Blue Springs!!!

My regular cave diving buddies had other obligations this weekend so I went to Blue Springs in Orange City for a quick dive. I met a few guys I know at the gate and decided to do a single tank dive. The water level was up about 6" and looked decent until we got to the boil. Viz was down to about 10', the water column full of floating gunk. We decended to the vent at 113' and peered down below the cap rock. Still viz was only 10' the junk is coming up from the spring not just happening in the cavern. I could make out the teams lights across the vent be couldn't identify anyone due to the poor viz.
I have been diving Blue Springs for 15 years, and never have I seen it this poor. Is it the dought, the fact that the county is pumping water from it or ground water pollution? I don't know, but its not worth diving at present.

Notice how the flow is still up.

The stuff you see in the water tells me that there is a karst window "somewhere" which is providing the spring its "gunk". The rain we have had recently (almost daily) would contribute to that.

Time for me to look real good at my "list of suspects" for karst windows. I've always had my theories about what was connected to Blue Spring, guess now I can be sure there is a window, somewhere...

Are there any new sinkholes nearby?

Guys,

I've had enough dives in Blue Springs{Orqange City}to know first hand, that during the hot, summer months, water conditions flowing out of the vent deteriorate drastically, even to the level of serious pollution. When the cooler weather breaks{sometime in October}usually with sufficient rainfall, the spring & cave clears nicely, again to be enjoyed thru-out the winter months. I'm not very active w\caving during the heat of the summer for this reason. I wouldn't discourage anyone from diving, but there are better places to get wet for now. Enjoy them instead.
Cheers,

je 8)

I have heard that some where close by the county or someone leased land to a gravel company, I don't know this for a fact, If that is true then that may be causing some bad water condition, if they’re disturbing ground near a tunnel that feeds the spring. I have dove there a lot and the water conditions have been bad for a while. You use to look up from the sign and see clear water now it’s green. Something not right for sure.