Wekiva Wild and Scenic River Act of 2000
PL 106-299 (H.R.2773), enacted 10/13/2000

114 STAT. 1050 
PUBLIC LAW 106-299—OCT. 13, 2000 
Public Law 106-299 
106th Congress 
An Act 
To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate the Wekiva River and 
Oct. 13, 2000 
its tributaries of Wekiwa Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black Water 
fH R 27731 
Creek in the State of Florida as components of the national wild and scenic 
rivers system. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 
of 
Wekiva Wild and 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
Scenic River Act 
of 2000. 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
16 imp 1271 
note. 
This Act may be cited as the "Wekiva Wild and Scenic River 
Act of 2000". 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
The Congress finds the following: 
(1) Public Law 104-311 (110 Stat. 3818) amended section 
5 of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1276) to require 
the study of the Wekiva River and its tributaries of Rock 
Springs Run and Seminole Creek for potential inclusion in 
the national wild and scenic rivers system. 
(2) The study determined that the Wekiva River, Wekiwa 
Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black Water Creek are 
eligible for inclusion in the national wild and scenic rivers 
system. 
(3) The State of Florida has demonstrated its commitment 
to protecting these rivers and streams by the enactment of 
the Wekiva River Protection Act (Florida Statute chapter 369), 
by the establishment of a riparian wildlife protection zone 
and water quality protection zone by the St. Johns River Water 
Management District, and by the acquisition of lands adjacent 
to these rivers and streams for conservation purposes. 
(4) The Florida counties of Lake, Seminole, and Orange 
have demonstrated their commitment to protect these rivers 
and streams in their comprehensive land use plans and land 
development regulations. 
(5) The desire for designation of these rivers and streams 
as components of the national wild and scenic rivers system 
has been demonstrated through strong public support. State 
and local agency support, and the endorsement of designation 
by the Wekiva River Basin Ecosystem Working Group, which 
represents a broad cross section of State and local agencies, 
landowners, environmentalists, nonprofit organizations, and 
recreational users. 
(6) The entire lengths of the Wekiva River, Rock Springs 
Run, and Black Water Creek are held in pulDlic ownership 
PUBLIC LAW 106-299—OCT. 13, 2000 
114 STAT. 1051 
or conservation easements or are defined as waters of the 
State of Florida. 
SEC. 3. DESIGNATION OF WEKIVA RIVER AND TRIBUTARIES, FLORIDA, 
AS COMPONENTS OF NATIONAL WELD AND SCENIC 
RIVERS SYSTEM. 
Section 3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 
1274(a)) is amended by adding at the end the following new para-
graph: 
"(161) WEKIVA RIVER, WEKIWA SPRINGS RUN, ROCK SPRINGS 
RUN, AND BLACK WATER CREEK, FLORIDA.—The 41.6-mile segments 
referred to in this paragraph, to be administered by the Secretary 
of the Interior: 
"(A) WEKIVA RIVER AND WEKIWA SPRINGS RUN.—The 14.9 
miles of the Wekiva River, along Wekiwa Springs Run from 
its confluence with the St. Johns River to Wekiwa Springs, 
to be administered in the following classifications: 
"(i) From the confluence with the St. Johns River to 
the southern boundary of the Lower Wekiva River State 
Preserve, approximately 4.4 miles, as a wild river. 
"(ii) From the southern boundary of the Lower Wekiva 
River State Preserve to the northern boundary of Rock 
Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva River, approximately 
3.4 miles, as a recreational river. 
"(iii) From the northern boundary of Rock Springs 
State Reserve at the Wekiva River to the southern 
boundary of Rock Springs State Reserve at the Wekiva 
River, approximately 5.9 miles, as a wild river. 
"(iv) From the southern boundary of Rock Springs State 
Reserve at the Wekiva River upstream along Wekiwa 
Springs Run to Wekiwa Springs, approximately 1.2 miles, 
as a recreational river. 
"(B) ROCK SPRINGS RUN.—The 8.8 miles from the confluence 
of Rock Springs Run with the Wekiwa Springs Run forming 
the Wekiva River to its headwaters at Rock Springs, to be 
administered in the following classifications: 
"(i) From the confluence with Wekiwa Springs Rim 
to the western boundary of Rock Springs Rim State Reserve 
at Rock Springs Run, approximately 6.9 miles, as a wild 
river. 
"(ii) From the western boundary of Rock Springs Run 
State Reserve at Rock Springs Run to Rock Springs, 
approximately 1.9 miles, as a recreational river. 
"(C) BLACK WATER CREEK.—The 17.9 miles fi:om the con-
fluence of Black Water Creek with the Wekiva River to outflow 
firom Lake Norris, to be administered in the following classifica-
tions: 
"(i) From the confluence with the Wekiva River to 
approximately .25 mile downstream of the Seminole State 
Forest road crossing, approximately 4.1 miles, as a wild 
river. 
"(ii) From approximately .25 mile downstream of the 
Seminole State Forest road to approximately .25 mile 
upstream of the Seminole State Forest road crossing, 
approximately .5 mile, as a scenic river. 
"(iii) From approximately .25 mile upstream of the 
Seminole State Forest road crossing to approximately .25 
114 STAT. 1052 
PUBLIC LAW 106-299—OCT. 13, 2000 
mile downstream of the old railroad grade crossing 
(approximately River Mile 9), approximately 4.4 miles, as 
a wild river. 
"(iv) From approximately .25 mile downstream of the 
old railroad grade crossing (approximately River Mile 9), 
upstream to the boundary of Seminole State Forest 
(approximately River Mile 10.6), approximately 1.6 miles, 
as a scenic river. 
"(v) From the boundary of Seminole State Forest 
(approximately River Mile 10.6) to approximately .25 mile 
downstream of the State Road 44 crossing, approximately 
.9 mile, as a wild river. 
"(vi) From approximately .25 mile downstream of State 
Road 44 to approximately .25 mile upstream of the State 
Road 44A crossing, approximately .6 mile, as a recreational 
river. 
"(vii) From approximately .25 mile upstream of the 
State Road 44A crossing to approximately .25 mile down-
stream of the Lake Norris Road crossing, approximately 
4.7 miles, as a wild river. 
"(viii) From approximately .25 mile downstream of the 
Lake Norris Road crossing to the outflow from Lake Norris, 
approximately 1.1 miles, as a recreational river.". 
16 use 1274 
SEC. 4. SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE TO WEKIVA RIVER AND 
note. 
TRIBUTARIES. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section and section 5: 
(1) WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM.—The term "Wekiva River 
system" means the segments of the Wekiva River, Wekiwa 
Springs Run, Rock Springs Run, and Black Water Creek in 
the State of Florida designated as components of the national 
wild and scenic rivers system by paragraph (161) of section 
3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), 
as added by this Act. 
(2) COMMITTEE.—The term "Committee" means the Wekiva 
River System Advisory Management Committee established 
pursuant to section 5. 
(3) COMPREHENSIVE MANAGEMENT PLAN.—The terms "com-
prehensive management plan" and "plan" mean the comprehen-
sive management plan to be developed pursuant to section 
3(d) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(d)). 
(4) SECRETARY.—The term "Secretary" means the Secretary 
of the Interior. 
(b) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
(1) USE AUTHORIZED.—In order to provide for the long-
term protection, preservation, and enhancement of the Wekiva 
River system, the Secretary shall offer to enter into cooperative 
agreements pursuant to sections 10(e) and 11(b)(1) of the Wild 
and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1281(e), 1282(b)(1)) with the 
State of Florida, appropriate local political jurisdictions of the 
State, namely the counties of Lake, Orange, and Seminole, 
and appropriate local planning and environmental organiza-
tions. 
(2) EFFECT OF AGREEMENT.—Administration by the Sec-
retary of the Wekiva River system through the use of coopera-
tive agreements shall not constitute National Park Service 
administration of the Wekiva River system for purposes of 
PUBLIC LAW 106-299—OCT. 13, 2000 
114 STAT. 1053 
section 10(c) of such Act (10 U.S.C. 1281(c)) and shall not 
cause the Wekiva River system to be considered as being a 
unit of the National Park System. Publicly owned lands within 
the boundaries of the Wekiva River system shall continue to 
be managed by the agency having jurisdiction over the lands, 
in accordance with the statutory authority and mission of the 
agency. 
(c) COMPLIANCE REVIEW.—^After completion of the comprehen- Reports, 
sive management plan, the Secretary shall biennially review compli-
ance with the plan and shall promptly report to the Committee 
on Resources of the House of Representatives and the Committee 
on Energy and Natural Resources of the Senate any deviation 
from the plan that could result in any diminution of the values 
for which the Wekiva River system was designated as a component 
of the national wild and scenic rivers system, 
(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND OTHER SUPPORT.—The Sec-
retary may provide technical assistance, staff support, and funding 
to assist in the development and implementation of the comprehen-
sive management plan. 
(e) LIMITATION ON FEDERAL SUPPORT.—Nothing in this section 
shall be construed to authorize funding for land acquisition, facility 
development, or operations. 
SEC. 5. WEKIVA RIVER SYSTEM ADVISORY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. 
16 USC 1274 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall establish an advisory 
committee, to be known as the Welava River System Advisory 
Management Committee, to assist in the development of the com-
prehensive management plan for the Wekiva River system. 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.—The Committee shall be composed of a rep-
resentative of each of the following agencies and organizations: 
(1) The Department of the Interior, represented by the 
Director of the National Park Service or the Director's designee. 
(2) The East Central Florida Regional Planning Council. 
(3) The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 
Division of Recreation and Parks. 
(4) The Florida Department of Environmental Protection, 
Wekiva River Aquatic Preserve. 
(5) The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer 
Services, Division of Forestry, Seminole State Forest. 
(6) The Florida Audubon Society. 
(7) The nonprofit organization known as the Friends of 
the Wekiva. 
(8) The Lake County Water Authority. 
(9) The Lake County Planning Department. 
(10) The Orange County Parks and Recreation Department, 
Kelly Park. 
(11) The Seminole County Planning Department. 
(12) The St. Johns River Water Management District. 
(13) The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commis-
sion. 
(14) The City of Altamonte Springs. 
(15) The City of Longwood. 
(16) The City of Apopka. 
(17) The Florida Farm Bureau Federation. 
(18) The Florida Forestry Association. 
114 STAT. 1054 
PUBLIC LAW 106-299—OCT. 13, 2000 
(c) ADDITIONAL MEMBERS.—Other interested parties may be 
added to the Committee by request to the Secretary and unanimous 
consent of the existing members. 
(d) APPOINTMENT,—Representatives and alternates to the Com-
mittee shall be appointed as follows: 
(1) State agency representatives, by the head of the agency. 
(2) Coimty representatives, by the Boards of County 
Commissioners, 
(3) Water msinagement district, by the Governing Board. 
(4) Department of the Interior representative, by the South-
east Regional Director, National Park Service. 
(5) East Central Florida Regional Planning Council, by 
Governing Board. 
(6) Other 
organizations, by the 
Southeast 
Regional 
Director, National Park Service. 
(e) ROLE OF COMMITTEE.—TTie Committee shall assist in the 
development of the comprehensive management plan for the Wekiva 
River system and provide advice to the Secretary in carrying out 
the management responsibilities of the Secretary under this Act. 
The Committee shall have an advisory role only, it will not have 
regulatory or land acquisition authority. 
(f) 
VOTING AND COMMITTEE PROCEDURES.—Each member 
agency, agency division, or organization referred to in subsection 
(b) shall have one vote and provide one member and one alternate. 
Committee decisions and actions will be made with consent of 
three-fourths of all voting members. Additional necessary Com-
mittee procedures shall be developed as part of the comprehensive 
management plan. 
16 use 1274 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may 
be necessary to carry out this Act and paragraph (161) of section 
3(a) of the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act (16 U.S.C. 1274(a)), as 
added by this Act. 
Approved October 13, 2000. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 2773 (S. 2352): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 106-739 (Comm. on Resources). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 106-316 accompanying S. 2352 (Comm. on Energy and 
Natural Resources). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 146 (2000): 
July 24, considered and passed House. 
Oct. 3, considered and passed Senate.