Econfina Creek (Fla.)

Econfina Creek (pronounced Econ-FINE-uh) is a small river in the middle Florida Panhandle. It flows through hilly country, and has sections of whitewater rapids. Much of its flow comes from springs. The river ends at Deer Point Lake, a reservoir that provides the freshwater supply for Panama City and much of Bay County. The name "Econfina" derives from the Creek ekana, which means "earthy", and feno, which means "bridge" or "footlog", referring to a natural bridge that crossed the river about 15 miles (24 km) upstream from its mouth until it collapsed in the 19th century. The Pensacola – St. Augustine road (the Bellamy Road) built in the 1820s crossed this natural bridge.