The Santa Fe Swamp is 95-percent floodplain 7046 acres (2,851.4 ha) swamp. Along with Lake Santa Fe

Lake Santa Fe

Lake Santa Fe is a spring-fed lake in northeastern Alachua County, Florida. The lake is located entirely in Alachua County, but is bounded on the east side by Bradford County...

 and Little Lake Santa Fe, it serves as headwaters of the Santa Fe River, which drains into the Suwannee River

Suwannee River

The Suwannee River is a major river of southern Georgia and northern Florida in the United States. It is a wild blackwater river, about long. The Suwannee River is the site of the prehistoric Suwannee Straits which separated peninsular Florida from the panhandle.-Geography:The river rises in the...

 and then finally the Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...

. It is located to the north of those lakes in Bradford County

Bradford County, Florida

Bradford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 26,088. The 2005 U.S. Census Bureau estimate for the county was 28,118 . Its county seat is Starke, Florida. Bradford County is the home of the Florida State Prison as well as several other state...

 and Alachua County

Alachua County, Florida

Alachua County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 227,120. Its county seat is Gainesville, Florida. Alachua County is the home of the University of Florida and is also known for its diverse culture, local music, and artisans...

 in Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

.

Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area

The 5356 acres (2,167.5 ha) Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife and Environmental Area (WEA) was donated to the Suwannee River Water Management District

Suwannee River Water Management District

The Suwannee River Water Management District is the smallest of five Florida water management districts that is responsible for managing groundwater and surface water resources in a 15-county region in north-central Florida...

 in 1984 by Georgia-Pacific Corporation. At that time, it was the largest and most environmentally significant donation in the state of Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

's history. Allowable uses are wildlife viewing, hunting, bicycling, hiking, and horseback riding on administrative roads.

External links

• Santa Fe Swamp Wildlife & Environmental Area - official site