NEWS RELEASE

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

April 9, 1999

CONTACT: Tim King or Danon Moxley (941) 499-2421

TENOROC TO GET $8 MILLION FACELIFT

Tenoroc Fish Management Area (FMA), known as a haven for quality bass fishing, will expand public recreational opportunities following completion of an ambitious $8 million project now underway. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are planning to reclaim and enhance portions of the 6,400-acre former phosphate mine. The project will benefit the Upper Peace River Basin by supplying additional water flow to one of its major water sources, Saddle Creek.

The natural drainage system of the Saddle Creek watershed was disrupted by mining operations in the late 1960s. Unreclaimed ponds, overrun with vegetation and filled with clay sediments from mining operations, now retain rainwater that once flowed through the creek and into Lake Hancock. Runoff that avoids capture in Tenoroc's lakes and ponds is routed through old mining ditches that bypass nutrient-cleansing wetlands, all adding to the watershed's problems. Thus, mining operations at Tenoroc have caused a severe reduction in the quality and quantity of water flow in the Upper Peace River Basin.

Tenoroc's network of fishing lakes and varied land forms are a result of permissive mining regulations that were in force in the early 1970s. As more stringent reclamation guidelines took effect over time, part of the area was restored, some of the pits were filled or sloped and other areas were replanted. Despite those efforts, about a third of Tenoroc still lies unreclaimed. The patchwork reclamation efforts at Tenoroc have resulted in a unique mix of open and heavily vegetated habitats that were unfortunately, not designed to restore the Saddle Creek Basin as a functioning ecosystem.

Even so, Tenoroc offers refuge to a surprising array of wildlife. According to local birding enthusiasts, the number of species sighted at Tenoroc presently rivals the number at Disney's Wilderness Preserve. Tenoroc lies along a major historical migration route that once followed hardwood forests lining the Peace River. However, with the new drainage plan in place, the prospect for improving existing fish and wildlife habitat is significant.

"We plan to convert most of the willow infested clay ponds that trap water into diverse wetlands containing an array of plants that filter water," said FWC Reclamation Biologist Tim King, who is working closely with DEP on the project.

Biologists and engineers are working to create 400 to 600 acres of prime wetlands where clay settling ponds once existed. These wetlands will provide ideal habitat for waterfowl and wading birds. The wetlands will also substantially increase the discharge of clean water into Saddle Creek, thereby helping to remedy the water shortage in the Upper Peace River Basin. An additional benefit to anglers will result from moving water through Tenoroc's famous bass fishing lakes into the new wetlands. Anglers know that water flow concentrates fish. The exchange would improve water quality and sportfish productivity in the pits as well.

The plan uses Department of Transportation (DOT) and DEP funding, earmarked for road mitigation and mine reclamation projects. Tenoroc is eligible for $4.5 million in funding from DEP's Bureau of Mine Reclamation. Mitigation monies for wildlife habitat improvements from DOT's Polk Parkway adds another $3.5 million to the pot.

Tenoroc Area Manager Danon Moxley said, "The key to the success of the project will lie in the revitalized wetlands at the south end of Tenoroc. In addition, the enhanced habitat conditions will mean better recreational opportunities for the many wildlife watchers and anglers that use this popular area."

For more information concerning reclamation efforts or fishing opportunities at Tenoroc FMA, contact Tim King or Danon Moxely at (941) 499-2422.