Subbottom profiling investigation of sinkhole lake structure in Bay and Washington Counties, Florida NCKRI Symposium 2: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst

Alternative Title

NCKRI Symposium 2: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst

Creator

Thomas L. Dobecki
Sam B. Upchurch
Thomas M. Scott

Files

Publication Date

May 2013

Abstract

pg(s) 207-211 The sandhill lakes of Bay and Washington Counties, Florida, are deep, pristine environments which owe their existence to sinkhole activity as observed in limited bathymetric maps and in the appearance of small circular depressions around their perimeters ("string of pearls") observed on aerial photography especially during low water level periods. However, little investigative information exists that shows the internal, deep structure of these lakes and how that structure might affect interaction with groundwater flow and lake levels. High resolution seismic reflection surveying with a marine subbottom profiler (SBP) was applied over reconnaissance profile lines on a series of these sandhill lakes in order to investigate the deep structures of the lakes for purposes of determining the mode of sinkhole development within each lake and their relationships with subjacent aquifers, specifically the Floridan aquifer system (FAS). The SBP provided mapping of the bathymetry (maximum 15 - 32 m water depth) and subbottom structure up to an additional 18 - 24 m below the bottom, all with a theoretical resolution of approximately 0.10 m bed thickness. The resulting SBP profiles showed that a) the lakes form through the coalescence of numerous small sinkhole features, b) the sinkhole features penetrate the uppermost FAS, disrupting the overlying sediments, and c) multiple stages of sinkhole development and sediment movement are exhibited in the subbottom strata. Open Access - Permission by Publisher See Extended description for more information.

Type

Conference Proceeding

Publisher

University of South Florida

Identifier

K26-04290

Recommended Citation

Dobecki, Thomas L.; Upchurch, Sam B.; and Scott, Thomas M., "Subbottom profiling investigation of sinkhole lake structure in Bay and Washington Counties, Florida NCKRI Symposium 2: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Multidisciplinary Conference on Sinkholes and the Engineering and Environmental Impacts of Karst" (2013). KIP Talks and Conferences. 135.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_talks/135