Manatee Springs Run 2: Main line to Fissure and Sewer Tunnels

On 8/23/2025, KUR divers Lea Johnson and Sterling McMahon completed a 200-minute dive into the cave system at Manatee Springs State Park, Levy County, FL, USA. Penetrating 5000 feet into the cave, divers recorded water temperature, pH, specific conductivity, and dissolved oxygen in real time using a YSI EXO3 datasonde, as well as collecting water samples from predetermined locations along the route for lab analysis of nitrate and others. Grab samples (500ml Nalgene bottles) were taken upstream of Sue Sink on the main line (#7, 13 minutes)), between the Milk Tunnel and the Blue Water Tunnel on the main line (#8,33 minutes ), downstream of the Fissure (#9, 72 minutes), and inside of the Sewer Tunnel (#2, 124 minutes). Sample numbers correspond to markers placed on the dive guideline and noted on the resource map, dive time given to synchronize with the real-time datasonde data.