Lake Jesup
| Lake Jesup | |
|---|---|
| Location | Seminole County, Florida |
| Coordinates | 28°43′N 81°13′W / 28.717°N 81.217°WCoordinates: 28°43′N 81°13′W / 28.717°N 81.217°W |
| Primary inflows | St. Johns River |
| Primary outflows | St. Johns River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Average depth | 6 ft (1.8 m) |
| Surface elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Islands | (Bird Island, Hawking Island) |
Lake Jesup is one of the largest lakes in Central Florida, one of many that make up the St. Johns River. Located in the heart of Seminole County along the middle basin of the St. Johns, the lake encompasses an area of approximately 16,000 acres (65 km²), including open water and floodplain. It is named in honor of Brigadier General Thomas Jesup, an American military officer who served in the Second Seminole War. The lake boasts one of the longest free-standing bridges, part of the Seminole Expressway, which bisects the lake.
The lake is home to a wide variety of species and is considered to support one of the state's densest populations of alligators. Drivers on the bridge across the lake are likely to see eagles (osprey and bald eagles) perched on the light posts watching for fish.
During the 1960s, the toll of decades of abuse and neglect was very apparent. Wastewater discharged directly into the lake, stormwater discharges from surrounding communities, the construction of berms that segregated the lake from parts of its floodplain, and a causeway that reduced the lake's connection with the St. Johns River all took their toll on the ecosystem. The discharges resulted in significant algal growth, fish kills, and a thick layer of muck more than 9½ feet deep in some areas sitting on the bottom of the lake that now averages only six feet in depth. The berm construction aggravated this problem by limiting the lake's ability to cleanse itself.
During the 1990s studies were conducted of water circulation patterns, storm-water runoff into the lake, the impacts of the State Road 46 bridge, sediments within the lake, and land management plans for adjacent public properties. With this data in hand, The Friends of Lake Jesup and the St. Johns River Water Management District staff worked closely with the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to develop a plan for restoring the lake.
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