Our speleological community is strong in our area, drawn to our amazing karst features. They explore these dark and tight cave areas, sometimes going several miles underground, mapping the water trails.
These explorers see firsthand the fragile system that we all depend on for life. Yes, this is the water we rely on to drink, cook, bathe, irrigate, flush. They have seen the well pipes piercing the limestone to draw from this same water. They see trash and unmarked barrels, batteries, littering the places where the limestone opens a direct connection to our drinking water.
Karst Environmental, a firm founded by divers Wes Skyles, Pete Butt, and Tom Morris, conducted the dye trace study that links Mill Creek sink to Hornsby Spring and Santa Fe Hills. Dye was detected at Santa Fe Hills well , Darby and Hornsby Springs.
Our local cave divers are spearheading the current push to add protections to the Mill Creek sink area. They have gotten the attention of Alachua County DEP that is working to catch up to the exponential growth being permitted around this and other vulnerable recharge areas.
The update is that Alachua County, the City of Alachua, and the developer, are talking to find ways to reduce the impact of high density growth. High density development in areas on top of a recharge area is dangerous to structures because of the prevalence of sinkholes, and increases pollution to groundwater from human activity.
It takes a village to weave a strong social cloth to protect our resources. Our cave divers, environmentalists, teachers, scientists, paddlers; not one, but many, together, stronger.
OSFR President Joanne Tremblay
joanne.tremblay@oursantaferiver.org
“Giving Our River A Voice”
