DEP celebrates 'Florida Rivers Month'

Gov. Charlie Crist recently signed a proclamation honoring June as Florida Rivers Month, recognizing the more than 50,000 miles of rivers and streams throughout the state. Florida's famed waterways include the 310-mile St. Johns River, one of the only rivers in North America flowing north, as well as two designated National Wild & Scenic Rivers, the Wekiva and Loxahatchee Rivers.

To help showcase these majestic places and celebrate rivers month, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is launching its inaugural Florida Rivers

Month Photo Contest. The contest invites

residents and visitors, experienced and

novice photographers, to submit images of favorite Florida rivers and water basins.

"Water is the lifeblood of our state, and celebrating Florida Rivers Month allows us to recognize how important our rivers are to our environment and economy," said Janet Llewellyn, director of DEP's Division of Water Resource Management. "By launching the photo contest we hope to encourage the appreciation, conservation and protection of these rivers which define Florida's landscape."

Color photos will be accepted through July 31 and should capture the environmental richness, unique landscape, flora and fauna, human involvement, recreational opportunities or simply the exceptional beauty of Florida's rivers and surrounding landscapes. Photographs will be judged in six geographic categories with specific river basins within each region.