The Bradford Brooks Chain of Lakes is a very dynamic and unique system and an important recreational area. The Chain is formed as water flows from Lake Cascade into Lake Hiawatha, then to Lake Bradford and on into Grassy Lake. Magnificent cypress trees surround these lakes. The waters are very tannic and acidic. Lake Cascade has an active group of sinkholes and the lake drained in 1990, 1992, 1999, 2000 and 2001. When Lake Bradford drained in 1956, it had an active sinkhole which did not seem to be active in the drought of 1999.

Fig. 1: Inflow/Outflow areas in the Chain of Lakes, characterized by flow reversal.

The Seminole Reservation, a recreational area for Florida State University students, is located on Lake Bradford. It features boating and swimming as well as being home to the Florida State University water skiing team. The Tallahassee Museum of Natural History is located on the finger connecting Lake Bradford to Lake Hiawatha.

Fig. 2: Sampling stations in the Bradford Brooks Chain of Lakes.

Water flows in and out of Bradford Brook from the Apalachicola National Forest. When this flow predominates, the lakes are very clean, with water quality among the highest in Leon County. Lake Bradford does receive stormwater inputs from the West Drainage Ditch, which flows from the city of Tallahassee. Nearby Grassy Lake receives water from the West Drainage Ditch. After Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001, water flowed from the West Drainage Ditch through Grassy Lake and refilled Lake Bradford. The normally acidic waters turned alkaline and a lake-wide algal bloom persisted. Swimming activities at the Seminole Reservation were suspended until gradually tannic waters from the Apalachicola National Forrest predominated again and the lake recovered. Lake Cascade also gets runoff from Capitol Circle. Lake Hiawatha is the most secluded and isolated of these lakes.

Fig. 3: Lake Cascade looks much the same today as it did in 1900.