2012 FDOT Mitigation Plan - Southwest Florida Water Management ...

ATTACHMENT A – Existing & Proposed Activities
Green Swamp - Background
Colt Creek State Park (5,118 acres) is located within the region referred to as the Green Swamp (Area of Critical
State Concern). The Green Swamp consists of 870 square miles (560,000 acres), of which 260,000 acres have
been protected through public ownership and conservation easements. This includes approximately 118,000
acres acquired by the SWFWMD in fee and conservation easements. The Green Swamp is considered a unique
and critical natural resource asset with statewide significance. The water-related resource values of the Green
Swamp have made the region one of the highest priority protection areas through public acquisition by the State
and SWFWMD. The Green Swamp contains the headwaters of four major rivers: the Hillsborough,
Withlacoochee, Peace and Ocklawaha. These four major headwater river channels and tributaries of the Green
Swamp play a vital role in conveying water to significant downstream natural systems. Public ownership and
conservation easements of the Green Swamp serves to protect the important upstream reaches of the
Hillsborough and Withlacoochee Rivers, and the volume of freshwater which they contribute to Tampa Bay,
Withlacoochee Bay, Tsala Apopka Lake and many other natural systems and habitats.
With over 70% of the adjacent property comprised of existing public lands (Figure A), public acquisition of the
Colt Creek S.P. property from the Overstreet family was one of the major missing tracts due to the existing and
potential ecological value and benefits to wildlife habitat and water resources in the Green Swamp. To the west
of Colt Creek S.P., the SWFWMD owns and manages an area referred to "Green Swamp – West Tract" (37,350
acres). To the north and east, the SWFWMD owns and manages "Green Swamp – East Tract" (67,670 acres).
Combined, these areas are referred to as the "Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve" (GSWP). As part of the East
Tract, there are portions referred to as the Fussell Tract (1,280 acres) and Hampton Tract (7,500 acres). Wetland
hydrologic restoration of the Hampton Tract was selected to the FDOT mitigation program in 2000 (SW 59).
North of GSWP is the Withlacoochee State Forest – Richloam Tract (62,720 acres), owned and managed by the
Florida Division of Forestry. Within the Richloam Tract is the Baird Tract (11,000 acres). Wetland hydrologic
restoration of the Baird Tract (SW 64) was nominated and selected to the SWFWMD’s FDOT Mitigation Plan in
2001.
Colt Creek State Park – Existing Conditions
The Overstreet family owned the property from 1941 to 2006, and over that period, the SWFWMD made several
offers to acquire the property either through fee simple or a conservation easement. In 2005, the Overstreet
family proposed the construction of a 750 lot residential development on the tract. Fortunately after months of
negotiation, the family agreed to sell the tract fee simple for public ownership. The $54.5 million acquisition was
funded by the SWFWMD ($24.3 million), FDEP ($24.3 million), and Polk County ($5 million). For preservation
mitigation credit, the 720 acre portion of the tract within the Hillsborough River basin was funded ($7.5 million) by
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