managing the hidden resources of wakulla...
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Significance of Caves in Watershed and gProtection in Florida
Managing the Hidden Resources of Managing the Hidden Resources of Wakulla Springs
Sandy Cook, ManagerWakulla Springs State Park & Lodge
The 200,000 annual visitors see only a f ti f th k i fraction of the parks unique resources
Of the nearly 6,000 acres, only about 50 f l i i dacres are frequently visited.
Many miles of underground caverns have seen by only a handful of cave divers
Di h bt i d l bl Divers have obtained valuable data on the parks resources for
man man earsmany, many yearsAlthough not all dive activity was
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Summer 1930Summer 1930
Mastodon bones discovered Dr. Herman Gunter & members of Fl Geological Survey useGeological Survey use divers with pumps & hoses and grapplehoses and grapple hooks to remove bones
1954 Creature From The Black Lagoon
Filming of movie included lots of diving
ti itiactivitiesWakulla Springs lifeguard Ricolifeguard Rico Browning was hired to do the underwaterto do the underwater scenes
1955 Jenkins & SalsmanFilming of “Exploring Florida’s C ”Caves” Jenkins & Salsman were allowed towere allowed to participate since they had thethey had the needed air compressor
Airport 77Two months of filming
d tunderwater scenes which resulted in 4 - 8resulted in 4 8 minutes of screen time
1992 to currentWoodville Karst Plain Project
Have provided valuable i f ti f l dinformation for land use decisionsActivities have notActivities have not occurred without impact orimpact or controversy
Wakulla 1 & 2 ExpeditionU.S. Deep Caving Team
Have also provided valuable i f ti dinformation and gained world wide attentionattentionAlso not without impact andimpact and controversy
Controversy leads to supportControversy leads to support
1993 Proposed land use change that
ld llwould allow development of gas station on landsstation on lands adjacent to park
Friends of Wakulla Springs IncFriends of Wakulla Springs, Inc
Formalized as a result of the threat. Was i t t l i thinstrumental in the movement to prevent developmentdevelopment. Continued interest in new threatsnew threats
Di d t l l blDive data was also valuable
Members of the WKPP provided
l bl d t th tvaluable data that was used.Members also gaveMembers also gave presentations at County CommissionCounty Commission Meetings
Wakulla Springs Protection Zone OrdinanceZone Ordinance
Activities & pressure by individual groups ( d Ji St )(and Jim Stevenson) led to passage of Wakulla CountyWakulla County Ordinance # 94-28Restricts activitiesRestricts activities that impact groundwater
Land Acquisition
Wakulla Springs acquires additional acreageBased on protection of groundwaterof groundwater rather than terrestrial featuresterrestrial features1999 - 1850 acres2002 - 1200 acres2002 1200 acres
Ongoing Research Projects & g g jSupport
Cave mappingAquatic plant surveysHydrilla control & monitoringWater quality monitoringAquatic biology assessmentsNitrate studiesNitrate studiesFlow dataLimpkin surveyA l S il SApple Snail SurveyCrustacian surveyFish SurveyLakewatch Private landowner assitance
Butler SinkButler Sink
Funds from Springs Initiative are being
d t idused to provide a well, troughs, fencing and earthworksand earthworks around the sink to prevent further pdegradation
Wakulla Springs faces threatsa u a Sp gs aces t eats
Nitrate levelsNitrate levels increaseHydrilla invades theHydrilla invades the springAlgae covers the gspring basinRunoff in sinkholes upstreamSprayfield expansion in Tallahasseein Tallahassee
Continued research & supportis essentialis essential
Wakulla SpringsWakulla Springs economic impact 7.5 millionmillionOne of the largest employers in theemployers in the countyVoted the “Best Place to Take an Out of Town Guest”
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