Florida is home to more than 700 springs, pumping out billions of gallons of fresh water every day. The discharge flows of springs are expressed by Magnitude. 1st Magnitude springs have the highest flow rate, with a minimum discharge of 100 Cubic Feet per Second. That’s enough water to fill about 100 Olympic-size swimming pools. Every day. From just 1 spring. 33 of Florida’s springs are rated 1st Magnitude — that’s more than any other state, more even than any other country on the planet. And most of these springs have far greater flows than the minimum, up to a billion gallons or more discharged per day.
That alone would qualify Florida for the title of King of Springs. But right behind 1st Magnitude springs are 2nd Magnitude springs, with flow rates ranging from 10-100 cubic feet per second (cfs) — still a lot of flow, some with very nearly 1st Magnitude discharge rates. Florida has 191 of them. 3rd Magnitude springs (1-10 cfs)? 151 of those. Plus hundreds of smaller springs. That adds up to a LOT of water.
So what does that mean for you? 2 words: Recreational Opportunities. Most of the best springs are located on government property and are open to the public. You can enjoy your favorite freshwater activities at one or more of these springs: Swimming, tubing, paddling, snorkeling, scuba diving, etc. You’ll also find plenty of land-based recreational opportunities: Hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, picnicking, etc. And typically you can bring a whole carload of people for under $10, which may be the best recreational value money can buy.
Ready to check it out? For The Florida Bucket List of Springs to experience you can click here for an alphabetical listing: http://www.floridasnaturalwonders.com/?p=829. Or you can check out our list by county: http://www.floridasnaturalwonders.com/?p=849. Check out these Natural Wonders...you’ll thank us for the recommendation. And you’re welcome.
