Wekiva Spring Group

Orange County’s Wekiwa Spring is a designated Outstanding Florida Spring in the St. Johns River Water Management District.  Wekiwa Spring flows at the second magnitude to form the headwaters of the Wekiva River. The spring discharges from a 35-foot-long fissure in the limestone to form a circular pool. Aquatic vegetation is absent in the spring pool but prevalent in the Wekiva River, including exotic species. The spring and surrounding scrub, sandhills, and hardwood hammock are in the Wekiwa Springs State ParkRecreation opportunities include paddling, camping, fishing, and many miles of hiking, biking, and horse trails. Originally called Clay Springs, Wekiwa Spring was renamed in 1906.

Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa, 2013. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiva, 2014. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiva, 2014. Photo by John Moran.
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Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa Spring, 2011. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiwa, 2013. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiva, 2014. Photo by John Moran.
Wekiva, 2014. Photo by John Moran.
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In 2016, the Florida Legislature passed the Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act

As part of that law, the state of Florida developed a list of 30 springs that are either historic first-magnitude springs, or of other importance. The term Outstanding Florida Spring (OFS) refers to this list of 30 springs or spring groups. If water quality is found impaired, these springs require a Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) to achieve water quality standards within a 20-year time frame.

Wekiva Spring Group 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.

Guests swimming by Clay Springs Hotel, c. 1900. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiva Springs, 1889. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Clay Springs boathouse, 1880.
Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiva Springs, 1906. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiwa Springs, 1907. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiwa Springs, 1970.
Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
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Guests swimming by Clay Springs Hotel, c. 1900. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiva Springs, 1889. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Clay Springs boathouse, 1880.
Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiva Springs, 1906. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiwa Springs, 1907. Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
Wekiwa Springs, 1970.
Photo courtesy of the State Archives of Florida.
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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 Wekiva springshed within the St. Johns River Water Management District, as well as a map of the land use within the Wekiva 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

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.

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The Wacissa Spring Group lies at the northern end of the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area in Jefferson
County and forms the headwaters of the Wacissa River. Over twenty springs form a cluster that runs
along the river. A public boat ramp allows for easy access to the core of the spring cluster. This dense
core contains Log, Thomas, Wacissa #1-4, and Acuilla springs, which together form a large bowl of fast-
flowing water. Along the run, large patches of Coontail compete with beds of Hydrilla beneath the clear
water. The combined magnitude and isolation of the Wacissa springs make the location one of the most
pristine in the state, earning the system a spot on the list of OFSs despite none of the individual springs
flowing at the first magnitude.