New partnership to help protect Ichetucknee
By Rachael Anne Ryals
Herald Staff Writer

A new group called The Ichetucknee Partnership will give one united voice to the many organizations that have been working to protect the Ichetucknee River and springs for years.

The partnership, which includes municipalities, civic organizations and environmental groups, held its first meeting on April 24.

Cindy Johnson, coordinator of the partnership, said that the idea came from Jim Stevenson, coordinator of the Ichetucknee Springs Basin Working Group.

Stevenson, who has worked for more than a decade to protect the Ichetucknee, went before the Lake City - Columbia County Chamber of Commerce and "challenged" them to lead a united partnership to protect the Ichetucknee springshed, Johnson said.

A springshed is the surface area that contributes water to a spring. The Ichetucknee Springshed is approximately 384 square miles, with 93 percent of that in Columbia County, Johnson said.

After a few informal meetings and a lot of talking about ideas, the Suwannee River Water Management District pledged $750,000 to the partnership, to be spread over three years.

The Ichetucknee Partnership is patterned after the successful Suwannee River Partnership, Johnson said.

The partnership will show state leaders in Tallahassee that the area is committed and united to protecting the Ichetucknee springshed, Johnson said.

Stevenson said that the partnership will help more people become informed about how they can help protect the natural resource and beauty of the Ichetucknee.

"Education is extremely important," Stevenson said. "The public must understand how the Ichetucknee springshed functions. Each person can make a difference by how they manage their lawns, how they maintain their septic tanks and how they maintain their livestock."

At the meeting, the partnership formed three committees -- a committee for Best Management and Practices, a committee for Research and Monitoring and a committee for Education and Outreach.

An Executive Committee will form a 3-year action plan and budget based on the recommendations from the three committees.

The Executive Committee of the partnership will hold monthly meetings that are open to the public.

The Executive Committee members are: Chair Georgia Jones, from the Chamber of Commerce; Executive Director Jim Poole, from the Chamber of Commerce; Columbia County Administrator Dale Williams; Lake City Manager Scott Reynolds; Rotary Club Ichetucknee Promise Coordinator John Wheeler; Suwannee River Water Management District Executive Director David Still; and, Suwannee River Partnership Chair Larry Arrington.

Stevenson said that having the chamber involved is important because its members tend to be community leaders and are very effective in spreading information.

But Stevenson said the partnership will need the help of all residents.

"The future health of the Ichetucknee will be determined by the activities of the citizens of Lake City and Columbia County," Stevenson said.