Camp Creek Lake about to break through

**cpete** · 07-18-2012, 11:14 AM

I think if we get another rain like yesterday camp creek may be about to break through to the gulf. The docks are underwater and the level behind the sand berm is a couple feet higher than the area below it. The sand seems damp as well. I have only seen this happen one time and I came by it after the water was heading out. I'm curious why there are no signs that warn folks away from the area right below the berm. At 325,851 gallons an acre foot and the lake dropping 5 feet in a short amount of time that is a huge amount of water in a short span of time. I tried to warn the kids that were playing below the berm to watch out. I also wonder if the man made berm is making the problem worse. Maybe a long time local can weigh in. If it happens I'll try to video it.

**seacrestgirl** · 07-18-2012, 05:57 PM

Yikes!

**Moto-zen** · 07-18-2012, 09:41 PM

Nature at it's rarest! There are less than a handful of countries in the world that have costal dune lakes. One of the coolest features is the natural out fall that occurs when they fill up. They are completely rain fed, so it doesn't always happen. But when it does it is quite a sight to behold. We have the heaviest concentration of dune lakes than anywhere else. Read up on "costal dune lakes". They're pretty cool.

**kurt** · 07-19-2012, 07:15 AM

I don't think we need more signs.

And as far as I know the lake outflows never open with a sudden rush.

**Lake View Too** · 07-19-2012, 08:09 AM

Most break-outs start with a trickle, and gain momentum in about an hour. Can anyone post a photo of this major height disparity between the inlet and the ocean?

**Will B** · 07-19-2012, 10:04 AM

Grab some innertubes and beer! Looks like some potential Sowal whitewater rafting is about to appear!

Disclaimer...I'm not saying "do it", but dang, it's fun!

**cpete** · 07-19-2012, 10:20 AM

update - Looks like they opened up the outflow manually on the west end of Watersound. The Lake level has not changed all that much the docks are still almost under water. Another rain maybe. We are here until the end of next week. Will post if it goes.

**Joyce Owen** · 07-19-2012, 11:10 AM

Manually opened? I don't think that is legal.

**cpete** · 07-19-2012, 11:57 AM

I don't think it was a bunch of kids with shovels. I see large tire tracks. The outflow at the west end didn't do much because there is another birm on the east end by camp creek.

**Joyce Owen** · 07-19-2012, 01:05 PM

Still, it's a DEP thing to open the lakes and while ours is high, it's not as high as it was during the oil spill.
I hope whoever had big trucks out there will let Mother Nature handle it.

**TreeFrog** · 07-19-2012, 02:09 PM

<rant mode on>
Between the county and lakefront owners, they just can't resist the temptation to open a lake.

My view is that if you build a fixed dock on a lake, any lake, it's your own problem if it's underwater or high and dry. The water level in lakes, both natural and manmade, WILL fluctuate. IMHO it's not the county's job to fix it.
<rant mode off>

**Will B** · 07-19-2012, 02:38 PM

The house closest to 30A on Stallworth Lake on the west end has a dock. It was at least 6 inches under water for a couple years. Never looked like it kept them from using it!

**Carol G** · 07-19-2012, 05:14 PM

I've lived on Camp Creek Lake for several years and have witnessed the outfall through many stages. The county is still working on restoring it to the way it was before the oil spill two years ago. At that time (before the spill) the outfall meandered parallel to the shore at the foot (feet? ;) of the dunes for almost a mile, almost to Deer Lake SP boundary - it looked more like a small river. After the spill, this outfall river was totally bermed manually, and the remaining water dried up. A new, man-made trench was dug straight to the gulf, about where the Watersound red pedestrian bridge crosses the lake. This trench was also bermed manually, with two giant drainage pipes put in so the lake would retain the most natural level as possible. This was all done to protect the lake from any potential oil damage. After a year of that, last summer they removed the second berm (with the pipes) and the man-made trench became the new outfall, which periodically opened on its own. The first berm, blocking the natural, river-like outfall, was not removed until this past April, and the trench outfall leading directly to the gulf was bermed. It has been fun watching that old outfall re-fill this summer, and return to how it used to be. However, because of its length, and probably due to vegetation and other factors, it has not opened to the gulf naturally, and the lake is very, very high, covering the docks all around the lake. This is also risky and potentially damaging, and I'm glad to hear they opened it. I'll be walking down there tomorrow to check it out.

I hope this all made sense, it's been a long process and it sounds kind of confusing... I'm not a fan of people interfering with the lakes either, and I hate seeing those big tractors on the beach, but in this case it was all done with the best of intentions, with preserving the lake's purity and pristine setting always being the top priority. Personally, I'm proud to live in a place that has made such an effort to protect this unique ecosystem. Please ask me if you have any questions, I'll do the best I can to answer!

**kurt** · 07-20-2012, 01:44 PM

Thanks Carol! TS Debby added a lot of sand in places, including at the outflows so the lakes are going to be higher for awhile.

**Lake View Too** · 07-20-2012, 05:51 PM

Quite right. Debbie deposited a lot at Eastern Lake, and lake level is again approaching record levels.

**Joyce Owen** · 08-11-2012, 09:51 AM

Well, not quite as quick as the OP suggested, but this morning we could see the lake had broken out. It had approached the highest mark since it was blocked during the BP spill.

**kurt** · 08-13-2012, 06:30 AM

07/12/05 - South Walton County, Florida on Scenic 30A

http://www.sowal.com/photo-archive/photos-071205-b.html

Aftermath of Hurricane Dennis Page 2 - note: these photos are of some of the the worst damage found, and are not “fair and balanced”.

WaterSound Beach at Camp Creek Lake - now you know why the beaches are relatively free of debris. There are several “pockets” along the beaches that catch debris. After Hurricane Ivan, WaterSound also caught much debris behind the condos. This time it entered the lake.