Manatee Springs Project

This is a series of data-collection dives taking place in the cave system of Manatee Springs State Park, Levy County, Florida, USA between 7/20/2025 and 01/04/2026. Karst Underwater Research (KUR) cave divers swam the main conduit and each of the major tributary tunnels with a YSI EXO3 datasonde collecting real-time pH, temperature, specific conductivity, and dissolved oxygen data. Water grab samples were taken for analysis of nitrate and others at 11 locations marked on the KUR Manatee Springs Cave Map. Samples of biofilms and sediments were also taken from 2 locations for microbial analyses.