YELLOW FEVER CREEK PRESERVE EarthCache
YELLOW FEVER CREEK PRESERVE
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The Yellow Fever Creek Watershed is located in the northwestern area of Lee County , Florida. It is approximately eight square miles in area , with six of the eight coming from the east branch tributary of the Yellow Fever Creek. This watershed originates at its confluence with Hancock Creek , which in turn discharges into the Caloosahatchee River, which in turns flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
The trail walk is about three to four miles long, it depends on which way you walk to the last coords and back. The best time for this walk is during the winter months, with no rain and the heat would be not as hot out as during the summer months.
Historically , water covered this whole area in a thin "SHEET" during the wet season (summer ) . Once development started , ditches and canals were dug 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 when there is too much volume to be carried by local streams and rivers. In Florida , the "rainy season" comes in the summer and rainfalls of several inches per hour are a daily occurrence. Since there is nearly no elevation changes 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 verly slowly moves towards any large rivers and to the Gulf Of Mexico. Smaller streams disappear under this "SHEET" of water , covering the land.
These two processes , SURFACE RUNOFF and SOIL INFILTRATION are important for a number of reasons.
SURFACE RUNOFF:
For one , they affect water quality. The water that runs off the surface of the roads can pick up water pollution like oil,paint, pollutions and deposits the pollution in streams and rivers as it drains the watershed.
SOIL INFILTRATION :
Water that filters through the soil can become contaminated with pollution that is left over from agricultural , industrial , commercial , and other types of " HUMAN ACTIVITY".
Pits were dug in the ground to bury trash, like paint cans,oil cans and the old outhouse was built over a pit that could become a water pollutant as it filters through the soil carrying water pollution ultimately to larger streams , river and into the oceans. The oceans of the world become the final resting place for tons of pollution.
Take a walk in this section of Florida and see if your your feet gets wet during the "DRY SEASON" winter time or do they get wet "ONLY DURING THE "RAINY SEASON" summer time.
To receive a Smiley for this cache , email me the answer to the following questions.
1. Are there any water in the Yellow Fever Creek?
2. Was there any "SHEET FLOW" occurring when you
visited? What direction was the SHEET FLOW
flowing during your visit? If not , what happens
to this water eventually?
3. Why does the water essentially sits on the
saturated ground ?
4. Now take the trails to N 26 42.413
W 081 55.623 this is where you shall see a
" Human Activity " that can affect water quality
for the Yellow Fever Creek Preserve water shed.
What is this HUMAN ACTIVITY? HUMAN ACTIVITY CAN BE WHAT YOU SEE MADE BY MAN OR WOMEN. WE SAW A OUTHOUSE WITH SOMETHING ON TOP? WHAT IS ON TOP OF THE OUTHOUSE? IF YOU DONT SEE THE OUTHOUSE WHAT OTHER MAN MADE OBJECTS IS IN THE YARD THAT YOU DONT SEE EVERYDAY.
Is this pollution "SURFACE RUNOFF or
SOIL INFILTRATION?
5. OPTIONAL TASK: YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE
ANY PICTURES OF YOUR WALK ON THE TRAILS.
IT WOULD BE NICE TO SEE ANY PICTURES THAT
YOU HAVE TAKEN.
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