Coastal Dune Lakes are a rare natural phenomena that only occur in a handful of locations around the globe, including New Zealand, Australia, Madagascar and South Walton, Florida.
In fact, South Walton has 15 named coastal dune lakes that fall along the Scenic Highway 30-A corridor. Lake Powell, the largest of the 15 lakes, falls in neighboring Bay County and is the only coastal dune lake not fully situated in Walton County.
South Walton’s coastal dune lakes are said to be as much as 10,000 years old and were formed by winds that redistributed sand and created the shallow basins (with most lakes averaging only about 5 feet deep).
But what makes these lakes truly unique is that their mostly fresh water content sits within just a few feet of the Gulf’s salt water, separated only by a natural berm of sand. Following a heavy rain or other inflow, the sand berms are suddenly breached, causing a flood of fresh water to pour openly into the Gulf. This event is known as an “outfall,” and it’s a time when salty seawater can also flood back into the dune lake, until the levels stabilize. The result is a rare brackish ecosystem that’s home to both fresh and salt water species.
They are (moving from west to east): Fuller Lake, Morris Lake, Campbell Lake, Stallworth Lake, Allen Lake, Oyster Lake, Draper Lake, Big Redfish Lake, Little Redfish Lake, Alligator Lake, Western Lake, Eastern Lake, Deer Lake, Camp Creek Lake and Lake Powell, adjacent to Camp Helen and Inlet Beach.
Coastal dune lakes are both rare and home to a multitude of wildlife and plant species. But what’s the best way to protect them? Brandy Foley, who studies coastal dune lakes for the Choctawhatchee Basin Alliance, has a number of suggestions: 1. If you live within the Coastal Dune Lake Protection Zone, follow
Western Lake sits within Grayton Beach State Park. On one side, the bronze waters of the lake – created by naturally occurring tannins – form small, lapping waves. Surrounded by saw palmetto and pine trees, the calm surface creates ideal conditions for kayaking or paddle boarding. Merely yards away, the emerald swells of the
Inlet Beach is just about as authentic ‘Old Florida’ as you’ll find in South Walton, and perhaps anywhere. Quite quiet and bordered by 13-acres of protected dunes, this pristine beach neighborhood feels as if time somehow forgot it. Most homes here are classic Florida cottages. Think A-Frame with a front
Come on. What do the locals really want you to know? Whether you visit for a summer vacation, weekend getaway, wedding, or a celebration of any sort, we have so much to offer you. Read on for some tips from locals to make your trip the best one yet! 1.
The serene beauty at WaterSound will certainly quiet your mind, but it’s also likely to quicken your heart. Neighborhood boardwalks offer stunning views of Camp Creek Lake, a meandering coastal dune lake, as well as footpath access to a stunning white sand beach buffered by towering dunes. The grand homes in
Local Charlie Reichman captured this video of the Eastern Lake Outfall on August 1st, 2012. Eastern Lake is one of South Walton’s rare coastal dune lakes. When these lakes fill to critical mass (usually from a heavy rain), the dune barriers are suddenly breached, rapidly releasing the lake into the Gulf of
