[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]






                                           ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS
                                                                    RESOURCE ASSESSMENT &
                                                          GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN


                                                                                     THE FLORIDA GREENWAYS PROGRAM OF
                                                                                                           1 000 FRIENDS OF FLORIDA &
                                                                                                                     THE CONSERVATION FUND

                                                              NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT


                                                                                                                                    SEPTEMBER 1 994


















                                      4

                                           PA









                                                              7A@!K 3,Ao@7


                         This report was prepared for the Department of Community Affairs, Linda Loomis Shelley, Secretary, in cooperation
                         with US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospherc Administration
                         Funding for this program was provided in part by Coo,eralivo Agreement No. NA370711417 awarded to the Department of Community Affairs ofthe State olFlorida
                         by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Department of Commerce. Matching funds provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation.
                         Points of view, opinions and conclusions expressed in this report are those of the recipient and do not necessarily represent the official position or
                         policies of the State of Florida, Department of Community Affairs, the US Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or
                         any other agenncy of the state or federal government









                                                    PREFACE

                    In 1991, 1000 Friends of Florida and The Conservation Fund teamed together to
             establish the Florida Greenways Program to aid in the conservation of greenways
             throughout Florida. The Florida Greenways Program is involved with greenway planning
             initiatives on the state and local levels. Since 1993, 1000 Friends of Florida has actively
             worked with the 38 member governor appointed Florida Greenways Commission. The
             mission of the Florida Greenways Commission is to establish a statewide system of linked
             open space (greenways), parks and re   fuges and recognize 150 greenways in celebration
             of Florida's sesquicentennial (150th) birthday in 1995.


                    On the local level, the Florida Greenways Program has initiated four regional
             prototype greenway planning projects. These greenway planning projects include: the
             Suncoast River Based Greenways Project in the Tampa area, the Loxahatchee Slough
             Greenways Project in Martin and Palm Beach counties, Broward County Urban River
             Greenways, the proposed South Walton Greenways effort in southern Walton County, and
             the Apalachee Greenways Project in Florida's Big Bend area.


                    Each of these projects focuses on the particular planning needs for each local area.
             The Suncoast greenways project       focuses on the remaining green spaces along the
             Hillsborough, Alafia, Peace and Manatee Rivers. Hillsborough County has joined in the
             effort in establishing these rivers as greenways. The Loxahatchee Greenways effort is the
             first local project undertaken by the Florida Greenways Program and it focuses on the
             remaining greenway connections in a network connecting the natural areas of Jonathan
             Dickinson State Park, the Pal-Mar lands, the Dupuis Reserve, and the Corbett Wildlife
             Management Area. The Broward County Urban River Greenway effort focuses on
             designing and implementing a water-based greenways network in Broward County. This
             network will utilize the New River, the Intercoastal Waterway and the South Florida Water
             Management District's canal system to enhance community by providing open space and
             recreation. The decommissioned Cross Florida Barge Canal is being converted into the
             Cross Florida Greenway. 1000 Friends of Florida worked closely with the Canal Lands








              Advisory Committee, the governors office and the legislature on the preparation of the
              greenway management plan.


                     In January 1993, the Florida Greenways Program, The Red Hills Conservation
              Association and the Apalachee Land Conservancy began working on a recreational,
              natural, cultural, and historic resource assessment of the Apalachee Region. Since that
              time, the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the region's local governments
              have joined in the assessment effort. The Apalachee Greenways Project focuses on a six
              county region of northern Florida (Gadsden, Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties) and
              southern Georgia (Thomas and Grady counties) stretching from the Aucilla River on the
              east to the Ochlockonee River on the west. The Apalachee Greenways Project highlights
              the significance of the region's historical canopy roads and plantations and the rivers
              providing their natural and cultural ties of the Red Hills to the river ports on the Gulf of
              Mexico. The Apalachee Greenways Project is being conducted in a series of three phases
              over a period of three years: Phase 1 - Regional Assessment and Visioning; Phase 2 -
              Network Planning and Demonstration Project; and Phase 3 - Resource Protection
              Implementation. The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Resource Assessment and Greenway
              Protection Plan is Phase 2 of the Apalachee Greenways Project.


                     The assessement and plan focuses on the St. Marks River watershed which
              includes the Wakulla River. The assessment addresses the watershed's cultural,
              historical, recreational and natural features. Like the broader Apalachee Greenways
              Project, the assessment and plan is centered on the rivers. The St. Marks and Wakulla
              Rivers link the communities of Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties. They have been
              used for thousands of years by various peoples settling in the Apalachee Region. They
              provide Apalachee Bay with nutrient rich water sustaining a healthy population of finfish
              and shellfish. The project emphasizes the need for greenway planning at the local,
              regional and state levels to maintain the existing water quality of the rivers.









                                            EXECUTIVE SUMMARY



                    The Northwest Florida W   ater Management District, the Florida Greenways Program
             of 1000 Friends of Florida and the Conservation Fund, and the Florida Coastal
             Management Program have collaborated to develop a comprehensive resource
             assessment and greenway protection plan for the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers. This report
             assesses and maps the natural, recreational and historic resources in the St. Marks and
             Wakulla rivers watershed and offers recommendations for greenway conservation along
             the two rivers. This report is part of the Apalachee Greenways Project, a three-year effort
             funded by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation and Waste Management Inc., Florida
             Group, to assess the region's greenway opportunities and identify potential conflicts with
             future growth. The St. Marks and Wakulla River Greenway assessment and plan is the
             second phase of the broader Apalachee project, and is funded in part by the Florida
             Coastal Management Program.


                     Greenways are a land and water conservation tool that can enhance open space
             and recreational opportunities, provide economic and community benefits, and
             intergovernmental cooperation. A greenway is a corridor of protected open space that is
             managed for conservation and/or recreation. They link natural reserves, parks, cultural
             and historic sites with each other, and in some cases with urban areas. Greenways can
             serve many ecological and recreational functions: as habitat for plants and animals; as
             conduits allowing movement; as barriers to noise, light and unsightly views; as sources of
             seed allowing natural succession in adjacent areas; as places to visit and explore; as
             conduits for people along trails; as biological filters trapping nutrients and pollutants; and
             as sinks capturing floodwaters.


                     This is the first study of the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed to map and
             quantify at a detailed level the type, location, and extent of land uses and land cover.
             Satellite imagery data from 1993 was analyzed using the Northwest Florida Water
             Management District's Geographic Information System. Low-density residential uses
             comprise six percent of the total watershed with other urban types of land uses making up














               IV

               less than one percent. Non-urban land uses comprise 93 percent of the watershed with
               silviculture uses (36 percent), natural upland forests (25 percent), and wetlands (18
               percent) predominating.


                      Environmentally    sensitive and important habitat lands were assessed to aid
               identification and mapping of greenway linkages (see Figure 1 - St. Marks and Wakulla
               Rivers Greenway). The Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission (FGFWFC) and
               the Florida Natural Areas Inventory provided data on land use and land cover, strategic
               habitat conservation areas, and rare animal, plant and communities occurrences. The
               FGFWFC data shows there are extensive areas of critical habitat throughout the
               watershed with the largest and highest quality habitat areas associated with the rivers.


                      Nonpoint source pollution (NPS) must be minimized if the quality of the St. Marks
               and Wakulla Rivers is to be protected. The assessment found that urban areas have the
               highest per-acre pollution rates while natural woodlands and silvicultural areas have the
               lowest per-acre pollution rates. On a watershed basis, forested and agricultural areas
               contribute the greatest NIPS pollution load, but only because they have the greatest land
               coverage. These results suggest that NPS pollution can be expected to increase if
               silvicultural and forest lands are converted to more intensive land uses such as agriculture,
               residential or commercial. Implementation of best management practices (BMPs) for
               silviculture, agriculture and urban development are one important way to minimize NIPS
               pollution.   Best management practices are guidelines established by the Florida
               Department of Agriculture in conjunction with the forest/timber industry guiding forestry
               operations on proper tree harvesting, removal and replanting. Silviculture operations use
               the BMP's to determine where to harvest trees near rivers and streams and how much to

               harvest adjacent to streams.


                      The watershed's extensive public conservation lands provide many outstanding
               recreational opportunities. Annually, over one million visitors to the watershed fish, hunt,






                                                              Proposed                                             St                Marks and Wakulla                                                                                        Rivers                                G reen way

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 0-4                                                                             City of
                                            Leon Po                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Tallahassee
                                                         Jefferson



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              -10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Proposed
                                                                                           Lake                                                                                                                                                                      Jefferson                  Cc.                              Greenway
                                                                                          Tdkuin                                                                                                    ..Ld.ke     yette .
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              WMD'Bounda@y
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Public Lands

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   7

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 CARL Lands
                                                                                     X,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 (Proposed)
                                   Figure 1                                                                                                                                                                                                      T-

                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Trom    Roc
                             This publication was made possible by a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Watershed
                        subgr.nt from the Florida Department of Community
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Boundary
                          Affairs, In Cooperation with the US. Department
                           of Commerce, National Oceania and Atmospheric
                             Adminlstr.tlon, under Cooperative Agreement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Major Roads
                        provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation
                            Award No. NA37OZO427.     Additional funding
                          and Northwest Florida Water Management District.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Transmission
                                                                                                                                                                                                              RO
                                 September 1994                                                                                                                 2                                                                                                                                                                Lines
                                                                                                                                                                                                     stural Bridge


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 County &
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 WMD Boundary
                                                                                                                                                                                   IngS
                              0                  5                 10
                                                km                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Proposed Trails
                        0                                                8
                                                          ---------------- - -                                                                                       A                                       %
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                FNS
                                               miles
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Q                                                                           Existing Trails

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Canoe Trails
                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Me  k
                               Florida
                            Gwriways                                                                                                                                                                                                                            q_-,*
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      A&         Historic Features
                                                                                                  1104
                                            Vjater
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Natural             Features


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Recreational
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Features














                                                                                                         VII

              hike, swim, horse-back ride, off-road bicycle, in-line skate, canoe, kayak, and watch
              wildlife. They use trails such  as the Florida National Scenic Trail, the Tallahassee-St.
              Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, the Big Bend Historic Saltwater Paddling Trail, and the
              canoe trails of the Wakulla and St. Marks rivers. Visitors enjoy outdoor recreational
              activities in the Apalachicola National Forest, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, and at
              Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park. They also learn about the areas rich historical
              and cultural past at Fort San Marcos de Apalache State Historic Site and Natural Bridge
              Battlefield State Historic Site. All of these combine to make watershed an outstanding
              ecotourism destination and while contributing to the regional economic base.


                     Because of the relatively undeveloped nature of the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers,
              the opportunity to conserve this natural greenway corridor still be exist. This greenway
              can help protect the water quality and fisheries of the rivers and Apalachee Bay, and help
              maintain their aesthetic and recreational appeal. These greenways are the watershed's
              linchpins for the ecosystem and the foundation on which to expand the area's economy
              through ecotourism.


                     The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway is the unifying link between the
              watershed's conservation lands. Nearly all of the outdoor recreational activities within the
              basin are associated with the greenway in some manner. Wildlife thrives in the upper and
              lower reaches of the greenway. People recreate, live and work within and adjacent to it.
              and the greenway can help create a sense of place giving this unique area its own

              distinctive character.



                     The  St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway will provide a rallying point or focus
              for conserving the natural, recreational and cultural resources which make the river
              corridors so attractive for people and wildlife. Living and owning property in the greenway
              does not impose additional restrictions on how lands are used.                 The existing
              comprehensive plan, development requirements and private and public stewardship will














               Vill


               continue to be the primary tools to conserve the qualities of the greenway. Residents and
               property owners within the greenway are recommended to voluntarily continue and
               strengthen their stewardship of their lands. The greenway will provide a focus for federal,
               state, regional and local agencies to work together with landowners, businesses and
               visitors to retain the watershed's qualities which are enjoyed by all. The resulting
               partnerships will help focus financial, administrative and stewardship resources so they
               are better coordinated and produce more effective results. The benefits of a coordinated
               greenway stewardship effort are much greater than the sum of the separate conservation
               and planning practices. Conserving the greenway is an excellent mechanism for ensuring
               sustainable development in the watershed.


                      There are many different tools that can and should be used the conserve the
               greenway. These range from private stewardship to community planning and public land
               acquisition. Citizens and public officials have the tools and are using them to conserve
               the important natural, recreational, and cultural resources of the greenway. Local
               governments should consider using the local comprehensive planning process to
               incorporate greenways into their communities. The provision of the plan revised to
               incorporate greenways could emphasize the economic and recreational benefits a
               community can realize if it works with other local governments as well as state and federal
               conservation efforts. Using the local planning process could help establish visibility and
               cohesiveness of the greenway concept while maintaining the necessary flexibility for each
               local government.      The local governments should focus upon ways to improve
               intergovernmental cooperation and build public and private partnerships to conserve the

               greenway.


                      State and federal agencies also need to play a significant role in conserving the
               remaining large tracts of undeveloped land along both rivers. The majority of these lands
               are owned by a few owners and are managed principally for silviculture. Surface water
               protection could be improved through the development of a surface water improvement














                                                                                                     'x

             and management program (SWIM) by the Northwest Florida Water Management District
             for the watershed. Lastly, the important role that citizens, users and landowners as
             stewards of the greenway is critical to this effort. Without their support and participation,
             this greenway conservation effort can not be successful.


                    In conclusion, the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers and their watershed offer an broad
             range of land and water conservation possibilities while providing eco-tourism economic
             development opportunities. The outstanding resources of the watershed and the
             Apalachee Region provide landowners, citizens and government with many opportunities
             to establish partnerships for land and water stewardship and enhance economic
             prosperity. Conserving the St. Marks and Wakulla River Greenway will help the
             watershed's communities take advantage of these opportunities.










                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS







            Preface   ..............................................................


            Executive Summary      ..................................................
            Table of Contents    .....................................................          X

            List of Tables and Figures   .............................................         X11

            Acknowledgements       .................................................           x1i,

            Chapter 11- Overview     .................................................          1
                   Greenways - Defined   .............................................          5
                   Ecological and Recreational Functions of Greenways    ...................    6
                   Benefits of Greenways   ...........................................         11

            Chapter 2 - Resource Assessment of the St. Marks and Wakulla
                       River Watershed   ............................................          15
                   Overview   .....................................................            15
                   Land Use Assessment     ...........................................         21
                   Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment    ..............................      29
                   St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Resource Inventory   .....................     43
                          Natural Resources of the Watershed   ..........................      43
                          Recreational Resources of the Watershed   ......................     50
                   The Economic Benefits of Ecotourism in the Watershed   .................    59



            Chapter 3 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway       ......................     63
                   St. Marks River Portion of the Greenway  .............................      71
                   Wakulla River Portion of the Greenway   ..............................      74














                                                                                                    X1






              Chapter 4 -Local and State Conservation Programs         .......................      77
                    Local Resource Conservation Programs       .............................        77
                    Review of the Local Government Comprehensive Plans        .................     78
                           Town of St. Marks    .........................................           80
                           Wakulla County    ...........................................            80
                           Jefferson County    ..........................................           82
                           City of Tallahassee/Leon County     .............................        83
                    Review of State Resource Protection Programs       .......................      84


              Chapter 5 - Recommendations For Conserving
                         *the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway         ...................     91
                    Recommendations for the Local Governments        ........................       92
                    Recommendations for Regional, State and Federal Agencies        ...........    102
                    Recommendations for Individuals, Landowners, Private Interests and Users 106
                    Issues and Concerns Identified by the St. Marks and Wakulla
                    Rivers Greenway Steering Committee      ..............................         107

              Literature Cited ....................................................                111


              Appendix 1 - Land Use and Land Cover Assessment           ...................       A - I

              Appendix 2 - Description of the Florida Land Use, Land Cover Classification
                    System (FLUCCS)       ...........................................             A -3

              Appendix 3 - Nonpoint Source Pollution Assessment         ...................       A-7

              Appendix 4 - Review of Stormwater Loading Rates from the Available
                    Literature   .................................................              A - 19

              Appendix 5 -St. Marks and Wakull Rivers Greenway Steering Committee.. A-35







                                 UST OF FiGuRES AND T'ABLES


            List of Figures

            Figure 1- Proposed St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway     ...................    vi

            Figure 2 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Study Area    ................    2

            Figure 3 - What is a Greenway   ...........................................         5

            Figure 4 - Ecological and Recreational Functions of Greenways  .................    6
            Figure 5 - Benefits of Greenways  .........................................         11
            Figure-6 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Existing Land Use
                    and Land Cover   ................................................           27


            Figue 7 - What is Karst Topography    .....................................         43

            Figure 8 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Recreational, Historical
                    and Cultural Resources  ..........................................          51


            Figure 9 - Comparative Use Trends    ......................................         60

            Figure 10 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Natural Resource
                    Assessment   ...................................................            67



            List of Tables


            Table 1  ............................................................               24


            Table 2  .............................................................              26


            Table 3  ............................................................               34


            Table 4  ............................................................               59









                                                      X11









                                                         ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


                            We would like to thank the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation, the Florida Department of Community
                   Affairs Coastal Zone Management Program, the U.S. Department of Commerce National Oceanic and
                   Atmospheric Administration, and Waste Management Inc., Florida Group for their financial support of the
                   project. This report was prepared by Robert Williams, Kent Wimmer and David Gluckman of the Florida
                   Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and the Conservation Fund and by Tyler Macmillan, Luann
                   Rains, and Daryl Huffman of the Northwest Florida Water Management District. We would like to thank the
                   staff of 1000 Friends of Florida and of the Northwest Florida Water Management District for their contributions
                   to this project We would also like to thank those individuals who provided us with direction, information, and
                   research materials for the writing of this report, including:

                            Jim Cox, Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission
                            Steve Leitman
                            Clif Maxwell, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks
                            Jim Muller, The Florida Natural Areas Inventory
                            Robin Will, St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

                            We would like to thank the following citizens who attended the St. Marks Greenway Steering
                   Committee whom volunteered their time and energies in helping shape the project. We would also like to thank
                   Ouids Vicks and the City of St. Marks for graciously hosting the steering committee meetings. Members of the
                   steering committee provided suggestions, comments and ideas for the report, but the reports findings,
                   conclusions and recommendations do not necessarily reflect those of the following steering committee
                   members.


                            Jeannette Brooks
                            Mickey Cantner, HuManatee
                            Scott Causey, Wakulla County Planning Commission
                            Craig Diamond, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department
                            Mike Donovan, Apalachee Regional Planning Council
                            Gretchen Evans, TNT Hideaway
                            Mike Gerrell.
                            Pete Gerrell
                            Russell Grace, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department
                            William Hees, Tallahassee/Leon County Planning Department
                            Ken Kirton
                            Barry Laffin
                            Jack Leffert
                            Nelson Martin
                            Joanna Mawer
                            Clif Maxwell, Florida Park Service
                            Ed Mills, Director, Wakulla County Planning Department
                            Blayne Newsome, St. Joe Land and Development Company
                            Anne Rakestraw
                            Cynthia Rusling
                            Robert Seidler
                            Ouida Vicks, City of St. Marks
                            Jackie Youngstrand

                            Finally, to all those people noted above and the many more that helped who are not specifically
                   identified, we thank you, but any errors or omissions in this assessment and plan are attributable to the authors.

                                                                              X




I
I
I-
I                                   )t dh
I
I   OVERVIEW
I
I
I
I
'I
I
I
I
I
I
    CHAPTER I                  f- L@d: @




I
'I
I









                                          CHAFrTER I -OVERVIEW


                      In late 1993 the Northwest Florida Water Management District, 1000 Friends of
              Florida, and the Florida Coastal Management Program teamed up to complete a
              comprehensive resource assessment and greenway protection plan for the St. Marks and
              Wakulla rivers. The watershed of these two rivers is the next project listed on Northwest
              Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan
              (SWIM) priority list. The Florida Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and the
              Conservation Fund is conducting a three year study of the Apalachee region and joined
              the District in emphasizing the significance of the St. Marks watershed in terms of the
              diverse productive natural resources, scenic recreational resources, and the historical and
              cultural assets. The drainage basins of the St. Marks River and its largest tributary, the
              Wakulla River, comprise the St. Marks Watershed (see Figure 2 - Project Boundary Map).


                     Because of the relatively undeveloped nature along these rivers, there is an
              opportunity to take a proactive approach to develop effective long term conservation
              strategies for these two rivers. Unlike many south and central Florida rivers which are
              already largely developed or degraded by development, the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers
              currently have relatively good water quality which supports healthy fresh and saltwater
              ecosystems, including an important commercial and recreational fisheries (Hand and
              Paulic 1992 b).


                     The opportunity exists for interested citizens and local, regional and state officials
              to strengthen river stewardship efforts by conserving natural greenway






                                                             dh





              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN






                                                                    St Marks                                    and Wakulla- Rivers Watershed                                                                                                           'Study                       Area
                                                                                                                                                                          7-W,             `7

                                                        Leon Co.

                                                                  Jefferson Co.



                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Jeff rson Co
                                                                                          @h Lake
                                                                                              Ta@uin
                                              Walculle Co-                                                                                                                              Lak       yec@p
                                                      'Z
                                                                                                                       Hwy  20                                                                                                                        WMD Boundary


                                                                                                                                                                                               T.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   City of
                                                Figure 2                                                                                                      LM-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Tallahassee

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     R0
                                           Thl. pubil-tion    ad. .-iblir by a
                                                                                                                                                     Lake
                                                                                                                                                    If                                                                .. ....
                                       riubgrant from the Florida Department of Community 1.
                                                                                                                                                     unson@--@@


                                         Affairs, in oooperation with the U.S. DOP.Ftment
                                         of Commerce, National Ooeumlo end Atmo.pherlo

                                           Administration, under Cooperative Agreement
                                                                                                                         C o
                                                                                                          ,Leon                                                                                                                                                                                    Watershed

                                          Award No. NA370ZO427. Additional funding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Study Area
                                       provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation
                                        and  o thw..t Florida Water Management Dictriat.
                                                                                                                                                                                               4
                                              September 1994
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Watershed

                                                                                                                                       .4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Boundary


                                                                                              Wakulla CO.

                                                                           10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Major Roads
                                                                                                                                                                                   N
                                                           km



                                                          -riles

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 %
                                                                                                                                             Crawfordville                                                                                                                                         Transmission
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Lines

                                                                                                                                                                                                -Vark
                                             Nwida
                                           Greenways

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   County &
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   WMD Boundary


                                                                                        0


                                                                                    r











                                                                                                         3

              corridors along the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers. Because it is cheaper and easier to
              prevent water quality degradation than it is to clean it up, efforts should be initiated now
              to conserve the existing greenways along these rivers.


                     The St. Marks and Wakulla rivers have many other positive attributes besides good
              water quality. The river and their associated swamp forest, sloughs, and marshes, support
              an abundance of wildlife. The port Town of St. Marks is dependent upon the St. Marks
              River channel to support shipping as well as commercial and recreational fishing activities.
              The natural beauty and clean waters of this area draw many people to live, work and enjoy
              the watershed's diverse recreational opportunities. Conserving the natural greenway
              corridor along the rivers will help maintain their aesthetic and recreation appeal while
              preserving. the ecological function of the riverine forest system.


                     This river system provides habitat for hundreds of different species of plants and
              animals who share the river and its banks with people and their homes. The ecological
              aspects of the rivers should be managed in perpetuity because a healthy functioning
              ecosystem not only benefits the plants and animals, but it also benefits people.


                      There have been no comprehensive studies made on the St. Marks and Wakulla
              rivers, but fortunately these rivers have characteristics similar to other more extensively
              studied Florida river systems. This report assesses the natural, recreational and historic

              resources within the St. Marks and Wakulla River Watershed and offers recommendations

              for conserving the greenway along the two river-systems, including:






                                                                       k-r





              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











              4

                            a description of the greenway concept and the benefits greenways can
                            provide the region' communities;

                            documentation of existing watershed land uses and land cover through
                            analysis of satellite imagery using the District's Geographic Information
                            System (GIS);

                            an analysis of nonpoint source pollution;
                            an assessment of the natural, recreational and historical resources of the
                            watershed;

                            greenway opportunities in the watershed;

                            a review of local government comprehensive plans;

                            a review of state programs that could assist with greenway conservation;

                            recommendations for the development of the St. Marks and Wakulla River
                            Greenways and;

                            citizen concerns regarding greenway planning.



















                                                          A





             ST. MARKS AND WAKULL-A RivERs RF-soURCF- AssF-ssmE:NT   GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                                    5

                                             GREENWAYS - DEFINED



                       Greenways are a land and water conservation tool that can enhance open space,
               and     recreational     opportunities,      provide
               economic and community benefits, and
               improve      intergovernmental         coordination.               What is a Greenway?
               Figure 3 provides the definition of a greenway                   A greenway is a corridor of
               adopted      by     the     Florida      Greenways       protected open space that is managed
                                                                        for conservation and/or recreation. The
               Commission. Greenways can be classified on               common characteristic of greenways is
               a continuum from ecological to conservation to           that they all go somewhere. Greenways
               recreational greenways. Ecological greenways             often follow natural land or water
                                                                        features, like ridges or rivers. They link
               are designed and maintained primarily for                natural reserves, parks, cultural and
               wildlife    habitat    protection.         Typically,    historic sites with each other, and in
                                                                        some cases with urban areas.
               development is limited in the ecological                 Greenways not only protect
               greenway because these greenways are often               environmentally sensitive lands and
                                                                        wildlife habitat, but they also provide
               located in pristine natural areas where there is         people with outdoor recreation
               little human encroachment or urbanization.               opportunities -.*-
                                                                      I Florida Greenways Program 1992a.
                                                                      Figure 3
                       Conservation greenways provide both
               natural resource protection and recreation benefits. A conservation greenway is a linear
               landscape feature that facilitates biologically effective transport of both animals and plants
               between larger patches of habitat dedicated to conservation (Soule 1991). Soule points
               out that corridors / greenways are transitional habitat and that they only need to provide
               the necessary resources for plant or animal movement from one area to another (Soule
               1991). However, if the greenway corridor is large enough it can also provide for wildlife








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                6

                habitat. Trails and other passive recreation opportunities can be developed within a
                conservation greenway (Florida Greenways Program 1992 a).


                      Recreational greenways are primarily managed for public access and enjoyment
                through trails. Trails are marked routes that provide access to and appreciation of the
                values of natural areas and greenspaces, present diverse resource based outdoor
                recreational opportunities, and enhance the understanding of historical sites and cultural
                diversity.



                   ECOLOGICAL AND RECREATIONAL FUNCTIONS OF GREENWAYS


                                                                                The landscape in the

                                                                         watershed is a series                of

                                                                         interactions     between        plants,
                                                                         animals, the soil and water. A
                HABITAT             CONDUIT                FILTER        healthy environment depends on
                                                                         maintaining     these     interactions
                                                                         (Labaree 1992). When planning
                                                                         for future growth the interactions

                                                                         and     natural    connections       of
                                                                         andscape need to be considered.
                                                           SINK          Greenways can provide landscape
          Figure 4, Labaree 1992.                                        linkages to recreational trails. There
                are the six ways greenways can function as ecological and recreational units and these
                concepts are based on landscape ecology principals.



                                                               db
                                                      gFiLTER





                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE AssEssmENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                           7


              HAE31TAT




                           Greenways can function as wildlife habitat, but this will depend on the size of
                           the greenway. The nature of the surrounding land also effects the function of
                           habitat suitability. Generally, the larger a greenway, the more species it will
                           support, because many interior species will not tolerate competition from edge
              species. Edge species are those plants and animals that are found in open or developed
              land. They can live almost anywhere and feed on a wide variety of foods. Interior forest
              species often have very specific diets and habitat requirements. The Pinhook Swamp
              connecting the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Georgia to the Osceola National
              Forest in Florida is an excellent example of how greenways offer habitat protection and
              preservation. The Pinhook Greenway functions as a protected large landscape linkage
              between the larger core habitat areas of the swamp and national forest providing habitat
              for large predators such as the Florida Panther and the Florida Black Bear.



              CONDUITS




                      The typical conservation greenway is a linear feature providing for animal
              and plant dispersion across the landscape. These greenways function as wildlife
              conduits by providing safe protected passages between conservation areas. By
              increasing the effective size of the habitat and providing wildlife access to varied
              areas, conduit greenways provide a mechanism countering the effects of habitat
              fragmentation caused by urbanization. By increasing the effective size of the habitat,









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               8

               conduit greenways can help species meet their home range needs by linking parks and
               conservation areas with a network of protected open space. The greenway itself may not
               actually be large enough to serve as habitat. However, if the greenway links to other
               larger parcels of land, then. the linkage itself increases the effective habitat by
               reconnecting the land.


                      River corridors and ridgelines are typical examples of conduit greenways. The linear
               dendritic pattern of riparian forests makes them ideal collectors and transporters of wildlife
               across the regional landscape. Ideally, riparian greenways would be designed to be wide
               enough to encompass a broad range of habitat types for aiding plant and animal
               movement (Noss and Harris 1989).


                      Greenways can also function as recreational conduits by providing an*
               interconnected network of trails or scenic highways for the purposes of linking people with
               points of interest, scenic vistas, natural, cultural and historic resources or for providing
               wilderness solitude and personal challenges. The Appalachian Trail is an excellent
               example of a greenway functioning as a recreational conduit. The Tallahassee-St. Marks
               Historic Railroad State Trail, the Blue Ridge Parkway, canopy roads, and urban river/bay
               wa Iks are additional examples of how greenways function as recreational conduits.
               Greenways also provide opportunities for alternative transportation through multi-purpose
               trails. Trails are different from greenways in that they do not exist alone, but instead
               traverse greenways, parks and other open space areas. Trails are defined as linear
               corridors, on land or water, with protected status and public access for recreation or
               transportation (National Park Service 1990). Trails link people with the natural and

               cultural environment.









               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivE:Rs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN













              BARRIERS



                              Greenway vegetation can function as barriers to unsightly views and noise
                4-     if large enough in size. By protecting scenic vistas and landscapes, greenways
                       can provide a sense of place or character for a particular area such as the
                       canopy roads and historic plantations in north Florida and south Georgia's Red
                       Hills Region. Conservation easements along scenic roads and improved urban
              river fronts such as San Antonio's River Walk, could function as barrier greenways.



              FiLTERS



                     Greenways can function as natural filters.       Riverine greenways are
              receivers of nutrients from uplands and feeder streams. Riverine greenways can
              filter out nutrients, sediments, and other pollutants from stormwater runoff. This
              is dependent on the greenway's size and the type and quality of vegetation of the
              riparian greenway. Woody plants will remove more nitrogen and phosphorous
              from nutrient rich run-off than non-woody species.























              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               10


              SINKS



                              Riparian greenways can act as nutrient sinks through the moderation of
                       water flow in the associated river and the absorption of water and associated
                       nutrients into the groundwater. These phenomena are especially evident during
                       natural periodic floods that the river/stream experiences. Recreation based
                       greenways can function as sinks by focusing use to an area designed to
              accommodate that use and minimize impacts on the areas requiring special protection.



              SOURCES



                     Finally, greenways can function as biological sources. They can be sources of
              native seeds for wetland and upland species.          If the surrounding land use
              patterns are urban or agricultural in nature, then the greenways function as linear
              seed banks. This becomes especially evident if the adjacent land is left fallow
              and undeveloped. Ecological succession would occur and the greenway could
              be the seed source for succession. Greenways can also provide protected water
              sources for wildlife and plants if they are located along rivers or streams.


                     Depending on the design and for whom or what the greenway             is intended, a
              greenway could provide all six functions within the greenway or it may just serve one or
              two functions. All ecological greenway functions can occur only if the greenway is large
              or long enough and is connected to important habitat areas. Spatial scale is an important
              factor in considering greenway function. Scale or size determines what plants and animals








              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN










              can utilize the greenway and how well the greenway functions as a filter. If the greenway
              is too small it will not be of much use to large mammals or as a river or lakeside water

              filter.



                                       BENEFITS OF GREENWAYS


                     No other conservation initiative effectively provides as many benefits or serves so
              many different purposes as greenways. Greenways not only help protect environmentally



                                   BENEFITS PROVIDED By GREENWAYS


                @0     Decrease habitat fragmentation by connecting core habitat areas,

                0      Provide plant and animal habitat,

                       Aid in reducing the effects of flooding by maintaining the natural floodway where water
                       can naturally accumulate,

                4.     Maintain and improve river water quality through the natural filtration of nutrients and
                       sediments,

                       Enhance recreation opportunities for land or water- based activities,

                       Provide for historic interpretation,

                4@     Offers a great business marketing tool for communities searching for ecotourism -
                       related businesses,

                +      Increase property values of homes and business located adjacent to the greenway,

                       Provide a measuring stick and marketing philosophy used by many communities to help
                       determine the quality of life of their community, and

                       Provide people a quiet place from which to draw inner strength

               Figure 5 Sources: Greenways, Inc. and the Florida Greenways Program



                                                           db





              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLARIVERs RESOURCEAsSESSIVIENT& GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN










          sensitive lands and wildlife habitat, but they also provide people with outdoor recreation
          opportunities. These benefits are highlighted in Figure 5.


          GREENWAYS AND WATER QUALITY PROTECTION


                Greenways provide water quality protection by conserving floodplains which
          provide water storage and conveyance during high water periods as well as filtering
          functions for stormwater runoff. The ecological integrity of a stream or river is largely
          affected by its response to sediment, nutrients, and other materials originating from the
          surrounding uplands (Binford and Buchenau 1993).


               Greenways also reduce the impacts of non-point pollution and reduce the impacts
          of flooding on property and human lives, while also providing for wildlife habitat.


            GREENwAy BENEFTM TO WATER           Greenways help regulate water
                      QuALrry              temperatures through  shading   by
          * Hydrologic Regulation of Stream Flow -overhanging trees along the waterbody
           Flood Management
          # Sediment and Nutrient Filtration / Control (Binford and Buchenau 1993)  This
          # Nutrient Removal
          +Water Temperature Regulation    becomes more important in headwater areas
                                           where the streams can be almost entirely
                                           covered by the natural canopy of the forest.
          Many species of freshwater fish can not tolerate high water temperatures, because warmer
          waters carry less oxygen.











          ST. MARK5 AND WAKULLA RIVERs RESOURCF- AS5E5SMENT & GREENWAY PROTEcTiON PLAN











                                                                                                       13


              GREENWAYS AND QUALITY OF LIFE


                     Greenways can improve the quality of life of the communities which they connect
              and pass through. One of the most important intangible benefits is conserving scenic
              areas, thus helping a community retain its distinctive character. Greenways are a tool to
              develop a sense of community by providing linkages to neighborhoods and parks.
              Greenways provide a meeting place for cultural exchange where citizens can talk to one
              another about events of the day.         Greenways are now being incorporated into
              neotraditional neighborhood designs linking communities and parts of communities
              through a series of open spaces and parks. Greenways have the potential to get people
              out of their homes and cars and into the openness of their neighborhoods and
              communities where they can meet their neighbors.


                     There are also several tangible benefits of greenways. Studies have shown that
              real property values have increased 5 to 20 percent in residential areas located next to or
              within the greenway. The National Home Builders Association reported a 10 to 20 percent
              increase in value of residential property in the vicinity of park facilities (Greenways, Inc
              1994). In Raleigh, North Carolina people selling their homes near greenways, often use
              the amenity value of the greenway as a marketing and sales tool (Greenways, Inc 1994).


                     Greenways in these cases can also aid property owners through whose lands they
              pass by making them eligible for reductions in real estate taxes, income and estate taxes.
              Usually, the owner would retain the ownership of the land, but would agree to limit
              development in the greenway through a conservation easement. Other options include
              purchasing the land in fee simple or leasing the land for a number of years (Greenways,
              Inc 1994).



                                                            d1b
                                                        L@@dl @b
              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN















































































                                                     A




            ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE AsSES5MENT   GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN   14




I
I
I
I                                 )t
                 ...               db


                                I
I                                   -
I  RESOURCE ASSESSMENT OF THE ST. MARKS &
   WAKULLA RIVER WATERSHED
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
                              f @dh
                                _ L
   CHAPTER 2






I
I .









              CHAPTER 2 - RESOURCE ASSESSMENT OF THE ST. MARKS
                                 AND WAKULLA RIVERS WATERSHED


                                                     OVERVIEW

                    The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Project is located in the Apalachee
              region of Florida's Big Bend and is a part of the larger Apalachee Greenways Project. The
              name of the Apalachee Region is borrowed from the Apalachee Bay which forms the Gulf
              of Mexico's coast of along Wakulla County and portions of Franklin and Taylor counties.
              Due to the Apalachee Bay's shallow waters, its remoteness and the protected lands and
              waters of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, the Apalachee Region has one of
              Florida's most undeveloped coastlines. The Apalachee Region is also famous for its
              seafood, majestic live oaks, Florida's capital of Tallahassee with its universities, and its
              abundant natural, cultural and recreational resources which span from Thomasville,
              Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico.


                      The Apalachee region is home to a vast array of natural resource areas such as
              the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, Florida's largest national forest - the Apalachicola
              National Forest, extensive native stands of long leaf pine in the Red Hills Region of
              southern Georgia and northern Florida, and several Florida state parks, forests, recreation
              and historic sites. The Red Hills Region combined with the Apalachicola National Forest
              comprises Florida's largest nesting area for the threatened Red-cockaded Woodpecker.
              Over 600 colonies of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers occur within the National Forest having.
              The Apalachee region also provides excellent habitat for one of Florida's largest
              populations of Florida Black Bear.






                                                            dh




              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLARIVERs RESOURCEAsSESSMENT& GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN                  15











               16

                     Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in and associated with the region's
              many natural resource areas. The Apalachicola National Forest has over 100 miles of
              hiking and equestrian trails and 15 developed recreation areas. Approximately 100 miles
              of the Florida National Scenic Trail traverses the southern part of the region passing
              through the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge and the Apalachicola National Forest. The
              16 mile long Tallahassee - St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail travels from Tallahassee
              to the riverside Town of St. Marks near the Gulf of Mexico where it intersects the Florida
              National Scenic Trail. The proposed GF&A Rail Trail will run 53 miles from Tallahassee
              to Carrabelle passing through historical communities like Sopchoppy and Arran. The
              Apalachee region is renowned for its hunting and boating opportunities. The coastal
              marshes and beaches provide opportunities for sea kayaking, windsurfing and saltwater
              fishing. The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge is an excellent place for bird watching.


                     Many historical places of interest are scattered throughout the region. The Red
              Hills area retains many historic plantations and buildings and a more traditional southern
              lifestyle. The communities of Quincy, Monitcello, Capps, Tallahassee, Thomasville, and
              Waukeenah have designated historic districts with many restored buildings on the National
              Historic Register. The canopy roads follow historic trade routes of 1800's and are some
              of the region's most distinctive features. The legacy of Spanish explorers and missionaries
              is interpreted through the Fort San Marcos de Apalache in St. Marks and the San Luis

              Mission in Tallahassee.



                     The threads that tie the Apalachee region together are the six rivers which drain the
              region - the Ochlockonee, Sopchoppy, Wakulla, St. Marks, Wacissa, and Aucilla rivers.
              These nutrient-rich rivers feed Apalachee Bays' productive fishery. These rivers have









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-noN PLAN











                                                                                                          17

               good water quality, little development along their banks, and offer excellent canoeing and
               fishing opportunities for the outdoor enthusiast. Spring fed rivers such as the Wacissa and
               Wakulla Rivers affords the opportunity to paddle along crystal clear waters, while the
               Ochlockonee, Sopchoppy, St. Marks and Aucilla Rivers are outstanding examples of
               tannin-stained blackwater rivers. The Woodville Karst Plain which is pocketed with sink
               holes and springs is in the southern portion of the Apalachee region. Wakulla Springs at
               Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park is one the world's largest first magnitude springs.
               The Leon Sinks Recreation Area in the Apalachicola National Forest provides visitors the
               opportunity to view many magnolia-lined sinks scattered through sand hills and pine forest.
               The rivers and springs are fed by the Floridan Aquifer which is replenished by an annual
               average rainfall of 60 inches.


                      The St. Marks Watershed, including the Wakulla River sub-basin, was chosen for
               greenway study and analysis by the Florida Greenways Program and the Northwest
               Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) for several reasons. First, the District is
               investigating the feasibility of initiating a Surface Water Improvement and Management
               Program (SWIM) for the St. Marks watershed as its next SWIM project for the District.
               Secondly, the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers retain many of their outstanding natural
               characteristics which warrant conservation. These rivers have good water quality
               supporting a wide variety of freshwater and estuarine plants and animals. The entire
               riverine and estuarine system could be degraded without proper land use stewardship and
               growth management. The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Project also
               represents an area specific demonstration project for the larger Apalachee Greenways
               effort. The goal of the project is to identify ways to conserve the river corridors and in the
               ecological, hydrological and economic functions which benefit the entire Apalachee



                                                              db





               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               18

              Region.


                     This project is intended to provide the framework for future greenway planning for
              the watershed. This project stresses a watershed approach to greenway and surface
              water protection because wildlife and nonpoint source water pollution do not recognize
              political boundaries. Many local, regional, state and private interests have been brought
              together to approach the greenway planning and mapping task as a regional
              effort.  The following sections describe the resource assessment and mapping
              components of the  project.


                     The project boundaries were selected through the analysis of United States
              Geological Survey (USGS) 1:24,000 quadrangle maps and other information from the
              Northwest Florida Water Management District. The project's watershed boundaries do not
              include the drainage basins of Lake Munson, Lake Lafayette or Lake Miccosukee. Since
              this project is a Coastal Zone Management Project, its concern is on direct surface water
              hydrologic boundaries and connections (see Figure 2 - Project Boundary). While these
              lakes do not have a direct surface water connection to either the St. Marks or the Wakulla

              rivers, these lakes do influence the water quality and quantity of the rivers through a
              groundwater interconnection. Analysis of these connections are beyond the scope of this
              study, both in terms of time and funding. Future analyses of the watershed should explore
              the relationships and connections between these lakes, the groundwater of the Floridan
              aquifer and the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers. The qualities of the St. Ma rks and Wakulla
              rivers can not be maintained without addressing the protection of both the interconnected
              surface and groundwater system.









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCF- ASSESSMENT        GREENWAY PROTECT10N PLAN










                     A focus of this project is identifying and mapping land uses, significant natural,
              cultural and recreational reso urces in the watershed, and a nonpoint source pollution
              assessment. Computerized digital resource data identifying important habitat areas and
              public lands were provided by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory and the Florida Game
              and Fresh Water Fish Commission. Cultural and recreational data were collected by the
              Florida Greenway Program from various sources including the Florida Trail Association,
              the USDA Forest Service, the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service, the Florida Department of
              Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of State, and local historians. Much of
              this data was gathered at an Apalachee Greenways mapping charrette held on May
              21,1993 in Tallahassee. Resource experts were invited to the charrette to map cultural,
              historical, recreational and natural resources on 1:100,000 quadrangle USGS maps. The
              non-computerized resource data collected for the project were mapped on 1:24,000
              quadrangle USGS maps and then digitized into to the NWFWMD Geographic Information
              System (GIS).


                     The criteria used in selecting the resources identified for the St. Marks Greenways
              Project includes the following:


                     41@    Significant habitat for listed species,
                     44.    Existing and proposed Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) lands
                     Ar     Significant natural features,
                            Significant cultural and historic sites (sensitive cultural and historical
                            features on private lands were not mapped).












              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











             20

                   4-    State parks, recreation areas, and historic sites where the public is invited
                         to visit,


                   +     Public recreational trails including the Florida National Scenic Trail, the

                         Tallahassee - St. Marks Historic Rail Trail and the Wakulla River State
                         Canoe Trail,
                   401   Unique geologic features of the region, such as sink holes and springs,
                         National Forest lands and recreation areas, and
                         Historic canopy roads open to the public.



























                                                     dh





            ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN










                                           LAND USE ASSESSMENT



                     The purpose of the land use assessment was the identification and mapping of
              existing land use and land cover for the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed. The St.
              Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed (see Figure 2 -Project Boundary Map) includes
              approximately 200,000 acres or about 310 square miles and includes portions of Wakulla,
              Leon and Jefferson counties. This was the first time that the type, location, and amounts
              of land use and land cover have been mapped and quantified at this level of detail for this
              watershed. Land use data were also used as the basis for the nonpoint source
              assessment. While this assessment has provided more detailed information than any
              previous studies, it should be noted that this information is intended for use at the regional
              level. Specific land cover for a particular site should be verified through site inspection.


                     Satellite image GIS analysis of 1993 data was used to map existing land use and
              land cover throughout the watershed. These maps provided an overview of existing land
              uses and vegetation within the watershed (Appendix 1). Existing land use and land cover
              were categorized using a state-wide classification system developed by the Florida
              Department of Transportation (FDOT) for consistency within Florida. (FDOT, 1985. See
              also Appendix 11).


                     The FDOT land use categories were chosen rather than the local comprehensive
              plan land use designations for two reasons. First, FDOT system includes land cover
              categories, such as upland forest, which are not addressed by the local comprehensive
              plans. Second, the statewide system provides a way to consistently categorize land use









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc'nON PLAN











              22

              within the watershed while the local land use categories differ between each city and
              county. For example, low den   sity residential in one county may be one dwelling per five
              acres and in another county, low density residential may include up to two dwellings per
              acre. Therefore, the land use designations used in this assessment may differ from those
              used in the local comprehensive plan existing and future land use maps.


                     Land use and land cover were identified based on what could be "seen" by the
              satellite. Ownership information was not included in the land use assessment. For
              example, a tract of land which is considered to be silviculture by the owner might include
              areas mapped as silviculture, brush lands, upland forest, or wetlands based on the visible
              land cover. It should also be noted that the areas identified as wetlands in this
              assessment may not be jurisdictional wetlands. Although the FDOT categorizes land
              cover as either uplands or wetlands, many of the "upland" forests classes were found in
              low, wet areas and contained approximately equal portions of upland and wetland
              vegetation. More than 40 categories of land use and land cover were mapped. For the
              purposes of this report, the land use and land cover data has been aggregated into 15
              categories. More detailed land use information is available on request from the N-WFWMD


                     Land use and land cover were checked through ground truthing on site or by air
              photos. Sites were selected for ground truthing based on accessibility. Much of the land
              within the watershed is either private property or not accessible by road.














              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT         GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                        23


              RESULTS



                     Land use and land cover within the watershed are shown in Figure 6 - St. Marks
              and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Existing Land Use and Land Cover. For discussion
              purposes all percentages have been rounded. The land use and land cover categories
              are consistent with the FDOT system.


                     Urban. Urban land use comprises 13,439 acres (7 percent) of the St. Marks and
              Wakulla Rivers watershed. This contrasts sharply with 185,274 (93 percent) acres of non-
              urban land use within the entire watershed (see Table 1, Land Use Acreage and
              Percentage). Low density residential represented the largest number of urban acres and
              made up 6 percent of the total watershed (12,240 acres). However, the majority of the
              residential lands could not truly be characterized as "urban". With the exception of the
              towns of St. Marks, and Crawfordville and the Woodville community, the average
              residential density within the watershed is approximately one dwelling unit per three acres.
              There were no FDOT medium (2 to 5 units per acre) or high density (greater than 5 units
              per acre) residential uses identified within the watershed.


                     Remaining urban categories indiVidually made up less than 1 percent of the acreage
              in the watershed. These categories included commercial (499 acres), industrial (454
              acres), and institutional (81 acres). Open urban land (111 acres) includes areas which
              have been cleared and have infrastructure but have not yet been developed. Recreational
              use (56 acres), includes the developed portions of Wakulla Springs. The undeveloped
              portions of the state park were classified by land cover type.











              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN







                                          TABLE 1. LANDUSE ACREAGE AND PERCENTAGE


                 24

                                  LANDUSE
                                  CATEGORY                   ACRES            PERCENTAGE


                                  Urban Land Uses in the Watershed


                                  Residential                    12,239.60              6.16%
                                  Commercial                        498.90              0.25%
                                  Industrial                        453.70              0.23%
                                  Institutional                        81.00            0.04%
                                  Recreation                           55.60            0.03%
                                  Open Urban Land                   110.60              0.06%


                                  Nonurban Land Uses and Land Cover in the Watershed


                                  Agriculture                    20,075.40             10.10%

                                  Shrub and Brushland              7,340.40             3.69%

                                  Upland Forest                  49,083.30             24.70%

                                  Silviculture                   71,049.60             35.75%

                                  Lakes/Waterways                  1,380.30             0.69%

                                  Wetlands                       36,033.00             18.13%


                                  Beaches                              20.20            0.01%


                                  Spoil/Barren                      166.40              0.08%

                                  Transport./Utilities              125.00              0.06%

                                  Urban Subtotal                 13,439.30              6.76%
                                  Nonurban Subtotal             185,273.50             93.24%
                                  Total Acres                   198,712.90            100.00%













                 ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT                      GREENWAY PROTECT10N PLAN











                                                                                                      25

                    Non-urban. Non-urban land use accounted for 93 percent (185,274 acres) of the
             acreage in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed (Table 1 - Land Use Acreage and
             Percentage). The greatest percentage of non-urban acreage in the watershed was
             silviculture (36 percent or 71,050 acres). Natural upland forests included 49,083 acres (25
             percent). Approximately one third of the natural upland forests are comprised of xeric
             (scrub) oak. Much of the upland forest lands are either located in the Apalachicola
             National Forest are owned by the forestry industry. Agriculture, which includes both
             cropland and pastures, comprising 20,075 acres (10 percent) within the watershed.
             Transportation and.utilities which comprising 125 acres (less than I percent) of the total
             watershed acreage. Lakes and waterways comprise 1,380 acres (less than 1 percent) of
             total watershed acreage, which are primarily the two rivers and their tributaries.


                    Wetlands comprise 36,003 acres (18 percent) of the watershed. Spoil/barren lands
             (166 acres) and beaches (20 acres) comprised less than 1 percent of the total acreage in
             the watershed and are located primarily within the coastal portion of the study area.



             COUNTY COMPARISONS



                    The relative distribution of urban and non-urban land use and land cover for each
             county is presented in Table 2 - Urban and Non-Urban Land Use and Land Cover Acreage
             and Percentage by County. The majority of acreage within the St. Marks and Wakulla
             Rivers watershed is located within Wakulla County (48 percent). Leon County comprises
             41 percent and Jefferson County comprises 10 percent of the total watershed acreage.





                                                           Ah     Ilia I
                                                       L@d h

             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE AssFzssmew & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN










                                            Table 2. Urban and Non-urban Land Use and Land Cover                                               26
                                       Acreage and Percentage by County for the St. Marks- Watershed


                                                        Jefferson County                   Acreage      Percent
                                                        Agriculture                        4,743.3        2.39%
                                                        Shrub and Brushland                     2.2       0.00%
                                                        Natural Upland Forests             3,835.1        1.93%
                                                        Silviculture                       5,822.9        2.93%
                                                        Waterways and Lakes                   72.0        0.04%
                                                        Wetlands                           6,242.2        3.14%
                                                        Transportation/Utilities                4.4       0.00%

                                                        Urban Subtotal                          0.0       0.00%
                                                        Nonurban Subtotal                  20,722.0     10.43%
                                                        County Subtotal                    20,722.0     10.43%


                                                        Leon County

                                                        Agriculture                        9,679.6        4.87%
                                                        Shrub and Brushland                3,695.3        1.86%
                                                        Natural Upland Forests             13,187.5       6.64%
                                                        Silviculture                       33,435.1     16.83%
                                                        Waterways and Lakes                  277.1        0.14%
                                                        Wetlands                           16,307.6       8.21%
                                                        Spoil and Barren Lands                109.0       0.05%
                                                        Transportation/Utilities              92.8        0.05%

                                                        Urban Subtotal                     5,573.8        2.80%
                                                        Nonurban Subtotal                  76,783.9     38.64%
                                                        County Subtotal                    82,357.7     41.45%


                                                        Wakulla County

                                                        Agriculture                        5,652.5        2.84%
                                                        Shrub and Brushland                3,642.9        1.83%
                                                        Natural Upland Forests             32,060.7     16.13%
                                                        Silviculture                       31,791.6     16.00%
                                                        Waterways and Lakes                1,031.2        0.52%
                                                        Wetlands                           13,483.1       6.79%
                                                        Beaches                               20.2        0.01%
                                                        Spoil and Barren Lands                57.5        0.03%
                                                        Transportation/Utilities              27.8        0.01%

                                                        Urban Subtotal                     7,865.5        3.96%
                                                        Nonurban Subtotal                  87,767.6     44.17%
                                                        County Subtoal                     95,633.1     48.13%

                                                        TOTAL                            198,712.8      100.00%







                    ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN






                                           St             Marks                          and                  Wakulla                                Rivers Watershed                                                                   Existing                                 Land Use                                       a,kd                 Land Cover
                                                                                                                                                                  V
                                                                                          -----------

                                                     L
                                                     ean. CO.
                                                                  Jelterson Co                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Residential

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Commercial
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     T.
                                                                                                        Lake                                                                                                                                                                                        jef f erson            CO.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Industrial
                                        WJikufIi*:C0..                                                                                                                                                                           e         efte
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              WIVID. Bouni ary.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Institutional


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Recreational
                                            Figure 6                                                               Leon          Co.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Urban Open Land
                                     This, publication was made possible by a
                                                                                                                                                                              Lake
                                gubarant ram the Rorlds Department of Community                                                                                               unSOn                                                                                                                                                                                     Agriculture
                                   Affairs. In cooperation with the UA Department

                                   *I Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
                                     Administration, under Coop.rativu Agreement                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Shrub/Brush
                                    Award No. NA37OZO427. Additional funding                                                                                                                  000-
                                                                                                                                                                                            00
                                provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Pine Xeric Oak
                                   and Northwest Florida Water Management District
                                         September 1994                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Pine Mesic Oak

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     YT                                                                                                                 Upland Forest

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            A                                                                                                                           Pine Plantations
                                                                                                                                                                   Ago
                                    0                    5
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Hard-Conifer Mixed
                              0                         km                          8

                                                       miles                                                                                                                                                                                   ---------                                                                                                                Water
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         a

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Wetlands
                                                                                                            Wakulla Co.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Marsh
                                       Florida
                                   Greenways
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Beaches


                                                     \4ater
                                                  6t,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Transpo./Utilities


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Source: Landsat TM

                                                                                                                                                                                                 co
                                                                                                                                                              t
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           1993 Satellite Imagery
                                                                                         J
                                   7
                                    :Flo-ri,d
                                         w ]a
                                   G          Ys
                                                                                                                                                                                                       Ile
                                            i- W4'W'7'.-X'0











                                                                                                      29

                    No urban land uses were identified within the Jefferson County portion of the
              watershed. The predominate non-urban land cover type within Jefferson County was
              wetlands, followed by silviculture, agriculture and natural upland forests. Leon County
              included more than 5,500 and Wakulla County, more than 7,800 acres of urban land use.
              The majority of these urban uses are very low density residential development. Leon
              County non-urban acreage includes silviculture (33,435 acres), wetlands (16,308 acres),
              natural upland forest (13,188 acres) and agriculture (9,680 acres).


                    Due to the presence of the Apalachicola National Forest and the St. Marks National
              Wildlife Refuge, the majority of non-urban land cover within Wakulla County is natural
              upland forests (32,061 acres). Silviculture (31,792 acres) includes almost as much area
              as upland forests. Wetlands comprise 13,483 acres within the Wakulla County portion of
              the watershed. These wetlands include coastal salt marsh as well as riverine wetlands

              (see Figure 6 - Existing Land Use and Land Cover).



                         NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION AsSESSIVIENT



                    This section of the report presents an evaluation of existing nonpoint source (NPS)
              pollution contributions from land use within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.
              Increases in the nonpoint loading of this system could have serious -effects on water
              quality. Nonpoint pollution sources include agriculture and silviculture activities present
              throughout the watershed and, runoff from various dirt roads intersecting tributaries.
              Additional nonpoint sources of pollution in the watershed include stormwater runoff, septic









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE AssE55MENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               30

               tank leachate and drainage fro m urban and residential development. Land use type and
               intensity are strongly related to NPS concentrations.


                     NPS pollution is a major, largely uncontrolled, cause of surface water degradation
               throughout Florida (Livingston et al. 1989). In north Florida, the progression of natural
               ecosystems to silvicultural, agricultural, and urban uses has resulted in increased NPS
               pollution impacts (Livingston et al. 1989). NPS pollutants in northwest Florida include
               pesticides, animal wastes, nutrients, and sediments (Wolfe et al. 1988). Pesticides and
               other contaminants can be dangerous to the aquatic ecosystem. Water quality changes
               affect wildlife habitat. Increased NPS pollution could adversely impact water quality and
               result in its recreational and habitat values being impaired or lost.


                     The land use assessment provided the information necessary to estimate NPS
               pollution loads for each land use and land cover type within the St. Marks and Wakulla
               Rivers watershed. The land use acreage information was used with loading rates to
               estimate loads for total nitrogen JN), total phosphorus (TP), five day biological oxygen
               demand (BOD5) and total suspended solids (TSS). The loading rates and NPS
               assessment methodology were derived from previous northwest Florida studies completed
               by the District (see Appendix 111).



               OBJECTIVES



                     The  objective of this assessment was to estimate potential NPS loadings to the St.
               Marks and Wakulla Rivers. Urban and non-urban activities, including residential,








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc"nON PLAN











                                                                                                     31

              commercial and industrial development, agriculture and silviculture contribute to altered
              surface water quality and flows throughout the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.
              These alterations in surface water characteristics may, in turn, negatively impact water
              quality and wildlife habitat within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers.


                     NPS loadings'from individual land uses must be characterized in terms of origin,
              rates, and potential impacts if water'quality effects are to be accurately assessed based
              on land use. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) enable planning and resource
              management agencies to model current development trends and characterize associated
              potential water quality impacts. The present study was designed to identify potential water
              quality impacts to the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed resulting from nonpoint
              source (NPS) pollution associated with land uses within the watershed in Wakulla, Leon

              and Jefferson counties.



                    A review of nonpoint pollution sources within a watershed is essential to improving
              and managing water resources. This information is necessary for developing strategies
              to protect receiving waters. Watershed preservation and restoration plans must address
              NPS loadings to watershed systems and emphasize alternatives that reduce loadings of
              suspended sediment, nutrients, and contaminants. Many NPS pollutants can be controlled
              by compliance with recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs) and associated
              water quality standards.


                    Another issue of particular concern within the watershed is its topography and
              karstic nature. The relationships between ground and surface water in the study area are










              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               32

               quite complex. These relationships have not been well documented through studies for
               this region. The relatively flat topography and highly karstic nature of this watershed are
               likely to significantly inhibit overland flow of stormwater runoff. Thus, the findings of this
               analysis should be verified through a water quality monitoring program and further study.
               A more thorough understanding of the hydrology and hydrogeology of this region would
               be helpful for development of water quality protection strategies.


                      Thus far there appear to have been no comprehensive studies that characterize the
               nonpoint source loading potentials within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers system and
               the existing or potential water quality effects. Nonpoint pollution estimates for existing
               sources have not yet been documented for this particular area and previous studies have
               been conducted on such a large scale that the available information is difficult to apply to
               this specific locale.


                      The information generated by this study will be accessible to the appropriate state,
               regional and local government entities for guidance in formulating plans, rules, regulations,
               resolutions and/or ordinances relating to future watershed activities. These could include
               future land use controls and various other NPS pollution prevention strategies.



               METHODS



                       Existing land use and land cover within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed
               were initially classified into more than 40 categories which included similar land use and
               land cover types. Due to the impracticality of developing and applying 40+ individual









               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT            GREENWAY PROTEr--nON PLAN











                                                                                                            33

              loading rates, the original categories were aggregated into 15 categories, based on
              similarities in loading characteristics. Previous NPS pollution st     udies were reviewed to
              corroborate loading rate estimates for water quality parameters and land use categories
              (Rains, et al. 1993).


                     All loading rate calculations were based on local rainfall data. Rainfall data for a
              five-year   period from the closest available rainfall stations, (Tallahassee and
              Wewahitchka) were used to identify a watershed average annual rainfall of 58 inches.


                      Loading rates for total nitrogen, total phosphorus biological oxygen demand and
              total suspended solids were estimated for each land use category. Total loadings were
              reported in pounds/year (lbs/yr). Determining whether or not NPS loading from specific
              land uses or areas met water quality standards was not within the scope of this study.



              RESULTS



                      Generally, loading rates can be characterized by potential water quality impact per-
              acre as shown in Table 3. Urban uses, including commercial, industrial and high de           nsity
              residential, contribute the highest loadings per acre due primarily to stormwater runoff from
              parking areas and loading zones. Active agriculture, such as croplands also can
              contribute relatively high NPS loadings on a per acres basis. Less intensive uses, such
              as native forests, silviculture and low density residential have much lower per acre NPS
              loading rates.












              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











              34

                    This assessment estimated the total NIPS load for each land use and land cover
              category based on the loading rates for each category and the amount of acreage for each
              category identified within the watershed. The total amount of NPS loadings for each land
              use is based on whether the land use loads at a high, medium or low rate and how much
              of that land use type is present in the watershed.


                    A comparison of estimated per-acre loading rates for each land use category with
              the land use map indicated urban land uses had the highest loadings and smallest area.
              Areas in non-urban land uses had the lowest per-acre estimated loading rates, but were
              associated with the highest total loadings, as a result of the large acreage of non-urban
              land.


                           Table 3. Relative pollutant loading rates and land uses in the St. Marks and Wakulla
                           Rivers watershed




                                                                                      Commercial
              More                                                             Industrial
              Intensive                                                  High density residential
                                                                  Institutional
              Types of                                         Medium density residential
                                                           Cropland/ pasture
              Land                                      Extractive
              Uses &                                 Low density residential
                                              Spoil/ barren
              Land                     Lakes/ streams
              Cover                  Wetlands
                                 Silviculture (planted)
                               Upland Forest
              Less        Recreation/open space
              Intensive Low                               Medium                           High
                                               Magnitude of Loading Rates

                        See Appendix III for specific loading rates



                                                         db
                                                     L@db

              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                     35


                       Total existing urban land use acreage accounted for approximately 7 percent of
             the area within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed, but because urban uses load
             at a high rate, urban uses contributed more than 10 percent of the NPS loads (Appendix
             111, Table A-7).


                    Although estimated per-acre loading rates were lowest for silviculture areas, these
             areas included 36 percent of the acreage within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers
             watershed and thus accounted for the greatest total NPS pollutant load. Silviculture,
             upland forests and agriculture produced the majority of NPS loads due to the large amount
             of acreage for each present within the watershed. However, on a per-acre basis,
             silviculture and upland forests have the lowest NPS loadings. Thus, if silviculture and
             forest lands are converted to more intense land uses, such as agriculture or residential,
             the NPS pollutant load from the converted area will increase (see Table 3).


                          Because NPS pollution is difficult to control, the Environmental Protection
             Agency and the FDEP have agreed upon preventive management techniques which best
             protect the water resource and contribute to good overall forest and agriculture
             management (Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 1991). Best
             Management Practices (BMPs) represent a practice or combination of practices
             determined to be the most effective means of preventing or reducing the amount of
             pollution generated by these nonpoint sources to a level compatible with water quality
             goals. Implementation of silviculture, agriculture and urban BMPs provide a means to
             protect water resources quality in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.
                                                       @@_d @Ab

0            ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEC71ON PLAN











               36

                      The impacts of silviculture and agriculture activities can be substantially reduced
               if recommended BIVIPs are comprehensively implemented and rigorously enforced. In an
               effort to clarify the use and interpretation of BIVIPs and to make their application more
               consistent, Florida forestry BIVII?s have recently undergone substantial revision to increase
               water resource protection. The use of BMPs will reduce NIPS loadings from silviculture.
               The Division of Forestry is currently reassessing compliance and effectiveness of BlVlPs
               in an effort to more accurately reflect BIVIP compliance.


                      Three general options exist for abating NIPS pollution from urban activity. The
               options involve prevention, treatment, and control measures, implemented as an integrated
               abatement approach (Wanielista 1975). In brief, prevention involves practices that are
               applied before problems arise; treatment involves complete or partial physical, chemical,
               and/or biological processes for minimizing impacts of stormwater; and control measures
               would involve reduction or control of pollution sources.


                      Ideally, limiting discharges from new developments to discharge that would have
               occurred under natural, undeveloped conditions, in addition to maintaining water quality
               standards, should result in no increases in NIPS pollution.



               CONCLUSIONS


                      Over the past ten years, there has been a 40 percent decline in water quality
               monitoring of stream reac hes in Florida (Hand and Paulic 1992). This downward trend in
               monitoring threatens the ability to accurately assess the quality of Florida waters and









               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                          37

              emphasizes the need for more water quality data. The availability of site-specific loading
              rates in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed and northwest Florida in general
              would provide the information necessary to more accurately estimate total NIPS loadings

              to the watershed.



                     Results of this study emphasize the importance    of controlling NPS pollution in both
              urban and non-urban settings. As expected, potential water quality impacts per-acre were
              greatest for the transportation/utilities, commercial, industrial, and high density residential
              urban land use categories. Although loading rates for non-urban categories were
              comparatively low on a per-acre basis, silviculture and agriculture practices may adversely
              impact quality in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.


                     The methodology described in this assessment integrated GIS, satellite imagery,
              land use plans, and land use/cover maps to model existing land use development patterns.
              GIS technology can also provide the means of using comprehensive plan future land use
              maps interactively with existing land use/cover data so location, type, and quantity of NPS
              loadings can be projected for future scenarios. The GIS can assist in estimating potential
              NIPS loadings resulting from urban development designated by the comprehensive plan
              future land use map. The information and maps resulting from this assessment the
              regarding the relative intensity, size,' and location of NIPS pollution that can be made
              available to reviewing agencies and local officials.


                     The methodology used in this study is intended for use by state, regional and local
              agencies in developing and implementing strategies to reduce NIPS loadings in the
              watershed. The project methodology provides a framework for the development and



                                                                     1-o







              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               38

               implementation of pollution load reduction goals, total maximum daily loads, best
               management practices, land development regulations, land preservation and acquisition,
               water quality protection and watershed management goals. Targeting stormwater
               treatment and compliance with recommended forestry, agriculture and urban best
               management practices would reduce NPS loadings into St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers and
               ultimately Apalachee Bay. These efforts should include education for homeowners
               regarding BMPs.


                      The St. Marks and Wakulla      Rivers land use and nonpoint source assessment
               should be used by local governments in their planning and development review processes.
               In areas proposed for development, the existing land use map can be used as the first step
               in- performing a land suitability analysis. Local governments can identify specific existing
               land use/ land cover categories to be used as "red flags" when these land cover types
               occur in an area proposed for development. Any proposed land use change should
               consider NIPS impacts which may occur from the new land use. Maintaining native forests
               and well managed silviculture uses will result in lower NPS loads than if these lands are
               converted to agriculture or urban uses.


                      Local governments can mini    mize nonpoint pollution through growth management.
               Local government comprehensive plans address land use by designating future land uses,
               while development regulations address ways the land may be developed within each
               particular land use category. Land use designations in local government comprehensive
               plans should reflect the future land uses that local governments believe will serve the
               future needs of its jurisdiction. The reasons for designating a given parcel or area under
               a particular future land use category can be quite varied, and typically include








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                     39

             consideration of criteria such as the physical features of the land, including development
             constraints; access to services such as schools, roads, sewers, and central water systems;
             and location in relationship to urban areas. Local governments may want to preserve the
             rural character of certain areas or may want to encourage urbanization of fringe areas
             around existing urban centers.


                    Local government comprehensive plans should include density and land use
             restrictions which allow only land uses which are compatible with protecting natural
             resources and water quality within the greenway. One way this can be accomplished is
             by designating the greenway as a special conservation area on the Future Land Use Map
             and controlling land use to protect the greenway. Commercial, industrial, and high-density
             residential uses may not be appropriate for these areas based on high NPS pollution
             loading potential of these uses.


                    When designating future land uses for riverine areas within the watershed, the
             effect of such designations upon the water resources and quality must be considered.
             Future land use designations which restrict development for the purpose of protecting
             water resources and wildlife habitat are clearly in the public interest. Requests to change
             watershed land use designations to allow more intense uses must be carefully reviewed
             for possible impacts to the resources.


                    Because of the impacts likely to result from land use conversions, it is
             recommended that the intensity of land uses within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers
             watershed not be increased in the local comprehensive plans. Retaining lands in









             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               40

               silviculture and very low-density rural residential uses (in the future) will have the least
               impact on water quality. Because of the higher loading rates associated with agricultural
               uses, conversions of use from silviculture to agriculture should also be strongly
               discouraged. Local and state governments should provide economic incentives to private
               landowners to retain low intensity land uses to help minimize nonpoint source water
               pollution.



                      The information from this assessment should also be used as baseline data for

               measuring land use conversions in the watershed. Similar land use assessments could
               be performed at specific intervals (every five to ten years would be appropriate) to
               accurately document changes in land use which could impact St. Marks and Wakulla
               Rivers. These assessments can also provide information which should be used to verify
               past projections of land development patterns and to help predict future patterns.
               Nonpoint source pollution loading models    should be updated and verified following each

               land use assessment.



                      Land development regulations (LDRs) are ordinances of local government which
               prescribe various conditions which must be adhered to during the development process.
               LDRs typically address issues such as lot coverage, setbacks, stormwater control, buffers,
               septic system requirements, flood protection, wetlands preservation, and construction
               management practices. LDRs also often include additional restrictions for activities in
               specific geographic areas, such as greenways, which could impact resources that are
               particularly sensitive, such as rivers, habitat areas and large wetland systems.











               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RvERs RESOURCe AssEssmENT           GREENWAY PRoTEc-noN PLAN












                                                                                                      41

                    Development and implementation of local land development regulations are critical
             to protecting greenways, since urban activity usually alters the magnitude and effects of
             hydrology and pollutant loads by increasing impervious areas. Such flooding and
             stormwater loading problems require that preventive land management measures be an
             integral part of urban development plans.



             FURTHER STUDIES



                    Ideally, regional loading rates should be researched and applied to establish site-
             specific loadings in future studies. The surface water flow patterns and karstic geology
             within watershed also should be studied to identify relationships between ground and
             surface waters and any implications for NIPS pollution estimation and management.


                    Literature-based loading rates provide a means of estimating NPS loads. Water
             quality sampling to establish local loading rates is, however, preferable. Although
             estimates of NPS loadings based on general runoff water quality data is the least
             expensive because it requires no field data collection, its accuracy is difficult to verify.
             Runoff monitoring methods provide best estimates of existing loads, but cannot be used
             to predict load changes of a changing urban system (Marsalek 1991). The success of
             simulation models using either of these methods depend on successful calibration.


                    A comparison of estimated NIPS loading values and actual water quality data should
             be conducted to assess the applicability of the literature-based NIPS loading methodology.
             Future studies, modelling and mapping should also consider such factors as floodplains









             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               42

               in estimating NPS loadings and rate coefficients.


                      Further studies are necessary to implement Pollution Load Reduction Goals (PLRG)
               and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL). The term TMDL is the end result of a process
               applied by FDEP and EPA to limit total pollutant loadings discharged into a waterbody to
               protect critical biological, chemical and physical attributes and maintain the designated use
               of the waterbody (US EPA 1991).



               INTERGOVERNMENTAL COORDINATION AND IMPLEMENTATION




                      Stat e and local governments should take a proactive role in securing funds to
               undertake stormwater planning and implementation and implement long-term monitoring
               of NPS pollution and BMP effectiveness.




























               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                        43


                    ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE INVENTORY

                                 NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE WATERSHED



              GEOGRAPHY & HYDROLOGY OF THE ST. MARKS RIVER


                    The St. Marks River drains 1, 180 square miles in the eastern portions Leon and
              Wakulla counties including eastern Tallahassee, western Jefferson County and southern
              Thomas County in Georgia (Hand and Paulic 1992 b). The Project' s study area focuses
              on the    portion of the watershed in
              southern Jefferson, eastern Leon, and
              Wakulla counties. The St. Marks River           What is Karst topography?
              flows for  35 miles in Florida before it               Carbonate rocks, such as
              empties into Apalachee Bay at the Gulf of       limestone and dolomite are highly
              Mexico. It originates in the north Florida /    vulnerable to chemical weathering and
              south Georgia Red Hills Region where the        erosion. The distinctive landforms and
                                                              unique drainage characteristics that
              soils are principally clayey-sand. The river    result from this weathering are termed
              is classified as blackwater river. Upstream     karst.
              the river is suspected to be influenced                Karst topography including
              more by overland flow from rainfall             sinkholes, springs, wet/dry depressions,
              (surface water) than by groundwater. The        sinkhole lakes and swallow holes
              region receives an average of 60 inches of      (disappearing streams) are common
                                                              features of limestone and dolomite
              precipitation annually. July is the wettest     terrains. Karst features can provide a
              month with periods of high rain from            direct conduit for the introduction of
                                                              contaminants into the Floridan Aquifer.
              February to March (FNAI and FDNR                *..
              1990).                                        Figure 7   ..............    ------        ......

                                                            Ah Alt




              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               44

                      The St. Marks river has, however, many unique features not typical of a blackwater
               river. As the St. Marks River flows over the Woodville Karst Plain, it is influenced by many
               springs and the limestone rock it flows over (Hand and Paulic 1992; and FDNR 1989).
               The central and southern reaches of the river flow over the Cody Scarp and the Woodville
               Karst Plain where the underlying limestone lies close to the surface (Hand and Paulic
               1992b ). Many springs and sink holes are scattered throughout this area, including many
               small streams that often flow on the surface for short distances before they disappear into
               sinks or swallowholes. The river is influenced by groundwater and surface water in these

               two areas.



                      Horn Spring and Rhodes Spring are the first major springs along the St. Marks River
               north of Natural Bridge. At Natural Bridge during normal flow, the St. Marks River flows
               underground and rises up at St. Marks Spring about one mile south where the water loses
               much of its dark appearance. The average flow of the St. Marks Spring is 700 cubic feet
               of water per second (FDNR 1989). From this point on, the St. Marks River begins to
               resemble a spring fed river flowing 11 miles south to the confluence with the Wakulla River
               at the Fort San Marcos de Apalachee in the City of St.. Marks (for characteristics of spring
               fed rivers refer to the following section on the Wakulla River). A few smaller springs, such
               as Newport Spring, feed the river south of the rise. The improved clarity and increase in
               pH provides better conditions for aquatic plant growth and a more productive fishery in this
               portion of the river.















               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTE07ION PLAN











                                                                                                       45


             WATER QUALITY OF THE ST. MARKS RivE:g


                    Water quality is excellent in much of the watershed; however many reaches of the
             St. Marks River have not been sampled recently (Hand and Paulic 1992b). The portion
             of the St. Marks River adjacent to the port Town of St. Marks exhibits a number of water
             quality problems. The section on the northeast end of town from Rattlesnake Branch to
             the confluence with the Wakulla River on the southwest end of town is influenced by tank
             farms and barges, a power plant, marinas, waste water effluent and urban stormwater
             runoff. There have been several major and minor oil spills in the past, and the river bottom
             sediments in the area are coated with oil (Hand and Paulic 1992b). The St. Marks River
             is designated as Outstanding Florida Water (OFW) body except for this portion of the river.
             The OFW designation allows for no further degradation in water quality'and is the State
             of Florida's highest designation of quality for natural water bodies.



             EcOLOGY OF THE: ST, MARKS E31VEFR


                    The St. Marks River originates in the hardwood and cypress river swamps in north
             Florida and a small portion of south Georgia. Rivers, such as the St. Marks, which
             originate from swamps and bottomland forests are known as blackwater rivers (Ewell
             1990). Blackwater rivers originate in areas where there are sandy lowland areas with
             extensive wetlands with organic soils. These wetlands function as reservoirs, collecting
             water and overland flow and discharging it into the stream (FNAl and FDNR 1990). The
             dark tea-colored water originates from the natural organic acids (tannins) resulting from
             the decay of leaf litter and other organics found in river hardwood and cypress swamps.
             The water tends to be naturally acidic with a pH of 4.5 to 5.5.. The pH increases as the








             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                46

                St. Marks flows through underground caverns downstream at Natural Bridge. The dark
                water tends to limit aquatic plant growth on the river bottom, however, emergent aquatic
                plant growth is prevalent along the banks.


                       The intact bottomland hardwood forest and river swamp corridors along the St.
                Marks River moderates stream flow and the magnitude of flooding by providing overflow
                areas for floodwaters to disperse. Streamside vegetation slows flood waters and upland
                storm water run-off while dispersing the energy associated with the moving water which
                reduces erosion. The leaf litter and other organic debris associated with the riparian
                ecosystem combine to form soils that are very porous. These loamy soils act as a sponge
                to soak up rain water, then slowly release the water back into the riverine system.
                Vegetation impedes run-off causing it to slow down while increasing infiltration of water

                into the soils.



                       The upper reaches of these rivers are influenced by natural stormwater runoff flow
                and groundwater seepage. The groundwater may contribute to the river flow as much as
                rainfall, especially in the areas where Karst topography exists (Ewell 1990). These high
                water table forests experience occasional flooding during heavy rains. The St. Marks River
                at peak floods often flows over Natural Bridge, flooding much of the surrounding

                bottomland forest.



                       The St. Marks River is lined with hardwood and cypress swamps much of entire
                length of the river, except in areas of silvicultural harvesting and residential development.
                The associated bottomland forest directly adjacent to the river is characterized by tall
                hardwood trees such as oaks, maples, elms, and American Beech. Other bottomland








                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                        47

              forest trees include Loblolly Bay, Southern Magnolia, Swamp Tupelo, Bald Cypress and
              Sweet Gum. Typical animals found in bottomland forest include the Marbled Salamander,
              Cotton Mouth Water Moccasin, Eastern Screech Owl, Gray Fox, and White Tailed Deer
              (FNAI, 1990). Many animal species use the linear nature of these bottomlands for
              migration and reproduction. Migrating ducks such as the Mallard and Black Ducks often
              winter in river swamps where they feed on acorns and hickory nuts in the floodplain
              (Wharton et al.     1977). Listed species that inhabit the river corridor include the
              endangered Wood Stork, the threatened Bald Eagle, Florida Black Bear, Red - cockaded
              Woodpecker and species of special concern such as the Limpkin, Osprey, and the
              Suwannee Bass (FDNR 1989).


              GEOGRAPHY - HYDROLOGY OF THE WAKULLA RIVER


                     The Wakulla River rises from Wakulla Springs and the Floridan Aquifer at Edward
              Ball Wakulla Springs State Park about 12 miles south of Tallahassee. Wakulla Springs,
              a first magnitude spring, is one of Florida's highest volume springs providing most of the
              Wakulla River's average 400 cubic feet per second flow (Hand and Paulic 1992). The
              Wakulla River flows south for ten miles, to the confluence of the St. Marks River at the port
              Town of St. Marks. The mineral laden waters originating from deep springs are often
              devoid of sediments and have a pH of 7.0 to 8.2 (FNAI and FDNR 1990). The clear, cool
              waters are very conducive for plant growth and other aquatic life.


                     Wakulla Springs is in the south-central part of the St. Marks basin which is in a
              highly karstic region of Wakulla County. There are numerous sinks and streams that
              disappear into the ground to the north and west of the spring. It is widely speculated that
              there is a strong relationship between the surface waters entering the sinks to the north
                                                          kAh      AX,


              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN











               48

               and the outflow of the springs (Hand and Paulic 1992). These relationships are being
               researched by the Woodville Karst Plain Project.


               WATER QUALITY OF THE WAKULLA RIVER


                     The Wakulla River is designated an Outstanding Florida Water body by the Florida
               Department of Environmental Protection. The river has outstanding water quality in the
               springs and upstream segments (Hand and Paulic 1992 b). However, the water quality
               index is unknown as of the 1992 Florida Water Quality Assessment 305 (b) Report. Both
               the Florida Rivers Assessment and the 305 (b) report state that the lower portion of the
               Wakulla River is threatened by increased growth along the river and lack of adequate
               buffers along the Wakulla's banks (Hand and Paulic 1992b; FDNR 1989). The lower
               section of the Wakulla River near the port town of St. Marks has increased algae growth
               probably resulting from industrial and domestic pollution and nutrient sources (FDNR
               1989).



               EcOLOGY OF THE WAKULLA RIVER




                     The Wakulla River is fairly unique to the Panhandle of Florida, because it is one of
               a few spring fed rivers in northern Florida. Most of Florida's spring fed rivers occur in
               central and south Florida. There are three different plant communities associated with the
               Wakulla River. Most of the Wakulla River is lined with a river swamp/bottomland
               hardwood forest similar to the St. Marks River, although Bald Cypress, Black Gum, and
               Tupelo trees are more prevalent along the Wakulla River. Upstream the river is lined with
               cypress and hardwood river swamps, mid stream the river swamps gradually give way to








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCe ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN












                                                                                                     49

             freshwater tidal swamps and near the river's confluence with the St. Marks River, salt
             marshes begin to appear along the rivers edge. In areas where development has
             occurred, the river swamp has been filled or modified.


                    Many species of water birds inhabitant the Wakulla River, including the largest and
             most northern breeding colony of Limpkins. The Limpkin is a species of special concern
             and is endemic to Florida's spring fed rivers where it feeds on various freshwater snails.
             Other wading birds inhabiting the river include the Little Blue Heron, Great Blue Heron,
             White Ibis, Snowy Egret, Tricolor Herons. Other birds found include migratory waterfowl,
             warblers (Prothonotary, Hooded, Kentucky, and Northern Parula), and the Wakulla
             Seaside Sparrow. Other animals inhabiting the Wakulla River include the American
             Alligator and the threatened Bald Eagle and the endangered West Indian Manatee (FDNR
             1989). Protected animal species include the Florida Black Bear and the Eastern Indigo
             Snake. The unique Woodville Cave Crayfish can be found in the underwater caves along
             the river. Wakulla Springs State Park has preserved habitat for numerous rare and
             endangered plants. There are over a dozen rare and endangered ferns and orchids found
             within the protected boundaries of Wakulla Springs State Park (FDNR 1989).


                    South of the US Highway 98 bridge, the Wakulla River is influenced by the daily
             tides of Apalachee Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The ecosystems associated with tidal
             areas are known as freshwater tidal swamps. The freshwater tidal swamps along the
             Wakulla River are comprised of Bald Cypress, Tupelo, Cabbage Palm, Sweet Bay
             Magnolia and Black Gum (Wharton et al 1977).












             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RvERs RESOURCF- ASSESSMENT         GREENWAY PROTEC-110N PLAN











               50


                      The Wakulla River flows  into the St. Marks River at the Town of St. Marks. The St.
               Marks River then flows for three miles through the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
               before emptying into Apalachee Bay. The surrounding lands are primarily salt marshes
               dotted with pine flatwoods islands. The expansive salt marshes of the St Marks National
               Wildlife Refuge are a part of the vast salt marshes which stretch approximately 200 miles
               from Cedar Key to the Ochlockonee Bay (Clewell 1986; FDNR 1989). This nearly
               beachless coastline is due to the shallow waters and seagrass flats of Gulf of Mexico
               which absorbs much of the wave energy before it reaches the shoreline (Clewell 1986).
               These smaller waves do not have the energy to move enough sediment for beach and
               island formation, but they do allow the creation of the salt marshes.



                           RECREATIONAL RESOURCES OF THE WATERSHED



                      Most of the recreational and economic opportunities of the watershed are closely
               linked to the natural features and beauty of the Wakulla and St. Marks rivers. The
               watershed includes many natural features such as the Wakulla Springs and the Leon
               Sinks Geological Area in the Apalachicola National Forest. The watershed's natural
               resources draw visitors into the outdoors for fishing, hunting, hiking, swimming, horse-back
               riding, off-road bicycling, in-line skating, canoeing, and manatee watching. There are
               numerous trails, parks and quiet areas to spend the afternoon or a few nights in the
               wilderness (see Figure 8 - St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Recreational, Historic and
               Cultural Features). The Florida Greenways Program maintains a database that contains
               information on the resources found within the region which is available upon request. The
               following describes the trails, parks and historic sites that are found within the watershed.








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECT10N PLAN






                             St         Marks                and            Wakulla Rivers Recreationalr                                                                     Historic                    and C61tural Features
                                                                                                              V
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       City of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           J,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Tallahassee


                                              JOttO Min.
                                                                                                            W,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Public Lands
                                                                                                                                                                                                         Jeff e*rs*"qn
                                                                   :16  We

                             wakwis do                                                                                                                  Lake     yette
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       CARL Lands
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Oaty
                                                                                                                                                                                                                               7. .                    (Proposed)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    U.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Watershed
                              Figure             8                                                                                                                                                                                                     Boundary

                                                                                                                                                                            Trcm  Roo
                         This publication was made possible by a

                     0
                       bgrant from the Florida Department al Community
                      u                                                                                                                                                                                                                       --- Major Roads
                       Affair*, In Cooperation with the U.S. Department
                        of Commerce Nation I Ousumic and Atmospheric


                                                    funding
                         Administroti n, under COOPWINtiva Agreement
                        Award No. NA970ZO427. Additional                                                                                                                                                                                      G_@ Transmission
                      provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation
                       and Northwest Florida Water Management Dletr[Gt.                                                  eon S  ks                                                                                                                     Lines

                            September 1994                                                                                                             Natural Bridge
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       County &
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       WMD Boundary

                                                                                                                                 akulla Springs

                                        5              10                4.
                                                                                                                 Vi                                                                                                                                    Proposed Trails
                                        km
                                                           8                                                                    A
                                       miles                                                                                                                                                                                                           Existing Trails

                                                                                                                                                   1P
                                                                                                                 Crawfordville
                                                                                                                                                               t. me kz                                                                                Canoe Trails

                            Florida
                          Gveenways
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Historic Features
                                                                             05
                                     %j4ater
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              A        Natural Features


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Recreational
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Features












                                                                                                           53


               FLoRiDA NATiONAL SCENic TRAiL



                     The Florida National Scenic Trail (FNST) meanders for 100 miles through the
               southern portion of the watershed as it travels through the St. Marks National Wildlife
               Refuge and the Apalachicola National Forest. It crosses the St. Marks River at the port
               Town of St. Marks which is located at the southern end of the Tallahassee-St. Marks
               Historic Railroad State Trail. There is no bridge constructed to cross the river, but hikers
               often find friendly boaters or they make arrangements with a local marina to ferry them
               across the river. The FNST is co-located for 2.5 miles with the Tallahassee-St. Marks

               Historic Railroad State Trail. The trail continues two miles west along US Highway 98
               where it heads over the Wakulla River on the highway bridge before re-entering the
               Refuge. The Florida Trail must be removed from the US Highway 98 right of way if it is to
               be eligible for designation as part of the Florida National Scenic Trail. The FNST in the
               Refuge is designated as a hiking trail, but it is a multi-use trail where it joins with the rail
               trail. Use data for the FNST has not been collected, but it is actively maintained and used
               by the volunteer members of the Florida Trail Association.



               TALLAHASSEE- ST. MARKS HISTORic RAILROAD STATE TRAiL



                      The Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail is the State of Florida's
               (DEP) first rail trail. The beginning point for most trail users is the Capital Circle Trailhead
               located just south of Tallahassee on State Road 363. The trail follows Florida's oldest rail
               line (operating from 1837 to 1984 as the Tallahassee-St. Marks Railroad) for sixteen miles
               to the port Town of St. Marks (FDEP 1994). Since its opening the trail has been very









               ST. MARKS ANO WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE AssESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                54

                popular, receiving up to 170,000 bicyclists, walkers, skaters, and equestrians annually
                (Moore et al 1992). The Munson Hills off-road bicycling trail is located off the rail-trail one
                mile south of the Capital Circle trail-head. Southern Trail Riders maintains a horse trail
                adjacent to the rail-trail. Popular activities on the paved portion of the trail include
                bicycling, walking and in-line skating. Bicycles and in-line skates can be rented at the
                Capital Circle trail head. Water fountains can be found along the trail and refreshments

                and restrooms are found at each end of the trail.



                GEORGIA, FLORIDA AND ALABAMA RAIL TRAIL



                      The proposed 53 mile long Georgia, Florida and Alabama (GF&A) Rail Trail is in
                the early stages of planning. The US Forest Service is currently studying the proposed
                route for its environmental and social impacts under the National Environmental Policy Act'
                (NEPA). Once completed the GF&A Rail Trail will connect Tallahassee to Sopchoppy in
                Wakulla County and Carrabelle on the Gulf of Mexico in Franklin County. The trail skirts
                the northwestern boundary of the Wakulla River basin in the Apalachicola National Forest.



                WAKULLA RIVER CANOE TRAIL



                      The Wakulla River is a state designated canoe trail used by thousands of people
                for canoeing, manatee watching, and fishing. TNT Hideaway Canoe Rentals, located at
                the U.S. 98 bridge, reports renting nearly 2,000 canoes annually for use on the Wakulla
                River. There is public access at the Upper Bridge on SR 365, the Lower Bridge on US
                Highway 98, hand-launching at the St. Marks Town Park just upstream of the Fort, and the









                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-noN PLAN











                                                                                                      55

              public boat ramp adjacent to the Fort San Marcos de Apalache State Historic Site in port
              Town of St. Marks. The Shell Island Fish Camp provides river access at its private
              boatramp. Canoe rental, shuttle and guide services are available by reservation from the
              Canoe Shop in Tallahassee and from Gulf Coast Excursions in Panacea. Restrooms and
              drinking water are available at the fort, TNT Hideaway Canoe Rental and the St. Marks
              Town Park. Olin Corporation manages a private park and picnic area for its employees
              along the Wakulla River; 1/2 mile downstream form the U.S. 98 bridge.


              ST. MARK5 RIVER



                    The St. Marks River although not designated as a state canoe trail, but it offers an
              enjoyable paddle having limited motorboat traffic upstream of the US Highway 98 bridge.
              The St. Marks River can be accessed at the US Highway 98 Bridge in Newport from the
              boat ramp and park managed by the Florida Department of Agriculture's Florida Forest
              Service. The park also offers overnight camping.



              Bio BEND HISTORIC SALTWATER PADDLINg TRAIL



                     The state designated Big Bend Historic Saltwater Paddling Trail follows salt
              marshes and shallow bays for nearly 150 miles along the Gulf Coast from the St. Marks
              National Wildlife Refuge to the mouth of the Suwannee River. The trail is not currently
              marked and there are few developed facilities along its route. Publication of a guidebook
              describing the trail is planned for 1995.




                                                            a     Alt




              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RE50URCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               56


               THE APALACHicoLA NATiONAL FOREST



                     The Apalachicola National Forest is Florida's largest national forest with 563,986
               acres of which 32,000 acres are designated as Wilderness (USDA Forest Service 1994).
               The eastern portion of the Forest in the Wakulla Ranger District lies within the St. Marks
               watershed. There are over 680 active Red-cockaded Woodpecker colonies within the
               forest, making it one of the largest populations of Red-cockaded Woodpeckers in the
               United States. The Apalachicola National Forest supports a wide variety of recreational
               opportunities including hunting, fishing, hiking, horse-back riding, canoeing, camping and
               off- road bicycling. There are 15 developed areas for recreation scattered throughout the
               Apalachicola National Forest with most of them situated on a lake or a river. There are
               over 120 miles of hiking and horse trails in the forest (US Forest Service 1994). There
               were 538,000 visitors enjoying the Apalachicola National Forest in 1993.


                     The Leon Sinks Geological Area is located in the eastern portion of the
               Apalachicola National Forest along S.R. 363 near the Leon-Wakulla County line. Leon
               Sinks has many karst features including wet and dry sinkholes and stream disappearing
               into a swallohole. There are two loop trails totalling 5.9 miles taking visitors past these
               unique sink holes, turkey oak scrub habitat, river swamps and pine flatwoods. These trails
               are open for hikers only. Water and restrooms are available on site.
















               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEC-nON PLAN











                                                                                                       57


              THE ST. MARKS NATiONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE



                     The St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge comprises the entire coastal salt marsh
              section of the St. Marks Basin. The Refuge is approximately 65,000 acres of saltmarsh,
              pinelands, turkey oak  scrub, and hydric hammocks. The historic St. Marks lighthouse is
              located at the point near the mouth of the St. Marks River in the Refuge. There is a public
              boat ramp near the lighthouse. Mounds Pool and Stony Bayou Trail is located along the
              dike system surrounding the fresh water pools and marshes at the Refuge. The trails are
              open year round to bicycling, horseback riding and hiking. Bird watching is especially
              popular from the trails. Many waterfowl can be observed feeding in the fresh water pools
              and the salt marshes. Small boats and canoes with up to ten horsepower motors are
              permitted in the pools from March 15 to October 15. The Refuge provides bird watchers,
              bicyclists, equestrians and hikers many opportunities to see an abundance of wildlife. The
              Refuge had over 250,000 visitors in 1993.


              EDWARD BALL WAKULLA SPRINGS 5TATE PARK


                     The 1,500 acre Wakulla Springs State Park surrounds the headwaters of the
              Wakulla River (FIDEP 1994). Picnicking, swimming and snorkeling are popular activities
              in the park near the head spring. Boat tours are available for tours of the river within the
              park. Hiking and nature trails also wind through the parWs uplands and lowlands. Wakulla
              Springs State Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and there are
              several historic structures including a 27-room inn and conference center. The historic
              lodge was constructed in 1937 by Edward Ball and is now operated as a conference center
              by Florida State University (FIDEP 1994). In 1993, nearly 150,000 people visited the park.








              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               58


               NATURAL BRIDGE E3ATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE



                      Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Site is located at the natural land bridge
               where the St. Marks River flows underground in southern Leon County. This historic site
               commemorates a Civil War battle on March 6, 1865. Tallahassee never fell into the
               Union's hands as a result of the battle. The Battle of Natural Bridge is re-enacted annually
               at this site. Nearly 16,000 people visited.the historic site in 1993.



               FoRT SAN MARCOS DE APALACHE STATE HISTORIC SITE



                      The Spanish Constructed the fort in 1679, at the confluence of the St. Marks and
               Wakulla Rivers, to control the passage of ships up the rivers and establish a foothold in
               the region A museum and guided tours are available on the site. There is a picnic area
               and nature trail at the fort. The Town of St. Marks maintains a public boat ramp adjacent
               to the fort on the St. Marks River. In 1993, nearly 12,000 people visited Fort San Marcos.



               OTHER OPPORTUNITIES



                      The many rural highways in the watershed allow bicyclists the opportunity to tour
               the watershed's's historical sites and recreational parks. Rural canopy roads in the
               northern part of the watershed offer tree-shaded touring. East of Williams Road Old St.
               Augustine is an unpaved canopy road suitable for an enjoyable afternoon of off-road
               bicycling. Old St. Augustine skirts the watershed's northern boundaries .










               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCe ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PROTECTiON PLAN












                                                                                                                             59


                   THE EcONOMic BENEFITS OF EcOTOURISM IN THE WATERSHED


                         The economic impact of outdoor, resource-based recreation can be substantial.
                 Hundreds of thousand of people use the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed for
                 outdoor recreation and spend millions of dollars on equipment, food and other supplies to
                 pursue their preferred outdoor activities. The national forest and national Wildlife Refuge
                 provide habitat for a wide array of plants and animals. These parks with their many trails
                 draw thousands of people to the region for their outdoor recreation opportunities. Data
                 have been compiled on recreational use of the larger park units. Limited data are
                 available for the canoe trails and the Florida National Scenic Trail. Table 4 provides the
                 use data for the listed parks and trails.



                     TABLE: 4 - RE:C:RE:ATIONAL USE: FOR SE:LECTEo AREAS IN THE WATERSHED IN
                                                                    1993
                                 AREA OR TRAIL NAME                                    NUMBER OF VISITORS

                  Apalachicola National Forest,                                                538,000
                  St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge 2                       256,658 total visits       25,250 hiking visits

                  Tallahassee - St. Marks Historic State Trail 3                                170,000

                  Natural Bridge Battlefield State Historic Site                                 15,813

                  Fort San Marcos de Apalachee State Historic Site 4                             11,935

                  Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park 4                                      142,262
                 ijawvh*@                                                                 ----
                 SOURCIES:
                 i National Forest in Florida Forest Facts 1993 - visitor days. One visitor day is one person visiting for a 12 hour stay.
                 2 St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge, US Fish and Wildlife Service 1994.
                 3 Economic Impacts of Rail Trails, Moore et al, 1992.
                 4 Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks 1994. Data are from I gn`19M fiscal year.
                                                                     L@d b

                 ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                60

                       Demographic data collected from the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge indicates
                that 41 percent of the visitors came from the local area. The local area is defined as the
                area within a two hour driving radius from the Refuge Visitor Center which is located near
                Newport. This means that 59 percent of the visitors are tourist. These data suggest that
                a relatively high number of the watershed's's resource users are visitors from outside the
                region.. Further research needs to be undertaken to quantify the number of tourist who
                use the resources as well as the dollars spent in the Apalachee Region as a result of the
                Refuge, the Forest and other parks.

                       Visitor use data                          ComPARA-nVE USE TRENDS
                were gathered for the                              AMONG SELECTED PARKs-TkAn-s
                watershed's parks (see                 350,000-
                Figure .9 - Comparative                300,000
                Use Trends) for a five year            250,000-
                                                    >  200,000
                period and the trend                k.
                                                    0  150,000
                                                    x
                indicates visitor use for the       W
                                                    M  100,000
                parks    and     trails     is      z    50,000
                increasing or the same                        0 -  1989      1990      1991      1902       1003
                people are using these                                                 YEAR
                areas more frequently.               MST. MARKS RF-ruae      SAN MARCOS          NATURAL BRIME
                Either way, the resources            M RAIL TRAIL        MWAKULLA SPRINGS
                are being used by an           Figure 9, Sources are from the respective park manager's offices
                increasing number of people on a more frequent basis. This suggests more money may
                also be spent on equipment rentals/ purchases, food, souvenirs, and lodging.


                       The Tallahassee - St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail has been studied
                documents its economic impacts on the community. The results of these studies indicate








                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT             GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                         61

               that the average visitor to the Trail spends $11.00 dollars per person per day. This results
               in a total annual economic impact of over $1.2 million dollars with $400,000 dollars
               generated from tourist (Moore et al 1992). The Economic Impacts of Rail Trails further
               indicated expenditures on durable goods related to the trail ranged from $130 to $250
               dollars. These figures are only for the Tallahassee - St. Marks Historic Railroad State
               Trail. The total economic impact of all the natural outdoor recreation activities is assumed
               to be even greater.


                      Fishing is also a significant use of the rivers and the Apalachee Bay. The finfish
               and shellfish industry is probably the greatest beneficiary of efforts to conserving the
               greenway in the St. Marks Watershed. The rivers, and ultimately, Apalachee Bay, are the
               sinks for all the water flowing off the land in the watershed's. Alterations to water quality
               and river hydrology can negatively impact these fisheries through loss of habitat and other
               changes to the aquatic ecosystems.


                      Frederick Bell, a noted economist studying saltwater fishing in Florida, stated that
               recreational fishing may be as economically important or more important than commercial
               fishing in the St. Marks Watershed (Bell 1994). Bell's 1993 report on Current and
               Proiected Tourist Demand for Saltwater Recreational Fisheries is the most complete
               analysis. of recreational saltwater fishing for Florida. This report indicates that the average
               visitor engaging in saltwater fishing spends $110 daily. The annual impact of the activity
               on Florida's economy was in excess of $1 billion in 1991 with an additional $62 million in
               taxes (Bell 1993). Data are not currently available on the economic impact of recreational
               fishing in the St. Marks, however, Shields Marina reports that an average of 15 to 20 boats
               use the ramp facilities at their marina on weekdays and 80 to 100 boats are launched on


                                                            @db
                                                           L


               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCEAsSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












              62

              weekends. Shell Island Fish Camp reports an average of 8 to 10 boats launch on the
              Wakulla River during the week and 15 to 20 on weekends. Most of these boats are
              recreational fisherman fishing Apalachee Bay and the waters inside the Refuge. Further
              study of the recreational fishery needs to be conducted to determine the fisheries
              economic impacts on the community.


                     According to the u 1992 Annual Landings Summaryn of the Marine Fisheries Division
              of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 1,626,656 pounds of finfish were
              brought in Wakulla County ports that year with a dockside value of $80 million. This
              included 1,005,781 pounds of Black Mullet ( 62 percent of the catch being caught in over
              2,000 trips). The commercial shellfish harvest totaled 1,580,958 pounds, not including
              shrimp. The shrimp harvest amounted to 33,501 pounds with brown and white shrimp
              comprising the bulk of the harvest (FDEP 1994).




























              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN




  I
  I
  I
  I                                                                                     )t dib    ILk-
                                                                                             -::7
  i                                                                                        - 7=-
  1        ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RVERS GREENWAY
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
  I
                                                                             f-@d h -
          CHAPTER 3





  I
  I        -









                 CHAPTER 3 - ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS GREENWAY


                     Riparian Greenways provide the          What is a Floodway?
              opportunity for linking the benefits of
              preserving the floodway while maintaining            The floodway is defined as the
                                                            area where the river leaves its banks
              or improving river water quality and          during a flood with the floodwaters
              facilitating economic development through     having movement in the same
                                                            direction as the river.
              ecotourism. The many acres of public
              lands in St. Marks River watershed,
              including the Wakulla River, provide outstanding recreational opportunities to complement
              those associated with the greenway. By conserving the natural green corridors along the
              rivers, recreation and scenic qualities will continue to flourish in the future.


                     The greenway vision for the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed is based upon
              the compilation of the land use land cover data, the Florida Game And Freshwater Fish
              Commission critical habitat data, existing land ownership patterns, and the recreation and
              cultural and historic data. The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed Greenway map
              (Figure 1) results from taking the Game and Fish's critical habitat data and overlaying it
              with the existing land use and land cover using the GIS system. The map reflects the
              natural greenway corridor along the rivers (see Figure I Watershed Greenways).


                     An assessment of natural resources within the watershed was completed In order
              to identify the potential. greenways. The objective of this assessment was to identify
              environmentally sensitive lands or lands with important habitat value. Each of the local
              comprehensive plans has policies which protect wetlands and other environmentally



                                                           d1b




              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN 63












              64

              sensitive lands; however, efforts to protect such lands can be limited by the lack of
              information regarding the location, presence or type of resources. The District's GIS was
              used to compile the best available resource data from several sources including the
              Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (FGFWFC) and Florida Natural Areas
              Inventory (FNAI). Compiled information included land use and land cover, strategic habitat
              conservation areas; and rare animal, plant and communities occurrence data. The land
              use and land cover information was obtain by classifying satellite imagery using the
              methods described elsewhere in this report.


                     The rare species occurrence and wildlife habitat information were obtained from
              several statewide geographic data sets developed by FGFWFC which incorporated FNAI
              data. These data were created by the FGFWFC to identify areas in need of protection in
              order to maintain biodiversity. This information represents the most comprehensive and
              detailed effort yet undertaken for this purpose in Florida (Presley 1994). These data sets
              also represent the best available estimate of Florida lands requiring some form of
              conservation to ensure that biodiversity is maintained for future generations. The
              FGFWFC GIS was used to assess the degree of security provided to rare species by the
              current system of conservation lands and to identify important habitat areas not currently
              protected (Cox et al., 1994). The lands recommended by FGFWFC for additional
              protection are referred to as "strategic habitat conservation areas". These lands are
              needed to meet minimum conservation goals for 30 species of wildlife inadequately
              protected by the current  system of
                     ï¿½      conservation lands,
                     ï¿½      high quality sandhill sites,









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN











                                                                                                       65

                     +      high quality scrub sites,
                     Ar     high quality pine rocklands site,
                     +      high quality examples of tropical hardwood hammocks,
                     41     bat maternity caves and winter roost caves,
                     41     wetland s important to the breeding success of eight species of wading
                             birds, and
                     +      lands important to the long term survival of 105 globally rare species of
                             plants.


                     Another geographic data set was developed by FGFWFC containing known
              locations of many animals, plants, and natural communities. A set of maps referred to as
               regional biodiversity hot spots" were created which included the following information:
                     A.-    areas where large numbers of 52 selected species co-occur,
                     +      areas supporting rare plant and wildlife communities,
                     +      over 25,000 known locations of rare plants, animals and natural
                            communities,
                     lee    county boundaries and conservation land boundaries, and
                     +      coastal areas that support key components of biological diversity.


                     The hot spots resulted from investigation of species richness which located habitat
              for seven or more focal species (Class 3), five or six focal species (Class 2), and three or
              four focal species (Class 1) (McGrail et al. 1994). Class 1 lands were generally of lower
              natural resource quality than Class 2 or 3, including large tracts in silviculture and
              agriculture that are used by wide-ranging habitat generalists such as turkey and bobcat.










              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                      The FGFWFC data served as a starting point for the resource assessment. In order
               to ensure that the identification of potential greenways included the most environmentally
               sensitive or significant lands, the District's GIS was used to modify the FGFWFC habitat
               data. The FGFWFC habitat areas are shown in Figure 10 - Natural Resource Assessment
               Map.


                      The FGFWFC       strategic habitat conservation areas and biodiversity hot spots
               (Classes 2 and 3) were combined and overlain with the land use and land cover data. In
               instances where habitat data coincided with non-natural land cover (such as silviculture,
               agriculture or urban uses), it was omitted from the lands identified as potential greenways.
               The remaining habitat areas which coincide with natural land cover types, are shown on
               Figure 10 . This was noted in the map legend since the most obvious difference between
               the entire and modified habitat data is the presence or absence of silviculture lands.
               Wetland areas identified in the land use and land cover assessment but not identified by
               FGFWFC as strategic habitat or Class 2 or 3 hot spots were also considered as
               environmentally significant lands for potential greenways (see Figure 10).





















               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN







                                            St              Marks                          and                  Wakulla                                Rivers                          Watershed                                            Natural Resource                                                                Assessment


                                             -LooftPo.*

                                                              Jqffarm@n  co

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            t LO.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    J:efferson.           Co
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Public Lands
                                     Wakul a CO.                                                                                                                                                                 Lake
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              WM6       6.und@ry'
                                                                                                                                @Wy                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Wetlands
                                                                                                                                                                                                                           S

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     FGFWFC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Habitat Areas
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (Includes
                                      Figure                    10
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       4
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Silviculture)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         f6A
                                   This publianlon wa@ made poefilble by 0                                                                                                                                                                                 1
                                                                                                                                                                               --0
                              subgnimt I am the Florida Department of Cominunity                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     FGFWFC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Habitat Areas
                                Affalm, In **operation with the U.& Department                                                                                                                          or                                                                      JI'-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (Without
                                of commerce, National O@nio and Atmospheric,

                                  Admini.tmtion, under Oooperative Agreement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Silviculture)
                                 Award No. NA370ZO427. Additional funding
                              provided by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation                                                                                            UL
                                 d Northweat Florida Water Management DIVIrIaL                                                                                                                        4 -                                                                                                                                            City        of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Tallahassee
                                      September 1994


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Watershed
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Boundary
                                                                                                                                                                                           p
                                                                                                                                                                                               CS                              7@
                                                                                                                                                                                            ir

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Transmission
                                  0                   5                  10
                                                                                                                                                  Ir                                                                                                                                                                                                 Lines
                                                     km
                            0                                                   8

                                                    miles                                                                                                                                                                 r                                                                                                                          County &
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     WMD Boundary

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Major Roads

                                        rida





                                                 V4ater


                                             A-
                                                                                                                                                    ads

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Source: Florida Game and Fresh


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Water Fish Commission, 1994











                                                                                                           69


                     T he FGFWFC data shows that there are extensive areas of critical habitat
              throughout the watershed. The modified FGFWFC habitat which coincides which natural
              land cover includes primarily riverine corridors and wetland areas. Additional areas of
              modified habitat which coincide.with natural uplands forest were also identified. Although
              these upland areas are environmentally significant, they occupy more isolated or scattered
              areas limiting their function as greenway linkages. The wetlands identified by the District
              may also contain focal species habitat (less than 5 focal species). These areas identify
              additional potential greenway "spurs". The proposed greenway corridor is the unifying
              linkages between the largest and highest quality habitat areas.


                      The process undertaken in this effort served to identify those areas within the St.

              Marks and Wakulla riverine corridors and associated wetland and habitat corridors that

              may be worthy of consideration as greenway linkages. The FGFWFC report could be
              used in a companion fashion to enhance the protection of additional strategic habitat
              conservation areas proximate to the proposed greenway.


                      The greenway corridor of hardwood swamps and bottomland forest along the St.
              Marks and Wakulla rivers provide wildlife habitat while functioning as conduits for many
              species of birds, the Florida Black Bear, and other animals. The water quality of the rivers
              can be maintained through the natural filtering capabilities of the hardwood swamps and
              bottomland forest, if a sufficiently wide greenway corridor is maintained and if Best
              Management Practices are followed in silviculture operations. The greenway can also
              function as a filter for residential stormwater runoff and septic tank nutrient rich leachates.
              By protecting the bottomland hardwood swamps and limiting the intensity of development
              in these wetlands, the impacts on the St, Marks river can be reduced. Also, by guiding








              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               70

               development away from the river, the hazards related to flooding on property and lives is

               also reduced.



                       The Town of St. Marks is the only incorporated municipality adjacent to the
               greenway and is the primary hub for recreation and commerce along the two rivers. The
               Town of St. Marks is a commercial port with the St. Marks River supporting an electric
               power generation facility, barge transportation and commercial fishing operations. The
               conservation of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway may provide the local
               Chambers of Commerce with a marketing tool for ecotourist-related businesses. The
               Governor-appointed Florida Greenways Commission is working to establish a statewide
               network of greenways linking communities and natural areas. Wakulla County is perfectly
               positioned for creating greenways linking the Apalachicola National Forest, the St. Marks
               National Wildlife Refuge, Wakulla Springs State Park and the Tallahassee to St. Marks
               State Historic Rail Trail. There is a tremendous potential for marketing this watershed and
               the surrounding region as an ecotourism destination because of the variety of
               opportunities available. The resource areas of the region and watershed combine to
               provide the critical mass of opportunities necessary to entice visitors to the communities
               in the watershed and in particular Wakulla County. The greenway can provide the
               framework to tie the watershed's resource areas together and provide a unifying theme for
               future partnerships.


                     The St. Marks and Wakulla rivers abound in history. Visitors along the Tallahassee
               -St. Marks Historic State Rail Trail often know very little about the history of the lands
               which they.are riding through. Through the development of historical trails on the rivers
               and along the rail trail, the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway could provide visitors
               another recreation outlet based on the history of past cultures and events. A significant







               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCr- ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTFECTION PLAN











                                                                                                     71

             historical interpretation site currently exist at Fort San Marcos de Apalachee and the
             Natural Bridge Battlefield site on the St. Marks River.


                    Analysis of the land ownership data collect from the property appraisers offices of
             Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties indicates that much of the land within one mile of
             the rivers are in large, single ownerships . This information is important for determining
             which greenway development strategies may be appropriate for particular river segments.
             The following discussion on the proposed St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway
             provides a description of each river by river segments.



                           ST. MARKs RIVER PORTION OF THE GREENWAY


             THE RIVER SWAMP SECTION



                    Much of the upper portion of the St. Marks River north of Natural Bridge is owned
             and managed for silviculture by the St. Joseph Land and Development Corporation. A few
             areas in the extreme northern reaches of the watershed near Interstate 10 and around
             Natural Bridge have multiple owners and are used for agriculture, silviculture and
             residences. Much of the surrounding land is classified as hydric swamps or wetlands,
             and is considered important habitat by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission
             (see Figure 10 - Resource Assessment). This section of the greenway also filters
             stormwater run-off, serves as a buffer area for natural flooding, provides a sediment sink
             from erosion of adjacent agricultural lands, and the wetlands here provide nutrients to the












             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











               72

               river ecosystem. The upper reach does not provide good opportunities for canoeing
               because much of the river is not navigable due to dense wetland vegetation and the fact
               that are few public access points along the upper reach.


                      Although all the previous mentioned attributes of the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers
               will benefit from greenways, the greatest benefit of creating a greenway along this portion
               of the river may be protection of the water quality of the entire watershed. Land
               development of all kinds has a disproportionate influence on downstream areas. In this
               area the river has less flow and is narrower, the upland disturbances tend to occur closer
               to the St. Marks River's smaller tributaries. Consequently, nutrient and sediment loads
               tend to be higher per acre along these smaller streams than downstream where the river
               becomes larger (Binford and Buchenau 1993). Proper stormwater management is
               therefore critical for this section. The ditches and swales that drain into the river function
               as conduits for sediments and nutrients. An effective stormwater management system can
               make the difference in river water quality.



               THE NATuRAL BRIDGE SECTION



                      Between Natural Bridge to the Town of St. Marks, the river's ownership patterns
               become, more fragmented. The riverfront is lined with homes along the west bank for
               about 2.5 miles below Natural Bridge. There are few scattered homes on the west side of
               the river south of Newport. Much of the land inbetween on the west bank appears to be
               in two ownerships and is managed for silviculture. The entire east bank of the river from
               Natural Bridge to St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge has only a few ownerships and is also
               managed for silviculture.



                                                                       N




               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                                                                                                       73

                    The Natural Bridge Section of the greenway functions as a filter and a conduit.
              Based on the land use and land cover and critical areas maps, the middle section of the
              greenway along the St. Marks River has the greatest potential for filtering or buffering the
              adjacent silviculture operations as well as the residential development located between
              Natural Bridge and Newport. There are few areas in this section with excellent habitat.
              The river swamps are relatively narrow and much of the adjacent uplands are pine
              plantations. This portion of the greenway provides opportunities for canoeing and boating.
              It also provides a natural corridor for animals to move between the Refuge and the
              swamps and uplands of the upper portion of the watershed.



              NEWPORT TO ST. MARKS SECTION



                     South from Newport, the greenway is influenced by increasing urban development
              along the west bank in juxtaposition with the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the
              east bank (see Figure 6). This section of the St. Marks River is deeper and wider due to
              channel dredging by the US Army Corps of Engineers for oil carrying barges. The barges
              serve the oil tank farms and the City of Tallahassee Power plant located along the rivers
              western bank in the town of St. Marks.



                     Much of the ecological benefits afforded by the greenway will accrue on the east
              side of the river which is bordered by the Aucilla Wildlife Management Area and the St.
              Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Much of the greenway corridor is intact along the west
              bank between Newport and the industrial complex at St. Marks, future residential












              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                74

                development in the area could however, degrade the greenway's ability to function as a
                natural filter, if stormwater runoff, noise, extensive land clearing, and visual intrusions are
                not managed properly (see Figures 6,and 10)



                               WAKULLA RIVER PORTION OF THE GREENWAY



                       The land along the Wakulla River is more fragmented by roads and residential
                development than it is along the St. Marks River (refer to Figure 5). The following
                discussion describes the three Wakulla River sections of the greenway - Wakulla Springs,
                Between the Bridges, and Lower Bridge to Apalachee Bay. Silviculture is the predominate
                use of the western bank. South of the US 98 Bridge the land is managed for silviculture
                and as a safety zone for Olin Corporation. The river flows through the St. Marks National.
                Wildlife Refuge to the west and south of the port Town of St. Marks where it joins with the

                St. Marks River.



                WAKULLA SPRINGS SECTION



                      The Wakulla Springs section of the greenway is delineated by the Wakulla Springs
                State Park above State Road 365 (see Figure 5 and Figure 7). The Wakulla Springs
                section provides habitat for animals, sources of native seeds for the river system, filters
                upland stormwater runoff and the surrounding swamps and functions as a sediment and
                nutrient sinks. The Wakulla Springs section provides visitors a place to swim, hike, tour
                on the spring fed river and view wildlife.










                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE AS5ESSMENT            GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN











                                                                                                        75


             BETWEEN THE BRIDGES SECTION - STATE ROAD 365 To U.S. 98



                     There are many homes on both banks of this section of the river. Homeowners
             have generally done a good job protecting vegetation on their properties and along the
             banks, but habitat along this portion has never the less been degraded by development.
             Canoeing, kayaking, and fishing are frequent activities in this section of the greenway, with
             many users accessing the river at the State Road 365 and U.S. Highway 98 bridges. The
             "Between the Bridges"section of the greenway functions primarily as a filter, but the
             corridor also likely provides a conduit for animals moving between the Wildlife Refuge,
             Wakulla Springs State Park, and the Apalachicola National Forest. Occasionally, visitors
             can see manatees feeding in the river's shallows.



             LOWER BRIDGE TO i!@PALAQHEE BAY. SECTION


                    This section of the greenway starts below the US Highway 98 bridge and extends
             to Apalachee Bay. The west bank of the Wakulla River below the US 98 bridge is within
             the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. Much of the greenway on the west bank functions
             as habitat and a conduit where animals can move from the surrounding uplands to the.river
             and to the Gulf of Mexico. Olin Manufacturing has maintained a forested buffer for their
             industrial plant operations along the east bank of the Wakulla River. This buffer follows
             the east bank from just south of the US 98 Bridge to the Shell Island Fish Camp in St.
             Marks. - Olin's property along the river functions as habitat, a filter for stormwater and
             noise, and a' conduit for animal movement. Olin has developed a small park on the water
             for the use of its employees.





                                                              7=
                                                                  At
                                                 fl@


             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











             76





































































            ST. MARK5 AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT   GREENWAY PROTEC-nON PLAN




I
I
I
I                                        )t Ab
I
I   LOCAL AND STATE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
I
I
I
.1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
   CHAPTER 4                       i @- L@ db@





I
I








             CHAPTER 4 - LOCAL AND STATE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS

                           LOCAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION PROGRAMS



                    The Local Government Comprehensive Planning Act of 1985 required that all local
             governments in the state adopt a local comprehensive plan to chart the growth of the
             community for at least the next five years. The plans are to contain various mandatory and
             discretionary elements, each with goals, measurable objectives and policies that will guide
             all decisions on growth and development within the community. Within a year of adopting
             the plan, each government are to adopt or update land development regulations to
             implement and be consistent with the comprehensive plan. After the adoption of the plan
             and land development regulations, all local governments' development are required by law
             to be consistent with the adopted plan.


                    Each plan is required to contain a capital improvements element, intergovernmental
             coordination element, future land use element, traffic circulation element, sanitary sewage,
             solid waste, drainage, potable water and natural groundwater aquifer recharge element,
             conservation element, recreation and open space element, housing element, and for
             coastal counties including Wakulla and Jefferson counties, a coastal management

             element.



                    Each plan, adopted pursuant to the 1985 act, was submitted to the state Department
             of Community Affairs for review of its compliance with the State Comprehensive Plan, the
             appropriate Comprehensive Regional Policy Plan (now called the Strategic Regional
             Policy plan) and the rules of the department. All three counties within the St. Marks Basin
             have adopted their comprehensive plans and submitted them to the state. The City



                                                            db
                                                           --@ @i

             ST. MARKS ANQ WAKULLARIVERs RESOURCEAsSESSMENT& GREENWAY PROTECTIONPLAN 77











              78

              Tallahassee-Leon County and Jefferson County's plans have been found in compliance.
              Wakulla County's plan has been found not in compliance and is continuing to undergo
              revision to meet the state requirements. The only incorporated municipality within the
              study area is the Town of St. Marks which has completed its plan and has been found to
              be in compliance.



                REVIEW OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMPREHENSIVE PLANS



                     Each of the applicable local comprehensive plans is based on a general model
              provided by the Department of Community Affairs as part of its technical assistance
              program to local governments. For this reason, the basic format of each plan is similar,
              although they have been modified to deal with specific local conditions. The Wakulla and
              Jefferson County plans are fairly similar in scope and overall impact. The counties have
              about the same populations, but have very different geographical features. Jefferson
              County has adopted a series of land development regulations implementing its plan, while
              Wakulla has adopted only one applicable regulation, and none that are required by its
              comprehensive plan. This regulation is the groundwater protection ordinance for Wakulla
              Springs and the sinkholes to the north. Wakulla County has decided to wait until it
              completes its plan in a manner which would be approved by the state before it adopts its
              required land development regulations. The local comprehensive plan for the town of St.
              Marks reflects the community's desire for only a small amount of growth to its small
              population (approximately 350 people) or area (approximately 1000 acres).


                     The -City of Tallahassee/Leon County plan is the only joint local government
              comprehensive plan in the state. Given its urban nature, this plan is much more detailed








              5T. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                      79

             in order to meet the demands of a large and growing population. As might be expected,
             Tallahassee-Leon County's land development regulations are (more elaborate and)
             complex than that of the adjoining local governments. The comprehensive plan is a mutual
             product of the City of Tallahassee and Leon County. This plan is administered by the
             Tallahassee -Leon County Planning Department.


                    All of the areas comprehensive plans contain general language about protecting
             wildlife and other natural resources, providing open space and recreational opportunities
             such as bike trails. The plans also contain other provisions that could serve as a base for
             the protection of the greenway once it is established. However, none of the plans have
             any specific greenways included in them. This omission is not surprising considering that
             the concept of greenways has gained acceptance as a conservation tool since most of the
             local comprehensive plans were initially adopted. The major difference between the plans
             as they relate to the potential for the designation and protection of greenways is that the
             Tallahassee/Leon County plan calls for local development and management of recreation
             areas for its citizens while the other local governments generally leave that to federal or
             state governments. Tallahassee and Leon County has greater fiscal resources to develop
             and manage recreational facilities than the rural governments which provide only limited
             local recreational facilities. In the past these rural governments have relied upon state or
             federal programs to provide such recreational facilities. Few local funds have been
             dedicated to maintain or developing new facilities. To overcome this hurdle, partnerships
             between governments and the private sector should be established or.strengthened to
             further the development and management of facilities and infrastructure to complement the

             greenway.









                                                             7=7



             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               80


               Tom oF ST. MARKS



                      The town of St. Marks is at the southern apex of the St. Marks watershed. Its local
               comprehensive plan generally reflects the need to protect the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers
               through its adoption of minimum vegetative buffers (25 feet). The Town of St. Marks has
               included no specific protection schemes. It recognizes the existence of the "Rail to Trails
               path" which runs the length of the town and has its southern terminus there. However, the
               Trail receives no special protection in its Land Use Element or Conservation Element, nor
               does the plan appear to recognize its economic and recreational value for the community
               and surrounding area. The Intergovernmental Coordination Element does not provide a
               process for solving disputes or working with adjacent governments in a comprehensive or

               continual basis.



               WAKULLA COUNTY



                     Since most of the St. Marks watershed falls within Wakulla County, the Wakulla
               County Comprehensive Plan will have the greatest impact on any greenway established
               within the basin. T he provisions of the county's plan recognize the public lands, rivers and
               other resources within the county, including Wakulla Springs State Park and the
               Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, but fails to provide any special plan,
               program or requirement for their protection. This is left entirely to the land development
               regulations which have not yet been adopted, and to the plans of state and federal
               agencies.











               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                        81

                     The Capital Improvements Element of the Wakulla County comprehensive plan sets
              the level of service for hiking traits at one mile per 20,000 people and for bike paths at 1
              mile for every 5,000 people. Both levels of service are currently being met by the Florida
              National Scenic Trail and St. Marks Rail Trail which pass through the county. The
              Conservation Eleme    nt states that the county will cooperate with the state in finding
              appropriate lands to acquire for the rails-to-trails programs.


                     The protection of wetlands in Wakulla County is addressed in the Land Use and
              Conservation Elements as well as in most of the other elements. Thirty five foot
              development setbacks and 40 foot special interest zone has been established for wetlands
              and sinkholes. Seventy five foot non-disturbance zones of native vegetation are required
              along the rivers, except for certain water dependent uses for which small areas of
              disturbance are allowed. The 100-year floodplains and certain floodways also receive
              some protection from the impacts of building. Private lands in the floodways along the
              county's rivers are designated as Conservation on the Future Land Use Map. These areas
              are defined as those lands within the 25-year flood plain where waters flow in the general
              direction of the river channel.



                     The comprehensive plan requires that wildlife and their habitats are to be protected,
              but the method for doing so is left entirely to land development regulations yet to be
              adopted. Many of the elements of the plan, do however recognize the importance of
              wildlife protection. The Coastal Element recognizes of the importance of protecting
              Apalachee Bay for commercial and recreational fishing, but includes few specific protection
              mechanisms for coastal habitats. Furthermore, no mention is made of coastal recreational
              opportunities such as the legislatively designated Big Bend Historic Salt Water Paddling
              Trail along the coast.


                                                                   Al




              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN











               82

                      Though the county has identified canoe trails on three of its rivers in its data and
               analysis, none are specifically mentioned in the plan. River protection of within the county
               has received some attention, however, protection and enhancement of water dependent
               uses are not mentioned in the comprehensive plan. The plan does not mention the Florida
               National Scenic Trail as a special part of the St. Marks Wildlife Refuge and Apalachicola
               National Forest nor the federal wilderness areas in the refuge or in the national forest.
               Wakulla County has begun investigating methods for designating and protecting canopy
               roads. Provisions for bicycling are included in the Traffic Circulation Element.


                      Wakulla County has adopted one land development regulation that restricts certain
               chemicals from being stored in the sinkhole zone from Wakulla Springs to the north in a
               narrow, one-mile wide area. Though Wakulla County has an Intergovernmental
               Coordination Element, it does not establish any processes for coordination or dispute
               resolution with its neighboring local governments.



               JEFFERSON COUNTY



                      Jefferson County's local comprehensive plan is similar to that of Wakulla County.
               Though Jefferson County's plan recognizes the St. Marks River watershed, no special
               protection mechanisms exist for the St. Marks River as is provided for the Aucilla River.
               The Conservation land use category does not include any private lands, and is specifically
               limited to publicly owned lands. Most of the Jefferson County's lands within the watershed
               are managed for silviculture. These silvicultural uses are controlled through the state's
               Best Management Practices.









               5T. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCe ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                      83

                    Jefferson County's comprehensive plan recognizes the importance of linear trails
              by considering the feasibility of establishing a county-wide plan for bikeways and horse
              riding paths. It also describes a canopy roads bicycle trail, the Wacissa River canoe trail
              and the Spanish and Bellamy historic trails. The plan directs the land development
              regulations to establish protection for various canopy roads within the county; however,
              these have not yet been adopted.



              QTY c)F TAL.LAHASSF-E:/LEON COUNTY


                     The Tallahassee/Leon County Comprehensive Plan is much more comprehensive
              and sophisticated than the other three plans covering the watershed. This plan contains
              similar basic provisions as those already discussed, but it recognizes the importance the
              parks and park planning, open space and recreation. Unfortunately, it too fails to
              recognize the concept of greenways or the use of linear connectors for recreation, non-
              motorized transportation and wildlife habitat protection. The Environmental Planning
              section of the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department is currently initiating a
              countywide greenway conservation plan.


                     Special provisions are included in the Transportation Element for the establishment
              of a Tallahassee - Leon Bicycle Plan and for the interconnection of travelways within the
              county for bicycle traffic. These are included to help alleviate auto congestion as opposed
              to the establishment of specific greenways or trails, but these provisions are a very
              important basis for future greenways development. The plan's Recreation Element does
              not adequately protect the Tallahassee-St. Marks Historic Railroad State Trail, but it does
              reference it in its Data and Analysis. The Transportation Element references the plan to
              extend the rail-trail north from the Capital Circle trailhead to Florida State University.







              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                84

                       The extensive listing of parks and other public recreational facilities in the plan, as
                well as the expressed need for continued expansion of recreational opportunities, give a
                firm foundation for greenways development. These provisions place emphasis on local
                government action. This is very different from the other three plans, in which the more
                rural local governments are more than willing to allow state or federal management
                policies to dictate the location and type of recreational facilities.


                       The Tallahassee/Leon County Comprehensive plan also contains numerous
                provisions for wetlands, sinkhole and wildlife protection as well as the designation of open
                space'.   Various land development regulations contained in the Environmental
                Management Act implement these provisions.



                       REVIEW OF STATE RESOURCE PROTECTION PROGRAMS



                       The State of Florida has many programs which can assist with greenway
                conservation efforts. Many of the existing programs are geared to land acquisition and/or
                recreation facility development.      Preservation 2000 is the most progressive land
                acquisition program in the country. Preservation 2000 has been the funding source for
                many of Florida's land acquisition programs since 1991. It provides nearly $300 million
                of annually bonded funds for many different conservation programs. The law directs
                approximately $30 million toward parks, trails, game and forest management, $30 million
                toward implementing growth management locally, $90 million toward protecting water
                resources, and $150 million toward conservation of wildlife habitat, forests and coasts.
                Preservation 2000 dollars assist in the funding of the following programs.









                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCe ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                     85

                    +      Conservation and Recreation Lands Program (CARL)
                    +      Florida Communities Trust Program

                    +      Save Our Rivers

                    +      Rails to Trails / Florida National Scenic Trail Acquisition Program
                    +      Land Acquisition Trust Fund -Additions and Inholdings
                    +      Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission Wildlife Habitat Trust Fund



                    Other state programs that may be useful for greenway conservation are the Surface
             Water Improvement Management (SWIM) Program, Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the
             Florida Recreational Development Assistance Program, special legislation and
             designations.



             CARL PR     OGRAM



                    The CARL land acquisition program is administered by the Florida Department of
             Environmental Protection Like all other state land acquisition programs, CARL is a willing
             seller program, meaning the state only pursues acquisition of a piece of property if the
             property owner is willing to sell the property to the state. The CARL program purchases
             environmentally endangered lands for state parks, forests, wildlife management areas,
             beaches, and recreation areas. CARL projects typically are environmentally sensitive
             lands that have unique or rare habitats, endangered or threatened species, or unique
             geological features (Gluckman 1991). CARL is also used to:


                    Ar     Conserve floodplain lands, marshes, and estuaries in order to protect and








             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                86

                              enhance water quality and quantity, and wildlife not otherwise protected by
                              local or state regulations; and
                              Preservation of significant archaeological or historical sites (Gluckman
                              1991).


                CARL projects tend to conserve the large natural systems and connecting components of
                the strategic greenway network.



                FLORIDA COMMUNITIES TRuST PROGRAM



                      The Department of Community Affairs administers the Florida Communities Trust
                which provides local governments assistance in implementing their local comprehensive
                plans. The trust administers a grant program which awards local governments funds for
                local land acquisition projects. Projects are selected if they further the objectives of g rowth
                management, natural resource conservation and outdoor recreation and demonstrate
                uniqueness. This program gives points for local greenway conservation projects.



                SAVE OUR RIVERS



                      The Save Our Rivers program is administered by each of the State's five water
                management districts. Each water management district is required to develop a five year
                plan laying out proposed land acquisitions for the district. Save Our River projects are
                selected based on water quality protection, natural communities protection, nonstructura
                flood control and protecting groundwater recharge areas. Save Our River projects often



                                                               A




                ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PRoTec-nON PLAN











                                                                         87

          provide public use benefits by providing additional park lands for local communities. Save
          Our Rivers is funded through the Water Management Lands Trust Fund, which is
          administered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This program has
          conserved many river and wetland greenways throughout the state.



          LAND AcoulSITIoN TRUST FUND (LATF)



              The Land Acquisition Trust Fund was established in 1963 as a mechanism to fund
          acquisition of lands for parks and recreation areas. The portion of LATF under P 2000
          targets private inholdings within parks and forests. All LATF acquisitions are concerned
          primarily with the recreation value of the land and their accessibility by the public
          (Gluckman 1991).



          GAME AND FRESHWATER FiSH COMMISSION WILDLIFE HABiTAT TRUST FUND



              The Fish and Wildlife Habitat Trust Fund is a P 2000 funded program which seeks
          to purchase lands that are important to the conservation of fish and wildlife.



          RAILS To TRAILs/FLORIDA NATiONAL SCENic TRAIL Acou[SITION PROC'RAM



               This program was established to purchase abandoned railroad right-of-ways and
          protect sections of the Florida National Scenic Trail. The Rails to Trails Program is a











          ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               88

               Preservation 2000 funded program that has focused on acquiring abandoned railroad
               rights of way which considers the current and future recreational need, costs sharing
               potential with other agencies, and the timing of the availability of the right of way
               (Gluckman 1991).



               THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION TRUST FUND (HPTF)



                     The HPTF is a grant in aid program for individuals or governments that wish to
               identify and restore historic structures or sites. The program does not acquire property,
               but instead gives grants to fund planning and development or historic property acquisition
               by non-profit organizations and local governments. Projects are selected on criteria such
               as purpose, economic and other public benefit, and cost.



               SURFACE WATER IMPROVEMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (SWIM)



                     The Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program was created
               by the legislature in 1987 to protect and, where necessary, restore surface water bodies
               of state or regional importance. Each water management district is. responsible for
               developing a SWIM programs involving three major phases: (1) development of a SWIM
               priority list of waterbodies of regional or statewide significance, (2) development of
               management plans for the waterbodies in priority order, and (3) implementation of the
               management plans (Snowden and Cairns 1993). The SWIM program has the ability to
               provide funding for extensive restoration of degraded waters. When combined with the
               districts Save Our River Program, the SWIM program provides an excellent tool for river
               conservation.









               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE- ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                        89


              OTHER PROGRAMS



                     Several Florida rivers have been provided special legislation for their preservation
              including the Wekiva River in central Florida. In 1988, Governor Bob Martinez created
              the Wekiva River Task Force to evaluate existing regulatory, planning, and land
              acquisition programs of state, regional and local governments affecting the Wekiva River
              sub-basin. Two years later the Task Force submitted its report to the Governor
              recommending new legislation and changes in the current planning, management, and
              regulatory processes. The St. Johns River Water Management District and the East
              Central Florida Regional Planning Council strongly supported the legislative initiative. The
              special legislation originated from the lack of local government initiative to protect and to
              conserve the Wekiva River corridor from residential development expanding northward
              from the Orlando metropolitan area. The act which was passed by the legislature in 1989
              established habitat protection zones, increased buffer widths and new requirements for
              development of regional impact's that fall within the Wekiva River Protection Zone.


                     Fortunately, since the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers are not subject to as intense
              development threats as the Wekiva River, they probably do not warrant such special
              legislative protection. Another option is designation as a state or national wild and scenic
              river. Under the federal designation program, the Wakulla and St. Marks rivers would
              likely only qualify as a recreational river because of the adjacent development and the
              many bridges over the rivers. The Sopchoppy River is under consideration for federal wild
              and scenic designation, and the Myakka River in southern Florida has been designated
              a state wild and scenic river by the Legislature. The Florida Aquatic Preserve designation










              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












              90

              program may also benefit conservation of the greenway by protecting water quality. The
              Florida State Rural Development Council within the Florida Department of Commerce is
              also available to assist local governments and citizens in developing economic
              opportunities related to conservation of the greenway.


                     The silvicultural operations which occur over a large portion of the watershed are
              controlled by the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs through its 1993
              Best Management Practices. It provides for various protection mechanisms for logging
              along rivers, streams, lakes and sink holes. The functions of wetlands also receive some
              protection by the BMPs.



              SUMMARY OF STATE PROGRAMS



                            These land acquisition programs, policies and laws enacted by the state and
              federal governments may assist in conserving St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway.
              In the greenway sections where there are large single land ownerships, fee- simple land
              acquisition and less-than-fee simple conservation provide excellent opportunities for
              greenway conservation if the owners are willing to participate. In the subdivided areas and
              areas where development has already occurred, the best alternatives for greenway
              conservation are proper land use planning and regulation, education about greenway
              stewardship, and innovative site designs and management.














              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN




I
I
I
I                                       -V ft A k Ar
I
I   RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSERVING THE
I   ST. MARKS & WAKULLA RIVERS GREENWAY
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
   CHAPTER 5





m
0



'A









                   CHAPTER 5 - RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSERVING
                    THE ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS GREENWAY


                    In recognizing the corridors of St. Marks and Wakulla rivers as a greenway, the
             communities place a special value in maintaining the natural functions and aesthetic
             qualities of these unique areas. The citizens of Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla should act
             now if the greenway is to be conserved. Governments and citizens should work to form
             partnerships to conserve the greenway to take advantage of its conservation, recreation

             and economic benefits.



                    Development will continue to occur in the watershed affecting its water resources.
             Potential impacts include creating more impervious surfaces due to paving and building,
             dredge and fill activities, wetland draining, floodplain alterations, residential, industrial, and
             agriculture and silviculture activities. If development occurs without growth management
             and land use planning, these activities could result in increased habitat fragmentation,
             stormwater run-off, localized flooding and an overall decrease in surface water quality.
             Development and alteration of river floodplains can reduce the area for flood waters to
             dissipate. Development can reduce the floodplain area and increases stormwater run-off
             and as a result, flooding tends to become more frequent and severe. The increased flood
             height and magnitudes resulting from improper floodplain development may lead to
             increases in erosion and sediment deposition into the rivers (Wolfe et al. 1988). A
             greenway conservation effort focused on the St. Marks and Wakulla river can potentially
             minimize these negative impacts from development while furthering many conservation,
             recreation and community quality of life goals. Greenway planning is not intended to
             prevent future development, but rather to ensure that it occurs in a manner which
             minimizes impact to the resources.










             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLARIVERs RESOURCF- ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN












              92

                     The following recommendations provide suggestions for how to conserve and
              promote greenways in the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed.                     These
              recommendations have been organized by the agency, group or individuals who may elect
              to take the lead in their implementation. These recommendations can be implemented
              thorough growth management, land conservation and management practices,
              partnerships, and through the actions of individuals and groups. The St. Marks and
              Wakulla Rivers Greenway Steering Committee is available to help decision makers by
              providing recommendations and public input concerning these recommendations and to
              refine how these recommendations can be implemented.



                        RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS



                     Local governments within the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed, with the
              exception of the City of Tallahassee and Leon County, have few if any financial resources
              to actively manage the greenway. These rural counties and the town of St. Marks will
              need financial assistance through grants and other sources to carry out remedial changes
              to their comprehensive plans and to implement greenway programs.


                     Lands owned by the state and federal governments should be integrated into
              community greenway conservation plans. These lands substantially benefit the local
              communities and could enhance both economic development a                 nd recreational
              opportunities if properly integrated into joint cooperative programs. The local governments
              should explore the recreational opportunities provided on these public lands and develop
              partnerships with their managers to attract tourists and their dollars to the watershed.



                                                                    N
                                                              F A


              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PRoTEc-nON PLAN












                                                                                                     93

                    Now that the local governments have adopted comprehensive plans, it is important
             for each community to review opportunities for linking the state and federal lands within
             its boundaries. The recommendations suggested below can be very helpful in assisting
             the local governments with that endeavor. These public lands should be viewed as assets
             that can enhance the community efforts in economic and recreational opportunities. These
             lands should be considered a positive part of the process and integrated into the
             community's greenway conservation effort. One option pursuing an effective greenway
             conservation program in the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers watershed would be to the local
             comprehensive planning process.


                    Because greenways encompass many disciplines and objectives, the most effective
             way of establishing and protecting them is to create a planning process or entity that will
             include many facets. Greenways could be included in practically all elements of the
             comprehensive plan. The most efficient and effective method for the local governments
             to incorporate greenways is-to amend their local comprehensive plans in a manner that
             builds upon the existing plans and refers to those the goals, objectives and policies that
             best address these issues but that would necessitate a wholesale revision of the existing
             plan.


                    A local plan amendment is recommended because it can focus on the multiplicity
             of benefits of a greenway and can emphasize the importance of the greenway to the
             community as a whole. This plan amendment could also help emphasize the economic
             development and recreational benefits the community that can be realized if the community
             works with the other local governments, as well as state and federal conservation efforts.
             A plan amendment to the comprehensive plan could also give visibility and cohesiveness








             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PROTEvnON PLAN












               94

               to the greenway while maintaining the necessary flexibility for each local government.


                      Because there are a number of locations within the plans that are applicable to the
               greenway, a plan amendment could be located in any number of elements. However, one
               option would be to use the Intergovernmental Coordination Element (ICE) for the reasons
               suggested below.


                      First, the Environmental Lands Management Study Committee III (ELMS 111)
               legislation in 1993 required that the ICE be substantially revised for all local governments.
               This means that the four governments in the basin will have to go through a thorough
               amendment review and adoption process prior to August 1, 1997. Including. the greenway
               concept in the ICE at the time of its revision would have the least disruptive impact on the
               local planning process. In addition, the Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) for each
               local government is due approximately the same time. To develop this report, local
               governments must review their plan for compliance, effectiveness and updating. This
               review process allows each local government to seek out the provisions that should be
               referred to or developed for incorporating greenways into the community.


                      Second, the watershed encompasses three counties and one municipality. Most,
               if not all, of the proposed greenway identified in this report either crosses governmental
               boundaries or would be substantially affected by the actions of other governments. No
               effective greenways management and protection plan can be established if the
               governments involved do not coordinate. Placing the plan amendment within the ICE
               would give the greatest support for intergovernmental cooperation. Placing the greenway









               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT           GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                       95

              plan amendment in a substantive element may unnecessarily color the process for
              particular greenways and potentially restrict their broad application and use in the future.


                     Finally, the Govemor-appointed Florida Greenways Commission is proposing that
              greenways be incorporated into local government planning processes through
              amendments to the local comprehensive plans. The greenway plan amendment proposed
              is consistent with the Commission's recommendation to weave the plan's goals, objectives,
              and policies so a greenway conservation thread is created throughout the plan.


                     The plan amendment would need to include the appropriate goals, objectives and
              policies that are best suited for the establishment, protection and management of
              greenways within and between each local government. It is not the intent of this report to
              set out specific goals, objectives and policies for local governments to adopt. However,
              the authors are willing to assist local governments' individual needs in developing goals,
              objectives, and policies at the appropriate time. The following are some general ideas:



              GOALS



                     Each government should adopt broad goals that express the multi-faceted benefits
              of the greenway to the community. These can either be separate goals or a single overall
              goal. The goal should be broad enough to cover a variety of future needs and functions
              of the greenway, but narrow enough to have some meaning. One example could be:













              ST. MARKS AND WAKULL.A RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT         GREENWAY PRoTec-nON PLAN











               4-     Develop a plan to conserve the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway in
                      to provide recreational opportunities, conserve natural resources and
                      improves the quality of life within the community.



               OBJECTIVES


                      The objectives should include the intended dates to implement the greenways plan
               or plan elements and the various types and general locations of various greenways. There
               should be an objective for each proposed greenway, for example:


                      By 1998, the community will establish and conserve the St. Marks and
                      Wakulla Rivers Greenway to provide recreational opportunities and protect
                      the rivers water quality as Outstanding Florida Waters.



               POLICIES



                      Policies should include the methods that will be used to accomplish th  e objectives
               as well as how the plan will be financed. They should also include the processes for
               interaction with other governments and references other applicable comprehensivei plan
               goals, objectives and polices. Policies under each objective could be similar but should
               reflect the timing, financing and purpose of each individual greenway project. For example:


               +      By 1997 the community will seek funds and conduct a study of the economic,
                      recreation and environmental benefits of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers

                      Greenway.








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                  97



             +      By 1997 the community will appoint a St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers
                    Greenway Advisory Committee composed of forestry interests, riverside
                    property owners and residents, boaters, anglers, scientists and others who
                    have expressed an interest in greenway development. This group will meet
                    and make recommendations to the local governments for the adoption of
                    appropriate greenway management and protection measures.


                    By 1997 the community and the committee will establish procedures for developing
                    their recommendations and management plans in coordination with adjacent local
                    governments and the Northwest Florida Water Management District.


                    By 1998 the community will conserve greenways by incorporating
                    appropriate management and protective measures into its local planning
                    processes, and the community will coordinate with adjacent local
                    governments to incorporate complementary measures into their planning

                    processes.



                     OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS



                    The following recommendations include suggestions for further developing and
             prorrioting greenway protection and management programs that individual local







                                                         db





             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               98

               governments may have already begun implementing. These recommendations are
               offered to all local governments in order to create complementary greenway conservation
               strategies along all greenway segments.


               +      Consider working with state agencies to develop incentives to promote retention of
                      silvicultural land uses and adherence to Best Management Practices in the
                      greenways corridor.


                      Consider establishing watershed-wide planning partnerships to develop a general
                      consensus on land use goals and to improve intergovernmental coordination
                      between the counties and the incorporated areas to conserve the greenway.


               4-     Con sider developing plan for the greenways to be adopted by each local
                      government. Use the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Steering Committee
                      to assist with planning efforts, education and public input for the planning process.


               +      Consider linking the greenway to parks, forests, other local greenways, trails and

                      habitat areas to other similar areas outside of the watershed.



               -10    Consider coordinating with the Florida Greenways Commission in order to tie into
                      its efforts to create a statewide network of greenways. Celebrate Florida's 1.50     th
                      birthday to designating the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway as one of
                      Florida's 150 greenways











               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCF- ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











              +       Consider keeping the greenway as intact as possible to facilitate wildlife movement
                      and maintain viable populations of designated species.


              -*e     Consider limitations on clearing native vegetation in the greenway.


              41      Consider using  this studys database and map series to initiate and maintain a local
                      greenway database.


              +       Consider sponsoring workshops with local builders and developers to promote
                      appropriate site planning, design and landscaping for residential, commercial and
                      industrial development in the greenway.


              +       Consider protecting greenways by fee-simple and less-than-fee-simple land
                      acquisition methods. This may include participating in multi-government land
                      acquisition project, creating incentives to develop and protect the greenway through
                      tax incentives and conservation easements.



              +       Consider using mitigation in regulatory programs for use in conserving the

                      greenway.



              +       Consider working with the local school board and others to incorporate into local
                      education programs the importance and relationships of conserving the greenway.


              +       Consider working with public land managers, historians and users in developing
                      signs to aid interpretation of the greenway's historic and natural sites and to provide







              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT            GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











                100

                      continuity along the greenway. Consider adopting an architectural theme for public
                      use facilities in the greenways.


               4*     Consider incentives to encourage development of businesses especially in Wakulla
                      County, to serve greenway users including those providing overnight
                      accommodations, food, recreational equipment, guide services and other hospitality
                      businesses,


               +      Consider promoting the special natural and recreational features and historical
                      areas of the watershed to attract ecotourists and benefit economic development.


               -0.    Consider participating in a proposed Apalachee Regional Ecotourism Development
                      Council that markets the Apalachee Region as a destination for outdoor
                      enthusiasts. Council members could include local chamber of commerce members,
                      hospitality managers, camping/outfitting retailers, guide services and liveries,
                      hunting and fishing organizations, and recreational user groups.


               +      Consider endorsing and co-sponsoring recreational and tourism publications such
                      as maps and guidebooks.


               +      Consider investigating the need to establish a local government land acquisition
                      program for conservation and recreation lands.


               +      Consider seeking state, federal and private funding to improve recreational facilities
                      and acquire recreation and conservation lands within the greenway. Potential







               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN












                                                                                                   101

                    sources could include the Florida Recreational Development Assistance Program


                    and the Land and Water Conservation Fund which are administered by the Florida
                    Department of Environmental Protection, and the Florida Communities Trust which
                    is administered by the Florida Department of Community Affairs.


             +      Consider studying the need for developing a local stormwater management plan for
                    the urban areas such as the Town of St. Marks to help protect greenway water
                    quality.


                    Consider forming alliances and partnerships such as the Apalachee Land
                    Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, The Nature Conservancy, 1000 Friends of
                    Florida, Florida Audubon, HuManatee, St. Marks Trail Association, the Florida Trail
                    Association, to promote and manage ecotourism use with private interests
                    neighborhood and home-owner associations, local businesses and landowners,

                    and the Chambers of Commerce.



                    Consider seeking planning assistance from organizations such 1000 Friends of
                    Florida, the Trust for Public Land, and the Rivers, Trails and Conservation
                    Assistance Program of the National Park Service for conserving these greenways.










                                                           dh      N




             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT          GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                102

                REcomMENDATIONS FOR REGIONAL, STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES


                      There are many opportunities for Federal, state and regional agencies to assist local
               governments and citizens conserve the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway. These
               agencies could assist with land acquisition and facility development, land management,
               planning and other technical assistance.          Land acquisition and recreational facility
               development by these agencies could complement existing public and private resources to
               strengthen the foundation for the greenway. These agencies ongoing management programs
               could continue to provide many of the services and facilities necessary to support public
               recreational use. Planning and technical assistance from the Department of Community
               Affairs, the Department of Environmental Protection and the National Park Service could
               complement a local government's efforts in greenway conservation planning. Although, this
               report does not assess the conservation or recreational value of particular parcels of land that
               could be acquired or otherwise conserved, specific portions of the watershed can be targeted

               for conservation.



                             It is recommended that the Department of Environmental Protection and the
                             Northwest Florida Water Management District evaluate the upper portion of the-
                             St. Marks River north of Natural Bridge for protection through acquisition under
                             the Conservation and Recreation Lands (CARL) and the Save Our Rivers (SOR)
                             programs. It is further recommended that the Department of Environmental
                             Protection proceed with the proposed CARL projects in the Natural Bridge Area.
                             The programs which operate under the philosophy of acquiring lands from
                             willing sellers, and can acquire fee or less-than-fee interests in lands. If the








               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                          103

                            owner is not interested in any form of land acquisition, the agencies can instead
                            enter into management agreements to conserve the lands environmental and

                            recreational values.




              +             It is recommended that the east bank of the river from Natural Bridge to St.
                            Marks National Wildlife Refuge be evaluated for conservation through the SOR
                            or CARL programs or by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as an addition to the
                            St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The eastern river bank is especially
                            important as much of it is classified as critical habitat for fish and game by the

                            Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission. The eastern bank could form
                            a natural green riparian link between the habitat of the upper watershed and that
                            of the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge surrounding the river's mouth.


                            It is recommended that the silvicultural and other large undeveloped parcels that
                            remain along the Wakulla River be evaluated for conservation through the
                            CARL or SOR programs or as additions to the St. Marks National Wildlife
                            Refuge. The lands provide important areas for habitats and could help protect
                            the greenway linkage along the Wakulla River connecting the St. Marks
                            National Wildlife Refuge with the Wakulla Springs State Park and the
                            Apalachicola National Forest.
















              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RvERs RESOURCE: AssE5SMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












               104


                                           OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS



               +      The Northwest Florida Water Management District (NWFWMD) should initiate a
                      Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan for the St. Marks and Wakulla

                      rivers watershed.




               +      The Apalachee Regional Planning Council (ARPC) and NWFWMD should evaluate the
                      need for establishing special river conservation strategies through special legislation
                      or federal designation including a natural resource of regional significance.


               ï¿½      The NWFWMD should -evaluate lands within the greenway for acquisition through the
                      SOR program.


               ï¿½      The Department of Environmental Protection, Game and Freshwater Fish Commission,
                      the Division of Forestry, the Department of State, and the Department of Community
                      Affairs should evaluate lands within the greenway for conservation through all
                      applicable land acquisition and recreational facility development programs.


               46     The Department of Commerce, Department of Environmental Protection, Department
                      of Community Affairs and the Apalachee Regional Planning Council should provide
                      technical assistance to local governments for greenway planning, management,
                      promotion, and economic development.











               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                       105

                    The Apalachee Regional Planning Council should establish and provide technical
                    assistance to a proposed St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Advisory Committee
                    whose role would be to voluntarily coordinate activities Members should include local,
                    regional, state and Federal governments, landowners, user groups, and other
                    interested parties.


                    The Department of Environmental Protection should develop informational materials
                    for river frontage owners concerning landowner rights, public access limitations, and
                    liability.


              +     State and Federal land managers should provide and maintain recreation user
                    information and signs at their recreation access sites.


              +     The Florida Department of Environmental Protection should develop a public, hand-
                    launch boat access near the St. Marks rise if lands appropriate for such access are
                    acquired.


                    The USDA Forest Service should consider working with the Florida Trail Association
                    and the Department of Environmental Protection to acquire land so the Florida Trail
                    can be moved from the US Highway 98 right-of-way making it eligible for designation
                    as part of the Florida National Scenic Trail.
















             ST. MARKS ANO WAKULLA RivERs RESOURCE ASSESSMENT         GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                106

                     RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INDIVIDUALS, LANDOWNERS, PRIVATE
                                                INTERESTS AND USERS



                       The following recommendations include suggestions that individuals, landowners ,
               private interest and users of the greenways may wish to voluntarily follow to conserve the St       .    I
               Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway. Many individuals and landowners already show their
               stewardship for the greenways by voluntarily practicing many of these suggestions.


               +       Consider establishing a privately-owned and operated canoe livery which would
                       provide access to the St. Marks River in the vicinity of the river rise. The livery could
                       also provide canoe pick-up and shuttle service to and from the Town of St. Marks or
                       the US 98 bridge.


               Ar      Since there is no regularly scheduled pick-up or shuttle available, consider initiating
                       a regularly scheduled canoe pick-up and shuttle service for the Wakulla River
                       operating from Wakulla Springs State Park and the Town of St. Marks.


               4-      Homeowners along the greenway should consider the following: maintaining and using
                       native vegetation; limiting the amount of vegetation removed near the river; accessing
                       the river using boardwalks instead of paths; limiting the use of fertilizers and pesticides;
                       and removing or not constructing bulkheads, seawalls and riprap for bank stabilization.













               ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN












                                                                                                        107

              +      Consider adopting sections of the rivers for cleanups or establishing river clean up
                     days with the local school children, university students, neighborhood groups and
                     social and service organizations.


              +      Consider starting a voluntary river watch program that would monitor water quality and
                     provide laboratory testing facilities.


              +      Consider forming a voluntary river interpreter group to educate river users concerning
                     Tiver stewardship.


              +      Consider acting as a river steward through properly disposing of litter and waste,
                     acting courteous to fellow river users, observing no-wake zones, and educating
                     neighbors and users how to be stewards of the rivers.




                     ISSUES AND CONCERNS IDENTIFIED BY THE ST. MARKS AND
                         WAKULLA RIVERS GREENWAY STEERING COMMITTEE



                     The Florida Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and the Northwest Florida
              Water Management District organized the St. Marks Greenway Steering Committee for the
              purposes of sharing information, receiving input on the project and gaining an understanding
              of the concerns of the citizens, local officials and landowners in the watershed. The following
              comments and concerns were provided by the members of the Steering Committee. It is
              recommended that these concerns and issues be considered as plans are developed for









              ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTECTION PLAN











             108

             conserving the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenways. These are not listed in any
             particular order of importance.


             ï¿½     Threats to the natural and cultural resources from existing and potential increases in
                   recreational use. Prevent the greenway from being loved to death;
             ï¿½     Threats to manatees by collisions with boats;
             41    Establish signs and enforce no-wake zones;
             4-    Problems with litter from recreational uses, boaters and fishermen
                   Sanitary and recreation access facilities should be maintained and improved to support
                   increase tourism;
             4-    Insufficient emergency management personnel and infrastructure to accommodate
                   additional tourists;
             4-    On site waste water treatment systems impacts on water quality;
             4-    Potential restrictions on use of private property within the greenway;
             +     Oil and gas contamination of the river and its sediments;
             4-    Management of the increased number of tourists;
             +     Lack of education about the proper use of the outdoors and boating etiquette;
             41    Lack of funds to upgrade and manage local park facilities;
             +     Potential impacts of boating on the rivers;
             +     Lack of good user or tourist information such as maps and guide books;
             4-    Exotic vegetation both aquatic and terrestrial and impacts on the greenway;
             ï¿½     Protecting cultural and historic resources from vandalism;
             ï¿½     Improperly operating septic tanks along the rivers;










             ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEc-nON PLAN












                                                                                            109

                  Hunting deer and other game from boats along the greenway near homes, appropriate
                  (compatible) uses of the rivers in general. Examine use of personal water craft, hunting
                  and excessive boat speeds;
                  Need regulatory signage and enforcement of laws. User education concerning
                  regulations, re sponsibilities and use of the rivers, and
            +     Promote compatible uses, promote guide books and guide service.














































            ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS RESOURCE ASSESSMENT & GREENWAY PROTEC11ON PLAN




 I
 I
 I
 I                                   )t dib
 I                                     -
 I  LITERATURE CITED
 I
 I
 I
 I
 I
 I
 I
 M.
 I
 I
 I
                                jr @@
                                  , Ldb
                                       Z@*











 I
 I












                                             LITERATURE CITED



            Aronoff, S. 1985. "The minimum accuracy value as an index of classification accuracy,".
                   P hoto-gra m metric Engineerin-q and Remote Sensin-q..

            Anderson, D. G. 1970. Effects of urban development on floods in Northern Vir-ginia.

                   Water Supply. Paper 2001 -C, USGS, Washington, D.C.

            Barkuloo, J.M., L. Patrick, L. Stitch, and W. Troxel. 1987. Natural Resources Inventory:
                   Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Field
                   Office. Panama City, FL.

            Bell, Frederick W. 1994. Telephone Interview. Department of Economics, Florida State
                   University. Tallahassee FL.

            Bell, Frederick W. 1993. Current and Proiected Tourist Demand for Saltwater
                   Recreational Fisheries in Florida. Florida Sea Grant Project Number R/FDNR-3C.
                   Gainesville, FL.

            Benoit, Andrew T., Jay Johnson, Luann Rains, Eric F. Songer, and Paul L. O'Rourke.
                   1992. Characterization of Karst Development in Leon County, Florida for the
                   Delineation of Wellhead Protection Areas. Water Resources Special Report 92-8.
                   Northwest Florida Water Management District, Havana, FL.

            Binford, Michael W. and Michael J. Buchenau. 1993. "Riparian Greenways and Water
                   Resources". Ecology of Greenways . Edited by Daniel S. Smith and Paul Cawood
                   Hellmund. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN.

            Burton, T.M., R.R. Turner, and R.C. Harris. 1977b. "Nutrient export from three North
                   Florida watersheds in contrasting land use." Watershed research in eastern North
                   America, D.L, Correl (Editor). Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D.C.

            Camp Dresser and McKee, Inc. 1991. Water management model users manual.
                   Produced for Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Tallahassee, FL.

            Clark, E.H., 111, J.A. Haverkamp, W. Ghapman. 1985. Eroding Soils. The Conservation
                   Foundation, Washington, D.C.












               1 12


               Clark, John R. 1978. "Science and Conservation of Riparian Systems". Strategies
                     for Protection and Management of Floodplain Wetlands and Other Riparian
                     Ecosystems. Proceedings of the Symposium, Callaway Gardens, GA. U.S. Department
                     of Agriculture.

               Clewell, Andre F. 1986. Natural Setting and Vegetation of the Florida Panhandle . U.S.
                     Army Corp of Engineers, Mobile AL.

               Council on Environmental Quality. 1972. Third Annual Report. Washington, D.C.

               Dames and Moore and Environmental Resources and Design. May 1990. Draft. Urban
                     stormwater analysis and improvements study for the Tampa Bay Watershed. Prepared
                     for Southwest Florida Water Management District.

               Easley, G. 1989. "Land development control techniques." Land development
                     regulations: technical assistance manual for Florida cities and counties. Prepared by
                     G. Easley, Henigar and Ray Engineering Associates, Crystal River, and J. McPherson
                     and D. Coffey, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Florida Department of Community
                     Affairs, Tallahassee, FL.

               Ewel, Katherine C. 1990. "Swamps". Ecosystems of Florida. University of Central
                     Florida Press, Orlando, FL.

               Ewel, Katherine C. 1978. "Riparian Ecosystems: Conservation of Their Unique
                     Characteristics". Strategies for Protection and Management of Floodplain Wetlands,
                     and Other Riparian Ecosystems. Proceedings of the Symposium, Callaway Gardens,
                     GA. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

               Field, R. and R. Turkeltaub. 1981. "Urban runoff receiving water impacts: program
                     overview". Journal of Environmental Engineer Division. 107(EEl):83-100.

               Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry.          1991.

                     Silviculture Best Management Practices. Tallahassee, FL.

               Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 1994. "Marine Fisheries Information
                     System - 1992 Annual Landings Summary". Florida Marine Research Institute, St.
                     Petersburg, FL.

               Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks.
                     1994. Correspondence on Visitor Data for the St. Marks GEO Park. Tallahassee, FL.











                                                                                                    1 13


             Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks.
                    1994. Correspondence on Visitor Data for Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park.
                    Tallahassee, FL.

             Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 1994.-Florida State Parks - The Real
                    Florida. Division of Recreation and Parks, Tallahassee, FL.

             Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. 1978. Nonpoint source
                    management: A manual of reference management practices for a-gricultural activities.
                    Tallahassee, FL.

             Florida Department of Natural Resources. 1989. Florida Rivers Assessment.
                    Tallahassee, FL

             Florida Department of Transportation. 1985. Florida land use, cover and forms
                    classification system. State Topographic Bureau, Thematic Mapping Section.
                    September, 1985. Procedure # 550-010-001 -A. Tallahassee, FL.

             Florida Greenways Program. 1992 a. " What is a Greenway'" 1000 Friends of Florida.
                    Tallahassee, FL

             Florida Greenways Program. 1992 b. " Economic Benefits of Greenways". 1000 Friends
                    of Florida, Tallahassee, FL.

             Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) and Florida Department of Natural Resources.
                    1990. Guide to the Natural Communities of Florida. Tallahassee, FL.

             Greenways Inc. A Citizen's Guide to Greenways. 1994. Cary, NC.

             Hand, Joe. and Mary. Paulic. 1992. Florida Nonpoint Source Assessment. Florida
                    Department of Environmental Regulation. Vol. I and 11. Tallahassee, FL.

             Hand, Joe and Mary Paulic. 1992 a. 1992 Florida Water Quality Assessment 305 (b)
                    Main Report. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, FL.

             Hand, Joe and Mary Paulic. 1992 b. 1992 Florida Water Quality Assessment 305 (b)
                    Technical Appendix. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation, Tallahassee, FL.

             Hand, J., V. Tauxe, M. Friedemann, and L. Smith. 1990.1990 Water quality
                    assessment for the state of Florida. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation.
                    Vol. I and 11. Tallahassee, FL.











               114

               Hay, Keith G. 1991. "Greenways and Biodiversity. Landscape Linkages and
                      Biodiversity. Edited by Wendy Hudson. Island Press, Washington D.C.

               Jones, R.C. and C.C. Clark. 1987. Impact of watershed urbanization on stream insect
                      communities. Water Resources Bulletin. 23(6):1047-1055

               Kobylinski, G.J., W.W. Miley, 11, J.M. Van Dyke and A.J. Leslie, Jr. 1980. The effects of
                      grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella Val.) on vegetation, water quality, zooplankton,
                      and macroinvertebrates of St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers, Bay County, Florida. Florida
                      Department of Natural Resources Final Report. Tallahassee, FL.

               Lamonds, A.G. 1974. "Chemical and biological quantity of Lake Dicie at Eustis,
                      Florida, with emphasis on the effects of storm runoff." USGS Water Resources
                      Investigations. U.S. Dept. of Interior, Washington, D.C.

               Labaree, Jonathan M., 1992. How Greenways Work: A handbook on ecolo-gy. National Park
                      Service and the Atlantic Center for the Envrionment. Ipswich, MA.

               Little, Charles E. 1990. Greenways For America. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore,
                      M. D.


               Livingston, E., E. McCarron, M. Scheinkman, S. Sullivan. 1989. Florida Nonpoint
                      Source Assessment. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation. Volumes I & 11.
                      Tallahassee, FL.

               Lynch, J.A. and E. S. Corbett. 1990. "Evaluation of Best Management Practices for
                      Controlling Nonpoint Pollution from silviculture Operations." Water Resources Bulletin
                      26(l)

               Marsalek, J. 1991. "Pollutant loads in urban stormwater: review of methods for
                      planning-level estimates". Water Resources Bulletin 27(2):283-291.

               McElroy, W.J. 1978. A manual of reference management practices for urban activities.

               Moore, Roger L., Alan R. Graefe, Richard J, Gitelson, and Elizabeth Porter. 1992. The
                           Impacts of Rail Trails: A Study of the Users and Property Owners From Three
                           Trails. Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program, National Park
                           Service, Washington, D.C.

               Musgrove, R.J., J.B. Foster and L.G. Toler. 1965. "Water resources of the Econfina
                           Creek basin area in northwest Florida". Florida Geological Survey Report
                           Investigation 41.











                                                                                                    1 15

             Myers, V.B. and H.L. Edmiston. 1983. Florida lake classification and prioritization
                          proiect #SO04388. Florida Department of Environmental Regulation Final Report
                          for the Clean Lakes Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

             National Park Service, 1990. Trails For All Americans. United States Department of
                          the Interior, Washington D.C.

             Novotny, V., and G. Chesters. 1981. Handbook of nonpoint pollution sources and
                          management.

             Noss, Reed F. 1991. "Landscape Connectivity: Different Functions at Different Scales".
                          Landscape Linkages and Biodiversity. edited by Wendy Hudson. Island Press,
                          Washington D.C.

             Noss, Reed and Harris, Larry D. 1989. " Habitat Connectivity and the Conservation of
                          Biological Diversity: Florida As A Case History." Proceedings of the Society o
                          American Foresters, National Convention, by the Society of American Foresters,
                          Bethesda, MD.

             Nordlie, Frank G. 1990. "Rivers and Springs". Ecosystems of Florida. Edited by Ronald
                          L. Meyers and John J. Ewel. University of Central Florida Press, Orlando, FL.

             Pitt, R. and Bozeman, M. 1983. Sources of urban runoff pollution and its effects on an
                          urban creek. U.S. EPA. EPA-600/S2-82-090. Washington, D.C.

             Pope, R.E. 1977." Water quality and forestry: a review of water quality legislation and
                          the impact of forestry practices on water quality". Station Bulletin No. 161. Dept.
                          of Forestry and Natural Resources, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.

             Rains, L., E. Songer, T. Macmillan, P. Gremillion, D. Cairns, G. Lewis, and D.
                          Tonsmeire. 1991. Apalachicola River and Bay drainage basin: preliminary
                          Franklin County land use assessment. Draft. Northwest Florida Water
                          Management District. Surface Water Improvement and Management (S.W.I.M.)
                          program. Havana, FL.

             Rains, L. and P. Latham. 1993., GIS Modelling of land use and associated nonpoint
                          source pollution. Proceedings of the symposium on Geographic Information
                          Systems and Water Resources. Edited by John Harlin and Kenneth Lanfear,
                          American Water Resources Association. Bethesda, MD.

             Reikerk, H. 1988 (after Ursic 1986). The magnitude of upland silvicultural nonpoint
                          source pollution in the south. Proceedings of the forested wetlands of the
                          southern United States. 1988: Orlando, FL Tech. Rep. SC-50:8-18.











               116

              Reikerk, H. 1989. Influence of silvicultural practices -on the hydrology of pine flatwoods
                           in Florida. Water Resources Research 24(4):713-719

              Reikerk, H. 1983. "Impacts of silviculture on flatwoods runoff, water quality, and
                           nutrient budgets". Water Resources Bulletin 19(l):73-79

              Shell Island Fish Camp. 1994. Correspondence on Boat Launches on the Wakulla
                           River. St Marks, FL.

              Shields Marina. 1994. Correspondence on Boat Launches on the St. Marks River. St.
                           Marks, FL.

              Simmons, D.L. and R.J. Reynolds. 1982. "Effects of urbanization on base flow of
                           selected southshore streams, Long Island, New York". Water Resources Bulletin
                           18(5):797-805.

              Soule, Michael E. 1991. "Theory and Strategy". Landscape Linkages and Biodiversity
                           Edited by Wendy Hudson. Island Press, Washington D.C.

              TNT Hideaway. 1994. Correspondence on Canoe Rentals for the Wakulla River.
                           Crawfordville, FL.

              Tonsmeire, D., D.J. Cairns, G. Lewis and J. Starnes-Smith. 1992. The Apalachicola
                           River and Bay Management Plan: a comprehensive basinwide management
                           strategy for the Apalachicola River and Bay. Developed under the auspices of the
                           Surface Water Improvement and Management (S.W. I.M.) Program. Final draft.
                           Havana,FL.

              Thorne, *James F. 1993. "Landscape Ecology A Foundation for Greenway Design".
                           Ecology of Greenways. Edited by Daniel S. Smith and Paul Cawood Hellmund.
                           University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN.

              U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 1989. Nonpoint Sources: agenda for the
                           future. Office of Water Publication (WH-556). Washington, D.C.

              U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1991. Guidance for water quality-based
                           decisions: the TMDL process. Office of Water Regulations and Standards.
                           Washington D.C. EPA 440/4-91 -001. Washington, D.C.

              United States Fish and Wildlife Service. Correspondence on Visitor Use of the St.
                           Marks National Wildlife Refuge. St. Marks, FL.











                                                                                                    1 17


             United States Forest Service. 1994. National Forest - Florida - Facts for Year 1993.
                         United States Department of Agriculture, US Forest Service, Tallahassee, FL.

             Wanielista, M.P. (ed.) 1975. Proceedings: Stormwater management workshop. Florida
                         Technological University Publication. Orlando, FL.

             Wharton, C.H., T. Odum, K.Ewel, M. Duever, A. Lugo, R. Boyt, J. Bartholomew, E.
                         DeBellevue, S. Brown, M. Brown and L. Duever. 1977. Forested Wetlands of
                         Florida - Their Management and Use. Center for Wetlands, University of Florida,
                         Gainesville, FL.

             Whipple, W., J. DiLouie, and T. Pytlar. 1981. "Erosion potential of streams in
                         urbanizing areas." Water Resources Bulletin 17(l):36-45.

             Wolfe, Steven H., Jeffery A. Reidenaur and D. Bruce Means. 1988. An Ecological
                         Characterization of the Florida Panhandle. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish
                         and Service, Washington, D.C.




    I
    I
    I
    I                                                                                                                                     )t   Ambk       -11 @ @
    I
    I           TECHNICAL APPENDIX
    I
    I
    I
    I
    I
    1
    I
    I
    I
    I
    I
                                                                                                                        f, L@ id:--7@: *








    I
    I











                                                                                                      A-1


                     APPENDIX I - LAND U5E AND LAND COVER A55E55MENT

                     These maps provided an overview of land use within the watershed. Subbasins
              were  delineated on 7.5 minute quadrangle topographic maps by the U.S. Geological
              Survey staff and digitized using ARVINFO GIS software. Methods follow those described
              by Rains and Latham (1993). Satellite imagery was selected as the source for determining
              existing land use and land cover data. Existing land use and land cover were mapped
              using 1993 LANDSAT Thematic Mapper 30 meter resolution multispectral satellite
              imagery. Satellite image analysis was further refined using secondary data, including low
              altitude air photos and ground truthing. The classified satellite image raster files were
              converted to ARVINFO vector files. Existing land use and land cover maps were geo-
              referenced to 7.5 minute quadrangles and merged to produce seamless basin-wide
              coverage.

                     Existing land use and land cover were classified using the Florida Land Use, Cover,
              and Forms Classification System (FLUCCS) developed by the Florida Department of
              Transportation (1985). Land use and vegetation cover were classified hierarchically, with
              each successive level including land information of increasing specificity. Level 11 (and
              level III where possible) of the FLUCCS hierarchy was used. Although FLUCCS
              categorizes land cover as either uplands or wetlands, many of the "upland" forests classes
              were found in low, wet areas and contained approximately equal portions of upland and
              wetland vegetation. For the purposes of this report the land use and land cover data has
              been aggregated. More detailed information is available on request.

                     Sites were selected for class verification base on accessibility. Much of the land
              within the basin either private property or not accessible by road. Accuracy of the existing
              land use and land cover classification was assessed by comparing predicted land use
              classes  'to observed classes, determined by air photo interpretation and/or field
              verification.


                     A minimum map accuracy of 85 percent, with a 90 percent to 95 percent confidence
              interval, is standard for most natural resource land use studies. It was beyond of the
              scope of the project to perform an accuracy assessment which could verify this standard.
              However, based on results the observed during the field verification performed and several
              similar studies completed by the District, it is anticipated these standards would be verified
              by further assessment.

                     Use of satellite imagery or aerial photography and maps for planning or regulatory
              purposes varies for regional, local, and site'-specific endeavors. In this study, land use and
              land cover mapping was accomplished using 30 square meter satellite imagery with plus
              or minus one pixel resolution (30 square meters). While satellite imagery is an


              APPENDIX I











               A-2

               exceptionally good source of regional land cover and land use data, it may be less
               satisfactory for urban areas and linear features due to resolution limitations. The
               resolution limits the ability to differentiate among some urban features using the imagery.


                      Existing land use maps identified many but not all streams in the St. Marks and
               Wakulla Rivers watershed. Linear features such as roads, streams, and stream-
               associated wetlands. are particularly difficult to distinguish using satellite imagery
               classification. To register in satellite imagery, a linear feature must dominate the 30
               square meter pixel. If a 15 meter wide stream and associated wetland vegetation bounded
               by 20 square meters of forest occurs at the pixel edge, only the forest may occur in the
               imagery due to its areal extent. Satellite imagery detects linear features in areas with high
               spectral contrast (such as a dirt road bounded by forest or bridge bounded by water), but
               tends to miss linear features with low spectral contrast (such as a stream bounded by a
               marsh). As a result, linear features often appear discontinuous when mapped using
               satellite imagery.

                      Recently, the water management districts (WMDs), FDEP and other regional and
               state agencies together purchased statewide Landsat satellite imagery. St. Johns, South
               Florida, Southwest Florida and Suwannee WMDs and local governments have also shared
               the cost of Photogrammetric mapping. The resulting purchases were made at a lower cost
               than previously budgeted by these agencies for only a portion of the state. Cost-sharing
               among state, regional and local agencies for land use and land cover mapping could result
               in better data and maps at a lower cost.

                      As part of the ongoing District Water Management Plan efforts, WMDs and FDEP
               agreed to use the 1985 FLUCCS as the primary classification system in order to ensure
               compatible land use and land cover data on a statewide basis. The districts and FDEP
               also agreed to recommend that DCA develop standards for the comprehensive plan future
               land use map to ensure greater consistency of base maps, scales, and cartographic
               standards. As land use and land cover data via satellite imagery become increasingly
               available, cost-sharing by state, regional and local agencies of land use change detection
               mapping and analysis would provide a good basis for monitoring comprehensive plan
               future land use implementation and estimating NPS loadings.











               APPENDIX I











                                                                                                         A -3


                APPENDIX 11 - DESCRIPTION OF THE FLORIDA LAND USE, LAND
                               COVER CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (FLUCCS)


                     The Florida Land Use, Land Cover Classification System (FLUCCS) is a
              hierarchical ly-based configuration with four (4) different levels of categorization, each level
              containing information of increasing specificity. The following information has been
              acquired from the Florida Department of Transportation Land Use, Land Cover and Forms
              Classification System Manual - Procedure number 550-010-001-A (Department of
              Transportation, State Topographic Bureau, Thematic Mapping Section, 1985). This
              appendix describes the classification scheme used in conjunction with LANDSAT satellite
              imagery for the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.

                                                         LEVEL I
                     A LEVEL 1 classification contains broad classes of information which can be
              extracted from satellite imagery with minimal assistance from supplemental information.
              LEVEL 1 contains nine (9) categories of land use, vegetative cover and landform
              information, eight (8) of which were used for this project. This data is normally used for
              very large areas, typically at a scale of 1:1,000,000 or 1:500,000 (one-inch equals'
              approximately 16 miles and eight miles, respectively). A LEVEL I classification may also
              be used for general planning purposes when more detailed data is not necessary.

                                                         LEVEL 2
                     The nature of the data in this class is more specific than the LEVEL 1 information.
              LEVEL 2 contains forty-two (42) sub-categories of land use, vegetation cover, and
              landform information of which twenty-eight (28) sub-categories of LEVEL 1 were used for
              St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers. This data is normally obtained from high altitude imagery
              (40,000 to 60,000 feet) and requires additional supplementary materials, such as other
              satellite imagery and topographic sheets. Mapping this level at a scale of 1: 100,000 (one-
              inch equals 8,333 feet) is common practice. The St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Project
              utilized 20 meter SPOT multispectral and ten meter SPOT panchromatic imagery, the
              combination of which enhanced the image to allow for a more accurate classification. As
              a supplemental data source, National High Altitude Photography (NHAP) was used to
              assist in the verification of the LEVEL 2 data.


                                                         LEVEL3
                     This class of data is usually obtained at an altitude between 10,000 and 40,000
              feet. LEVEL 3 data contains one-hundred and forty-seven (147) sub-categories of LEVEL
              2, 11 of which were used for this project. It is typically mapped at a scale of 1:24,000 (one-
              inch equals 2,000 feet). The SPOT imagery was used to classify polygons to this level,
              and aerial photographs and topographic sheets were used to assist in the classification
              and verification process.


              APPENDIX 11











              A -4


                     The following is an explanation of the major classes and sub-classes of the Florida
              Land Use, Land Cover and Forms (FLUCCS) Classification System. The St. Marks and
              Wakulla Rivers Project used a combination of LEVEL 2 and LEVEL 3 data to identify
              silviculture and wetlands sub-categories which allows for an accurate NPS assessment of
              the drainage basin.

              100 - Urban and Built-Up

                     This class consists of areas of intensive use with much of the land occupied by
              man-made structures. This definition is for topographic and descriptive purposes, the very
              nature of which can give misleading information about why a polygon is classified the way
              it is classified. This category takes precedence over other categories when the criteria for
              more than one land use/land cover are met. For example, a polygon classed as a low
              density residential area (110) may also meet the same criteria for an Upland Hardwood
              forest.(420). Contained in this category are the following land uses: Residential,
              Commercial, Industrial, Extractive, Institutional, Recreation/Open land.

              200 - A6riculture

                     Agricultural lands are those which are cultivated to produce food crops and
              livestock. Cropland/pastureland, Tree Crops (other than plantation monoculture), Feed
              Lots, Nurseries, Specialty Farms, and Rural Open Lands are sub-categories defined under
              Agriculture.

              300 - Rangeland

                     The definition of Rangeland used in the FLUCCS is the same as that used by the
              departments of Agriculture and Interior. It describes the climax natural vegetation which
              includes Grassland, Shrub and Brushland, and Mixed Rangeland sub-categories. These
              areas become evident when larger-scale imagery is used and becomes significant to the
              project if used as wildlife forage areas.

              400 - Uplan d Forests

                     This class is defined as an upland area with a tree canopy closure of greater than
              or equal to ten percent. Included in this category are pine, hardwood, and mixed forest
              and those areas where timber harvesting and subsequent regeneration are taking place.
              For a given forest stand to be classed as one particular species group, the polygon which
              contains the species must have a tree canopy comprised of 66 percent or more of the total
              canopy. Otherwise, the forest polygon will be classed as a mixed species. Classification
              of Upland Forests is most often supplemented through the use of aerial imagery.



              APPENDIX 11











                                                                                                    A -5



             500 - Water

                    The classification of a waterbody is dependent upon scale and resolution
             characteristics of the remote sensing imagery used for interpretation. In the case of the
             St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Project, the 20 meter SPOT imagery was able to identify a
             water polygon of 2.5 acres or more or a linear water feature of at least 20 meters
             (approximately 66 feet). In some instances, a waterbody may be large enough to be
             identified as such or the waterbody may contain submerged or emergent vegetation. In
             this case, that waterbody will be identified under the Wetlands category. Streams and
             Waterways, Lakes, Reservoirs, Bays and Estuaries, Major Springs, and Slough Waters
             are included in this classification.


             600 - Wetlands


                    Wetlands are those areas in which the surface of the land is at or near the water-
             table for most days of the year, These areas are able to support various species of
             aquatic and hydrophytic vegetation. Wetlands drained for any purpose belong to other
             land use categories, such as Silviculture or Residential land uses. If these areas are
             reestablished with wetlands vegetative cover, they are again classed as Wetlands. For
             more accurate classification supplements to imagery, the National Wetlands Inventory and
             low altitude aerial photography were used. Included in the Wetlands sub-class are
             Coniferous, Deciduous, and Mixed Forests, along with non-forested (emergent vegetation)
             and non-vegetated wetlands (tidal flats and shorelines).



             700 - Barren Land


                    Barren Land has little or no vegetation and limited potential to support vegetative
             communities. Due to human activity, areas such as Agricultural, Extractive and Industrial
             land uses may be classed as Barren Land, therefore, these areas must be explored very
             closely through the use of supplementals such as aerial photographs and topographic
             sheets. Included in this category are the sub-categories of Beaches, Exposed Rock, and
             Disturbed Land.



             800 - Transportation, Communication, and Utilities

                     Contained in this category are linear and point features such as highways,
             communication towers, and transmission lines. Satellite imagery can identify these
             features if minimal size of resolution (ten meters) is met. Therefore, certain secondary and



             APPENDIX It











             A -6


             tertiary roads, small transmission lines, and point features, such as communication towers,
             will not be identified by the SPOT imagery. Supplementals such as topographic sheets
             must be used to identify these features.


















































             APPENDIX 11











                                                                                                         A -7


                 APPENDIX III - NONPOINT SOURCE POLLUTION AsSESSMENT



                     Historically, most water quality problems in Florida were associated with point
              sources, including both domestic and industrial sources. Nonpoint sources have now been
              determined to account for the majority of the state's water quality problems. This change
              is due primarily to poin't source treatment improvements and increases in agriculture and
              urban developed land (Hand and Paulic 1992). NPS pollution has also been identified as
              the major factor affecting downstream water quality in about 80 percent of the urban areas
              targeted in a national survey conducted by the Council on Environmental Quality (1972).

                     NPS pollution is a major, largely uncontrolled, cause of surface water degradation
              throughout Florida (Livingston et al. 1989). NPS pollutants in northwest Florida include
              pesticides, animal wastes, nutrients, and sediments (Wolfe et al. 1988). In north Florida,
              the progression of natural ecosystems to silvicultural, agricultural, and urban uses has
              resulted in NPS pollution impacts including increased peak and total discharge, increased
              concentrations of dissolved solids, nitrates, and ammonia, and increased export rates of
              pollutants during storms (Livingston et al. 1989).Major contributors of these pollutants
              include agriculture, stormwater runoff, silviculture, landfills, and septic tanks (US EPA
              1989). Land use type and intensity are strongly related to NPS concentrations.

                     Contaminants associated with NPS can be detrimental to water quality. Nutrients
              can have direct toxic effects or may stimulate algal growth. Pesticides and other
              contaminants can be dangerous to the aquatic ecosystem.


                     Sediments affect water ways by not only reducing their storage capacity but also
              by increasing the temperature of the water and providing increased opportunities for the
              growth of water consuming plants (Clark et al. 1985). Additional sediment impacts include
              damage to the biological health and integrity of the aquatic ecosystem along with a
              decrease in recreational and aesthetic values.


                     Stormwater runoff is a significant source of NPS pollution, having solids
              concentrations equal to or greater than untreated sanitary wastewater, and biological
              oxygen demand (BOD) values approximately equal to those of secondary effluent.
              Suspended sediment loads from streams draining urban areas are often an order of
              magnitude greater than those from nearby forested watersheds (Burton et al. 1977b). In
              addition, bacterial contamination of stormwater may be two to four orders of magnitude
              greater than concentrations considered safe for water contact (Field and Turkeltaub 1981).

                     Urbanization has been shown to fundamentally alter the hydrology of watersheds


              APPENDIX III











               A -8

               (Anderson 1970). Increases in impervious surface areas result in substantially increased
               runoff (Simmons and Reynolds 1982, McElroy 1978). In addition, urbanization, with the
               associated land clearing and paving of pervious areas, has accelerated the problem of
               water quality deterioration throughout Florida. Stormwater and associated NPS pollution
               are responsible for:

                      I .    80-90 percent of the heavy metals deposited in Florida surface waters;
                      2.     the majority of the sediment deposited in state waters; and 3.450 times the
                             Total Suspended Solids flowing to receiving waters and nine times the BOD
                             load when compared to loads from secondarily-treated wastewater effluent
                             (Livingston et al. 1989).


                      Water quality changes due to urbanization also affect wildlife habitat. Jones and
               Clark (1987) indicated biological data were a better discriminator of urbanization stress on
               an ecological system than chemical parameters used in the same study.

                                                       METHODS


                      Basin boundaries, land use and land cover data, and selected loading rates were
               input and processed using the District ARC/INFO GIS. Land use and land cover acreage
               within the watershed were used in combination with selected loading rates to estimate total
               loadings by land use.

                      Satellite imagery and aerial photography were used to quantify existing land use
               and land cover in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed. Potential NPS pollutant
               loading rates were estimated for existing land use and land cover classes. Due to staffing
               constraints, Local Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use Maps (FLUM) and future
               development scenarios were not included. Loading rate relationships were determined for
               four water quality parameters. Selected loadings were applied to each land use and land
               cover class and total loads were estimated. Specific areas with exceptionally high
               loadings were identified.

               Land Use Cateciories and NPS Loadina -Rates

                      Existing land use and land cover within the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed
               were initially classified into more than 40 categories which included similar land use and
               land cover types. Due to the impracticality of developing and applying 39 individual
               loading rates, original categories were aggregated into 15 categories, based on similarities
               in loading characteristics  see Table A-3).




               APPENDIX III











                                                                                                     A -9

                     Previous NPS pollution studies were reviewed to corroborate loading rate estimates
              for water quality parameters and land use categories (Rains, et al. 1993). Loading rates
              for land use/cover categories were based on three studies, the Tampa Bay Watershed
              Study (Dames and Moore 1990), Florida Department of Environmental Regulation's
              Watershed Model Users Manual (Camp, Dresser and McKee 1991), and Reikerk (1983).


                     Loading rates for TN, TP, TSS, and BOD calculations were based on average
              annual rainfall (inches/acrelyear), pollutant runoff coefficient (includes soil type,
              perviousness, etc.), pollutant runoff concentrations (milligrams/liter), by land use, and St.
              Marks and Wakulla Rivers mean annual rainfall (58 inches/year). Loading rates were
              reported in pounds per acre per year (lbs/acre/yr), and total loadings were reported in
              pounds/year (lbs/yr). Loading rates for TN, TP, BOD, and TSS were estimated for each
              land use category in developing composite loading rate relationships. Determining
              whether or not land uses met water quality standards was not within the scope of this
              study.

                      Loading rates from three studies (see Table A-4) were selected for use in the NPS
              assessment. All loading rate calculations were based on local rainfall data. Rainfall data
              for a five year period from the closest available rainfall stations, (Tallahassee and
              Wewahitchka) were used to identify an watershed average annual rainfall as 58 inches.
              (A summary of the 11 studies considered for their potential applicability to northwest
              Florida is provided in Appendix 11).

                     TN and TP loading rates for four of the land use categories (institutional,
              transportation/utilities, tree plantations, and natural uplands), were derived from FDEP's
              Watershed Model Users Manual (Camp Dresser and McKee 1991). The manual provided
              event-mean concentrations based on percent impervious surface associated withiand
              uses. TN and TP loading rates used to calculate loadings were determined by multiplying
              a weighted runoff coefficient by average annual rainfall (USGS gauging station) and event-
              mean concentrations from the Dames and Moore report (1990), FDEP documents, or
              estimated based on similar land use (see Table A-5).














 M            APPENDIX III
 M
 Vill












                   A-10


                   Table A-3. FLUCCS codes for each existing land use and cover category in the St Marks
                   and Wakulla Rivers watershed. Aggregated categories were based on existing
                   land use categories and compatibility with future land use categories.

                     Existing FLUCCS Categories                            Existing Aggregated Categories

                     Residential                                           Residential
                     Low density residential                               Low density residential
                     Medium density residential                            Medium density residential
                     High density residential                              High density residential
                     Commercial/services                                   Commercial
                     Industrial                                            Industrial
                     Extractive                                            Extractive
                     Institutional                                         Institutional
                     Transportation                                        Transportation/utilities
                     Utilities

                     Recreation                                            Recreation/open lands
                     Open lands (urban)

                     Sand other than beaches                               Spoil
                     Disturbed land/spoil areas

                     Cropland/pasture                                      Cropland/pasture
                     Open lands (agriculture)
                     Shrub/brushland


                     Upland coniferous forest                              Upland forests
                     Upland hardwood forest
                     Upland mixed coniferous/hardwood forest

                     Tree plantation                                       Silviculture
                     Forest regeneration

                     Strearnstwaterways                                    Streams and lakes
                     Lakes

                     Wetland hardwood forest                               Wetlands
                     Gum swamps
                     Tit swamps
                     Inland ponds/sloughs
                     Wetland mixed hardwood forest
                     Cypress
                     Wetland mixed coniferous forest
                     Wetland mixed coniferous/hardwood forest
                     Freshwater marshes
                     Saltwater marshes
                     Non-vegetated wetland

                     Not amalicable                                    --CM i UafiQI3



                   APPENDIX III











                                                                                                                                                    A-I I


                    Table A - 4. Loading rates (lbs/acre/yr) for land use categories in the St Marks and
                    Wakulla Rivers Watershed.


                                  Land use                            TN                    TP                    BOD                 TSS


                    Urban
                    Low density residential                      5.76                  0.74                 16.12                 55.90
                    Med density residential                      10.10                 1.63                 37.22                 100.03
                    High density residential                     19.49                 4,36                 98.31                 677.05
                    Commercial                                   21-10                 3.14                 130.90                894.67
                    Industrial                                   17.90                 3.10                 95.99                 935.87
                    Institutional                                5.55                  0.71                 73.51                 475.29
                    Recreation/open                              2.76                  0.12                 3.20                  24.49

                    Non-urban
                    Cropland/pasture                             8.89                  1.32                 14.57                 211.97
                    Upland forest                                2.67                  0.42                 8.89                  118.23
                    Silviculture                                 2.67                  0.42                 8.89                  118.23
                    Lakes and streams                            7.88                  0.69                 10.69                 19.54
                    Wetlands                                     4.54                  0.54                 13.33                 28.94
                    Spoilfbarren                                 4.06                  0.40                 23.45                 225.95
                    Extractive                                   5.37                  0.68                 43.70                 427.41
                    Transportation/utilifies                     &00                   1.01                 67.10                 459.60

                    Table A-5. References on which loading rate estimates were based
                    for the St Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.

                    Land cover category                          TN                    TP                   BOD                   TSS


                    Urban
                    Low density residential                      1                     1                    1                     1


                    Commercial                                   1                     1                    1                     1
                    Industrial                                   1                     1                    1                     1
                    Institutional                                1                     1                    1                     1
                    Recreation/open                              1                     1                    1                     1


                    Non-urban
                    Cropland/pasture                             1                     1                    1                     1
                    Upland forest                                3                     3                    4                     4
                    Silviculture                                 3                     3                    4                     4
                    Lakes and streams                            1                     1                    1                     1
                    Wetlands                                     1                     1                    1                     1
                    Spoil/barren                                 4                     4                    4                     4
                    Extractive                                   1                     1                    1                     1
                    Transportation/utilities                     3                     3                    4                     4



                    1. Dames and Moore
                    2. Riekerk
                    3. Watershed Management Model
                    4. NWFWMD: derived from 1-3


                    APPENDIX III











                A - 1 2


                        Silviculture TN and TP loading rates were based on those reported by Riekerk
                (1988). In a study of impacts of tree regeneration on water quality, Riekerk (1988)
                reported total Neldahl nitrogen (TKN) as the predominant nitrogen form in tree
                regeneration runoff. Because of the small nitrate differences in tree regeneration runoff
                due to variations in silvicultural techniques, TKN was used as an estimate of TN for this
                report.

                        The BOD and TSS loading rate estimates for the institutional category were
                calculated as the average of low density residential and commercial category rates. In
                order to be consistent with FLUCCS land use system, the transportation/utilities category
                was included in the NIPS loadings tables. This category included only major road systems
                since loading rates for a given land use include roads and other infrastructure associated
                with the land use. Transportation/utilities category loading rates for BOD and TSS were
                calculated as the average of recreational/open and commercial category rates.

                        In the ECFRPC Areawide 208 Study, all waterbodies are assumed to have a runoff
                coefficient of 1.0 (Dames and Moore 1990). Many waterbodies, however, discharge only
                under extreme rain events, and some are landlocked with no discharge. Mean runoff value
                of 0.50 was selected, although varying characteristics made estimation of a representative
                runoff value for waterbodies difficult.


                NPS Total Loadings

                        Urban. Total acreage for urban land use categories accounted for only 7 percent
                (13,439 acres) of the area in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed (Table A-7,
                Figure 6 in the main body), while estimated TN, TP, and BOD loadings (Table A-7) for
                urban categories accounted for 11 percent and 14 percent of the total loadings in the
                watershed. Of the TN, TP, and BOD loadings associated with urban land uses, 8 percent
                was associated with low density residential and approximately 1-3 percent were due to
                commercial and industrial. Urban TSS loadings accounted for only 7 percent of the total
                TSS loadings in the watershed, and three percent were due to low density residential.

                        Lowest estimated TN loadings were less than one percent and ranged from 153
                pounds per year for institutional (See Table A-7). TP loadings were less than 100 lbs/yr
                for the institutional, recreation and open urban land categories. Estimated BOD and TSS
                were also lowest, and similar, for recreation and open urban lands.

                        Non-urban. Non-urban categories accounted for 85 percent to 93 percent of total
                estimated loadings for each of the four NPS pollutants (see Table A-7). Non-urban
                categories accounted for 93 percent of the total acreage in the St. Marks and Wakulla
                Rivers watershed. Silviculture areas in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed



                APPENDIX III

















                           M
                           z
                           a                                                                              Table A-7        Estimated Total Loadings In Pounds
                           X
                                                      LANDUSE                                                   NITRO                       PHOS                           BOD5                              Ss
                                                     CATEGORY                       ACRES        %             LOADS         %             LOADS        %                 LOADS        %                 LOADS         %
                                                Residential                    12.239.60         6.16%     70,508.00         8.97%      9,059.10        8.19%       197,344.30         8.94%        684,381.50         3.19%
                                                Commercial                           498.9       0.25%     10,526.20         1.34%      1.566.50        1.42%        65,302.50         2.96%        446,327.10         2.08%
                                                Industrial                           453.7       0.23%       8,120.80        1.03%      1.406.40        1.27%        43,548.30         1.9796       424,581.40         1.98%
                                                Institutional                             81     0.04%           449.3       0.06%             57.5     0.05%          5,950.60        0.270A        38.474.70         0.18%
                                                Recreation                              55.6     0.03%           153.4       0.02%              6.7     0.01%               177.9      0.01%           1,361.60        0.01%
                                                Open Urban Land                      110.6       0.06%           305.3       0.04%             13.3     0.01%                 354      0.02%           2,709.10        0.01%

                                                Urban Subtotal                 13,439.30         6.76%     90,063.10       11.46%      12,109.40      10.95%        312,677.70       14.16%      1,597,835.30          7.45%

                                                Agriculture                    20.075.40       10.10%     178,470.10       22.71%      26,499.50      23.96%        292,498.20       13.25%      4,255.377.20       19.85%

                                                Shrub and Brushland              7.340.40        3,69%     20,259.60         2.58%           880.9      0.80%        23,489.40         1.06%        179,767.20         0.84%

                                                Xeric Oak                      14,632.10         7,36%     39,067.80         4.97%      6,145.50        5.56%       130,079.80         5.89%     1,729.958.80          8.07%
                                                Mesic Oak                        7.703.50        3.88%     20.568.40         2.62%      3.235.50        2.93%        68,484.50         3.1096       910,789.30         4.25%
                                                Hard/Conifer Mixed             26.747.60       13.46%      71,416.10         9.09%     11.233.90      10.16%        237,785.90       10.77%      3,162,365.90       114,75%
                                                Upland Forest Subtota          49.083.30       24,70%     131,052.30       16.67%      20,615.00      18.64%        436,350.20       19.76%      5,803,114.10       27.07%

                                                Silviculture                   71,049.60       35.75%     189.702.40       24.14%      29,840.80      26.98%        631,631.00       28.61%      8,400,194.50       39.18%

                                                Lakes                               362.50       0.18%       2,856.10        0.36%         250.10       0.23%          3,874.70        0.18%           7,082.40        0,03%
                                                Waterways                        1,016.30        0.51%       8,007.90        11.02%        701.20       0.63%        110,863.60        0.49%         119.857.30        0.09%
                                                LakeslWaterways
                                                Subtotal                         1,380.30        0.69%     10,857.40         11.38%          950.7      0.86%        14.729.10         0.67%         26,923.10         0.13%

                                                Wetlands                       36.033.00       18.13%     163,589.60       20.81%      19,457.80      17.59%        480.319.30       21.76%      1,042,793.70          4.86%

                                                Beaches                                 20.2     0.011%            81.8      0.01%              8.1     0.01%               472.6      0.02%           4.553.50        0.02%

                                                Spoil/Baffen                         166.4       0.08%           893.8       0.11%           113.2      0.10%          7,273.80        0.33%         71,141.50         0.33%
                                                Transport./Utilities                     125     0.06%           999.9       0.13%           126.2      0.11%          8,386.60        0.38%         57,443.90         0.27%

                                                Nonurban Subtotal              186,273.50      93.24%     696,907.00 88.54%            98,492.10      89.06%      1,895,150.20       86.84%      19,841,308.70      92.65%

                                                TOTAL                          198,712.90        100%     786,970.10         100%     110,601.50        100%      2,207,827.80         100%      21,439,144.00         100%











                A-14

                accounted for 35 percent of the watershed and accounted for 39 percent (Table A-7) of the
                estimated total suspended solids associated with NPS pollutants in the St. Marks and
                Wakulla Rivers watershed. Estimated TN, TP, and BOD associated with silviculture
                accounted for 24 percent to 29 percent of the total estimated NPS loadings for these
                parameters. Natural upland forests made up 25 percent of the watershed acreage.
                Upland forest estimated TSS loadings were second to those of silviculture.

                       The agriculture category made up 10 percent of the total acreage in St. Marks and
                Wakulla Rivers watershed and contributed 13 percent to 24 percent of the total estimated
                TN, TP, and BOD loadings (Table A-7). Agriculture loadings estimated for TN (178,470
                lbs/yr), TP (26,499 lbs/yr), and BOD (292,498 lbs/yr) were second to those for silviculture
                (Table A 7).

                       Estimated NPS loadings for wetlands were similar JN = 163,590 lbs/yr; TP
                19,458 lbs/yr, BOD = 480,319 lbstyr, TSS = 1,042,794 lbs/yr) when compared with values
                for silviculture and wetlands. Remaining land use categories contributed less than five
                percent of the total loadings for any of the four individual parameters (Table A-7) and were
                consistent with low acreage.

                       The transportation/utilities category included less than 1 percent of the acreage in
                the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed (Table A-7) and corresponded primarily to
                acreage of major roadways. Estimated loadings due to major roadways made up less than
                one percent of the total estimated loadings (see Table A-7).

                       Total existing urban land use acreage accounted for 7 percent of the area within the
                St. Marks and WakullaRivers watershed and estimated NPS urban loadings ranged from
                nine percent to 11 percent of total TN, TP, and BOD loadings, and 4 percent of the total
                TSS loadings. Potential per-acre water quality impacts appeared * reatest fo'
                                                                                           9           r the
                commercial and industrial urban land use categories. Overall relationships among
                categories were consistent with other studies (Wanielista 1975, Hand and Paulic 1992)
                in which urban land use categories had higher TN, TP, TSS, and BOD values in surface
                water runoff when compared with values for non-urban runoff.

                       Although loading rates for non-urban categories were comparatively low on a per-
                acre basis, silviculture practices have tremendous potential water quality impacts in the
                St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed due to the amount of acreage and existing land
                practices.

                       In contrast with urban land uses, silviculture included 36 percent of the watershed
                acreage and 39 percent of the total TSS loadings. These findings are consistent with
                reports in the literature regarding suspended solids runoff from silviculture areas.


                APPENDIX III












                                                                                                  A - 1 5


             Variation in nutrient and sediment loadings amounting to several orders of magnitude are
             common for forestry activities (Novotny et al. 1981), and TSS loadings from logging roads
             ,are significantly greater in the absence of appropriate BMPs (Lynch and Corbett 1990).
             Most sediment reaching waterways from these lands originate from construction of logging
             roads and from clearcuts which infringe upon natural drainage channels (Novotny 1981).

                     Water quality maintenance and control are normally achieved by implementing
             BMPs to reduce extreme pollution problems and promote rapid recovery. The BMPs are
             intended to control activities in stormflow source areas and promote acceptable road
             construction and soil conservation practices.

                     Results of this assessment reflect several areas of concern regarding NIPS pollution
             in the  St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed.. First, forestry and agriculture are
             responsible for the largest proportions of NIPS pollution in the watershed. Secondly, while
             the literature indicates water quality impacts associated with these activities can be
             minimized through recommended BMPs, compliance with these practices is not easily
             enforced.


                     The impacts of silviculture and agriculture activities can be substantially reduced
             if recommended BMPs are comprehensively implemented and rigorously enforced. After
             evaluating the results of forest BMP surveys the Florida Department of Agriculture
             reported: "Of the 150 survey sites for 1991, 141 were found to be in compliance with
             silviculture BMPs which equates to 94 percent compliance", (Florida Department of
             Agriculture 1991) While many appropriate BMPs were implemented, most surveyed sites
             had several instances of non-compliance.

                     In an effort to clarify the use and interpretation of BMPs and make their application
             more consistent, Florida forestry BMPs have recently undergone substantial revision to
             increase water resource protection. If these changes are successful and compliance with
             revised BMPs is achieved, a reduction in NIPS loadings from silviculture can be expected.
             The Division of Forestry is currently reassessing compliance and effectiveness of BMPs
             in an effort to more accurately reflect BMP compliance.

                          Three general options exist for abating NPS pollution from urban activity. The
             options involve prevention, treatment, and control measures, implemented as an integrated
             abatement approach (Wanielista 1975). In brief, prevention involves practices that are
             applied before problems arise; treatment involves complete or partial physical, chemical,
             and/or biological processes for minimizing impacts of stormwater; and control measures
             would involve reduction or control of pollution sources.

                          Ideally, limiting discharges from new developments to discharge that would



             APPENDIX III











              A-16


              have occurred under natural, undeveloped conditions, in addition to maintaining water
              quality standards, should result in no increases in NPS pollution.


















































             APPENDIX III




I
I                                                                                        A - 1 7
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I















            APPENDIX III

  A




  'd




                                                                                                          I



             A - 1 8
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          11
                                                                                                          i
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                          i
                                                                                                          I

                                                                                                          -AL
                                                                                                          0

                                                                                                          I
                                                                                                            r
                                                                                                          I


             APPENDIX III                                                                                 lk
                                                                                                          1116
                                                                                                          I












                                                                                                         A-19


               APPENDix 4 - VIEW OF STORMWATER LOADING RATE                                 S FROM THE
                                              AVAILABLE LITERATURE


               (1)    Stormwater Loading Rates. December 1989. FDER Nonpoint Source Section staff.

                         Table A-8 was given to Northwest Wflorida Water Management District staff for
               comparison purposes. The numbers were not, however, documented. Values were
               included in the table matrix, but not considered for use in this study, since lack of
               documentation made it impossible to review data collection duration and watershed
               characteristics (homogeneity, etc.).

               (2)    Estimation of Loading Rate Parameters for the Tampa Bay Watershed 1989.
                      Southwest Florida Water Management District [SWFWMD].

                         The literature search associated with this report was extensive, involving the
               review of approximately 100 reports and publications. Studies that were selected
               presented at least one year of data collection and measured only homogenous watershed
               areas. The report presents the results of a literature search and study of pollutant loading
               rates appropriate for selected parameters and land use types within the Tampa Bay
               watershed. The pollutant parameters selected for potential inclusion into a loading rate
               model were total nitrogen, total phosphorus, BOD, suspended solids, lead, zinc, total
               coliform, pesticides, and oil and grease. The selected land use types included low density
               residential (rural), single-family residential, multi-family residential, low density commercial,
               high density commercial, industrial, mining, agriculture, recreation/open space and
               water/wetlands.


                      Each selected study was evaluated for adequacy of the database with special
               attention given to factors such as length of study, number of runoff events monitored and
               monitoring methodology. The applicability of hydrologic and land use conditions were
               evaluated and data judged appropriate for the Tampa Bay area was used for the final
               estimation of pollutant loading rates.

                       The report included a summary table of mean annual loading rates for
               total nitrogen, total phosphorus, BOD, and suspended solids. Values were available for
               each of these parameters for each of the land use categories. Because of the vast amount,
               of information researched for this report and the attention paid to data collection (sampling
               duration and watershed homogeneity), many of the final loading rate estimates for the St.
               Marks and Wakulla Rivers nonpoint assessment were obtained from this report.


               (3)    Nonpoint Source Waste Load Study for Indian River, Titusville, Florida. September


               APPENDIX IV












               A -20


                      1985. Dyer, Riddle, Mills and Precourt, Inc.

                      The purpose of this study was to estimate the quantity of NPS pollutants in lbs/year
               entering the Indian River in Brevard County from 28 drainage basins. The following
               sources were used to determine the loading rates for total nitrogen, total phosphorus, BOD
               and suspended solids for each respective land use:

                           a)    USGS studied a residential area in Broward County and multiplied the
                                 loads (lb/acre/in) by 56-inches of annual rainfall in Titusville;

                           b)     East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC) provided
                                 loads (then multiplied loads using the rainfall ratio 56/50.5);

                           c)    USGS studied commercial area in Broward County and multiplied loads
                                 (lb/acre/in) in by 56-inches of annual rainfall in Titusville;

                           d)    ECFRPC "Middle St. Johns River Basin Study and Lake Tohopekaliga
                                 Agricultural Runoff Plan with correction to 56-inches of annual rainfall;

                           e)    ECFRPC - Nonpoint Source Evaluation, Chapter 10, Table 10-2 with
                                 correction to 56-inches of annual rainfall.


                      The results of the calculations do not take into account the impact of the city's
               stormwater management and conservation ordinance. NPS data from developments
               constructed before and after the ordinance would be required to determine what impact
               the ordinance has on loading rates. Also included were the estimated loads to the Indian
               River for the proposed land use for the City of Titusville as a prediction of what can be
               expected if the future land use is carried to completion. This report was the source for the
               St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers watershed loading rate estimates for the land use categories
               crop I and/pasture, forest natural upland, and transportation/utilities.

               (4)    Agriculture Nonpoint Source Element - State Water Quality Plan. June 1979.
                      Florida Department of Environmental Regulation.

                      This report contained site-specific analyses of the five watersheds chosen from the
               top 20 ranked within the state based on their potential for water quality problems due to
               agricultural activities. In this publication total annual loadings for the five specific
               watershed areas were calculated from land use and areal loading rates. Also contained
               in the report were site-specific analyses for each watershed, methods used for determining           VF
               the extent of water quality problems caused by agricultural activities and management
               practices for pollution control. The five watersheds included in the study were Escambia



               APPENDIX IV
                                                                                                                    rc











                                                                                                      A -21


              River Basin (Canoe Creek), North St. Lucie Basin (Ten/Eleven Mile Creek),                Upper
              Oklawaha River Basin (Yale-Griffin Canal), Middle Suwannee River Basin (Little River),
              and the Chipola River Basin (Spring Branch). For the Canoe Creek study, a cautionary
              note that stated the pollutant yields per-acre may not be accurate enough as they are
              based on literature values. It was also stated that a wide variability exists between the
              estimates and the actual loadings observed in the field. It was recommended that a
              receiving water analysis be performed in order to demonstrate that the loads were, in fact,
              producing sizable water quality problems.

              (5)    Nonpoint Source Effects. January 1976. M.P. Wanielista.

                     The results of a literature review on loading rates for BOD, suspended solids,
              nitrogen, and phosphorus for several land uses are included in this document. The
              average value is used to assess the potential quality problems resulting from NPS. It
              should be emphasized that studies from Florida only were used in determining the loading
              rates. As much data as possible, relative to local or regional conditions, should be used.
              Also, the loading rates are average values and are adjusted for an average rainfall quantity
              of 52 inches, which is the approximate average for the State of Florida. The range of the
              loading rates for suspended solids was wide, but expected because of variable erosion
              conditions. Additional research should be done on quantification of loading rates per unit
              area and time.


                     This report states that land use and precipitation are the two most important
              variables affecting NPS pollution. Assuming precipitation is of sufficient intensity, duration,
              and quantity, runoff and infiltration quantity and quality are dependent on ground cover,
              frequently expressed in terms of land use such as, urban, agricultural, pasture, forested
              (woodland) wetlands, etc. Each land use has certain permeable and impermeable
              characteristics that determine, to a great extent, the quantity of runoff, evapotranspiration,
              and groundwater infiltration. The type of land use is frequently equated to a runoff
              coefficient and used in predicting runoff. Rainfall and the type of land use are relatively
              easy variables to quantify in Florida. If large areas, such as major basin segments, are to
              be used, then the use of average conditions for rainfall and land use would produce data
              that are reasonable. After justifying the need for more accurate nonpoint data, a program
              to collect additional information is necessary. This information would include data in the
              general areas of topography, land management, water quality impacts, and meteorology.

                      General goals for the management of nonpoint source effects due to the land and
              water use modifications are presented below. These goals are the basis for the work
              presented in the report. The goals providing this basis include the following:

                     a)      to minimize the deleterious effects of runoff and infiltration from land and



              APPENDIX IV











              A -22

                            water alteration activities on receiving waters by:

                            -minimizing the alteration of natural drainage patterns and conditions;

                            -minimizing soil loss due to erosion;

                            -maximizing the use of the soil's infiltration and percolation capacity to
                                      reduce the unnatural loss of surface waters within the individual
                                      watersheds under development;

                            -maximizing the use of management practices to reduce the levels of
                                      contaminants in the waters to be discharged;

                            encouraging the gradual release of runoff and infiltration into the receiving
                                      bodies of water.


                     b)       to encourage the development and implementation of all plans to be
                            consistent with comprehensive regional water quality/quantity management
                            plans;

                     c)     to encourage information flow and to foster an understanding of the impact
                            of NPS on water quality and to develop implemental solutions to these
                            problems;

                     d)       to keep abreast of developments in the state-of-the-art techniques of
                            managing pollution from NIPS.

                     (6) Water Quality Characteristics of Urban Runoff and Estimates of Annual Loads
                           in the Tampa Bay, FL. 1984. M.A. Lopez and R.F. Giovannelli.

                        The purpose of this report was to describe the water quality characteristics of
              urban runoff in the Tampa Bay area and to provide a method for estimating loads of
              substances contained in runoff from urbanized watersheds under existing and future
              conditions. From 1975 to 1980, an urban runoff data collection program, including
              streamflow, climatic, physiographic, and water quality data, was established at nine
              watersheds ranging from beginning to advanced stages of urban development. Gaging
              stations were installed to monitor rainfall and runoff for each watershed. Physiographic
              features that consist of size, shape, and slope of the watershed, type of land use, degree
              of land use, area of impervious surfaces, type of storm drainage, soil types, and surface
              area of lakes or detention ponds were compiled from aerial photographs, US. Geological
              Survey topographic maps, planning agency data, and field observations.



              APPENDIX IV












                                                                                                 A -23

                       Regression equations were developed for estimating loads of substances
             contained in runoff from ungaged urban watersheds in the Tampa Bay area. Equations
             were developed for BOD, COD, total nitrogen, total organic nitrogen, total phosphorus, and
             total lead. Use of the regression equations requires watershed-based rainfall. The
             stormwater loads were computed as the product of instantaneous values of discharge
             rates and concentrations of water quality constituents sampled. A time factor was
             included, converting the discharge to incremental volumes, and summed to get the total
             stormwater runoff volume. Some precautionary measures are required for valid use of the
             regression equations for computing runoff volumes and water quality constituent loads.
             They are recommended to be applied only to Tampa Bay urban watersheds. Since the
             equations are empirically derived, they are only applicable in instances where values of
             the independent variables fall within range of values used in their formulation.

                       The same daily rainfall data was used in computations of runoff and annual loads
             for all watersheds. The differences in the computed runoff from the various watersheds
             were due to variations in land use and watershed characteristics. The differences in runoff
             are reflected in the magnitude of the computed basin loads of the various parameters
             involved (runoff volume enters directly into load calculations).

                        Selected water quality constituents computed by the Tampa Bay area regression
             equations were compared with those computed by other methods for other parts of the
             country. The annual loads computed, using the Tampa Bay area regression equations and
             the Broward County land use load factors, are of the same order of magnitude. Another
             comparison was made in the application of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
             (USEPA) screening procedure (Heaney and others 1976) to land use data at the St. Louis
             Street drainage ditch site. As determined by use of the Tampa Bay regression equations,
             the annual load of nitrogen was about the same, BOD was about one-half the magnitude,
             and total phosphorus was about one order of magnitude greater than loads estimated by
             the screening process. The Tampa Bay regression equations, because of their empirical
             nature, presumably reflect the high natural phosphorus content of bay area streamflow and
             fallout from local phosphate processing plants.

             (7)          Boggy Creek Water Quality Management Study, Final Report. 1988.South
                          Florida Water Management District and East Central Florida Regional
                          Planning Council

                        This study used a land use/nonpoint source model to develop control strategies
             on a regional scale. Developed by Camp, Dresser and McKee (CDM) (11988), this model
             simulated total nitrogen and total phosphorus loadings from the existing relatively rural
             watershed and then predicted loadings in future scenarios where the watershed was
             presumed to be highly developed, where residential, commercial and industrial uses


             APPENDIX IV.











               A -24

               predominate. The model was also run for low density future conditions. A range of BMP
               nutrient removal efficiencies and calibration coefficients that represent the extremes of the
               probable ranges for these coefficients was applied in the model. As part of the study, the
               South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) developed a maximum assimilative
               capacity (MAC) model to be used to compare the maximum assimilative nutrient capacity
               of the receiving waters with the nutrient loadings modeled by CDM.

                       Three land use/growth scenarios were developed by the East Central Florida
               Regional Planning Council utilizing current data and future projections as supplied by local
               governments within the basin. These scenarios include the following:

                       1      Existing land uses in the basin were modeled (1984) which included certain
                              phases of Developments of Regional Impact (DRIs) which were present, and
                              any other pre-existing development;

                       2)     Low Intensity" scenario - Assumes a slower growth rate and includes all
                              future development proposed within a DRI by the year 2000. This scenario
                              also includes all future development associated with the DRIs proposed, but
                              not necessarily within the DRI;

                       3)     "High Intensity" scenario - Assumes an intensified development rate over
                              that of the low intensity scenario concentrating primarily in the rural southern
                              and eastern fringes of the basin with the inclusion of the proposed southern
                              connector beftway around the City of Orlando, and the ensuing growth
                              associated with it.


                       In both future g rowth scenarios (high and low), wet detention was utilized in the
               model as the minimally-acceptable method of stormwater management, since it meets
               existing SFWMD and DEP permitting criteria and is currently the most commonly employed
               stormwater management practice.

                       Data collection consisted of gathering the information necessary to run both water
               quality,impact models (East Lake Toho MAC model and Land Use/Nonpoint Source
               model). Nutrient loadings were determined using data from a USGS-maintained daily
               stage/flow recorder located in the southern portion of the basin below the Boggy Creek
               swamp combined with data received from the SFWMD monthly water quality station
               located downstream from the recorder. Nitrogen and phosphorus values were utilized in
               the model calibration of current land use runoff loadings for the entire Boggy Creek basin.
               Rainfall values (daily) were measured from the NOAA rain-gage at the Orlando
               International Airport (the monthly cumulative values for the period 1981-1985 were used
               in the study). For runoff calculations, the USGS stages were converted to flow rates using


               APPENDIX IV











                                                                                                      A -25


              the rating curve.

              Description of Bo-qqv Creek Model

                           Maximum Assimilative Capacity (MAC) Model - SFWMD used this modified
              Vollenweider (1976) model (Fe     'derico et. al 1981) which was applied to East Lake Toho
              to derive a preliminary approximation of the maximum assimilative capacity for phosphorus
              (the limiting nutrient) within the lake. This was based on per-basin surface area loading
              appropriation. The basic concept of the MAC model was to determine whether East Lake
              Toho would maintain its current mesotrophic status or become degraded upon
              urbanization. The MAC model has been used with success by SFWMD for Lake
              Okeechobee. This model was calibrated utilizing data collected during a three-year
              period. For output, the model determines the current and critical loading rates from the
              East Lake Toho basins. The current loading rate refers to the existing phosphorus
              contributions and the critical loading rates which are derived from the model for each basin
              and compared with the actual measured loads generated to determine whether a particular
              basin is exceeding its critical phosphorus loading rate. If the critical phosphorus loading
              rate is being exceeded, it is then possible to calculate the load reduction which would be
              required to stay within the means of the maximum assimilative capacity of the system.

              The Description of the Land Use/Nonpoint Source Model (CDM)

                     The intent of this study was to develop a model capable of determining NIPS control
              strategies on a regional scale. A relatively simple spreadsheet model, previously
              developed by CDM, was employed using the LOTUS Symphony program (version 1. 1) for
              an IBM compatible computer. Data used in the preparation of this model was provided by
              SFWMD and ECFRPC. This land use/nonpoint source model simulated total nitrogen JN)
              and total phosphorus JP) loadings resulting from the existing rural watershed and then
              predicted loadings in future scenarios where the watershed was presumed to be highly
              developed, where residential, commercial and industrial land uses predominated. TN and
              TP were the only parameters used in the model. The major inputs needed to calculate
              nutrient loads included nutrient load calibration coefficients (Fn and Fp), rainfall conditions,
              areal extent of land, and BMP nutrient removal efficiency factors (REFs). The REFs
              assume that properly managed stormwater systems using BMPs will reduce nitrogen
              loadings by 30 percent and phosphorus loadings by 50 percent (from a particular land use
              type). Event mean concentrations (EMCs), which are standardized concentrations of
              nitrogen and phosphorus expected from a particular land use type, are combined with total
              runoff and nutrient load calibration coefficients to generate nutrient loadings from the
              current and future scenarios. The EMCs used were previously employed in other central
              Florida area studies. The purpose of the calibration is to more accurately predict nutrient
              loadings for the three development scenarios by comparing measured loadings to


              APPENDIX IV












               A -26

               modelled loadings. The ratio of these is the nutrient loading calibration coefficient. Prior
               to model calibration, nutrient loadings were determined using the existing land use, and
               then re-running the model to predict future low and high intensity development scenarios.
               Output consisted of annual loadings for each land use type (pounds/acre/year) which
               impacts Boggy Creek and East Lake Toho. The model was run for the current, low density
               future, and high density future conditions with a range of BMP nutrient removal efficiencies
               and calibration coefficients that represent the extremes of the probable ranges for these
               coefficients.   The predicted current and future nutrient loading rates in the land
               use/nonpoint source model were analyzed for sensitivity to changes in the BMP nutrient
               removal efficiencies and the nutrient loading calibration coefficients.

                       Several management alternatives were suggested for local governments to consider
               in an effort to reduce nutrient loadings to Boggy Creek and East Lake Toho:

                       I     The development and implementation of master stormwater management
                             plans;
                       2)    The establishment of regional stormwater systems;
                       3)     The amendment of local government stormwater regulations to include
                             stricter controls in certain land use types, the promotion of local land use
                             controls such as land acquisition and the protection of the extensive Boggy
                             Creek swamp.

               (8)     An Assessment of Urban Land Use/Stormwater Runoff Quality Relationships and
                       Treatment Efficiencies of Selected Stormwater Management Systems. 1988.- South
                       Florida Water Management District

                       This assessment was initiated to address two objectives relative to stormwater
               runoff  and its treatment. The first objective was to assess reported stormwater runoff
               quality for differing land uses throughout the U.S., with a focus on data collected within the
               State of Florida. The second objective of this publication was to evaluate the data
               reported in the literature concerning the treatment efficiencies associated with the various
               stormwater management systems.

                       One conclusion of this report was that for selected constituents, runoff water quality
               varies with land use. The land use types that were evaluated and compared in this
               assessment included residential, commercial, light industrial, roadway, and mixed urban.
               Statistical differences between runoff water quality parameters and land use classification
               were evaluated by using the Duncan's multiple-range test. This study concluded that
               higher nutrient loads were generated by residential land uses than commercial, mixed
               urban, light industrial, or roadways. Metal contamination was more widespread from
               commercial and roadway projects than from residential, light industrial, or mixed urban


               APPENDIX IV











                                                                                                  A -27


              land uses. Residential and roadway areas demonstrated higher export potential for
              chemical oxygen demand. There were no discernible trends for suspended solids export
              as a function of land use. Urban highway projects generally had higher overall pollutant
              loadings than rural roadway projects. Limited data indicated that organic contamination
              in the form of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were comparable for residential,
              commercial, and highway sites, although significantly higher levels were found at a heavy
              industrial site. For any monitoring program designed for a specific land use, this report
              recommended utilizing the above information when designing a sampling strategy.

              (9)    Generalized Watershed Loading Functions for Stream Flow Nutrients. June 1987.
                     D. A. Haith and L. L. Shoemaker.


                     The Generalized Watershed Loading Functions Model (GWLF) is based on simple
              runoff, sediment, and ground water relationships combined with empirical chemical
              parameters. According to the authors, this model is unique in its ability to estimate
              monthly nutrient fluxes in streamflow without calibration. Validation studies in a large New
              York watershed indicated that the model possesses a high degree of predictive accuracy.
              Although better results could perhaps be obtained by utilizing more detailed chemical
              simulation models, such models have substantially greater data and computational
              requirements and must be calibrated from water quality sampling data.

                     The concluding remarks indicate that the GWLF model has several limitations.
              Peak monthly nutrient fluxes were potentially underestimated by as much as 22 percent.
              Since nutrient chemistry is not modelled explicitly, the model cannot be used to estimate
              the effectiveness of fertilizer management or urban stormwater storage and treatment.
              The model has only been validated for a largely rural watershed in which agricultural runoff
              and ground water discharge provided most of the nutrient load. Although the urban runoff
              component is based on a widely used model (STORM), model performance in more urban
              watersheds is uncertain.


              10)    Assessing Regional Nonpoint Source Problems with the Aid of a Watershed- Based
                     Simulation Model. 1989. B.M. Evans, N.F. Parks, G.M. Baumer, G.W. Petersen.

                      In 1979, the Pennsylvania Bureau of Soil and Water Conservation (PABSWC)
              designated a number of large watersheds throughout the state as "high priority"
              watersheds for agricultural NPS pollution assessment. In recent years, many county
              conservation districts have conducted watershed assessments for the high priority areas.
              One of the primary goals of these assessments is to satisfy the requirements of the "first
              level screening" process outlined by PABSWC for securing additional funding through the
              Chesapeake Bay Program to implement Best Management Practices. To date, most of
              these assessments have been accomplished using an "indexing-type" methodology for



              APPENDIX IV











                A -28


                identifying critical areas within a watershed. With this approach, variables such as
                percentage of agricultural land in row crops, percentage of agricultural land in cover crops,
                animal density, average slope, mean soil erodibility, and drainage density are weighted
                and evaluated on the basis of their relative impact on NPS contribution within each
                watershed. While this cost-effective approach has considerable merit, some criticism has
                been directed toward it because it does not directly produce estimates of nitrogen,
                phosphorus, and sediment loadings within a certain area.

                      The intent of this demonstration project was to illustrate how a computerized
                simulation model could be used to enhance the -results of watershed assessments
                performed in Pennsylvania. Particular emphasis was placed on how a GIS could be used
                to derive parameters required by the simulation model and display the resulting output.
                A recently developed model called Agricultural Nonpoint Source (AGNPS) (Young et al.
                1985) was used to simulate erosion, sedimentation, and surface runoff processes within
                a watershed in central Pennsylvania.

                The original scope of work planned for a detailed analysis of the simulation modelling
                results be performed. Specifically, the original plans called for the following:

                      1       A comparison of model results with results obtained from a previous
                              watershed assessment;
                      2)      An evaluation of predicted nutrient and sediment loadings against water
                              quality sampling data;
                      3)      A sensitivity analysis to determine the relative change in model output with
                              respect to changes in model input.

                      NPS models may be categorized in numerous ways, but of interest in this study
                were programmable, mathematical models commonly referred to as numerical models.
                Numerical models can be further classified as being either empirical or physical process
                models. Empirical models are generally cause-and-effect models in which a mathematical
                expression transforms a set of input variables into a description of the output without trying
                to describe the process taking place. Regression models (Universal Soil Loss Equation
                related), and statistical time-series models, and several "indexing-type" models are good
                examples of empirical models. Empirical models are generally simpler and require less
                data than physical process models, so they are cost-effective to use. Unfortunately, they
                are difficult to improve, cannot normally be extended beyond the range of data used in
                their development, are easily misapplied, and can be misleading about cause and effect.
                Physical process models are more sophisticated than empirical models in the sense that
                they attempt to simulate the physical, chemical and/or biological processes that take place
                in a given natural system. Such models, however, require volumes of data and extensive
                research to test. NPS models such as Chemicals, Runoff, and Erosion from Agricultural



                APPENDIX IV












                                                                                                  A -29

             Management Systems Model (CREAMS) (Knisel 1980), Areal, Nonpoint                      Source
             Watershed Environmental Response Simulation Model (ANSWERS) (Beasley et al. 1980),
             and more recently, AGNPS (Young et al. 1985) are typical physical process models.

                    The AGNPS model was developed by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the
             Minnesota Soil and Conservation Board, the U.S. Soil Conservation Service, and the U.S.
             Agricultural Research Service (Young et al. 1985). The AGNPS computer program
             actually contains two sub-models which are used to analyze both sediment and nutrient
             transport within a watershed. The two sub-models used are single-event based models
             intended to simulate sediment and nutrient transport from primarily agricultural
             watersheds. However, land uselcover conditions, in addition to cultivated land, are
             considered as well. Proceeding from the headwaters of the watershed to the outlet, the
             pollutants are routed in a step-wise fashion so the flow at any point may be examined. In
             using this program, a watershed is first sub-divided into square cells. The basic
             components of the model provide for the analysis of hydrology, erosion, and sediment
             transport, and nitrogen, phosphorus and chemical oxygen transport.

                    Data required for model execution is normally obtained through field data collection,
             maps, (topographic and soils), and various technical publications, tables, and graphs.
             Input data can be classified into two categories: watershed data and cell data. Watershed
             data includes information pertaining to the entire watershed and to the storm event to be
             simulated. Cell data includes physical information describing each of the cells, as well as
             parameters based on the land practices within the cell.

                    Once the watershed segmentation step was completed, the data input file was
             established. Compilation of the various types of data and deriving the necessary input
             parameters to drive the model can be very time consuming, so instead of using this manual
             approach many of these computations were done with the aid of a GIS. This approach
             was believed to be less expensive and more accurate than manual data compilation
             methods.


                     As a result of the final AGNPS model runs, a detailed watershed summary was
             generated for the Bald Eagle watershed. The results include analyses for hydrology, with
             estimates for nitrogen, phosphorus, and chemical oxygen demand in concentration and
             mass units. Preliminary output includes watershed and cell areas, storm precipitation and
             erosivity, and estimated values at the watershed outlet for runoff volume, peak flow rate,
             and a detailed analysis of the sediment and nutrient yields. The detailed sediment
             analysis include area-weighted erosion rates for both uplands and channels, sediment
             delivery ratios, mean sediment concentrations, area-weighted yields, and net sediment
             yields. These values are given for each of the five particle classes, as well as the total.
             The detailed nutrient analyses include the nitrogen and phosphorus mass per unit area for



             APPENDIX IV











              A -30

              sediment-absorbed nutrients, the soluble N, P, and COD mass per unit area in runoff, and
              the N, P, and COD concentration in the runoff. Additional runoff, sediment, and nutrient
              analyses are given for each cell. Runoff analyses for each cell provide estimates of
              drainage area, runoff volume, percent of runoff volume entering the cell from above and
              peak runoff rate. Sediment analyses for each cell provide estimates of upland erosion
              rate, amount of sediment generated within the cell, the amount entering the cell from
              above, the sediment yield leaving the cell, and the percent deposition in the cell. The
              detailed nutrient analysis for each cell provides estimates of absorbed and soluble
              nutrients in mass per unit area and the concentration of these nutrients in the runoff.

                     To aid in the evaluation of AGNPS model output, a program called AGNPSOUT was
              developed. Output maps which can be generated with AGNPSOUT now include the
              following:
                     .1)     Runoff, including drainage area, volume, generation both above and within
                             the cell and peak rate;

                     2)      Sediment delivery, including cell erosion, generated above, generated
                             within, yield, and deposition;

                     3)      Nitrogen production, including sediment delivered (both within cell and at
                             cell outlet), water soluble (both within cell and at cell outlet), total production
                             (sediment plus water), and concentration;

                     4)      Phosphorus production, including sediment delivered (both within cell and
                             at cell outlet), water soluble (both within cell and at cell outlet), total
                             production (sediment plus water), and concentration;

                     5)      Chemical oxygen demand within cell, cell outlet, and concentration.

                     In summary, it was the intent of this demonstration project to illustrate how AGNPS
              could be used for watershed assessments performed in Pennsylvania. In this study, the
              relatively new watershed model (AGNPS) was used to simulate erosion, sedimentation
              surface runoff and nutrient transport processes within the Bald Creek watershed.
              Particular emphasis was placed on showing how a GIS could be used to derive model
              input parameters and display the resulting output. Additional work to complete the project
              is to be done at a later date as the model needs to be tested and calibrated for use in
              Pennsylvania.


              (11) Silviculture, Hydrology and Water Quality in the Lower Coastal Plain of the U.S.A.
              1988. H. Riekerk.



              APPENDIX IV












                                                                                                   A -31


                    The loading rates for the land use categories Tree Plantations and              Forest
             Regeneration areas for the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers nonpoint assessment were
             derived from the results associated with this study. The study was conducted from 1976-
             1985 for three artificial watersheds to study the effects of intensive pine flatbeds forest
             management practices. The study site was 40 km northeast of Gainesville, Florida, in the
             Bradford Forest which belonged to a timber company. Slash pine flatwood plots were
             harvested and regenerated with high and low levels of disturbance, and a 40-year-old
             forest was left undisturbed as a control. The low-disturbance watershed was cut manually,
             bucked, and removed leaving considerable slash. To minimize disturbance, the site was
             quickly regenerated by slash chopping, bedding, and machine planting. The high
             disturbance was machine harvested, followed by slash burning, windrowing, harrowing,
             bedding, and planting. Each site was monitored for hydrologic variability as well as water
             quality impacts due to the silvicultural practices for an eight-year time period. In order to
             complete the loading rate matrix, it was decided to use this data for the category Tree
             Plantations as well as Forest Regeneration Areas. The first three years of data from the
             high-disturbed experimental watershed was averaged for the Forested Regeneration
             Areas' loadings for nitrogen, phosphorus and suspended sediment. It was decided that
             during the first three years after a watershed had been disturbed to this degree, the area
             would closely approximate what has been defined by the "Florida Land Use, Cover and
             Forms Classification System" (FLUCCS) as a forest regeneration area (evidence of
             windrows and site preparation). The Tree Plantation loadings for nitrogen, phosphorus,
             and suspended sediment were taken from the entire eight-year period for the combination
             of high and low disturbed areas. This decision was based on the idea that tree plantation
             runoff loadings can correspond to the high/low disturbed areas when cut and prepped, but
             can also approximate Natural Upland Forests during the non-disturbed growth stages.
             BOD loadings were not found in any of the silviculture studies researched, so the loadings
             for Natural Upland Forests and Agriculture were utilized in order to complete the loading
             rate table.























             APPENDIX IV











                 A -32



                 The following is a summary of loading rates assembled. The loading estimates were
                 obtained from the aforementioned studies.


                                      Table 1. - Summary of Land Use Loading Studies


                                                      Low Density Residential
                                   TN                 TP     (lb/ac/yr) BOD                 SS REF#

                                   2.25               0.34              6.86                27.50(2)
                                   1.50               0.26              4.70                28.00(3)
                                   14.27              7.60              48.89               902.26(l)
                                   4.43               0.47              10.80                   (6)
                                   5.09               0.79                   (7)

                                                      Multi-Family Residential

                                   7.54               1.93              42.10               206.00(2)
                                   6.60               2.00              32.10               344.10(3)
                                   17.26              9.01              62.94               1081.40(l)
                                   5.88               0.87                   (7)

                                                             Commercial

                                   12.03              2.10              69.65               474.50(2)
                                   11.30              1.10              63.00               647.00(3)
                                   10.95              5.13              47.89               725.18(l)
                                   5.34               3.12              44.52               300.93(5)
                                   5.45               0.51                   (7)
                                   8.00               2.00              53.90               586.50(4)

                                                              Highwa

                                   13.60              3.06              87.40               980.90(3)
                                   10.29              6.06              91.53               1508.95(l)
                                   4.50               0.36                   (7)
                                   8.00               2.00              53.9                586.50(4)
                                   8.56               3.70    Industdal 46.80               696.00(2)
                                   11.30              1.10              63.00               647.00(3)
                                   12.02              8.43              47.21               1385.25(l)
                                   4.86               0.46                   (7)


                 APPENDIX IV












                                                                                                                         A -33


                                  Table 1. - Continued Summary of Land Use Loading Studies

                                                          Low Density Residential

                                     TN                    TP                   BOD                     SS REF#

                                                                   (lb/aclyr)

                                                                  Open Lands

                                     1.31                  0.16                 2.48                    23.70(2)
                                     2.32                  0.21                 3.70                    29.12(l)
                                     2.55                  0.32                       (7)
                                     1.50                  0.10                 1.60                    12.00(4)
                                     2.60                  0.11                 7.40                    15.10(4)

                                                                     Wetlands

                                     3.30                  0.15                 6.70                    16.30(4)
                                     4.52                  0.67                 7.05                    8.60(2)
                                     5.40                  0.22                 15.40                   32.30(3)
                                     4.98                  0.88                 16.13                   33.77(l)
                                     4.90                  0.20                 13.90                   24.30(4)

                                                                     Pasture

                                     7.20                  1.30                 16.20                   434.40(3)
                                     4.70                  0.27                 10.00                   750.00(4)
                                     7.54                  4.60                 46.02                   1223.28(l)
                                     4.72                  0.26                 9.79                    747.89(5)
                                     2.26                  0.26                       (7)
                                     11.00                 0.50                 14.60                   393.00(4)
                                     5.60                  1.00                 15.10                   391.70(4)

                                                                    Agriculture

                                     4.49                  0.88                 4.10                    18.20(2)
                                     4.40                  0.22                 16.20                   27.80(3)
                                     23.00                 0.94                 16.00                   3747.00(4)
                                     23.15                 0.93                 16.03                   1997.03(5)
                                     8.30                  1.86                       (6)
                                     34.60                 2.11                 16.06                   2721.00(4)

                                                                     Woodland

                                     2.30                  0.10                 2.60                    27.80(3)
                                     2.76                  0.90                 4.45                    87.25(5)
                                     3.30                  0.15                 6.70                    16.30(4)
                                     2.80                  0.09                 4.50                    87.00(4)


                APPENDIX IV.
 A



                                                                                             I
            A -34                                                                            1
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             i
                                                                                             I
                                                                                             I

                                                                                             I
                                                                                             w
                                                                                             I

            APPENDIX IV                                                                      a
                                                                                             m
                                                                                             I












                                                                                                 A -35


                  APPENDIX V - ST MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS GREENWAY
                                           STEERING COMMITTEE

                    The Florida Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and the Conservation
             Fund and the Northwest Florida Water Management District established the St. Marks
             Greenway and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Steering Committee. Citizens and planning
             professionals were invited to participate. The steering committees were held in public at
             the Town of St. Marks Town Hall. Members of the steering committee were asked to
             provide feedback and comments on the report. The following information includes, the
             steering committee's charge, agendas from each meeting and a summery of each meeting
             held, refer to the acknowledgements for the participating members.



             ORGANIZATION


                    The St. Marks Greenway Steering Committee is a coalition of private, public,
             regulatory, environmental, historical and recreational interests that have come together to
             develop a consensus regarding the creation and preservation of the natural, recreational
             and cultural resources, and ecosystem connections along the St. Marks and Wakulla
             rivers. The Florida Greenway Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and the Northwest
             Florida Water Management District will initially organize the committee in June of 1994 to
             receive input on a greenways resource assessment for these two rivers. Staff from Leon
             and Wakulla county's planning departments have expressed interest in maintaining the
             committee to work with issues and concerns in developing greenway conservation policies
             identified in the greenway assessment. While the Florida Greenways Program's role and
             the District's role may be diminished once the greenway resource assessment is complete,
             they are interested in seeing the plan implemented and may be able to assist with the
             committees efforts from time to time.


                    Membership on the Steering Committee is open to all and it does not constitute a
             public body with official standing, but it will conduct its business in a manner consistent
             with the public interest and advanced notice of all meetings will be provided. Support
             personnel will develop an agenda for each meeting and provide a copy to all committee
             members. The Steering Committee will conduct its business in an open, cooperative and
             consensus building manner. It will be the Steering Committees' policy to make decisions
             through a consensus whenever possible rather than through majority voting. Active
             participation by all steering committee members is urged. In the event any member may
             not be able to attend a meeting, please send a designee. The Steering Committee will
             continue to meet at the Town of St. Marks until further notice or if the committee decides
             to meet at another location in the watershed.




             APPENDIX V












               A -36


               WORK PRODUCTS


                      The Steering Committee will be provided a draft greenway assessment on August
               26, 1994 and will be asked to review a the draft greenway resource assessment and
               provide comments and feedback regarding the draft no later than Friday, September 9,
               1994. Florida Greenways will address the issues brought up by the committee members
               in the final draft of the greenways resource assessment by September 15, 1994. The
               Committee may be asked to meet in the future on behalf of the counties or Northwest
               Florida Water Management for comments and public input on their respective St. Marks
               and Wakulla river greenway planning projects.


               THE VISION


                      The vision for the St. Marks and Wakulla Greenway is to conserve the green river
               corridors of the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers. The "greenway" is intended to become the
               focal point for wildlife and humanity in the watershed and thus the need to do more in
               terms of education and conservation. The greenway will provide for wildlife protection and
               movement, water quality protection, and provide a combination of land and water related
               recreation opportunities for citizens and visitors of Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties.


               THE MISSION


                      The mission of the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Greenway Steering Committee
               is to assist in formulating recommendations for conserving the greenway along the St.
               Marks and Wakulla rivers, assist in developing community awareness of the greenway
               within the community, and facilitate in assisting the counties' greenway action plans.


               GoALs -


                      44-     Conserve linear corridors of green open space linking the communities of
                              Leon and Wakulla counties. Identify issues, interest, and opportunities
                              concerning the establishment of the greenway system within the watershed,
                              and assist in finding workable solutions towards greenway development.

                              Assist local planning agencies with fostering intergovernmental dialogue
                              by assisting the implementing agencies in providing comments and
                              questions as the plan is implemented. Also, provide support for the
                              greenway by helping public officials become aware of the importance of
                              the St. Marks Greenway.




               APPENDIX V











                                                                                            A -37

                           Encourage sustainable land uses within the basin by conserving open
                           space, habitats, compatible land uses within the watershed by exploring
                           alternatives for planning, designing, permitting, construction, monitoring
                           and management of the proposed greenway.

                          To explore economic development opportunities from the establishment of
                          the greenway through ecotourism development.













































             APPENDIX V











           A -38

                        St. Marks River Greenway Steering Committee
               An open Discussion on opportunities to develop greenways on the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers

                                        June 15, 1994
                                          Agenda
           10:30 a.m Introduction -.
                Introductions, Kent Wimmer, 1000 Friends of Florida
                Project Overview, Tyler Macmillan, Northwest Florida Water Management
                District


           Your Vision for the greenway in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers Watershed - 11:00
           a.m.


           An open discussion of opportunities and issues by steering committee members surrounding the greenway
                                           concept


           Questions for Discussion:

                What should the boundary be for the greenway?
                What should we name the greenway?
                What opportunities exist for a natural and restored greenway?
                What should be the role of government in planning and managing the
                greenway?
                What should the role be of private industry, landowners and citizen
                organizations in planning and managing the greenway?
                What are the disadvantages that you perceive in designating the rivers as
                greenways? What are the advantages of greenways?
                What potential problems do we face in planning and managing the greenway
                and what can be done to overcome those problems?

           11:35 a.m. Wrap-up -, Kent Wimmer
                Where do we go from here?
                What can each of us do?
















           APPENDIX V











                                                                                                   A -39


                SUMMARY OF THE: JUNE 1 5 ST. MARKS GREENWAY STEERING
                                                    CommirrEE:

                     Meeting opened with introductions by Kent Wimmer and Bob Williams of the Florida
              Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of Florida and, Tyler Macmillan of the Northwest
              Florida Water Management District. Kent and Tyler provided the project description and
              goals for the steering committee. Information packets were handed out concerning the
              project's boundaries, time frame and scope of work.

              General concerns, comments and issues

                     One focus of the project is examining nonpoint source pollution of the St. Marks and
              Wakulla rivers and possible mitigation strategies for nonpoint pollution. Many positive and
              insightful remarks were made regarding this issue including:

                     More public amnesty days so citizens of Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties
                     could dispose of household toxic and hazardous waste,

                     More public awareness on the use.of lawn and garden fertilizers along the rivers

                     More public awareness of the precautions the oil industry is taking in St. Marks to
                     prevent and reduce the hazards associated with oils spills and tank leakages.

                     The role of the steering committee was discussed. The steering committee
              requested 1000 Friends draft a vision statement and charge for the steering committee.
              Some members expressed interest in helping with the project.

              Other issues discussed

                     The number and speed of the power boats traveling the rivers was discussed in
              relation to canoeists and manatees. Prop guards and other technological devices to
              reduce the impacts on the river bottom and manatees. Some healthy debate was engaged
              in over' this issue. Private property liabilities were discussed by several river front land
              owners. It is proposed that ecotourism be developed in the watershed as a means of
              improving the economic conditions while maintaining the resources. Members discussed
              problems associated with more users on the rivers.

                     Liability of property owners letting the public use the river banks for day use
                     activities.


                     Introduction of exotic plants to the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers


              APPENDIX V











              A -40


                      Concern about illegal takings and defacing historic and archaeological sites

                      Litter, noise and other potential issues associated with increased use

                      The need for more public education about proper etiquette for using recreation
                      lands and waters


                      Taxes and recreational use fees were discussed by committee members. Wakulla
              County's emergency response agencies may not be able to handle more tourists. It was
              mentioned if more emergency services are needed, then the citizens of Wakulla County
              should not have to bear the entire cost of it. Other recreational issues include:


                      a voluntary boat launch fee at county and city public boat ramps collected for public
                      *education and facilities improvements including;

                      methods of enforcing a voluntary use fee at the public boat ramps

                      joint marketing efforts by Jefferson, Leon and Wakulla counties to bring more tourist
                      to the area as a destination for ecotourism activities.


                      Regulate and disperse use so as not to love the resource to death

                      Develop a historical trail with historical accounts placed on signs depicting the
                      historical significance of the area.

























              APPENDIX V


									A-41

St. Marks River Greenways Steering Committee
A FORUM TO DISCUSS OPPORTUNITIES TO CONSERVE GREENWAYS ON THE ST. MARKS AND WAKULLA RIVERS
JULY 22, 1994
AGENDA

10:00 a.m. Welcome
	Introduction, project status, and review of vision and mission statements - Kent
	Wimmer, The Florida Greenways program of 1000 Friends of Florida
	Presentation of Draft Land Use and Resource Feature Maps- Tyler Macmillan,
	NWFWMD

	Your vision for the greenway in the St. Marks and Wakulla Rivers

		LOCAL AN REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS
11:00 a.m. 	An open discussion of Greenways opportunities and issues by the
		steering committee

Possible questions for discussion:


	WHAT SHOULD THE BOUDARY BE FOR THE GREENWAY?
	WHAT SHOULD WE NAME THE GREENWAY?
	WHAT OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR A NATURAL AND RESTORED GREENWAY?
	WHAT SHOULD BE THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN PLANNING AND MANAGING THE GREENWAY?
	WHAT SHOULD BE THE ROLE OF PRIVATE INDUSTRY, LANDOWNERS AND CITIZEN ORGANIZATIONS
	IN PLANNING AND MANAGING THE GREENWAY?
	WHAT ARE THE DISADVANTAGES THAT YOU PERCEIVE OF DESIGNATING THE RIVERS AS A
	GREENWAY? WHAT ARE THE ADCANTAGES OF GREENWAYS?
	WHAT POTENTIAL PROBLEMS DO WE FACE IN PLANNING AND MANAGING THE GREENWAY AND
	WHAT CAN BE DONE TO OVERCOME THOSE PROBLEMS?         










               A -42

                                  The St. Marks Greenway Steering Committee
                                           Meeting Notes for July 22, 1994

                       Kent Wimmer of the Florida Greenways Program opened the meeting at 10: 15 a.m.
               at St. Marks City Hall. Wimmer discussed the project's status and briefly reviewed the
               discussion of the last meeting on June !5. Tyler Macmillan of the Northwest Florida Water
               Management District. provided a review of the maps. The maps displayed included the
               natural, recreational, and cultural resources map, the watershed - project boundary map,
               the land use - land cover map and the critical habitat map produced by the Florida Game
               and Fresh Water Fish Commission.

                       The maps presentation lead into a Steering Committee discussion of the sources
               used to develop the Critical habitat map. Macmillan explained that the map used Florida
               Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) data combined with satellite land cover data to map areas
               of habitat that could support various indicator species. The information from the FNAI is
               a species occurrence database of all endangered, threatened and state critical concern
               species of plants and animals. The Florida Natural Areas Inventory is a source for the
               map. FNAI is a joint venture between the Nature Conservancy and the Florida Department
               of Natural Resources. The Game and Fish maps may not always be based on actual
               sightings and they do not readily take existing land uses into account when determining
               critical habitat.


                       The Districts land use - land cover maps generated some discussion regarding the
               accuracy of the data. The satellite imagery indicated that a few areas on the map were
               clear cuttshrub and brush lands. Most of these areas are found near the St. Marks River
               and reflect recent silviculture harvest. Luann Rains clarified the issue by describing the
               limitations of the satellite and the computers.          The satellite has a difficult time
               distinguishing between three foot trees/brush and 15 foot trees. They produce a similar
               reflectance and this problem is magnified when the area has recently been timbered and
               is adjacent to a mature forest. The District indicated that they would welcome comments
               and corrections regarding the land use and land cover maps provided that they could be
               mapped on USGS 7.5 minute quadrangle maps. The Steering Committee also indicated
               it wanted the District and the Florida Greenways Program to identify in the report the
               limitations of the Hot Spots map.

                       The Plan/Report was also briefly discussed. The Florida Greenways Program
               talked about what is anticipated to be the report including proposed future land uses,
               comprehensive plan reviews, ecotourism/economic benefits and functions of greenways.
               The District said that this plan/report will provide a point of departure for the initiation of
               a Surface Water Improvement Management (SWIM) program. The SWIM program will
               allow the District to conduct water quality analyses, biological assessments, and


               APPENDIX V












                                                                                                 A -43

             hydrological assessments on the St. Marks and Wakulla rivers. Macmillan indicated that
             the St. Marks River is next priority SWIM project for the District and the St. Marks SWIM
             plan could be initiated in the next year. Macmillan indicated that the SWIM plan would
             considerably more detailed in its water quality collection and research than this greenways
             conservation project. The District would like to use this Steering Committee to assist in
             gathering public comments and concerns during the SWIM project.

                    Several issues and concerns were brought up by Committee members. Ecotourism
             was discussed. Cynthia Rusling brought up by that an additional canoe/paddle boat livery
             may be opening up in Newport. The additional canoes/paddle boats may have some
             conflicts with power boaters. No wake zones and public education about the use of the
             river and proper boating courtesy were mentioned, as were the impacts of additional
             boaters  on the river.. It was suggested having River Rangers who patrol the river and
             educate the users about river recreation ethics could be one solution to the problem.

                    During the course of the meeting the term greenway has been bantered about,
             however, the term has not been defined properly for the Committee. Florida Greenways
             staff defined a greenway as being green and connecting or linking one place to another.
             They are often linear corridors such as shorelines and rivers. Greenways; also have to be
             managed and afforded some level of protection. Trails are not greenways, but rather a way
             to experience the greenway. The greenway is protected corridor of land which the trail
             travels through.

                     The Steering Committee indicated that language used in the report needs to be
             as clear as possible. Vague language could cause problems in getting decision makers
             to buy into the plan. The Committee Members indicated that there was a great deal of
             effort put into the Wakulla County Comprehensive Plan and it should be used as the
             starting point for the reporCs conservation assessment and strategies. Macmillan stated
             that this report/plan is intended to be used as a guidance document offering
             recommendations to local and state planning agencies. Another concern raised by the
             Committee centered around what restrictions may be placed on river front land owners if
             the greenway is established. The report will attempt to address these concerns.

                    There was no input from the steering committee regarding the greenways name.
             The remaining tim was spent discussing the draft mission and vision statements. A few
             changes were recommended to the draft mission and vision statements including an
             emphasis on providing additional economic opportunities.
             The meeting was adjourned at 12:20 p.m.






             APPENDIX V












          A -44


                 ST. MARKs RIVER GREENWAYS STEERING COMMITTEE

           A roRum ro Discuss oppomumrEs To coNsEpvE aREENwAys oN THE, Sr. mARKs AND wAKuuA RIVERS
                                    AuGUST, 26 1994
                                         AGENDA
          10:00 a.m. Welcome

          41    Introductions, project status, and review of revised vision and mission
                statements, - Kent Wimmer, The Florida Greenways Program of 1000 Friends of
                Florida


          +     Presentation of Draft Land Use and Resource Feature Maps, Greenways Maps,
                and land ownership patterns maps - Tyler Macmillan, NWFWMD

          11:00 a.m.


          4-    Present Draft Greenways Assessment Report to the Steering Committee to
                discuss the committees' review process for the draft greenways assessment and
                discuss the next meeting on tentatively scheduled for September 9, 1994.

          12:00 p.m.
          Adjourn




























          APPENDIX V











                                                                                              A -45

                 Summary of the August 26 St. Marks Greenway Steering Committee
                                                    Meeting


                   Wimmer opened the meeting to discuss the committee's charge and vision
             statements. No discussion resulted and the draft charge was adopted by the steering
             committee.    Draft recommendations were presented during the meeting.               The
             recommendations generated lively debate over the greenway concept.                   The
             recommendations as of this meeting were ideas and thoughts and were not refined in their
             wording. This vagueness caused confusion and apprehension among the steering
             committee members.

                  . Some members of the steering committee indicated they did not want any more
             regulation and some of the preliminary recommendations are duplicated in other laws and
             regulations addressing wetlands and open space. Lead staff noted their concern and
             explained the greenway concept in more detail and asked for suggestions from the
             committee to resolve the vagueness in the language of the recommendations. Lead staff
             agreed to provide a draft of the recommendations to the committee for review. Members
             of the steering committee expressed concern over the greenway removing property from
             the tax roles. Lead staff explained the ecotourism and economic benefits of greenways
             for the region.

             The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.


























             APPENDIX V










                                                                                                                              NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY



                                                                                                                              3 6668 14111695 6