complete agenda - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

ITEM 3:
REQUEST: Consider a 10-year Management Plan Update for Tiger Bay State Forest
LOCATION: Volusia County
APPLICANT: Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Forestry
(DOF)
DSL STAFF REMARKS:
Background
The Tiger Bay State Forest (TBSF) is located in the east central portion of Volusia County,
Florida. It is approximately seven miles west of Daytona Beach, extending from I-4 to State SR­
40 in two contiguous blocks separated by US-92. The boundaries and the major parcels are
identified in Exhibit B. Major structures include an office/shop, equipment shed, and mobile
home site on the headquarter parcel. Other structures located on easements include a Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) tower, one privately owned communication tower, and several
pump houses that belong to and provide water supply to the Cities of Daytona Beach and
Ormond Beach. The Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund (BOT) holds fee
simple title to the Tiger Bay and Clark Bay Tracts. The St. Johns River Water Management
District (SJRWMD) and the BOT hold joint fee title to the Rima Ridge Tract.
Management Plan Overview
DOF’s primary goal in managing TBSF is to utilize the multiple-use management approach.
The forest will be managed so as to restore, protect and manage ecosystems and to maintain
biological diversity and ecosystem functions while allowing compatible public uses.
Approximately 60 percent of the TBSF is occupied by wetlands. These extensive wetlands
provide critical aquifer recharge for the greater Daytona Beach area. Tiger Bay, Little Tiger Bay,
and Bennett Swamp are large and irregular basin swamp systems. These basin swamp
systems also include a mosaic of dome swamps, depression marshes, wet prairies, baygalls,
and wet flatwoods, while the higher elevations within the swamp are occupied by pine islands.
Three natural lakes occur in the Rima Ridge Tract: Indian Lake (66 acres), Scoggin Lake (43
acres) and Sawgrass Lake (13 acres). Bennett Swamp and Middle Haw Creek are other
significant wetlands partially within the Rima Ridge Tract. In addition, the tributary of the Little
Tomoka River that is located within the northeast corner of Tiger Bay State Forest is designated
as OFW. Hunting accounts for the largest numbers of users, followed by sightseeing, fishing,
hiking and equestrian use.
The following uses were considered and determined not compatible: water resource
development projects, water supply projects, storm-water management projects, and linear
facilities, communication towers, and antennas, except as otherwise outlined in the plan. The
City of Daytona Beach and the City of Ormond Beach have easements for water supply well
and pumping station locations within the property which originated when the tract was still under
ownership by Consolidated-Tomoka Land Company. The City of Daytona Beach easement is
for seven well sites. The current Consumptive Use Permit (CUP) # 8834 was issued by the
SJRWMD on March 9, 2005, and expires November 9, 2011. The City of Ormond Beach has
an easement for four existing water supply wells; two were installed in 1987, and two in 1991. A
24 inch water main was constructed within the roadbed of Rima Ridge Road to convey the
water following an Acquisition and Restoration Council (ARC) easement approval in 2003. An
easement for three additional supply wells (0.6 acres) was granted by ARC in 2007. The City’s
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