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89-792: The Big Bend Coast is variously defined as extending from the mouth of the Ochlockonee River , or of the St. Marks River , at the western end of Apalachee Bay, to the mouth of the Anclote River or to Anclote Key , just offshore of that river mouth. It is sometimes divided into two parts, the Big Bend Proper, from the Ochlockonee River to the Withlacoochee River , and the Springs Coast, from

178-639: A hardpan . Hammock soils have a pH close to neutral, and often contain little organic content. Hammocks occur along much of the Big Bend Coast, more of less continuously from St. Marks to south of the Fenholloway River. It is part of a series of hammocks, known as the Gulf Hammock Belt, or Gulf Coast Hammocks, found along the coast of Florida from St, Marks , in Wakulla County , to Aripeka , at

267-441: A volumetric flow rate of nearly zero to more than 14,000 litres per second (490 cu ft/s) for the biggest springs. Springs are formed when groundwater flows onto the surface. This typically happens when the water table reaches above the surface level, or if the terrain depresses sharply. Springs may also be formed as a result of karst topography , aquifers or volcanic activity . Springs have also been observed on

356-504: A heat source for thousands of years. In the 20th century, they became a renewable resource of geothermal energy for heating homes and buildings. The city of Beppu, Japan contains 2,217 hot spring well heads that provide the city with hot water. Hot springs have also been used as a source of sustainable energy for greenhouse cultivation and the growing of crops and flowers. Springs have been represented in culture through art, mythology, and folklore throughout history. The Fountain of Youth

445-535: A higher elevation through the earth to a lower elevation and exit in the form of a spring, using the ground like a drainage pipe. Still other springs are the result of pressure from an underground source in the earth, in the form of volcanic or magma activity. The result can be water at elevated temperature and pressure, i.e. hot springs and geysers . The action of the groundwater continually dissolves permeable bedrock such as limestone and dolomite , creating vast cave systems. Spring discharge, or resurgence ,

534-474: A kind of mythic quality in that some people falsely believe that springs are always healthy sources of drinking water. They may or may not be. One must take a comprehensive water quality test to know how to use a spring appropriately, whether for a mineral bath or drinking water. Springs that are managed as spas will already have such a test. Springs are often used as sources for bottled water. When purchasing bottled water labeled as spring water one can often find

623-574: A massive, open estuary . The Big Bend Coast is subject to little or no wave energy. Tidal range is 73 to 75 centimetres (29 to 30 in) for all of the Big Bend Coast. In the mid-20th century the intertidal zone of the Big Bend Coast consisted of salt marshes up to 10 kilometres (6 mi) wide, dominated by herbaceous (non-woody) plants , including Juncus roemerianus , Distichlis spicata , Sporobolus pumilus (formerly Spartina patens ), and Salicornia species. There were about 650 square kilometres (250 sq mi) of tidal marsh along

712-652: A rate of at least 2800 liters or 100 cubic feet (2.8 m ) of water per second. Some locations contain many first-magnitude springs, such as Florida where there are at least 27 known to be that size; the Missouri and Arkansas Ozarks , which contain 10 known of first-magnitude; and 11 more in the Thousand Springs area along the Snake River in Idaho . The scale for spring flow is as follows: Minerals become dissolved in

801-489: A short hydroperiod (the length of time a habitat remains flooded), infrequent fires, slow accumulation of organic matter on the floor of the hammock, and deep groundwater contributing to flooding, have been given as characteristics of hydric hammocks. The soil in most coastal hammocks of the Big Bend Coast consists of thin layers (often less than 90 centimetres (35 in)) of sand and loamy sand, with limestone outcrops common. The soils are somewhat poorly drained, but do not have

890-432: A transitional zone, in which some hammock trees survive, but new trees do not grow. This has resulted in a net gain of 39 square kilometres (15 sq mi) of salt marsh area, and, including the transitional zone, a net gain of 105 square kilometres (41 sq mi) in the area of the intertidal zone. The shoreline of the Big Bend Coast has been migrating inland an average of 120 metres (390 ft) per century, while

979-701: Is a fast running river, except where it has been dammed to form Lake Talquin in Florida, originating in Georgia and flowing for 206 miles (332 km) before terminating in Florida . The name is from the Hitchiti language words for yellow river. The Ochlockonee originates south of the town of Sylvester in Worth County in southwest Georgia and empties into Ochlockonee Bay and then Apalachee Bay in Florida . The river forms

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1068-467: Is a mythical spring which was said to restore youth to anyone who drank from it. It has been claimed that the fountain is located in St. Augustine, Florida , and was discovered by Juan Ponce de León in 1513. However, it has not demonstrated the power to restore youth, and most historians dispute the veracity of Ponce de León's discovery. Pythia, also known as the Oracle at Delphi was the high priestess of

1157-531: Is a zone in which southern live oak, eastern red cedar, and sabal palm are found, then closer to the Gulf, eastern red cedar and sabal palm, and closest to the salt marshes just sabal palm. Islands of hammock may occur on slight rises in salt marshes, while salt marshes may extend into hammocks along tidal creeks. Comparison of Landsat images and ground-based photographs taken years apart document loss of trees in coastal hammocks, which has been particularly severe close to

1246-407: Is determined by the spring's recharge basin. Factors that affect the recharge include the size of the area in which groundwater is captured, the amount of precipitation, the size of capture points, and the size of the spring outlet. Water may leak into the underground system from many sources including permeable earth, sinkholes, and losing streams . In some cases entire creeks seemingly disappear as

1335-473: Is generally limited to salt marshes and the nearshore zone, and is redistributed by tidal action and storm events. The Suwannee River carries about 73,000 metric tons of sediment to the coast each year. The Big Bend Coast is on the Gulf Coastal Lowlands of Florida, which has recently exposed ocean-smoothed terraces with Tertiary limestone at or just below the surface. The flatness of the Big Bend Coast

1424-576: Is greater than human body temperature, usually in the range of 45–50 °C (113–122 °F), but they can be hotter. Those springs with water cooler than body temperature but warmer than air temperature are sometimes referred to as warm springs. Hot springs or geothermal springs have been used for balneotherapy , bathing, and relaxation for thousands of years. Because of the folklore surrounding hot springs and their claimed medical value, some have become tourist destinations and locations of physical rehabilitation centers. Hot springs have been used as

1513-464: Is interrupted by an area of relic sand dunes just inland from the Cedar Keys . The presence of a high water table has produced a karst landscape. The limestone hosts the Florida aquifer , which reaches the surface near the coast. Steady discharge from the aquifer supports the discharge of the many springs feeding rivers and streams along the coast and maintains a high water table near the coast. All of

1602-524: Is probably Apalachee for "yellow"). An English map from 1720 identifies it as the Yellow River. A 1778 map spells the river's name "Okalockney", while one from 1856 has it as "Oklokonee". The modern name probably derives from the Hitchiti/Mikasuki Oki (water) and Lagana (yellow). From 1839 to 1842, Fort Virginia Braden was established on the river located at Fort Braden in Florida . The fort

1691-411: Is said to result in the absorption of the minerals from the water. Some springs contain arsenic levels that exceed the 10 ppb World Health Organization (WHO) standard for drinking water . Where such springs feed rivers they can also raise the arsenic levels in the rivers above WHO limits. Water from springs is usually clear. However, some springs may be colored by the minerals that are dissolved in

1780-553: Is subject to storm surges from hurricanes and other storms. Because of the great width and low slope of the continental shelf along the Big Bend Coast, storm surges are greater in height than those that occur on narrower and steeper continental shelves. Storm surges that are known to have occurred along the Big Bend Coast include: Almost all of the coastal wetlands of the Big Bend Coast are protected. Protected wetland areas include: Ochlockonee River The Ochlockonee River ( / oʊ ˈ k l ɒ k n ɪ / o- KLOK -nee )

1869-641: Is the Suwannee River, with a small delta near the middle of the coast. The coast between the Withlacoochee and Anclote rivers is known as the Springs Coast. Four short (4 to 12 km long) rivers, the Crystal, Homosassa, Chassahowitzka, and Weeki Wachee rivers, are fed almost entirely by first-magnitude springs , as there is almost no surface runoff in the area. The entire lengths of the Crystal, Homosassa and Chassahowitzka rivers are subject to tidal influence . At

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1958-817: The Apalachicola dusky salamander . The river is especially rich in rare freshwater mussels ( Unionidae ), including three federally listed endangered species: the Ochlockonee moccasinshell , the Shinyrayed pocketbook , and the Oval pigtoe . "The Florida maybell tree can be found only along the Ochlockonee and Chipola Rivers. The Ochlockonee is connected to and a source of water for Lake Iamonia , especially during flooding. Fishing for largemouth bass , black crappie , Bream , striped bass and channel catfish can be excellent on

2047-578: The Temple of Apollo . She delivered prophesies in a frenzied state of divine possession that were "induced by vapours rising from a chasm in the rock". It is believed that the vapors were emitted from the Kerna spring at Delphi. The Greek myth of Narcissus describes a young man who fell in love with his reflection in the still pool of a spring. Narcissus gazed into "an unmuddied spring, silvery from its glittering waters, which neither shepherds nor she-goats grazing on

2136-716: The Wakulla River , a tributary of the St. Marks River. The seacoast was up to 70 miles (113 km) away from Page-Ladson at the time than it is now, as the sea level was about 100 metres (328 ft) lower. Early sites in the area that have been inundated by rising sea levels include the Econfina Channel site and the J&;J Hunt Submerged Archaeological Site , in Apalachee Bay. Surveys of the submerged bottom of Apalachee Bay, concentrating on

2225-556: The estuary of Ochlockonee Bay where the shallows of the bay were created by the great volume of sand and clay brought down by the river. This estuary serves as a nursery for numerous species of fish and shellfish which are the basis for recreational and commercial fishing as well as the seafood that this area is known for. Fishing on the Ochlockonee Bay is excellent for Flounder , Redfish , Black Drum , Spotted Sea Trout , Blue Crab and sharks . A number of major highways cross

2314-412: The ocean floor , spewing warmer, low- salinity water directly into the ocean. Springs formed as a result of karst topography create karst springs , in which ground water travels through a network of cracks and fissures—openings ranging from intergranular spaces to large caves , later emerging in a spring. The forcing of the spring to the surface can be the result of a confined aquifer in which

2403-508: The sandbar at the mouth of the Ochlockonee. Stars and Stripes also captured the blockade-running steamer Laura off the Ochlockonee on 18 January 1864. On 19 and 20 October 1864, Stars and Stripes destroyed an extensive Confederate fishery at Mashes Island and captured the troops stationed there as guards. In 1927 the Jackson Bluff Dam was constructed on the Ochlockonee River to produce hydroelectric power. The waters held back by

2492-433: The water cycle . Springs have long been important for humans as a source of fresh water , especially in arid regions which have relatively little annual rainfall . Springs are driven out onto the surface by various natural forces, such as gravity and hydrostatic pressure . A spring produced by the emergence of geothermally heated groundwater is known as a hot spring . The yield of spring water varies widely from

2581-705: The Big Bend Coast are among the largest and least disturbed in the world. The biological diversity found in seagrass meadows is surpassed only by coral reefs in Florida waters. Seagrass meadows host a wide variety of algae and animals. Red algae and filter-feeding animals, such as sea squirt colonies, sponges, pygmy sea cucumbers , and juvenile scallops, attach to the blades of seagrass, often remaining for rest of their lives. Invertebrates, including hermit crabs , stone crabs, various shrimp species, amphipods , isopods , brittle stars , asteroid starfish , sea cucumbers, pen shells , clams, scallops, sea snails , arrow shrimp ( Tozeuma carolinense ) and sea urchins live among

2670-729: The Big Bend Coast east and south of the Aucilla River, while the Swift Creek culture became established west of the Aucilla. The northwest Florida variety of the Weeden Island culture in turn replaced the Swift Creek culture west of the Aucilla River around 300. The Bird Hammock site, near Wakulla Beach, Florida , was apparently a ceremonial center during the Swift Creek and Weeden Island periods. The Fort Walton culture replaced Weeden Island in

2759-635: The Big Bend Coast in 1997. The marshes grow on sediment that is usually no more than 2 metres (6.6 ft) thick, although some depressions in the karst bedrock may have thicker deposits. As of 2023, mangrove forests are replacing salt marshes in the intertidal zone along the southern part of the Big Bend Coast from the Cedar Keys to Anclote Key. Mussels , oysters , fiddler crabs , marsh periwinkles (the snail Littoraria irrorata ), crown conch ( Melongena corona ), flathead grey mullet ( Mugil cephalus ), and blue crabs ( Callinectes sapidus ) are abundant in

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2848-406: The Big Bend Coast, the Springs Coast, is more densely populated. Municipalities and census-designated places on or close to the Springs Coast include: Due to the width of the adjacent continental shelf (over 150 kilometres (81 nmi)), low gradient slope of the coast (1:5000), and shelter from the usual wind direction of storms, the Big Bend Coast is generally subject to low wave energy , but

2937-416: The Gulf. The authors estimated that the discharge from the identified inland sources is equivalent to that of one 1st-magnitude spring for every 2 miles (3.2 km) of coast. The streams and springs flowing to the Big Bend Coast contribute approximately 1,000,000 US gallons (3,800,000 L; 830,000 imp gal) of freshwater to the Gulf of Mexico each day. Livingston describes the Big Bend Coast as

3026-451: The Ochlockonee River along its course, including Interstate 10 and U.S. highways 19 , 27 , U.S. Route 84 and 319 . Spring (hydrology)#Classification A spring is a natural exit point at which groundwater emerges from the aquifer and flows onto the top of the Earth's crust ( pedosphere ) to become surface water . It is a component of the hydrosphere , as well as a part of

3115-538: The Ochlockonee River, and a state-designated canoe trail can be found both upstream and downstream of Lake Talquin. Telogia Creek and the Little River near State Road 12 are also popular for canoeing. The Florida National Scenic Trail follows the river for two miles. The Ochlockonee is a vital link in the production of seafood in Apalachee Bay . During floods, the river transports organic matter downstream into

3204-519: The PaleoAucilla River channel have found 30 sites yielding pre-historic human artifacts . Sites with artifacts are in water up to 6 metres (20 ft) deep, and up to 15 kilometres (8.1 nmi) from shore. More recent mounds that were formerly on higher ground are now surrounded by water. About 500 BCE , the Deptford archaeological culture spread along the Big Bend Coast. The Deptford culture

3293-546: The Suwannee River. There are barrier islands west of the Ocklockonee River and south starting with Anclote Key, but there are no barrier islands between those places. The Big Bend Coast has little or no sand or mud . The karst topography has produced an irregular, frequently exposed, bedrock surface. The lack of sand has been a feature of the Big Bend Coast since at least the Pleistocene . Sediment of Holocene origin

3382-673: The Withlacoochee River to the Anclote River. The northern part of the coast, the Big Bend Proper, is sometimes further divided into four areas for study and discussion purposes: Apalachee Bay, Deadman's Bay (centered on the mouth of the Steinhatchee River ), Suwannee Sound (centered on the mouth of the Suwannee River ), and Wacasassa Bay . The Big Bend Coast is sometimes a component in the larger Wilderness Coast that also includes

3471-535: The area west of the Aucilla River around 900. At around the same time, the northern variety of the Safety Harbor culture appeared along the Big Bend Coast south of the mouth of the Withlacoochee River. The Roberts Island complex , on the Crystal River, appears to have replaced the Crystal River site as a ceremonial center in the Weeden Island and Safety Harbor periods. The Weeki Wachee Mound, at Weeki Wachee Springs,

3560-567: The border between the intertial zone and coastal hammocks has been migrating an average of 230 metres (750 ft) per century. Evidence of human presence in what is now the Big Bend Coast goes back more than 14,000 years, when Paleoindians butchered or scavenged mastodons at the Page-Ladson site on the Aucilla River. Evidence of Paleoindian presence has also been found at the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park , on

3649-405: The boundary between Hernando and Pasco counties. Hammocks are scattered along the coast from there to the Suwannee River. Another more or less continuous band of hammocks extend from Cedar Key through Gulf Hammock to the boundary between Hernando and Pasco counties. The coastal hammocks of the Big Bend Coast affect the flow of fresh water from upland sources to salt marshes and inshore waters of

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3738-426: The boundary between hammocks and salt marshes. One study area of 540 square kilometres (210 sq mi) that included forest within 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) of the coast showed a loss of 126 square kilometres (49 sq mi) of hammock trees from 2003 to 2016. Another study found that 148 square kilometres (57 sq mi) of coastal hammock had been lost between 1875 and 1995. McCarthy, et al., state that

3827-413: The coast west of Apalachee Bay to Cape San Blas . The Big Bend Proper includes the coasts of Wakulla , Jefferson , Taylor , Dixie , and Levy counties, while the Springs Coast includes the coasts of Citrus , Hernando and Pasco counties. The Big Bend Coast is a drowned karst region, covered with salt marsh and mangrove forests. It includes freshwater springs , oyster reefs , and the delta of

3916-399: The coast. The fresh water reduces the salimity of near shore waters, establishing a gradient, progressively becoming more saline as it passes through the salt marshes and near shore zones. The fresh water also carries nutrients and particulates and sediments into the near shore waters. Seasonal changes in freshwater flow affects changes in the salt marshes and seagrass beds. Fresh water entering

4005-1044: The composition of the hammocks. Hogs consume mast , interfering with establishment of seedlings, and disturb the soil by rooting. Cattle trample the soil and browse seedlings and other low growing plants. The Big Bend Proper (from the Ochlockonee River to the Withlacoochee River) is sparsely populated. Municipalities and census-designated places on the Big Bend Proper include (from north to south) St. Marks (population 274 in 2020), in Wakulla County, Steinhatchee (population 1,049 in 2020), in Taylor County, Horseshoe Beach (population 165 in 2020), in Dixie County, Cedar Key (population 687 in 2020), in Levy County, and Inglis (population 1,476 in 2020) and Yankeetown (population 588 in 2020) in Levy County. The southern part of

4094-624: The crevices of oyster reefs. Oysters are preyed on by juvenile stone crabs, blue crabs, oyster drills , and crown conchs. Oyster reefs along the Big Bend Coast can be classified as "marsh-oyster", with oysters present as individuals or clumps in Sporobolus alterniflorus (cordgrass) on fine sediment, and "sand-oyster", with oysters found on coarse sand and shell fragments with little of no vegetation. Marsh-oyster reefs occur primarily close to shore. The more common sand-oyster reefs are found from close to shore to approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from

4183-547: The dam formed Lake Talquin. The Ochlockonee River corridor is home to many threatened fish, wildlife and plant species. It has been designated under the State of Florida's Outstanding Florida Waters program and has been identified by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission as a Strategic Habitat Conservation Area. Rare animals that can be found along the Ochlockonee include red-cockaded woodpecker , least tern , and

4272-533: The death of trees in coastal hammocks on the Big Bend Coast has accelerated since 2010. Mature trees typical of coastal hammocks may be found in transitional zones that have been invaded by salt marsh, but those trees are no longer regenerating. Coastal hammocks in the Gulf Hammock region have been impacted by sea level rise much more than the rest of the Big Bend Coast. The boundary between the intertidal zone has migrated more than 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) inland. On

4361-841: The early 1960s. Water from the Caribbean Sea flows northward between Cuba and the Yucatán peninsula into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. This current splits well south of the western end of the Florida Panhandle , with most of the water turning east and then south in the Gulf Loop Current , flowing along the west edge of the Florida Platform and through the Florida Straits to form the Gulf Stream. The West Florida Gyre rotates over

4450-421: The flow of freshwater into the Gulf of Mexico. The close proximity of the Florida aquifer to the surface with only a shallow soil layer over the porous limestone bedrock means that groundwater can emerge in many locations. The water discharged by the Florida aquifer to the surface has a temperature of 70 to 72 °F (21 to 22 °C) year-round. On winter nights the waters of the Gulf are significantly cooler than

4539-476: The form of a particular name, an associated legend , the attribution of healing qualities to the water through the numinous presence of its guardian spirit or of a Christian saint , or a ceremony or ritual centered on the well site. Christian legends often recount how the action of a saint caused a spring's water to flow - a familiar theme, especially in the hagiography of Celtic saints. The geothermally heated groundwater that flows from thermal springs

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4628-513: The hammocks of the Big Bend Coast include dahoon holly ( Ilex cassine ), yaupon holly ( Ilex vomitoria ), and wax myrtle ( Myrica cerifera ). The hammocks of the Big Bend Coast, especially Gulf Hammock between the Suwannee and Withlachoochee rivers, have extensive herbaceous vegetation, including ferns, grass, sedges, and herbs. Close to the salt marshes the composition of the hammocks changes, with trees having less salt-tolerance disappearing. There

4717-412: The land to the gulf, and provide another habitat for many species. Glass shrimp and killifish are lifelong residents of marsh creeks. Pink shrimp , blue crabs, stone crabs , mullet, red drum , and Gulf flounder live in marsh creeks as juveniles. As a result of sea level rise, salt marshes have been retreating along the Big Bend Coast, but losses on the open water side have been more than offset by

4806-477: The mean sea level. A comparison of Landsat images and United States Coast and Geodetic Survey charts from between 1852 and 1886 showed a loss over 120 years of 43 square kilometres (17 sq mi) of salt marsh to open water along the shoreline with the Gulf of Mexico, while 82 square kilometres (32 sq mi) of coastal hammocks had been replaced by new salt marsh. Another 66 square kilometres (25 sq mi) of coastal hammocks have been converted to

4895-720: The mountain nor any other cattle had touched, which neither bird nor beast nor branch fallen from a tree had disturbed." (Ovid) The early 20th century American photographer, James Reuel Smith created a comprehensive series of photographs documenting the historical springs of New York City before they were capped by the city after the advent of the municipal water system. Smith later photographed springs in Europe leading to his book, Springs and Wells in Greek and Roman Literature, Their Legends and Locations (1922). The 19th century Japanese artists Utagawa Hiroshige and Utagawa Toyokuni III created

4984-399: The mouth of the Fenholloway River because of pollution from pulp mill discharge. Other areas, such as around the mouth of the Suwannee River, the southern end of Suwannee Sound near Cedar Key, and Wacassassa Bay, which were reported to have beds of seagrass in the past, do not have them today. Extensive seagrass beds around Anclote Key, at the southern end of the Big Bend Coast, disappeared in

5073-477: The natives that had been pressed into service as guides apparently led the Spaniards through difficult country. The Spaniards gave up on travelling overland, and turning to the coast of Appalachee Bay, built rafts in which to sail west along the coast. The Spanish introduced several animals, including hogs and cattle, soon after arriving in Florida. Hogs and cattle graze in the hammocks of the Big Bend Coast, affecting

5162-510: The northern limit of their ranges. The lowest tides of the year generally occur in the winter, and expose the seagrasses to freezing air temperatures for significant periods on the coldest mornings. Such climate stress may reduce the ability of the seagrass to recover from the impacts of pollution and other disturbances caused by human activities. Seagrass coverage in the Big Bend Coast may be decreasing. One study estimated that 23 square kilometres (9 sq mi) of seagrass beds had been lost off

5251-412: The order Dasycladales , are common, and a few brown algae , are either rooted to the floor of the littoral zones, or attached to seagrasses. Other algae, primarily red algae , but also including some green and brown algae species, drift in the waters around and above the seagrass meadows (many of the drift algae species start life as epiphytes on seagrass and rooted algae). In some areas algae outmasses

5340-449: The other hand, there has been little to no migration of the salt marsh-coastal hammock boundary along the tidal reaches of several spring-fed rivers, where a consistent year-round flow of fresh water may keep salinities low enough to protect the hammocks. The sea level is rising faster at Cedar Key than at other locations around the Gulf of Mexico, with a 22% to 25% faster increase over the global average rate predicted by 2060. As of 1973,

5429-405: The rate of sea level rise was 25 centimetres (9.8 in) per century. The rate of sea level rise has been accelerating on the Big Bend Coast in recent years. The sea level rose at Cedar Key an average of 2.56 millimetres (0.10 in) per year for 1940 through 2016, but the rate was 10.2 millimetres (0.40 in) for 2000 to 2016, and 16.5 millimetres (0.65 in) for 2010 to 2016. The rise of

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5518-444: The recharge area of the spring water table rests at a higher elevation than that of the outlet. Spring water forced to the surface by elevated sources are artesian wells . This is possible even if the outlet is in the form of a 300-foot-deep (91 m) cave. In this case the cave is used like a hose by the higher elevated recharge area of groundwater to exit through the lower elevation opening. Non-artesian springs may simply flow from

5607-594: The replacement of coastal forest with new marshes, so that the area of salt marshes along the coast has increased by approximately 23% since the beginning of the 20th century. Although relatively rare, there are some outcroppings of limestone bedrock in the water along the coast. Oyster reefs are found on such outcroppings, particularly close to the intertidal zone in the nearshore zone. Oyster reefs often include mussels, slipper shells , and barnacles. Porcelain crabs , mud crabs , peppermint shrimp , snapping shrimp , annelid worms, gobies and toadfish commonly live in

5696-523: The rivers that reach the Gulf of Mexico along the Big Bend Coast are at least partly spring -fed. There are 14 rivers (and many smaller streams) reaching the coast between the Ochlockonee River at the western end of the Big Bend Coast and the Anclote River at the southern end, including the St. Marks , Aucilla , Econfina , Fenholloway , Steinhatchee, Suwannee, Waccasassa , Withlacoochee , Crystal , Homosassa , Chassahowitzka , Weeki Wachee , and Pithlachascotee rivers, and Spring Warrior Creek . Largest

5785-424: The salinity of nearshore waters. The shallowness of nearshore waters also mean that the water temperature is strongly affected by the air temperature. Tropical species may be killed by cold weather, or may migrate southward or to deeper water less subject to cooling in winter. Besides rivers and streams, hundreds of springs (including submarine springs ), fractures and seeps along the Big Bend Coast contribute to

5874-874: The salt marshes is important for oysters, as oysters grow best in waters that are less saline than the open ocean, while potential predators are also deterred by lower salinity. Only plants that can tolerate saturated soils and occasional flooding are found in coastal hammocks, but that includes a variety of trees, the most common of which are American elm ( Ulmus americana ), American hornbeam ( Carpinus caroliniana ), American maple ( Acer rubrum ), eastern red cedar ( Juniperus virginiana var. silicicola ), laurel oak ( Quercus laurifolia ), loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ), sabal palm, ( Sabal palmetto ), southern live oak ( Quercus virginiana ), sugarberry ( Celtis laevigata ), sweetbay ( Magnolia virginiana ), sweet gum ( Liquidambar styraciflua ), swamp bay ( Persea palustris ), and water oak ( Quercus nigra ). Common shrubs in

5963-407: The salt marshes. The vegetation of the salt marshes have been called "perhaps the most productive in the world." Salinity levels and temperatures can seasonally become extreme in salt marshes, potentially killing many fish and invertebrates. Most species found in salt marshes have developed behavioral strategies, such as migration, to cope with the extremes. Marsh creeks carry freshwater runoff from

6052-433: The sea level at Cedar Key has not been linear. The 18.6 year long lunar node cycle interacts with an 11 to 14 year long sea-level cycle, producing pulses of rapid sea-level rise, followed by periods of steady sea levels or even some decrease. Records at Cedar Key since the installation of a tide gauge in 1914 show that the mean higher high water (and therefore, tidal range or amplitude) has been increasing twice as fast as

6141-463: The seagrass. Seagrass meadows stabilize the bottom and slow water flow, which lets suspended particles settle out of the water. This reduces the turbidity of the water, allowing light to penetrate deeper. As a result, the seagrass meadows along the Big Bend Coast extend up to 15 kilometres (8 nmi) offshore, in water up to 5 metres (16 ft) deep (seagrasses are usually restricted to waters 2 metres [7 ft] deep or less). The seagrass meadows of

6230-438: The seagrasses Thalassia testudinum (turtlegrass), Syringodium filiforme (manatee grass), and Halodule wrightii (shoal grass). The seagrasses Halophila engelmannii (star grass) and Halophila decipiens (Caribbean seagrass), and the salt-tolerant wetlands grass Ruppia maritima (ditch grass), are also found in the seagrass meadows. Green algae , primarily of the order Bryopsidales , but including some species in

6319-442: The seagrasses. Some fish, such as spotted sea trout , seahorses, and pinfish live year-round in the seagrass. Other fish, such as black sea bass , gag grouper , and gray snapper shelter in the seagrass while juveniles. Atlantic Spanish mackerel , bluefish , crevalle jack , pigfish , and spot enter the seagrass meadows to forage. The seagrasses of the Big Bend Coast are typically found in tropical waters, and are at or near

6408-426: The shoreline. Oyster reefs have been present in the area for 2,800 to 4,000 years. A study of oyster reefs in the vicinity of the Suwannee River delta found that the area of reefs in the study area had decreased by 66% between 1982 and 2010. The area covered by the reefs declined from 1982 until 2001, but appeared to increase between 2001 and 2010. The study found that the apparent increase in area between 2001 and 2010

6497-428: The soil saturated for much of the year, and subject to occasional flooding. Coastal hydric hammocks are typically found on soils dominated by sand, loam, or muck, rather than alluvial soils. The hammocks require water with a high concentration of calcium and other minerals derived from limestone, either from limestone bedrock lying close to the surface, or from spring water that has flowed through limestone. The presence of

6586-586: The southern end of the Springs Coast, the Pithlachascotee and Anclote rivers arise further inland, but are almost entirely spring-fed. The many rivers and smaller streams flowing to the Big Bend Coast lower the salinity of the nearshore water. The seasonality of rainfall produces seasonal variations in the salinity of the waters along the Big Bend Proper (the rivers of the Springs Coast are almost completely fed by springs, and have little or no seasonal variation in flow). Rainfall from tropical cyclones may also lower

6675-482: The volume of flow. Springs fall into three general classifications: perennial (springs that flow constantly during the year); intermittent (temporary springs that are active after rainfall, or during certain seasonal changes); and periodic (as in geysers that vent and erupt at regular or irregular intervals). Springs are often classified by the volume of the water they discharge. The largest springs are called "first-magnitude", defined as springs that discharge water at

6764-933: The water as it moves through the underground rocks . This mineral content is measured as total dissolved solids (TDS). This may give the water flavor and even carbon dioxide bubbles, depending on the nature of the geology through which it passes. This is why spring water is often bottled and sold as mineral water , although the term is often the subject of deceptive advertising . Mineral water contains no less than 250 parts per million (ppm) of tds. Springs that contain significant amounts of minerals are sometimes called ' mineral springs '. (Springs without such mineral content, meanwhile, are sometimes distinguished as 'sweet springs'.) Springs that contain large amounts of dissolved sodium salts , mostly sodium carbonate , are called 'soda springs'. Many resorts have developed around mineral springs and are known as spa towns . Mineral springs are alleged to have healing properties. Soaking in them

6853-449: The water emerging from the Florida aquifer. Thermal images were taken at night in March 2009 along 126 miles (203 km) of the Big Bend Coast from Jefferson County to Levy County. The thermal images revealed 874 "hot spots" along the coast which were at least 6 °F (3.3 °C) warmer than Gulf waters in the study area. One hundred ninety-three of the identified sources were under water in

6942-452: The water sinks into the ground via the stream bed. Grand Gulf State Park in Missouri is an example of an entire creek vanishing into the groundwater system. The water emerges 9 miles (14 km) away, forming some of the discharge of Mammoth Spring in Arkansas . Human activity may also affect a spring's discharge—withdrawal of groundwater reduces the water pressure in an aquifer, decreasing

7031-594: The water test for that spring on the website of the company selling it. Springs have been used as sources of water for gravity-fed irrigation of crops. Indigenous people of the American Southwest built spring-fed acequias that directed water to fields through canals. The Spanish missionaries later used this method. A sacred spring, or holy well, is a small body of water emerging from underground and revered in some religious context: Christian and/or pagan and/or other. The lore and mythology of ancient Greece

7120-487: The water. For instance, water heavy with iron or tannins will have an orange color. In parts of the United States a stream carrying the outflow of a spring to a nearby primary stream may be called a spring branch , spring creek , or run. Groundwater tends to maintain a relatively long-term average temperature of its aquifer; so flow from a spring may be cooler than other sources on a summer day, but remain unfrozen in

7209-521: The way to its terminus in Ochlockonee Bay, which then empties into Apalachee Bay , with tidal influences extending upstream over 15 miles (24 km) from the river's mouth. When the Spanish arrived in northern Florida, the Ochlockonee River formed the western boundary of their Apalachee Province . Late 17th-century Spanish documents refer to the river as Claraquachine and Amarillo (Spanish for "yellow"). A 1716 Spanish document called it Rio de Lagna ( lagna

7298-770: The western boundaries of Leon County and Wakulla County and eastern boundaries of Gadsden County , Liberty County , and Franklin County in Florida. It flows through the Red Hills , the Jackson Bluff Dam , Talquin State Forest , Lake Talquin State Park and the Apalachicola National Forest , and past Ochlockonee River State Park , where it is tidally influenced and a mixture of fresh, brackish, and salt water, on

7387-488: The wide continental shelf between the Gulf Loop Current and the Florida peninsula, from the Big Bend Coast to below Tampa Bay .The West Florida Gyre carries larvae from fishes and invertebrates that spawn in the northern Gulf of Mexico close to Big Bend Coast, as well as tropical species. The dry land along the Big Bend Coast is largely covered by forests known as coastal hammocks . The coastal hammocks are hydric, with

7476-543: The winter. The cool water of a spring and its branch may harbor species such as certain trout that are otherwise ill-suited to a warmer local climate . Springs have been used for a variety of human needs - including drinking water, domestic water supply, irrigation, mills , navigation, and electricity generation . Modern uses include recreational activities such as fishing, swimming, and floating; therapy ; water for livestock; fish hatcheries; and supply for bottled mineral water or bottled spring water. Springs have taken on

7565-520: Was an artifact of reef collapse, in which reefs with a high density of oysters spread over a wider area with a much lower density of live oysters. On average, both reef collapse and total loss of reefs were higher the further the reef was from shore. Some increase in oyster populations was found in 2010 in areas closest to the shore. The nearshore or littoral zone of the Big Bend Coast was estimated to have 3,000 square kilometres (1,200 sq mi) of seagrass meadows in 1999, consisting primarily of

7654-557: Was another ceremonial center during the Safety Harbor period. Spanish presence along the Big Bend Coast was limited. The Narváez expedition traveled close to the coast from Tampa Bay to the Withlacoochee River in 1528 without finding any signs of occupation. After crossing the Withlacoochee, the Spaniards encountered inhabitants of the area and thereafter travelled towards Apalachee Province , passing through lands with villages and agricultural fields. As they approached Apalachee Province

7743-457: Was named after the commander's wife who died of yellow fever . The Ochlockonee River saw action during the Civil War . On 15 July 1863, the screw steamer gunboat USS Stars and Stripes and wooden side-wheel steam ferryboat USS Somerset attacked the salt works at Mashes Sands . On 29 December 1863, Stars and Stripes sank the blockade-running schooner Caroline Gertrude , aground on

7832-681: Was oriented to the coast, with major ceremonial sites, such as the Crystal River Archaeological State Park , on the Crystal River, the Garden Patch Archeological Site , near Horseshoe Beach, Florida , and Shell Mound, near Cedar Key located on the coast, and only minor, limited use sites inland. By about 100 CE, the north peninsular coast varieties of the Weeden Island culture replaced the Deptford culture along

7921-471: Was replete with sacred and storied springs—notably, the Corycian , Pierian and Castalian springs. In medieval Europe, pagan sacred sites frequently became Christianized as holy wells. The term "holy well" is commonly employed to refer to any water source of limited size (i.e., not a lake or river, but including pools and natural springs and seeps), which has some significance in local folklore . This can take

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