Looking for data on Madison Blue Spring Flow Conditions

[amlong]

I am looking for any recent data on the flow/visibility at Madison Blue Spring. I have been closely following the Minimum Flows and Levels that are being set for Fanning and Manatee Spring and have noted that the USGS flow meters do not reflect the actual conditions in the springs. I am able to document this for the district, but there is another spring that bears watching.

I looked at the USGS website for Madison Blue: http://waterdata.usgs.gov/fl/nwis/dv...cd=00060,00065

and noticed that the discharge gauge indicates it is backflowing and that it has done so twice this month. Since I can't just drive by and check it out, I was curious if anyone has any information about the recent conditions in the spring. If the Minimum Flow for Madison was set by using a faulty gauge, the Water Management District needs to know.

The only info I need is time (approximate), date, visibility (clear or dark or mixed), and flow (high/medium/low). If you checked it out and it was backflowing, please note that too.

Cave divers are the only ones who keep track of this kind of data. We need to make sure the District gets the minimum flows right and they can't if the discharge gauges don't work properly.

Thanks for your time.
A.M. Long 352-490-8930 long5892@bellsouth.net

Hey Annette, good to see you still active watching over the springs. Thank You!

[curtschu]

Are we about to lose Madison Blue again? Looking at the Real time river levels they are on the rise. Or is it already gone based on the flow being reversed. Or did I understand your post wrong.

WHATs the conditions ???? I gotta dive man!!!!!

Curt

[phishfood]

Madison Blue was closed Saturday morning.

[Kelly Jessop]

and noticed that the discharge gauge indicates it is backflowing and that it has done so twice this month. Since I can't just drive by and check it out, I was curious if anyone has any information about the recent conditions in the spring.

Annette

Good to see you on the forums. As you know Madison Blue has always held the distinction of first to go,last to blow. There have been several episodes of high river levels on the Withlacoochee lately, which has caused the park to close cave diving, and possibly flow reversal.. Is it possible to correlate the flow meters with river levels to get an approximation to see if they are directly proportional? Try http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/water+d...ver+levels.asp

Good luck
Kelly

[Ken Hill]

Annette,
One point to consider and possibly a source of "help" is the bottler Nestles/Perrier out of Brooksville. If they still hold the rights to the water their concern may still be that the minimum flows set by the state DO NOT address the clarity of the water only the volume.

Their concern about Madison was the clarity of the water when they opened the plant, knowing that the bottling restrictions on them would not have an effect on the volume. Since the state imposed a strict daily withdrawal limit not adjusting volumes to compensate for times when the system reversed that limit was about 25% of what the system could handle if I recall correctly. At one point they discussed the merits of raising the minimum flow at Madison. Their thinking was if they drew any more water than that it would cause the system's reverse to reach their well earlier and force them to close them down.

You are right about the gauges addressing the flow. That could skew data and indirectly harm the spring. It would seem that the cave divers and the bottlers, at least in this instance, may have a mutual interest in keeping the water clear. /Ken

[curtschu]

I just called the park and confirmed the Spring is flooded and looks to be reversed. John said it went two or three days ago this would put the River Level at Pinetta at about at about 57 feet for those that track the Real Time Levels site.

Curt