Well without a doubt the year 2004 was a banner year for precipitation throughout the state of Florida and Keystone Heights was no exception. The entire state was saturated with storms and hurricanes which brought exceptional rainfall to many areas, some of which have been drought stricken for several years.
I have been observing the rainfall totals for several years on White Sands Lake as well as collecting rainfall data for the area going back to 1900. I use three different rainfall gauges in order to make comparisons. The reason for the three gauges is one of my gauges is a tipping digital rainfall gauge and in extreme heavy downpours the tipping bucket part of the gauge is not able to keep up with volume of water that pours into the gauge. Therefore I use the other two to gauges as a back up.

As for the total accumulative amount of rainfall, I recorded a total of 73.81 inches of rainfall for the year of 2004. Which turns out to be a record amount according the data I have collected. In 1953 we had an annual rainfall total of 73.30 inches (NOAA weather station at the Gainesville airport.)

By the way, this brings up one of the mysteries I have encountered in the research we have done which involves the low lake levels of Brooklyn Lake. It was reported during the period of 1954 to 1956 we experienced one of the worst drought periods ever recorded up to that time. (according to a study done by the U.S. Geological Survey, along with Florida Geological Survey, titled “The Drought of 1964 to 1956, It’s Effect on Florida’s Surface Water Resources”, published in 1962.)

According to N.O.A.A. the average annual rainfall is 51.80 inches. From 1954 to 1956 we had an accumulative deficit of 23.16 inches. But the year before 1954 (1953) we had a surplus of 21.50 inches.

It is amazing to me that with the surplus of rain we had prior to the drought period that Brooklyn Lake would drop to unprecedented levels. By the end of 1957 Brooklyn Lake had dropped to a water level of 97.41 feet above sea level, which is about 18 feet from its outflow level.

(Remember the upper level lakes which are connected to and by Alligator Creek (south), Blue Pond, Lowry Lake, and Magnolia Lake were in essence serving as “rainfall reservoirs”, which were also delivering rainfall runoff to Brooklyn Lake.)

You have to understand that the hydrology of this area is very unique and therefore sometimes very difficult to understand, even for the professionals. None-the-less the water management insists the drop of the lakes water level was entirely due to a lack of rainfall.

No…... we do not have a new lake in Keystone Heights area. I was asked recently “if there was a new lake here”. In the last months issue, I had misspelled the word Brooklyn on the headlines.

The headline read, “The Water is Flowing into Booklyn Lake”. (it should have read “The Water is Flowing into Brooklyn Lake”).

Oddly enough there are three people who edit the newsletter before it is printed. And neither of us picked up on the misspelled word.

Speaking of Brooklyn Lake, the water is still flowing into the lake via Alligator Creek. So far (if the water is still flowing at the rate of 1.7 million gallons per day) from the period of

December 1 to February 7, Brooklyn will have received a accumulative total of 117,300,000 million gallons of water. (I have recently learned that the volume of water flow under the Immokalee Road bridge has increased to 2.5 million gallons per day. That even adds more to the total amount that has flowed into Brooklyn.)

Now in closing, I want to take this opportunity to praise a young man who has worked feverously and at times has lost sleep trying to make our dream and vision a reality. He has gone above and beyond the call of duty - Keystone Heights Mayor Lyndel Hale.

Mayor Hale made a campaign promise that if he were elected he would work towards seeing that our lakes was brought to the attention of the state and local officials. He mentioned it was his dream to see his children enjoy the lakes as he did as a child. He has done what he promised. Lyndel has managed to get the kind of action we hoped for. He continues to come up with more ideas and ways to get water to this area. Surprisingly enough his ambition has stirred a lot of new hope and faith in our elected officials. With out a doubt he has proven to be a “catalyst” to prompting action to find a cure.

I would like to thank everyone for the great turnout at our past monthly meeting. It was great seeing all those smiling faces.

Yes….water is the life blood of Keystone Heights area lakes, and yes… it’s flowing again.

Lets make this year a banner year!

Thanks to everyone who made a dream come true.

See you at the next meeting.

Tom Jones

When we first considered doing the Option #3 pipeline there was some concern that Magnolia Lake would take a long time to fill back up and overflow into Brooklyn Lake. Back on July 1, 2003, Magnolia Lake water level was at 112.75 feet above sea level, while the outflow level from Magnolia Lake is estimated approximately at 124 feet above sea level. That meant that 210 acres of the body of water that makes up Magnolia would have to rise over 12 feet to reach a level of outflow. (according to an article in the Monitor the outflow level on August 20, 1981 was at 124.87 feet. I have been told that the outflow level is possibly even lower than 124 feet. So we will go with 124 feet.)

According to a newspaper article there was a time in which Magnolia Lake was at a level of 128 feet and there was no flow going to Brooklyn Lake. (???) We have yet to discover the reason or cause for the “dry creek”. Although the article in the Monitor (as quoted below) stated that the “underbrush” was blocking the flow. (? ? ? ) (It would have had to have been very thick brush, as thick enough to dam up the water.)

August 20, 1981–

“High Waters on Sand Hill Lake”

(Note: Sand Hill Lake is the same lake as Lowry Lake. It was renamed some years later.)

“Two Lake Brooklyn residents, Paul Tanner and C.W. Owens, have fought a battle with federal, state and local officials over the condition of Alligator Creek for months now and this week it looks like they may see some results. The problem began with the drought, (which occur periodically) that dropped lake levels in the area to all-time record lows and left North Florida with a staggering rainfall deficit of more than 24 inches. Alligator Creek begins to flow into Lake Brooklyn from Magnolia Lake when the water level reaches a certain point – 124.87 feet above sea level, according to a report issued by the water management district in May. The report stated that Magnolia was at a level of 128 feet in May at the height of the dry spell , but the creek remained dry.” The report was issued in response to a request by Congressman Chappell. “The report states that “although Alligator Creek should be flowing at the present time considering the level of Magnolia Lake, a high growth of underbrush and other plant material is blocking the route of the creek into Lake Brooklyn from Magnolia.” “Sand Hill is up, Blue Pond is way up,” said Tanner. “There is almost five feet of water flowing in the northern most sections of the creek right now, due to the rainfall we have had in the area in the last ninety days.” “A visual check by the Monitor, Monday, confirmed that water is flowing strongly through the creek at points below Blue Pond and Sand Hill Lake to at least a five foot depth. The creek bed is dry and overgrown at a point starting about one quarter of a mile below Magnolia Lake.”

(Source: Lake Region Monitor, August 20, 1981)

At the Keystone Heights Stakeholders meeting that was held January 28, we were told that the progress was moving right along with the proceedings for “ Option #7 ” . Remember “ Option # 7 ” is the redirection of a portion of the discharge water that E.I. Dupont discharges from their settling ponds. While this option is not one of the options that was designed by the Schrueder report it has been commonly referred to as “ Option 7 ”. At this time we do not foresee any “red-tape” delays. The permit should be approved by the Department of Environmental Protection sometime in March, then it has to be placed in the newspaper for a period of 14 days, after which the SJRWMD Governing board will meet to approve the funding for the project. So if all goes well, we should see the permit by the end of April.