Maramec Spring

Maramec Spring is located on the Meramec River near St. James in the east-central Ozarks of Missouri. The fifth largest spring in the state with an average daily discharge of 153cuft of water per second, it is part of an area known for its karst topography with many springs and caves. The spring and 1800 acres (7.3 km²) are privately owned by the James Foundation which maintains the area as a park open to the public, and were donated by Lucy Wortham James. The Missouri Department of Conservation operates a trout hatchery and fishery at the spring. There are also ruins of a historic iron works, which took advantage of the available hydropower. The spring was declared a National Natural Landmark in October 1971.DescriptionThe spring has an average daily discharge of about 100 million gallons USGS. The natural history of the spring and the history of the iron works are highlighted in a museum operated by the James Foundation at the site. Another museum in the park features agricultural tools utilized in the area over the years.