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Temporary Withlacoochee River restrictions.

U

Uhairball

Well-known member
According to a FWC officer, the Withlacoochee River is IDLE speed only between the SR44 bridge and SR200.
Due to high water. The restriction will be lifted once the water recedes, but that may take a while...
Additionally, the water is as high as I have ever seen since I have lived here. I doubt you could get an airboat
under the bridges, but if you try, be very careful..
 
In accordance with FWC Rule 68D-24.109, an “Idle Speed No Wake” zone has been posted for another portion of the Withlacoochee River. To enact the Rule, Citrus County Aquatics Division uses two USGS gauges positioned at Hwy 44 and Holder. The gauge at Holder must reach 6 feet, and this level was reached early this morning.
This segment is Mile Marker 24 to Mile Marker 30 (Camp Izzard Boat Ramp), which covers 6 miles of the Withlacoochee River.

The No Wake zone will be in effect until the river recedes to below 6 feet. FWC officials and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office will be patrolling for enforcement.

Signs are still posted in the other two sections of the river, Mile Marker 34 to Mile Marker 35A (Turner Camp) and Mile Marker 38 to Mile Marker 41 (Squire Court to Shawnee Trail), and No Wake zone regulations are still in effect for these areas.

Boaters should be aware of these posted signs in these areas of the Withlacoochee River and are asked to follow the “Idle Speed No Wake” zone regulations.

For questions or more information, please contact Citrus County Aquatics at 527-7620 or FWC at 850-617-9547.
 
This ought to be interesting. 2 boats by this morning already both on plane. The water is about 5 inches from cresting my dock. Hard to believe not that long ago it looked like the picture below. I am pretty sure the river crested the sand bags at the spring last night as the water coming down the outflow is now all brown and it flushed a huge pile of water lettuce last night. The LEO's will have their hands full if they are really out patrolling. The river is pretty dangerous with a lot of floating debris. Saw a whole 50 foot tree go by the other day. The current is strong and the trees on the edges are full of wasp nest!! Hate them things......
P4243098.JPG
 
well that sucks I made reservations that are nonrefundable at the camp ground at the sr 44 bridge for the 18 thur the 21 hopefully it will go down by then :rebel:
 
I have rode south but it's just not as nice [ to me anyway ] as riding from the dam to the blue hole were I like to dive that spring as I have for 5 or 6 years now , then on to stump knockers for dinner and a nice evening ride back to the camp ground. I just seen some pictures of stump knockers the water is all the way up to the outside eating deck ,,not looking good for this trip. :rebel:
 
Gator Bait said:
I have rode south but it's just not as nice [ to me anyway ] as riding from the dam to the blue hole were I like to dive that spring as I have for 5 or 6 years now , then on to stump knockers for dinner and a nice evening ride back to the camp ground. I just seen some pictures of stump knockers the water is all the way up to the outside eating deck ,,not looking good for this trip. :rebel:
Click to expand...


Not to mention that the blue hole or big blue is now a big brown hole. The river is over flowing the man made dike at the spring. The river between SR200 (Dunnellon actually)and Mile marker 30 is just no place for an airboat at this time. Had a group of 5 go by last weekend, they ignored the posted no wake signs and when I stood outside they slowed down just off plane speed that pushes a wall of water 3 feet high. Not many people (all type of boaters) are following the temp. no wake.The problem is those huge wakes play hell with everyone's now submerged docks. The signs are posted every mile so it is hard to say you did not know. Have seen the sheriff and FWC patrolling nearly everyday.

If you come out to the river please be courteous and follow the no wake. It is not easy with the current as fast as it is right now to keep control of your vessel and make no wake at the same time.


Tomo
 
THANKS Tomo
I will check with you later in the week , but it looks like you have been getting more rain :( so I doubt anything is going to change :rebel:
 
Been on it the last few nights...no getting under the 44 bridge. Still idle zone. Pretty shitty riding now
 
Tony480 or Tomo has anything change on the river it looks like were committed to coming up next weekend do you think an airboat will be able to get under the bridge at sr 44 and if not can you still put in at the old truner river fish camp [ those were the nicest people I have ever meet sure do miss Charlie]{ and rick and his wife } or any where else north of SR44 ..I was told we could ride the eagle but I'm not sure were that is at , I have rode from the dam just south of 44 all the way up to the next bridge not sure were that was but we turned around there and rode back to the campground at SR 44
I was really looking forward to hanging out at the big blue
:rebel:
 
River still high. No getting under the bridge at RT44. But you can put in at the ramp at RT44 and ride south to the eagle.
You probably should look at google maps ahead of time, and take a gps. Restrictions still in place from RT44 to SR200,
which wouldn't affect going to the eagle (if you put in at Turner Fish Camp, you would be idle speed both directions).
 
Thanks for the update, I think I will look at the Google maps that's a good idea Thanks


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
I wonder how high the water is by the outfall canal? Gator bait there is a boat ramp off a side road off SR 200. If you put in there you would drive by stump knockers on your boat . They have signs right by the bridge at SR200 for the ramp. Not sure how high the water is right there to be able to get under that bridge. If you put in there and can make it under that bridge you would have access to big blue.
 
Water is very high . Stumpknockers' walkway is underwater going to their outside deck. The levie at mouth of outfall is almost underwater maybe 4' showing. Riding should be in the Eagle or Potts away from homes. Right now they have enough to deal with.
 
That is a fact. :salute: The water on the river is the highest it has
been since the hurricanes came back to back to back in '04.

Not to say or imply that it has crested, but still . . . the Wysong Dam has been
open/down for a good while and today was the first day it has not continued to
rise. That could easily change, but hoping for the same results tomorrow.
 
Deano said:
That is a fact. :salute: The water on the river is the highest it has
been since the hurricanes came back to back to back in '04.

Not to say or imply that it has crested, but still . . . the Wysong Dam has been
open/down for a good while and today was the first day it has not continued to
rise. That could easily change, but hoping for the same results tomorrow.
Click to expand...

Hey Deano
I thought I would do some reading up on the effects of a strong El Nino on rainfall in Florida and unfortunately it looks like we could be in for increased rain for this winter. I am becoming concerned that this water is going to stick around for awhile. Here is a scan of a newspaper article back in 98 which was one of the worst El Nino years in recent history. Lets hope this is not what we are in for this fall/winter. This is my house back in 1998. There were 2 crest in 1998 at around 10.5 feet, once in January and again in March. http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=tbw&gage=hldf1&prob_type=stage

Lets hope it is not another one of those years :shock:

scan.jpg
 
Holder gauge is down to 5.96 this morning. River is starting to drop pretty good and these dryer days to come will help a lot. Anybody been to the 44 bridge? Curious how much clearance is there at the moment.

Tomo


floridaraynman said:
In accordance with FWC Rule 68D-24.109, an “Idle Speed No Wake” zone has been posted for another portion of the Withlacoochee River. To enact the Rule, Citrus County Aquatics Division uses two USGS gauges positioned at Hwy 44 and Holder. The gauge at Holder must reach 6 feet, and this level was reached early this morning.
This segment is Mile Marker 24 to Mile Marker 30 (Camp Izzard Boat Ramp), which covers 6 miles of the Withlacoochee River.

The No Wake zone will be in effect until the river recedes to below 6 feet. FWC officials and the Citrus County Sheriff’s Office will be patrolling for enforcement.

Signs are still posted in the other two sections of the river, Mile Marker 34 to Mile Marker 35A (Turner Camp) and Mile Marker 38 to Mile Marker 41 (Squire Court to Shawnee Trail), and No Wake zone regulations are still in effect for these areas.

Boaters should be aware of these posted signs in these areas of the Withlacoochee River and are asked to follow the “Idle Speed No Wake” zone regulations.

For questions or more information, please contact Citrus County Aquatics at 527-7620 or FWC at 850-617-9547.
Click to expand...
 
According to the local TV news show, ALL idle speed restrictions are lifted. So let 'er rip, tater chip!
The water is still higher than normal, so be careful under the bridges..
 
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