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Water Resources Advisory Commission January 5, 2006. Lake Okeechobee and Estuary Recovery. A combination of capital projects and numerous interagency initiatives
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Water Resources Advisory Commission January 5, 2006
Lake Okeechobee and Estuary Recovery • A combination of capital projects and numerous interagency initiatives • Designed to provide measurable and meaningful improvements to water quality and water quantity in Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries
LOER Components and District Lead Responsibilities • Lake Okeechobee Fast Track Projects • Revise Lake Okeechobee Operating Schedule (will require significant District support) • Set TMDLs for tributaries • Mandatory fertilizer BMPs • Revise ERP • Alternative storage/disposal of excess surface water • Innovative land use planning • Eliminate land application of wastewater treatment residuals • Lake Okeechobee Protection Program • CERP Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project
LakeOkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • 5 construction projects north of Lake Okeechobee: • Nubbin Slough STA Expansion • Taylor Creek Reservoir • Lakeside Ranch STA • Rerouting Runoff from the S-133 Basin • Rerouting Runoff from the S-154 Basin
Lake OkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • Constructed wetland for treating basin runoff before it enters the lake • Approximately 1,300 acres in size • Removes about 22 to 24 metric tons of phosphorus/year Nubbin Slough STAExpansion Wetland Inflow structure Wetland Inflow structure Wetland restoration area
Lake OkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • Storage for holding water before treatment in an STA • 4,000-acre footprint, holding 32,000 acre-feet of water • Also removes about 3 to 5 metric tons of phosphorus/ year Taylor CreekReservoir
Lake OkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • Constructed wetland for treating basin runoffbefore it enters the lake • Approximately 2,700 acres in size • Removes about 39 to 48 metric tons of phosphorus/year Lakeside Ranch STA
Lake OkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • Canals and pumps to divert stormwater runoff into an STA for treatment • Rerouting runoff from the City of Okeechobee • Additional connection moves only treated water into Lake Okeechobee Rerouting Runoff from the S-133 Basin
Lake OkeechobeeFast-Track Projects • Canals and pumps to divert stormwater runoff into an STA for treatment • Keeps untreated water from entering the southern end of the Kissimmee River (C-38 canal) Rerouting Runoff from the S-154 Basin
Lake Okeechobee Fast Track Projects • Point of Contact: Harold Aiken/Mark Long/Denise Arrieta • Steps to implementation/Schedule: • Initial design and data collection Nov ‘05 – Mar ’06 (Conceptual design being conducted by CDM) • Develop Basis of Design Report Apr ‘06 – Oct ‘06 • Obtain Design Criteria Approval Nov ‘06 • Obtain Permits Oct ‘06 – Sept ‘07 • Nubbin Slough expansion permits Jan ‘06 – Aug ‘06 • Nubbin Slough construction Sep ‘06 – Dec ‘07 • Construct remaining Fast Track Oct ‘07 – Dec ‘09 projects
Permanent Forward Pumps for Water Supply during Droughts • Point of Contact: Larry Carter/Karen Counes • Steps to implementation/Schedule: • Develop Basis of Design Report Jan ’06 – Aug ’06 (SOW, preliminary operating criteria under development) • Obtain Design Criteria Approval Sept ‘06 • Design Pumps/Structures Oct ’06 – Sept ‘07 • Obtain Permits Oct ’06 – Sept ‘07 • Construct Pumps/Structures Oct ’07 – Sept ’09
Revise Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule • Work with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to revise federal regulation schedule levels • Achieve a better balance among lake management objectives Revise the Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule
Revise Lake Okeechobee Operating Schedule • Point of Contact: Kim O’Dell • Steps to implementation/Schedule: • SSM & water shortage modeling Oct ’05 – Aug ‘06 • Re-map lake sediments Apr ’06 – Apr ‘07 • Review in-lake dredging options Jun ’06 – May ‘07 • Ecological/hydrological modeling Oct ’05 – Sept ‘07 • Purchase temporary pumps Feb ’06 – Aug ’06 • Electrical, installation platforms for Aug ’06 – Jan ‘07 temporary pumps • Seed bank evaluation Oct ’06 – Jan ‘07 • Replant estuary SAV 2008
Revise ERP Criteria • Revise the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) criteria to better address the water quality impacts due to new development and land-use changes within the Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee, Caloosahatchee Estuary and St. Lucie Estuary watersheds Supplement the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) Criteria
Revise ERP Criteria • Point of Contact: Damon Meiers • Steps to implementation/Schedule: • Revise Lake O Protection Act Jan ’06 - July ’07 • Develop guidelines to determine Jan ’06 – Dec ’07 P loading and BMP credits • ERP rule revisions Feb ’06 – May ’08 • Coordination with State-wide ERP Feb ’06 – Dec ‘06 review
Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface Water • Identify alternative sites on public, private, and tribal lands for moving and storing excess water from the lake and its tributary basins to help reduce high discharge volumes to the estuaries • Assess feasibility of deep well disposal and ASR options for Taylor Creek and the Brighton Reservation Options for Storage and/or Disposal of Excess Surface Water
Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface Water • Point of Contact: • Benita Whalen, P.E. • Steps to implementation, schedule: • Active communication with agricultural ongoing land owners on storage opportunities • Complete public lands assessments Dec ‘05 • Complete private & tribal lands assessments Mar ‘06 • Complete construction of 4 pilot facilities Apr ‘06 • Enter into agreements on additional sites Dec ‘06 • Design, construct, monitor Jan ’07 – Dec ‘09
Alternative Storage/Disposal – Deep Well Injection and ASR • Point of Contact: • Scott Burns / Robert Verrastro • Steps to implementation, schedule: • Assess feasibility of reactivating Taylor Jan ’06 – Jun ‘07 Creek ASR well • Conduct pilot ASR for Brighton Reservation Jan ’06 – Apr ‘08 • Design and permitting of 10 deep wells Jan ’06 – Jan ‘07 • Construct and operate 10 deep wells Feb ’07 – Dec ‘09
Continued Implementation of the LOPP & CERP LOWP • Comprehensive, phased approach already under way to reduce phosphorus loadings and provide water storage to the lake by 2015 Continued Implementation of the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program and CERP Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project
Continued Implementation of LOPP and CERP LOWP • Point of Contact: • Susan Gray / David Unsell • Steps to implementation, schedule: • Ongoing water quality projects, lake 2004 – 2015 and watershed assessments for LOPP • Flow ways feasibility study Jun ’06 – Sep ‘07 • LOWP CERP PIR completion Jan ’06 – 2008 • LOWP CERP land acquisition Jun ’07 – 2012 • LOWP CERP design and permitting 2009 - 2015 • LOWP CERP Construction 2010 - 2015
Set TMDLs for Lake Okeechobee Tributaries - FDEP • Speed up development of total maximum daily loads of phosphorus allowed for the Lake Okeechobee watershed tributaries to protect and restore downstream water bodies TMDLs = Total Maximum Daily Loads
Mandatory Fertilizer BMPs – FDACS and local governments • Revised application rates for agriculture; low phosphorus for urban use • Reassess fertilizer application rates for agriculture and encourage the development and use of low phosphorus fertilizer in urban settings Mandatory Fertilizer Best Management Practices (BMPs):
Innovative Land-Use Planning - FDCA Growth Management to Encourage Innovative Land-Use Planning • Innovative land-use planning techniques, including use of Florida’s Rural Land Stewardship Areas Program, to facilitate the acquisition of lands for public works
Eliminate Land Applications of Residuals - FDEP • End the practice of depositing domestic wastewater residuals on land, which can result in excess nutrients getting in tributaries and estuaries Residuals Contain Nutrients that are Imported into Phosphorus-Sensitive Basins
Opportunities for Local Government Participation • Implement stormwater utilities and stormwater retrofits • Assist with BMP implementation for low P fertilizer in urban settings • Move forward to convert septic systems to central sewers • Land acquisition for preservation & Restoration