Monday, March 1, 2010

Ozark Springs

Springs boil to the surface and feed the surface streams all over the Ozarks. Ozarkians have recognized their value for many generations. Indians camped near them because of the dependable water supply. Early European settlers also used spring water both for drinking and to power early mills.

In the 20th Century Ozarkians recognized springs primarily
for their beauty and preserved many of them in the Missouri and
Arkansas state park systems.

This is Big Spring in Carter County. It has an average daily flow of 276 million gallons, the largest single-outlet spring in North America. When we were kids, a visit to Big Spring State Park was a thrill. The park became part of the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways in 1964. Big Spring flows into the lower Current River.
The added volume changes the character of the Current to that
of a much larger river.

The second largest spring in Missouri is Greer Spring in Oregon
County. Greer Spring contributes the major volume of the Eleven
Point River with its daily flow of 220 million gallons. The pristine woodland and rugged spring branch were protected in private ownership for many generations. It is now part of the Mark Twain National Forest. Much of the Eleven Point, which is designated a National Wild and Scenic River, is within the Mark Twain.






These scenes are along the mile-long spring branch which
tumbles down the bluff to the Elven Point. The drop is 62
feet from the spring to the river.







Mammoth Spring is located in Arkansas, just over the state line
on Highway 63 south of Thayer. It is the largest spring in Arkansas and has an average daily flow of 220 million gallons.
Mammoth Spring, now a popular state park, feeds the Spring
River with water collected mostly from the north in Missouri.




A rock dam on the spring branch forms a 10-acre lake. Until
the 1970s a hydro-electric plant operated at the Mammoth
Spring dam. In earlier generations grist mills were powered
by the spring's flowing water.






This is Welch Spring on upper Current River. The Current
starts at Montauk Spring, but Welch boosts the flow enough
that the Current River is always floatable below Welch.







This is the outlet of the Alley Spring branch as it head to the
Jack's Fork River. Alley Spring empties 76 million gallons per
day into the Jack's Fork. Floating above Alley is questionable
in mid-summer, but there is always plenty of water below Alley.







The most recognizable feature at Alley Spring is the red mill.
It is one of the most photographed grist mills in the Midwest.
When we were kids, Alley Spring, was also a state park and
a favorite visit. Our senior class "skip day" trip was to Alley
Spring. There is great hiking trail up the bluff above the spring.
In 1965 there was a softball field in the park where the Class
of '65 had its final intramural game.

Don't miss the Ozark springs when you visit us!


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