Attachment C-2
The Alachua Sink property is owned by the National Speleological Society, and managed by a committee of NSS members. Because of the nature and complexity of the underwater cave system, access to the cave will be permitted to only the highest qualified cave divers. The goal of the management plan is to allow continued access to Alachua Sink for cave diving and to protect this valuable resource so that future cave divers can visit and appreciate a cave in near pristine condition. To this end, a management committee will be put in place and diving will only occur with a qualified guide. In addition, fences and gates will be installed as necessary to prevent unauthorized visitation to the site.
Equally important is the protection of the surrounding property and connected water resources due to development in the region. Alachua Sink is located within the City of Alachua and is adjacent to I-75. As with most of Florida, development is occurring at a rapid rate. By educating and working with local officials, we hope to minimize the impact of growth in the area on the cave system.
History:
In late 1992 and early 1993, the NSS completed negotiations to
accept the donation of Alachua Sink, located in the city of
Alachua, Florida. The donor of the property was the Asgrow
Florida Corporation, a division of the Upjohn Company. John
Kibler, a long time NSS/CDS member and Asgrow employee, was one
of the driving forces behind the donation to the NSS. The NSS
interest in the ownership of this property is primarily due to
its significant value as a hydrological resource and to protect
access to this site.
Surface Resources:
a. Biological:
Several species of plants exist in the floodplain and on
the rim and rim slopes that are uncommon to the area. The site
represents a southern refugium for some species that normally
occur north of the area or west in the Florida Panhandle area.
The floodplain may represent a pre-Columbian forest remnant,
which was not logged for one reason or another. Large cypress and
water elm dominate the canopy in the low elevation.
Dr. Dana Griffin of the University of Florida suggests that we obtain the water elms (Planera aquatica) girth measurements since they may be of champion tree dimensions.
Out of range or uncommon plants occurring at the site are:
Collinsonia canadensis (Horse Balm)
Arisaema draconian (Green Dragon)
Triadenum walteri (Marsh St. John's Wort)
Aristolichus serpentaria (Snakeroot)
Thelypteris dentata (Downy-shield fern)
Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive fern)
b. Geological:
Alachua Sink lies along a persistent topographical feature known
as the Cody Escarpment. This westward-facing escarpment is the
erosional boundary between an upland plateau to the east and a
karst plain to the west. The upland plateau, with elevations up
to the 190 feet mean sea level (MSL), is known as the Hawthorne
Plateau or the Northern Highlands. The plateau once extended
completely across Alachua County, and is composed of marine and
deltaic sediments. Karst features are scarce on the plateaus due
to the impervious clays of the Hawthorne Formation. The plateau
landscape is characterized by very low relief, which along with a
high water table forms swampy pine flatwoods and cypress ponds.
Retreat of the escarpment has exposed the underlying limestone sediments of the karst plain, which were reduced to their present topographically low level (less than 75 feet MSL) through the action of solution and modified by the Pleistocene higher sea level stands. Small short caves, solution pipes, and cenote like sinkholes are common on the karst plain.(1)
The site consists of 8.8 acres of land, most of which lies below the 100 year flood plain, and thus has very little commercial development potential. However, there is a 50-foot wide section of land to the east of the sinkhole, which comes out to front on US Hwy. 441. It is important to note that the Alachua Sink Property does not include any land on the high ground west of the sinkhole. All of the property between the sinkhole and Sonny's BAR-B-Q is privately owned. The property is managed for diving, research, and educational purposes and both the committee members and the Alachua Police Department monitor its use.
c. Hydrological:
The surface stream, Mill Creek and Townsend Branch, drains over
70 square miles north of Alachua Sink and is dissected by over 10
swallow holes. Alachua Sink is the only known window that allows
access to the underwater cave. There is a swallow hole located
north of the main sinkhole, which provides an in feeder of
surface runoff into the system. The other sinks are alluviated to
the extent that the investigators cannot extend them.
Underground Resources:
a. Biological:
Alachua sink is home to turtles, both soft-shell and
snapping varieties. Alligators are occasionally seen also. Brim
and catfish are seen in the basin and catfish have been spotted
throughout the cave system. Blind cave crayfish, the Pallid cave
crayfish (Procambarus pallidus), the Florida Cave Amphipod
(Crangonyx grandimus) and the Hobb's Cave Amphipod (Crangonyx
hobsi) are also found in the cave and are "species of
special concern" designated by the State of Florida. The
Florida Committee on Rare and Endangers Biota of Florida has
published the selected information for State of Florida Game and
Freshwater Fish Commission. This information supports and
recommends protection of these and other related cave species.
b. Geological:
Alachua Sink is a water filled sinkhole connected to a water
filled cave located near I-75 in the city of Alachua, Florida.
Alachua Sink is the only known window to the underground Alachua
Stream System. The sinkhole slopes steeply nearly 50 feet down to
the water's edge. The sinkhole is filled with very dark,
tannic-stained water for most of the year, as well as fallen
trees and debris. Clear water is not encountered for a
considerable distance into the system. The main cave system has
tunnel both upstream and downstream with depths of over 200 feet.
c. Hydrological:
Dye tracing studies(2) done by the NSS_CDS
in the 1970s revealed that Alachua Sink is connected to nearby
Hornsby Springs. Hornsby Springs is considered a tributary water
source for the Santa Fe River. The Santa Fe is designated as an
"Outstanding Florida Waterway" which is the most
prominent designation for a river in the Sate of Florida. The
uniqueness of this hydrological relationship provides an upstream
karst window to a sensitive water source, which is part of a
major conduit feeding the Florida Aquifer. Further understanding
of the hydrology of Alachua Sink is needed and can be gained
through exploration and survey of the system. Protection from
point and non-point pollution is the primary reason in favor of
NSS ownership. Additionally, NSS ownership with local management
by the Alachua Sink Management Committee (ASMC) would provide the
basis for ongoing field study in this area.
Management Committee:
The property will be managed by the Alachua Sink
Management Committee (ASMC) consisting of the Chairman of the
ASMC, and the current, active guides and one member appointed by
the Chairman of the NSS-CDS, usually one of the elected CDS Board
Members. The ASMC will be responsible for appointing new guides,
establishing the number of guides, reviewing and approving
research applications, and reviewing and approving site
improvements.
The Chairman of the ASMC will be responsible for producing reports of conditions and activities to the NSS Administrative Vice President as needed, usually three times annually, approximately 45 days prior to each NSS Board of Governor's meeting.
Access Policy:
The depth of the system, the extremely poor
visibility in the basin, and the presence of a restriction in the
downstream at 190 feet makes Alachua Sink a very advanced level
dive, with absolutely no training dives allowed. Also, no
commercial diving will be allowed, i.e.; there will be no fee
charged for access to the site by anyone, including authorized
guides. Access to the cave system will only be permitted with an
approved guide.
Anyone wishing to dive the system must be a member of the NSS. They must be "Full Cave Diver" certified and show proof of the Abe Davis Award(3) or equivalent experience. In addition, they must have documentation of three prior dives to 150 feet with required decompression of 45 minutes or more. Each diver will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to diving and be accompanied by an Alachua Sink Management Committee Guide. Dive teams will be limited to one guide and two divers, except for upstream beyond the 180-foot depth, where diving will be limited to one guide and one diver.
In order to dive the downstream tunnel, the diver must complete three dives in the upstream section. Dives in the downstream tunnel will be limited to one guide and one diver.
Access to the cave will be at the discretion of the ASMC and/or the appointed guides. The final decision of whether or not to dive will be at the discretion of the guide.
Responsibilities of Guides:
All visitors will execute an Alachua Sink
Liability Release prior to entering the site. The guide will
submit the signed releases to the ASMC for approval within a
designated time period. Guides will notify the ASMC of intended
activities prior to visiting the system. It will be the guide's
responsibility to determine safe site conditions prior to
visitation. The guide has the final decision to allow a
particular dive to continue and may call the dive at any time for
any reason.
Guides will be chosen by the ASMC based upon their experience level with Alachua Sink. At a minimum, a potential guide must complete ten dives in the system with three different guides. The number of guides is set by the ASMC and may fluctuate depending on the activity and availability of the individual guides.
Publicity Policy:
There have been several ongoing research projects at Alachua Sink
in recent years. Scientist or explorers interested in projects at
Alachua Sink are encouraged to contact the Alachua Sink
Management Committee with a carefully planned, written project
proposal. All data collected will be made available to the ASMC,
NSS-CDS and the NSS. Interaction with educational, scientific and
government institutions and agencies will be maintained.
The ASMC will maintain relations with local officials and provide education and input into issues that may affect the cave system or the drainage area that feeds the cave system. It is particularly important that the City of Alachua, as the primary local governing body, is kept informed. They have provided invaluable assistance in patrolling the site for trespassers and have a significant public safety interest in the site.
Surface Management:
The Alachua Sink Management Committee (ASMC) will install and
maintain a fence and locked gate around the sink. The property
will be posted, and arrangements have been made with the Alachua
Police Department to monitor for unauthorized access. Asgrow
Florida Corporation has an office and warehouse directly across
the highway. Asgrow personnel have pledged their continued
support and assistance in supervising and managing the site. A
parking area will be maintained and a parking permit system
implemented. Occupants of vehicles not displaying the proper
permits will be considered trespassing.
Future Plans:
Fund raising to build steps has started and a conceptual sketch
of the proposed steps is finished. The NSS-CDS has set up a
restricted fund to collect moneys donated for this purpose. The
steps will provide safer access to the water and will help
control erosion of the sides due to vegetation loss from traffic.
Additional site improvements to facilitate conservation,
preservation and safety will be an on going priority of the ASMC.
Long range plans for the property includes the possibility of a permanent parking area (completed) and installation of a walkway down into the sinkhole for diver access (under construction). This walkway will be located on the eastern side of the sinkhole. Other long term ideas for the site include the possibility of a joint venture between the school district, Santa Fe Community College and the NSS, to utilize the property as a karst environmental educational area. All such future plans for the site would assure continued access for divers.
1 Souce: Geology of the Western Part of Alachua County, Florida by: Williams, Nicol and Randazzo, 1977, Bureau of Geology.
2 Souce: Sheck Exley, private communication
3 The Abe Davis Award is granted by the NSSCDS to those individuals who have successfully completed 100 safe cave dives.
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