Lake Jackson is well known in Florida for being the lake that regularly drains itself- about once every 25 years. Like much of North Florida, it sits on the Floridan Aquifer, a vast underground network of flooded passageways and caves made up of limestone. Connecting the lake and the aquifer are two sinkholes – Porter and Lime Sinks. The water level at the lake continuously changes throughout the year depending on the amount of rainfall and water washed in from the surrounding watershed. This lake has no outflow streams or runoff. The water is only able to escape through the sinks which are usually clogged with rock and sediment. Eventually during a drought, the groundwater levels drop freeing the clog and usually draining the entire lake. It can take several months or years for the lake to fill again. During the time that it is empty, many species of land plants, particularly grasses, flourish because of the rich nutrients of the lakebed. This is what also makes Lake Jackson a “Prairie Lake”, also known as a wet prairie.
Please be very respectful of any nearby boaters or fishermen. And also be cautious of the wildlife, (there have been gators and snakes spotted in this area).
To get credit for this cache, please go over the following questions and privately message us the answers (Do Not post them here!)
Also, please no pictures of the lake that can give away answers!
1) Is the lake currently full or empty? Describe the amount of water in the lake from what you can see (could you launch a boat in it or fish? Are there only a few small pools? Or is it just mud?). Please do not go into the water or tall grass.
2) Would you say that the lake is in it’s “prairie stage”? Describe the amount of vegetation in the lake (completely covered/ sparsely covered/ barren etc.)
3) What is #7 on the Lake Jackson Landing Key?
4) On the sign where it says "Paddling Tips and Recommendations", what is the first safety tip?
Sources:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-03-31/features/9303310043_1_lake-jackson-drain-water
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/coastal/sites/lakejackson/
http://www.fnai.org/PDF/NC/Wet_Prairie_Final_2010.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Jackson_(Tallahassee,_Florida)