OPEN FILE REPORT NO. 85


Econfina Creek at Gainer Springs is owned by Patronis, Inc (out of Panama City, Fla). The
east side of the creek is owned and managed by the NWFWMD.

GAINER SPRING NO. 1C Lat. 300 25' 39.6" N, Long. 850 32' 46.0" W (SW14 NW14 SE14 sec.
4, T. 1 S, R. 13 W). Gainer Spring Nos. 1A, 1B, and 1C form a 820 ft (250 m) long spring
run that enters Econfina Creek on the east side directly across from Spring No. 2. Spring
No. 1C is the first spring encountered approximately 495 ft (150 m) upstream from the
creek, and its pool is adjacent to the run on the southeast side. Spring pool dimensions are
approximately 72 ft (22 m) east to west and 33 ft (10 m) north to south. Water issues upward
from a vertical tunnel in the limestone. Shell and sand particles are suspended in the spring
flow. Pool depth is 20 ft (6.1 m) measured over the vent opening. There is very little aquat-
ic vegetation, however, algae patches in spring pool are common. The adjoining, swampy
lowlands are heavily forested with cypress and mixed hardwoods. The nearest uplands to
the southeast support a mixed hardwood and pine forest. There is no high ground adjacent
to the spring pool.

GAINER SPRING NO. 2 Lat. 300 25' 38.6" N, Long. 850 32' 54.0" W (SW/4 NE14 SW/4 sec.
4, T. 1 S, R. 13 W). This spring is located directly across from the mouth of Gainer Spring
No. 1 run along the west side of Econfina Creek. Spring water issues forcefully from the
base of the riverbank and forms a pool along the edge of the creek. Pool diameter is approx-
imately 60 ft (18 m) east to west and 62 ft (17 m) north to south. Pool depth is 5 ft (1.5 m).
Vent diameter is approximately 5 ft (1.5 m). There is little or no aquatic vegetation, but
patches of dark green algae are present. The water is light greenish blue. A concrete wall
forms the south side of the spring pool. Two parallel pipes that extract drinking water run
from inside the spring vent toward the top of the bluff and beyond. There are at least three
other smaller vents issuing from the bank just above this spring. A 23 ft (7 m) high bluff
meets Econfina Creek at Spring No. 2. A mixed hardwood and pine forest inhabits the bluff
face and high ground.

GAINER SPRING NO. 3 Lat. 300 25' 44.3" N, Long. 850 32' 53.9" W (NE/4 NE14 SW/4 sec.
4, T. 1 S, R. 13 W). This spring is located along the west side of Econfina Creek, and is about
655 ft (200 m) upstream of Spring No. 2. It is at the head of a 325 ft (100 m) long spring
run. There are at least three vent complexes in the combined spring pool. The depression
is large and mostly shallow with a sandy bottom and limestone boulders. The combined
spring pool diameter is about 305 ft (93 m) east to west and 125 ft (39 m) north to south.
There is a forested island in the center of the combined spring pool. Some emergent vege-
tation exists along the pool's shores, but there is very little aquatic vegetation. Dark green
algal mats are ubiquitous throughout the bottom of the spring pool. The western vent issues
out of a limestone sidewall and has a small boardwalk nearby. The north vent where water
quality was sampled is the largest and deepest. This spring is about 15 ft (5 m) south of a
wooden wall presumably constructed for shore erosion management. Light greenish blue
water issues vertically from the bottom of a 16 ft (5 m) diameter conical depression and pro-
duces a boil at the surface. The depression is 7.4 ft (2.3 m) deep over the vent. Vent diam-
eter is about 1.5 ft (.5 m). On the eastern side of the combined spring pool, there are at least
3 other vents. Uphill to the north, there are picnic tables under a pavilion in a grassy open-
ing. The rest of the uplands adjoining the spring pool to the west are forested with mixed
hardwoods and pines.

Utilization Gainer Spring No. 2 is owned by Patronis, a bottled-water company. Econfina