No Aquatic Weeds On Jackson Prairie
University of Florida	Aquatic, Wetland and Invasive Plant Information Retrieval System

Jackson Prairie [Lake Jackson], Florida

Outstanding Florida Water Body, Lake Jackson (Tallahassee), is known nationally as a premiere bass fishing lake. And over the years, aquatic weed and water quality concerns in the lake have been the subject of countless homeowners' meetings and of primary interest to lake management personnel. However, its bass reputation and aquatic weed problems became much less consequential on September 16, 1999 when a sink hole suddenly drained more than half the lake of every last gallon of water, not to mention every last fish and alligator. It is now possible to walk from shore to shore--but steer clear of the sink hole.

Jess Van Dyke, long-time regional biologist with the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management (Florida Department of Environmental Protection) was there when it happened. "It was spectacular: animals trying to scramble out; a whirlpool of gators, birds and bass went down the hole," said Van Dyke. Lake Jackson is one of Florida's disappearing lakes, lakes with sinkholes that are known to drain periodically. Lake Jackson, for example, has drained 4 times previously in the 20th century, in 1907, 1933, 1957, 1982 and now in 1999.

"Our records show that in 1982 the lake refilled from rainfall within about 6 months. In 1957 there was a drought, so it took much longer to refill. It's all about long term rainfall patterns," says Van Dyke. It is expected that the lake will eventually collect water and again become a top-notch fishing lake.

For more information, contact Jess Van Dyke, the regional biologist for the northwest Florida region (which includes Lake Jackson), at Bureau of Invasive Plant Management, 3900 Commonwealth Blvd, Tallahassee, FL 32399; (850) 245-2809.

Here are pics of ex-Lake Jackson in no particular order; pics include some taken on that fateful day in September 1999 (even though they're mis-dated as 2002), and some taken 3 years later, in September 2002. The pics below include some that feature some employees of the Tallahassee offices of the Bureau of Invasive Plant Management.

Stranded lotus (Nelumbo lutea) on Jackson Prairie) Jess Van Dyke perilously close to the edge Waterfall into the sinkhole 200' aerial of sinkhole 500' aerial of drained lake

1000' aerial of sinkhole Sightseer with telephone Sightseers without telephones All that's left is mud Pedestrians, including Drew Leslie Greg Jubinsky joins Jess Van Dyke in the mud Jess Van Dyke also works inside Florida Photo Sets Single Florida Scenes Animal Scenes Plant Scenes

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