Water Resource Challenges in Florida

1. Where Will We Find Our WaterFlorida Chamber of Commerce23rd Environmental Permitting Short Course – Early Bird “C”July 22, 2009

2. Overview • DEP and Water Management District Have Identified Water Resource Problem Areas • Water Management Districts Have Limited Traditional Water Supplies • Minimum Flows and Levels • Limited Water Resource Availability Areas • Water Reservations • Water Management Districts Have Identified Alternative Water Supplies • Problems Have Been Encountered in Developing Alternative Water Supplies

3. Water Resource Caution Areas • Water Resource Caution Areas are areas that have or are projected to have critical water supply problems within 20 years • As of June 10, 2008, over 75% of the State of Florida has been designated a Water Resource Caution Area • Every Water Management District with the exception of the Suwannee River Water Management District has a Water Resource Caution Area • Draft 2010 District Water Supply Plans propose to designate more than 90% of State as Water Resource Caution Area DEP Web Site Updated 6/10/2008

4. Minimum Flows And Levels • MFLs are those flows or levels below which significant harm to the water resources occurs • Water allocations cannot interfere with MFL attainment except as part of recovery or prevention strategy • Hundreds of MFLs have been established by all water management districts

5. Limited Water Resource Availability Areas • SFWMD, SJRWMD and SWFWMD Have Established Limited Water Resource Availability Areas Covering Most of Peninsular Florida • Traditional Water Supplies Are Capped in Limited Water Resource Availability Areas • SFWMD, SJRWMD and SWFWMD Have Established CFCA in Central Florida • SWFWMD has Established NTBWUCA and SWUCA in South-West Florida • SFWMD has established Regional Water Availability Area in the Lower East Coast of Florida

6. CFCA • Groundwater withdrawals limited to 2013 demands • Supplemental water supplies required to meet post-2013 demands • Supplemental water supplies: • Surface Water • Stormwater • Reclaimed Water • Saltwater • Brackish Groundwater from Lower Floridan Aquifer that does not contribute to harmful cumulative impacts

7. NTBWUCA & SWUCA • New groundwater withdrawals are limited • Strict per-capita water use limits are imposed • Alternative water supplies required to meet future demands • Alternative water supplies: • Surface Water • Stormwater • Reclaimed Water • Saltwater • Brackish groundwater that does contribute to saline water intrusion or wetland impacts • Water transfers

8. LEC Regional Water Availability • New direct or indirect surface and groundwater withdrawals from regional system limited to actual use 12-60 months prior to April 1, 2006 prohibited • New or alternative water supplies required to meet future needs • New alternative water supplies: • Certified CERP project water • Surface water during wet conditions not needed for Everglades Restoration • Reallocated terminated or reduced existing water use • Water offsets • Reclaimed Water • Saltwater • Brackish groundwater from Floridan aquifer

9. Water Reservations • Water reserved from consumptive use for protection of fish and wildlife • Only pre-existing legal uses are protected • During past 37 years two reservations were established • SFWMD in process of establishing reservations for 30+ CERP projects and Kissimmee River • First CERP reservation established 7/2/09 for Picayune Strand Reservation • New alternative water supplies required: • Water Transfers • Reclaimed Water • Saltwater • Brackish groundwater from Floridan aquifer

10. Problems Developing Alternative Water • Denial of Water Resource Problems by Affected Water Utilities • Multi-Jurisdictional Project Governance Issues • Inter-District Water Resource Coordination Issues • Unexpected Opposition by Local Governments and Private Citizens to Critical Alternative Water Supply Projects • Anti-Growth Opposition to Alternative Water Supply Projects • Interplay Between State and Federal Water Quality Mandates and Alternative Water Supply Development • Limited State or Federal Funding Assistance • Economic Downturn and Reduced Projected Potable Water Demands

11. Yankee Lake Example • Strong Opposition by Downstream Local Governments and Concerned Citizens to 5.5 MGD Withdrawal From St. Johns River Despite Insignificant Environmental Impact and Long-Term Water Supply Planning • Scrutiny of Seminole County Water Conservation Programs and Per Capita Water Use Even Though it Met or Exceeded SJRWMD’s Existing Regulations • Limitations on Surface Water Withdrawals Because of Downstream Impaired Water Quality Conditions • SFWMD Proposed Reservation of Surface Water From Kissimmee River in Contrast to SJRWMD Development of Surface Water from St. Johns River

12. Yankee Lake – Public Participation • WUAB 1994 – 2001 88 public meetings • Water 20/20 1997 – 2000 8 public meetings • SJR Project 2003 – 2008 103 public meetings • ECFWISPI 2004 – 2005 20 public meetings • DWSPS 1998 – 2006 11 public meetings • CFCA 2006 – 2007 15 public meetings • AWSCIS 2007 – 2008 23 public meetings • Governing Board Meetings 168 public meetings • Water Summits/Conservation Workshops 3 public meetings • Cumulative Impact Study 2008 4 public meetings TOTAL 14 years/443 public meetings!

13. Yankee Lake – No Environmental Impact Immeasurable Flow Impact Immeasurable Water Quality Impact

14. What Do We Do? Traditional Supplies Conservation Reuse AWS Supplies