PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE by Nancy Prine

Is it really September already? What happened to the long, hot days of summer? Yes, I know, they became the short, hot days of fall.

We all missed the Wicks while they were away this summer, but are glad that they returned to us safely, rested and ready to work hard for the Wekiva River. Lorraine Williford did a great job of keeping us informed of meeting dates, keeping minutes and other secretarial duties. Thank you, Lorraine!

Though you haven't heard from us through a newsletter, the Board has been busy. In July we held our Board Workshop, where we discussed the goals and objectives of the Friends of the Wekiva River for next year, including:

So, we have a lot of work to do, and we are depending on all of you to join us in achieving these goals.

Enforcing the rules established by the Water Management District has become a challenge for the Friends. On five occasions, development has been proposed which places construction activities within the Riparian Habitat Zone. A compromise was reached on one project, two remain unresolved, one will be going to the Water Management District soon, and one has been permitted. A petition for administrative hearing has been filed by the Friends and Florida Audubon on one of the unresolved projects. The Water Management District had agreed to allow clearing of shrubs and trees up to 4 inches in diameter to be removed from a conservation easement within the Riparian Habitat Protection Zone; clearing is specifically presumed to cause harm within the Wekiva River Protection Area.

A project, located on Wekiva Park Drive, proposes the construction of the residences where all building pads, with a small exception, lie within the Riparian Habitat Protection Zone. The Technical Committee has met with the property owner, his consultant, and the Water Management District staff to express the Friends' concerns and to assist the property owner in exploring alternate design solutions which would allow reasonable development and, at the same time, protect the natural resources within the protection zone and the River.

The Riparian Habitat Protection Zone is extremely important to the River. This zone provides important habitat for wildlife and provides a corridor for passage of critters, such as the black bear, along the River. Additionally, the River's waters are protected from erosion and pollution by the zone, and the aesthetic character of the River is protected for the enjoyment of all who use it.

There are other development activities within the Wekiva basin which the Friends have been monitoring. Alaqua is proceeding with plans for Alaqua Lakes, north of the present Alaqua development. The current plans indicate that wetland impacts have been reduced from those previously proposed. The nature trail and dock on the Little Wekiva River have been removed and the area has been restored to a natural condition. The developer of Alaqua has given assurance that the wetland area along the Little Wekiva River will be deeded to the public.

Plantation is another project being monitored by the Technical Committee. The current plans, not yet submitted to the County or Water Management District, retain the setback from the River which had been shown in earlier plans.

Enough of the serious stuff! The highway clean-up in June was an interesting experience--48 bags full, plus half a washer and other miscellaneous debris. It was amazing to see the amount of garbage we collected. Remember, we will do it again, with your help, on September 28.

Another "experience" was the re-vegetation project at Rock Springs Run State Reserve. Jennifer McMurtray and Barry Burch organized and directed the planting of eight plots with longleaf pine, wire grass, gallberry and other plant species. It was hot, tiring work, but all who participated look forward to seeing the rewards of their labor in the coming years.

There is so much to do to protect the River and to assure that the resource is protected for the future enjoyment of all. There are many jobs--letter writing, appearing before boards and commissions, planting in restoration projects, assisting with newsletters and mail-outs, river clean-ups, being informed, etc. Wouldn't you like to become more involved?

FOWR was the proud recipient of two very generous and prestigious grants this year. Walt Disney World again honored us with a $2000 award which we will use to continue to educate residents of Central Florida on the importance of protecting our natural systems. We will keep you informed as our plans take shape.

Another great honor was bestowed upon the Friends by the Elizabeth Ordway Dunn Foundation. To help us update our position paper The Wekiva River, A Resource Endangered and also to help fund a new membership drive, the Dunn Foundation has given our organization two grants totaling $13,000. We are working out a course of action to put this money to best use. Once we update the position paper, concentrating on land management within the Wekiva River Basin, we intend to send copies of it to appropriate agency heads in Florida to spread our information to where it will do the most good in protecting the Wekiva River.

This position paper offers a wealth of information, historical and scientific, on the system we know as the Wekiva River Basin. It deals with salt water intrusion, sink holes, water quality, wildlife (plant and animal) and much more. The original work was instrumental in accomplishing the present level of protection for the river. We hope to broaden our efforts to insure that the Wekiva will still be available in its near pristine beauty for many generations to come.

FOWR plans to launch a major membership campaign in the coming months. Any and all members who are interested in helping, especially those with experience in development or graphics, we need you.

One issue that has been on our agenda for a long time, and is still not settled, will be coming up for permitting. Again.

Miller Enterprises conditionally won the last round regarding the building of a convenience store/gas station on the southeast corner of Longwood Markham and State Road 46. The Fifth Court of Appeals ruled that the commercial zoning was legal, so long as the project put on the property did not create more impact than a low density residential dwelling. This means that Miller Enterprises may erect a commercial structure, the use of which will not draw more traffic, create more noise and lights, impact the land in any way more than an individual home. Our board is speaking with county commissioners and others in an effort to stop the permitting of any project or structure on this corner that will adversely impact the river, its basin, or nearby protected lands. We need our members to write, call or visit the Seminole County commissioners and voice their opposition to commercial permitting and its impact on the surrounding area. Please act today.

You will be hearing more and more about Florida's fresh water problems. While this summer the normal rains seem to have returned to our area, the Floridan Aquifer has not risen significantly.

Clearly the rainfall is not the only determining factor, and it is the general consensus of many concerned citizens that over-pumping (agriculture and development) in Florida coupled with below normal rainfall for a number of years are responsible for the heavy pressure on our potable water resources today.

The Camp, Dresser, McKee (CDM) report recently released to the Seminole County Commission has made some interesting discoveries about the water supply in Seminole. The bottom line, according to CDM, is that, even with normal rainfall, if our water resources are not properly managed and controlled, Seminole County will experience major problems with their water supply.

Wise land use planning and development are now more necessary than ever, especially in areas where the quality of drinking water could be adversely affected.

Let the elected officials of Seminole County and the Water Management District know of your concerns. They need to be held accountable for protecting our potable water quality and quantity. Of all the many needs the citizens of Florida have, water must be one of the first considerations.

The Econlockhatchee River needs the same strong support as the Wekiva River has received. An attempt is being made to designate the Econ River as an Outstanding Florida Water (OFW). A few individuals have written letters supporting this move, but more are needed. As Central Florida's population grows, our need to protect natural areas and natural resources becomes greater. Every new family moving here puts more pressure on the Wekiva and all other conservation lands. Protecting these sites now is a good way to ensure the natural beauty of Florida for the future.

FOWR supports this worthy cause, and we hope our members will do the same on an individual basis. Send letters supporting the Econ as an OFW.

As a rule, FOWR tries not to involve itself in anything outside of the Wekiva River Basin, but we feel that the Econ River is an important natural resource in Central Florida, and protecting it will benefit us all. Please take the time now to support the preservation of this significant water body.

IS SEMINOLE GOING SALT? by Polly Miller

The long awaited Evaluation of Seminole County's Water Supply recommends that stricter conservation measures be put in place to halt further intrusion of salt water into the county's drinking water.

Nearly five years ago the County retained Camp, Dresser, McKee (CDM) to "evaluate the potential impact of fresh water withdrawal by utilities on the Floridan Aquifer potable supply." i.e... Is growth affecting our supply of drinking water?

Documented by numerous maps, charts, statistics and text, the conclusion is that Seminole County "is overdrafting potable water in the Floridan Aquifer." i.e.... Yes. We are withdrawing more water than Mother Nature is putting in.

Responding to the urgency of CDM's findings, Friends of the Wekiva River took action at its September 5 board meeting to recommend to the Seminole Board of County Commissioners, St. Johns River Water Management District and Department of Environmental Regulation that no further Seminole County permits be issued for water withdrawal from the Floridan Aquifer for non-essential use (i.e. projects that are not related to public consumption of potable water and/or existing agriculture development) until conservation water use policies are adopted by the county.

On September 28 FOWR will sponsor it's roadside clean-up along State Road 46 just west of the Wekiva River.

We need volunteers to help pick up trash on both sides of the road for a distance of one mile. We are a part of the FDOT's Adopt-A-Road program and have committed our members to help clean up this stretch of road twice a year.

You know Clear View is not known for its hard sell approach. We warn you now that the job of cleaning up the roadside is hot, tiring and dirty. On the plus side, however, you will be working with great people, making new friends, and contributing greatly to the general welfare of the Wekiva River and its surroundings.

Why not bring your whole family out to help clean up and keep the roadside near the Wekiva RIver tidy? We would love to have as many people as can possibly come, hopefully making light work of the job.

Circle November 9^th on your calendar. Our next field trip will be: The Bear Walk led by DNR's Jennifer McMurtray in Rock Springs Run Reserve. This is a Saturday and we will meet at the intersection of State Road 433 and State Road 46 at 10-a.m.

Jennifer isn't promising a bear, but since this is bear sighting season (late October, November, December and early January), she does assure that we lucky people will find tracks, etc. This is a first for FOWR members and I for one am excited about this special outing.

We will hike for approximately 11/2 hours and then picnic, so bring a brown bag lunch, binoculars, and wear long pants and hiking shoes.

TRIP THE LIGHT FANTASTIC by Katie Moncrief

The happy and tuckered 36 hikers/canoeists that joined the first FOWR field trip of the season on Sept. 7th, were rewarded with a record beautiful sunny day. The 2.3 mile hike into Black Water Creek was refreshing. The great variety of plants and terrain on the Maury Carter Tract kept us occupied until we rounded the bend where Black Water Creek flows under "Maury's Bridge."

This is one of the world's most beautiful sights and some of us were reminded of "The Party" where crystal, spode and silver shone on the banks of Black Water Creek and we feasted upon crepes Suzette and lobster. On Saturday, we slipped our canoes into the dark waters about 9:30 a.m. and made the four plus miles to the convergence with the Wekiva, where we stopped and regained some of our momentum before beginning the five mile canoe trek up-stream (meaning against the current) to our beginning point. Black Water Creek still remains my favorite river in Florida and I heard a few others mention the same feeling.

We were delighted to have many non-members with us and hope they will join us on future trips.

We must keep close watch on plans of the upcoming Legislature to totally revise the hard won rules and regulations that protect Florida's wetlands. This is the concerned conclusion reached by representatives of the state's environmental groups who came together for an all-day Environmental Summit Conference called by Florida Audubon August 3.

Having been thwarted in efforts to weaken growth management by direct assault, the proposed revision of wetlands statutes suggests a back door approach, dressed in the guise of "streamlining" wetlands management to provide one-step permitting for developers. Hearings are already under way in the Senate Natural Resources Committee, chaired by Senator George Kirkpatrick, who is sponsoring the legislation.

In addition to the five Water Management Districts, established by the landmark 1972 Water Resources Act, regulation of water and water related resources of the state fall under a number of different statues, as well as other, independent jurisdictions, including DER, U.S. Corps of Army Engineers, Department of Game and Fresh Water Fish, plus local and county governments.

Each of these regulatory bodies has a different focus, different jurisdictional authority, enforcement procedure and even differing definitions for delineating wetlands.

This situation can be much improved by careful orchestration of existing rules and regulation into an integrated system, providing - and this is the big if - that in the process of such revision there is No Loss of Wetlands Protection, FOWR members must keep careful watch!

As you go about your daily lives, we hope you will continue to "think conservation." Loving the Wekiva River is only a small part of a bigger more important whole - loving the earth. We will continue to urge our Friends to conserve and we encourage you to send us any good tips you may have discovered along these lines.

Try to remember to take reusable shopping bags to the market, and when you do forget, be sure to take the paper and plastic bags back to the store for recycling.

When you shop, look for products with minimum packaging, products made from recycled materials whenever possible, and products which will have the least impact on our natural resources when they have been used and must be discarded.

You can do so much with so little effort to help conserve our natural resources, alleviate our over-crowded land-fills and protect our potable water sources and our dwindling supply of fossil fuels. Keep your old car in good working order to get the best mileage your car can give you. When shopping for a new car, make it a point to tell salespeople that you care about good gas mileage. Steer clear of throw-aways whenever possible and encourage your friends and family (in a nice way, of course) to do the same.

Let today be the beginning of a conscious effort on you and your family's part to conserve water: don't ignore little leaks, avoid leaving the tap running any longer than necessary, try not to run less-than-full loads of wash and dishes. Beware water-guzzling landscapes and look into planting native shrubs and trees. Xeriscaping is a truly beautiful way to enhance your home.

We're all a part of the problem, and as such we must all be part of the solution. So please do your part when it comes to conserving the earth's precious resources.

Eddie Williford was our feature speaker at the September board and membership meeting. His topic was prehistoric life along the Wekiva.

Eddie is a familiar speaker to FOWR, and his talks always sparkle with enthusiasm and facts about the Wekiva. He took a different approach last September 5, bringing boxes of artifacts, bones and fossils found along and in the river. He has recently worked with an archaeologist from the University of Florida in Gainesville, helping to unearth specimens from thousands of years ago. Discovered within the lower Wekiva River were fossilized remains of mammoth, mastodon, ancient horse and camel species, giant sloth and more. The most exciting find was traces of an Arctic mouse, never found this far south before. Truly the Wekiva is a treasure trove of historical and

biological wealth in addition to being a great place to boat, canoe, swim and relax.

Eddie charmed his audience with stories and amazing details of previous life along the Wekiva. He made the Indians and their culture come alive. If you ever want to learn about Wekiva's wonderful past, Eddie's the man to talk with. Not only does he know every nook and cranny of today's river, but he is constantly learning more about the history of the Wekiva and its former residents. Best of all, he's willing and eager to share his knowledge.