Fanning Spring

Fanning Spring comes from a conical funnel that us 3.7 m deep. At its bottom is white sand but on sides is exposed limestone. Spring pool is 63 by 44 m large.

This spring, unfortunately, experiences decrease of its output. Earlier this was 1st magnitude spring with a flow exceeding 3-4 thousands of litres per second, but the flow has decreased and now it is 2nd magnitude spring. During the 21st century its mean flow has been 1 921 l/s.

The spring water over the last decades has become increasingly polluted with nitrates from the agricultural runoff, also with E.coli.

Spring serves as an entrance in Blue Spring-Green Sink Cave System. This is a large cave, 6,096 m long and up to 60 m deep. A short, 137 m long (if measured from the beginning of spring pool) spring run connects it to the nearby Suwannee River.

Fanning Spring with its lucid water is a popular swimming place, with swimming ropes marking the allowed swim area.

History

Similar to many other springs, Fanning Springs was known to prehistoric people long ago, the oldest artefacts nearby are 14,000 years old.

Fort Fanning was built from wood near the spring in 1838 during the Second Seminole War. Now nothing remains of this fort but springs got their name from it. Fort, in turn, was named in honor of Colonel Alexander Campbell Wilder Fanning (1788-1846).

Springs were used by steamboats who had a stop there until the 20th century.

Since 1993 the land around the springs belongs to Florida State and is used for recreation.

References

1. Fanning Springs NR Wilcox Fla – 02323502, USGS. Accessed on August 27, 2023.
2. Fanning Springs. Suwannee River Water Management District, Water Data Portal. Last accessed on 9th September 2023.
3. First Magnitude Springs of Florida, Florida Geological Survey Open File Report No. 85. 2002. Last accessed on 22nd September 2023.
4. History, Fanning Springs State Park, Florida State Parks. Last accessed on 23rd September 2023.