Sediment and Vegetation Study

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) contracted with PB to complete a study of the distribution and characteristics of sediment and vegetation within the Tsala Apopka chain of lakes in Citrus County. Prior to this project, information on sediment depths and composition had been very limited in this chain of lakes. To determine the composition and accumulation of sediments and to assess the extent of proliferation of tussock vegetation, the Citrus County Task Force (the Task Force) and the Citrus County Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Citrus/Hernando Waterways Restoration Council recommended that a diagnostic study be performed.

The goals of this study were to:

  • Calculate the quantity of lake bottom sediment
  • Calculate the area and volume of generalized vegetation classifications
  • Analyze selected physical and chemical properties of sediments from the 15 specific lakes located within the chain
  • Categorize the vegetation in the fifteen specific lakes located within the chain

To achieve these goals, the FWC commissioned this Diagnostic Survey of Sediment and Vegetation on the Tsala Apopka Chain of Lakes (the Study), which included literature review, data collection, sediment sampling, laboratory analysis, vegetation classification, hydrographic surveying, mapping, and reporting.

The results of the Study are presented in the following reports.

  • Volume 1 Study 
  • Volume 2 - Hernando Pool Study 
  • Volume 3 - Inverness Pool Study 
  • Volume 4 - Floral City Pool Study 

The following 15 lakes make up the Tsala Apopka chain. An extensive network of structures divides the lakes into three primary pools.

Hernando Pool
Inverness Pool
Floral City Pool
  • Dodd Lake (330 acres)
  • Bellamy Lake (50 acres)
  • Todd Lake (510 acres)
  • Hernando Lake (670 acres)
  • Croft Lake (360 acres)
  • Van Ness Lake (320 acres)
  • Point Lonesome Lake (360 acres)
  • Tsala Apopka Lake (840 acres)
  • Little Henderson Lake (340 acres)
  • Big Henderson Lake (430 acres)
  • Spivey Lake (270 acres)
  • Davis Lake (210 acres)
  • Tussock Lake (380 acres)
  • Hampton Lake (120 acres)
  • Floral City Lake (590 acres)

For each of the above lakes, the project team reviewed available data; determined work area boundaries; collected and mapped depths to the top of sediment and bottom of sediment; classified, mapped, and computed tussock volumes; and collected and analyzed multiple sediment samples. Methodologies and analyses completed for each lake are summarized below and supported by the attached appendices.