HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Last week, Hernando County commissioners voted to ask the state of Florida to make Weeki Wachee River a springs protection zone following years of concerns that visitors were destroying the ecosystem.
The protection would mean that the hundreds of boaters who frequent the 7.4-mile river would not be allowed to anchor along its shore. It's a decision that's been three years in the making.
In 2018, community members raised their concerns over the impact boaters were having on the river, prompting the Southwest Florida Water Management District to conduct a year-long study.
SWFMD found that an average of 185 vessels were launching from the river every day – with the highest being nearly 700 vessels in a single day. According to the agency, the crowds were impacting the river's soil and vegetation by docking along its shores.
If approved, the designation would not stop visitors from kayaking or paddling, rather it would prevent people from congregating on the river's shore.
