Orange Lake

Habitat

Management Plan

Stakeholder Input

Process

Public Meeting #1

July 14th, 2015

Ground Rules Please:

Allow others to express their opinions, even if

they are different from your own.

Respect time limits.

Listen, and allow others the opportunity to

speak when it is their turn.

Silence cell phones when in the meeting

room.

Remember that everyone is here because

they care about Orange Lake.

Normandeau Team

Christine Denny

Fay Baird

Karen Hill

Adam Kent

Ondine Wells

FWC

HABITAT MANAGEMENT

GUIDELINES FOR THE

AQUATIC RESOURCES OF

THE ORANGE CREEK BASIN

(Guidelines)

STAKEHOLDER

INPUT

HABITAT

MANAGEMENT PLAN

(HMP)

FWC

HABITAT MANAGEMENT

GUIDELINES FOR THE

AQUATIC RESOURCES OF

THE ORANGE CREEK BASIN

(Guidelines)

STAKEHOLDER INPUT

HABITAT MANAGEMENT

PLAN (HMP)

Meeting 1 Collecting input on

lake issues

Meeting 2 Goals and Objectives

October 2015

Meeting 3

Action Items

December/

January 2015

Meeting 4 Review and

Comment on HMP

March 2016

Promise to Stakeholders

The Normandeau project team promises to provide

opportunities for stakeholders to offer input into

development of the FWC Orange Lake HMP. We promise

to consider all stakeholder input and recommendations

for lake management goals, objectives, and actions. We

promise to address and balance, where feasible, the

needs of stakeholder groups along with FWC habitat

management guidelines for the lake.

FWC is committed to an HMP that consists of

stakeholder supported management actions that are

within FWC’s jurisdiction. FWC will make the final

decisions on content of the plan.

Orange Creek Basin Stakeholder Engagement

Public

Meeting

Interagency

Working Group

Identify Themes

Public Input

Identify Issues

Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP) Process

Community Working Groups

•Appropriate agency will lead/facilitate.

•Work on issues within a theme:

•Develop management plans.

•Gather data and information.

•Report on feasibility and costs of projects.

•Stakeholder involvement.

•Provide updates through BMAP process

Interagency

Working Group

Project Development

Orange Creek Basin September 25th 2014 Public Meeting

Open Format

Asked public give us

their concerns

Use these concerns

to determine where

agencies should

focus their efforts

Orange Creek Basin Community Working Groups

Orange Lake Habitat Management – Florida Fish and Wildlife

Conservation Commission

Highway 301 Issue – Interagency Working Group

Herbicide Workshop - Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Hydrology/Geology Workshop

Airboat Curfew Letter – Alachua County

Nutrient/BMAP Question – Department of Environmental Protection

Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan Community Working Group

FWC is the lead agency

Stakeholders will be involved from the beginning and throughout the process

Process will be facilitated by Normandeau Associates

Process is anticipated to take at least a year and a half

Interim Lake Management FWC recognizes immediate

management needs

There are financial, regulatory, and public opinion challenges to large scale tussock management

Therefore there is a need for Management during the Habitat Management Plan Process

A meeting to discuss this issue has been scheduled for August 18th 2014.

• Reviewed public comments from September and

December 2014 meetings

• One-on-one interviews

• Creating an online survey

• Holding 4 public meetings

Learning about stakeholders

There are a lot of Orange Lake

stakeholders

Recreational Fishing/Hunting

State Government

NGO-Environmental

Shoreline Property Owners

Fish Camps

Local Government

Scientific

Fishing equipment sales

Concerned Citizen/Local resident

Federal Government

Commercial Hunting (frog, alligator)

Archeological/Historical

Nearby Business

Hunting/guide business

Non- hunting recreation- Kayaking,

birdwatching, etc.

Problems gaining boat access to the lake because of

floating vegetation.

Funding for lake maintenance and restoration.

Other top issues

– Concern that regional aquifer decline affects the lake

– Impact of the 301 weir

– Muck accumulation

Public Meetings- Lake Issues

Goals and Values in Common

The goal of a “healthy” lake.

Similar acceptance of suitable in-lake management

techniques.

Widespread suspicion about large-scale herbicide use.

Rural, undeveloped lake shoreline and immediate

surroundings is of great value.

Your input tonight is

important!

What is the focus of this HMP?

The HMP focus is on habitat management (which

includes management for access). The HMP

should not contain management

recommendations or actions that are outside of

FWC’s purview. FWC is responsible for managing

fish, wildlife, and their habitats for their long-term

well being and the benefit of people.

We would like your input on the

organization of the Orange Lake

Habitat Management Plan.

1. Introduction, Overview, and Purpose

2. Management Background and History

3. Overall Management Vision and Guiding Principles

Description of Geographic Units

North Marsh, Northeast Shore, MKR-Cross Creek,

Southeast Shore, PG Run, Essen Run, McIntosh Bay,

and Northwest Shore

Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan

(HMP) Draft Outline

4. Management Recommendations

4.1 Open Water Access and Navigation

• Description of Issue

4.1.1 Range of Conditions and Historic Conditions

• Include high, normal, and low water conditions for each geographic unit

4.1.2 Management Goals and Objectives

• Include goals and objectives for each geographic unit as applicable

• Each goal and objective will be marked with high, normal, or low to

indicate the conditions it applies to

4.1.3 Recommended Actions

• Actions for each objective

HMP Draft Outline, continued

4 Management Recommendations, continued

4.2 Tussocks/Floating Marsh

• Description of Issue

4.2.1 Range of Conditions and Historic Conditions

4.2.2 Management Goals and Objectives

4.2.3 Recommended Actions

4.3 Woody Vegetation Encroachment - Same structure as above

4.4 Muck/Sediment Accumulation

4.5 Invasive Species

4.6 Focal Wildlife Habitat

4.7 Other Issues to Include in the HMP – Stakeholder Input Needed

5. Monitoring, Metrics, and Timeline

6. Actions for Other Agencies to Consider

7. Summary and Conclusions

HMP Draft Outline, concluded

Table topics

Open Water

Access and Navigation

Tussocks/ Floating Marsh

Woody Vegetation

Encroachment Muck/

Sediment Accumulation

Invasive Species

Focal Wildlife habitat

Thank you for coming tonight.

Next public meeting: Oct 13, 2015,

6 to 9 pm, Grand Lake RV and Golf

Resort, Citra

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