true(Offline)

Here's another video from the archive:

YouTube - WKPP: Turner Sink-Wakulla-Spring Creek Dye Trace

As part of the research requested by the state's Department of Environmental Protection and Wakulla Springs State Park, Dr. Todd Kincaid and his associates have been conducting extensive dye trace studies in the WKP. After connecting the Tallahassee wastewater spray field and then the surface water runoff from Aimes Sink to Wakulla last year, the current trace is attempting to measure how much of water from Leon Sinks diverts to both Wakulla Springs and the springs at Spring Creek. The traces start with the release of fluorescent dye into the groundwater (either at a sink, well, or--in this case-- inside a cave system). Next, the team sets up monitoring equipment at the downstream springs and tests samples hourly to detect the presence of the dye down to parts per billion.

The video is of a team of WKPP divers swiming a length of tubing into Turner Sink and then securing it to the downstream line. If you've never seen an underwater dye release, it looks like a special effect from a scifi movie.

-anthony

rjack(Offline)

That was nice Anthony. Do you know what depth was the dye released? Here in WA State we usually use rhodamine, which is red/pink. Which makes for some interesting public relations, at least until it dissipates. Do you know what dye were they using?

Cheers,
Richard

LCF(Offline)

That looks like fluorescein. I know that's been used elsewhere.

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true(Offline)

I believe it was fluorescein, but I'd have to check with Todd. The release was about 30 feet past the entrance restriction to the cave, at about 40' depth. Six days later, Wakulla Springs looked like the Chicago River on St. Patrick's Day. I have not heard if it was picked up at Spring Creek yet.

Kevin(Offline)

Just wondering, why did he have what appear to be a 70' bottle? Were they gonig to continue on downstream?

rjack(Offline)

I figured that based on the color. Just curious. Someone miscalculated if you have dye around 6 days later though, wow. That's either a really long residence time or a huge mass of dye.