a Guide to Management - USGS National Wetlands Research Center

Figure 8. Limerock pit in inland hydric hammock, Gulf Hammock.
lines, flooding is not a great prob-
lem. However, it creates serious
problems for residenti a1 and commer-
ci a1 devel opments. Unfortunately,
some developers subdivide these areas
and sell to unsuspecting buyers.
Pressure is then put on local govern-
ments to provide flood control , with
the cost paid by all taxpayers and of-
ten with impacts on adjacent areas of
hydric hammock and other wetland com-
munities.
The history and consequences of de-
velopment in the Old Town Hammock, a
mixture of mesic and hydric hammock
between Cross City and the Suwannee
River, in Dixie County, Florida, are
we1 1 -documented by newspaper coverage.
Subdivision of this hammock for resi-
dential homesites began in about 1981.
Heavy rains in the fall and winter of
1986-87 flooded Old Town Hammock,
along with many of its recently built
roads and houses. About 75 families
were forced out of their homes
(Gainesvi 7 7e Sun, 24 Apri 1 1987), and
about 125 homes and businesses were
damaged (55 of these were uninsured)
(Dixie County Advocate, 30 April
1987). Total damage to pub1 ic roads
was estimated at $940,585 (Dixie
County Advocate, 30 Apri 1 1987) -
Today, local, regional, and state
regulations prevent the construction
of most large or intensive types of
development in f 1 ood-prone areas.
However, rural "ranchette" develop-
ment, such as at Old Town Hammock,