“Unless we turn people away at the state line, I think the fate of this taxpayer investment is dependent on the implementation of effective management actions and enforcement,” he said. Shannon Turbeville, who has been pushing for river protection since 2016, said that it is critical that the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission take the right stand on the springs protection zone for the sake of both the river and the millions of dollars spent on the dredge. A dredging project is underway along the river and should be completed by May 2024. A carrying capacity study done by the water management district and Hernando County showed that sediment had been building up as water usage grew over the last decade.Ī manatee is seen in the clear waters of the Weeki Wachee River on June 14. The river dredging is an effort to restore the water quality and habitat in a river damaged in recent years primarily by recreational usage. The work will also increase the depth so that one of the most popular river dwellers, endangered Florida manatees, also will have clearer passage, Hagberg said. That vegetation will provide habitat for the many animals that call the river home, from wading birds to river otters. The $2.1 million dredge by Sea and Shoreline LLC is designed to restore the river to a state that will again allow vegetation growth in the riverbed and on the shore. And during a presentation to the media on Wednesday, Janie Hagberg, who heads up the project for the Southwest Florida Water Management District, said the work is expected to be done on time by this time next year. Since a new company took over last month, there has been no water clouding, officials said. When completed in May 2024, a total of 1.6 miles will have been dredged. Kayakers and their dog glide past a diver as he sucks sand from the bottom of the Weeki Wachee River on June 14 in Spring Hill.
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