Lake Jackson (Tallahassee, Florida)

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Lake Jackson
Map
Location	Leon County, Florida
Lake type	prairie lake
Primary outflows	sinkholes
Catchment area	42.1 mi² (109.0 km²)
Basin countries	United States
Max. length	8 mi (13 km)
Surface area	6.2 mi² (16.1 km²)
Surface elevation	max. 96.16 ft (29.31 m)

Lake Jackson is a shallow, prairie lake on the north side of Tallahassee in Leon County, Florida with two major depressions or sinkholes known as Porter Sink and Lime Sink.

Lake Jackson, Florida, USA, with storm approaching. Note flying ducks. September 2005.

The lake is located in the Red Hills Region, and has fluctuated from periods of being dry to a maximum elevation of 29 meters (96 ft) above sea level. The lake is approximately 12 kilometers long and its area is 16 km², with a drainage basin of roughly 11 km². There is no outflow from streams or runoff.

Interstate 10 runs across the southern tip of the lake, and US 27 runs along a causeway on the western side, separating Little Lake Jackson from the main lake.

There are several boat ramps providing access to the lake; on the west side these are at Crowder Drive and Faulk Drive, at a small park on US 27, and on Sunset Drive. Ramps on the east side of the lake are at Millers Landing Road and Rhoden Cove Landing.

The Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park is located adjacent to the lake.

1 Lake drained
2 Animal life
3 Vegetation
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Lake drained

Sink hole draining Lake Jackson

Water drains from the lake into the Floridan Aquifer through the sinkholes. These are usually partially or completely plugged with sediments, but collapse when groundwater levels drop, allowing lake water to funnel into the aquifer, which can virtually completely drain the lake. This usually happens every 25 years. The last time it drained was September 16, 1999^[1]. On May 10, 2007, the lake flowed down the Porter Sink, but pools of water still remained^[2].

[edit] Animal life

Least Tern at Lake Jackson, Florida, May 2004

Endangered Species and/or rare species found at Lake Jackson and the surrounding watershed are the snowy egret, little blue heron, wood stork, bald eagle, least tern, American alligator and round-tailed muskrat. Brown pelicans, rare inland, have also been found on occasion.

[edit] Vegetation

American lotus at Lake Jackson, Florida, August 2006

Submerged vegetation is abundant throughout the lake and include blue hyssop, coontail, green fanwort, variable-leaf milfoil, and bladderwort. Marsh plants include maidencane, pickerelweed, American lotus, and slender spikerush. Numerous wetland tree and woody plant species also inhabit the drier portions of the transitional marsh. These include sweetgum, a variety of oaks, wax myrtle, and elderberry.