Three Sisters Springs provide one of the most important warm water refuges for endangered manatees on Florida's west coast. (Photo © David R. Schrichte)

Three Sisters Springs provide one of the most important warm water refuges for endangered manatees on Florida's west coast.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” --Margaret Mead

It’s been a long time coming, but it looks like Three Sisters Springs has finally been saved.

The fate of the deal was assured on Monday, July 12th, when Crystal River City Council members voted unanimously to accept joint ownership of the Three Sisters Springs property, along with the South Florida Water Management District. The property will be managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and included as part of the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. The agency plans to provide observation decks on the property where the public can view endangered manatees.

The Three Sisters Springs parcel, which abuts two manatee sanctuaries in Kings Bay in Crystal River, Florida, is a crucial land purchase for the protection of manatees and other wildlife. The springs are one of the natural wonders that make Florida so special, and they provide one of the most important manatee warm water refuges on Florida's west coast. Protecting Three Sisters Springs has long been a dream for Helen Spivey, Crystal River resident and Co-Chair of Save the Manatee Club’s Board of Directors. Representing the Club at the council meeting, she said, "We have been strong partners through this, and we would like to remain strong partners to the city, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Southwest Water Management District." Then, speaking in turn to each of the three council members, and to applause from the packed house, Spivey continued, "You have always done the right thing where this is concerned, and I know you will do the right thing tonight, so I would just like to say thank you, thank you, thank you."

Often described as “an environmental jewel,” Three Sisters Springs are blue oases of clear and pristine water located in the heart of Crystal River, Florida. Up to now, the land around the springs has been privately owned, and the springs attract large numbers of boaters, divers, snorkelers, and swimmers each year, many of whom came to see the manatees using the warm water springs as a refuge in the winter. Purchasing the property to protect the manatees’ habitat and opening it to public access has been a longtime goal of local residents and environmentalists.

In 2005, Tampa businessman Hal Flowers and a group of investors purchased the 57-acre Three Sisters property for $10.5 million, planning to create a 300-house waterfront development. However, Flowers was moved to protect the springs after helping to rescue a young manatee injured by a boat hit there in 2008. The manatee, named Baby Sister, survived, and Flowers decided to offer the property for public purchase.

Flowers’ offer to sell the Three Sisters land for $11.8 million spurred a huge drive to raise funds and drum up support for the purchase of the property. The Crystal River City Council took the first step by applying for a grant from the Florida Communities Trust (FCT), a state land acquisition grant program funded by Florida Forever proceeds. But the FCT grant required nearly $3 million in matching funds, which have been supplied from a variety of sources ranging from a nearly $2 million grant from the Felburn Foundation, $200,000 from the Citrus County Commission and $100,000 donations from the City of Crystal River and the Citrus County Tourist Development Council, to smaller donations from private residents. Dr. Paresh Desai, a former board member of Save the Manatee Club, contributed $10,000 to help save the springs, and many Save the Manatee Club supporters and Citrus County residents contributed individual donations.

U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and Representatives Ginny Brown-Waite and Debbie Wasserman-Schultz were also instrumental in securing $1.5 million from the Interior Department’s land acquisition fund for the Three Sisters purchase. In June of this year, the Southwest Florida Water Management District elected to contribute $1.3 million for the project. Florida State Senator Charlie Dean and State Representative Ron Schultz then added the FCT line item to the state budget, and Governor Charlie Crist accepted it, paving the way for the purchase of the land.

Twice, a large group of supporters, including Spivey and Save the Manatee Club Executive Director Patrick Rose, traveled to Tallahassee to show support for the Three Sisters purchase to the FCT Governing Board, and many Save the Manatee Club supporters, Citrus County residents, and other individuals wrote thousands of letters and emails in favor of the project. Performers from across Florida even donated time, talent, and expenses for “Concert on the Point,” a fundraiser to help save Three Sisters. In the end, the fundraising efforts came up about $1 million short, but earlier this month, Flowers and his partners agreed to accept an offer for the original purchase price of $10.5 million, and the closing is scheduled for the end of July.

“It takes a village to pull this off,” said Lace Blue-McLean, President of the Friends of Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, who, along with City Manager Andy Houston, helped spearhead the effort to save the springs. In the end, federal, state, and local government, private foundations, businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals all turned out to give funds and show their support for saving Three Sisters.

”Many people have put their hearts and souls into this project,” said Rose. ”The public acquisition of this property will protect the water quality and quantity of Three Sisters Springs, add to a national wildlife refuge, and will allow public viewing that will help to reduce incidents of manatee harassment. The preservation and educational/ecotourism opportunities that will result from this purchase will also give an economic boost to Florida. The Three Sisters project is a heartwarming example of how disparate forces can make a difference for future generations by coming together to protect place of beauty and create a haven for endangered manatees and other wildlife.”

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Florida has more artesian springs — 700 of them — than any other place in the world.

Some are large and familiar, like Silver, Ichetucknee and Wakulla; others small and hidden away, like Fern Hammock and Shangri-La. But they all have a crucial role in Florida's freshwater supply and environmental health, not to mention their recreational values.

In the past decade, longtime threats to these natural gems have become more urgent. Many springs that were formerly blue now have a greenish tint. Unsightly filamentous algae have replaced their natural aquatic plant communities. Flows are declining in numerous springs. Some have stopped flowing altogether.

Scientific research tells us that many of the changes have been caused by humans. Here's a look at what we know, what we don't know, and what we can do to begin to restore our precious springs.

Spring fact: All consumptive uses of groundwater in a springshed reduce spring flows to some extent.

Nearly every aspect of a spring, from the basin size and shape, to the fish, other wildlife, plants and public use, depends on a sufficient flow of pure water. The No. 1 objective of springs' protection must be protection of the volume of water flowing forth. Every human use of water in a springshed (the area of land that recharges water to a spring) — every domestic, agricultural, commercial, and public water supply well, shallow or deep, large or small — to some degree reduces groundwater flow to the local springs.

Spring fact: The concentration of nitrate nitrogen, a recognized pollutant in surface and groundwaters, is rising rapidly in most Florida springs in response to agricultural and urban development.

A continuing increase in nitrate nitrogen concentrations in groundwater is one of the most visible environmental consequences of Florida's agricultural and urban development. Throughout the karst (porous limestone) areas of North and Central Florida where artesian springs are common, groundwater nitrate nitrogen concentrations have increased by 50 to 350 fold, with localized hot spots greater than 10 parts per million — the EPA drinking water standard. These increases not only threaten drinking water but are also harming plants and other organisms. Even if all human-controlled nitrogen pollution sources were stopped today, nitrate pollution in our aquifers and in our springs will take decades to reverse.

Spring fact: Spring ecosystems are undergoing widespread and dramatic changes in natural flora and fauna, often evidenced by replacement of natural plant communities by filamentous algae and native fauna by exotic species.

Natural artesian springs in Florida are generally dominated by luxuriant growths of native submerged aquatic vegetation. Natural algal communities known as periphyton enhance the overall plant productivity that supports fish and other wildlife. Silver, Ichetucknee and Rainbow springs are prime examples of large springs with high flows that retain much of their former beauty and native plant and animal species. But trampling of plants during human recreation (for example, Wekiwa and Volusia Blue) and uprooting and physical damage by motor boat propellers and anchors (e.g., Weeki Wachee and Fanning) often result in the loss of these native plant communities in springs and spring runs, resulting in the predominance of less desirable exotic plant species and filamentous algae. Spring fact: Relatively pristine springs with high flows help support local economies.

Visitation numbers at springs are influenced by clear, cool water and attractive plants and wildlife. Annual visits to the 100 largest springs in Florida are estimated at more than 7-million people, with an annual economic value in excess of $300-million. But springs become less attractive to visitors when the flow and water clarity are reduced and when excessive floating vegetation and filamentous algae predominate.

A time for action

Springs are Florida's canary in the coal mine: If we stand by while they continue to dry up and turn green, we'll have missed one more opportunity to preserve ourselves. What sorts of changes are needed? Primarily those that will lessen our human footprint:

• Stronger water conservation measures in all springsheds and a hold on new consumptive use permits until existing human impacts on spring flow reductions have been quantified and adequate water resources are allocated to preserve the natural water resource values of springs.

• Restrictions on nitrogen fertilizer sales and use in the karst areas of springsheds based on application rates that result in measurable declines in groundwater nitrate nitrogen concentrations.

• Improved practices for treated municipal, agricultural and commercial wastewater reuse and disposal in the karst areas of springsheds by further limiting all groundwater discharges of nitrogen.

• Re-evaluation of public recreational uses in all springs on Florida public lands to develop science-based management plans that ensure compatibility between appropriate recreational activities and sustainable ecological communities in these "crown jewels" of our parks, preserves and national forests.

Robert Knight is an aquatic and wetland scientist and has been conducting applied research in springs and wetlands for more than 30 years. Sky Notestein is an aquatic ecologist who has focused his academic and professional career on springs' restoration over the past 12 years. Both work at Wetland Solutions Inc. in Gainesville.

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CHASHOWITZKA TRACT (aka. THE BLUFFS)

The Bluffs area has been closed for river access by land or by water. It seems that Fish and Wildlife finally decided the people around here were right and that it ws not only a policing nightmare but was becoming an environmental one as well.
Countless tons of sand were eroded from the area caused by heavy use by people. Hugh amounts of trash was dumped into the bushes or thrown into the river by thoughtless people who visited the area and felt it was their right to trash it. Could this be a by product of the liberal thinking wherein God forbid we could chastise our children, much less spank them for doing something wrong? We have a whole generation of ME FIRSTER's out there whose attitude if "I'll do it if I want to!" Well they won't be doing it at the Bluffs anymore unless they want to part with a $550 minimum fine.

The Bluffs at Twilight April 8, 2007

The upper Weeki Wachee is significantly narrower due to low water, but deeper because the current is digging a deeper channel. It's a fun kayak ride, but it could be a problem if two larger power boats met - there might not be room. Re-growth along the banks is significant and it looks better to me than I have seen it in at least 7 years.

Re Growth on the bank

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The Hernando Environmental Land Protectors is a participating partner with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service encouraging users of the waterways to clean their boats and gear so as not to transport aquatic species form one body of water to another. It only takes a few minutes to rinse your gear and trailer off, don't forget the bilge water either. It is very easy to inadvertently transfer eggs, organisms and plants from one body to another if there is not sufficeint "drying time" or a quick cleaning done. Visit their website http://www.protectyourwaters.net for more information.

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We also support the Florida's Clean Water Network in thier efforts to clean up our waterways and stop continuing polution.

March 08, 2007 -- This is a key question for aquatic resources in the South where hydrilla is either sought after by anglers or sprayed with herbicides by resource managers. Unfortunately, there's no easy answer and this is part of the complexity of the aquatic invasive species issue. "There has to be some middle ground where spraying could be managed to keep boating lanes free and leave areas where bass and other fish along the food chain can flourish."

We WON One! see background articles at bottom of this page. Webmaster

U.S. judge sets back pulp mill's waste plan

By NATHAN CRABBE
Gainesville Sun staff writer

January 17. 2007 6:01AM

Clean-water advocates say a federal judge has effectively killed Buckeye Florida's plans to pipe wastewater into the Gulf of Mexico.
The pulp mill, located near Perry, has for decades dumped its wastewater into the Fenholloway River. The mill proposed improving water quality by building a 15-mile pipeline that largely bypasses the river.
But a ruling Tuesday by Judge Emmett Sullivan of the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., could scuttle those plans. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will now control the permit process and is unlikely to allow the pipeline, said Sierra Club attorney David Bookbinder.
"The river in a pipe is dead because Florida has no jurisdiction over it," he said.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection last year approved the pipeline permit. A spokeswoman said the department was awaiting word on the impact of the judge's ruling.
Buckeye spokeswoman Michelle Curtis said she would also wait for more information before commenting. But she said the pipeline is critical to the company's plans.
"There are no other combination of technologies that would bring the river to fishable and swimmable standards," she said.
The ruling likely won't mark the end of legal battles over the permit. Linda Young, director of the Clean Water Network of Florida, said she'll continue to fight in the courts until Buckeye is required to clean the river.
"They'll either clean it up and obey the law or we'll shut them down," she said.
The company cooks pines in a chemical brew to produce cellulose, used in everything from diapers to sausage casings. The process also produces wastewater that is treated and then discharged into the river.
The wastewater darkens the river and has been linked to mutations in fish. Buckeye proposed spending $95 million to improve the wastewater treatment system and build the pipeline to the Gulf.
Company officials said the project would improve water quality enough to prevent harm to aquatic life in the Gulf. But clean-water advocates said the pipeline would have merely moved problems downstream.
The Sierra Club fought the EPA over the issue in federal court, arguing that the Clean Water Act forced the agency to take control of the permit.
Sullivan issued a ruling in March saying the act "imposes upon the EPA a mandatory duty to exercise jurisdiction." But Buckeye and state officials had disputed the meaning of the ruling.
Bookbinder said the judge on Tuesday told him to write an order requiring the agency to take control. The court will give the agency an opportunity to make changes and then issue an official order by the end of the month, he said, eliminating any lingering confusion over the issue
Young said she hopes the EPA will then end the dispute by killing the pipeline and requiring the river to be cleaned.
"I can't imagine that EPA wants to go to federal court against us again," she said.

Nathan Crabbe can be reached at 352-338-3176 or crabben@gvillesun.com.

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For more about the Fenholloway River click here

Fenholloway River happenings.

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Fortunately Hernando County is very proactive in concern over polluting the aquifer, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams and the Gulf of Mexico.

CLICK HERE to see what Hernando County is doing to manage stormwater runoff.

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