Panther Creek Spring EarthCache
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(not chosen)
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This is one of many springs in the Panther Creek area of Land Between the Lakes. The area downstream was called Blue Spring. When Kentucky Lake was impounded in the 1930s, both the Little and Big Springs in the Blue Springs area were submerged.
You are standing in the The Western Highland Rim ecoregion of Tennessee. It is characterized by dissected, rolling terrain of open hills, with elevations of 400-1000 feet. The geologic base of Mississippian-age limestone, chert, and shale is covered by soils that tend to be cherty and acidic with low to moderate fertility. Streams are relatively clear with a moderate gradient. Substrates are coarse chert, gravel and sand with areas of bedrock. The native oak-hickory forests were removed over broad areas in the mid-to late 1800's in conjunction with the iron-ore related mining and smelting of the mineral limonite, however today the region is again heavily forested. Some agriculture occurs on the flatter interfluves and in the stream and river valleys. The predominant land uses are hay, pasture, and cattle with some cultivation of corn and tobacco. Unlike the Western Pennyroyal Karst and the Eastern Highland Rim, the region is lacking the small sinkholes and depressions that result from karst topography.
So, what is a Natural Spring? A spring is a point where groundwater flows out of the ground, and is thus where the aquifer surface meets the ground surface. Springs may be formed in any sort of rock. Small ones are found in many places. In Kentucky and Tennessee, the largest springs are formed in limestone and dolomite in the karst topography of the central part of the state. Both dolomite and limestone fracture relatively easily. When weak carbonic acid (formed by rainwater percolating through organic matter in the soil) enters these fractures it dissolves bedrock. When it reaches a horizontal crack or a layer of non-dissolving rock such as sandstone or shale, it begins to cut sideways, forming an underground stream.
Dependent upon the constancy of the water source (rainfall or snowmelt that infiltrates the earth), a spring may be ephemeral (intermittent) or perennial (continuous).
Magnitude Flow (ft³/s, gal/min, pint/min) Flow (L/s)
1st Magnitude > 100 ft³/s 2800 L/s
2nd Magnitude 10 to 100 ft³/s 280 to 2800 L/s
3rd Magnitude 1 to 10 ft³/s 28 to 280 L/s
4th Magnitude 100 US gal/min to 1 ft³/s (448 US gal/min) 6.3 to 28 L/s
5th Magnitude 10 to 100 gal/min 0.63 to 6.3 L/s
6th Magnitude 1 to 10 gal/min 63 to 630 mL/s
7th Magnitude 1 pint to 1 gal/min 8 to 63 mL/s
8th Magnitude Less than 1 pint/min 8 mL/s
0 Magnitude no flow (sites of past/historic flow) None
Special equipment you will need, beside your GPSr to claim this cache:
1. A digital camera
2. Waders or shoes that you do not mind getting wet.
Directions: From Fort Henry Road (FR 230) take FR 400. This gravel road ends at an earthen barrier. Follow the trail over the barrier to the bridge. Instead of crossing it, follow Panther Creek south to arrive at the coordinates. This is an attractive stream bed with tanned rock bars and limestone outcrops. A partially wooded flat spreads out to your left.
To log this find:
1) Take a photo of yourself or your GPS receiver at the correct outcropping above the stream, and upload the image to your log.
2) Estimate the spring’s magnitude based on the amount of flow you find at the time of your visit. Email us this estimate; do not post it in your log, please.
3) Tell us if you believe this spring to be a perennial source or an ephemeral source.
Remember, ARTIFACTS are for the enjoyment of all Land Between the Lakes visitors and should not be taken from the park.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ybbxvat hcfgernz, vgf gb lbhe evtug ba gur hcfgernz fvqr bs gur bhgpebccvat. Ybbx sbe gur hcjryyvat.