The Walton County Environmental Department is pleased to announce that the Coastal Dune Lake Environmental Assessment has been received by Jones Edmunds, an environmental science consulting firm. The report can be found at the following link: CDL Environmental Assessment.
Environmental Department Staff are soliciting public comments on the report until close of business on Friday, August 23, 2018. All comments should be sent to Melinda Gates, Coastal Resource Liaison, at gatmelinda@co.walton.fl.us.
About the Lakes
Walton County is home to 15 named coastal dune lakes along 26 miles of coastline. These lakes are a unique geographical feature and are only found in Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, Oregon, and here in Walton County.
Our coastal dune lakes share an intermittent connection with the Gulf of Mexico. The lake water is fed by streams, groundwater seepage, rain, and storm surge. The connection with the Gulf, called an outfall, is a flood control and pours lake water into the Gulf as needed.
Salt water and organisms flow back into the lake, depending on tides and weather. Each lake’s outfall and chemistry is different. Water conditions between lakes can vary greatly, from completely fresh to significantly saline.