Hydro: A Giant Among Us (EarthCache) EarthCache
Hydro: A Giant Among Us (EarthCache)
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This EarthCache is one of my most favorite places to visit! The
REAL Florida in all of its glory! Florida state parks are open from
8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year. There is an entrance fee. You
will need a thermometer for this EarthCache.
The content below has been taken from various Florida Department of
Environmental Protection resources. I will provide the bibliography
in the hints/spoiler information.
A Giant Among Us
This EarthCache is located in the Florida Panhandle near
Tallahassee. On average, more than 250 million gallons of water
flow from this site every day forming a nine-mile river that
reaches the Gulf of Mexico. It draws its water from a springshed
covering hundreds of square miles from the Gulf of Mexico all the
way to Georgia. While it has attracted Florida residents to its
deep basin for thousands of years, recent changes in land use in
the springshed are having an impact on this gentle giant's health.
(1)
Spring Formation
Springs form where groundwater is forced up and onto the surface
through openings in the ground. This is caused by the differences
in the slope or "hydraulic gradient" in the aquifer. As rain falls
and percolates underground, it exerts pressure on the water already
in the aquifer, forcing some to the surface through natural
openings. The highest concentration of springs in Florida lies in
the north-central part of the state where the aquifer is closest to
the surface. Springs are classified or categorized based on the
amount water discharge. The largest springs like Wakulla and Silver
Springs are classified as "magnitude 1" springs which means they
each discharges more than 65 million gallons of water a day - the
equivalent of about 1.3 million bathtubs full! (2)
Hydrogeology
Ground water is the largest and most readily available source of
drinking water in Florida. Hydrogeology is the study of ground
water. Hydrogeology studies water using geology, hydrology,
chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and engineering to
understand the occurrence and movement of water in a subsurface
environment. (3)
To log the cache you must follow the following steps:
1) Before you leave to find this cache, take a water temperature
measurement of nearby standing water (pond, swimming pool, lake,
creek, etc.). What did you take the water temp measurement from?
What was the temperature?
2)When you find the EarthCache take measurements of the water temp
near the diving/jumping dock and near the boat dock.
What is the water temperature near the diving dock?
What is the water temperature near the boat dock?
Why do you think the water temp from #1 is different than from
those at #2?
3)How clear is the water during your visit? Could you see the
bottom? If not what reason can you think of that it is cloudy?
4)Take a picture of you (or your team) while taking the water temp
measurements. Be sure to include the dock and the boats in the
background. Important: Include your GPS and thermometer in the
picure. You may also want to (you don't have to)include a picture
in front of the large park sign. The coordinates are very near the
sign.
***Congratulations to TeamGeoduck for the FTF!***
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