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About Crystal River
Crystal River is located in Citrus County and
runs from the town of Crystal River west seven miles toward the Gulf
of Mexico. Crystal River Springs is a cluster of 30 springs
designated as a first-magnitude system. A first-magnitude system
discharges 100 cubic feet or more of water per second, which equals
about 64 millions of gallons of water per day! Because of this
discharge amount, the Crystal River Springs group is the second
largest springs group in Florida, the first being Spring Creek
Springs in Wakulla County near Tallahassee.
Kings Bay is Crystal River's point of origin, or
its headwaters. Many of the river's springs are 20 to 30 feet deep
and the water is clear enough to see a dime resting on the bottom!
Coming from deep within the limestone aquifer, the spring water is
72 degrees year-round, offering a cool break during the hot summers
and a natural, warm bath during the winter months. Because of the
water clarity and because it is a major habitat for endangered
manatees, scuba diving and snorkeling are popular pastimes in the
area. Crystal River is also the home of the Crystal River National
Wildlife Refuge. This refuge, which is made up of 46 acres of
islands and the Kings Bay basin, is the only federal preserve in
Florida that is devoted to the endangered manatee. The refuge is
important because large numbers of manatees make their winter homes
in Crystal River, enjoying the spring because of the water's
consistently warm temperatures. This warm water is crucial to their
survival during the colder months.
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Recent studies of Crystal River and Kings Bay
have shown that nitrate levels have risen in these water bodies.
Nitrate is a form of nitrogen that is found in inorganic
fertilizers. Inorganic fertilizers are made from nonliving things,
such as chemicals. When people use too much of these fertilizers
throughout the landscape, excess nitrate is washed into water bodies
during rainfalls or seeps through the ground and into the aquifer.
After many years of traveling through the aquifer, the fertilizer
can end up in springs and affect water quality. Typically,
fertilizer makes plants grow, but increased nitrate levels in rivers
can make aquatic vegetation and water plants, such as algae, begin
growing out of control. Although most algae are good, too much algae
form "blooms" that can block sunlight that other plants need or use
up all of the oxygen in the water. Without enough sunlight or
oxygen, fish and other plants will die.
Thankfully, many people are starting to realize
the damage that too much fertilizer, or improper use of fertilizers,
can do to Florida's groundwater supply and, ultimately, its spring
systems. Through public education and increased awareness, many
homeowners are beginning to use fertilizers correctly, use less
fertilizer or have switched to organic fertilizers that do not
contain nitrates.
The "Spring of 10,000 Fish" is constantly
replenished by millions of gallons of crystal-clear water and is a
refuge for manatees that have been injured, orphaned or born in
captivity. When these manatees reach a point where all they require
is nourishment, they’re transferred to the park from various medical
facilities throughout the state. While most are rehabilitated and
returned to the wild, some manatees are classified as
"long-term-captive" and aren’t candidates for release.
The park is much more than just a safe haven for
manatees—it provides educational programs, wildlife displays, boat
tours and nature trails that meander throughout this lush, hydric
hammock environment. Visitors can also learn about crocodiles,
alligators, the Florida black bear, Florida snakes, bobcats and
numerous species of wild and exotic birds. One of the park’s main
attractions is the 168-ton underwater observatory where you can see
the manatees and a wide variety of
 freshwater and saltwater fish.
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