OPEN FILE REPORT NO. 85


HERNANDO COUNTY

Weeki Wachee Spring


 Figure 39. Weeki Wachee Spring (photo by R. Means).
Location Lat. 280 31' 01.9" N, Long. 820 34' 23.4" W (NE 1/ SW 1% NE 1% sec. 2, T. 23 S, R.
17 E). Spring is located in the town of Weeki Wachee on the west side of US 19. From the
intersection of US 19 and CR 50, drive south .2 miles (.3 km). Turn right into Weeki Wachee
Springs Park parking lot. Spring vent is in the large pool used for mermaid shows.

Description Weeki Wachee Spring discharges from the bottom of a conical depression
with gentle side slopes and a deep center. Spring depth is 45 ft (13.7 m) over the vent in the
center of the pool. The spring pool measures 165 ft (50 m) east to west and 210 ft (64 m)
north to south. Bare limestone is located near the vent, but none crops out around the pool
edges. The water is clear and light greenish blue, and a boil is visible in the center of the
pool. Thick, filamentous algae cover the majority of the spring bottom, and there are some
native aquatic grasses in the spring pool. The spring is rich with fresh and saltwater fish-
es and aquatic turtles. The issuing Weeki Wachee River flows westward approximately 5
miles (8 km) into the Gulf of Mexico. The river flows through low-lying, densely forested
swamp. The nearest high ground east of the spring is rolling sandhills terrain and gently
rises to 15 ft (5 m) above the water level. All uplands and land adjacent to spring are devel-
oped. U.S. 19 is approximately 225 ft (69 m) east of the spring.

Discharge Historical discharge data for Weeki Wachee Springs were measured at the
Weeki Wachee River and include the flow of Weeki Wachee Spring, Little Springs, Unknown
Spring No. 3, and flow from the bed of the river and the run from Little Springs. The aver-