Econfina Creek Springs

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1 Econfina Creek Springs Kris Barrios, NWFWMD FDEP IWRM Q-Meeting October 11, 2005

2 There are two Econfinas Econfina Creek: in my humble opinion, the finer of the two Econfina River: rhymes with bean

3 Definition of Spring Florida Springs Classification System and Spring Glossary, FGS SP52 A point where underground water emerges onto the earth s surface Includes both vents and seeps

4 Spring Vent An opening that concentrates ground water discharge at the Earth s surface. Usually discharging from the Floridan Aquifer through an opening in limestone. Williford Spring, Washington County

Spring Seep One or more small openings in

5 Spring Seep One or more small openings in which water discharges diffusely from the pore space of the matrix material. Commonly seen in steep heads and other areas of Surficial Aquifer discharge. Common, but seldom very large Deep Springs, Bay County

6 Econfina Creek Spring Inventory In 2003 the District began a survey of Floridan Aquifer Springs discharging to Econfina Creek. The study concluded with the identification of over thirty-nine springs and seeps located along a six mile stretch of the creek. You can find the springs inventories of Econfina Creek, the Chipola River, and Choctawhatchee River online at:

7 Evolution of a Spring To understand how Econfina Creek came to be blessed with such beautiful springs, it helps to know a little of the geology of the area and the physiographic changes that have occurred over the last.250 million years.

8 Important Geologic Events Break-up of the supercontinent Pangea MYA From USGS Infill of resulting basin with eroded continental sediments From USGS

9 Geology Continued.. Transition from a terrestrial sediments to shifting marine and marine margin sediments Jurassic Period, 200 MYA Formation of Florida Shelf by reef building Rudists Guinea Corn Formation, Jamaica

to deposition of the limestone units comprising the Floridan Aquifer.

Limestone, Chattahoochee Formation, and Bruce Creek Limestone.

10 Yet more geology MYA Succession of sea level transgressions and regressions lead to deposition of the limestone units comprising the Floridan Aquifer. In the Central Panhandle these are the Ocala Group, Marianna/Suwannee Limestone, Chattahoochee Formation, and Bruce Creek Limestone. Ocala Limestone ~ 40 MYA Suwannee Limestone ~ 30 MYA St. Marks Limestone ~ 20 MYA Grades into similar but younger Bruce Creek Limestone

Bluff Group and gravels, sands, and clays of the Citronelle Formation.

11 Mid-Miocene (15 MYA) general trend of decreasing sea level leads to the deposition of the confining sand, clay, and shell beds of the Alum Bluff Group and gravels, sands, and clays of the Citronelle Formation. Citronelle sediments form dramatic bluffs like this along Upper Econfina Creek

12 From Schmidt, FGS B58

13 Karst Topography Formation Karst - An area of irregular limestone in which erosion has produced fissures, sinkholes, underground streams, and caverns. Creates plumbing required for springs formation. Gainer Springs Group: Alkalinity ~ 50 mg /L Discharge ~ 4730 L /s = 21,000 kg /day or 10 m 3

14 Distribution of Karst Terrain

15 Dougherty Karst Plain

Recharge through leaky confinement of Citronelle and Alum Bluff Spring

16 Springs are likely to be present in karst areas where the potentiometric surface of the Floridan Aquifer is higher than the land elevation. Recharge through leaky confinement of Citronelle and Alum Bluff Spring Discharge Discharge to Gulf Conceptual Model of Econfina Springs Recharge Definitely Not To Scale!

17 Econfina Creek is currently eroding through the Alum Bluff Group and uncovering the Bruce Creek Limestone. Where this overburden has been removed, ground water travels through the karstic limestone, emerging from conduits such as this one Gainer Spring #2. Contact between Alum Bluff Group and Bruce Creek Limestone

18 Floridan Aquifer Potentiometric Surface Data

19 3D view of springs locations and FA discharge prediction

20 Econfina Springs Contribution Area Trace #2, 2.6 miles: first recovery 21 days after introduction, continued recovery for 33 days Trace #1, 1.8 miles: first recovery three days after introduction, continued recovery for 44 days

Land Use The NWFWMD has purchased approximately a quarter of the

quarter of the springs recharge basin 3% 2% 1% 1% 0% 1%

Land (Urban) 29% Lakes, Streams, & Wetlands 63% Cropland and

21 Land Use The NWFWMD has purchased approximately a quarter of the springs recharge basin The NWFWMD has purchased approximately a quarter of the springs recharge basin 3% 2% 1% 1% 0% 1% Coniferous Plantations Mixed Coniferous/Hardwood Forest Open Land (Urban) 29% Lakes, Streams, & Wetlands 63% Cropland and Pastureland Residential, low density Residential, medium density Everything Else

22 Econfina Creek Springs

Springs Discharge Econfina Creek Springs Discharge Gainer Springs discharge (cfs) 600 500 400 300 200 40 35 30 25 20 15 LEGEND Econfina Below Springs Econfina Above Gainer Group Gainer Group

23 Springs Discharge Econfina Creek Springs Discharge Gainer Springs discharge (cfs) LEGEND Econfina Below Springs Econfina Above Gainer Group Gainer Group Discharge Bluff Spring Fenceline Spring Barking Spring Bathtub Spring Livery Springs Pitts Spring Williford Springs Blue Springs Sylvan Springs Tupelo Spring Palm Spring Glowing Spring Net Devils Hole Net 100 Gainer Group Median Discharge = 168cfs 10 Inventory Discharge (cfs) /5/01 5/24/02 12/10/02 6/28/03 1/14/04 8/1/04 2/17/05 9/5/05 Date One first-magnitude (100 cfs and up) spring Gainer Springs Group Four second-magnitude (10 to 100 cfs) springs Glowing, Devils Hole, Williford and Sylvan Springs Six third-magnitude Springs and a plethora of fourth-magnitude and smaller springs

Water Quality Nitrate Data Springs Initiative 2001-2005 4 3.5 3 Nitrate+Nitrite, Total (mg/l) 2.5 2 1.

24 Water Quality Nitrate Data Springs Initiative Nitrate+Nitrite, Total (mg/l) Jackson Blue Spring Gainer Spring #1C Gainer Spring #2 Gainer Spring #3 Spring Creek Rise #2 Wakulla Spring Cypress Spring Morrison Spring /28/2001 2/13/2002 9/1/2002 3/20/ /6/2003 4/23/ /9/2004 Date

25 Litter and Erosion

26 Sylvan Spring #1

27 Devil s Hole

28 Gainer Spring #1B

29 River Frog Tadpole Rana heckscheri

Florida s Karst Geology

Florida s Karst Geology Orange Creek Basin Interagency Working Group Public Workshop, November 5 th, 2015 Harley Means, P.G. Assistant State Geologist Florida Geological Survey Karst Karst a type of topography