Paynes Prairie Basin Earthcache EarthCache
Paynes Prairie Basin Earthcache
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Located within Paynes Prairie State Park, the La Chua Trail is a favorite trail of locals and visitors with ample opportunities to view wildlife. As with all nature areas in Florida, and especially here on the La Chua Trail, please be aware of your surroundings as alligators and snakes are often present on and near the trail.
The Paynes Prairie Basin Earthcache
One of the premier geological structures of Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park is the Paynes Prairie Basin. The basin was formed when a number of sinkholes close together eventually merged. Impressively, it ranges from 8 miles long and 1.5 to 4 miles wide. During its recorded history, the basin’s character has changed little, except for periods when the area has flooded enough to be considered a lake, often referred to as Alachua Lake. The basin water levels vary dramatically depending on rainfall and groundwater levels. Natural water level variation is a critical component of this ecosystem. During the late 1800s, the entire prairie was flooded and was known as Alachua Lake. It is believed that the Alachua Sink had become clogged, preventing the outflow of water which allowed the basin to fill with water. When this gave way, the entire lake drained very rapidly. The most recent period of extensive flooding was in 2004, when several hurricanes passed through the area.
The main sources of water to Alachua Lake are from Prairie Creek, which serves as an outflow from Newnan’s Lake to Paynes Prairie, and Sweetwater Branch. Both of these have had significant human impacts that have affected the landscape of the area, and both of these were altered for agricultural purposes to prevent the basin from flooding.
In the early 1900s, the Camp family diverted water from Prairie Creek by digging a canal, now known as Camp’s Canal, to help make the area better for cattle ranching. Historically, the water that flows through Camp’s Canal represented the largest flow of water onto the prairie. The water was diverted away from Prairie Creek and it now flows to Orange Lake instead of to Paynes Prairie. This series of dykes and canals impacts the entire ecosystem of the prairie as well as reduces the amount of water that ultimately flows into the Alachua Sink as recharge for the Floridan Aquifer.
Similarly, agricultural canals and dykes that were built in the outflow areas of Sweetwater Branch further impact the prairie. This area is undergoing a significant wetland restoration project at this time.
To log this earthcache, please email the answers to the following questions to the cache owner through their profile. Do not list your answers in your log, even if encrypted.
1) Describe the current water levels within the Paynes Prairie Basin. Does it appear to have been a wet or dry year?
2) As you stood on the observation platform overlooking the basin, what kind of wildlife did you observe?
3) How many other people were on the observation platform at the time you were there?
4) The prairie naturally fluctuates between wet and dry conditions. How do you think these fluctuations benefit the prairie ecosystems?
5) OPTIONAL – Post a picture of yourself on the top of the observation platform.
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