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Apopka

District closing Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive Friday

North Shore will remain open for recreational use

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The St. Johns River Water Management District’s Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive will be closed to vehicles on Friday, April 15th. The closure is necessary for public safety to support the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) as it conducts hydrilla treatments of Lake Apopka. The drive will reopen to vehicular traffic on Saturday, April 16.

Hydrilla is an invasive submerged aquatic perennial plant. It forms dense masses and oating mats which shade out native aquatic plant species and compete for nutrients. Fish size and populations levels may be affected where dense hydrilla stands to interfere with fishing. Hydrilla interferes with boating, fishing, and swimming. It can also slow water movement in waterways and irrigation canals. Dense stands can even cause flooding and water quality deteriorates as oxygen decreases and pH and temperature increase. The impacts can be both environmental and economic.

Hydrilla
Hydrilla

The FWC manages hydrilla on a lake-by-lake basis using a collaborative approach. The FWC makes management decisions after comparing the benefits that low to moderate levels of hydrilla can provide for fish and wildlife, and the desires of various stakeholder groups against the impact this invasive plant can have on native plant communities, access, and navigation, flood control, and management costs.

Lake Apopka North Shore will remain open for recreational use during this time.

WHAT: Closure of the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive

WHEN: Friday, April 15th

WHERE: Lake Apopka North Shore Wildlife Drive entrance, 2850 Lust Road, Apopka, FL 32705   

Recreational closures of District lands are shared online and on social media. For recreational announcements and property closures on District lands, visit www.sjrwmd.com/recreation.

For additional information regarding aquatic plant management, please visit www.myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/habitat/invasive-plants/aquatic-plant/.

St. Johns River Water Management District staff are committed to ensuring the sustainable use and protection of water resources for the benefit of the people of the district and the state of Florida. The St. Johns River Water Management District is one of five districts in Florida managing groundwater and surface water supplies in the state. The district encompasses all or part of 18 northeast and east-central Florida counties. District headquarters are in Palatka, and staff also are available to serve the public at service centers in Jacksonville and Palm Bay.

St. John's River Water Management District, SJRWMD, Lake Apopka North Shore, Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, Hydrilla

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