Ichetucknee Springs, affectionately referred to as “The Itch”, is the site of the April 20 Gorgeous Ladies on the Water kayak trip, and it is a stunning place. Popular in the summer with tubers, the headspring is a first-magnitude spring (flow of at least 100 cubic feet of water every second). The shallow spring run is populated with many other springs, including nine that are named, as it channels water approximately six miles to the Santa Fe River. The Santa Fe later joins the Suwannee River, which carries water from The Itch all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
On a hot summer day, the spring run is filled with people floating on innertubes, kayaks, canoes and paddleboards. I’m not sure there is a better way to enjoy a Florida spring than just floating downstream in an innertube! You can float belly down and use a dive mask to enjoy the amazing underwater sights (fish, spring “boils” kicking up snow white sand, water grasses that indicate the health status of a spring, and much more) or float belly up and watch the trees and birds go by. Personally, when we go tubing, I alternate because I can’t decide which way is more interesting. . .but that transparent water probably has a slight lead. But really, there’s no wrong way to float, is there?
Ichetucknee Springshed Basin
The Ichetucknee Springshed Basin, an area covering about 256,000 acres, continues to experience growth that places pressure on our natural treasures. Groundwater levels are declining because of human activity – this results in springs that are discharging less water than they have in the past. Fertilizer, cattle ranching, and our own septic tanks add nitrogen to the springs and rivers, creating real imbalances in these fragile aquatic systems. Land use is changing from rural and agricultural to urban and residential.
Geology
In some areas of Florida, water seeps through the sand and clay into limestone aquifers and as it does, some nutrients and pollutants are filtered out. Other parts of the state do not have these sand and clay sediments, and you will see sinkholes, limestone outcrops and springs on the surface. These are karst features and are a significant part of Florida’s geology.
Here’s why Florida’s karst geology is significant for the Ichetucknee. The Ichetucknee Trace is a dry river valley where the Ichetucknee river once flowed. The Trace contains sinkholes where water from creeks that fed the Ichetucknee in prehistory now discharge. When dye tracers are dropped into these sinkholes, the dye later shows up in Ichetucknee Springs. This tells us that nutrients and pollutants in the trace will eventually end up in the Ichetucknee – and indicates how vulnerable our aquifers are to the effects of fertilizer, herbicides, petroleum and other pollutants which can leach into the limestone.
Biology
Currently, the waters in Ichetucknee Springs State Park are clean but so threatened that they have been designated as Outstanding Florida Waters. This is the highest level of protection available.
Insect larvae of the dragonfly, mayfly, and others; crustaceans like freshwater shrimp and crawdads; clams, mussels, and snails are all part of the food chain in the Ichetucknee River. Loggerhead musk turtles, Suwannee cooters, and many other turtles can be found here. River otters and beavers live along the upper and lower portions of the river, but a natural feature on the lower river bars manatees from reaching the upper river when water levels are low.
And the birds! Almost 200 species of birds live here. The limpkins, wood ducks and herons (and other avian species) all depend on a healthy environment.
The communities of aquatic plants supported by the River have been monitored since 1989. While the Ichetucknee once enjoyed a wide diversity of plant species, over the past 20 years eelgrass and strap-leaf sagittaria have become dominant and other plants have declined. During the same time period, submerged aquatic vegetation has become covered by filamentous algae, which shades the plants and slows their growth. This reduces the food source for many of the animals listed above. Despite its designation as an Outstanding Florida Water, decrease in diversity and increase in algae indicate that the river is not as healthy as it once was.
Florida Forever Purchase of Ichetucknee Trace Acreage
The State of Florida recently announced the purchase of 160 acres in Columbia County. This acreage is within the Ichetucknee Trace and will protect land and channels that allow groundwater to make its way to the Spring. Florida Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein said of this purchase, “Restoration and protection of our world-reknowned springs continues to be a top priority for the department and we appreciate the support of Gov. DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet.” The state agreed to pay $518,400 for the property, but the purchase has not yet closed.