The History and Accomplishments of the Friends of the Wekiva River, (FOWR), and the Significance of the Wekiva River System Inc.
(Compiled by Jay Exum, FOWR Board member, from numerous documents, May 2026)
HISTORY AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF FOWR
Objectives/Mission
The Friends of the Wekiva River, Inc. is a citizen action group. The founders began meeting informally in 1978, and the organization was chartered in 1982 with nineteen members. Our objectives are:
to promote and protect the aesthetic and recreational values of the Wekiva River system.
to protect the integrity of the Wekiva River Basin.
to work toward restoration and continuation of the river and its tributaries.
to carry out educational activities to the same end.
Quote from our website (By FOWR founding member Pat Harden in a presentation about threats to the Wekiva):
Our mission has never been to oppose growth per se, but to insist that growth is well planned and considers the long-term future of the basin, its resources, and the quality of life for future generations. We are opposed to growth that seeks only to satisfy the few with no consideration of the long-term impacts on the ecology of the river basin, its resources, and the citizens of the region as a whole.
Major accomplishments for which the Friends of the Wekiva River (FOWR) were either wholly or partly responsible:
Legacy
1982 Worked closely with the City of Altamonte Springs in reducing the amount and improving the quality of wastewater effluent discharged into the Little Wekiva River. Prepared and furnished to Florida’s DEP a paper: A Position Statement on the Environmental Quality of the Little Wekiva River--Its Importance, Present Status and Future Implications.
Prepared and furnished to DEP and the City of Altamonte Springs a technical paper: Report and Recommendations: The Little Wekiva River. All six of our recommendations were adopted by the City.
1983 Prepared a successful petition to the State of Florida to designate the Wekiva and its tributaries as Outstanding Florida Waters. Later efforts succeeded in adding Black Water Creek to this designation.
1984 Coordinated the first comprehensive cleanup of the river - 7 tons of trash were removed.
1985-present Conducted a successful campaign to place the purchase of lands within the Wekiva-Ocala Greenway at or near the top of the Florida Forever (formerly CARL) list. Currently there are more than 100,000 acres of protected conservation lands in the Greenway.
1985 FOWR prepared a technical position paper entitled, The Wekiva River Basin - A Resource Endangered. It presented eighteen recommendations to state, local, and government agencies for protection of the resources. We met with numerous local and state officials to discuss the report and appeared before the editorial board of the Orlando Sentinel to explain it. Thereafter, the Orlando Sentinel won a Pulitzer Prize for its editorials about the river, entitled Florida’s Shame.
1987 After taking Gov. Martinez for a canoe ride down the river, we participated in the Wekiva River Task Force, appointed by the governor, leading to the Wekiva River Protection Act in the next legislature.
1987 Five FOWR members named to the Environmental Advisory Group of the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority.
1988 The Wekiva River Protection Act passed both the Florida House and Senate unanimously in a bipartisan effort. Gov. Martinez signed the Act into law at Wekiwa Springs State Park, recognizing the Wekiva Basin as of immeasurable value to the State.
1989 FOWR helped fund a Florida black bear study which among other things established the traffic patterns of bears along Highway 46 west of the river.
1990 Spent two years working with the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) to pass special criteria for the Wekiva River Basin, i.e., establishment of a water quality protection zone, a most effective recharge zone, and a riparian habitat protection zone as required by the Act. SJRWMD initiated rulemaking to comply with the Act.
1992 In addition to working with the SJRWMD on the above, FOWR was instrumental in encouraging the SJRWMD’s establishment of minimum flows and levels for the Wekiva River--the first in the State.
1992 Published updated technical report entitled, The Wekiva River Basin: A Resource Revisited, emphasizing continued concerns about the resources, especially water related issues and interagency cooperation.
1995 With urging from FOWR, after several years of negotiation, the State built one of four wildlife underpasses we recommended on SR 46.
1998 SJRWMD established minimum flow levels for the District and for specific streams in the Wekiva Basin to be used in establishing limitations of withdrawals from both ground and surface water.
2000 Aided in the campaign for the designation of the Wekiva River as a National Wild and Scenic River.
Recent
2000 – present Several FOWR members have served on the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Management Committee, and Nancy Prine has served as chair of this committee that has coordinated partner’s activities towards unified goals specified in a comprehensive river management plan.
2000 – present Members of the FOWR Technical Committee have provided comments to local governments in Lake, Orange, and Seminole counties on numerous projects that were inconsistent with Comprehensive Plan language related to Wekiva River Protection Area, Wekiva Study Area, Riparian Habitat Protection Zone, and basin specific criteria of the SJRWMD related to water quality and water quantity protection.
2015 – present The FOWR served as stakeholders for both Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) covering the Wekiva basin (FDEP 2015, FDEP 2018). The FOWR objected to certain provisions of the BMAP for Wekiwa and Rock Springs and filed an administrative appeal to formally convey those objections.
2020 - 2023 The FOWR, private landowners, Florida Audubon, and other partner agencies documented impacts from rapidly accumulating sediments in the Little Wekiva River, which caused catastrophic damage to portions of the primary channel of this tributary of the Wekiva River. We met with numerous regulatory agencies and elected officials and helped obtain federal and state funding for an initial, partial restoration.
2021 The FOWR provided information to the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council to produce an economic valuation of the river system titled Economic Impact of the Wekiva River Area, which included estimates of direct, indirect, and induced values.
2023 – present An FOWR board member has represented FOWR on the board of the Florida Springs Council for the past 5 years.
2023 - 2025 The FOWR Technical Committee reviewed and commented on the draft Minimum Flows and Levels report of the St. Johns River Water Management District, and in 2025 made a presentation to the SJRWMD board with recommendations for protection of Wekiwa and Rock Springs, and the Wekiva River.
2023 FOWR participated during meetings of the Central Florida Water Initiative and the development of the Regional Water Supply Plan to advocate for conservation of water resources to minimize impacts on springs in the Wekiva River system.
2025 Contracted with University of Florida researcher Dr. Dan Smith to conduct an additional investigation into movement patterns of Florida black bears in the Wekiva to Ocala Greenway.
2025 FOWR helped define the scope of work for an investigation into the extent of submerged aquatic vegetation in the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River segments including Rock Springs Run, Black Water Creek and the Wekiva River. We subsequently reviewed the draft report and provided comments to the consultant leading the work to improve the final product, which provides a baseline of data on aquatic vegetation in the river.
2025 FOWR contracted with filmmaker Jordan Kahn to create a 6 minute film highlighting the importance of the Wekiva River system (found on the homepage of the Friends of the Wekiva River website: https://www.friendsofwekiva.org/ ).
2026 Developed an ecologically based trail system with seven different loops in unique ecological communities of Rock Springs Run State Reserve.
Education and Outreach activities have included:
Numerous banquets with notable speakers at annual member events
Numerous river cleanups sponsored by FOWR with participation by dozens of volunteersand partner agencies
Canoe trips, hikes, and citizen science events on the waters of the Wekiva River system
Dozens of meetings to inform members and the public on issues affecting the basin
Riverfests, which attracted several thousand participants to Wekiwa Springs State Park for education, art, music, canoe races, pontoon rides and kids programs
Compiling data for the Wekiva River section of Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count (for the last 35 years)
Booths at countless environmental and community events
Hosting Dr. Douglas Tallamy for a talk related to managing backyards for biological diversity
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM
Outstandingly Remarkable Values (ORVs) (from page 36 of the CRMP)
The Wekiva River System was selected for Wild and Scenic protection in part because of five ORVs associated with the river environment, including: scenic, recreation, wildlife and habitat, historic and cultural, and water quality and quantity.
Scenic (from page 80 of the CRMP)
More than half of the River System flows through public conservation lands characterized by native aquatic and wetland vegetation.
Clear waters flow from Wekiwa and Rock Springs down their spring runs.
The river’s Wild and Scenic segments provide predominantly unobstructed views of natural communities along the river.
Recreation (from page 82 of the CRMP)
12 recreation hubs throughout the River System provide access to the river and recreation opportunities including:
o Canoeing/kayaking/paddle boarding/tubing
o Motorized boating
o Swimming, snorkeling, and diving
o Hiking, biking, and horseback riding
o Picnicking and camping
o Fishing, hunting, and wildlife watching.
The 2020 User Capacity Study found that most people surveyed were Very Satisfied with their experience on the river (69.1%), and only 13% of respondents said they felt crowded during their experience.
Wildlife and Habitat (from page 83 of the CRMP)
The 2012 CRMP included two general aspects of the Wildlife and Habitat ORV in the Wekiva River System. One of these aspects relates to aquatic and wetland habitats and the second component was the wildlife corridor encompassed by the Wekiva to Ocala Greenway.
Wetland and Aquatic Habitat (from page 85 of the CRMP)
o Much of the aquatic and wetland habitat is in good condition and protected in perpetuity.
o A diverse assemblage of native fish exists in valuable aquatic habitat across the river system.
o Expansive beds of eelgrass occur in the Wekiva River and Rock Springs Run.
o Several listed species, including bluenose shiner, little blue heron, tri-colored heron, and to a lesser degree West Indian manatee, are relatively common in the Wekiva River System.
o There is an increasing prevalence of algal mats and filamentous cyanobacteria, particularly in Wekiwa Springs Run.
The Wekiva to Ocala Greenway (from page 86 of the CRMP)
o Over 59,000 acres (almost 75%) of the Wekiva to Ocala Greenway is in permanent conservation.
o The Central Florida black bear population, which includes the Greenway, is estimated at 1,200 individuals - the largest in the state.
o The Wekiva Parkway includes more than a mile of wildlife underpasses to allow movement of wildlife through the corridor.
Historic and Cultural (from page 87 of the CRMP)
There is a history of investigations and a substantial literature base related to historic and cultural resources in the Wekiva River basin.
Most of the area with highest potential for historic resources is in public ownership or protected by existing regulations.
Water Quality and Quantity (from page 88 of the CRMP)
The character of the water in the Wekiva River System ranges from the crystal-clear flows from the artesian springs and spring runs to the tannin-colored waters of the black water creeks. Water quality is an integral factor in the popularity of the springs and rivers as recreational resources and the health and integrity of the rivers’ ecosystems.
Water Quality (from page 93 of the CRMP)
o Nitrate loads, although four times the state-mandated standard, do not appear to be increasing in springs, runs, and surface waters.
o Nitrate concentrations diminish downstream in the Wekiva River.
o Degraded water quality from fertilizers and septic systems is an ongoing threat to the health of springs in the river system.
o There has been limited progress in improving existing septic systems or expanding municipal sewer in the PFAs.
Water Quantity and River Flow (from page 95 of the CRMP)
o Flow rates in Wekiwa and Rock Springs have been above targeted rates for the past 4 years.
o Standards for MFLs in the River System are being reevaluated to assure protection of aquatic resources.
o Flow rates in Palm Springs have been consistently below targeted goals for the last 40 years.
o Since there are no MFLs or long-term monitoring data for the majority of the 31 springs in the Wekiva River System, it is unknown whether the troubling trends in flow rates for Palm Springs, or the recent improvements in flow for Wekiwa and Rock Springs, are more representative of current flow trends for the unmonitored springs.
o Data from the Florida Springs Institute (2016) and from the Central Florida Water Initiative (2021) indicate that existing CUPs, and projected groundwater pumping will negatively affect natural resources, particularly in the Wekiva basin.
The Economic Impact of the Wekiva River (from page 18 of the 2021 study titled Economic Impact of the Wekiva River Area)
Using standard economic models, the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council found that employment in government and private businesses related to the Wekiva River System accounted for 499 jobs, $60 million in output/sales, and $23 million in personal income.
Revenue from these services were determined to contribute $35 million to Florida’s gross domestic product, mostly in Lake, Orange, and Seminole counties.
Deterioration of the Wekiva River’s aquatic values could result in the loss of about 40 jobs per year and an annual loss of almost $5.8 million in sales and close to $4.3 million in the personal income of the state’s residents.
Key Segments of the Wekiva River System (from page 45 of the CRMP)
Wekiwa Springs and Wekiwa Springs Run
Rock Springs and Rock Springs Run
Wekiva River
Black Water Creek and Seminole Creek
Little Wekiva River (outside of the federally-designated Wild and Scenic River System)
Springs (there are 31 named springs within the Wekiva River System)
Important Technical Reports, Legislative and Local Government Actions to Protect the River System
The Wekiva River Protection Act of 1988
The Wekiva River Basin: A Resource Revisited. The Friends of the Wekiva River. 1992.
Hupalo, R. B., C. P. Neubauer, L. W. Keenan, D. A. Clapp, and E. F. Lowe. 1994. Establishment of minimum flows and levels for the Wekiva River System. St. Johns River Water Management District, Palatka, Florida.
The Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act of 2004.
Wekiva River Basin Coordinating Committee. 2004. Recommendations for Enhanced Land Use Planning Strategies and Development Standards to Protect Water Resources of the Wekiva River Basin.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Water Resource Management, Bureau of Watershed Management. 2008. TMDL Report: Nutrient TMDLs for the Wekiva River and Rock Springs Run.
National Park Service. 2011. Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System Environmental Assessment for the Comprehensive River Management Plan.
The initial Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System Comprehensive River Management Plan – 2012
Wekiva Coalition. 2002. A Blueprint for Action.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration, Watershed Restoration Program. 2015. Basin Management Action Plan for the Implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads for Nutrients by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in the Middle St. Johns River Basin for Wekiva River, Rock Springs Run, and Little Wekiva Canal.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration, Water Quality Restoration Program. 2018. Wekiwa Spring and Rock Springs Basin Management Action Plan.
Central Florida Water Initiative. 2020. Regional Supply Plan: A Comprehensive Plan for Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Southern Lake Counties.
User Capacity Study for the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River: Executive Summary. Prepared for the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Management Committee. 2020.
East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. 2021. The Economic Impact of the Wekiva River Area.
Wekiva Wild And Scenic River System Comprehensive River Management Plan Update. Prepared for the Wekiva Wild and Scenic River System Management Committee. 2023.