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Prescribed fire update: District plans Thursday burn in Washington County

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The Northwest Florida Water Management District plans to conduct a prescribed fire Thursday on 479 acres in southern Washington County.

District contractors will conduct the prescribed burn at Carter Tract within the Econfina Creek Water Management Area. The Carter Tract burn units are north of Chain Lake Road and west of Highways 77 and 279 near the community of Greenhead.

The District uses prescribed fires as land-management tools on specific areas of land, during the right weather conditions, with established boundary lines.

All prescribed fires conducted by the District must be authorized by the Florida Forest Service.

Though prescribed fires may be planned months in advance, the final decision to burn typically occurs the day before or even the morning of the scheduled fire. The Florida Forest Service confirms if weather conditions and other site factors are suitable for authorizing the burn.

The detailed plan for every prescribed fire is reviewed with Florida’s Smoke Screening Tool, which uses computer models and forecasted weather data to view potential impacts from a predicted smoke plume. If the screening tool projects a significant impact to smoke-sensitive areas, such as hospitals, nursing homes, roadways, and airports, the burn plan must be changed.

Planning a prescribed fire also includes the designation of personnel and firefighting equipment, a map of fire breaks and burn area boundaries, wind speed and direction for surface and transport winds, the mixing height, relative humidity, temperature, fine fuel moisture, and desired fire behavior.

The District conducts prescribed fires to clear out overgrowth that could potentially fuel wildfires. These prescribed fires also help protect habitats by fostering new growth that keeps forests healthy and promotes biodiversity. The fires help control insects (such as ticks) and diseases (like brownspot fungal infection), which can kill young longleaf pines.

For more information on this prescribed fire or the District’s prescribed fire program, please email public.information@yopmail.com or call (850) 539-5999.

District awarded federal grant to test new strategy for springs restoration

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HAVANA – The Northwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved entering into an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to implement a program that demonstrates how nutrients discharged from agricultural operations can be captured and re-used on site.

As part of the agreement, the EPA will provide up to $959,754 in grant funding to initiate the program. The District will contract with the University of Florida for up to $247,830 for technical services for the project, and will also issue a request for proposals for a contractor to conduct algae harvesting and associated services.

“This is the type of innovative thinking we need to embrace as we continue to find ways to protect and preserve the precious natural resources in northwest Florida,” said George Roberts, Chairman of the District’s Governing Board. “We have had tremendous success with our Best Management Practices program for agricultural producers in Jackson County and we look forward to expanding our efforts to work with growers in other areas of the District.”

The program will first work with an agricultural operation in Gadsden County, such as a nursery, to capture nutrient-rich algal biomass from surface runoff. Samples of the algae will then be sent to the University of Florida, where scientists will determine the best method to repurpose it as fertilizer and, in the process, minimize a nonpoint pollution source.

This approach is expected to enable growers to implement a closed-loop process to consolidate the algal biomass on site, re-use it as fertilizer, reduce the use of commercial fertilizers, and minimize potential non-point pollution sources.

The project area is within two regional watersheds and is also within the groundwater contribution area for Wakulla Spring. By demonstrating innovative agricultural best management practices, the project will help implement District Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plans.

“This innovative strategy gives us another tool to help improve the stewardship of water resources in our area,” Governing Board member Kellie Ralston said. “As technology continues to advance, we will continue to seek out this type of innovation to help protect our rivers and springs.”

District provides assistance to Gulf County for water system upgrades

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HAVANA – The Northwest Florida Water Management District’s Governing Board approved an agreement to help Gulf County make upgrades to its potable water system.

The District will provide up to $300,000 in grant funding for improvements to the former Lighthouse Utilities water system, which services approximately 13 square miles in the unincorporated southern portion of Gulf County. Included in the service area is St. Joseph Peninsula, Jones Homestead, Indian Pass, and St. Joseph Peninsula State Park.

“Having a safe and reliable source of clean water for the residents in Gulf County is absolutely essential, and we are happy to be part of this effort,” said State Sen. Loranne Ausley, who represents Gulf County. “This grant will help achieve this critical need for an area still feeling the impacts from Hurricane Michael. I appreciate the hard work of local leaders and the water management district to collaborate and fund this project.”

The system currently experiences persistent low water pressure in the northern portion of the peninsula. One of the utility’s two water treatment plants was badly damaged by Hurricane Michael, causing a booster plant and storage tank serving the peninsula to be taken offline and significantly exacerbating the problem.

“The damage caused by Hurricane Michael is still being felt by so many in our communities,” said State Rep. Jason Shoaf, who represents Gulf County. “I appreciate the water management district and its Governing Board for helping Gulf County take another step forward in its long-term recovery efforts.”

The county recently completed a preliminary engineering report, which recommended installing an in-line booster pumping station, as well as a ground storage tank control valve, diesel generator and automatic transfer switch, and other associated repairs and improvements.

The overall probable cost of the improvements, including engineering and construction, is estimated at approximately $690,000.

“For smaller communities like Gulf County, which are still feeling the financial impact of Hurricane Michael, the cost of repairing damaged infrastructure is significant,” said George Roberts, Chairman of the District’s Governing Board. “That’s why it is so important the District continues to work with our local communities to fund these types of projects that make such a positive impact.”

District employee to use unique skillset to help The Nature Conservancy

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HAVANA – As the Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy begins an oyster reef restoration project in Pensacola Bay, an employee of the Northwest Florida Water Management District is providing his unique skillset to help the effort.

Darryl Boudreau, the District’s Resource Planning Program Manager who formerly worked with The Nature Conservancy, will collect and share drone footage of the restoration project with the Conservancy. This footage will help TNC document construction efforts and will be useful for communication and outreach activities with the public.

“When we hired Darryl a year ago, we tasked him with working closely with stakeholders throughout northwest Florida to protect our water resources,” said Brett Cyphers, the District’s Executive Director. “We take tremendous pride in allowing our talented staff to share their knowledge and expertise with our partners on projects that protect our precious natural resources.”

The Florida Chapter of The Nature Conservancy received approximately $14,500,000 from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund to design and implement an oyster reef restoration project in East Bay and Blackwater Bay of the Pensacola Bay System.

The project site extends along approximately six miles of shoreline from Grassy Point to south of Escribano Point at the northern boundary of Eglin Air Force Base. Project construction is set to begin in April 2021 and barring any delays is expected to be completed by November 2021.

The approximately 10-acre project will provide multiple functions and benefits, including fish and shellfish habitat restoration, improved water quality, shoreline stability, and enhanced productivity for commercial and recreational fisheries.

The District’s Governing Board approved the in-kind assistance, valued at approximately $6,000, to help with the project that is consistent with the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan for the Pensacola Bay System. Among SWIM priorities addressed with this project are estuarine habitat restoration and watershed stewardship.

District extends Emergency Order for COVID-19

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The Northwest Florida Water Management District extended its Emergency Order to address the needs of those seeking permits from the District as well as those with questions or issues related to existing permits during the COVID-19 health emergency.

You can view the Emergency Order by clicking here.

For any questions related to existing permits or permit applications, contact the District’s Regulatory Services division at (850) 539-5999.

Engineering students recognized for work to restore Cypress Spring

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TALLAHASSEE – Five recent graduates from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering were rewarded Thursday for their efforts in designing a project to restore and protect Cypress Spring.

The students consulted with engineers and other staff members at the Northwest Florida Water Management District to create designs for the project, which calls for stabilizing the shoreline and enhancing recreation access at the second magnitude spring located in Washington County.

The students – Abigail Burns, Lindsey Furrow, Maria Leal-Bruce, Jennifer Magi, and Caroline Wells – worked on the project as part of their Senior Design class. Nestlé Waters North America, Inc., awarded each of the students $1,000 for their efforts and made a $10,000 donation to the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

“Protecting one of northwest Florida’s natural treasures while making it more accessible to the public is one of the more satisfying projects we have undertaken at the water management district,” said Ted Everett, a member of the District’s Governing Board who represents Washington County. “These students embraced that idea and created a design that will welcome the public to enjoy the spring while still protecting its beauty.“

Cypress Spring has long been one of northwest Florida’s most beautiful springs. Canoeists, kayakers, boaters, swimmers, and nature enthusiasts all make frequent stops at the spring, located roughly a mile east of Highway 79 and slightly north of the town of Vernon.

“My family has a special connection with the springs in northwest Florida and it began when my great-grandfather explored and settled in the area in the 1800s,” said State Sen. George Gainer, who represents Washington County. “The work of these students will go a long way toward ensuring Cypress Spring remains a place visitors can enjoy for generation to come.”

In 2018, the District purchased a conservation easement for $812,000 from Nestlé Waters North America on approximately 300 acres, which includes Cypress Spring and more than 1,000 linear feet of shoreline along Holmes Creek. NWNA donated that money back to the District to help pay for the shoreline restoration project and to offset ongoing land management costs.

Thanks to additional funding from Gov. Ron DeSantis, the Florida legislature, and the Department of Environmental Protection, the District has budgeted $1.6 million for restoration work at Cypress Spring.

“When the public and private sectors work together for a common goal, wonderful things can happen,“ said State Rep. Brad Drake, who represents Washington County. “This partnership between Nestlé, the College of Engineering, and the water management district is a perfect example of how we can work together to protect the precious natural resources in northwest Florida.”

The student project focused on addressing erosion problems along the shoreline, reconfiguring a culvert system originally designed to divert tannic water away from the spring, and designing a public restroom that will not contribute nutrients to the spring. The students completed their design in the spring of 2020.

Four of the five women who worked on the project began their professional engineering careers following graduation in 2020. The fifth enrolled in graduate school this past fall.

The success of the Cypress Spring project led to the District partnering with another student group from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering this academic year. The second group of students began working this past fall on a design to create a recreation site on a recently acquired property in Wakulla County.

“Inviting students from the College of Engineering to these projects gives all of us a chance to look at things through a different lens,” said Kellie Ralston, a member of the District’s Governing Board who represents Leon County. “They bring energy and innovation to the process and we are impressed by their approach to tackling the challenges in these projects.

“It is a testament to program built by Dr. Murray Gibson, the dean of the College of Engineering, and Dr. Sean Martin, the students’ professor who helped coordinate this partnership.”

District names Anne Rudloe 2020 ‘River and Bay Champion’

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HAVANA – The Governing Board for the Northwest Florida Water Management District today named Anne Rudloe the 2020 winner of the River and Bay Champion award.

The award is given posthumously to Rudloe, a long-time scientist, author, educator, and conservationist who co-founded Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories, Inc., in Panacea. Jack Rudloe and sons Sky and Cypress and their wives and children accepted the award.

The award is presented annually to recognize individuals who make significant contributions toward the restoration and protection of the river and bays in northwest Florida.

“Anne Rudloe’s passion for conservation and education throughout her career earned her national recognition,” said George Roberts, the Chairman of the District’s Governing Board. “But her biggest impact may be found in the thousands and thousands of children who learned about marine biology from touring the Marine Lab she founded in Panacea. No doubt, there will be scientists of tomorrow who discovered their own passion for learning thanks to Anne Rudloe’s work.”

Born in Ohio and raised in Virginia, Rudloe landed in northwest Florida as a graduate student at Florida State University where she earned her master’s degree in Oceanography in 1972 followed by a PhD in Marine Biology in 1978.

In 1980, Rudloe founded the Panacea Institute of Marine Science and she and her husband, Jack, founded Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratories, Inc., in 1990 as a non-profit teaching laboratory. It is believed more than a quarter-million school-age children have toured the Marine Lab where they were introduced to the creatures that inhabit the bays in northwest Florida.

Rudloe authored five books, including “Priceless Florida,” and had articles published in national publications as diverse as National Geographic and Sports Illustrated. Her work to help conserve wetlands in the Big Bend area of Florida led to her winning the National Wetlands Award for Education and Research by the Environmental Law Institute in 2014.

Her contributions as a scientist, educator, author, and conservationist led to the formation of the Anne Rudloe Environmental Education Center where her work will inspire others to become champions for the protection of the rivers and bays across northwest Florida and beyond.

“My family and I are deeply honored to accept this award on behalf of our wife and mother. Anne dedicated her life to teaching the next generation about the importance of our ecosystems using our local bays and rivers as her classroom,” Jack Rudloe said. “Through her teachings at the FSU Center for Professional Development and Gulf Specimen Marine Lab she provided a voice for our coastal areas and helped to grow Champions of the future. We are proud to continue her legacy through our work every day at Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory in Panacea.”

The Rudloe family was presented with a plaque and a “River and Bay Champion” bowl with a permanent nameplate memorializing Anne Rudloe’s selection as the 2020 winner. The bowl will remain on display at the Northwest Florida Water Management District’s headquarters.

Winners of the River and Bay Champion award:

2018: Senator Bill Montford
2019: Graham Lewis
2020: Anne Rudloe

District re-opening popular Econfina Creek rec sites

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The Northwest Florida Water Management District is re-opening three of its most popular recreation sites along Econfina Creek on Saturday.

The day-use recreation sites at Williford Spring, Pitt/Sylvan springs, and Blue Spring will each re-open at 8 a.m. Saturday. All three day-use sites will return to normal operating hours (8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week).

“We are so lucky to live in this part of the state and to have access to some of the most beautiful springs in Florida,” said George Roberts, chairman of the District’s Governing Board. “For the thousands and thousands of our neighbors who were impacted by Hurricane Michael, re-opening these sites will hopefully provide another small step back to normal.”

The sites at Williford and Pitt/Sylvan springs took extensive damage from Michael, and the District staggered cleanup efforts to allow for public access during the warmer months.

With the re-opening, visitors can use the picnic pavilions, composting toilets, boardwalks, and nature trails. Both sites include stair access to the springs for swimming. (A trail and boardwalk to Sylvan Spring remains temporarily closed.)

“I grew up swimming in the springs up and down Econfina Creek and I know how special they are for the people in northwest Florida,” said Governing Board member Nick Patronis, who represents Bay and Washington counties. “Providing safe public access to the springs on lands we manage is one of the most important missions we have at the water management district.”

The cleanup work at Blue Spring coincided with a previously planned restoration project. In addition to renovating the day-use site at Blue Spring, District staff added three new campsites – each available for free through an online reservation system.

The Blue Spring day-use site features an ADA-compliant ramp and stairs for access to the spring, three picnic pavilions, portable toilets, and parking. Improvements to the site also include an overlook deck with a view of the spring vent and a pedestrian bridge over a separate karst feature.

All three recreation sites can be accessed off State Road 20 between State Road 77 and U.S. Route 231. For more information on these sites and for instructions on how to reserve a campsite, visit: https://nwfwp.sgssys.info/Lands/Recreation

Anticipated funds announced for springs restoration, alternative water supply projects

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The District announces the anticipated availability of FY 2021-2022 grant and cost-share funds for springs restoration and for alternative water supply development projects. Applications are due Tuesday, February 23, 2021.

Springs Restoration and Protection

Current funding opportunities support land acquisitions to protect springs and capital projects that protect the quality and quantity of water that flows to and from springs. For more information, click here.

For Agricultural Best Management Practices springs funding opportunities, please visit the District’s Agriculture page and Jackson Blue Spring Grant Funding Programs.

Alternative Water Supply Development

Current funding opportunities support alternative water supply development projects that include, for example, reuse of reclaimed water, water conservation, and storm and surface water development. For more information, click here.

Other funding or cooperative cost-share opportunities are occasionally available to support priority projects consistent with the District’s mission and areas of responsibility. For more information, contact Darryl Boudreau at (850) 539-5999 or Darryl.Boudreau@yopmail.com.

Zeta update: Western region recreation sites closed Wednesday

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In anticipation of possible impacts from Tropical Storm Zeta, the District is canceling all camping reservations for Tuesday and Wednesday nights at sites in in the Western region.

All day-use sites in the Western region will be closed Wednesday.

The Western region includes sites along the Blackwater, Escambia, Perdido, and Yellow rivers as well as Garcon Point.

In addition, the District’s field office in Milton will be closed Wednesday.