| Summary of Features
Scale—3rd magnitude (278-486 gallons per minute)
|
 |
) |
) |
) |
) |
|
|
|
|
|
Directions
From St. Petersburg, go north on U.S. 19 several miles to Highway 688
(Ulmerton/Walsingham Road). Go left (west on Walsingham Road for 6.3 miles
to Hamlin Road and turn left (south). Go 2 blocks and turn right (west)
onto Pine Drive. Spring and run are in the yard of a house on Pine Drive
where the street makes a 90-degree turn to the left (south).
For maps, latitude/longitude data, driving directions, satellite imagery, and topographic representations as well as weather conditions at this spring, go to Greg Johnson's informative "Florida Springs Database" web site at the following address: http://www.ThisWaytothe.Net/springs/floridasprings.htm#Florida
Spring Description
Water from a couple of flow points forms a kidney-shaped pool with
dimensions of about 40 by 30 feet. The main flow is at the east edge of
the pool, from a small limestone opening near concrete/stone steps. A second
flow point is at the ESE end of the pool through another limestone opening
in a small grotto adjacent to the spring pool. Water in the pool is clear
and clean, and pool depth range from a few inches to 2.5 feet near the
center. Water plants, algae, fish, crawfish, wading birds, and a brown
water snake were visible in and around the pool on date of visit in November
2002. The bottom is mostly sandy; limestone was also visible on the bottom.
Concrete and stone steps lead down to the pool (between the two flow points) from the adjacent house and carport. There is a cinderblock retaining wall around most of the pool, built in the 1970s, which formerly had a wier/dam mechanism to raise the level of the spring pool. The dam is now gone and the water flows naturally into its original run. Near the spring, the run is 2-6 feet across and lushly vegetated with native and cultivated plants, including banana trees. The run flows a short distance through a nearby condominum complex and thence into a lake that connects into the intracoastal waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. Land rises gradually to the east and north of the pool, forming a little ridge near Hamlin Road. There are oak and citrus trees in the yard near the pool.
According to the adjacent landowner, the spring is the largest of up to seven springs in the immediate area. Not all still flow. One of the other springs is located about two blocks SW on 113th Street. A sign in front of a private residence says "Mask Spring." JF did not visit this spring which is not visible from the street.
Use/Access
Indian Spring is on private property, and access is only allowed with
permission of the adjacent landowner. The owner gave JF a tour of the spring
area and provided information about the spring as well as a photograph.
The spring is the only potable water source in Pinellas County. The
landowner said that neighbors come over on a regular basis and use water
from the spring for their coffee.
Pinellas County hydrologists test the spring on a regular basis for
flow and content.
Local Springiana
The spring is named for the Native Americans who used the site for
thousands of years before European colonization. Artifacts have been found
in the area.
Additional information on the spring is provided in the publication,
Indian Rocks: A Pictorial History (Indian Rocks Area Historical Society,
1985), which is available at the Indian Rocks Historical Society about
half a mile from the spring.
Other Nearby Springs
Eureka Springs
Philippe Spring
Espiritu Santo Springs
Tarpon Spring
Wall Spring
Salt Spring
Other Nearby Natural Features
Hillsborough River State Park
Little Manatee State Recreation Area
Fort DeSoto Park
Egmont Key State Park
Caladesi Island State Park
Honeymoon Island State Park