Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Unit Management Plan Approved Plan STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Division of Recreation and Parks June 28, 2011 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1 PURPOSE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PARK.........................................................1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF THE PLAN.........................................................................2 MANAGEMENT PROGRAM OVERVIEW ....................................................................5 Management Authority and Responsibility .................................................................5 Park Management Goals .................................................................................................5 Management Coordination .............................................................................................6 Public Participation ..........................................................................................................6 Other Designations...........................................................................................................6 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT COMPONENT INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................7 RESOURCE DESCRIPTION AND ASSESSMENT ........................................................8 Natural Resources ............................................................................................................8 Topography.....................................................................................................................8 Geology..........................................................................................................................10 Soils ................................................................................................................................11 Minerals .........................................................................................................................12 Hydrology .....................................................................................................................12 Groundwater ..............................................................................................................12 Surface Water .............................................................................................................16 Water Quality .............................................................................................................18 Natural Communities (FNAI) ............................................................................1931 Imperiled Species .................................................................................................3136 Inventory (Table 1) ............................................................................................3435 Management Actions (Table 1)........................................................................3435 Monitoring Level (Table 1)...............................................................................3435 Exotic Species........................................................................................................3640 Inventory (Table 2) ....................................................................................................38 FNAI Distribution Categories (Table 2) .................................................................38 Management Zones (Table 2)...................................................................................38 Special Natural Features .............................................................................................40 Cultural Resources .................................................................................................4047 Description and Assessment ............................................................................4047 Desired Future Condition.................................................................................4047 General Management Measures......................................................................4047 Florida Master Site File List of Sites (Table 3)..................................................4647 Culture/Period (Table 3) ..................................................................................4647 i Description (Table 3) .........................................................................................4647 Significance (Table 3).........................................................................................4647 Condition (Table 3)............................................................................................4647 Treatment (Table 3)............................................................................................4647 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM ..................................................................48 Management Needs and Problems......................................................................4849 Special Management Considerations ..........................................................................50 Management Measures and Objectives...............................................................5051 Natural Resources ..................................................................................................5158 Hydrological Management.................................................................................5152 Goal..............................................................................................................................51 Objectives..........................................................................................................5152 Natural Communities Management..........................................................................53 Goal..............................................................................................................................53 Prescribed Fire Management...............................................................................53 Objective ............................................................................................................54 Optimal Fire Return Interval (Table 4)..........................................................55 Natural Community Restoration........................................................................56 Objective ............................................................................................................57 Natural Communities Improvement .................................................................57 Objective ............................................................................................................57 Natural Communities Maintenance...................................................................58 Objective ............................................................................................................58 Imperiled Species Management.........................................................................5860 Goal............................................................................................................................58 Objectives .......................................................................................................5960 Exotic Species Management ...............................................................................6061 Goal............................................................................................................................60 Objectives .......................................................................................................6061 Cultural Resource Management...........................................................................6163 Goal............................................................................................................................61 Objectives ...............................................................................................................63 Research Needs...............................................................................................................63 Resource Management Schedule..................................................................................64 LAND USE COMPONENT INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................65 EXTERNAL CONDITIONS.............................................................................................65 Existing Use of Adjacent Lands....................................................................................66 ii Planned Use of Adjacent Lands....................................................................................67 PROPERTY ANALYSIS ...................................................................................................67 Recreation Resource Elements......................................................................................67 Land Area......................................................................................................................68 Water Area....................................................................................................................68 Natural Scenery ............................................................................................................68 Significant Habitat........................................................................................................69 Natural