- Homepage
- Departments
- Utilities and Energy Services
- Clean Water
- Water on Campus
- Lake Alice – Water on Campus
Lake Alice – Water on Campus
Lake Alice is a notable UF destination that helps define the character of our campus. It is the largest on the UF main campus, at approximately 129.5 acres. It is currently an open water/marsh system that receives inputs from stormwater runoff, inter-storm discharges, irrigation water, and direct rainfall. The Lake Alice watershed drains approximately 60% of the UF main campus. See a map of the Lake Alice watershed.Lake Alice facilitates groundwater recharge, provides habitat for wildlife and serves as an outdoor classroom for students and faculty to learn about natural Florida systems. All surface drainage entering the lake originates within the boundaries of campus, making UF solely responsible for the management of the system.
About 40 % of the watershed is covered by impervious surfaces i.e., roads, buildings, parking spaces, and other hard surfaces. Runoff from these impervious surfaces is conveyed through a series of culverts, storm drains, creeks, and ponds directly into Lake Alice. Because of the increased volume of water that drains into Lake Alice from impervious surfaces during periods of high rainfall, a drainage well was installed in Lake Alice to control flooding. A second drainage well receives water on a more regular basis and helps to stabilize lake levels. Water entering these wells flows directly into the surficial Florida aquifer.
Our Community Cares About Lake Alice
In 2003 long-term campus planning surveys, 99% percent of faculty, staff, students and Trustees respondents agreed that protecting Lake Alice and other campus water features in a natural setting should be a management priority.
In addition, when asked to identify special, personally significant places on campus, survey respondents identified Lake Alice more than any other location on campus.
