Ochlockonee River facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ochlockonee River
Ochlockonee River at the Old Bainbridge Road Bridge
Ochlockonee River watershed
Country	United States
State	Georgia, Florida
District	NWFWMD
Physical characteristics
Main source	Gordy, Georgia 31°29′06″N 83°52′49″W / 31.48500°N 83.88028°W / 31.48500; -83.88028
River mouth	Ochlockonee Bay Surf, Florida 29°58′36″N 84°26′15″W / 29.97667°N 84.43750°W / 29.97667; -84.43750
Length	206 mi (332 km)
Basin features
Basin size	2,450 sq mi (6,300 km2)
Tributaries	Left: Sopchoppy River Right: Little River, Telogia Creek, Crooked River

The Ochlockonee River (o-KLOK-nee) is a river that starts in Georgia. It flows for about 206 miles (332 km) before reaching Florida. In Florida, it has a dam that creates Lake Talquin. The river then ends in Ochlockonee Bay.

About the Ochlockonee River

The name "Ochlockonee" comes from the Hitchiti language. It means "yellow river." The river begins south of Sylvester in Worth County, Georgia. It flows into Ochlockonee Bay and then into Apalachee Bay in Florida.

The Ochlockonee River forms borders for several counties in Florida. These include Leon County, Wakulla County, Gadsden County, Liberty County, and Franklin County. The river passes through different areas like the Red Hills Region and the Apalachicola National Forest. It also flows past Ochlockonee River State Park.

Near its end, the river is affected by tides. This means the water is a mix of fresh, salty, and brackish water. The tidal effects can be felt more than 15 miles (24 km) upstream from where the river meets the bay.

River History

Ochlockonee flooding in Gadsden Co., Florida, near Fairbanks Ferry Road Bridge.

When the Spanish first came to northern Florida, the Ochlockonee River was the western edge of the Apalachee Province. Old Spanish papers from the late 1600s called the river "Claraquachine" or "Amarillo," which means "yellow" in Spanish. Another Spanish document from 1716 called it "Rio de Lagna," where "lagna" likely meant "yellow" in the Apalachee language.

An English map from 1720 also showed it as the "Yellow River." Later maps used names like "Okalockney" (1778) and "Oklokonee" (1856). The name we use today, Ochlockonee, probably comes from the Hitchiti/Mikasuki words "Oki" (water) and "Lagana" (yellow).

From 1839 to 1842, a place called Fort Virginia Braden was built on the river. It was named after the commander's wife, who sadly died from yellow fever.

The Civil War and the River

The Ochlockonee River was important during the American Civil War. In 1863, two Union Navy ships, the USS Stars and Stripes and the USS Somerset, attacked salt-making sites nearby. These sites were important for the Confederate army.

The USS Stars and Stripes also stopped ships trying to get supplies through the Union blockade. It sank a ship called Caroline Gertrude in December 1863. In January 1864, it captured another ship, the Laura. Later, in October 1864, the Stars and Stripes destroyed a large fishing operation used by the Confederates.

Jackson Bluff Dam

Jackson Bluff Dam

In 1927, the Jackson Bluff Dam was built on the Ochlockonee River. This dam was made to create electricity from the river's water. The water held back by the dam formed Lake Talquin, which is a large lake today.

Why the River is Important

Aerial view of the flooded Ochlockonee River on April 16, 1975 near Bloxham.

The area around the Ochlockonee River is home to many rare and special plants and animals. Because of this, Florida has named it an "Outstanding Florida Water." This means it's a very important natural area to protect. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission also calls it a "Strategic Habitat Conservation Area."

Some rare animals found here include the red-cockaded woodpecker, the least tern, and the Apalachicola dusky salamander. The river is especially rich in rare freshwater mussels. Three types of mussels found here are even on the endangered species list: the Ochlockonee moccasinshell, the Shinyrayed pocketbook, and the Oval pigtoe. Also, a special tree called the Florida maybell only grows along the Ochlockonee and Chipola Rivers.

The Ochlockonee River also helps fill Lake Iamonia, especially when there are floods.

Fun Activities on the River

The Ochlockonee River is a great place for fishing! You can catch fish like largemouth bass, black crappie, Bream, striped bass, and catfish. There's also a special canoe trail on the river, both above and below Lake Talquin. Other popular spots for canoeing are Telogia Creek and the Little River. Part of the Florida National Scenic Trail also follows the river for two miles.

The Ochlockonee River is very important for seafood in Apalachee Bay. When the river floods, it carries natural materials downstream into Ochlockonee Bay. This bay acts like a nursery for many types of fish and shellfish. These creatures are the basis for both fun fishing trips and the seafood industry in the area. Fishing in Ochlockonee Bay is excellent for Flounder, Redfish, Black Drum, Spotted Sea Trout, Blue Crab, and sharks.

River Crossings

Many major roads cross the Ochlockonee River. These include Interstate 10 and U.S. highways like 19, 27, 84, and 319.

Crossing	Carries	Image	Location	Coordinates
Georgia
	Brooks Road			31°24′01″N 83°53′32″W / 31.4004°N 83.8923°W / 31.4004; -83.8923
	Bridgeboro-Anderson Road			31°23′39″N 83°53′40″W / 31.3943°N 83.8945°W / 31.3943; -83.8945
	Liberty Hill Road			31°22′21″N 83°53′49″W / 31.3724°N 83.8969°W / 31.3724; -83.8969
	Childree Road			31°21′00″N 83°53′31″W / 31.3501°N 83.8919°W / 31.3501; -83.8919
	Evergreen Road			31°20′07″N 83°53′01″W / 31.3353°N 83.8835°W / 31.3353; -83.8835
	SR 270		Doerun	31°19′10″N 83°52′45″W / 31.3194°N 83.8791°W / 31.3194; -83.8791
	Hagin Still Road			31°17′56″N 83°52′24″W / 31.2990°N 83.8733°W / 31.2990; -83.8733
	Swift Canteen Road			31°16′02″N 83°50′33″W / 31.2671°N 83.8424°W / 31.2671; -83.8424
	SR 133		Sigsbee	31°14′50″N 83°50′02″W / 31.2471°N 83.8340°W / 31.2471; -83.8340
Rail bridge	Norfolk Southern Railway Line formerly known as the Georgia Northern Railway			31°14′50″N 83°50′02″W / 31.2471°N 83.8340°W / 31.2471; -83.8340
	Old Doerun Rd		Moultrie	31°13′46″N 83°50′06″W / 31.2295°N 83.8349°W / 31.2295; -83.8349
	SR 37		Moultrie	31°10′57″N 83°48′33″W / 31.1826°N 83.8091°W / 31.1826; -83.8091
	Lower Meigs Road		Moultrie	31°08′32″N 83°48′12″W / 31.1421°N 83.8032°W / 31.1421; -83.8032
	Fred Webb Road			31°06′20″N 83°49′59″W / 31.1056°N 83.8331°W / 31.1056; -83.8331
Smithwick Bridge	Smithwick Bridge Road			31°04′09″N 83°52′18″W / 31.0692°N 83.8716°W / 31.0692; -83.8716
Rocky Ford Bridge	Zion Grove Church Road			31°04′09″N 83°52′18″W / 31.0692°N 83.8716°W / 31.0692; -83.8716
	Bannister Road			31°02′23″N 83°55′08″W / 31.0396°N 83.9189°W / 31.0396; -83.9189
	Beeline Road Road			31°02′01″N 83°56′08″W / 31.0336°N 83.9356°W / 31.0336; -83.9356
	SR 188			31°00′09″N 83°56′20″W / 31.0024°N 83.9390°W / 31.0024; -83.9390
	SR 202			30°57′01″N 83°57′44″W / 30.9502°N 83.9622°W / 30.9502; -83.9622
Old Confederate Bridge	Egg-Butter Road (Defunct)		Dawesville	30°55′43″N 83°59′48″W / 30.9287°N 83.9967°W / 30.9287; -83.9967
	US 19 / SR 300		Dawesville	30°55′43″N 83°59′48″W / 30.9287°N 83.9967°W / 30.9287; -83.9967
Rail bridge	CSX Line formerly known as the South Georgia and Florida Railroad		Dawesville	30°55′02″N 84°00′18″W / 30.9173°N 84.0049°W / 30.9173; -84.0049
	SR 3		Dawesville	30°54′44″N 84°00′31″W / 30.9121°N 84.0086°W / 30.9121; -84.0086
	US 84 / SR 38			30°52′33″N 84°02′47″W / 30.8758°N 84.0464°W / 30.8758; -84.0464
Rail bridge	CSX Line formerly known as the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad			30°52′33″N 84°02′47″W / 30.8758°N 84.0464°W / 30.8758; -84.0464
	SR 93		Cairo	30°47′30″N 84°09′15″W / 30.7917°N 84.1543°W / 30.7917; -84.1543
Hadley Ferry Bridge	CR 54 Hadley Ferry Road		Rocky Hill	30°43′54″N 84°14′08″W / 30.7316°N 84.2356°W / 30.7316; -84.2356
Old Hadley Ferry Bridge	(Defunct)			30°43′53″N 84°14′11″W / 30.731444°N 84.236319°W / 30.731444; -84.236319
Florida
Fairbanks Ferry/Bridge	CR 12	Fairbanks Ferry Bridge	Concord	30°40′08″N 84°18′18″W / 30.6690°N 84.3050°W / 30.6690; -84.3050
	CR 0361 CR 157	Old Bainbridge Road Bridge	Tallahassee	30°35′22″N 84°21′36″W / 30.5895°N 84.3601°W / 30.5895; -84.3601
	US 27	US 27 bridge	Tallahassee	30°33′15″N 84°23′02″W / 30.5541°N 84.3840°W / 30.5541; -84.3840
Rail bridge	CSX Line formerly known as the Georgia, Florida and Alabama Railway.		Tallahassee	30°33′02″N 84°23′15″W / 30.5505°N 84.3875°W / 30.5505; -84.3875
	I-10		Midway	30°29′07″N 84°23′50″W / 30.4852°N 84.3972°W / 30.4852; -84.3972
	US 90	US 90 bridge	Midway	30°28′24″N 84°24′26″W / 30.4734°N 84.4073°W / 30.4734; -84.4073
Rail bridge	CSX Line formerly known as the Pensacola and Georgia Railroad	Rail bridge near Midway	Midway	30°28′23″N 84°24′29″W / 30.4730°N 84.4080°W / 30.4730; -84.4080
Talquin Dam			Bloxham	30°23′18″N 84°38′47″W / 30.3884°N 84.6464°W / 30.3884; -84.6464
	SR 20 / SR 267		Bloxham	30°23′01″N 84°39′18″W / 30.3837°N 84.6551°W / 30.3837; -84.6551
	CR 368 Forest Highway 13		Porter Lake	30°10′36″N 84°40′06″W / 30.1767°N 84.6684°W / 30.1767; -84.6684
Rail bridge	Georgia, Florida and Alabama Railway (Defunct)		McIntyre	30°10′36″N 84°40′06″W / 30.1767°N 84.6684°W / 30.1767; -84.6684
	US 319	US 319 bridge	Sopchoppy	29°59′17″N 84°30′08″W / 29.9881°N 84.5022°W / 29.9881; -84.5022
Ochlockonee Bay Bridge (a/k/a Walker Bridge)	US 98	Ochlockonee Bay Bridge	Ochlockonee Bay	29°58′06″N 84°23′02″W / 29.9682°N 84.3840°W / 29.9682; -84.3840

See also

In Spanish: Río Ochlockonee para niños