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Water will now flow naturally between the Hernando pool of Lake Tsala Apopka and Potts Preserve thanks to a restoration project by the Southwest Florida Water Management District.

The District removed more than 15,000 cubic yards of fill material at 15 locations to restore the historic natural flow patterns of water between the preserve’s marsh and the lake system.

“We’re glad to have this final stage of the Potts Preserve hydrologic restoration project completed”, said Jeff Hagberg, District field operations manager. “Getting the historic, natural hydrology of the preserve restored has been the District’s goal since acquiring the property.”

District workers removed the fill material associated with the “western dike” and the “middle road” which have impeded the natural flow of water between the open water areas of the Hernando pool and the preserve’s marsh since the early 1950s. Workers spent nine weeks on the restoration project, grading down 4.5 acres of filled area to historic wetland levels

The dike and road were built by the previous land owners to connect upland islands to provide access to the more remote parts of the preserve, and to increase the amount of usable land for cattle grazing. These filled-in areas inhibited the natural movement of water from the Hernando pool into the preserve’s marsh, which impacted the hydrology of the marsh. The project was designed to restore the natural hydrology of the marsh.

The $74,000 restoration project took nine weeks to complete. The project was funded by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board.

Potts Preserve Restoration

• Potts Preserve is located in Northeastern Citrus County, east of Inverness.
• The restoration project was designed to restore the historic natural flow patterns of water between the preserve’s marsh and the Hernando pool of Lake Tsala Apopka.
• Fill material that was removed by the District was built by previous land owners to connect upland islands to provide access to the more remote parts of the preserve, and to increase the amount of usable land for cattle grazing.
• The District removed fill material at 15 locations (including Otter Slide).
• 15,100 cubic yards of material were removed.
• 4.5 acres of filled area were graded down to historic wetland levels.
• The project took nine weeks to complete.
• Project cost was $74,000. Funding was provided by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board.
• The 8,500-acre Potts Preserve was acquired by the District for protection of the area’s groundwater recharge, as well as important surface water features and wetland habitats.
• The preserve’s wetlands play a role in both the Tsala Apopka Lake chain and the Withlacoochee River systems, part of the Floridan aquifer’s recharge/discharge system.