Annual Report 2008-2009

Transcription

Rainbow Springs Basin
Working Group Coordination
July 1 – June 30 2008/09
Annual Report for Contract # WM938
Prepared For
The Florida Springs Initiative
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
Mayor Hethcoat of Williston and Mayor Ward of Dunnellon sign a Joint resolution for the
protection of Rainbow Springs at the June meeting of the Working Group
Prepared By
Pandion Systems, Inc.
102 NE 10th Ave., 1st Floor
Gainesville, FL 32601
June 10, 2009
Rainbow Springs Working Group Coordination, Annual Report 2008-2009
Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Background ............................................................................................... 2 2. Progress on Objectives Listed in the Scope of Work ............................................................ 7 3. Successes and Challenges in YEAR ...................................................................................... 9 Expanding the List of Springs Basin Stakeholders ............................................................................. 9 Joint Resolution on Springs Protection by Dunnellon and Williston ................................................ 9 First Meeting in Williston Successful .................................................................................................... 9 Marion County Passes 3 Ordinances to Upgrade Their Regulations in Line With Their Comp.
Plan .......................................................................................................................................................... 9 First Basin Wide Field Trip Completed ............................................................................................. 10 Establishing Threats by Consensus..................................................................................................... 10 Generating a Public Audience Beyond the Core Stakeholders ........................................................ 10 Maintaining a Presence in the Local Media ....................................................................................... 10 Beginning a Karst Study ...................................................................................................................... 11 Becoming More Familiar With the Springs Basin............................................................................. 11 Developing a Website for the Working Group .................................................................................. 11 4. Suggestions for Next Fiscal Year ........................................................................................ 12 5. Appendices ............................................................................................................................ 12 Appendix A. Rainbow Springs Stakeholder List, June 2009 ............................................................ 12 Appendix B. Current Bibliography..................................................................................................... 21 Appendix C. Working Group Agendas and Meeting Notes.............................................................. 24 Appendix D. Fact Sheets for Rainbow Springs Basin Working Group ........................................... 30 Appendix E. News Articles .................................................................................................................. 35 Refusing to save Florida's springs .............................................................................................. 39 Quit stonewalling on springs protection ..................................................................................... 41 Appendix F – Joint Resolution on Springs Protection ...................................................................... 52 List of Figures
Figure 1-1. Aerial Photo of the Rainbow Springs Basin ................................................................ 4 Figure 1-2. Historical Flow of Rainbow Springs ............................................................................ 5 Figure 1-3. Increase in Nitrates in Rainbow Springs ...................................................................... 5 Figure 1-4. Land Uses in the Vicinity of Rainbow Springs............................................................ 6 Pandion Systems, Inc.
June 10, 2009
1. Introduction and Background
The Rainbow Springs Basin Working Group began work in January of 2008. This report
summarizes the activities that have been completed during the period from July, 2008 through
June, 2009.
Pandion Systems, Inc. gratefully acknowledges the many working group members who have
contributed to the group during this period. Special thanks go to the following individuals for
their efforts during this reporting period:
•
Jamie Cohen, Marion County Clean Farms Initiative
•
Marcus Collins, City Manager, Williston
•
Dave DeWitt, Southwest Florida Water Management District
•
Bruce Day, Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council
•
Burt Eno, Rainbow River Conservation
•
Harold Horne, City of Dunnellon
•
Troy Kuphall, Marion County Planning Department
•
Paul Marrafino, Rainbow River Conservation
•
Gail Mowry, Marion County Planning Department
•
Judy Paradisio, Blue Grotto, Williston
•
Joe Smyth, Rainbow Springs State Park
•
Jeff Sowards, Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve
•
Nick Williams, Florida Defenders of the Environment
•
Susan Woods, Private Landowner
•
Chris Zajac, Southwest Florida Water Management District
•
Bill Vibbert, Rainbow River Conservation
Location and Setting
The combined flow from Rainbow Springs forms the headwaters of the Rainbow River, which
flows south for approximately 4 ½ miles before joining the Withlacoochee River in southwest
Marion County just south of the city of Dunnellon. The springshed (or springs basin) for
Rainbow Springs includes western Marion County, eastern Levy County and the city of
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June 10, 2009
Williston, and Alachua County south of Newnan’s Lake and most of Orange Lake (Figure 1-1).
Williston is the only sizable community in the spring basin, with the city of Dunnellon just south
of the basin. Most of the land use within the spring basin is agricultural, especially equine.
Significant development is occurring within 10 miles of the headsprings just north of Dunnellon.
There are 11 named springs in the headsprings area, 4 named springs on the spring run, and 4
recognized springs on Indian Creek, a tributary that joins the Rainbow River about 1 mile below
the headsprings. The average combined flow rate for the spring complex over the last 99 years is
703 cubic feet per second (cfs), which is equivalent to 450 million gallons of water per day. The
highest measured flow was slightly over 1,200 cfs and the lowest was about 500 cfs. There is
little evidence at this point of any diminished flow from the springs (Figure 1-2).
There is evidence of increasing nitrate in the water discharging from the springs (Figure 1-3),
with a 5- to 7-fold increase over the past 40 years. Through 1960, the nitrate concentrations
remained below 0.2 mg/l (milligrams per liter). Since then, nitrate has steadily risen, with the
most dramatic rises occurring since 1990. Today, nitrate concentrations > 1.2 mg/l are common.
The highest nitrate concentration of 1.9 mg/l was recorded in 2001 (it should be noted that 2001
was one of the lowest flow years on record). Studies show that most of the increase in nitrate is
due to inorganic sources of nitrogen, the most likely source of which is commercial fertilizer.
Available data indicates that Silver Springs, on the east side of Marion County, has seen a rise in
nitrate from organic sources, apparently in response to increased housing developments
associated with the city of Ocala. Development within the springshed for Rainbow Springs may
result in a similar increase in organic sources of nitrate in Rainbow Springs (Figure 1-4).
The Working Group came to a consensus on the threats facing rainbow Springs during this past
year. Nitrate pollution and impending threats to flow rate were listed as the top 2 threats, with
recreational impacts in the river listed as the number 3 threat. Information on the deliberations on
threats together with a fact sheet are attached in Appendix D.
3
June 10, 2009
Figure 1-1. Aerial Photo of the Rainbow Springs Basin
4
June 10, 2009
Figure 1-2. Historical Flow of Rainbow Springs
Figure 1-3. Increase in Nitrates in Rainbow Springs
5
June 10, 2009
Figure 1-4. Land Uses in the Vicinity of Rainbow Springs
6
June 10, 2009
2. Progress on Objectives Listed in the Scope of Work
Of the 13 objectives listed within the scope of work, all have been addressed during this contract
year (Table 2-1). Meeting notes for all four Working Group meetings held during this contract
period are addressed in Appendix C.
Table 2-1. Progress on Scope of Work Objectives
Task Description
1. List of springs basin
stakeholders.
2. Working Group meetings.
Planning, publicizing, and
facilitation; 4 meetings per year
3. Literature/data archive. List
and assemble basin maps and
reports.
4. Promote news articles about
the basin.
5. Identify economic,
hydrologic, and aquatic and
terrestrial habitat values of
the springs area.
6. Identify threats and possible
actions for Rainbow Springs
and Rainbow River.
7. Develop a website for the
working group.
8. “Springs Appreciation Day”
or “Old Timers Day” event.
Can substitute for one meeting.
9. Conduct field trips within the
basin.
Progress of Activities for Fiscal Year 2009
Ongoing. Current list is in Appendix A.
Noteworthy additions include members of the Williston town
government and Chamber as well as Levy County residents.
Quarterly meetings took place on Sept 10, November 19,
March 4, and May 29.
Meeting notes and attendance lists are addressed in Appendix
C.
Of especial note – 11 students and 2 teachers from North
Marion High School attended the March meeting.
Ongoing. A current bibliography is in Appendix B.
Several news articles that address current issues within the
springshed have been published. See Appendix E.
An effort was initiated in 2009 to start a mapping project for
karst features in the basin. The coordinator toured 2 areas of
platted land within 8 miles of the spring that support high
quality sandhill habitat.
This was formerly done with the inputs of several working
group members. See Appendix D for the products.
In the early stages. A volunteer for this project fell through.
It should be noted that no single working group person has
ever inquired as to whether we have a website for the group.
Marion County Springs festival took place at Silver Spring in
September 2009. Coordinator helped to organize the hikes
and tours. The festival for 2010 is to be held in September at
Rainbow Springs State Park. Coordinator is involved with
planning and is in charge of organizing basin tours. He is
also to be part of the legislative sessions.
A full-day tour of the basin was organized in coordination
with SWFWMD. This involved visits to karst features as
well as the On Top of the World community, which has been
developed with Florida Friendly landscaping. Other trips
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June 10, 2009
Task Description
10. Identify Springs Champions
for Florida Springs Task
Force Awards.
11. Communicate with large
landowners, city and county
commissioners, county
managers, and business
leaders.
12. Identify and support land
acquisition needs.
during the year included Cool Springs Ranch (on the A List
for FF acquisition) and Blue Grotto, a major karst window
near Williston.
Two were presented with joint awards during the year (from
Silver and Rainbow groups).
The 2009 Springs Champions were Chris Specht, former
coordinator of the Marion Springs Festival, and Andy
Kesselring, former Marion County Commissioner.
The following additional meetings were attended by the
coordinator for the purposes of advancing protection of
Rainbow Springs.
1. Two County Commission meetings. One was a
workshop to discuss the findings of the Springs
protection task force and the other was the public
hearing when they voted to approve 2 new springs
protection ordinances. Presented to the County
Commission on both occasions.
2. Met with Mike Amsden, a newly elected Marion
County Commissioner.
3. Met with several landowners on land tours with
Susan Woods and Jamie Cohen.
4. Met with officials of Levy County and separately
with the City of Williston to raise their awareness
about the springs and to prepare for the May 29
meeting.
5. Went to Williston City Council Meeting to thank
them for signing springs protection resolution.
6. Orchestrated a joint resolution for springs protection
to be signed by the mayors of Williston and
Dunnellon.
7. Met with Richard Hancock, CEO of the Florida
Thoroughbred Assn.
8. Coordinated a meeting of IFAS extension agents with
SWFWMD personnel to allow them to get up to
speed on each other’s activities and to allow them to
get a better understanding of each organization’s
perspective.
9. Appeared on Ocala AM radio station talk show and
on NPR news programming for Marion County
(WUFT).
10. Began work on a poster for doctors’ waiting rooms,
etc.
Held field trip to Cool Springs Ranch – on the Florida
Forever A-List.
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June 10, 2009
Task Description
13. Submit quarterly reports.
All reports were submitted.
3. Successes and Challenges in YEAR
Expanding the List of Springs Basin Stakeholders
The current list of stakeholders is shown in Appendix A with 187 contacts. The list has steadily
expanded with new contacts being added based on meeting attendance and new people talked to.
People associated with the city of Williston and Levy County represent a significant new group.
Joint Resolution on Springs Protection by Dunnellon and Williston
The joint resolution is presented in Appendix F. It was signed by the Mayors of Dunnellon and
Williston at the May 29 Working Group meeting in Williston.
First Meeting in Williston Successful
The 4th quarterly meeting was held in Williston. It was co-sponsored by the City of Williston and
was held in the clubhouse of Williston Crossings RV resort. It was attended by 36 people, 14 of
whom were new attendees.
Marion County Passes 3 Ordinances to Upgrade Their Regulations in Line With Their
Comp. Plan
Throughout the year, Marion County BoCC considered new regulations to implement the springs
protection language in their comprehensive plan. On June 2, they passed the last of 3 ordinances.
These were to implement springs overlay zones for both Rainbow and Silver springs with tighter
development restrictions and to implement a landscape ordinance that adds restrictions on tree
removal near springs. Earlier in the year, the BoCC had passed a fertilizer ordinance.
Incorporated areas in Marion County were encouraged to pass their own similar ordinances.
Ocala is considering one and Dunnellon passed one. It is not known how this effort fared in the
other incorporated cities, although there are no Marion County cities within the Rainbow Basin.
9
June 10, 2009
The county had a task force that considered and drafted the first effort at all 3 ordinances.
Several members of that Task Force are regular attendees at RSBWG meetings.
First Basin Wide Field Trip Completed
The Working Group coordinator worked in tandem with staff at SWFWMD to set up a Rainbow
Springs Basin tour that was one of the scheduled events during “Springs Awareness Week” in
March. The tour was attended by 20 people, including the store manager of Dunnellon Walmart
and the department managers for Garden Supply from Walmart and a Lowes store in Ocala. Both
stores are in Dunnellon. The tour was designed to show karst features and land uses and also to
showcase a Florida Friendly Landscape at On Top of the World, a community on the west side of
Ocala.
Establishing Threats by Consensus
In January, a core but diverse group of stakeholders joined a conference call to discuss threats to
Rainbow Springs. The notes generated from this meeting were presented to the working group in
March, discussed, and the findings agreed to. A fact sheet was then generated and presented to
the group at the May 29 meeting, and this was also accepted. The notes and fact sheet are
presented in Appendix D.
Generating a Public Audience Beyond the Core Stakeholders
Due to the working group meetings being held during work hours, this is a challenge. We
regularly get a small number of non-agency people attending. Press releases about the meeting
and articles written about the meetings hopefully reach a wider audience, although there is no
data to support this. For 2009-10, the working group might consider 1 or 2 evening meetings.
Maintaining a Presence in the Local Media
Several articles were written about the Working Group in the local press as well as articles about
the springs basin, springs, and river. Those that were successfully gathered are presented in
Appendix E.
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June 10, 2009
Beginning a Karst Study
A small subgroup of Working Group members is beginning work on a survey of karst features
within the basin. There are 2 purposes: to improve the accuracy of existing information that
might inform future land use decisions and to use the information as a tool to educate landowners
about the karst nature of their lands. Through this, it is hoped to foster a higher level of
stewardship.
Becoming More Familiar With the Springs Basin
The Working Group coordinator continued to become more familiar with the spring basin and
the karst features of it. Rainbow Springs basin is a huge area, and this will be an ongoing task for
many years to come, and with the help of Working Group members and supporters.
Developing a Website for the Working Group
This task has been a challenge. A volunteer was recruited to assist, but then he dropped out. A
website has been started – a shell exists and some plans for content are in place. No one
associated with the working group has ever questioned why the group does not have an active
website, so it does not appear to be a particularly important function.
Link to website: http://www.rainbowspringsbasinworkinggroup.org/
Developing Informational Resources to Support the Working Group
Four new resources were either developed or are being developed this year. These are presented
in Appendix D.
1. The Fact Sheet on Threats, discussed above.
2. A Fact sheet on the resource of the spring and river that was created by the SWFWMD.
3. A flyer called Let’s Protect Rainbow Springs that was produced by DEP. This is
distributed at every opportunity.
4. A subgroup of Working Group members is in the process of a designing a waiting room
poster using the one produced for the Ichetucknee. This makes use of the basin map from
the flyer Let’s Protect Rainbow Springs.
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June 10, 2009
4. Suggestions for Next Fiscal Year
9 The group needs an official coordinating committee. One will be formed early in the new
year.
9 The Marion County Springs Festival at Rainbow Springs in September will provide an
excellent start to the year and will present a great opportunity to showcase the benefits of
the Working Group.
9 At least one spring basin tour will be run the week leading up to the springs festival;
depending upon its success, we will run additional tours.
9 The links between Dunnellon and Williston and between Marion and Levy counties need
to be strengthened based upon the start made this year.
9 The threats to the spring, nitrates, flow, and recreational impacts need to form a constant
and primary focus of the group’s work.
9 Joint meetings between the Rainbow Group and the Silver Group will be beneficial for
regional issues. One meeting planned will focus on septic tank designs and costs. A
second issue is limerock mining and exploring the true impact on springs basins.
9 The karst study needs to be a focus of efforts.
9 Outreach efforts need to be enlarged and additional volunteers recruited.
9 Continued outreach to members – especially land owners within the basin and business
owners in Dunnellon and Williston.
5. Appendices
Appendix A. Rainbow Springs Stakeholder List, June 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Address
City
Zip
Friends of the Rainbow
Springs State Park
19158 SW 81st
Place Rd.
Dunnellon
34432
Florida Thoroughbred Farm
Charities
6998 N.W. Hwy
27, Suite 106B
Ocala
34482
19158 S.W.
81st Pl. Rd.
Dunnellon
34432
2303 NE
Jacksonville
Road, Suite 200
Ocala
34470
Nicky
Aiken
Park Service Specialist,
Rainbow Springs - FDEP
Kevin
Allen
WUFT Florida, News
Director
Edward
Anderson
Marion Soil and Water
Conservation District
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June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Shea
Armstrong
FWC, Legacy Biologist
James
Arrington
City of Williston Public
Works
Bill
Bailey
City Manager, Dunnellon
Jaye
Baillie
Jeri
Baldwin
Jon
Barber
Florida Horse Park
Brack
Barker
Wild Florida Adventures
Roger
Barth
RRC President
Dennis
Baxley
Nancy
Bell
Connie
Bersok
Coordinator, Florida
Springs Initiative - FDEP
Summer
Best
Equine Publications
Terry
Blaes
RRC Interest Group
Address
Zip
Williston
32696
20750 River
Drive
Dunnellon
34431
110 East Silver
Springs Blvd.
Ocala
34470
PO Box 535
Orange
Springs
32182
111 SE 25th
Ave.
Ocala
34471
2600 Blair
Stone Road
M.S. 3500
Tallahassee
32399
Tallahassee
32304
7620 S US
Hwy. 41
Dunnellon
34432
P.O. Box 76
Ocala
34478
1445 NE 58th
Ave
Ocala
34470
PO Box 160
President/CEO
Ocala/Marion County
Chamber of Commerce
President, Marion County
Audubon Society
Representative, R-District
24
Levy County
Commissioner, District 2
Paulette
Bond
Florida Geological Survey
Cherokee
Boose
Glass River Gallery, Event
Director
Dawn
Bowne
Dunnellon City Clerk
Ron
Browall
RRC Interest Group
Don
Browning
Photographer
Sandy
Browning
Marion County
Horseman'a Association
Dana
Bryan
Florida Park Service
Jim
Buckner
Silver River Museum and
Environmental Education
Center
City
13
Gunter Bldg
MS 720, 903
W. Tennessee
St.
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Address
City
Zip
Cal
Byrd
Williston City Councilor
50 N.W. Main
Street
Williston
32696
Sue
Carr
Kenneth
H.
Chesterfield
20750 River
Drive
Dunnellon
34431
Jack
Clary
Judge
Cochran
Jamie
Cohen
Ocala
34470
Nikki
Connors
Dunnellon
34431
Rob
Corbitt
Bronson
32621
Jim
Coulliard
Ocala
34471
Veronica
Craw
Larry
Cretul
Laim
Cuddu
Chris
Curry
Chris
Dabson
FDOT, District 5SR 35
Project Manager
Bruce
Day
Withlacoochee Regional
Planning Council
Richard
Deadman
DCA
Charlie
Dean
Florida Senate District 3
Jack
Dennis
SWFWMD
Dave
Dewitt
Geologist/Engineer SWFWMD
Jill
Dobbs
Marion Co. Soil & Water
Amanda
Douglas
John
Dunn
Staff Writer, The Ocala
Star Banner
Seat Three on City
Council, Dunellon
City of Williston, Water
Utility Supervisor
Marion County Public
Information Officer
Marion Co. Clean Farms
Initiative
Seat Two on City Council,
Dunellon
Levy County Building
Official
2710 E. Silver
Springs Blvd.
20750 River
Drive
PO Box 672
111 SE 25th
Ave
2379 Broad
Street
322 The Capitol
402 Monroe St.
Marion Co. Parks
Environmental Manager SWFWMD
Dep. Majority Leader,
District 22
Local Resident, Farm
Operator
Ocala Star-Banner
Reporter
719 S.
Woodland
Boulevard
1241 SW 10th
Avenue
2555 Shumard
Oak Boulevard
Room 311
Senate Office
Bldg. 404 S.
Monroe St.
Director, Nature Coast
Business Development
Smart Growth Coalition of
North Central Florida
14
2379 Broad
Street
2303 NE
Jacksonville
Rd. Suite 200
PO Box 1112
222 SE 29th
Terrace
Brooksville
Tallahassee
346046899
323991300
Dunnellon
34432
Deland
32724
Ocala
34474
Tallahassee
323992100
Tallahassee
323991100
Brooksville
346046899
Ocala
34470
Bronson
32621
Ocala
34471
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Address
City
Zip
Joanne
Engle
Keep Marion Beautiful
PO Box 6043
Ocala
34478
Burt
Eno
James
Errington
Dennis
Evans
City of Dunnellon
Pat
Faherty
Riverland News, Editor
Lanse
Ferro
Raymond James
Barbara
Fitos
Marion County
Robert
Foraker
Marion County
Dwight
Ganoe
Marion County Planning
Director
Ocala
34470
Nathan
Garcia
McBride Land and
Development Co.
Ocala
34471
Bob
Gleason
FDOT
Richard
Grabbe
City of Dunnellon,
Supervisor of Utilities
Kevin
Grace
DB Environmental
Katherine
Green
Marty
Hale
Richard
Hancock
Ocala
34474
Lonny
Haynes
Ocala
34470
Brian
Ocala
34478
Ocala
34482
Williston
32696
Rainbow River
Conservation
City of Williston Utilities
Director
2710 E. Silver
River Blvd.
1553 SE Fort
King St.
Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission
Florida Thoroughbred
Association
Marion County Parks &
Recreation
801 SW 60th
Ave.
8282 SE Hwy
314
Henley
Marion Audubon
PO Box 5616
R. Gerald
Hethcoat
Mayor, City of Williston
Fred
Hiers
Ocala Star-Banner
Reporter
Paul
Higginbottom
Reora
Steve
Holcomb
Williston Council Vice
President
Robin
Holland
DOF
4421 NW
Blitchtom Rd.
#141
50 N.W. Main
Street
15
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Linda
Holloway
Herald
Horne
Patrick
Howard
Benny
Jerrels
Wendy
Jespersen
Debra
Jones
Williston City Councilor
Lou
Jones
Pioneer and Citizen
Lou
Kavouras
SWFWMD, Outreach,
Planning and Board
Services
Eugene
Kelly
The Nature Conservancy
Marty
Kelly
Louise
Kenny
Andy
Kesselring
Sean
King
Marylou
Klein
Bob
Knight
Wetland Solutions, Inc.
Carol
Kraft
SWFWMD Staff
Hydrologist
Amy
Kragh
Riverland News
Alexander
Kropp
Troy
Kuphal
Charles
Lee
Audubon of Florida,
Director of Advocacy
Beverly
Leisure
Dunnellon Chamber
Dick
Lemma
Rainbow Springs POA
Luis
Lopez
Federal Highway
Administration
Organization
Address
Community Dev. Director,
Dunellon
Marion County
Administrator
Levy County, Director of
Solid Waste
Assistant to Herald Horne,
Dunellon
20750 River
Drive
601 SE 25th
Ave.
PO Box 1734
SWFWMD, Director MFL
Program
Seat Five on City Council,
Dunellon
Marion County
Commissioner
University of Florida -EES
Friends of Rainbow
Springs
FL Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission
Marion Co. Planning
Dept.
16
City
Zip
Dunnellon
34431
Ocala
34431
Bronson
32621
Dunnellon
34431
Williston
32696
Dunnellon
34431
Ocala
34431
19158 SW 81st
Pl. Rd.
Dunnellon
34432
7601 US Hwy
301 N
Tampa
33637
Ocala
344742797
Ocala
34470
Maitland
32751
Dunnellon
34431
20750 River
Drive
50 N.W. Main
Street
20750 River
Drive
601 SE 25th
Ave.
1239 SW 10th
Street
2710 E. Silver
Springs Blvd.
1101 Audubon
Way
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Gary
Maddox
FL DEP
C.J.
Marcello
Paul
Marraffino
Marti
Marshall
Guy
Marwick
Conrad
Massa
Jason
Maurer
Mike
May
Sandy
McBride
Stan
McClain
Robbie
McKinney
Carol
McQueen
Gus
(Harley)
Means
Ted
Medlin
Peter
Meylan
Lee
Mills
Levy County Engineer
Scott
Mitchell
Silver River Museum
Vickie
Mitchell
FDOT
Gail
Mowry
Rosie
Mulholland
Adam
Munson
SWFWMD
Shenley
Neely
Levy County Planning
Dept.
Address
City
Zip
Florida Agriculture Center
& Horse Park
11008 South
Highway 475
Ocala
34480
Rainbow River
Conservation
Aide to Senator
Argenziano, Florida
Senate Ocala Dist. Office
1025 SW 1st
Avenue,Suite C
Ocala
34474
12950 NE 1st
Street Road
Silver
Springs
34488
2710 E. Silver
Springs Blvd.
Ocala
34470
1355 S.E. Ft.
King St.
Ocala
34471
Live Oak
32060
PO Box 1397
Chiefland
32644
903 W.
Tennessee St.
Tallahassee
32304
4200 54th Ave.
S.
St.
Petersburg
33711
Bronson
32621
Ocala
34470
Ocala
34474
Apopka
32712
Marion Smart Growth,
Audubon, MCCC
President, Marion County
Audubon
K-P Hole, Marion Parks
and Recreation
Marion County, Growth
Management Bureau
Chief
McBride Land &
Development
Marion County
Suwannee River Water
Management District
Levy County Tourist
Development Council
Florida Geological
Survey, Geologist
RRR Committee Interest
Group
Eckerd College, Professor
of Biology & Marine
Sciences
9225 CR 49
PO Box 778
1445 NE 58th
Ave
412 SE 25th
Ave.
1800 Wekiwa
Circle
Marion County Clean
Water Program
FDEP Wekiva Springs,
Biologist
17
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Lee
Niblock
Cathy
Norris
Richard
Owen
FDEP, Division of Parks
and Rec.
Tony
Parker
Levy County
Kathleen
Patterson
Florida Yards and
Neighborhoods
Mary
Paulic
Jim
Payton
Charlie
Pedersen
DOF
Mike
Penn
Goethe State Forest
Dee
Reedy
Chris
Rison
Jerry
Robinson
Eberhard
Organization
Address
City
Zip
Marion Cty Parks and
Recreation, Director
Marion County Parks and
Rec.
8282 SE Hwy
314
Ocala
34470
Gainesville
326419299
Ocala
34470
Tallahassee
32399
9110 S.E. CR
337
Dunnellon
34431
North Marion High
School Educator
Marion County Dept of
Planning, Planner
City of Williston
Councilor
2631 SE 3rd St.
Ocala
34471
Roeder
Florida Dept. of Health
4052 Bald
Cypress Way,
Bin # A-08
Tallahassee
323991713
Lily
Rooks
Levy County
Doug
Sanders
SWFWMD
Anthony
Santacross
Lisa
Saupp
Mark
Schiefer
Heidi
Schwiebert
Dr. Ken
Schwiebert
Sam
Scott
19158 S.W.
81st Pl. Rd.
Dunnellon
34432
4801 Camp
Ranch Road
2232 NE
Jacksonville,
Rd.
FDEP, Bureau of
Watershed Management,
Environmental Manager
Marion County
2600 Blair
Stone Rd, MS
3565
City of Dunnellon,
Supervisor of Public
Works
Aqua Pure Water &
Sewage Service Inc.
City of Williston, Interim
City Manager
Williston Resident
City of Williston, Devil’s
Den Spring
Newsletter/Special Events
for Friends RSSP (FORS)
18
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Michael
Shoemaker
Council Elect
Michael
Shuffitt
Marion County
Amanda
Sigman
FWC
Amy
Sirmans
FDOT
Mike
Sizemore
Joe
Smyth
Bob
Snyder
Jeff
Sowards
Criss
Specht
Fredrick
Stark
Roberta
Starks
Jill
Stephens
Gail
Stern
Ann
Sternal
Virginia
Sternberger
SWFWMD
Danny
Stevens
City of Williston
Jim
Stevenson
Ichetucknee Springs Basin
Charlie
Stone
Tracy
Straub
Jacqui
Sulek
Florida Audubon
Terry
Summers
City of Williston
Kevin
Sweeney
Florida Senate: Marion
County Office
Address
City
Zip
Williston
32696
PO Box 314
Oklawaha
32183
19158 SW 81st
Pl. Rd.
Dunnellon
34432
Dunnellon
34432
Ocala
34471
Dunnellon
34476
Tampa
33637
Ocala
344712249
Ocala
34471
Ocala
34476
P O Box 697
Manager, Rainbow
Springs State Park
Citizen
Rainbow Springs Aquatic
Preserve - FDEP
ABI Marketing and
Promotions
19158 S.W.
81st Pl. Rd.
3330 SE 30th
Terrace
20750 River
Drive
Dunnellon City Council
SWFWMD Water Quality
Monitoring Program
Manager
North Marion High
School Educator
Marion County Citizen’s
Coalition
Ocala/Marion County
Visitors and Convention
Bureau
Marion County
Marion Couny Clean
Water Program, Drainage
Engineer
7601 US Hwy
301 N
409 S.E. Fort
King Street
412 SE 25th
Ave
6911 S.W. Hwy
200
19
June 10, 2009
First
Name
Last Name
Organization
Address
Mary
Szafraniec
Env. Scientist SWFWMD
Mickey
Thomason
Greenways & Trails, DEP
Bill
Thompson
Ocala Star Banner
7601 US Hwy
301
8282 SE Hwy
314
2121 SW 19th
Ave Rd
Alan
Tidwell
Chipola CC
David
Tillman
William
Vibbert
Bill
Walker
Larry
Walker
Steve
Walsh
US Geological Survey
Fred
Ward
Mayor, City of Dunellon
Sarah
Watson
Rainbow Springs AP
Matt
Welson
Levy County Parks and
Rec.
Greg
Wiley
Marion County
Nancy
Williams
Rep. Charles Chestnut, IV
Nick
Williams
Florida Defenders of the
Environment
Deborah
Wilson
Silver River State Park
Debra
Woithe
Debra Childs Woithe, Inc.
Debbie
Wojak
Florida Thoroughbred
Farm Managers Inc.
Meredith
Woods
Florida Throughbreds and
Owners Assoc
Susan
Woods
Sammy
Yearty
Chris
Zajac
Tillman and Associates
Engineering
Rainbow River
Conservation
The Karst Conservancy,
President
Professional Engineer SWFWMD
PO Box 729
2911 SE 17th
Street
2379 Broad
Street
7920 NW 71
Street
20750 River
Drive
PO Box 248
PO Box 5801
City
Zip
Tampa
336376759
Ocala
34470
Ocala
34474
Dunnellon
34330
Ocala
34471
Brooksville
346096899
Gainesville
32653
Dunnellon
34431
Bronson
32621
Gainesville
326275801
Gainesville
1425 NE 58th
Ave
Ocala
34470
Ocala
34482
Ocala
34474
7323 NW 90th
Ave
Ocala
34482
2379 Broad
Street
Brooksville
346046899
6998 N.W.
Hwy 27, Suite
106B
Private Farm Owner,
MarionPoliteia.org
Levy County
Env. Scientist SWFWMD
20
801 SW 60th
Ave.
June 10, 2009
Appendix B. Current Bibliography
Last updated 2008
Billington, H.E. 1995. Use levels, encounters, satisfaction, and perceived crowding among
recreation visitors to the Rainbow River. University of Florida Masters Thesis, 90 pp.
Bonn, M.A. 2004. Visitor profiles, economic impacts and recreational aesthetics values
associated with eight priority Florida springs located in the St. Johns Water Management
District. Prepared for the St. Johns Water Management District. Palatka, FL.
Boykin, G. 1991. The Withlacoochee: river of contrasts. Hydroscope 22(1):6-9.
Champion, K.M and R. Starks. 2001. The hydrology and water quality of select springs in the
Southwest Florida Water Management District. Southwest Florida Water Management
District, 164 pp.
Fernald EA and Purdum ED. 1998. Water Resources Atlas of Florida. Tallahassee: Florida State
University Institute of Science and Public Affairs.
Florida Water Management District. Southwest Florida Water Management District, 164 pp.
Dinkins, J.L. 1969. Dunnellon: boomtown of the 1890’s; the story of Rainbow Springs and
Dunnellon. Great
Outdoors Publishing Company, St. Petersburg, Florida, 215 pp.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 2002. Protecting Florida’s Springs: Land
UsePlanning Strategies and Best Management Practices. Florida Department of
Environmental Protection and Florida Department of Community Affairs. Available from:
www.dca.state.fl.us/fdcp/DCP/publications
Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 2005. Basin Status Report for the
Withlacoochee River. Florida Department of Environmental Protection,
http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/basin411/withla/status.htm.
Florida Springs Task Force. 2000. Florida’s Springs: Strategies for Protection and Restoration,
November 2000. Tallahassee: Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Florida Springs Task Force. 2006. Florida’s Springs: Strategies for Protection and Restoration
(revised), May 2006. Tallahassee: Florida Department of Environmental Protection.
Florida Water Management Districts. 2001. Waterwise Florida Landscapes.
German ER. 1996. Analysis of nonpoint source ground-water contamination in relation to land
use: assessment of nonpoint-source contamination in central Florida. Water-Supply Paper
2381-F. Denver: US Geological Survey.
Giovanetto, L.A. 1992. Population ecology and relative abundance of sympatric freshwater
turtles in the headwaters of two spring---fed rivers in western peninsular Florida. Ph.D.
Dissertation, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL.
Huestis, D.L. and P.A. Meylan. The Turtles of Rainbow Run (Marion County, Florida):
Observations on the Genus Pseudemys. Southeastern Naturalist 3(4):595-612.
21
June 10, 2009
Jones, G.W., Upchurch, S.B., and K.M. Champion. 1996. Origin of nitrate in ground water
discharging from Rainbow Springs, Marion County, Florida. Southwest Florida Water
Management District, Brooksville, Florida, 155 pp.
Kimrey, J.O. and W. Anderson. 1987. U.S. Geological Survey, Denver Colorado, Waterresources investigations report 86-4203, 52 pp.
Knowles, L. 1996. Estimation of evapotranspiration in the Rainbow Springs and Silver Springs
basins in North-Central Florida. Southwest Florida Water Management District and
U.S.Geological Survey, Tallahassee Florida, Water-resources investigations report; 96-4024,
37 pp.
Kramer, M. 1995. Home range of the Florida Red-bellied Turtle (Pseudemys nelsoni) in a
Florida spring run. Copeia 1995:883-890.
Kuphal T. 2005. Summary Report: Quantification of Domestic Wastewater Discharge and
Associated Nitrate Loading in Marion County, Florida. Marion County Planning Department.
Lane E and Hoenstine. 1991. Environmental Geology and Hydrogeology of the Ocala area,
Florida. Special publication #31. Tallahassee: Florida Geological Survey.
Marella, R.L. and Berndt, M. P. Water Withdrawals and trends from the Floridian aquifer system
in the southeastern United States, 1950-2000. U.S Geological Survey Circular 1278, 20p.
Meta Systems, Inc. 1976. The nutrient budget for the Cross Florida Barge Canal Projects. US.
Army Corps of Engineers, contract no. DACW 17-75-C-0077.
Meylan, P.A., C.A. Stevens, M.E. Barnwell, and E.D. Dohm. 1992. Observations on the turtle
community of Rainbow Run, Marion Co., Florida. Florida Scientist 55:219---227.
Mumma, M.T. 1996. Effects of recreation on the water chemistry and submersed plant
community of Rainbow River, Florida. University of Florida Masters Thesis, 73 pp.
Rao DV and Clapp DA. 1996. Preliminary evaluation of the impacts of spring discharge
reductions on the flows of receiving water bodies and natural systems, central Florida.
Special Publication SJ96-SP3. Palatka: St. Johns River Water Management District.
Rogers, M.W and M.S. Allen. 2004. Relationships between river surface levels and fish
assemblages in the Ocklawaha and Withlacoochee Rivers, Florida and the general
implications for setting minimum flows and levels: final report. St. Johns River Water
Management District, Palatka, Florida.
Sinclair, W.C. 1978. Preliminary evaluation of the water-supply potential of the spring-river
system in the Weeki Wachee area and the Lower Withlacoochee River, west-central Florida.
U.S. Geological Survey, Water-resources investigations 78-74, 40 pp.
Stevenson RJ, Pinowska A, and Wang Y. 2004. Ecological Condition of Algae and Nutrients in
Florida Springs. DEP Contract # WM858. Tallahassee: Florida Department of Environmental
Protection.
Swancar A. 1996. Water quality, pesticide occurrence, and effect of irrigation with reclaimed
water at golf courses in Florida. Water-Resources Investigations Report 95-4250. Denver:
U.S. Geological Survey.
22
June 10, 2009
Southwest Florida Water Management District. 2002. Rainbow river: Surface water
improvement and management (SWIM) plan. Tallahassee, Florida.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/rainbow_river_2004.pdf
Southwest Florida Water Management District. 2002. Southwest Florida water management
districts watershed management progeam guidelines and specifications. Tallahassee, Florida.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/watershed_guidesspecs.pdf.
Southwest Florida Water Management Distric. 2005. District water management plan.
Tallahassee, Florida.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/about/watermanagementplan/watermanagementplan2005.pdf.
Southwest Florida Water Management District. 2007. 2005 Estimated water use draft report.
Tallahassee, Florida.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/reports/2005_estimated_water_use.pdf.
Southwest Florida Water Management District. 2001. The hydrology and water quality of
selected springs in the southwest Florida water management district. Tallahassee, Florida.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/reports/springs.pdf.
Survey, Denver Colorado, Water-resources investigations report 88-4116, 63 pp.
Water Resource Associates and SDII Global Corporation. 2005. Marion County Springs
Protection Program Report: Strategies and Recommendations for Protecting Rainbow and
Silver Springs. Marion County, Florida.
Yingling, J.W., Carter, D.C., Hopkins, J., Rome, D. 1999. Estimated 1997 water and waste water
charges in the Southwest Florida water management district.
http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/documents/plans/files/rate_report.pdf.
Yobbi, D.K and L.A. Knochenmus. 1989. Effects of river discharge and high-tide stage on
salinity intrusion in the Weeki Wachee, Crystal, and Withlacoochee River estuaries,
southwest Florida. U.S. Geological
23
June 10, 2009
Appendix C. Working Group Agendas and Meeting Notes
Agendas, Attendance and Minutes were submitted with Quarterly reports for the following
quarters:
1st Quarterly Meeting – 10th September, 2008, Dunnellon
2nd Quarterly Meeting – 19th November, 2008, Ocala (Joint Meeting with Silver Springs)
3rd Quarterly Meeting – 4th March, 2009, Dunnellon
Agenda, Attendance and Minutes submitted as part of this report
4th Quarterly Meeting – 29th May, 2009, Williston
24
June 10, 2009
Meeting Agenda
May 29, 2009
Williston Crossings, 410 NE 5th Street
Williston, Florida 32696
352-528-7100
9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Time
9:00
9:30
Activity
Mixer with coffee and breakfast snacks
Convene and Introductions
Speaker
9:45
Overview of the purposes of the Working Group
Ground Rules for Meeting
Pete Colverson
Connie Bersok, DEP
10:00
The Rainbow Springs Basin – Geology and Hydrology
Dave DeWitt, SWFWMD
10:20
Discussion and clarification of issues associated with
the springs basin
All
10:30
10:40
Karst Features in the Rainbow Basin
Water Quality of the Rainbow River
Peter Colverson
Chris Zajac, SWFWMD
11:00
Discussion and clarification of issues associated with
water quality
All
11:05
Mayor Gerald Hethcoat
Mayor Fred Ward
11:10
11:20
Joint Resolution on Springs Protection
Signing Ceremony
Break
Threats to the Rainbow Basin
11:30
Protecting Rainbow River locally
11:50
Levy County and Williston Comprehensive Planning
12:10
Easements as a means of land protection for springs
recharge
Harold Horne – City of
Dunnellon
Bill Vibbert, Rainbow River
Conservation
Bruce Day, Withlacoochee
Planning Council
Speaker to be determined
Ellen Huntley Dubé,
Conservation Trust for
Florida
12:40
1:00
1:30
Other Business
Adjourn
Field Trip to Blue Grotto
Peter Colverson
Judy Paradisio, Owner, Blue
Grotto
Attendance List for May 29, 2009 – Fourth Quarter Meeting
25
June 10, 2009
Name
Organization
Sarah Watson
Chris Zajac
David DeWitt
Virginia Sternberge
Jeff Sowards
Bill Vibbent
Kathleen Patterson
Sandra Marraffino
Paul Marraffino
Terry Blaes
Jamie Cohen
Traudi Miller-Moss
Roger Barth
Sean King
Lou Jones
Dennis Evans
Charlie Stone
Marcus M. Collins
R. Gerald Hethcoat
David Tillman
Adam Munson
Brack Barker
Tom Lane
Heidi Schwiebert
Dr. Ken Schwiebert
Bruce Day
Harold Horne
Connie Bersok
Dana Bryan
Ted Medlin
Bill Guthrie
Susan Woods
FDEP: Rainbow Springs AP
SWFWMD
SWFWMD
SWFWMD
FDEP: Rainbow Springs AP
RRC
FYN: MC Ext. Svc.
Friends of Rainbow Springs State Park
Marion County Planning Commission
RRC
MC/UF/IFAS Extension Office
Williston Resident, Garden Club
RR Resident
University of Florida – EES
Pioneer and Citizen
Marion County Commission
City of Williston
City of Williston
Tillman and Associates Engineering
Wild Florida Adventures
Marion Soil and Water CD
Williston Resident
COW – Devil’s Den Spring
WRPC
City of Dunnellon
Florida Park Service
Rainbow Springs Resident
Rainbow Springs Resident
FALDO
Rainbow Springs Basin
26
June 10, 2009
Worrking Grou
up
Meetting in Willisto
W
on
Fridday, Mayy 29
9:300 am – 1 pm
Willisston Crosssings,
4100 NE 5th Strreet
Willisston, Floridda 32696
3
352-528-71
100
Goals of Meeting:
- To
T inform
m and invoolve the citizens
c
off Willistoon and thee
suurroundin
ng area abbout the Rainbow
R
Springs Basin
B
andd Willistoon’s
roole in thaat basin.
- To
T unite th
he citizenns of Willliston andd Dunnelllon in a mutual
m
p
partnershi
ip to proteect Rainbbow Sprinngs.
Optioonal Field
d Trip to Follow
F
2
Minutes – May 29, 2009
Pandion Syystems, Inc.
27
Junne 10, 2009
Following a 30 minute social mixer session, the meeting was convened and all in attendance
introduced themselves.
The ground rules for the meeting were agreed to and a basic description of the purposes of the
group provided to attendees.
Speaker - Dave DeWitt, SWFWMD
Dave provided an overview of the functions of karst within the Rainbow Basin. This was similar
to talks he had given in the past but there was an added component on land uses and their
relationship to nitrates in both groundwater and the spring outflows.
Discussion followed although no specific actions were recommended.
Speaker - Chris Zajac, SWFWMD
Chris discussed the water quality of the river and how it is linked to the quality of water in the
aquifer. Again, this was a similar talk to ones he had provided to the group in the past but it had
updated elements providing recent data and more recent analysis of trends.
Peter Colverson provided a rationale and description of the efforts now underway to get a better
inventory of the karst features of the Rainbow Basin.
Mayors Gerald Hethcoat (Williston) and Fred Ward (Dunnellon) signed a joint resolution to
protect Rainbow Springs as it becomes feasible for them to do so.
Peter Colverson presented a Fact Sheet to the group that lists and describes the primary threats
to Rainbow Springs and River. This is the product of consensus from discussion within the
group.
Speaker - Harold Horne, City of Dunnellon
Harold talked about the philosophies underlying Dunnellon’s support for protections for both the
springs and river and actions that the city has taken to further that support.
Speaker – Bill Vibbert, Rainbow River Conservation
Bill discussed recent actions by RRC to protect riverine resources. Most noteworthy lately are an
effort to stop negative impacts from dive groups that use the river and to encourage additional
protections for the turtles of the river.
Discussion followed.
Action: A letter was approved by the group to be sent to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission to encourage their implementing new rules to end commercial harvest of turtles.
Speaker – Bruce Day, Withlacoochee Planning Council
28
June 10, 2009
Bruce provided information on the status of land use planning for the City of Williston in
association with their Comprehensive plan.
Shenley Neely, Levy County Planner, once again could not attend due to a schedule conflict.
Speaker – Ellen Huntley Dubé, Conservation Trust for Florida
CTF encourages land owners to protect conservation values of their land through conservation
easements. Ellen provided an overview of how easements work. A conservation easement can
provide for springs recharge protection by maintaining farm land use instead of development
which tends to limit recharge.
Discussion followed although no specific actions were recommended. Several people were
interested in following up with Ellen and took materials with additional information.
Other Business
A progress report on the production of poster to be used in Dr’s waiting rooms and other public
gathering places was provided by Dave DeWitt. This poster should be ready for display and
distribution at the Marion Springs Festival in September.
Field Trip to Blue Grotto
This was led by Judy and Ed Paradisio, owners. Two tours were conducted with an early group
and a later group. At least 20 people attended.
Strategy Meeting of the Karst Mapping Subgroup
After the field trip, the group met to strategize. Following the meeting several attendees visited
local karst areas including Devel’s Den.
29
June 10, 2009
Appendix D. Fact Sheets for Rainbow Springs Basin Working Group
1. Fact Sheet on Working Group
2. Fact Sheet on Rainbow Springs and River
3. Fact Sheet on Threats
Rainbow Springs Basin Working Group
Core Functions
1. Identify Values for the Rainbow Springs and River.
This task will likely take several years. The values to be identified include economic, hydrologic
and wildlife habitat (both terrestrial and aquatic). In order to be done such that all appropriate
values are captured and adequately rated, this task will be on-going for the working group.
2. Promote Scientific Understanding of Springs Basin Function
The science of springs protection is still very much in its infancy. Discussion and activities must
relate to the springs basin rather than other hydrologic systems in the neighborhood. It will be
important to determine additional needs for research and monitoring. This task will be tied
closely with task 6 – identifying threats and making recommendations for actions. Research and
monitoring needs will inevitably be tied to threats and actions taken to counter threats.
3. Identify threats to Rainbow Springs and Rainbow River.
Discussion of threats to both surface water and groundwater will be a regular part of Working
Group meetings. An inventory of activities and facilities that present potential for surface and
groundwater damage will be developed as an ongoing task. On an as needed basis and as
determined within WG meetings, guest speakers who have especial expertise in the Rainbow
River watershed and Rainbow Springs basin, will be invited to WG meetings to add to the
group’s knowledge about threats. From this work the group will be able to make
recommendations of actions that should be undertaken to counter threats.
4. Promote news articles about the basin.
5. Annual “Old Timers Day” or “Springs Appreciation Day.”
Tied to the Marion County Springs festival with other opportunities to be identified
6. Conduct field trips of the basin and give presentations to the public and
organizations in the basin.
This function will be a very important one as there is no substitute for first hand observation
when attempting to educate public officials, community leaders and members of civic
organizations about issues that affect springs. Once an initial plan for a field trip has been
developed and implemented, review and modification will be an on-going task for the WG.
Similarly, a PowerPoint presentation needs to be developed that can be implemented when
30
June 10, 2009
needed at civic meetings and other public gatherings. Perhaps we can establish an education
committee within the WG to both adequately plan for this task and provide it with sufficient
priority?
7. Identify Springs Champions to receive Springs Task Force awards.
Pandion has successfully nominated Champions on its other two Springs Working Groups and
understands both the importance of Champions and the process of nominating them at Task
Force meetings for discussion.
8. Communicate with large landowners and community leaders
This function of the WG is core to the success of the group and many of its other tasks will
ultimately support this task. It will be important invite landowners and community leaders to
actively participate in the WG and the extent to which this effort is successful will be a good
measure of the success of the WG.
9. Identify land acquisition needs and support acquisition efforts within the basin
31
June 10, 2009
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Rainbow River/Rainbow Springs Fact Sheet
Rainbow Springs is a first magnitude spring system that forms the Rainbow River. It has an average discharge rate of 763 cubic feet per second, or 493 million gallons per day, and is one of 33 first‐magnitude spring systems in the state.
The river flows south from the headspring approximately 5.7 miles to the tannic Withlacoochee River.
The Rainbow River and its immediate surroundings were mined for phosphate in the early part of the twentieth century.
From 1934 to 1973 the headspring complex was used as a tourist attraction that included glass bottom boats and mermaid shows.
The unique ecological attributes of Rainbow River/Rainbow Springs were recognized by the state of Florida when the system was designated an aquatic preserve in 1986 and an Outstanding Florida Water in 1987. In 1989, the Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) adopted the Rainbow River as a SWIM water body and developed the first Rainbow River SWIM Plan.
The Florida Park Service opened Rainbow Springs State Park in 1995.
Current water quality monitoring results show nitrate concentrations at the Rainbow River headspring are consistently above 1.6 mg/L, and on several occasions approaching 2.0 mg/L. Weeki Wachee Springs is 0.7 mg/L, Homosassa Springs is 0.5 mg/L and Chassahowitzka is 0.45 mg/L. Groundwater discharge accounts for 97–99% of the river flow, with very little surface runoff from the watershed.
The Rainbow River watershed is approximately 47,000 acres (73 sq. mi.) while the groundwater recharge area or springshed is 470,000 acres (735 sq. mi.) covering portions of Alachua, Levy and Marion counties. It has been estimated that ground water may take up to 30 years to reach the spring vents from the recharge areas. The District is currently in the process of establishing a minimum flow for the Rainbow River.
The District partnered with Marion County in 2007 to assist in the implementation of the Marion County Springs Protection Program. Pandion Systems, Inc.
32
June 10, 2009
Fact Sheet: Threats to Rainbow Springs
Three threats have been identified for Rainbow Springs through consensus in the RSBWG:
Nutrient Loading (primarily nitrate)
Declining Flows of Water
Recreational Impacts
These are discussed in turn below.
1.
Nutrient Loading – Primary Concern is Nitrate
Dissolved nitrate has risen sharply in the waters of Rainbow Springs over the last 30 years. As of
2009, it is not uncommon to have nitrate readings above 1.6 milligrams per liter (see Figure 1).
Nitrate acts as a fertilizer in water can encourages the growth of unwanted algae which fouls the
habitat for fish, wildlife and humans. To date the effects of nitrate in Rainbow River have not
been catastrophic and the river is still clear. If nitrate continues to increase as it has in recent
decades, the future is uncertain.
Fertilizer inputs, have been identified as the major contributor of nitrate but there is lingering
doubt about specific sources of fertilizer and about the comparative contributions of residential
(primarily yards and golf courses) vs. agricultural sources. SWFWMD monitoring wells clearly
indicated that high nitrate loadings are somewhat randomly scattered around the springs basin.
Wastewater from treatment plants and septic tanks are the primary sources of organic nitrate.
To the extent possible that nitrate sources can be specifically targeted, it will make it easier to
devise carefully targeted strategies to combat nitrate loading.
Factors identified by the Working Group that contribute to nitrate loading include:
Fertilizer use in the spring basin, both agricultural and residential
Septic Tanks in the spring basin
Figure 1: Nitrates
Central Sewer and sprayfields
Nitrate Concentrations in Rainbow Springs, Marion County
Livestock manure
Storm Water
Stream to Sinkhole disposal
l)/
Atmospheric Deposition
g
Source: South West Florida Water Management District
2
USGS
SWFWMD
DEP
1.5
33
June 10, 2009
4-Mar-2010
4-Mar-2005
4-Mar-2000
4-Mar-1995
4-Mar-1990
4-Mar-1985
4-Mar-1980
YEAR
4-Mar-1975
4-Mar-1970
4-Mar-1965
4-Mar-1960
4-Mar-1955
4-Mar-1950
4-Mar-1945
4-Mar-1940
4-Mar-1935
4-Mar-1930
0
4-Mar-1925
Positive Step
Marion County passed a Fertilizer Ordinance in 2008
to regulate non-agricultural fertilization. The cities in
the county have followed the county’s lead and have
either passed or are considering a similar ordinance.
m
n
, i
N
sa
2
O 1
N
+3
O
(N
et
ar
it 0.5
N
2.
Declining Flows of Water
Rainbow Springs is a first magnitude spring system that forms the Rainbow River. It has an
average discharge rate of 763 cubic feet per second, or 493 million gallons per day, and is one of
33 first-magnitude spring systems in the state. Date indicates some decline in flow although the
full extent of the threat is hard to quantify. There is some doubt as to whether this is a current
problem or a potential future threat.
Definitive data on this issue is lacking. Discharge data produced by USGS goes back to 1932
(see Figure 2) but data prior to the 1960’s was not done using the accepted methods to measure
springs discharge today. An overall decline in springs discharge since 1932 is indicated of
between 5 and 30%. There is a need to be very careful not to seem biased in the absence of
adequate information.
There is consensus among working group members that declining flow should be avoided at all
costs. In addition to causing damage to the biological conditions within the river, declining flows
will also cause higher concentrations of dissolved nitrate and all other dissolved nutrients. Less
water = higher concentrations..
Factors identified Working Group associated with declining flows include:.
Possible Expansion of public water supply
Bottled water withdrawals
Figure 2: Flow Rates
Water transfer proposals
Impacts of natural climate variation
Positive Step
SWFWMD plans to release an MFL report in mid 2009
which should provide definitive information on flow
data for Rainbow Springs, in reference to rainfall data.
3.
Recreational Impacts
Rainbow River is a very popular recreational resource. Throughout the summer months residents
of the area around the river as well as many thousands of visitors, use the river for boating,
floating, fishing, swimming and diving. There are several commercial operations that use the
river for boating tours and diving. On a hot summer weekend the river often becomes crowded.
This issue has not been discussed by the Working Group in any depth but there is general
consensus that there are significant impacts that need to be recognized and addressed.
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June 10, 2009
Appendix E. News Articles
Several local news articles were published and are included here.
Working group talks springs and protection
Riverland News, March 12, 2009
By Amy Ryffel-Kragh
Springs Awareness Week will be held March 15 through 21, in Marion and Citrus counties.
That annual event was one of the topics at the Rainbow River Basin Working Group’s quarterly
meeting last week in Dunnellon.
Virginia Sternberger, who works in the communications department of SWFMD, discussed the
planned activities for Springs Awareness Week. Its purpose is to educate the public and
businesses about springs and the impact of fertilizers and nitrate in the watersheds, she said.
During the week, the festivities will include a springshed tour of the Rainbow River and an
introduction to Florida Friendly Landscaping and tour, which both have limited availability.
Sternberger said the “primary audience” for the Rainbow River tour is landscape businesses,
retailers like Lowe’s and homeowner’s associations. If it does not fill up, the event would then be
open to the public.
Though space is limited at most of the activities, the Dunnellon Public Library will welcome a
representative from the Marion County Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN), who will give
a presentation on transforming lawns while reducing pollution and conserving water, according
to the Springs Awareness Week brochure. The event will be held on March 17.
The Rainbow Springs State Park Festival, which will be held on March 21, is also open to the
public. It will include a yard and plant sale, canoe tours, and hikes. The festival will have guest
speakers and techniques to properly fertilize lawns. Admission is $1.
In addition, the 15th Annual Marion County Master Gardener’s Spring Festival, which is March
14 and 15, is open to the public. There will be more than 60 vendors selling plants, flowers and
other plant related items. There will be education booths and an area where patrons can ask
questions of a master gardener. The cost is $1 and will be held at the Marion County UF/IFAS
extension office near the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion in Ocala.
Suggestions for basin group
In addition to Sternberger, Jim Stevenson was invited to the meeting to give members
suggestions they can incorporate into their group. Stevenson, coordinator of Ichetucknee and
Wakulla Basin Working Groups, focused on the Ichetucknee during his presentation.
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June 10, 2009
Stevenson gave examples of a variety of ideas, which included educating the public about the
spring. For example, at Ichetucknee, patrons can go on a tour of the spring, where they are put
into canoes and learn of the problems in the spring. “People have a much greater appreciation of
the resource and the need to protect it, if they actually get out there on it,” he said.
In addition, local school children participated in an activities day where they were taken to a
sinkhole. The students changed stations every 20 minutes and heard various presentations about
springs from professionals. He also suggested a river clean up.
An interesting way to get people on the river is through baptisms, which has recently been
incorporated at Itchtucknee. “It’s reconnecting them with the spring that parents and
grandparents used to be connected to,” he said, “It’s another way of raising awareness about the
spring.”
To reach even more residents and visitors of Itchtucknee, the group has distributed flyers and
posters to waiting rooms in businesses like car dealerships and doctor’s offices. “That’s been a
great effort,” he said.
Springs bills
The group heard from Connie Bersok, springs coordinator for the Florida Department of
Environmental Protection. She gave an update about a few springs protection bills currently
being addressed in the Florida Legislature. For example, the Florida Springs Protection Act
would provide “special” protection for the Rainbow, Silver, Ichetucknee and Wakulla springs.
In addition, the sales tax exemption on drinking water is also being discussed. The proposed bill
would eliminate the current sales tax exemption on bottled water, which would ultimately create
revenue for the state. Water obtained through the pipes or used in the agricultural industry would
remain exempt under the bill.
For more information about Springs Awareness Week, call 352-796-7211. For more information
on the bills in Legislation, visit www.leg.state.fl.us.
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June 10, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 7, 2009
Parties in the Division of Administrative Hearings' case involving the legality of Marion County
land use change 07-L25 have received notification of the judge's decision in this matter. The
President of Marion County's Floridan Aquifer Legal Defense Organization, Susan Woods,
announced the receipt of Administrative Law Judge J. Lawrence Johnston's decision in a copy of
his letter dated February 4th to Department of Community Affairs Secretary, Thomas Pelham.
The judge's ruling declares that the land use change has been found NOT IN COMPLIANCE and
therefore cannot proceed at this time.
The land use change was requested by the Castro family in 2007, for the purpose of putting 790
homes on 400 acres of land near Golden Hills, and had been greeted with dismay and opposition
by local residents. This land is currently zoned agricultural, and is located among horse farms
and bordering the county's Farmland Preservation Area. The judge's decision means that the land
use change granted by the Marion County Commissioners and the State of Florida's Department
of Community Affairs is now rescinded.
During the course of the administrative proceedings, the DCA reversed its own decision on the
matter of whether the addition of almost 800 homes was needed in this part of the county, and
thereafter argued that the land use change was granted in error. A DCA official candidly
admitted that such a reversal by the DCA was the first of its kind in the Department's history.
Reacting to the news, horse farmers and rural landowners were jubilant. FALDO President Susan
Woods said, "All credit goes to the DCA for admitting that they had erred in permitting this
development in the first place. I have confidence that if the Castro family chooses to take this
case to the District Court of Appeals it will be denied there as well."
The law clearly states that a need for new housing must be demonstrated before a development
can get the green light from the county and state. With over 120,000 empty lots already
permitted for development, it would be hard for anyone to show that more new house lots are
needed. The law is also clear that land use changes must not create sprawl, and the DCA's
planners indicated at the hearing that this kind of development would do just that.
Local reaction to the news was emphatic:
"It's about time 'David' chalked up a win! Seeing Castro defeated in this ruling should encourage
folks in the affected area to kick in some cash to see it through if 'Goliath' tries to appeal," said a
neighboring farm owner.
Another local horse farmer, Tony Beresford, pointed out, "I just wish the Castros would focus
their attention on projects that would benefit the county's economy, like the airport industrial
park, and leave the Farmland Preservation Area to its residents and its rightful purpose."
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June 10, 2009
In addition to objecting on the basis of lack of need, FALDO also made the case that Marion
County had ignored FLUE Policy 4.3 of its own Comprehensive Plan, which mandates that a
study of all karst areas in the county "shall be completed" by January 2008. This study was never
even begun, therefore most of the many small springs, swallets and other environmentallysensitive karst formations that characterize all of the 2000+ acre neighborhood in which this land
use change was requested have not been recorded or catalogued with state environmental
agencies.
The land in question for the Castro's proposed development also lies in the Secondary
Recharge Area for Rainbow Springs, so all development in this area directly affects not
only the local ecosystem, but also the world-famous Rainbow Springs and River. The
property has been shown by the Castro family's own project engineers to be subject to periodic
intense flooding, the water from which drains directly into at least one nearby swallet. In fact, in
the immediate vicinity are four known swallets, which are nature's "drainpipes" in the ground
where water can travel directly from the surface of the land or a sinkhole back into the aquifer
without filtration through the soil.
The county planners who originated the requirement of a karst study plan prior to development
wisely recognized the unique connection between what we do above ground and what ends up in
our water supply, and sought to identify ways to insure that our springs are not affected by
harmful runoff. Unfortunately, since the county neglected its responsibility to carry out that
study, no valid, unbiased data is available to guide new growth and protect our water quality.
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June 10, 2009
OUR OPINION
Refusing to save Florida's springs
Ocala Star-Banner
Published: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 6:46 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 at 6:47 a.m.
In each of the past three years an influential state lawmaker has introduced a bill into the Florida
Legislature to initiate a meaningful springs protection program. In each case, the bill died from
lack of support.
It is a new year and again an influential lawmaker, this time Sen. Lee Constantine, chairman of
the Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee, is introducing a springs
protection proposal, but with a twist. Constantine says he is merely re-introducing Sen. Burt
Saunders' 2008 bill as "a placeholder" in hopes of stimulating an even broader discussion
regarding the state's overall water policy.
We wish Constantine luck, but given the history of Saunders' bill and, before that, our own
Nancy Argenziano's legislative attempt to save our precious springs, we are dubious about his
prospects.
What is inexplicable, though, is why springs protection is such anathema to our lawmakers. The
notion that Florida needs a substantive, enforceable springs protection policy is hardly new or
disputed. In 2001, then-Gov. Jeb Bush began pushing the idea through his Florida Springs
Initiative. Since then, though, only one springs protection measure has made it through the
Legislature. Back to that in a moment.
Most confounding about the Legislature's lack of action is what is known. Extensive research on
the steady decline in spring flows and water quality has been conducted by numerous scientific
bodies, We know the major polluters of our springs — fertilizers, septic tanks and stormwater
runoff, significantly. We know that sheer waste and overconsumption is a statewide shame, and
we know how to fix them through reduced irrigation, the use of native, drought-resistant plants
and pricing based on consumption. And we know much of what needs to be done can be
accomplished with limited investment by government.
The problem is everyone wants to be assured of cheap, clean water but no one wants to endure
any inconvenience or cost to accomplish it. The building industry, the business lobby, utilities,
agriculture and, yes, even homeowner associations are resistant for fear it may cost them a buck.
What Constantine's measure calls for is a pilot program focusing on four of Florida's most
beautiful and best-known springs — Silver and Rainbow in Marion County and Ichetucknee and
Wakulla in North Florida. The bill calls for establishing protection zones around the springs to
slow the flow of nitrogen and other pollutants from surrounding development and farming. It
also would mandate inspections of septic tanks in those zones and require faulty or broken ones
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June 10, 2009
to be fixed and others to be pumped at least every five years. It would further set daily load limits
on pollutants flowing into the springs and require homes to hook up to public water and sewer
systems where available. Finally, the measure calls for local governments to incorporate local
springs protection regulations into their comprehensive plans. Pretty basic, effective concepts.
So our lawmakers know the problem and know the solutions. What's the holdup? Maybe a close
look at the lone springs protection bill to pass the Legislature, back in 2004, holds the answer.
The 2004 Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act, also sponsored by Constantine, established
protective wildlife and water recharge areas, as well as open spaces, to safeguard Wekiva
Springs from pollutants and stormwater runoff caused by the last stretch of the beltway
encircling Orlando. In other words, the only springs protection legislation to make it out of the
Legislature this decade came about because of the need to build a highway and expand Orlando
even more.
Shame on the Legislature. Shame on Florida. Our 700 springs are nothing more than vents for
the aquifer. The degradation of our springs — in both the amount of water that flows from them
to the quality of that water — is nothing more than visible evidence of what is happening
underground. And our lawmakers shamelessly refuse to do anything about it.
This is our drinking water we're talking about. Alas, this is also our Legislature we're talking
about.
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June 10, 2009
OUR OPINION
Quit stonewalling on springs protection
Ocala Star-Banner
Published: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 6:43 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, December 3, 2008 at 6:44 a.m.
Upon his re-election to the Marion County Commission in 2004, Andy Kesselring proposed a
series of county regulations to stem the decline and degradation of our precious springs and, by
extension, our aquifer. The initiative was dubbed the Springs Protection Ordinance, and it was
hard to find anyone who didn't think it was a good idea.
Four years of public weigh-in, recommendations by dozens of county committees and boards,
initial rejection by the County Commission, a five-month rewrite of the original draft by a handpicked committee of "stakeholders" and, finally, resubmission of the new and improved
ordinance to commissioners has yielded, well, very little. Indeed, too little.
The commission did approve a breakout ordinance on Nov. 4 that places restrictions on fertilizer
use in Marion County. But even though there is broad consensus that fertilizer is the leading
cause of nitrate pollution of our groundwater and springs, it still took more than four hours of
spirited debate to pass that obvious piece of legislation.
The County Commission's four-years of foot-dragging on the Springs Protection Ordinance,
which now appears destined to become a series of smaller, specifically targeted ordinances,
speaks volumes about the commission's leadership and, more important, commitment to doing
what is right for the quality and quantity of our water supply. Special interests, from lawn-care
companies to well drillers to builders, have hijacked this issue and the commission has
shamelessly bowed to the pressure they have exerted.
Meanwhile, a report released in October by the Florida Senate Environmental Preservation and
Conservation Committee notes that despite efforts to protect Florida's springs that began in 2000,
"several studies have indicated that nutrient pollution in springs discharge continues to rise." All
the while, our County Commission stonewalls.
The Marion County citizenry is left scratching its collective head wondering why their elected
representatives are not doing as they promised four years ago — that is, enact the most stringent
local springs and aquifer protection regulations in the state. Instead of delivering on that noble
and visionary promise, they have reneged in the face of opposition from monied interests and
campaign contributors.
It is time the County Commission break from its posture of perpetual procrastination and move
springs protection forward. Fresh off the campaign trail, new County Commissioner Mike
Amsden, who replaced Kesselring on the board, affirmed during a recent Star-Banner interview
that there is near-unanimous support for springs protection in the community.
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June 10, 2009
" … [A]ll in all, I think that we as a community and the constituents that I talked to out there
kind of get that question mark above their heads about why we don't have a springs protection
ordinance," Amsden said. "We need to protect not only our springs, but our aquifer."
It really is that simple. The research is in hand. The vetting has been done and redone. The public
has weighed in. Even the special interests, or stakeholders, if you will, have had their say and
then some. It is time to act. The Springs Protection Ordinance is a reasonable, affordable,
forward-looking set of regulations that has been considered and reconsidered. Is it perfect? No.
But it can be amended and improved as flaws are found during implementation.
The important thing is that we begin, at long last, protecting our springs, notably Silver and
Rainbow, two of Florida's — not just Marion County's — most unique natural wonders.
Kesselring left office with his No. 1 policy objective unfulfilled. That's a shame, because he
worked passionately to bring springs protection to fruition for all the right reasons. It is time for
the commission to make passing the remaining parts of Springs Protection Ordinance a priority
because, if they haven't heard, our springs are continuing to decline.
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June 10, 2009
Outgoing commissioner sees progress in springs cleanup effort
By Bill Thompson
Ocala Star-Banner Staff writer
Published: Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 5:38 a.m.
OCALA — Environmental advocates can take heart that progress is being made in protecting
Marion County’s major springs, and they must have patience if they want to push through further
measures to safeguard those water bodies, a former county commissioner said Wednesday.
Andy Kesselring, who departed the County Commission on Tuesday following his defeat earlier
this month in a bid for the state Legislature, told a small gathering of scientists, government
officials and citizens that while springs advocates might not be happy with the speed of that
progress, the movement is definitely forward.
Kesselring, the chief proponent for such legislation while on the commission, pointed to several
examples of how that has happened since springs protection rose to the top of the commission’s
agenda shortly after the 2004 election.
He maintained that the best strategy to beef up protection for both Silver and Rainbow springs,
two of the biggest among the 700 freshwater springs in Florida that have suffered in recent years
because of unchecked pollutants from a variety of sources, is to get new regulations enacted
piecemeal instead of attempting for one overarching law.
Kesselring countered doubters in the crowd of about 50 fellow springs advocates gathered at the
Ocala Hilton for a joint meeting of the Silver and Rainbow Springs Working Basin Groups by
citing as examples the county’s adopted best management practices for horse manure storage,
enhanced efforts to stem stormwater runoff and the recently adopted fertilizer-use ordinance.
Kesselring encouraged the panels, which consist of representatives of federal, state, regional and
local government agencies as well as the business community and agricultural and environmental
groups, to not get discouraged by the seeming inertia.
After his remarks, Kesselring said he remains optimistic that the County Commission will
continue this trend since other proposed ordinances are being prepared for their consideration.
He also hoped that as this issue is debated further springs advocates will understand that they, as
the experts, need to help the general public digest the intent and implications of these proposed
laws.
Kesselring also expressed doubt about whether the Legislature would tackle springs protection in
the 2009 session. Lawmakers, he said, will be most focused on jump-starting the economy and
fixing a state budget that is expected to be at least $2.5 billion in the red over the next two fiscal
years. If Tallahassee does act, Kesselring predicted the impetus will be the administrative rules
of regulators and not new legislation by lawmakers.
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June 10, 2009
Relying on local government to take the lead in springs protection seemed to be a key part of
determining the source of future protective regulations. An afternoon session on what possible
legislation might be proposed at the state level offered only vague and uncertain answers about
proposals from Tallahassee, said Fay Baird, coordinator of the Silver Springs committee.
For instance, some suggested the springs might be declared Areas of Critical State Concern. If
that happened, the state Department of Community Affairs could set up boundaries around the
springs to preclude any future development near them until actions to neutralize the threat are
completed.
It was also recommended that water bottlers could be taxed for pumping and using spring water.
That idea lost steam, however, when Guy Marwick, former executive director of the Silver River
Museum, argued that it might backfire because cash-strapped Tallahassee could easily become
addicted to the revenue and actually promote more pumping.
Circulated at the session was a report on springs legislation prepared in October by the Florida
Senate Environmental Preservation and Conservation Committee. It noted that bills for springs
protection have been introduced in each of the last three legislative sessions. None of them have
passed.
And although the Legislature has provided $17.8 million since 2001 for springs-related scientific
research, water quality and biological monitoring, public education programs and restoration
efforts, the report also observed that “since the release of the 2000 Springs Task Force report,
very few regulatory measures protecting springs have been adopted, yet several studies have
indicated that nutrient pollution in spring discharge continues to rise. . . . At issue is the need to
reach a consensus on a statewide springs protection policy.”
Still, Baird agreed with Kesslering’s assessment about legislative priorities. “It might be time to
take a year off from springs protection,” she said.
During the lunch hour of the daylong session, the working groups honored Kesselring and Criss
Specht, coordinator of the annual Marion County Springs Festival, as “community champions”
of springs protection.
Baird noted in presenting the honor that Kesselring and Specht were chosen because of their
“steady, never changing direction” in promoting the health and welfare of Marion County’s
springs.
The pair were each presented with copies of the book “Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails:
Florida’s Tourist Springs.”
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June 10, 2009
Search for missing diver ends with body
Officials say Sean Patrick Spiegel's body was intact and an autopsy is planned for today.
By Bill Thompson
Published: Monday, November 17, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, November 17, 2008 at 6:13 a.m.
EMATHLA — Divers recovered the body of a 25-year-old diving instructor missing since early
Saturday morning when he and friends went for a dive at the Forty Fathom Grotto in northwest
Marion County on Sunday night, hours after searchers first entered the water.
Sheriff's officials say Sean Patrick Spiegel's body was discovered in a cave around 8:15 p.m.
roughly 105 feet from the surface. Divers made their first dive in the depths of the grotto, which
extends to roughly 240 feet, at about 8:30 a.m.
Officials say Spiegel's body was intact, and an autopsy is scheduled for today to determine a
cause of death. As part of the investigation, authorities took Spiegel's scuba diving equipment.
Divers renewed their search Sunday after authorities combed the grotto for more than 12 hours
on Saturday, ending around 8 p.m., with no results.
Spiegel, according to sheriff's office reports, went for a dive at Forty Fathom with four friends
about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, a few hours after the group had dined at an unidentified Ocala
restaurant.
The grotto is filled with more than a dozen discarded items — including antique cars, boats and
even an airplane — that offer attractions for divers. Hal Watts, the property owner who leases the
diving site to a company called the Commercial Diving Academy, said on Sunday that Spiegel
and the others dove in the area of a submerged 1955 Chevrolet, which is located near the main
entry point into the water.
Spiegel and his friends — Matthew James Berry, 22, of Attica, Mich.; Nicole Wilkerson, 23, of
Brooksville; Doug Masters, 24, of St. Augustine; and William Sanders, 29, of Garnerville, N.Y.
— were staying on the grounds in a rented log cabin, the sheriff's office reported. Early Saturday,
Speigel dove with Berry, Masters and Wilkerson, while Sanders stayed above water for safety
reasons. The foursome did use a rope to assist them in the dive.
The group descended to 104 feet, staying underwater for about 20 minutes, the report notes.
When Berry recommended they go up, Spiegel indicated with hand signals to the others that he
had six minutes remaining and wanted to continue diving. About a third of the way to the
surface, the others lost sight of Spiegel. Two of them could not locate him upon returning to the
104-foot marker.
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June 10, 2009
The Sheriff's Office dive team had participated in the search but was not trained to descend to the
depths that the grotto reaches, said Marion County Sheriff's Office Capt. Eddie Leedy.
Watts, who has been diving at the site since 1962, said it was once described as a "bottomless
pit."
Thus, commercial and master divers who volunteered to assist in the search for Spiegel were
utilized on both Saturday and Sunday. Some of them came from Gainesville, where, as it
happened, the Gainesville-based National Association for Cave Diving was holding its 40th
annual World Seminar on Saturday.
Leedy said about 10 different divers had been in the water at various times Sunday. But even
with the volunteers the search was hindered in part because so few divers qualified to go to such
depths were available. Moreover, the depth also limited how long they could stay in the water. It
takes an hour to decompress and recover from just 10 minutes near the bottom of the grotto.
"The human body is not meant to do what these guys are doing," Leedy said.
Although the grotto covers about an acre or so at the surface, underwater it fans out, stretching
for several hundred feet, including across NW 115th Avenue, the road leading into the facility.
In addition to the depth and breadth of the search area, and the lack of people sufficiently skilled
to scour it, the water was tea colored, a rare condition attributable to flooding much farther north
that injects massive amounts of tannen into the groundwater that feeds the grotto.
The underwater visibility in the grotto is normally 50 feet to 60 feet, Watts said. But in its current
state, visibility during the search was reduced to about 3 feet to about 10 feet. Watts said that this
has happened perhaps five times in his 46 years of diving Forty Fathom, and it will take a few
months before the water clears up again.
"It's like putting you in a big room with the lights off and telling you to go find a tennis ball,"
Leedy said.
Spiegel, who was from Pace, a town of about 9,200 just north of Pensacola, was reportedly an
experienced and serious scuba diver. He became an instructor in August after being trained at
Forty Fathom.
Spiegel's friends have declined to comment.
Austin Miller contributed to this report.
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June 10, 2009
County adopts new regulations on fertilizer use
By Bill Thompson
Published: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, November 5, 2008 at 6:15 a.m.
OCALA - Marion County commissioners on Tuesday passed new regulations on fertilizer use,
the first piece of a set of broader comprehensive rules designed to protect the community's
springs and groundwater.
The move came after 4 1/2 hours of debate about an issue that has lingered before commissioners
for nearly four years. The decision in one respect was a nod by the board to the advocacy of
outgoing County Commissioner Andy Kesselring, who initially proposed tougher water
protection regulations soon after he won re-election in 2004 and was a few hours away from
learning whether his bid to win a seat in the Legislature would be successful.
Ironically, even though it appeared that near the end of the marathon public hearing the three
necessary votes were there to push through the Florida Friendly Fertilizer Use ordinance,
Kesselring - in an effort to garner unanimous support - offered a series of changes that somewhat
weakened the law.
In doing so, he got support from one additional commissioner.
Commissioner Stan McClain relented from his earlier opposition and sided with Kesselring and
commissioners Jim Payton and Barbara Fitos in supporting the new law. Chairman Charlie Stone
cast the dissenting vote. He has criticized the regulation as a "feel good thing" that contained no
clear goal, was largely unenforceable and unlikely to have any benefit.
Two dozen people spoke on the measure during the hearing. They included members of a blue
ribbon task force that assembled the ordinance, residents of Dunnellon worried about the rapid
decline of Rainbow Springs, and representatives of the fertilizer and pest control industries.
Proponents of the ordinance called on the commission to exercise leadership in preserving the
Rainbow and Silver springs and the county's groundwater. Repeated scientific studies, they
argued, demonstrate the ongoing and rapid degradation of the famous waterways largely because
of rising nitrate levels caused by the widespread usage of man-made fertilizers over decades.
Opponents countered that the science was inconclusive because it could not narrow down the
main pollution source, that too many areas were exempted under the ordinance and that the law
was unenforceable.
Kesselring's revisions included: the striking of a proposed "blackout" period for applying
fertilizers; raising the maximum limits of fertilizer that could be applied; so-called "fertilizer
free" zones were changed to permit greater fertilizing of such areas; penalties for offenders were
downgraded to emphasize education over punishment; and the effective date of the ordinance
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June 10, 2009
was put on hold for six months so the county's five municipalities could review the law and
determine whether they wanted to adopt a similar measure.
After the meeting, the ordinance's supporters and detractors agreed that Kesselring's amendments
offered both sides something they could accept.
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June 10, 2009
Beware the blobs at Orlando-area springs
Kevin Spear | Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer
July 5, 2008
WEKIWA SPRINGS STATE PARK - As Bonita Ruffing swam in the cool waters of Wekiwa
Springs this week, her mood turned quickly from delight to disgust.
"I hate the slime," the Orlando woman said as she dodged blobs of algae.
Visitors hoping to chill out in a Florida spring this summer are likely to have a similar moment
of revulsion. Many of the state's springs have been invaded by algae in recent years, an
infestation that could prove nearly impossible to get rid of.
The algae, which comes in vivid-green, black and oozing varieties, could be giving swimmers
rashes and other skin ailments. That's a possibility health authorities are trying to figure out. But
it doesn't take a scientist to know the springs are suffering.
Is it hazardous?
Health and environmental authorities think a fraction of spring visitors might be sensitive to
toxins from algae. Their chief complaint is a rash. But lots of flora and fauna can irritate skin -from poison ivy to chiggers -- and scientists have just begun in-depth research. Signs at state
parks with springs tell swimmers to report rashes, hives or other skin irritation after swimming.
Sure enough, the number of complaints rose from a handful each year early this decade to more
than 20 a year in 2006 and 2007. Authorities think many more swimmers never report a rash or
other ailment.
What's the chief culprit?
Experts are focusing on Lyngbya wollei. It smothers many springs with what looks like dirty
black hair. Biologists fear Lyngbya crowds out native plants and fish. Andrew Reich, aquatictoxins-program coordinator at the state Department of Health, said there's "anecdotal evidence" it
causes rashes.
What's causing it?
Authorities blame pollution from septic tanks, fertilizers, treated sewage and other sources. The
pollutants -- nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients -- seep into the ground and contaminate waters
that eventually surface at a spring. Exposed to sun, the pollutants serve as food for algae. Blue
Spring near DeLand and Silver Springs in Marion County have been plagued by algae, along
with some of the state's other treasured springs. Jerry Brooks, the state's director of
environmental restoration, said Florida is working to keep treated sewage from contaminating
springs. But at least 80 percent of Florida springs that have been tested have elevated nutrients.
"I think we are losing ground," Brooks said.
What can I do?
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June 10, 2009
Steer clear of algae. Plenty is floating at Wekiwa Springs, but it's avoidable, for now. A mother
of four, Ruffing has come to the springs for years. She is sure algae is getting worse. "It's nasty,"
she said.
Kevin Spear can be reached at 407-420-5062 or kspear @orlandosentinel.com.
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June 10, 2009
Links to Additional Articles:
Dunnellon and Williston work to protect Rainbow Springs' basin, Williston Pioneer, 6/3/09
http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?123+article+News+20090603151621123022007
Protecting the Springs, Ocala Star-Banner, 6/1/09
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090601/ARTICLES/906011006
Crowd turns out for Rainbow River clean up, Riverland News, 5/27/09
http://www.lcni5.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?079+article+News+20090527150520079079007
Calling Gov. Crist: A water crisis brewing, Ocala Star-Banner Editorial, 4/24/09
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090424/OPINION/904241003
Tourism & Hospitality: Looking within, Ocala Star-Banner, 4/22/09
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090422/OBIZ/904229950
Water board member joins half-million gallon club, St. Petersburg Times, 4/9/09
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/water/article990747.ece
Crist backs revisiting springs-protection legislation, Ocala Star-Banner, 2/4/09
http://www.ocala.com/article/20090204/ARTICLES/902041007
Crist in Favor of Bill Aimed at Protecting Springs, Wakulla News, 1/20/09
http://www.wakulla.com/Wakulla_News/State_Government_News/Crist_in_Favor_of_Bill_Aim
ed_at_Protecting_Springs_200901206984/
Springs protection: An overview of recent activities, Florida Senate Issue Brief
2009-317, 10/08
http://flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2009/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2009-317ep.pdf
Springs protection? Never mind, Ocala Star-Banner Editorial, 9/13/08
http://www.ocala.com/article/20080913/OPINION/809130285
51
June 10, 2009
Appendix F – Joint Resolution on Springs Protection
SHARING A COMMITMENT TO SPRINGS PROTECTION
THE CITIES OF DUNNELLON AND WILLISTON
Whereas: Rainbow Springs is a first magnitude spring that produces an average of 493
million gallons of fresh water per day. It is one of the largest freshwater springs in Florida and is
therefore one of the largest in the world; and
Whereas: All of Florida’s springs, and in particular its 33 first magnitude springs, are
precious beautiful resources that are an asset to all of the people of Florida; and
Whereas: Many of Florida’s springs are in a state of declining water quality due in large part
to excess nitrates that are a bi-product of various land uses. Rainbow Springs averages today
about 1.6 mg per liter of nitrate while only 40 years ago it averaged about 0.4 mg per liter; and
Whereas: Williston and Dunnellon are located at either end of a north south line that runs
within the heart of the Rainbow Springs Basin.
Therefore, Be It Resolved: The Cities of Dunnellon and Williston are jointly committed
to protecting the groundwater and surface water basin that supplies water to Rainbow Springs
knowing that their citizens benefit from plentiful clean water in the aquifer and in the springs;
And Be it Further Resolved: The Cities of Williston and Dunnellon will promote and
support actions, when feasible, to protect groundwater to benefit Rainbow Springs and the
freshwater in the aquifer upon which both communities rely.
______________________________
____________________________
Fred Ward, Mayor
City of Dunnellon
R. Gerald Hethcoat, Mayor
City of Williston
52
June 10, 2009

Annual Report 2008-2009

Transcription

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