Habitat Management Plan

The Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan was developed through a collaborative effort between FWC biologists and stakeholders and finalized in 2016. The plan outlines action strategies to address biological and stakeholder priorities regarding habitat management for focal species, invasive plant management, maintaining access and navigation, and communicating agency activities to the public. As part of the plan, FWC will hold stakeholder meetings twice per year. As of 2023, 90% of the 54 action strategies in the plan have been implemented!

Sign up to receive updates for the Orange Creek Basin!

You can sign up to receive email or text updates for Orange, Lochloosa, and Newnans Lakes by visiting the FWC Subscription Website and selecting the “Orange Creek Basin” box. You can also sign up to receive updates for other FWC topics.

Stakeholder Meetings/Current Events:

The spring 2024 meeting was held on March 26th at Sun Retreats Ocala Orange Lake (formerly known as the Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort) from 6-8 pm.  To view the agenda, click HERE. FWC provided an update on stakeholder survey results, current conditions and activities, and a background of the Orange Lake Habitat Management Plan development process. Meeting attendees then split out into groups to discuss things they like, or were concerned about, with regards to FWC management on Orange Lake. To view the presentation, click HERE. The fall 2024 meeting date will be announced this summer/fall.

The comprehensive habitat report has been updated with data and analyses from 2022! It contains the latest habitat trends in Orange, Lochloosa, and Newnans Lakes, and guidelines for how FWC is managing habitats for the benefit of fish and wildlife: Orange Creek Basin Habitat Guidelines 2022

The above image shows the most recent coverage of hydrilla in Orange Lake. The survey to collect data to create this map was conducted September 2023.

Information from past meetings is available on the Past Meeting Information page.

For more information:

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