NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, FL — Water levels at lakes across Tallahassee are dropping as the region remains in an exceptional drought.
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At Lake Killarney, neighbors who normally have a waterfront view are seeing mostly dry land due to the lack of rain.
Priscilla Jaramillo described her view of the lake as more of a field.
"I used to get like a lot of comfort, you know, just sitting back there and just listening and watching the critters back there, and it's just been kind of like, I don't even go back there anymore," Jaramillo said.
Despite the severe conditions, environmentalists say there are benefits to the lake dry downs.
Sean McGlynn, a Board Member for the Florida Lake Management Society, called this one of the worst droughts he has seen in his lifetime, but noted the ecological advantages.
“When it's dry, it's oxidizing. You get rapid bacterial activity, and it actually cleans the bottom of the lakes and recycles pollutants and gets it out,” he said. “It's amazing that you can see the lake just get clean and white again.”
The same phenomenon is happening at Lake Jackson.
Sophie Wacogne-Speer, President of the Friends of Lake Jackson, said dry-downs are common there, though this is not the worst the lake has experienced.
Data from the Lake Jackson Aquatic Preserve shows lake levels are at 77 feet above sea level, compared to an average of at least 80 feet.
The low water levels have restricted access and forced the closure of several boat ramps to vehicles and trailered boats.
However, small boats, mud motors, airboats, and paddle craft can still be launched at certain locations such as Crowder, Miller, and Sunset landings, depending on local conditions.
The preserve reported receiving a little more than half an inch of rain over the past 30 days.
Wacogne-Speer said the dry conditions can benefit wildlife.
“When the water goes down, the lake bottom is exposed. The sun can bake the sediment somewhat. It reduces the organic matter into mineral, and so it tends to be good for the lake bottom. It restores it to more sandy. The fish like it,” she said.
She also says it’s easier to access the lake to remove invasive plants.
According to research from the Lake Jackson Aquatic Preserve, regular rain cycles and large storms dropping 10 inches of rain or more generally helps fill the lake back up.
However, there is not much the community can do except wait for the rain to arrive.
“A five or six-inch rain will fill this up, or it used to,” McGlynn said. “But now, every holding pond has to fill up before the lake fills up.”
“I wish for rain every day, and when it does, when it does rain a little bit, it’s like it’s not enough,” Jaramillo said.
"The only thing you can do is enjoy the way it is right now," Wacogne-Speer said.
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