Finding even a small waterfall in flat South Florida is an unusual thing, which is why this one, with a drop of maybe all of 18 inches, caught our eye. It's actually part of a network of ditches dug in Atlantic Ridge Preserve's somewhat distant past. This was pasture where farmers would graze cattle, and to keep the land accessible in the wet summer months, it needed to be drained. This particular ditch flows into the South Fork of the St. Lucie River, not far from this point. Atlantic Ridge is also part of the watershed of the federally designated Wild and Scenic Loxahatchee River. Protecting both rivers was a major motivation for making this land a state park. By the way, the dark color of the water is from tannins and other natural compounds that leach into the water from decaying plant material. It is not dirty water per se, but you definitely don't want to drink it.
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