Springs Fever: A Field & Recreation Guide to 500 Florida Springs.
3rd Edition by Joe Follman and Richard Buchanan

Indian Spring

Pinellas County

Summary of Features

  • Scale--3rd magnitude (278-486 gallons per minute)
  • How Pristine?--in yard of private residence, retaining wall around most of spring pool
  • Swimming--used for wading and playing
  • Protection--good
  • Crowds--noise
  • Access--spring on private property, no access without owner approval


Quick Directions

Address: 14775 Pine Drive, Largo

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).

Lat. 28 degrees 52'37.4" N., Long. 82 degrees 50'36.0" W

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.

Personal Impressions

Springiana

Nearby Springs

Other Nearby Natural Features