Eastern Lake outlet opened today

:clap_1: Ditto (for the letting nature do its thing).

If the County would just make everyone get off the septic systems around the lakes, all would be good, except those homeowners who built permanantly fixed docks which are now under water. I guess they never heard of rain and rising water levels.

I rushed back to post the good news, looks like someone beat me to it. I sat and watched it this morning for about two hours. It was like watching geology on fast forward. The outflow is so vigorous it formed canyons, islands, shoals, and changed course three times.

It was like watching a demonstration of McPhee's The Control of Nature, and for those who want to control the dune lakes, I suggest they read that book.

I rushed back to post the good news, looks like someone beat me to it. I sat and watched it this morning for about two hours. It was like watching geology on fast forward. The outflow is so vigorous it formed canyons, islands, shoals, and changed course three times.

It was like watching a demonstration of McPhee's The Control of Nature, and for those who want to control the dune lakes, I suggest they read that book.

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More crabs!

The best part was the crabs. The outlet had formed a sort of rapids, and the crabs would get caught up in it and get swept through a gauntlet of seagulls, and if they were lucky get swept out into the gulf. Huge crabs were coming by about every 30 seconds.

The best part was the crabs. The outlet had formed a sort of rapids, and the crabs would get caught up in it and get swept through a gauntlet of seagulls, and if they were lucky get swept out into the gulf. Huge crabs were coming by about every 30 seconds.

Watch out for quicksand Rapunz.:shock:

:clap_1: Yeah!! Kids had a great time watching the crabs last night- until someone came along with a net and a plastic bag . I'm glad it finally opened back up, it's a special place!

It was like watching geology on fast forward. The outflow is so vigorous it formed canyons, islands, shoals, and changed course three times.

Curiosity got the best of me, so I just went for another look.

The changes since this morning are dramatic.

The outlet has cut off an S-bend and moved about 20 yards west. It's gotten probably 2 feet deeper, much wider (now about 15-20 yards), and even faster. So much sand has washed out that there is now a "delta" extending 20 yards out from the line of the beach.

The level of the water line back at the lake suggests the lake has gone down 3-5 inches. That's a lot of water, when you take the whole lake into account. Looks to me like it will keep flowing for days, not hours.

The pelicans are gone, but the gulls are working it hard. I watched one big crab, caught in the flow, travel from the lake to 2/3 of the way out in only about 5 minutes.

:clap_1: Ditto (for the letting nature do its thing).

If the County would just make everyone get off the septic systems around the lakes, all would be good, except those homeowners who built permanantly fixed docks which are now under water. I guess they never heard of rain and rising water levels.

SJ -- Does the county require any sort of monitoring/maintenance for the septic systems? I'd be willing to bet one nearby (within 50 feet of the bay) hasn't been pumped in 10 years. I didn't realize they'd have ever allowed septic tanks near the dune lakes.

It took the county two years to get the gulf trace septic tanks off of the beach after they were exposed. The down side of the dune lakes draining is the increase in pollution of the near shore waters. It is not just septic tanks...its the non point source pollution. That is runoff of the roads, leaching of nutrients from lawns and landscaping, and all the other activities of people that pollute and find its way into our rivers and lakes. When the lakes drain in warm weather, the increase in algae follows!

SJ -- Does the county require any sort of monitoring/maintenance for the septic systems? I'd be willing to bet one nearby (within 50 feet of the bay) hasn't been pumped in 10 years. I didn't realize they'd have ever allowed septic tanks near the dune lakes.

To my knowledge, the County does not require any sort of monitoring/maintenance for the septic systems. I am not a plumber, but I don't think that septic tanks have to be pumped in order to work correctly.

Here's the outflow this morning. Still wide and fast.

http://www.sowal.com/photos-091406.html

I think Draper Lake also recently broke through. I noticed when driving over the bridge at Draper that the water level was much lower than it was a few days ago.

Kurt-
You take beautiful pictures!

WE HAVE ALWAYS CALLED THAT THE INLET.

We have a house near Eastern Lake and we are so glad that it opened up naturally into the gulf. Many folks have been so concerned about EL and all of the lakes since the storms and the restoration.

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

Photos from this morning. The flow has slowed a lot. See the "sand bar" on the east bank where there was full flow yesterday. There's a really big "delta" out in the gulf now.

Here's the same photo as yesterday, looking back toward the lake.



Here's looking toward the gulf.



The black blob in the sand bar is the tarp part of an EZ-Up tent. It either washed out there or was buried that deep.

Excellent news....There goes the County's 150k dollar project.....Hopefully, this will alleviate the problems residents were experiencing with Eastern Lake....By the way, there are no requirements for monitoring septic tanks. Leaching from septic tanks is one of the main threats to the lakes (because we live on sand dunes). The County needs to look at a plan to remove septic systems from environmentally sensitive areas (and the rest of the county for that matter)....

Great pictures....

Does anyone know why it smells so bad close to the outlet into the ocean? I haven't been out there since Sat. night, but it was pretty bad then.

grayton beach lake opened as well. Hopefully the lake's salinity will become better balanced.

Excellent news....There goes the County's 150k dollar project.....Hopefully, this will alleviate the problems residents were experiencing with Eastern Lake....By the way, there are no requirements for monitoring septic tanks. Leaching from septic tanks is one of the main threats to the lakes (because we live on sand dunes). The County needs to look at a plan to remove septic systems from environmentally sensitive areas (and the rest of the county for that matter)....

Great pictures....

$150,000??? Heck all they need is about $100 worth of three-dollar plastic shovels and thirty kids, and a lake can be opened in less than a day or two. The trench doesn't have to be dug 30 ft across like the last time the track hoe opened it up. The lake needs only a little start, and the rest will take care of itself.

Maybe you can put in a bid.....I am not sure about the Child Labor Laws, but I have faith that you will think of something.....

Here's the outflow this morning. Still wide and fast.

Nice picture of my house!

You can call it Kids' Day at Grayton

Does anyone know why it smells so bad close to the outlet into the ocean? I haven't been out there since Sat. night, but it was pretty bad then.

Sulfur, which we have an abundance of dissolved in our groundwater and lakes.