This article is about the river in central Florida. For the river of the same name in northern Florida and Georgia, see Withlacoochee River (Suwannee River).
The Withlacoochee River or Crooked River is a river in central Florida, in the United States. It originates in the Green Swamp, east of Polk City, flowing west, then north, then northwest and finally west again before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown. The river is 141 miles (227 km) long[1] and has a drainage basin of 1,170 square miles (3,000 km2).
Course of the southern Withlacoochee RiverWithlacoochee River, looking east in Hernando County, just north of the Pasco County border
Along the route of central Florida's Withlacoochee River is the 46-mile-long (74 km) Withlacoochee State Trail, the longest paved rail trail in Florida;[2] the Cypress Lake Preserve, a 324-acre (1.31 km2) park with approximately 600 feet (180 m) of frontage;[3] and Nobleton Wayside Park, a 2-acre (8,100 m2) park in Nobleton that includes a boat ramp, shelter, basketball court, and picnic tables.
The Southwest Florida Water Management District operates a 5,484-acre (2,219 ha) nature preserve and recreational area with 3.7 miles (6.0 km) of frontage on the Withlacoochee River in Citrus County. The property was purchased for $13.5 million in 2005 from the South Florida Council, which had used it as the McGregor Smith Scout Reservation.[4]
The Withlacoochee River flows through Pasco and Hernando counties, and then forms part of the boundary between Hernando County and Sumter County and all of the boundary between Citrus County and Sumter County, between Citrus County and Marion County and between Citrus County and Levy County (including Lake Rousseau). The largest city close to the river is Dade City.
Tsala Apopka Lake is an area composed of a number of lakes, swamps and marshes interspersed with islands located in Citrus County within the bend of the river where it turns from north flowing to west flowing. The area was historically connected to the river by wetlands. Starting in the 1880s canals were dug connecting the river to various parts of the lake area.[5] The area of Tsala Apopka Lake historically has been known as the "Cove of the Withlacoochee".[6]
In the 1890s, logs, stumps, and other debris were removed from the river to facilitate the travel of barges carrying phosphate to Port Inglis. Phosphate continued to move along the river this way until WWI, when shipping lanes were closed, and then by the early 1930s, the phosphate deposits were completely depleted.[8]
Etymologyedit
"Withlacoochee" probably stems from a Muskhogean dialect, which suggests that its application is comparatively recent. It is compounded of Creekwe (water), thlako (big), and chee (little), or little big water. This word combination signifies little river in the Creek language, and as we-lako or wethlako may also refer to a lake, it may signify a river of lakes, or lake river.[9] An alternate etymology holds that Withlacoochee is a Native American word meaning "crooked river", which accurately describes the river as it makes its 70-mile journey from the Green Swamp in northern Polk County to the Gulf of Mexico at Yankeetown.[10]
List of crossingsedit
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (August 2008)
^Amy Wimmer, Schwarb (August 28, 2005). "Scouts sell land to water district". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved June 10, 2020.
^(PDF). Southwest Florida Water Management District. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 December 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
^Weisman, Brent (March–June 1986). "The Cove of the Withlacoochee: a First Look at the Archaeology of an Interior Florida Wetland". The Florida Anthropologist. 39 (1–2): 4–23. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
^"Battle of the Withlacoochee" (PDF). University of Central Florida. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
^Taylor, Sid. "From Devastation to Reforestation: The Story of the Withlacoochee State Forest" (PDF). www.fdacs.gov. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. p. 7. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
^Simpson, J. Clarence (1956). Mark F. Boyd (ed.). Florida Place-Names of Indian Derivation. Tallahassee, Florida: Florida Geological Survey.
^. Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2013-10-04.
^"The Lanier Bridge near Dade City, Pasco County, Florida". www.fivay.org.
Further readingedit
Henderson, Rex. 1990. Withlacoochee River. in Marth, Del and Marty Marth, eds. The Rivers of Florida. Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc. ISBN0-910923-70-1.
withlacoochee, river, florida, this, article, about, river, central, florida, river, same, name, northern, florida, georgia, withlacoochee, river, suwannee, river, withlacoochee, river, crooked, river, river, central, florida, united, states, originates, green. This article is about the river in central Florida For the river of the same name in northern Florida and Georgia see Withlacoochee River Suwannee River The Withlacoochee River or Crooked River is a river in central Florida in the United States It originates in the Green Swamp east of Polk City flowing west then north then northwest and finally west again before emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown The river is 141 miles 227 km long 1 and has a drainage basin of 1 170 square miles 3 000 km2 Course of the southern Withlacoochee River Withlacoochee River looking east in Hernando County just north of the Pasco County border Along the route of central Florida s Withlacoochee River is the 46 mile long 74 km Withlacoochee State Trail the longest paved rail trail in Florida 2 the Cypress Lake Preserve a 324 acre 1 31 km2 park with approximately 600 feet 180 m of frontage 3 and Nobleton Wayside Park a 2 acre 8 100 m2 park in Nobleton that includes a boat ramp shelter basketball court and picnic tables The Southwest Florida Water Management District operates a 5 484 acre 2 219 ha nature preserve and recreational area with 3 7 miles 6 0 km of frontage on the Withlacoochee River in Citrus County The property was purchased for 13 5 million in 2005 from the South Florida Council which had used it as the McGregor Smith Scout Reservation 4 The Withlacoochee River flows through Pasco and Hernando counties and then forms part of the boundary between Hernando County and Sumter County and all of the boundary between Citrus County and Sumter County between Citrus County and Marion County and between Citrus County and Levy County including Lake Rousseau The largest city close to the river is Dade City Tsala Apopka Lake is an area composed of a number of lakes swamps and marshes interspersed with islands located in Citrus County within the bend of the river where it turns from north flowing to west flowing The area was historically connected to the river by wetlands Starting in the 1880s canals were dug connecting the river to various parts of the lake area 5 The area of Tsala Apopka Lake historically has been known as the Cove of the Withlacoochee 6 Contents 1 History 2 Etymology 3 List of crossings 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksHistory editOn December 31 1835 the Battle of Ouithlacoochie was fought on the banks of the river It was one of the first engagements of the Second Seminole War 7 In the 1890s logs stumps and other debris were removed from the river to facilitate the travel of barges carrying phosphate to Port Inglis Phosphate continued to move along the river this way until WWI when shipping lanes were closed and then by the early 1930s the phosphate deposits were completely depleted 8 Etymology edit Withlacoochee probably stems from a Muskhogean dialect which suggests that its application is comparatively recent It is compounded of Creek we water thlako big and chee little or little big water This word combination signifies little river in the Creek language and as we lako or wethlako may also refer to a lake it may signify a river of lakes or lake river 9 An alternate etymology holds that Withlacoochee is a Native American word meaning crooked river which accurately describes the river as it makes its 70 mile journey from the Green Swamp in northern Polk County to the Gulf of Mexico at Yankeetown 10 List of crossings editThis list is incomplete you can help by adding missing items August 2008 Crossing Carries Image Location Coordinates Headwaters Green Swamp 28 21 39 N 81 49 8 W 28 36083 N 81 81889 W 28 36083 81 81889 160210 nbsp SR 33 nbsp Lake Polk County Line 28 21 39 N 81 49 8 W 28 36083 N 81 81889 W 28 36083 81 81889 140018 nbsp SR 471 nbsp Sumter Pasco Polk County Line 28 18 47 N 82 3 21 W 28 31306 N 82 05583 W 28 31306 82 05583 River Road The Lanier Bridge 11 nbsp Withlacoochee River County Park East of Dade City Former ACL Railroad Bridge Orange Belt Railway Withlacoochee State ForestRichloam WMA 140031 nbsp SR 575 nbsp Lacoochee 28 28 34 N 82 9 22 W 28 47611 N 82 15611 W 28 47611 82 15611 CSX S Line Wildwood Subdivision 28 28 39 N 82 9 46 W 28 47750 N 82 16278 W 28 47750 82 16278 080030 nbsp US 301 nbsp 28 28 48 N 82 10 40 W 28 48000 N 82 17778 W 28 48000 82 17778 140066 nbsp US 98 nbsp Trilby 28 28 36 N 82 11 45 W 28 47667 N 82 19583 W 28 47667 82 19583 nbsp nbsp US 98 SR 50Cortez Boulevard nbsp Ridge Manor 28 31 8 N 82 12 34 W 28 51889 N 82 20944 W 28 51889 82 20944 Confluence with Little Withlacoochee River River Junction State Park 28 34 21 N 82 12 0 W 28 57250 N 82 20000 W 28 57250 82 20000 080026 NB 080025 SB nbsp Interstate 75 Silver Lake 28 34 47 N 82 13 2 W 28 57972 N 82 21722 W 28 57972 82 21722 184019 nbsp nbsp CR 476 nbsp Nobleton 28 38 40 N 82 15 26 W 28 64444 N 82 25722 W 28 64444 82 25722 184006 nbsp nbsp CR 48 nbsp Bay Hill 28 43 26 N 82 14 31 W 28 72389 N 82 24194 W 28 72389 82 24194 020004 EB 020003 WB nbsp SR 44Gulf Atlantic Highway nbsp Rutland 28 51 6 N 82 13 17 W 28 85167 N 82 22139 W 28 85167 82 22139 020008 nbsp SR 200 nbsp Stoke s Ferry 28 59 19 N 82 20 59 W 28 98861 N 82 34972 W 28 98861 82 34972 Former San Jose Boulevard Bridge Dunnellon Citrus Springs 29 2 34 N 82 27 26 W 29 04278 N 82 45722 W 29 04278 82 45722 Dunnellon Trail BridgeAbandoned Seaboard Air Line Railroad line nbsp Dunnellon Citrus Springs 29 2 34 N 82 27 26 W 29 04278 N 82 45722 W 29 04278 82 45722 CSX Citrus Springs Dunnellon Bridge nbsp Citrus Springs Dunnellon 29 2 43 N 82 27 51 W 29 04528 N 82 46417 W 29 04528 82 46417 Brittan Alexander Bridge020026 nbsp US 41 Main Street nbsp Citrus Springs Dunnellon 29 2 45 N 82 27 53 W 29 04583 N 82 46472 W 29 04583 82 46472 020920 NB 020005 SB nbsp nbsp US 19 98 nbsp Red Level Inglis 29 1 31 N 82 40 9 W 29 02528 N 82 66917 W 29 02528 82 66917 Mouth Gulf of Mexico 28 59 39 N 82 45 30 W 28 99417 N 82 75833 W 28 99417 82 75833See also editSouth Atlantic Gulf Water Resource RegionReferences edit U S Geological Survey National Hydrography Dataset high resolution flowline data The National Map accessed April 18 2011 Withlacoochee State Trail Florida Greenways and Trails Hernando Parks Amy Wimmer Schwarb August 28 2005 Scouts sell land to water district Tampa Bay Times Retrieved June 10 2020 Minimum and Guidance Levels for Tsala Apopka Lake in Citrus County Florida PDF Southwest Florida Water Management District p 5 Archived from the original PDF on 30 December 2006 Retrieved 28 April 2012 Weisman Brent March June 1986 The Cove of the Withlacoochee a First Look at the Archaeology of an Interior Florida Wetland The Florida Anthropologist 39 1 2 4 23 Retrieved 28 April 2012 Battle of the Withlacoochee PDF University of Central Florida Retrieved 24 March 2023 Taylor Sid From Devastation to Reforestation The Story of the Withlacoochee State Forest PDF www fdacs gov Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services p 7 Retrieved 25 March 2023 Simpson J Clarence 1956 Mark F Boyd ed Florida Place Names of Indian Derivation Tallahassee Florida Florida Geological Survey Withlacoochee State Forest State Forests Our Forests Florida Forest Service Divisions amp Offices Home Florida Department of Agriculture amp Consumer Services Archived from the original on 2013 10 04 Retrieved 2013 10 04 The Lanier Bridge near Dade City Pasco County Florida www fivay org Further reading editHenderson Rex 1990 Withlacoochee River in Marth Del and Marty Marth eds The Rivers of Florida Sarasota Florida Pineapple Press Inc ISBN 0 910923 70 1 External links editWithlacoochee South Paddling Trail and Withlacoochee North Paddling Trail from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Withlacoochee River Central Florida 28 59 41 N 82 45 28 W 28 9948 N 82 7579 W 28 9948 82 7579 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Withlacoochee River Florida amp oldid 1178710921, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
