What's On This Page: 30 Day Ichetucknee River Levels & graph - Otter Springs in Gilchrist
County - Springs in distress --  Big part of Ichetucknee River free of invasive species -- Poem,
OUR ICHETUCKNEE -- BLUE SPRINGS Water Use Permit ... - Ichetucknee Springs Basin Working
Group Meeting
Three Rivers'
ICHETUCKNEE VIEWS
About the Ichetucknee
Springs in distress
Excerpts taken from The Gainesville Sun (Opinions),
August 10, 2008
by Robert Knight and sky Notestein

Florida has more artesian springs, 700 of them, than any other place in the
world.

In the past decade, longtime threats to these natural gems have become
more urgent.  Many springs that were formerly blue now have a greenish
tint.  Unsightly filamentous algae have replaced their natural aquatic plant
communities.  Flows are declining in numerous springs.  Some have stopped
flowing altogether.

Scientific research tells us that many of the changes have been caused by
humans.  Here's a look at when we know, what we don, and what we can do
to begin to restore our precious springs.

SPRING FACT:  All consumptive uses of groundwater in a springshed
reduce spring flows to some extent.  

The No. 1 objective of springs' protection must be protection of the volume of
water flowing forth.  Every human use of water in a springshed (the area of
land that recharges water to a spring) every domestic, agricultural,
commercial, and public water supply well, shallow or deep, large or small to
some degree reduces groundwater flow to the local springs.

SPRING FACT:  The concentration of nitrate nitrogen, a recognized pollutant
in surface and groundwater, is rising rapidly in most Florida springs in
response to agricultural and urban development.

SPRING FACT:  Spring ecosystems are undergoing widespread and
dramatic changes in natural flora and fauna, often evidenced by
replacement of natural plant communities y filamentous algae and native
fauna by exotic species.

Silver, Ichetucknee and Rainbow springs are prime examples of large springs
with high flows that retain much of their former beauty and native plant and
animal species.

SPRING FACT:  Relatively pristine springs with high flows help support local
economies.  ... Annual visits to the 100 largest springs in Florida are
estimated at more than 7 million people, with an annual economic value in
excess of $300 million.

... Springs are Florida's canary in the coal mine.

If we stand by while they continue to dry up and turn green, we'll have
missed one more opportunity to preserve ourselves.  What sorts of changes
are needed?  Primarily those that will lessen our human footprint:

  • Stronger water conservation measures in all springsheds and a hold
    on new consumptive use permits until existing human impacts on
    spring flow reductions have been quantified and adequate water
    resources are allocated to preserve the natural water resource values
    of springs.
  • Restrictions on nitrogen fertilizer sales and use in the karst areas of
    springsheds based on application rates that result in measurable
    declines in groundwater nitrate nitrogen concentrations.
  • Improved practices for treated municipal, agricultural and commercial
    wastewater reuse and disposal in the karst areas of springsheds by
    further limiting all groundwater discharges of nitrogen.
  • Re-evaluation of public recreational uses in all springs on Florida
    public lands to develop science-based management plans that ensure
    compatibility between appropriate recreational activities and
    sustainable ecological communities in these "crown jewels" of our
    parks, preserves and national forests.

Robert Knight is an aquatic and wetland scientist and has been conducting
applied research in springs and wetlands for more than 30 years.  Sky
Notestein is an aquatic ecologist who has focused his academic and
professional career on springs' restoration over the past 12 years.  Both
work at Wetland Solutions Inc. in Gainesville.
Notice the difference in water color in
the Ichetucknee River
Otter Springs in Gilchrist
County

The entire SRWMD Board was
in favor and exuberant
of the proposal that Charlie
Houder, Director Land
Acquisitions and Bob Heeke,
Sr. Land Resource Manager
presented to the board.

The Board discussed many of
their options.  Money will
come from the Florida Forever
fund source.  $6.8 million
for 636 acres and 6,200 foot
of riverfront.  

Includes Otter Springs with
nearly a mile spring run to the
Suwannee River and Little
Otter Springs, very close to the
Suwannee River.  And
protection of floodplain
hammock,
hardwood forest, and mature
cypress stands.     

Also includes a list of
improvements such as...

Faith Place, Inc.  
This is the RV campground
with multiple beautifully
maintained outbuildings
including office, picnic
building, enclosed pool, bath
houses, Spring House Lodge,
3 cabins, recreation building,
canteen building, mobile
home, 100 RV full hook up
sites, 10 RV sites part hook
up, 40 pre-existing RV sites,
tent and primitive camping.

Hope Place, Inc
13 pre-existing RV sites full
hook-up, 55 pre-existing RV
sites with part hook-up,
equipment shed, mowed trails,
6" well.

Big Otter LLC
Silt House, sleeps 8,
pre-existing RV sites with part
hook-up.

(WOW!!!!)

Here is an opportunity for
Gilchrist County to manage
another park system in their
wonderful spring-filled county.  
They already manage Hart
Springs. It is an important
purchase because it connects
the Suwannee River
Wilderness Trail (a water trail
for boaters) that the
District/state helped to
created. And it takes private
land and makes it public again.

Please write letters to the
editor expressing high praise
for this purchase by the state
run agency SRWMD.
30 Day River Levels

The water levels provided here refer
to the height of the water body in feet
above mean sea level (ft-msl) at the
gaging station.  These data are
preliminary in nature.  The District
makes no warranties, expressed or
implied, concerning the accuracy,
completeness, reliability, or suitability
for any particular purpose of the data
contained herein.

Ichetucknee at US 27  
River Mile:  Flood Stage(Feet): NA
Phone Mailbox #:  
Record Date Feet Above
Sea Level

8/1/2008 14.66
8/2/2008 14.64
8/3/2008 14.64
8/4/2008 14.63
8/5/2008 14.63
8/6/2008 14.63
8/7/2008 14.63
8/8/2008 14.63
8/9/2008 14.63
8/10/2008 14.63
8/11/2008 14.63
8/12/2008 14.64
8/13/2008 14.65
8/14/2008 14.65
8/15/2008 14.64
8/16/2008 14.64
8/17/2008 14.64
8/18/2008 14.64
8/19/2008 14.67
8/20/2008 14.64
8/21/2008 14.66
8/22/2008 14.71
8/23/2008 14.75
8/24/2008 14.74
8/25/2008 14.78
8/26/2008 14.83
8/27/2008 14.95
8/29/2008 15.55
8/29/2008 15.64
8/30/2008 16.09
8/31/2008 16.17
9/1/2008   16.19
Meeting Agenda
Ichetucknee Springs Basin Working Group
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Price Creek Water Treatment Plant  (see directions)

9:00 a.m.        Welcome and Introductions                                Jim Stevenson
               What’s New?
                       Columbia County                                Dale Williams
Lake City                                        Scott Reynolds
News from Wakulla Spring
       
9:30                Springs and River Report                                Sam Cole
                       Ichetucknee Springs State Park                 

9:45                The Ichetucknee Partnership                                 Cindy Johnson
                       Suwannee River Water Management District

10:00                Break        

10:15                Protecting Water: Horticultural Tips                        John Piersol
                        Lake City Community College

10:45                Ichetucknee River Aquatic Turtle Survey                Peter Meylan
                       Eckerd College        

11:15                Economic Importance of Ichetucknee Springs        Harvey Campbell
                       Columbia County Tourist Development Council        

11:45                Group Discussion        

12:00                Lunch   (college cafeteria or bring your lunch)

1:00                Inventorying Septic Tanks as a Precursor to Initiating Local Ordinances
                       Columbia County Health Department        Mark Lander        

1:30                Water Quality Trends in Ichetucknee Springs        Rick Copeland
                       Florida Geological Survey

2:00                Alligator Lake TMDL                                        Terry Hansen
                       Department of Environmental Protection        

2:30                Gimme Green

3:00                Adjourn