The Southwest Florida Water Management District has recently signed agreements with Hernando County to develop comprehensive watershed management plans for several watersheds within the county.
The plans will be used to determine feasible drainage alternatives that may be constructed to enhance and restore water quality and natural systems, or for flood relief. The plan will also assist local governments with their land management responsibilities and further the goals.
Plans are being developed for the Crews Lake Outlet watershed, Wiscon watershed, Little Withlacoochee River watershed, Willow Sink watershed, Oman Quarry watershed, and Indian Creek watershed.
Development is currently occurring in each area without the benefit of a watershed management plan. Each plan is expected to be complete January 2008.
Crews Lake Outfall watershed
The Crews Lake Outfall watershed is located in southern Hernando County and is part of the Pithlachascottee River watershed. The Crews Lake Outfall watershed is approximately 9.1-square miles. The cost of this project is $59,000, which will be divided between the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board and Hernando County.
Wiscon watershed
The 38.6-square mile Wiscon watershed is located in central Hernando County. The cost of this project is $163,000, which will be divided between the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board and Hernando County.
Little Withlacoochee watershed
The Little Withlacoochee watershed is approximately 18.8-square miles. It is located in eastern Hernando County. The Little Withlacoochee River was designated an Outstanding Florida Water by the Florida Department of Environmental Regulation in 1989. The cost of this project is $83,500, which will be divided between the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board and Hernando County.
Willow Sink watershed
The Willow Sink watershed is approximately 9.7-square miles. It is located in west central Hernando County. The cost of this project is $156,000, which will be divided between the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board and Hernando County.
Oman Quarry watershed
The Oman Quarry watershed is approximately 16.3-square miles. It is located in southwest Hernando County. The cost of this project is $38,000, which will be divided between the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board and Hernando County.
Indian Creek watershed
The Indian Creek watershed is approximately 2.3-square miles. It is located in southwest Hernando County. The cost of this project is $25,000, which will be divided between the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board and Hernando County.
A watershed management plan is a process that identifies, prioritizes and addresses water resources issues within a watershed. The plan has five stages:
*The collection of detailed information such as land elevation, drainage ditches, culverts, and other features that affect how water moves within the watershed;
*The evaluation of the collected data to identify flooding or water quality problems;
*The identification of potential projects, or best management practices, that will resolve the water resource problems;
*The implementation of best management practices to resolve problems;
*The regular updating of data to ensure that decisions are being made based on the best available information.
The current projects encompass the first three stages.