As surface water moves over Florida’s landscape,
it drains into channels and forms a network of that
stretch across the state. Rivers and streams transport
sediment and nutrients that are essential for hundreds
of plants and animals in various ecosystems.
The major rivers in the Florida Panhandle, from west
to east, are the Perdido, Escambia, Blackwater, Yellow,
Choctawhatchee, Econfina Creek, Apalachicola, Ochlockonee,
St. Mark's and Aucilla.
The striking array of habitats, plants, fish, reptiles
and amphibians in the Apalachicola River basin makes
it one of the top six biodiversity “hot spots” in
the United States. |