Water bodies, watersheds and storm water
Morman Branch Springs vent at base of tree
Morman Branch Springs
Location
Morman Branch Springs is located about 4 miles south of Silver Glen Springs, in the Ocala National Forest. From the intersection of State Road (SR) 19 and SR 40, drive north on SR 19 for 1.8 miles to the area where Morman Branch crosses under the road. The springs are about 0.2 mile upstream (to the west) from the road.
Latitude 29°11’32.83” N, Longitude 81°39’27.87” W
F.M. Arredondo Grant sec. 37, T 14 S, R 27 E
Description
Morman Branch Springs vent at base of tree
Morman Branch Springs is a third-magnitude spring consisting of several sand boils. One of the springs flows from a vent at the base of a large tree. The springs run into Morman Branch, which flows about 1.2 miles to the east and then north to Juniper Creek. Additional springs may be present further upstream from the sand boils, but access in the wilderness area is difficult.
Discharge
Discharge at Morman Branch Springs was measured four times by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), from 1980 to 2001, at the crossing with SR 19. The difference between the minimum and maximum discharges is 4.2 cubic feet per second (cfs) over the period. The maximum discharge of 10.1 cfs was measured in June 1997; the minimum discharge of 5.9 cfs was measured in May 2001. The mean and median discharges for the period are 7.41 cfs and 6.82 cfs, respectively (see the table below).
Water quality
Morman Branch Springs was sampled by USGS in 1980, with only field measurements collected in 2000. Summary statistics of the water quality data for selected variables are shown in the table below.
Summary statistics of water quality and discharge at Morman Branch Springs
| Morman Branch Springs | Min | Mean | Median | Max | Count | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discharge, cfs | 5.9 | 7.41 | 6.82 | 10.1 | 4 | 1980–2001 |
| Chloride, total, mg/L as Cl | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 36.0 | 1 | 1980 |
| pH, field | 6.80 | 7.25 | 7.25 | 7.70 | 2 | 1980–2000 |
| Specific conductance, lab, µmhos/cm at 25°C | 281 | 298 | 298 | 315 | 2 | 1980–2000 |
| Sulfate, total, mg/L as SO4 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 28.0 | 1 | 1980 |
| Total dissolved solids, mg/L | 166 | 166 | 166 | 166 | 1 | 1980 |
| Water temperature, °C | 20.5 | 21.8 | 21.8 | 23.0 | 2 | 1980–2000 |
mg/L = milligrams per liter
cfs = cubic feet per second
