Pop Ash Preserve EarthCache EarthCache
Hidden : 11/24/2012
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: not chosen (not chosen)

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Geocache Description:

An EarthCache in the new Pop Ash Preserve.



The Pop Ash Preserve was created to reestablish "Sheet Flow" of water through this section of Lee County. Historically, water covered this whole area in a thin "Sheet"during the wet season (Summer). Once development started, lakes were dug and ditches and swales were added to control the flow of water around houses and fields.
"Sheet Flow" is best described as the coursing of water over a nearly flat landscape (The best example is the Everglades) when there is too much volume to be carried by local streams and rivers. In Florida, the "Rainy Season" comes in summer and rainfalls of several inches per hour are a daily occurrence. Since there is nearly no elevation change in South West Florida, the water does not flow down off hills or mountains and into streams and rivers. The water essentially sits on the saturated ground and very slowly moves towards any large rivers or the Gulf of Mexico. Smaller streams disappear under this "Sheet" of water, covering the land.
The land in Lee County was "reclaimed" by digging ditches to channel the water or creating "Berms" to divert it. In the Pop Ash Preserve, one can again witness "Sheet Flow" during the Rainy season, due to the removal of sections of the old berms and filling of some ditches.
Take a walk in this section of Florida and expect to get your feet wet, even in the "Dry Season." The trails cross the Pop Ash Creek in several locations and no bridges are provided. The bottom is gravel and less than two feet deep most of the time. The Preserve is open to horses also, so if you have one, you can stay dry!
To receive a Smiley for this cache, email me the answers to the following questions.
1 Are there still lakes on the property?
2 How deep was the water at the places where you have to cross? (If you don't cross, at least try to guess. You can see the bottom!)
3 Was there any "Sheet Flow" occurring when you visited?
4 Where does all the water exit the Preserve?

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Vg'f orggre gb tb va gur Snyy guebhtu gur Fcevat.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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