For years, the Woodville Karst Plain Project had one mission: to explore the caves of the Wakulla Spring system. Wakulla Spring is the largest spring in North America, and its caves form the most extensive submerged system. The caves extend for about 25 miles, and mapping them is dangerous work. We talk to Chris Werner, Project Director for the WKPP, about this work, and the direction it is taking.
More recently, the mission has expanded to include more research. WKPP is conducting studies to determine the source of dark water in Wakulla Spring and to gain a better understanding of the connectivity of sinkholes and springs in the area. Their goal is to be a resource for the local government and community, hoping to guide decision-making regarding development around the most sensitive sections of the cave system.
The Woodville Karst Plain Project has also prioritized the visualization of these caves. They have plans to create a 3D map of the system, and have been recording videos of their dives. In them, you can see the dazzling rock formations, and both the tight passages and the wide open caves never before seen by human eyes. You can watch that video on the WFSU Ecology Blog: https://blog.wfsu.org/blog-coastal-health/
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