HB 0849 2004
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the Wekiva River Basin; creating s.
3	163.3247, F.S.; providing a popular name; providing
4	legislative intent with respect to protecting the Wekiva
5	River Basin and implementing certain findings and
6	recommendations of the Wekiva River Basin Coordinating
7	Committee; providing an effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1. Section 163.3247, Florida Statutes, is created
12	to read:
13	163.3247 Wekiva River Basin Parkway and Protection Act.--
14	(1) POPULAR NAME.--This section shall be known by the
15	popular name the "Wekiva River Basin Parkway and Protection
16	Act."
17	(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT.--
18	(a) The Legislature recognizes the Wekiva River and its
19	tributaries, along with the St. Johns River and associated lands
20	in central Florida, as one of the most valuable natural assets
21	of the state. The Wekiva River and its tributaries have been
22	designated an Outstanding Florida Water, a National Wild and
23	Scenic River, a Florida Wild and Scenic River, and a Florida
24	Aquatic Preserve.
25	(b) In 1988, the Legislature enacted the Wekiva River
26	Protection Act, codified in part II of chapter 369, to protect
27	the resources of the Wekiva River Basin. The Wekiva River
28	Protection Act delineates an area comprising portions of Lake,
29	Orange, and Seminole Counties as the Wekiva River Protection
30	Area.
31	(c) The Wekiva River is a spring-fed system associated
32	with 19 second-magnitude and third-magnitude springs and
33	numerous smaller springs. The Legislature recognizes that a
34	spring is only as healthy as its groundwater recharge basin. The
35	groundwater that feeds springs is recharged by seepage from the
36	surface and through direct conduits, such as sinkholes. Because
37	of this, the health of the spring system is directly influenced
38	by activities and land uses within the spring recharge basin.
39	(d) Protection of groundwater that recharges the springs
40	connected to the Wekiva River is important to the long-term
41	viability of the Wekiva River ecosystem and the region's water
42	supply. The Water Needs and Sources Assessment indicates that
43	the Wekiva Basin is located in a Priority Water Resource Caution
44	Area, indicating that water supply problems are projected to
45	become critical by 2010 and projected water use may result in
46	unacceptable impacts to natural systems and groundwater quality.
47	(e) Because the majority of the groundwater recharge basin
48	of the Wekiva River is located outside the Wekiva River
49	Protection Area as delineated in part II of chapter 369, no
50	special protection currently exists for critical groundwater
51	recharge lands. The Wekiva River Springs Protection Area shall
52	consist of Lake, Orange, and Seminole Counties.
53	(f) It is the intent of the Legislature to review the
54	findings and recommendations of the Wekiva River Basin
55	Coordinating Committee, created by Executive Order No. 03-112,
56	and implement those findings and recommendations that are
57	compatible with good government and property rights.
58	Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2004.