Weeki Wachee Spring Group
The Weeki Wachee Spring Group is a first-magnitude springs group located in Hernando County in the Southwest Florida Water Management District. The Weeki Wachee State Park is home to the renowned Weeki Wachee mermaids who have performed there since the first underwater theater opened in 1947. In 2007, the deepest known cave system in North America was discovered in Weeki Wachee with depths over 400 feet below ground. The exploration of the cave has lent new life to this historic park. Park management poses several unique challenges to Florida and Hernando County officials. Given the spring’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, it generally has higher salinity content than other springs, contributing to a one-of-a-kind ecosystem in the area. Southwest Florida Water Management District began talks with the county and state in 2020 to implement new practices to protect the spring system from high visitation. Critical challenges include climbing nitrogen levels and declining water flows as Hernando County continues to grow. Higher nitrogen spurs algae growth in the head spring- threatening years of history and the spring’s famously clear water.
In 2016, the Florida Legislature passed the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act.
Weeki Wachee Springs is currently one of the twenty four Outstanding Florida Springs or Springs Groups that is considered “impaired”.
Historic images
The following images were provided courtesy of the State Archives of Florida. This incredible photographic library provides a window into the historic spring landscape, documenting changing spring and surface water levels, as well as human use and development in this special location.
Science Hub
This is the location for access to data related to this spring. Below, you will find links to reports, data, as well as maps and information from the Florida Springs Institute’s Blue Water Audit project about this particular spring or spring group.
The Blue Water Audit is a tool developed by the Florida Springs Institute to estimate and visualize the impact of human activities on the Floridan Aquifer. Using existing data from a variety of sources, the Blue Water Audit estimates nitrogen loading and groundwater withdrawals for the Florida Springs Region. These estimates are used to assign Aquifer Footprints – a Floridan Aquifer Nitrogen Footprint (water quality) and a Floridan Aquifer Groundwater Footprint (water quantity). Below are maps of the Blue Water Audit Floridan Aquifer Nitrogen footprint for the Weeki Wachee springshed within the Southwest Florida Water Management District, as well as a map of the land use within the Weeki Wachee springshed. To find out more about the Blue Water Audit project and to learn how this tool was developed, visit Blue Water Audit.
DATA AND REPORTS
FDEP – Nutrient TMDLs for Weeki Wachee Springs and Weeki Wachee River
USGS – Water Data – Weeki Wachee Springs
SWFWMD – MFLs – Weeki Wachee River System
SWFWMD – Impacts of Withdrawals on the Thermal Regime of the Weeki Wachee River
FGS – First Magnitude Springs of Florida
FSI – SpringsWatch – Weeki Wachee
FSI – 2019 Weeki Wachee River Monitoring Summary
FSI – 2020 Weeki Wachee River Monitoring Summary
The Interactive Florida Springs Atlas was produced with generous support from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida. The Community Foundation of North Central Florida supported this project through generous support for our Blue Water Audit project.
