Summary of Features
|
 |
From Black Spring, take the west run 100 yards and go upriver about ¾ mile. Look for the mouth of a small run on the left (south) just after passing a house on the north side. Do not attempt to go up this run, as it is shallow and obstructed by fallen logs. Go a short distance further upriver and bear to the left at stands of tall reeds around to the spring.
For maps, latitude/longitude data, driving directions, satellite imagery, and topographic representations as well as weather conditions at this spring, go to Greg Johnson's informative "Florida Springs Database" web site at the following address: http://www.ThisWaytothe.Net/springs/floridasprings.htm#Florida
Spring Description
The site is a karst window or spring/sink combination adjacent to Spring
Lake. The karst window is oval-shaped—80 yards long, 25 yards wide, and
shallow (less than one foot on date of visit during drought in February
2001) except at the two limestone openings. Water flows from a circular
pool on the west end that is 70 feet in diameter and about 35 feet deep.
There is a strong boil over the spring, and the limestone opening was visible
amid aquatic vegetation. Water in the spring was slightly blue. There is
a dock over the spring.
Water flows east from the spring into a sinkhole with intensely blue
water. There appeared to be a rock shelf or ledge at the )
sinkhole.
On date of visit, the spring water flowed fairly swiftly and tumbled over
a log that had fallen across the short run. At the sinkhole, there was
a perceptible circular motion of the water going underground. The sinkhole
does not capture all of the water flowing from the spring. Some water flows
directly into Spring Lake through the reeds north of the run before reaching
the sinkhole, and a small amount also spills out the back of the sinkhole
side into Spring Lake at the mouth of the shallow run mentioned above in
the directions.
This karst window is unusual in that it is not an "enclosed" or self-contained
spring/sink combination like Riversink, Kini, Falmouth, or Rhodes, all
of which rise and fall at some distance from an above-ground river system.
Double Spring is basically on the bank of Spring Lake, and its sink does
not fully drain the flow from the spring. Other karst windows are places
where scientists think the ground collapsed over a stretch of the aquifer,
but that does not appear to be the case here. This spot along Spring
Creek is more like the stretch of the Santa Fe River a mile upriver from
the CR 47 bridge, where there are a string of springs and siphons in close
proximity to each other along the banks of the river.)
Use/Access