Week of October 24, 2021

The rainy season in Florida brought a number of large storms as well as almost daily afternoon downpours, which continued the entire summer well into October. Our Florida Home sits directly across the street from a RETENTION POND, which relieves the overflow from Moon Lake, about 200 yards east of us, allowing the overflow to percolate into the ground water. For the past eight years, it filled only once for a few days and went whole years with no standing water at all. Moon Lake is spring-fed, apparently from water to the north of us. Beginning from late June, the lake level rose markedly as the ground became soaked, and lakefront owners quickly watched their piers and lawns go underwater. The percolation of the water in our retention pond was unable to keep up with the rainfall, run-off from the streets, and constant flow from Moon Lake, so it filled such that the small peninsula with live oak trees became an island. The water threatened to expand into our front yard. At that point, the Alachua County Public Works arrived with a large pump and 10 inch diameter hose which ran down the middle of the street and over the hill, releasing the water to flow into other retention ponds. The result has been a lakefront in our front yard for the last four months with only recent signs of receding. Moon Lake is still over its banks. There have been some benefits, though. We have many herons, egrets, and storks visiting, along with tree ducks. A chorus of frogs comes and goes. I can now go kayaking without the need for a car. We have not seen any alligators or poisonous snakes, yet.