The Wekiva River is one of the few remaining near-pristine riverine systems in central Florida. Its headwaters begin at the confluence of Wekiwa Spring Run and Rock Spring Run. The Wekiva is a major tributary of the St. Johns River. Waters forming the upper reaches of the Wekiva River arise from both the Floridan aquifer in the form of clear, natural springs and from drainage of approximately 130 miles of watershed. The Little Wekiva River and Blackwater Creek are two major tributaries of the Wekiva. Blackwater Creek drains an additional 126 square miles of watershed into the lower reaches of the Wekiva, just upstream of the St. Johns River. An extensive floodplain of hardwood forest, approximately three miles wide in some areas, provides natural habitat for a diverse array of wildlife including several designated as endangered, threatened, or of special concern. The wood stork, an endangered species, nests in cypress trees within the aquatic preserve, and is often observed feeding in certain shallow areas of the river. The little blue heron, tri-colored heron and limpkin, species of special concern, nest and forage along the banks of the Wekiva. Threatened plant species such as the needle palm, butterfly and water orchids, and Florida shield fern, are also found along the Wekiva. The Wekiva River has been designated an Outstanding Florida Water, a State Canoe Trail, and is currently under review for inclusion in the federal Wild and Scenic Rivers program.
For more information: http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/wekiva/info.htm