Name: Blue Spring
Location: Shannon County, Mo.
Rank: 9
Average Flow:
Million gallons per day: 81
Cubic feet per second: 125
Recharge Area:
To the north and west of the spring, along a losing section
of Logan Creek headwaters, ten miles north of Ellington. Several swallow holes also occur in this
area.
Interesting Information:
Blue Spring has been mapped to a depth of 310
feet, the deepest mapped spring in the state. The steep angle of passage descent results in the
royal blue to indigo color of the spring. In the spring of 1977, two lead tailings pond breaches
resulted in tailings sediment being introduced into the spring, which reportedly ran milky white.
Brief History:
Blue Spring, was called "Do-Ge-Ke-Thabo-Bthi" or Spring of
the Summer Sky, by natives in the area, who, according to legend, traced the origin of the spring
to a battle for the hand of the local chief's daughter, which resulted in a deathbed vison of the
daughter (who had been confined to a cave so she did not run off) seeing her dying suitor coming
for her on a gush of blue water. Nearby Owls Bend just to the north was the site of much frontier
industry and agriculture, including a plantation, a powder mill which furnished lead shot and
gunpowder, and a river ferry, which was the only way across the Current until 1975. The area
immediately at the spring is known to have been last logged around 1872. It came into the
possession of Richard G. Hager in 1925, and the property was transferred by will in 1945. It was
used as a sportsmen's retreat and lodge during this era, and is mentioned by Leonard Hall in his
famous float book, Stars Upstream. Mr. Hager died in 1960, and the property was sold for a
nominal consideration to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The 17 acres surrounding the
spring remain an MDC inholding, although enforcement duties are largely performed by the
National Park Service. This acreage was declared a Missouri Natural Area on account of native
flora in 1972.
Ownership and Access:
Owned by Missouri Department of Conservation,
managed cooperatively with the National Park Service. Access by hilly gravel road (no trailers!),
hike from the Owls Bend NPS campground, or walk up from canoe landing at the Current River.
No charge for entry to view the spring.