WSPC04680

• File Number: 8040.950
• Description: Section D General Studies-General Water Studies
• Date: 11/23/1983
• Title: Report on River Conservation Programs in the 50 States-Working Draft-Prepared for National Association of State River Conservation Programs
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: Report/Study

FLORIDA

Florida has no legislatively authorized state river conservation program.
The state does, however, have an administratively authorized program, approved
by the Governor and Cabinet in 1972 and revised in 1978.

The Florida Scenic and Wild Rivers Program, administered by the Department
of lmtural Resources, Division of Recreation and Parks, provides for two classes .
of rivers - scenic and wild. Lands bordering "scenic" rivers may be either
publicly or privately owned. Because of the extra degree of protection deemed
necessary for rivers designated as "wild" rivers, however, Florida's program
requires that wild river corridors be comprised entirely of state owned land,
This approach to wild river designation is a result of the difficulty that has
been experienced in getting local support for enactment of zoning ordinances and
other land use controls to restrict development on lands bordering proposed
rivers.

Specific criteria for inclusion of rivers in the Florida system have been
detailed. These criteria concern water resourCe develoment projects, stream
flow, water quality, and cultural development of adjacent uplands. Rivers
undergo a multi-filter evaluation process until they are either rejected or
recommended for inclusion in the state system.

To date, a S-mile segment of the Wekiva River, northeast of metropolitan
Orlando, has been designated as a wild river. Two other segments bounded by
state owned land will be recommended to the Governor and Cabinet for designation
later this year.

NATIONAL RIVERS

In 1974, the Secretary of the Department of the Interior recommended that
the Suwannee River be included in the national system and that the states of
Florida and Georgia accept responsibility for managing their respective segments
of the river at no cost to the federal government. The two states declined the
offer and efforts in Florida have since centered upon protection of the river
through coordination between local, regional and state agencies and private
organizations in the enforcement of existing regulations and statutes.

~IDre recently, wild and scenic river studies were authorized by Congress
for the Loxahatchee and Myakka Rivers, These studies are nOIJ underway.

CONTACT: Mr. David B. Stevenson, Recreation
Planner
Bureau of Recreation Planning
and Local Assistance
Dept. of Natural Resources
3900 Corr~onwealth Boulevard
Tallahassee, FL 32303
[phone]

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Florida Scenic and Wild Rivers Program, Office of Education and Information"
'Department of Natural Resources, June, 1978,pp.12,

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