World 🢖 North America 🢖 United States 🢖 Florida
Springs 🢔 Geological wonders 🢔 Categories of wonders
Wonder
Lafayette Blue Spring
In short
An interesting natural feature at Suwannee River is Lafayette Blue Spring – a powerful spring that comes from more than 6 km long underwater cave.
34.5%
GPS coordinates
Location, address
Average discharge
Map of the site
If you see this after your page is loaded completely, leafletJS files are missing.
In detail
Lafayette Blue Springs were formed in Ocala Limestone. This limestone started to form in an ancient seabed in the late Eocene, some 38-34 million years ago. Of course, the springs are much younger.
This interesting spring is located on the western bank of the Suwannee River and is connected to it by a 90 m long spring run. The spring pool is 17 by 31 m large and up to 6.4 m deep.
The Lafayette Blue Spring run is crossed by a 6 m wide natural limestone bridge that divides the spring pond into two parts.
The spring emits lucid, clear water with fish and turtles easily seen in it. Unfortunately, the water is somewhat polluted with nitrates from agricultural runoff and, as a result, filamentous algae grow in the spring pool.
The vent of the spring serves as the entrance to a cave system – the 6,096 m long and up to 60 m deep Blue Spring-Green Sink Cave System. This cave has several karst windows – openings nearby: Snake Sink and Green Sink. This cave system has impressive, large passages and occasional large underwater halls that are up to 30 m wide and 9 m high. Its exploration started in 1977.
Lafayette Blue Spring is a popular swimming place. Unfortunately, the area around the spring has been trampled and eroded, decreasing its natural beauty.
References
- Lafayette Blue Springs. Suwannee River Water Management District, Water Data Portal. Last accessed on 9th September 2023.
Linked articles
Springs
Powerful natural freshwater springs belong to the most fascinating monuments of nature. Even more exciting is the diversity of unusual springs – mineral springs, hot springs, submarine springs as well as the unusual black smokers. Especially beautiful are such natural rarities as travertine, silica, or salt terraces created by warm and hot springs and, especially, geysers.
Wonders of the United States
The United States of America is one of the largest countries in the world and offers a wide array of diverse attractions: many are unsurpassed in the world. Highlights of the United States are cliffs, canyons, and rock formations, several impressive downtowns of cities with numerous skyscrapers as well as a rich array of geothermal features, and the giant forest of California.
Wonders of Florida
Florida is the tropical paradise of the mainland United States. Over the last century, it has experienced fabulous changes, turning from a forgotten, swampy badland into a densely populated and rich land. Highlights of Florida include the architecture of the late 19th and 20th centuries as well as its giant springs and caves.
Recommended books
Florida Natural Wonders: 101 Slices Of Heaven That You Can’t Miss When Visiting Florida
Are You Ready for a Breathtaking Experience Through the Heart of Florida, Exploring Its Most Famous Wonders and Attractions?
If you want a guide that will help you find the most beautiful spots in this gorgeous state, then keep reading because this is the book you were looking for!
FLORIDA SPRINGS FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Your Guide to the Best of Florida’s Springs, Parks and Recreations
The author started gathering information for this unique guidebook of Florida Springs over 40 years ago. In 1973 Robert F. Burgess began diving and photographing the underwater caves associated with Florida’s labyrinthine freshwater springs long before scuba divers had such things as depth gauges, personal flotation devices, or cave divers training programs. He attributes his survival in what has been called “the world’s most dangerous sport” to the fact that he always stayed within sight of the way out of these underwater sites.
