Middle St. Johns - Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Water Quality Assessment Report: Middle St. Johns
103
• Lake Jesup Planning Unit
General Description
The Lake Jesup planning unit is located in central Seminole County
and extends into Orange County. It covers 92,808 acres (145 square
miles), of which 16,000 acres comprise Lake Jesup (including the lake’s
open water and floodplain). Many communities, including the northern
metropolitan area of Orlando, are partially or wholly contained in the
planning unit.
An outlet channel by the State Road (S.R.) 46 bridge and causeway
connects Lake Jesup to the St. Johns River. Other major waterbodies are
Gee Creek, Soldier Creek, Howell Creek, and Sixmile Creek. The planning
unit also contains many small, shallow ponds and lakes.
Water Quality Summary
Figure 3.7, a composite map of the planning unit, shows waters on the
1998 303(d) list, the Planning List and Verified List, and potential pollution
sources. Water quality data collected from 241 sampling stations were
used for assessment (Appendix F).
Table 3.9 summarizes the water quality assessment status of all waterbody
segments in the planning unit.
Of the 100 waterbody segments in the Lake Jesup planning unit,
74 have at least some type of data in the planning and/or verification
periods, but in many cases the data are insufficient for assessment of
segments under the IWR. Seventy segments have sufficient data for
assessment, and of these, 16 are verified impaired for at least 1 parameter
assessed, and 17 remain on the Planning List as only potentially impaired,
and 34 meet standards in all parameters assessed.
Listed below are the verified impaired segments in the planning unit,
with the parameters for which they are impaired.
Lake Jesup Nutrients (TSI), unionized ammonia
Chub Creek DO, iron, nutrients (chlorophyll a)
Lake Alma Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Searcy Nutrients (TSI)
Salt Creek DO, iron, nutrients (chlorophyll a)
Sweetwater Creek DO
Island Lake Nutrients (TSI)
Fruitwood Lake Nutrients (TSI)
Howell Creek Fecal coliform bacteria, total coliform bacteria
Howell Lake Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Minnehaha Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Winyah Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Concord Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Adair Nutrients (TSI)
Lake Spring Nutrients (TSI)
Bear Gulley Lake Nutrients (TSI)