Alafia River Minimum Flows and Levels - Southwest Florida Water ...
Alafia River Minimum Flows and Levels - Southwest Florida Water ...
Alafia River Minimum Flows and Levels - Southwest Florida Water ...
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
2.2.4 Lithia Springs Sub-Basin<br />
The Lithia Springs sub-basin includes both McDonald <strong>and</strong> McCullough Branches<br />
<strong>and</strong> covers approximately 19 square miles (16,281 acres). This sub-basin has<br />
become increasingly more residential, while upl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> agricultural acreage<br />
has declined. In 1972, approximately 13 percent of the basin was urbanized; by<br />
1999 this had increased to 34 percent. During this same time, agricultural<br />
acreage declined considerably; in 1972, 47% percent of this basin was in<br />
agriculture, but by 1999 this had declined to 28%. Upl<strong>and</strong>s decreased from 24%<br />
to 13% from 1972 to 1999. L<strong>and</strong> use maps <strong>and</strong> tables for this sub-basin are<br />
included in the appendix.<br />
2.2.5 Fish Hawk Creek Sub-Basin<br />
The Fish Hawk Creek sub-basin covers approximately 22 square miles (14,288<br />
acres) <strong>and</strong> includes Doe Branch, Flat Creek <strong>and</strong> Fish Hawk Creek. Of the eight<br />
sub-basins delineated for this report, only the Fish Hawk sub-basin showed a net<br />
increase in agricultural l<strong>and</strong>s between 1972 <strong>and</strong> 1999. Citrus acreage declined<br />
from 540 acres in 1972 to 328 acres by 1999, but other agricultural uses<br />
increased from 3,332 acres to 4,972 acres. Most of this increase in agricultural<br />
l<strong>and</strong>s occurred in the pasturel<strong>and</strong>/cropl<strong>and</strong> category. Mining has occurred in this<br />
sub-basin; 1,301 acres were mined between 1972 <strong>and</strong> 1999, adding to the 1,966<br />
acres, which had already been mined. Although residential development has<br />
been occurring at an increased rate since 1999, only 2% of this sub-basin was<br />
urbanized in 1999. The predominant l<strong>and</strong> use in 1999 was agriculture (37%<br />
which includes a small amount of citrus). Although considerable upl<strong>and</strong>s were<br />
lost between 1972 <strong>and</strong> 1999, upl<strong>and</strong>s was still the second most common l<strong>and</strong><br />
use in 1999 (26%). A total of 23% of this sub-basin was mined by 1999. L<strong>and</strong><br />
use maps <strong>and</strong> tables for this sub-basin are included in the appendix.<br />
2.2.6 Buckhorn Creek Sub-Basin<br />
The Buckhorn Creek sub-basin is the smallest sub-basin delineated for this<br />
report (4,826 acres). Since Buckhorn Springs is the subject of a specific MFL<br />
determination, it was deemed desirable to characterize this sub-basin's l<strong>and</strong> use<br />
separately. The amount of l<strong>and</strong> in residential use has increased substantially<br />
since 1972. In 1972, approximately 38% of its eight square miles had been<br />
urbanized. By 1999, the amount of urbanized l<strong>and</strong> had increased to 75%. The<br />
percent of l<strong>and</strong> in agriculture has decreased from a combined 30% (citrus <strong>and</strong><br />
other) to 7%, <strong>and</strong> upl<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s have decreased from a combined 32% to<br />
15%. L<strong>and</strong> use maps <strong>and</strong> tables for this sub-basin are included in the appendix.<br />
2-26