Wall Springs Park

Weather- 78 degrees F, 70 % cloud cover

Our class made the trip to the managed Wall Springs Park to view karst topography, specifically the spring that gives the park its name. The spring was utilized in the past as a therapeutic pool for sickly people, with advertised "special healing powers", and then as a sort of amusement swimming area. Now Pinellas County owns it and it is basically a boardwalk that surrounds the spring opening. Now you just stare into it and watch it release water. 

Here is one of the placards placed by the county parks department, telling the history of Wall Springs Park.

 

 

 

The boardwalk surrounding the spring.

 The spring is an artesian well, and is fed from the Floridan Aquifer. Its flow of water averages 7,045 Gallons Per Minute, and during the time I was there I definitely saw its flow increase. The water went from covered by algal growth to relatively clear in about a half-hours time. Water discharged from springs are a constant temperature, and Wall Springs isn't any different, the water temperature stays at a constant 74 degrees F.

From the spring the water flows through a bayou, and out to the Gulf of Mexico.

 I hopped down off the boardwalk and took the pH of the spring water. The pH was 7, which is proper for spring water.

Below the surface you can see the nifty limestone that is indicative of karst topography.

 

 

 Some of the plant life immediately surrounding the spring included several Cedar Trees, Cabbage Palms, and Cat Tails. There are more natural Florida plants a little further away from the spring, and I am sure eventually they will move to right next to the spring since the area is no longer a managed landscaping area.

There was a lot more that we were supposed to view at this park, but unfortunately a majority of the park is currently fenced off so that the county and build a new overlook tower to replace the one that burnt down several years ago.

Ducks seem to enjoy the spring, and the old people visiting seem to enjoy corrupting the ducks with bread offerings.