SPringsWatch: Silver River
This group is not currently accepting volunteers. If you would like to join the waiting list, please complete the volunteer application below.
SPRINGSWATCH FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Located six miles east of Ocala in Marion County, the Silver River begins at Silver Springs, a group of artesian springs that comprise a first magnitude spring group. The river flows for approximately 4.5 miles to its confluence with the Ocklawaha River. Mammoth Spring is the largest of the Silver Springs group and is surrounded by the Silver River State Park. In 2013, the former Silver Springs attraction property was combined with the 4,418-acre Silver River State Park to become the 4,660-acre Silver Springs State Park.
SpringsWatch volunteers conduct monthly sampling sessions along the Silver River. Our Silver River group currently collects data on water temperature, dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, vertical light attenuation, aquatic vegetation, and visual bird surveys.
SpringsWatch offers participants a deep dive into understanding the ecology of Florida springs as well as a fun day on the water helping to generate research which supports them. To learn more about the data our volunteers are collecting, click on the monitoring summary or dashboard links below. To Learn more abut Silver River, go here: SILVER SPRINGS
Click here or the button below to sign up.
Silver River SpringsWatch Data
DISSOLVED OXYGEN
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) refers to the amount of “Free oxygen” dissolved in the water. Adequate concentrations of DO are necessary for rooted aquatic plants, invertebrates, and fish to prosper. Spring water typically has lower DO compared to river/surface water due to its underground origin, where groundwater is not in contact with the air and sunlight necessary for photosynthesis that produces oxygen.
SPECIFIC CONDUCTANCE
Specific Conductance is a measure of how easily an electrical current can pass through water. Since groundwater typically carries dissolved limestone, its specific conductance is higher than what is measured from surface water. Specific conductance levels are also influenced by the presence of pollution (nitrate-nitrogen from fertilizers), and salt from salt water intrusion.
TEMPERATURE
Due to the subterranean source of emerging groundwater, the temperature of Florida’s springs typically averages 72 degrees F (22 degrees C) across the state. Groundwater temperature is dependent on the average annual air temperature, so springs in North Florida are slightly colder than springs further south. Water temperature at river stations fluctuates more rapidly than at springs stations.
Silver River SpringsWatch Monitoring summaries
Become a citizen scientist And help protect Florida's springs!
SPRINGSWATCH
COORDINATOR
The Florida SpringsWatch program is funded in part through generous support from the Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida, the Live Wildly Foundation, and the annual First Magnitude Springs Run hosted by First Magnitude Brewing Company, and Silver River Museum & Environmental Education Center.
