ThePeace Riveris a river in the southwestern part of theFloridapeninsula,in theU.S.A.[1]It originates at the juncture of Saddle Creek and Peace Creek northeast ofBartowinPolk Countyand flows south through Fort Meade (Polk County)Hardee CountytoArcadiainDeSoto Countyand then southwest into theCharlotte HarborestuaryatPunta GordainCharlotte County.It is 106 miles (171 km) long and has adrainage basinof 1,367 square miles (3,540 km2).U.S. Highway 17runs near and somewhat parallel to the river for much of its course. The river was calledRio de la Paz(River of Peace) on 16th centurySpanishcharts.[2]It appeared asPeas CreekorPease Creekon later maps. TheCreek(and later,Seminole) Indians call it Talakchopcohatchee,River of Long Peas.[3]Other cities along the Peace River includeFort Meade,WauchulaandZolfo Springs.[4]
History
editFresh water from the Peace River is vital to maintain the delicatesalinityof Charlotte Harbor that hosts severalendangered species,as well as commercial and recreational harvests ofshrimp,crabs,andfish.The river has always been a vital resource to the people in itswatershed.Historically, the abundant fishery and wildlife of Charlotte Harbor supported large populations of people of theCaloosahatchee culture(in early historic times, theCalusa). Today, the Peace River supplies over six million gallons per day of drinking water to the people in the region. The river is also popular forcanoeing.[5]
There were manyPleistoceneandMiocenefossils found throughout the Peace River area, eventually leading to the discovery ofphosphatedeposits. Most of the northern watershed of the Peace River comprises an area known as theBone Valley.[6][7]
The Peace River is a popular destination for fossil hunters who dig and sift the river gravel for fossilized shark teeth and prehistoric mammal bones. Several campgrounds and canoe rental operations cater to fossil hunters, withWauchula,Zolfo Springs,andArcadiabeing the main points of entry.[8][9][10][11][12][13]
Gallery
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Backflow from Peace River after hurricanes -
Streamflow changes along upper Peace River -
Flow changes along upper Peace River -
Zolfo Springs on the Peace River
List of crossings
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See also
editReferences
edit- ^McCarthy, Kevin M.(1992).The Book Lover's Guide to Florida.p. 304. "The Peace River begins at Lake Hamilton in Polk County and runs through Arcadia southwesterly to Charlotte Harbor. For a description of the river, read Rivers of Florida (Atlanta: Southern Press, 1974) by Henry Marks and Gene Britt Riggs..."
- ^O'Donnell
- ^Brown, Canter, Jr. (1991)Florida's Peace River Frontier.Orlando, Florida: University of Central Florida Press.ISBN0-8130-1037-3P. xiv (Preface)
- ^O'Donnell
- ^O'Donnell
- ^"Peace River 3A".Florida Museum.2017-03-27.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- ^"Peace River Paleo Project (PRiPP)".Florida Museum.2020-12-05.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- ^Duns, Rob (May 10, 2021)."Buried beneath the Peace River: fossil hunting in DeSoto Count".NBC 2.RetrievedJune 21,2021.
- ^Galbraith, Alex."Central Florida divers find mammoth leg bone in Peace River".Orlando Weekly.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-04-30.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- ^Cavitt, Mark (August 25, 2015)."Beneath the surface: Fossil hunting uncovers Peace River treasures".The Ledger.Archived fromthe originalon 2021-06-28.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- ^Florea, Linda (November 1, 2004)."Search For Fishing Hole Uncovers A Mammoth Find".Sun-Sentinel.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- ^Company, Tampa Publishing."Paddling through prehistory on the Peace River".Tampa Bay Times.Retrieved2021-06-21.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^"FOSSILS… FLORIDA'S PAST UNEARTHED – ONE FIND AT A TIME | Naples Florida Weekly".naples.floridaweekly.Retrieved2021-06-21.
- O'Donnell, Brian. (1990) "Peace River," in Marth, Del and Marty Marth, eds.The Rivers of Florida.Sarasota, Florida: Pineapple Press, Inc.ISBN0-910923-70-1.
External links
edit- USGS Real-Time Water Data for Peace River at Zolfo Springs
- USGS Real-Time Water Data for Peace River at Arcadia
Media related toPeace River (Florida)at Wikimedia Commons