Meetings and announcements
May 17
10 a.m.
The St. Johns River Water Management District (District) will hold an online public meeting for the Wekiva River Basin minimum flows and levels (MFLs) peer reviewers to present their draft peer review technical memorandum (TM) to the District. This presentation will start at 10 a.m. One or more members of the District’s Governing Board may attend this meeting.
The purpose of establishing MFLs for the Wekiva River Basin is to protect priority water bodies within the basin from significant harm due to groundwater withdrawals. The Wekiva River Basin is located within the Central Florida Water Initiative (CFWI) area.
Microsoft Teams Meeting (Online): https://tinyurl.com/4symrrvj
Microsoft TEAMS meeting ID: 259 182 554 596
TEAMS meeting Passcode: 4FnwHh
For people who cannot attend via TEAMS, the following call-in number information is provided:
Conference call: (386) 256-1151 (ID: 889 177 212#)
Establishing MFLs is an important component of the District’s work of planning for adequate water supplies for today and for future generations while also protecting the District’s water resources. Visit www.sjrwmd.com/minimumflowsandlevels/ for information about MFLs. Please direct any questions to Andrew Sutherland at asutherl@sjrwmd.com.
Important update on using the Lake Washington weir
We are asking for the boating public’s help in preventing damage to Lake Washington. For anyone operating an airboat in this area, it is imperative that you use the airboat crossing in order to prevent future damage to the embankment. Please see our flyer for additional information.
Recreation announcements
Following is a list of properties that are closed or have portions closed due to ongoing land management activities. We regret the temporary inconvenience, but the closures are necessary for public safety. If you have concerns or comments about any of these activities, please contact us at landmgmt@sjrwmd.com or 386-329-4404.
Posted 10-18-2023
A portion of Black Creek Ravines Conservation Area is undergoing sandhill restoration as part of the District’s long-term forest management and ecological restoration/enhancement plan. The 160-acre restoration area is in the sandhill west of the powerline corridor. Pile burning is anticipated to continue through summer 2024, and prescribed burns will be conducted on an 18- to 36-month cycle to keep the habitat healthy and to enhance native sandhill species. Learn more at www.sjrwmd.com/lands/recreation/black-creek-ravines.
Updated 2-7-2023
The area along the L-77 West Levee in the Blue Cypress Water Management Area, also known as Lake Garcia, has been designated an idle speed zone. Signs have been posted on property and are located at the motorboat and airboat ramps of the 512 recreation area. The idle speed zone extends 300 feet east of the L-77 West levee. To assist boaters navigate around the work area and in identifying the no wake zone, the District has installed orange buoys with strobing lights in Lake Garcia.
This idle speed zone has been temporarily established to alleviate erosion at the levee toe and will remain in place for approximately two years as the District works on planned reinforcements to the levee and littoral zone.
See recreational map for other areas to visit in the area.
Posted 5-1-2024
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), in cooperation with the District, began a project April 30 to shred tussocks at Emeralda Marsh Conservation Area. Work started in areas 6 and 7 and will be followed by shredding floating tussocks in Area 3 near the boat ramp and bridge. The project also will include shredding Cuban bulrush filling the internal canal on the northwest side of the Q cell and Yale Canal. Next, a small area of tussocks at the first entrance into Area 2 (coming from the lake) will be shredded to better facilitate water exchange, and the project will wrap up in Area 4. The project is expected to be completed in approximately 10 days. (Images courtesy of FWC.)
Posted 4-25-2024
Fellsmere Water Management Area, including Headwaters Lake, will be closed April 30 to May 2 (weather permitting) as the District conducts aerial treatments on 1,200 acres of floating plants to address ongoing navigation concerns, manage water control structures and protect the lake’s health. Notices will be posted at the property. Questions may be directed to the District’s Bureau of Land Resources at 321-984-4940.
Posted 6-22-2023
The footbridge on the red trail within the Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area is closed until notice. The footbridge was damaged and needs repairs for the public’s safety. Please see map for location.
Still Road Timber Sale
Posted 3-21-2023
Areas within Heart Island Conservation Area totaling 235 acres (see map) will undergo a pine plantation second thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads may be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through May 16, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Lake George Wildlife Management Area.
Flat Road Timber sale
Posted 9-28-2023
Areas within Heart Island Conservation Area totaling 424 acres (see map) will undergo a first thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads may be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through July 12, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Lake George Wildlife Management Area.
Truck Trail 12 Timber sale
Posted 9-28-2023
Areas within Heart Island Conservation Area totaling 116 acres (see map) will undergo a pine plantation second thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads may be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through May 16, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Lake George Wildlife Management Area.
Deep Creek Timber sale
Posted 9-29-2023
Areas within Heart Island Conservation Area totaling 178 acres (see map) will undergo a pine plantation second thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads may be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through November 15, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Lake George Wildlife Management Area.
County Rd. 224 Timber sale
Posted 9-28-2023
Areas within J.P. Hall Bayard Point Conservation Area totaling 161 acres (see map) will undergo a first thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads may be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through August 28, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Bayard Wildlife Management Area.
Posted on 4-16-2024
April 16–May 2, Operations and Maintenance will be resurfacing the Loop Trail from the “plug” on Lake Level Canal to the Duda Crossroads. A detour is set up on Lake Level Canal Road and McDonald Canal Road.
Posted on 4-16-2024
May 6–16, Operations and Maintenance staff will be installing a culvert from the F-Pond to the Apopka-Beauclair (AB) Canal. The AB Canal Road will be closed to traffic, but this is north of the Hump-back Bridge and not part of the Loop Trail. No public impact is anticipated.
Posted on 4-16-2024
May 20–23, Operations and Maintenance will be replacing a pipe between Phase 1 and a small pump basin on Roach Road. No public impact is anticipated.
Posted on 4-16-2024
May 28–June 7, Operations and Maintenance staff will be replacing a pipe under the Laughlin Road, just south of McDonald Canal Road. The road will be closed for two weeks to all traffic, including the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, over Memorial Day weekend. Due to the location of this project, no detour is available. Pedestrians can use the Loop Trail to get around the project.
Posted 4-29-2024
The red, red/white, and white trails are closed until further notice due to a fuels reduction mulch mowing project underway at the conservation area. See map for project location.
Posted 3-16-2022
Effective 3/16/2022, the District has closed a portion of the Levee Trail on Rice Creek Conservation Area due to repairs needed on a foot bridge crossing Rice Creek. The portion will be closed indefinitely but does not affect the entire Levee Trail or the Florida National Scenic Trail.
Posted 7-7-2023
An area within Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area totaling 165 acres (see map) will undergo a fuelwood harvest timber sale. Some internal roads may be impacted. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. The contract allows the work to be conducted through May 18, 2024. This work could impact hunting within the Silver Springs Forest Wildlife Management Area.
Updated 3-29-24
Beginning Oct. 3, 2023, the S-157 structure located along the C-54 canal in St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park will be closed to the public. This closure is necessary as the structure undergoes rehabilitation construction, which is anticipated to continue through September 2024.
During this period, public access to and across the S-157 structure will not be permitted. The restricted area will also include the manatee overlook pavilion and spillway. Alternate access points to the state park can be found on the park map available here.
Please monitor this page for updates or contact St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park at 321-953-5005.
Updated 4-16-2024
Areas within Sunnyhill Restoration Area South Tract will undergo a pine thinning timber sale. The objective of this sale is tree density reduction, freeing up growing space for the best quality trees, thus maintaining and improving forest health. Various interior roads and recreational trails will be impacted by the thinning operation. When work is underway, please be careful with the logging trucks entering and exiting the property. Contracts allow the work to be conducted through Nov. 30, 2024.
Temporary website outages
We want your visit to www.sjrwmd.com to be a positive and productive experience. At times, we will need to perform routine hardware and software maintenance that may cause some areas of the site to be intermittently off-line. We do apologize for this temporary, but necessary, inconvenience. We are working diligently to quickly restore complete functionality to the site.
Next scheduled outage:
None at this time.
Office closures
2024
- May 27
- July 4
- Sept. 2
- Nov. 11
- Nov. 28–29
- Dec. 25