The Show-Me State Clear Water Springs.

The Show-Me State Clear Water Springs. was first seen on Lodging Lake Of The Ozarks

These blue waters surrounded by lush green vegetation, give life to many streams and rivers in the state.

There are over 11-hundred springs in Missouri. Today we'll take a look at just a few. You'll find springs in all regions of the Show-me state. But the greatest number are located in the Ozarks of central, southern and southwest Missouri. While there are many springs in Missouri, there are still a lot of questions about these natural wonders that remain unanswered. What we do know is their waters are cool. They have a constant temperature between 56 and 59 degrees. A lot of water pours out of them millions and millions of gallons each day. Big Spring near Van Buren is the largest spring in the state. An average of 275-million gallons of water flows from the spring each day. And that changes daily depending on the amount of rainfall. But where does the water come from? It comes from the surface, down through the soil and rock, and in many cases, the water travels several miles underground, before exiting at a spring outlet. At Big Spring, some water travels from as far as 50 miles away. The waters that flow from the springs in Missouri provide a water source for fishing and floating in the state. They are also a tourist attraction. Over the years, they've been used for other purposes as well. Some springs in Missouri supplied pioneers with salt. Where salt was not present, they were used as water supplies. Years ago, many springs also helped power grist mills to grind grains into flour and corn meal. Today, only a scattering of mills, like this one at Alley Spring near Eminence can be found. They also helped supply ideas for names of towns and cities. From Cedar Springs to Climax Springs; there’s Excelsior Springs, Bennett Spring, Sweet Springs, Siloam Spring, Weldon Spring, Lake Spring, Edgar Springs, El Dorado Springs and Springfield. The waters that flow from the springs in Missouri are the source of many streams and rivers in the state. and home to some of the most scenic beauty in the Midwest. It's also home to many interesting plants, animals and fish. For trout, these waters are the only natural place cool enough for them to survive year-round in the state. At Bennett Spring near Lebanon, nearly 100 million gallons of water gushes daily from the state's third largest spring, The stream is stocked daily from March through October and provides excellent fishing for rainbow and brown trout. Springs also supply water to the state's other trout parks including Montauk near Licking. An estimated 43 million gallons of water flows daily to form the main headwaters of the Current River.