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springs is densely forested with cypress, oak, some pine, and generally moderate undergrowth. To the north, less than a mile from the head of the river, the land becomes hilly, rising in most parts more than 100 feet (30 m) above the lowland. The river is generally clear and cool, averaging 21 °C (70 °F) ... The distribution of springs in, as well as adjacent to, the
Wacissa River and the heavy surface cover of aquatic plants makes difficult to impractical the reliable measurement of individual springs ... The average flow from August 1971 through September 1974 was 389 cubic feet per second.
123:
to the river. Removal of the forest had remarkable results. When naturalist, Herbert
Stoddard, Senior, visited the area in 1932 after the absence of some years, he reported the entire ecology of the lower river was "drastically changed." Instead of the shallow, clear stream he had once visited, he found it running high and dark in all seasons. Apple snails, which depend on clear, lime-laden water, survived only in the upper reaches of the river near the springs. Birds such as limpkin and egret which feed on the snails, had become as scarce as the snails.
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bear, bobcat, wild turkey and bobwhites, as well as migratory birds and waterfowl by the billions. The limited use made of the river prior to the Civil War, for barging cotton to
Newport from Jefferson County plantations, largely ended after the war and the area remained essential virgin. Late in the nineteenth century, the Wacissa area became well-known to ornithologists because of
122:
which were then fairly common there ... In 1930 the entire
Wacissa watershed was clear-cut by timber companies which sold the pine and bald cypress lumber. The grades on which they built their tram roads still criss-cross the area, forming the basis for most of the dirt roads which now provide access
117:
Two centuries ago, open stands of virgin longleaf pine grew on the stony upland north of the extensive hardwood hammock at Nuttal Rise. West of the
Wacissa, a wild swampy pineland was sprinkled with outcroppings of chert. The whole region of some 400 square miles (1,000 km) swarmed with dear,
105:
The
Wacissa is well known for its large concentration of aquatic birds, including egrets, herons, ibis, osprey, wood storks, limpkins, anhingas, kingfishers, barred owls and bald eagles. Aquatic animals are also abundant, including alligators, river otters, turtles, water snakes, and crayfish. The
83:
consist of at least 12 known springs scattered along the upper 1.5 miles (2.4 km) of the
Wacissa River. Land to the east and west of the river is flat and swampy and surface elevations are little more than 3 feet (0.91 m) above river level. The area immediately adjoining the river and
93:
The flora is typical for a freshwater swamp in the deep southeast; pond cypress and bald cypress dominate the banks, followed by sweetbay, maple, sweet gum, hickories and oaks, as well as magnolias, holly, willow, and sabal palms. The water itself is heavily vegetated. The exotics,
132:. However, the company has agreed not to cut trees in the immediate vicinity of the river. Today, the Wacissa is used almost exclusively for recreational purposes, including swimming, boating, fishing and birdwatching.
127:
Although much of the
Wacissa forest is now some 85 years into recovery, logging activities are still common in the area. Large portions of the adjacent lands—though managed by the state of Florida—are owned by the
102:, dominate the upper reaches of the river. The spring runs themselves are often home to pickerel weed, arrowhead, elodea and eel grass. Wild flowers are also present, including several varieties of water lilies.
106:
main species of fish are bass, mullet, catfish, red-breasted sunfish, stumpknocker and gar, although the warmouth perch, speckled perch, flier bream, and shellcracker may also found in the
Wacissa.
180:. Bureau of Geology, Florida Department of Natural Resources and the Bureau of Water Resources Management, Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, FL.
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79:, a relic marine terrace marked by a line of hills to the north. According to the Florida Bureau of Geology, the group of springs
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47:. From its headsprings, the river flows approximately 12 miles (19 km) south through a broad
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Rosenau, Jack C., Glen L. Faulkner, Charles W. Hendry, Jr., and Robert W. Hull (1977).
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The springs that feed the
Wacissa River emerge in a bottomland forest below the
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swamp before breaking into numerous braided channels which join the
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39:. Its headwaters are located about a mile south of the town of
113:'s 1976 report on the Wacissa for the Canoe Trail Atlas:
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by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
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a few miles further south. The river is managed by the
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is a large, spring-fed stream located in south-central
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Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission
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1027:Bodies of water of Jefferson County, Florida
190:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
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16:River in Florida, United States of America
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169:Canoe Trail Atlas for the Wacissa River
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925:St. Johns-Indian River Barge Canal
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981:List of major springs in Florida
261:Significant waterways of Florida
167:Thurston, George L. III (1976).
61:Aucilla Wildlife Management Area
147:Rosenau, et al., pp. 190 - 195
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1:
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65:Outstanding Florida Waterway
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63:, and has been declared an
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1032:Outstanding Florida Waters
996:Outstanding Florida Waters
956:Coastal waters of Florida
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900:Cross Florida Barge Canal
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824:Blackwater (Hillsborough)
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217:30.3746767°N 83.8122081°W
120:ivory-billed woodpeckers
222:30.3746767; -83.8122081
976:List of Florida rivers
656:Little Econlockhatchee
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111:George L. Thurston III
86:
24:
966:Intracoastal Waterway
895:Canaveral Barge Canal
646:Little (Biscayne Bay)
394:Withlacoochee (South)
389:Withlacoochee (North)
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81:
22:
651:Little (Ochlockonee)
986:Okeechobee Waterway
971:Indian River Lagoon
213: /
71:The Wacissa Springs
940:Tampa Bypass Canal
178:Springs of Florida
25:
1022:Rivers of Florida
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829:Blackwater (Lake)
430:East Tohopekaliga
23:The Wacissa River
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991:Okefenokee Swamp
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267:Larger rivers
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109:According to
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53:Aucilla River
50:
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34:
30:
29:Wacissa River
21:
791:Weeki Wachee
780:
761:Steinhatchee
631:Hontoon Dead
561:Alapahoochee
525:Tsala Apopka
520:Tohopekaliga
425:Blue Cypress
329:Indian River
324:Hillsborough
279:Apalachicola
198:
177:
168:
143:
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116:
108:
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92:
82:
74:
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915:Miami Canal
671:Loxahatchee
636:Ichetucknee
344:Ochlockonee
220: /
1016:Categories
961:Everglades
849:Fisheating
805:Creeks and
776:Waccasassa
611:Eau Gallie
576:Carrabelle
535:Washington
490:Okeechobee
480:Miccosukee
289:Blackwater
208:83°48′44″W
205:30°22′29″N
136:References
77:Cody Scarp
864:Pottsburg
751:St. Marks
746:St. Lucie
741:Sopchoppy
626:Homosassa
470:Kissimmee
455:Istokpoga
379:St. Marys
374:St. Johns
349:Ocklawaha
334:Kissimmee
186:cite book
949:See also
844:Econfina
681:Matanzas
641:Imperial
616:Econfina
606:East Bay
510:Seminole
505:Rousseau
495:Poinsett
420:Crescent
384:Suwannee
369:Santa Fe
319:Escambia
159:Thurston
100:hydrilla
874:Snapper
869:Shingle
814:Billy's
807:streams
786:Wakulla
781:Wacissa
726:Ribault
721:Rainbow
676:Manatee
591:Crystal
586:Crooked
566:Anclote
515:Talquin
475:Manatee
460:Jackson
450:Iamonia
364:Perdido
304:Chipola
284:Aucilla
274:Alapaha
49:cypress
45:springs
41:Wacissa
37:Florida
888:Canals
879:Turkey
859:Orange
796:Wekiva
766:Tomoka
736:Silver
711:Orange
621:Estero
571:Braden
556:Alafia
500:Rodman
485:Monroe
445:Harris
440:Harney
435:George
415:Apopka
399:Yellow
339:Myakka
839:Cross
834:Crane
819:Black
771:Trout
731:Shark
706:Oleta
686:Miami
465:Jesup
408:Lakes
359:Peace
601:East
596:Dead
540:Weir
530:Ward
192:link
98:and
27:The
354:Pea
1018::
188:}}
184:{{
152:^
35:,
254:e
247:t
240:v
194:)
171:.
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