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Wonder
Steinhatchee Rise
In short
Steinhatchee River flows for some 600 meters under the ground and then resurfaces as a giant spring. This resurgence – Steinhatchee Rise – is one of the several giant river rises of Florida.
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Location, address
Average discharge
Map of the site
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In detail
Steinhatchee river disappears underground in a sink and flows for some 600 m until it resurfaces again in a large river rise.
River rises are rather common in Florida, some of them are very powerful. Such is, for example, Alapaha Rise with an output of 22 700 l/s. Elsewhere in the world are even more powerful underground rivers, such as Aouk Underground River in Western New Guinea, Indonesia. The resurgence of this giant river has an output of 300 000 l/s/
Steinhatchee Rise is less spectacular: in July 1999 its measured output was around 9910 l/s (1). This could be close to the medium annual output of this “spring” (2). When the amount of river flow reaches some 14 160 l/s, the capacity of the underground part is exhausted and part of the water starts running above the ground, but, as the flow decreases, the river returns underground.
The resurgence of Steinhatchee River forms a 22 by 10 m large pool that is up to 3.7 m deep. This pool is flanked by a low limestone ledge and steep, 3-4 m high banks that are covered with vegetation.
Around the rise are some sinkholes and fissures.
As it is characteristic of river rises, the water is not lucid contrary to water from classical karst springs. This is a typical water of a river in Floridian swamps, brown and tannic.
Just some 3-4 km downstream is another natural landmark – Steinhatchee Falls, one of the very few Floridian waterfalls.
References
- Springs of Florida (PDF file), Florida Geological Survey, Bulletin No. 66, 2004. Accessed on November 13, 2022.
- Minimum Flows and Levels, Steinhatchee River, Florida (PDF file), Suwannee River Water Management District, May 2018. Accessed on November 13, 2022.
Steinhatchee Rise is included in the following article:
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.
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