Suwannee River - The tide is turning OR The flood recedes

Yes, it has been quite interesting to watch the Suwannee River rise and now fall.  In the past week the river dropped about 10 feet.  

Spring House in White Springs
5/10/15

You may say, "That is great", but part of the drop includes the rise from last weeks three rain storm.  Seems the fronts are stalling over the Florida panhandle and northern sections with results in a nice long soaking.

The Spring House in White Springs 5/15/2014
You can now walk to the stairs
Notice the lack of grass, only sand and mud

  
Well, the cleanup has been interesting.  Last Thursday morning (May 15th) we shoveled sand off the Spring House floor.  

Bill scraping up the sand
Spring House Walkway

Shortly after noon the rain returned for the second set of showers, a net rain fall of 6" in 24 hours.  By Friday you had to wade over to the spring house.  Luckily, this was short lived. 

Spring House Walkway
with piles of sand

Now, I discuss the Spring House as if you knew the history.  Let me back up a bit and share some  background from the Florida State Park History website... "Located on the banks of the Suwannee River, the spring was promoted as a health resort from the mid-1800s through the 1950s. Shops, dressing rooms and clinical examination rooms were built as part of a bath or springhouse beside the spring, which was enclosed by a concrete wall."  

For those of you who know the Stephen Foster State Park, another meaningful checkpoint is the Ann Thomas Gazebo. The Gazebo slopes and stairways have been white washed in a sea of sand. 

Mud on the stairs leading
away from the Gazebo

It was amazing how the sand covered everything.  I guess the river swept away the fallen oak leaves and spring grasses.

The fine white sand gives a fresh snow look
to the banks of the Suwannee at the Gazebo
in Stephen Foster State Park.

But Nature must like to redecorate as just up the hill above the gazebo the landscape is changing.  A 'herd' of young armadillos is busy landscaping the area to their taste.

Young Armadillos busily
re-landscaping the area.
Soon the flood will be history.

 

I will happily landscape
that flood silt for you!