Cold Water Spring State Preserve

Coordinates: 43°26′28″N 91°57′37″W / 43.44111°N 91.96028°W / 43.44111; -91.96028 Cold Water Spring State Preserve is a 60-acre (240,000 m²) parcel state preserve protecting a spring that issues from Cold Water Cave, an extensive cave system in Winneshiek County, Iowa and Fillmore County, Minnesota. The spring is a tributary of the Upper Iowa River.

The cave system contains a large underground creek that courses around much of the cave's nearly 16 miles (26 km) of passages. The cave system has some unusual features such as its rate of expansion, which is higher than that of most caves. It also has relatively low amounts of oxygen and high amounts of carbon dioxide. The cave is a National Natural Landmark, designated in 1987.In 1987, the Cold Water Cave was designated as a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service.^[1]

There are two entries; both are on private property.

Coldwater Creek Wildlife Management Area is a state hunting ground near , and is near to the cave system.

The cave is located in the Driftless Area of Iowa and Minnesota, a region characterized by karst topography, which involves disappearing streams, blind valleys, sinkholes, caves, cold springs, and cold streams, all of which are present here.

Sources[]

Cold Water Spring State Preserve^{[dead link]} Retrieved July 22, 2007
Karstpreserve.com, retrieved July 22, 2007
Interview with John Ackerman, July, 2003, retrieved July 22, 2007

References[]

^ "National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-21. Year designated: 1987

External links[]

Exploring Iowa's Coldwater Cave Documentary produced by Iowa Public Television

Category:Bodies of water of Fillmore County, Minnesota]]

[1] "National Natural Landmarks - National Natural Landmarks (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved 2019-03-21. Year designated: 1987

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