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”