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Freshwater Springs in Orlando - Orlando Hotels .com

For a great way to cool off on a hot day or relax and enjoy the best of Florida's unique natural beauty, the mammoth pools and tranquil streams of Florida's springs can't be equaled. Swelling from the depths of the Earth, crystal clear water surges to the surface through caves and fissures in the limestone crust. Azure pools form on the surface and flow into quiet streams and mighty rivers. Florida's freshwater springs offer a retreat from our everyday lives.

Springs are classified by the amount of water they produce. The largest in Florida is Silver Springs, pumping an unbelievable 550 million gallons of water daily. Springs are classified in magnitudes. Third magnitude springs pump 6 ½ million gallons of water per day or less. Second magnitude produce between 6 ½ million to 64 million gallons per day. First magnitude springs, of which Florida has 27, pump an astounding 64 ½ million gallons or more daily.

Over eons of time, the springs were formed by Florida's unique geology. The porous limestone bedrock allowed the tropical rains to percolate into the rock and displace the salt water back into the sea. As time passed, an immense underground reservoir formed, called an aquifer. When overflows from the aquifer rise to the surface, a freshwater spring is formed. Check out the Orlando freshwater springs, the beauty will astonish you.