Rainbow River Environmental Study Dunnellon, Florida Final Report September 2012 (Revised) Charles E. Cichra, PhD Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences School of Forest Resources and Conservation Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences University of Florida and Stephen M. Holland, PhD Department of Tourism, Recreation and Sports Management Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute University of Florida This project was funded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Recreation and Parks as Contract RP728 Acknowledgements This project could not have been completed without the assistance of many people. The user counting aspects of this study was an example of excellent teamwork. In Dunnellon, local residents Burt Eno, Bill Vibbert, and Paul Marraffino were helpful in identifying potential and actual camera sites, installing and uninstalling the recording stations, and assisting Steve Holland in changing tapes throughout the year. They also monitored the equipment periodically and maintained contact with the residents who allowed the use of their river docks to be the base for each camera station. Those residents will remain anonymous, but it is not an exaggeration to say that this study could not have been done without their generous willingness to tolerate our random arrivals to check equipment and change tapes and in their willingness to allow sometimes not very sightly equipment boxes, cameras or wiring to be in place for over a year on their otherwise scenic docks. Ms. Sandra Fournier of Marion County parks was always timely and helpful in answering various river recreation questions and providing information on KP Hole County Park’s users. In Gainesville, Dr. Ting-Bing Wu, post-doctoral assistant to Steve Holland, spent hundreds of hours viewing thousands of hours of tape, patiently recording the various user type counts. She was patient, accurate and relentless in getting the counts completed. Several short-term graduate students were hired to assist in counting the tapes and Dr. Wu trained them and monitored their output to assure quality. When some count did not seem correct, she was willing to locate the questionable day and camera tape and review it to either verify or revise that count. Her work ethic is commendable and a major component of the production of the results of this study. Ms. Erika Banks-Payne and Ms. Dorothea Roebuck processed and monitored the project’s paperwork and budget as well as guided the proposal submission process through the University of Florida’s Division of Sponsored Research. The environmental field work was accomplished by Jesse Stephens, Dana Bigham, Doug Colle, Amanda Croteau, Geoff Smith, Kimberly Orren, Sharon Fitz-Coy, and Dylan Scott. Jesse, Doug, Sharon, and Dylan processed the aquatic plant and water samples in the laboratory. Jesse made sure that all sampling equipment was constructed, procured, and ready for use for the field sampling. Amanda played a major role in data entry, analysis and interpretation, and preparation of this final report. The county staff at the KP Hole, in particular Sandra Fournier, were very cooperative and provided assistance as needed. Jeff Sowards (Manager, Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve) allowed us to conduct the study on properties under his jurisdiction and cooperated in all ways with the project, including sample design and data collection. In Tallahassee, Zack Wetzel and Albert Gregory, of Florida State Parks, Office of Park Planning, were very helpful in proposal discussions and meetings, scoping out the foci of the project, and various budget discussions. Later, Adam Straubinger and Meghan Mesler became our points of contact for the project deadline extension, deliverable submissions, review of the final report, and final processing. We would especially like to acknowledge the Rainbow River residents and visitors who shared their thoughts with us throughout the study. We hope this study will contribute to maintaining or enhancing the quality of their river experiences in the future. We thank them all! CC and SH i TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................................i Table of Contents .........................................................................................................................................ii List of Tables .................................................................................................................................................iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................................vi Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................ix Key Questions ....................................................................................................................................xviii Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................1 Objectives ...........................................................................................................................................1 Literature Review .........................................................................................................................................3 Methods .......................................................................................................................................................12 Task 1 - Type, location, and quantity of recreational use ........................................................... 12 User Count Methods ........................................................................................................ 12 Intervening Factors .......................................................................................................... 15 Task 2 - Geographic and temporal differences in aquatic plant communities .................................18 Task 3 - Human activity and water quality relationships ..................................................................23 Task 4 - Human activity and aquatic plant relationships...................................................................26 Net Sampling ...........................................................................................................................26 Direct Observation of the Effects of Motor Boating on the Aquatic Plants ...........................28 Prop Scars ................................................................................................................................29 SCUBA ......................................................................................................................................32 ii Results...........................................................................................................................................................33 Task 1 - Type, location, and quantity of recreational use ........................................................... 33 Task 2 - Geographic and temporal differences in aquatic plant communities .................................48 Task 3 - Human activity and water quality relationships ..................................................................61 Task 4 - Human activity and aquatic plant relationships...................................................................71 Net Sampling ...........................................................................................................................71 Direct Observation of the Effects of Motor Boating on the Aquatic Plants ...........................89 Prop Scars ................................................................................................................................95 SCUBA ......................................................................................................................................104 Management Suggestions for the River ......................................................................................................107 Overview ..........................................................................................................................................107 Management....................................................................................................................................108 References ....................................................................................................................................................111 Appendices are available as a separate document in support of this final report. These include: • Individual grid data for each of the 26 plant transects sampled in May 2011, September/October 2011, and April 2012, • Recreational user count data, collected during each of the 10 days during which water chemistry and drifting plant net sampling was conducted, • Total, inorganic, and organic suspended solid data for each of the 10 days during which water was collected concurrent with recreational user counts and drifting plant net sampling, • Weight of individual plant species, collected by each net and time, during each of the 10 days during which drifting plants were collected concurrent with recreational user count and water sampling, • Boater observation data, including date of observation, boat type, length, engine HP, amount of damage observed, and