SOME FLORIDA LAKES AND LAKE BASINS. I3I 



Miccosukee Basin has a total area of about 5,000 acres. In its 

 northern part the basin is bordered by sharply defined bluffs, which 

 rise from 50 to 75 or 100 feet above the lake bottom. Farther 

 south these bluffs fall back and give place to a gradual rise of 

 elevation from the lake border. At the south end bluffs are lack- 

 ing. A drain known as Miccosukee drain enters from the east 

 side. This drain consists of a low, swampy area from one-fourth 

 to three-fourths mile in width. This swamp land supports a thick 

 growth of hardwood trees. 



When full, Miccosukee Basin is covered with water to a depth 

 of from 2 to 5 feet. Toward the south end around the border of the 

 lake grass and button bushes project above the water even when 

 the lake is full. 



The sink of Lake Miccosukee is located near the northwest 

 corner of the basin, and is bordered by a bluff having an eleva- 

 tion of from 75 to 100 feet. Landslides along the border of 

 the sink show recent enlargements of the basin. Numerous 

 sinks occur along the border of the lake at this locality, showing 

 enlargement of the lake basin through subsidence. The greatest 

 depth of water found in the sink when examined September 7, 

 1909, was 38 feet. A channel leads back from this sink across the 

 prairie in a southeasterly direction. This channel has cut to a 

 depth of from twenty to twenty-five feet. Followed back from 

 the sink the channel is of gradually reduced depth finally at 

 a distance of about two miles merging into the general level of 

 the lake bottom. When examined September 8, 1909, this stream 

 was carryiiig water into the sink at a rate estimated to be 200 gal- 

 lons per minute. Notwithstanding the inflow from the stream 

 the water in the sink was being gradually lowered. Heavy rains oc- 

 curred in this vicinity on September 21, 1909, and this stream when 

 seen two days later was carrying approximately 7,000 gallons of 

 water per minute. At this time the sink was being rapidly filled, hav- 

 ing filled several feet during the two preceding days. From these 

 observations it appears that the opening at the bottom of this sink 

 permits the escape of water at a rate in excess of 200 gallons per 

 minute, but much less than 7,000 gallons per minute. From the 

 behavior of the sink it is probable that not more than 1,000 gal- 

 lons of water are escaping per minute, and the rate of escape may be 

 much less. 



The principal escape of water from Lake Miccosukee when the 

 lake is full is through a drain which leads out from the south end of 

 the lake and enters a sink about two and one-fourth miles from 

 the south end of the lake. This sink is formed in a light colored 

 limestone of Upper Oligocene age. probably representing the Chat- 



