Mill Creek Sink Development Threat

Written By Ryan Worthington

CURRENT ISSUE:

Multiple developments, including a 523-home subdivision called Tara Forest West, are nearly approved on over 198 acres directly above Mill Creek Sink, a karst feature that drains into the Floridan Aquifer.  

WHY IS THIS BAD?

What is Karst terrain? Karst is what happens when the ground beneath us starts to look like Swiss cheese. The limestone beneath us slowly dissolves over time, leaving behind hidden caves, tunnels, and sinkholes.

  • Karst Terrain Hazard: Mill Creek Sink Sits Atop Karst Terrain. This makes the ground unstable and prone to sinkholes. This increases the risk of sudden collapses, putting homes, roads, and lives in danger.

  • Direct Channel to the Aquifer: Development channels stormwater, pollutants, fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel runoff into the Floridan aquifer, bypassing natural filtration.

  • Aquifer at Risk: Dye‑trace studies confirmed Mill Creek Sink drains over 70 sq miles to Hornsby Spring, an “Outstanding Florida Waterway”, the Santa Fe River, and residential wells. Dye was detected for 154 days following the dye trace study. This proves that pollution in Mill Creek Sink will affect the aquifer that supplies water to nearby homes and springs.

  • Threat to Rare Species: The cave and sink support unique cave amphipods and crustaceans; pollution and physical disturbance imperil these species.



TAKE ACTION: 

ATTEND AND SPEAK AT THE PUBLIC HEARINGS

There will be at least one more meeting with the Planning Commission and the City of Alachua Commissioners, which will allow for public comment. This hearing could be as soon as September 2025. So follow us for information as it becomes available. In the meantime you can…


CONTACT KEY OFFICIALS

PLANNING AND ZONING

City of Alachua Planning Department 

planning@cityofalachua.com


CITY OF ALACHUA OFFICIALS

City of Alachua Commissioners 

commissioners@cityofalachua.org


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Subject: Protect Mill Creek Sink & the Floridan Aquifer from Hazardous Development

Dear [Commissioner/Staff Name],

Mill Creek Sink sits atop karst limestone, a porous rock with underground caves and channels that can swallow structures, send stormwater runoff and pollutants directly into the Floridan Aquifer, and threaten our drinking water.

The proposed Tara developments are located over this sensitive karst zone. Past county motions have warned of the risk of sinkholes and contamination.

I urge you to deny these proposals, or at a minimum, drastically reduce their density to protect one of our region’s most sensitive and significant natural resources. I urge you to require karst-specific geotechnical studies, low‑impact stormwater design, strong limits on impervious surfaces, and extraordinary preservation buffers around Mill Creek and Mill Creek Sink. 

Thank you for protecting our water and community.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

 

To get more involved visit OurAlachuaWater.org



 
Ryan Worthington