tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75603084142253830362011-08-01T16:12:32.272-04:00The most comprehensive source of information on the St. Johns River. Please check back often for breaking news, environmental updates and information about fishing, boating and trip planning.Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-5431924343414008572010-06-08T01:11:00.000-04:002010-06-08T01:11:31.789-04:00

SJR Magazine publisher Steve Barnes is running for Florida State House, District 34. For more information, please visit www.SteveBarnes2010.com. (Political advertising paid for and approved by Steve Barnes, Democrat for Florida State House, District 34.)

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-44670398767159503152010-06-08T00:49:00.000-04:002010-06-08T00:49:18.999-04:00

Thank you all so much for following St. Johns River Magazine. Recently, we have consolidated this publication with our sister site, My Florida River. While the format is a little different, My Florida River is much more comprehensive. You will still find articles about the St. Johns River, but there is also news about other water issues in Florida, including the Gulf oil spill. In the coming

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-62102232954426123542009-05-10T16:06:00.002-04:002009-05-10T16:12:58.422-04:00

Dear readers,Please ask Gov. Crist to veto SB 2080, which would dramatically reduce the opportunity for public input into water policy decisions made by the water management districts. Below is the letter I sent. Please feel free to use it as a guide, but do add your own language. Failure to do so often reduces the weight given to your letter. If you e-mail your letter, please write: "Veto SB

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-66481724714004527802009-04-14T00:20:00.002-04:002009-04-14T00:30:32.933-04:00

Hi folks,Despite our best efforts and a crowd that overflowed three rooms, the SJRWMD board approved Seminole's permit request to pump millions of gallons per day from the St. Johns.While this is a very discouraging development, the huge turnout - about 300 people spent all day at the meeting - let the District know that we are not going to put up with this any more.The vote was 5-4 in favor of

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-21876996668240449552009-04-01T21:10:00.000-04:002009-04-01T21:11:29.643-04:00

Dear Friends,In less than two weeks, on April 13, 2009, the Governing Board of the St. Johns River Water Management District will vote on whether or not to issue the Yankee Lake permit that will allow Seminole County to begin to remove freshwater from the St. Johns River. This permit is for 5.5 million gallons a day (MGD) and could eventually increase to 55 MGD. Other counties and utilities are

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-32997420475659452402009-03-27T15:06:00.002-04:002009-03-27T15:12:27.720-04:00

Florida's Soil and Water Conservation Districts are facing budgetary cuts that would significantly reduce our ability to perform our obligations. Please contact your representatives in the State House and Senate and let them know you support continued funding for these vital state agencies.Sample letter:Dear RepresentativeAs an Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Committee member or

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-43269464392168551702009-03-17T10:54:00.003-04:002009-03-17T10:59:27.416-04:00

Please check out http://www.myfloridariver.com/ for the latest stories about the ongoing water wars. Today, Jacksonville couple to donate $150,000 for legal fight and City of Jacksonville to ask water management district to delay Seminole's plan to pump from the river until ecological studies are complete.

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-25242419681722446022009-03-03T09:35:00.000-05:002009-03-03T09:36:02.010-05:00

From Save our Aquifer:Dear friends and families,Here is your chance to participate in a public demonstration! Wednesday, March 4, 2009, participants will be gathering on the sidewalk on the northeast corner of Barton Ave. and Huntington Lane (Rockledge City Hall) to show their concerns and objections to the City's plan to annually inject 180 million gallons of partially treated sewage into the

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-38524064508610360392009-02-24T10:16:00.000-05:002009-02-24T10:17:16.476-05:00

Resolution No. 2009-A RESOLUTION OPPOSING PROPOSALS TO WITHDRAW WATER FROM THE ST. JOHNS RIVER AND OCKLAWAHA RIVER SYSTEMS; EMPHASIZING WATER CONSERVATION MEASURES AS A MORE APPROPRIATE ALTERNATE SOURCE OF WATER WITHIN THE DISTRICT; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, the St. Johns River, the Ocklawaha River, and their tributaries are outstanding natural resources of irreplaceable

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-54708393366498096072009-02-24T10:10:00.001-05:002009-02-24T10:12:04.343-05:00

Just a few moments ago, the Lake County Board of Commissioners passed a resolution opposing withdrawals of surface water from the St. Johns and Ocklawaha rivers. The full version of the resolution will be posted soon.

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-4363256125001184632009-02-19T23:27:00.002-05:002009-02-19T23:36:02.727-05:00

Here are the contacts for the people who will be making the final decision on Seminole County's plan to pump millions of gallons of water per day from the St. Johns River. Please write or call to let them know that you oppose the plan prior to the April 13 meeting!Tell them that at the very least, the District should:1) Implement stonger conservation measures before tapping the river2) The

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-13319711867300283782009-02-19T17:27:00.002-05:002009-02-19T17:33:27.108-05:00

The Lake County Board of Commissioners will vote Tuesday, Feb., 24 on a resolution opposing Seminole County's plans to pump millions of gallons of water daily from the St. Johns River. Please try to make the meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. to support this resolution.The full agenda is available here: http://www.lakecountyfl.gov/board_agendas/board_regular_meetings.aspxThe language of the proposed

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-4062244551973993432009-02-19T14:34:00.002-05:002009-02-19T14:44:00.364-05:00

Special Board meeting scheduled for April 13PALATKA, Fla., Jan. 30, 2009 - The St. Johns River Water Management District has scheduled a special public Governing Board meeting for April 13 to consider the recommended order in the pending case that challenged the District's proposed issuance of a permit to Seminole County to withdraw surface water from the St. Johns River for public supply and

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-39466344189581593752009-01-30T10:15:00.002-05:002009-01-30T10:17:57.064-05:00

Hi folks,Please check out todays "My Word" column in the Orlando Sentinel.Thanks,Steve

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-15201977567996924002009-01-14T18:47:00.002-05:002009-01-14T18:50:36.134-05:00

Hi folks,A judge ruled this week that Seminole can move ahead with plans to pump up to 5.5 million gallons of water per day from the St. Johns River. This is a very bad development that will lead to environmental destruction as well as economic problems.For the sake of my sanity, I am posting all information related to this topic on my other site, www.MyFloridaRiver.com. Please visit for daily

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-89042907681479778092009-01-06T21:15:00.002-05:002009-01-06T21:18:03.838-05:00

Hi everyone,Just wanted to say thanks for reading and invite you to check out my new site, www.MyFloridaRiver.com. The site is designed to become a hub for river, lake and spring advocates around the state. Please check it out and feel free to offer suggestions or provide content.Thanks,Steve

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-70493275229032426092009-01-05T16:22:00.000-05:002009-01-05T16:23:16.317-05:00

Wednesday, January 21, 2009One Woman's Solo Paddle on the St. Johns RiverJoin us as Michelle Thatcher, Executive Director of the Association of Florida Conservation Districts, takes us on her solo journey, down the historic St. John's River. This is her adventure of getting up close and personal with the river once called the "Nile of the Americas" via alligators, wild hogs, hunters, other river

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-74308301358920344712009-01-05T11:06:00.002-05:002009-01-05T11:08:39.663-05:00

A good story about aquifer storage and recovery, a growing, and to my mind, ill-advised attempt at managing our water supplies. This story explains that residents near an ASR well are being told not to use their wells, even though officials insist there is no danger.http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090105/NEWS01/901050316/1006

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-22754198820782969912009-01-03T21:22:00.004-05:002009-01-03T21:30:32.128-05:00

Hi everyone,Please consider volunteering to help remove invasive air potatoes from the Spring Hammock Preserve Sat., Jan. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon. This is a fun event that helps keep a wonderful natural area from becoming completely overgrown by this aggressive plant. Please click on the flier for more details.If you would like to participate under the banner of the Seminole Democrats Community

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-83536679256189371602008-12-30T12:28:00.003-05:002008-12-30T12:30:55.108-05:00

With our trip behind us, it's back to work. Please visit the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District's new FaceBook site for information about upcoming meetings and events:http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=53763106353#/group.php?gid=35604503821Additional information is available on our website: www.conserveseminole.org.Happy Holidays,Steve

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-38698999576857974762008-12-23T21:36:00.000-05:002008-12-23T21:37:18.621-05:00

http://www.news-journalonline.com/special/water

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-22999777379631590982008-12-15T19:16:00.005-05:002008-12-15T22:37:14.699-05:00

After a very cold night spent making friends with some very warm people who had gathered in anticipation of the forthcoming boat parade, we set sail for home.It was a gorgeous day, again with following winds that allowed us to motorsail with the engine throttle set to "turtle."We approached Lake Monroe with mixed feelings; we were glad to be on our way home to family and friends, but also sad

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-47503235744298416132008-12-14T08:47:00.006-05:002008-12-15T19:15:56.994-05:00

The day dawned clear and blustery. After surviving a rocky night at Georgetown Marina, we set off across Lake George in 20+ knot winds out of the northwest. The waves were about two feet and a little confused because the wind had been blowing out of the south for the past few days. Still, with the wind at our back, River Rat performed well, reaching her top ever speed of 7.6 knots as we surfed

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-71553684537593051552008-12-11T15:25:00.003-05:002008-12-11T15:32:04.340-05:00

Thursday, Dec. 11: We are hunkered down. A squall line associated with the approaching cold front is expected to bring sustained winds of 30-35 mph with possible gusts of 50 + mph. We are backed into the slip with our bow pointed toward Lake George and as I write this the storm is here! Suddenly all hell is breaking loose. Our tiny boat is tied securely with extra lines and covered with tarps to

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-78670975631626644452008-12-11T15:21:00.003-05:002008-12-11T15:41:24.265-05:00

Day 10: Wednesday, Dec. 10:Arrived at the north end of Lake George around 2:30 and toyed with the idea of crossing. But with another cold front forecast to bring 35 mph + winds and the knowledge that it would be dark before we reached the Volusia Bar on the South side of the lake, we decided to hunker down at Georgetown Marina, just north of the mouth of the lake.This is the second time during

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-33645960256067308162008-12-11T15:15:00.004-05:002008-12-11T15:38:53.778-05:00

Day 9: Tuesday, Dec. 9 Orange Park to East Palatka:Engine seems to be fine. What I took for smoke may well have been steam. Unfortunately, the time spent investigating the “problem” put an end to our hopes for an early start and means a longer day on the water. To be on the safe side, we motored at low speeds most of the day and into the night. This stretch of river is wide, but less developed

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-33646708228603595562008-12-08T19:58:00.004-05:002008-12-08T20:12:02.503-05:00

Day 7 (Monday, Dec. 08) Safe Harbor, Jacksonville to Whitney Marine, Orange ParkAfter arriving in Jacksonville Friday, we visited with my dear friends Doug and Robin Smith who run Safe Harbor Boys Home. Boys at the home live on boats donated by caring supporters and learn all things nautical as well as attending a special school on campus. While we were there, the boys were building their own

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-62183410092706021252008-12-07T11:50:00.002-05:002008-12-07T12:27:58.708-05:00

This huge ship nearly ran us down as we approached the Dames Point bridge in Jacksonville. It was coming through the bridge on a collision course with us (we were far outside the channel). Fortunately, the captain was able to make the sharp right turn to remain in the channel and we were spared. But for a few minutes that seemed like a lifetime, I thought for sure we were going to die. After our

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-10455755212503814562008-12-07T11:49:00.000-05:002008-12-07T11:50:30.742-05:00

coming soon

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-68013925719674995412008-12-07T11:14:00.004-05:002008-12-07T11:49:12.180-05:00

River Rat docked at Murphy Creek, an incredibly beautiful primitive campground run by the St. Johns River Water Management District. The site features a handful of campsites situated around fire pits. We stopped for a short hike on our way to Palatka and plan to stop for the night on our way home. During our stop, we had the place to ourselves. There is no cost to stay at the campsites and the

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-284792679749091532008-12-02T11:44:00.002-05:002008-12-07T11:16:10.946-05:00

Day 4 (Monday, Dec. 1) Astor to SatsumaThis marks the first day I did not write in my paper journal at the end of the day’s leg. I was simply too tired. The day began at Astor Bridge Marina where SR 40 crosses the river. Though we had lost a day to forecast high winds that never really materialized, I am growing philosophical about the timing of the trip. This was never about meeting schedules so

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-36531757783277959442008-12-02T11:41:00.001-05:002008-12-02T11:44:19.076-05:00

Day 3 (Sunday, Nov. 30) 10:15 – 10:30 a.m. Astor to AstorThis surely is the shortest voyage ever undertaken. Plans had us crossing Lake George, but mother nature had other plans and a forecast for high winds and possible tornadoes had us taking refuge at the protected harbor of Astor Bridge Marina, directly across the river from the Blackwater Inn.The weather turned nasty and my brother Jeff

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-30275501396789121362008-12-02T11:35:00.003-05:002008-12-02T11:40:29.296-05:00

Day 2 (Saturday, Nov. 29) Hontoon Island to Astor (10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.; about 20 miles)Weather again perfect, with light following breeze and temps in the mid-70’s. This stretch of the river is particularly beautiful, with few homes and vast expanses of hardwood swamp along both shores. Several elbows in the river would be ideal for overnight anchorage.Life aboard a small vessel like River Rat is

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-29471468993435279812008-12-02T11:28:00.003-05:002008-12-02T11:35:15.609-05:00

Day 1 (Friday, Nov. 28 – the day after Thanksgiving)Sanford to Hontoon Island State Park 12:30 - 4:30 p.m. (roughly 20 miles)We left Sanford late after spending two hours adding what seemed like hundreds of pounds of unnecessary provisions. The day was one of those perfect fall afternoons that make me love Florida so much. The temperature hovered around 75 degrees and a light, southwest wind

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-3180082609314549942008-11-06T22:23:00.006-05:002008-11-24T22:47:10.330-05:00

Hi folks,With the campaign behind us, we are moving forward with our long-planned trip down the St. Johns to meet with elected officials, business leaders and environmentalists in an effort to build partnerships that will allow us to find solutions to our pressing water problems without resorting to "water wars." We plan to leave Sanford on or about Nov. 16 and take our time cruising along in our

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-32655147656531389392008-11-06T22:19:00.002-05:002008-11-06T22:22:41.467-05:00

Hi folks,The long campaign season is over and Seminole County voters honored me with a resounding win! I am so honored by that trust and promise to always put conservation and the protection of our quality of life ahead of partisanship. For details on the outcome of the race, please visit my campaign 'blog.

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7560308414225383036.post-41153669708038780782008-09-06T21:21:00.007-04:002008-09-07T00:57:25.291-04:00

Hi, I'm Steve Barnes with the Seminole Soil and Water Conservation District. As a former environmental reporter, I was often frustrated by the lack of a comprehensive source of information on the St. Johns. And, as a sailor and kayaker who has spent many, many hours on the river, I wanted to share some of my knowledge and love of the St. Johns with others.I'm in the middle of a re-election

Seminole Hubnoreply@blogger.com0