L)	74.1 °F (23.4 °C)	S
3rd	Welaka	St. Johns River	SS	Putnam	5.1 US gallons (19 L)	74.7 °F (23.7 °C)	P
2nd	White	Suwannee River	SS	Hamilton	26.1 US gallons (99 L)	68.0 °F (20.0 °C)	S
2nd	Williford	Econfina Creek	GS	Washington Bay	16.5 US gallons (62 L)	70.0 °F (21.1 °C)	S
3rd	Worthington	Santa Fe River	SS	Union	0.2 US gallons (0.76 L)	68.0 °F (20.0 °C)	C

See also

• List of rivers in Florida
• Outstanding Florida Waters

Images for kids

• Aucilla (Wacissa)
• Blue (Levy County)
• Blue Grotto (Silver)
• Cedar Head (Ichetucknee)
• Hardee
• Kings Bay
• Paradise
• Roaring (Ichetucknee)
• Wekiva