Silver Springs EarthCache EarthCache

This Earthcache is located in Silver Springs State Park. An admission fee is charged. Amenities include glass-bottom boat tour, visitor’s center, museum, camping, canoeing/kayaking, hiking and of course Geocaching. Several geocaches are located in the hiking areas near the campground. Paid admission or camping will allow access to both sides of the river. 

Note: This is an Earthcache. There is no physical cache to find. Logging this Earthcache requires that you undertake an educational task relating to the specific Earth Science at the site.

Prior to logging this cache, click on Message this owner, or send an email with answers to the following questions:

1. How would you describe the clarity of the water?
   Answers to the following questions can be found on a sign 50 feet NE of GZ:
2. How old is the water coming out of Silver Springs?
3. How large is the recharge area (springshed)?
4. Required to log this cache: Please provide a photo of yourself or a personal item in the picture to prove you visited the site. Upload the photo with your log.

Geology

The most abundant concentrations of springs in the world are located in northern and central Florida. There are  hundreds of springs, which discharge over 8 billion gallons of water every day.

The abundance of springs is due to a terrain called karst.  Karst landforms are created when the limestone bedrock is dissolved by the natural carbonic acid present in rainwater and ground water. This creates underground channels, caves and sinkholes. The interconnected crevices, cracks, caves and tunnels are the “pipes” through which water flows to the springs. When new water enters the system through rainfall and percolation, pressure is exerted on the water already there, which forces it to the surface through these openings.

Silver Springs is thought to be the largest spring in Florida, and is one of the largest in the world. It is a collection of 30 springs with 61 vent openings. Mammoth Springs vent is just off the boardwalk at GZ. The opening is 5 feet high by 135 feet wide and resembles a giant smile.  This vent is estimated to discharge 45% of the water flow from all the springs that make up Silver Springs.

Mammoth Springs vent is on the left side of this photo

History

Before the Orlando attractions, Silver Springs was one of the state's most popular tourist destinations.  Even if you had never visited Silver Springs, you might have seen it. The 1960s television show Sea Hunt was filmed here, as were countless movies, including Tarzan and Creature From the Black Lagoon. Guy Marwick, the founder of the Silver River Museum, says it drew more than 1 million visitors a year. Marwick says. "It was kind of the natural Florida, and I think that's what people are hoping to see it go back to now."

On October 1, 2013, Florida's state park service took over Silver Springs and began working to restore it to a more natural state. This is a huge task.  It will be interesting to watch this transformation by the park service. More difficult will be controlling the outside sources that are causing degradation to all of Florida’s springs and our drinking water supply.

Sources: floridastateparks.org; St. Johns River Water Management District; Florida Nature

This EarthCache placement marks the 10th birthday of EarthCaches.