Blowout

[Landlocked]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but how often do the dune lakes blow out into the gulf? Is there any regularity to it?

 

[Kurt]

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but how often do the dune lakes blow out into the gulf? Is there any regularity to it?

No short-term regularity. It depends on the amount of rain. Most land and wetlands south of 98 drain into the lakes.

 

[Landlocked]

That makes sense. I just remember how much fun it was as a kid to play in that water when the lake and the gulf were trading water. I would think the fish activity around a blowout would be interesting, too. I found this pic of a blowout at photosflorida.com. I thought it was neat.

 

[Kurt]

Yeah it's wild. I've seen that cool photo before - thanks for posting.

The fish crabs and birds get busy. Sometimes you can stand in the middle and they're all rushing by.

I was out there one morning years ago after a tropical storm and it looked like the Colorado River cutting through Grayton Beach.

Here's some birds feasting.

 

[Landlocked]

I heard a story of a guy who "helped" out one of the lakes down there and dug a trench to the gulf with his kids bucket, in turn, creating a Colorado sized river. The residents were NOT happy.

When those blowouts happen, do they fill back up with gulf water?

 

[Kurt]

I heard a story of a guy who "helped" out one of the lakes down there and dug a trench to the gulf with his kids bucket, in turn, creating a Colorado sized river. The residents were NOT happy.

When those blowouts happen, do they fill back up with gulf water?

Once the outflow slows, which can take a few days to a week or more depending on the amount of rainfall, there is a shorter period where the gulf flows into the lake. The amount depends on the tides and wave action. This Spring we had so much rain, Western lake was open for a couple of months.

On rare occasions, and when the cut made was particularly deep, the clear gulf water can be seen well up into the lake.

It used to be a regular practice when the lakes get full to try to help them along with a shovel. Some people still do it because their dock is underwater and, some do it for "fun".

A lot of fish and crabs enter the lakes to give birth. The lakes give the offspring a chance to mature, safe from many predators. The young critters later exit with the outflow. It's a delicate balance with a lot of species depending on the natural cycle. It's probably best, as in most natural systems, to leave it alone.

 

[RiverOtter]

On rare occasions, and when the cut made was particularly deep, the clear gulf water can be seen well up into the lake.

.

Like My Sig Pic

 

[RiverOtter]

Here's another. Sorry about the size, not sure what happened there.

 

[Landlocked]

Otter,

Those pictures are beautiful. That's the way I remember it being when I was a kid. We had much fun netting crab in that channel. It was probably twenty years ago, and we were on the smaller, Stallworth lake and we caught so many crab it was rediculous.

Do ya'll ever see any flounder around when the lakes blow out?

 

[Kurt]

Never seen Flounder there.