English: The upper Current River in the Ozarks of Shannon County in southern Missouri, between Welch Spring and Akers Ferry: This is part of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, a national park created by Congress in 1964 to preserve the Current and Jacks Fork Rivers. The Current River contains the worlds largest concentration of first magnitude springs (flow greater than 100 ft³/s (3 m³/s)), making it a favorite for floating. Welch Spring contributes an average of 121 ft³/s (3.5³/s) to the flow of the river, practically doubling its size and speeding its flow. The large amounts of cold spring water contribute to a unique environment in the river; though located in a subtropical climate, watercress and other cold water flora and fauna thrive here.