St. Marks NWR Comprehensive Conservation Plan - U.S. Fish and ...

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Figure 10. East River Watershed 28 6C363 Wakulla Rive r Refuge Boundary St. Marks River East River Watershed Dike Road 6C267 City of St. Marks Wakulla County St. Marks River Lighthouse Rd. E ast River 5 St. Marks Lighthouse 0 1 2 Miles 3@59 6 East River Pool EAST RIVER WATERSHED Visitor Center East River Watershed �� 98 Apalachee Bay GULF OF MEXICO Jefferson County St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge
SURFACE AND GROUND WATER QUALITY Water quality data on the St. Marks Refuge are scant. There are no permanent stations on refuge land to monitor the quality of surface or ground water. Most of the refuge is contained within the St. Marks and Ochlockonee River Basins (Figure 11). The Ochlockonee River Basin originates in Georgia, extends through 11 counties and drains 2,416 square miles. It flows south 206 miles to Ochlockonee Bay. The St. Marks River Basin also originates in Georgia. It drains about 871 square miles and is 37 miles long. The spring-fed Wakulla River is the largest tributary and flows for 10 miles to its confluence with the St. Marks River. The St. Marks Basin is unique in that it contains 6 of Florida=s 27 first magnitude springs, that is, springs with discharge rates greater than 100 cubic feet per second. The submarine Spring Creek springs, measured at 2,003 cubic feet per second in 1970, had the highest discharge of all Florida spring groups. The Department of Environmental Protection classifies both surface and ground waters according to their intended use and sets water quality standards and regulations to maintain these standards. There is only one groundwater classification called Class I, potable water supplies. Sixty wells were sampled by the Department during 2000 to assess water quality in confined and unconfined aquifers for both health and aesthetic contaminants. Basin resource indices signify good ground water overall on a regional scale. The Florida Aquifer supplies the drinking water for most of northwest Florida, with 90 percent of all drinking water coming from ground water. In its publication entitled Looking at the Big Picture: St. Marks River Watershed, the Northwest Florida Water Management District reports that ground water in the St. Marks Basin is generally plentiful and of high quality. It requires little treatment for public use. Portions of Apalachee and Ochlockonee bays are Class II (for shellfish propagation or harvesting) due to the presence of oyster beds. Few data exist on the condition of the waters that comprise the coastal watersheds and Apalachee Bay adjacent to the refuge. This area includes Dickerson Bay, Oyster Bay, Spring Creek, Shell Point, Walker Creek, Goose Creek Bay, the mouth of the St. Marks River, and the East and Pinhook rivers. According to the 1997 Surface Water Management Plan for the St. Marks Watershed, AApalachee Bay is not impacted by humankind and is in exceptional biological condition.@ Yet, shellfish closings after major rain events suggest otherwise. All other waters in both basins are Class III, meaning that they are intended for recreation, propagation, and maintenance of a healthy, well-balanced population of fish and wildlife. The Department=s 2001 Basin Status Report indicates that few water quality data have been collected for the South Ochlockonee River. Segments of the river have potentially been impaired by metals (e.g., iron), fish consumption advisories, and low dissolved oxygen. The report also states that the water quality of the Sopchoppy River is generally very good, although it has been listed for fish consumption advisories. The U.S. Geological Survey uses the Sopchoppy River as a national ambient water quality monitoring site to represent pristine water quality. While the report ranks much of the St. Marks River as good, there are several problems, such as the occurrence of invasive aquatic vegetation, predominantly hydrilla and water hyacinth. At the town of St. Marks, four docking terminals carry, offload, process, and distribute petroleum products and bulk chemicals. Numerous oil spills have occurred throughout the years in this area. A spill of about 10,000 gallons in 1978 contaminated bottom sediments. Three potentially impaired water bodies for biology include Black and Lloyd creeks and a segment of the St. Marks River (793B), which is also impaired due to low dissolved oxygen. Draft Comprehensive Conservation Plan 29
Page 1: DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVATION PL
Page 4 and 5: ii Recreation Economics............
Page 6 and 7: SECTION C. APPENDICES I. GLOSSARY..
Page 8 and 9: LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Public and
Page 11 and 12: SECTION A. DRAFT COMPREHENSIVE CONS
Page 13 and 14: Figure 1. National Wildlife Refuges
Page 15 and 16: II. The Refuge INTRODUCTION St. Mar
Page 17 and 18: Sopchoppy River Monkey Creek State
Page 19 and 20: PURPOSES OF THE REFUGE Under Execut
Page 21 and 22: Table 1. Public and conservation la
Page 23 and 24: Marks and Aucilla rivers, the Natio
Page 25 and 26: ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT RECOVERY PLA
Page 27 and 28: states; (6) bay health; (7) watersh
Page 29 and 30: Figure 7. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Se
Page 31 and 32: Figure 8. St. Marks National Wildli
Page 33 and 34: Longleaf pine forests and savannahs
Page 35 and 36: The 40-year (1961-2000) normal, ave
Page 37: Figure 9. Geology of north central
Page 41 and 42: The Wakulla River also has problems
Page 43 and 44: and attribute at a scale of 1:5,000
Page 45 and 46: Figure 12. St. Marks Unit natural c
Page 47 and 48: Figure 13. Wakulla Unit natural com
Page 49 and 50: Figure 14. Panacea Unit natural com
Page 51 and 52: Table 5. Land use summary - natural
Page 53 and 54: EXOTIC PLANT SPECIES The refuge sta
Page 55 and 56: FISH AND WILDLIFE/FAUNA Birds The d
Page 57 and 58: are listed in the most recent (1983
Page 59 and 60: Other exotic animals, including the
Page 61 and 62: Purple Bankclimber. This bivalve mo
Page 63 and 64: FEDERAL WILDERNESS DESIGNATION AND
Page 65 and 66: Figure 16. St. Marks National Wildl
Page 67 and 68: to a unique hardwood area. Currentl
Page 69 and 70: Figure 17. St. Marks National Wildl
Page 71 and 72: In the fall, Mounds #1, Mounds #3,
Page 73 and 74: esidents of all four counties work
Page 75 and 76: Wildlife Observation and Photograph
Page 77 and 78: Figure 19. Wakulla Unit visitor ser
Page 79 and 80: Boat ramps at the Aucilla River, li
Page 81 and 82: landowners. There are nine voluntee
Page 83 and 84: Georgia border. Because sea levels
Page 85 and 86: A railroad, built between Tallahass
Page 87 and 88: III. Planning Issues INTRODUCTION T
Page 89 and 90:
options for manipulating the pools
Page 91 and 92:
IV. Management Direction INTRODUCTI
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REFUGE GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND STRAT
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Figure 21. St. Marks National Wildl
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Objective 7: Protect natural wetlan
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diverse sites off refuge (e.g., wet
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Objective 4: Monitor the nesting ba
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are necessary to reduce boat collis
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Strategies: • Maintain at least t
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• By 2018, determine habitat need
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Figure 23. Wakulla Unit visitor ser
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• Promote refuge messages by incr
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Strategies: • By 2007, design and
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Objective 3: By 2008, the refuge wi
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and found no areas that meet the el
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interagency fire program. This syst
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V. Plan Implementation INTRODUCTION
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5. Survey, Document, Monitor, and E
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needed personnel from routine dutie
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17. Enhance Interpretation and Outr
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Table 14. Summary of project costs
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Table 15. Approximate annual costs
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PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES To achiev
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Visitor Services Management Plan Th
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comprehensive conservation plan, or
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SECTION B. DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSE
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II. Affected Environment For a desc
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III. Alternatives FORMULATION OF AL
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Figure 26. St. Marks National Wildl
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ALTERNATIVE 2 - PREFERRED ALTERNATI
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Table 17. A comparison of the goals
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� Goal 1. Wildlife Habitat and Po
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Goal 2. Threatened, endangered, rar
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Goal 4. Visitor Services Provide an
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Goal 4. Visitor Services Provide an
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Goal 6. Protection of Wilderness Ma
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Goal 7. Refuge Administration Provi
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Issues relating to Goal 1 - Habitat
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Issues relating to Goal 1 - Habitat
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Issues relating to Goal 2 - Endange
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Issues relating to Goal 3 - Migrato
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Issues relating to Goal 4 - Visitor
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Issues relating to Goal 5 - Cultura
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Issues relating to Goal 7 - Refuge
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IV. Environmental Consequences EFFE
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Alternatives 2 and 3 may have short
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gains achieved would be gradually l
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WILDLIFE AND PROTECTED SPECIES Unde
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space around structures and borderi
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classes held on the refuge, photo c
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public use, which increases litteri
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V. Consultation and Coordination Se
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Heidi Hubbs, Fire Management Office
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SECTION C. APPENDICES I. Glossary A
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Cooperative Agreement A legal instr
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Hydrological Involving water flows
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Partnership A mutually beneficial,
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Wilderness Area Congress defined Wi
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II. References and Literature Cited
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Florida First: Base Papers Natural
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Milanich, Jerald T. 1995. Florida I
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Sharitz, Rebecca R. and J. W. Gibbo
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 200
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III. Legal Mandates NATIONAL WILDLI
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1964--Wilderness Act, as amended. D
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1978--American Indian Religious Act
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1995--EO 12962, Recreational Fisher
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IV. Flora and Fauna The following t
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IMPERILED SPECIES’ CONSERVATION R
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Common Name Red-cockaded woodpecker
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Seasons/Occurrences Magnificent Fri
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Seasons/Occurrences Hooded Merganse
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Seasons/Occurrences Black-necked St
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Seasons/Occurrences Cukoos Black-bi
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Seasons/Occurrences American Crow*
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Seasons/Occurrences Warblers Blue-w
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Seasons/Occurrences Vesper Sparrow
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The following species are of such a
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Common Name Bronze Frog Pig frog Ri
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Common Name Eastern Indigo Snake Co
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Common Name Florida Red-bellied Coo
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Common Name Mammals Large-sized Mam
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Common Name Crevalle jack Bull shar
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Common Name Lined seahorse Dwarf se
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Common Name Gulf toadfish Pigfish B
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BUTTERFLY LIST, ST. MARKS NATIONAL
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Common Name Scientific Name Period
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Common Name Scientific Name Eastern
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Common Name Scientific Name Slimlea
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Common Name Scientific Name New Jer
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Common Name Scientific Name Pinebar
Page 271 and 272:
Common Name Scientific Name Plumegr
Page 273 and 274:
Common Name Scientific Name Spoonle
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Common Name Scientific Name Saltmar
Page 277 and 278:
Common Name Scientific Name Creepin
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Common Name Scientific Name Maidenc
Page 281 and 282:
Common Name Scientific Name Orange
Page 283 and 284:
Common Name Scientific Name Fringed
Page 285 and 286:
Common Name Scientific Name Fringed
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Common Name Scientific Name Rice bu
Page 289 and 290:
Common Name Scientific Name Baldwin
Page 291 and 292:
Common Name Sugarberry Common butto
Page 293 and 294:
Common Name Myrtle dahoon American
Page 295 and 296:
Common Name Loblolly pine Waterelm
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Common Name Bigleaf snowbell Common
Page 299 and 300:
Common Name Compact dodder Lax horn
Page 301 and 302:
Common Name Dwarf palmetto Coastal
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Common Name Marsh fimbry Hydrilla M
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Common Name Coastalplain sedge Amer
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Common Name Red maple Peppervine Sw
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Common Name Swamp rose Carolina wil
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Common Name Green wood orchid Yello
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Conservation Tier/Action Level; Tie
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Conservation Tier/Action Level; Tie
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Conservation Tier/Action Level; IV
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DESCRIPTIONS OF NATURAL COMMUNITY T
Page 321 and 322:
There are also mesic flatwoods site
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area and cabbage palmetto comprisin
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V. Public Involvement This appendix
Page 327 and 328:
Defenders of Wildlife, Washington,
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Public Use Management: • Support
Page 331 and 332:
• High grass on dikes is hard to
Page 333 and 334:
This fact sheet was developed and d
Page 335 and 336:
This fact sheet was developed and d
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VI. Compatibility Determinations Re
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Anticipated Impacts of the Use: The
Page 341 and 342:
Anticipated Impacts of the Use: Imp
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Other areas of the refuge may be cl
Page 345 and 346:
Wakulla Unit service roads with per
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Public Review Comment: This compati
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X Use is Compatible with Following
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Determination (check one below): __
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Public Review Comment: This compati
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during timber harvests; however, as
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___ Categorical Exclusion and Envir
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Johnson, E. et al. 1997. The Preval
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VII. Conservation Easements and Fee
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VIII. Exotic Species Locations and
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Map Number Primary Pest Species Sci
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Map Number Primary Pest Species Sci
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St. Marks Unit exotic species infes
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Wakulla Unit exotic species infesta
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Panacea Unit exotic species infesta
Page 375 and 376:
IX. Existing and Potential Partners
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Wakulla County Red Cross Tallahasse
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X. Inventory and Monitoring Efforts
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Surdick/University of Florida, Cent
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XI. Wilderness Review Summary Wilde
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Figure 33. Lands evaluated as poten
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within the inventory area west of t
Page 389 and 390:
XII. Intra-Service Section 7 Biolog
Page 391 and 392:
There are few documented records of
Page 393 and 394:
B. bald eagle Actions to minimize i
Page 395:
IX. Reviewing Ecological Services O
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