Springs drying up?

[Puttzer]

Suwannee News headline last week: springs drying up.

I knew the river was staying at a record low but assumed that since the Suwannee River was staying just under record lows, that the springs were still within normal low flows.

Are the springs actually pushing at record low outputs?

[gschaut]

The way (I understand) it works is that the Suwannee is FED by the springs and aquafer. The Suwannee is low BECAUSE the springs are "drying up" (reduced flow rates).

If you check back a few months on this board's history, there are several threads with photos of the major springs now and in the past.

[JCGoodwin]

Florida is in need of a ton of rain to charge the aquifer.
The springs flow has been down for some time now as mentioned the pics are pretty dramatic.
The river is not a little low but I was told almost 8 ft low.
Not sure if my information is correct but it is very very low.
Either way conservation and rain are at the top of the list.

JCG

[sskasser]

Peacock I yesterday. Note, you could walk down the run to P2 without even getting damp. Inside the cave was great, but the need for water topside is glaringly obvious. At Little River, the newly exposed waterfall where the spring run feeds into the river is even more prounounced.

2012-02-05 09.11.03 Peacock 1.JPG 2012-02-05 09.09.58 Peacock 1 b.JPG

[apitkin]

The way (I understand) it works is that the Suwannee is FED by the springs and aquafer. The Suwannee is low BECAUSE the springs are "drying up" (reduced flow rates).

If you check back a few months on this board's history, there are several threads with photos of the major springs now and in the past.

The Suwannee is mostly (about 60%) fed by rain falling in south central Georgia, especially the Okefenokee swamp. The Alapaha and Withlacoochie rivers are important tributaries. The springs are fed by rainfall that is much more local, therefore it's not uncommon to have an imbalance between the two (e.g. typical river flooding in the spring). At the moment, both are affected by the same drought. Local groundwater use by agriculture and other industry is probably exacerbating the shortfall in supply to the local aquifer.

Obviously spring outflow usually flows into the river, but the reverse is possible too. It's only because river levels are so low that many springs are still diveable in their low-flow condition.

[Slüdge]

If you think Peacock is low, you should go to Jackson Blue!

[Slüdge]

(That was a joke, people.)

[sskasser]

More JB pictures, please!

[cavewoman]

At Little River, the newly exposed waterfall where the spring run feeds into the river is even more prounounced.

That waterfall is even more pronounced from when I got here this summer.

[FW]

(That was a joke, people.)

I don't know why you say it is a joke, it is way down since I was last there, by the look of the "floating" dock/bridge.