SOME FLORIDA LAKES AND LAKE BASINS, 
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est during the rainy season when the lake is receiving a large amount 
of surface drainage. 
Approximate measurements of the water level in Alligator 
Lake near Lake City have also been made., This is one of the 
smaller basins and the measurements indicate that the level of the 
water in the lake stands appreciably above the underground water 
level. In this instance the measurements of the water level and the 
lake level were made at different seasons of the year and the results 
can be only approximately compared. The data on this lake are as 
follows: Levels made by Professor N. H. Cox, on June 19, 1903. 
showed that the water in Alligator Lake stood 94.22 feet below the 
Union Depot at Lake City. 
The lake at the time the levels were made was at medium full 
stage. The water of the Lake City public well located near, and 
on about the same level as the depot was found at the time the 
well was completed in 1907 to stand 134 feet from the surface. 
Allowing for any correction that it might be necessary to make 
owing to the fact that the measurements of lake level and ground 
water level were not made at the same time it would still seem that 
the lake basin in this instance stands somewhat above the water 
level. The drainage of this lake by wells should be possible pro¬ 
vided the underlying limestone at this locality proves to be suffi¬ 
ciently porous and cavernous to conduct water readily. 
SUMMARY. 
The basins of the temporary lakes have their origin in erosion 
by solution and by mechanical wash. Some of them appear to 
represent the enlarged valleys of what was originally a small 
stream. Sinks form along these streams diverting the course of 
the water into the underlying limestones. Other basins originate 
from sinks in no way connected with stream valleys. The origin 
of the sink was due primarily to solution in the limestone. After 
the sink is formed the general level of the surrounding area is low¬ 
ered somewhat by mechanical wash, the material being carried into 
the sink. Subsequently other sinks form in the immediate vicinity. 
The formation of these new sinks is due also to solution. The large 
amount of water which entered the limestone from the first sink 
facilitates solution and results in the formation of additional sinks. 
The continuance of this process through a long period of time re¬ 
sults in the development of the large basins occupied by these lakes. 
From their manner of development it follows that the steepest bluffs 
as a rule are those immediately facing the active sinks. Likewise 
for reasons already given new sinks occur most frequently in the 
area immediately surrounding the active sink. 
