Central Florida Water Initiative 6 recommendations for getting the water right

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Lessons Learned Water management in Florida ( present) – Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, Everglades, Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Indian River Lagoon, Florida springs – And many, many more

6 Recommendations 1.Treat the CFWI as a referendum on how to manage water as a state going forward, not just another water supply plan; 2.Use an integrated management approach to managing water, not just water supply; 3.Protect and restore the natural infrastructure for water to meet all water resource needs, including water supply;

6 Recommendations (cont’d) 4.Protect the integrity of the complete water cycle, including the protection of rainfall and evapotranspiration, not just the quantity of water available for water supply; 5.Address existing hydrologic impacts, not just future needs, through restoration projects and water reservations; and 6.Actively engage local governments as partners to protect and conserve water resources, not just as permittees, through integrated land and water resource planning.

1. Referendum on How to Manage Water Need for a new approach to managing water – the current approach is not working 1972 landmark legislation in Florida – Environmental Land and Water Management Act (Chapter 380, FS); – Water Resources Act (Chapter 373, FS); – Comprehensive Planning Act (Chapter 23, FS); and – Land Conservation Act (Chapter 259, FS). +40 Chances

2. Use an Integrated Management Approach Each aspect of water influences and is influenced by the other aspects of water and the built environment Water Quality Natural Systems Water Supply Built Environment Flooding Tetrahedron – a pyramid with a triangle base Copyright © 2012 Thomas L. Singleton Consulting, Inc

2 Very Different Approaches to Water Optimize each aspect of water separately: Often at the expense of the other aspects Optimize each aspect of water holistically as a system: Not at the expense of the other aspects Water Supply Water Quality Flood Protection Natural Systems Water Supply Flood Protection Natural Systems Water Quality Silo ApproachIntegrated Approach

Quantity, Quality, Timing, Distribution, & Flow Indian River Lagoon – Too much water, poor water quality, wrong time, wrong place, and too fast Florida Springs – Too little water, poor water quality

What is average rainfall? What are we managing for? Too much or too little water or both? Quantity +30” range

Water demand exceeds supply in the dry winter months, while supply exceeds demand during the summer rainy season Quantity and Timing: Supply and Demand (-) (+) Supply Demand Supply Demand South Florida Source: SFWMD

Quantity 3” reduction over the last 25 years Annual dry-season rainfall for Polk County and 5-year moving average

3. Protect the Natural Infrastructure for Water Source: FDEP

Loss of Hydrologic Functions 25% 80% % reduction 60% Source: FDEP

4. Protect the Water Cycle Atmosphere Ocean Waterbodies Humans EvapotranspirationEvaporation Flood Flow Wastewater Flow Water Supply Waste Gases Manipulation Soil/Vegetation River Flow Groundwater Flow Landscape RainEvaporation

Need a Margin of Safety To allow for unpredictability, variability, and extremes in rainfall that aren’t reflected in averages To maintain environmental resiliency to absorb shock and disturbances and maintain vital functions, including the capture, storage, and cleansing of water for human use

5. Address Existing Hydrologic Impacts Source: SWFWMD

Existing & Predicted Hydrologic Impacts

Predicted Hydrologic Impacts

6. Engage Local Governments as Partners Need to connect land and water resource planning and management – Local governments: land and water resources; knowledge of what makes the community tick – WMDs: water resources, only Local governments can assist in building local stakeholder support and developing incentives and market-based solutions Effects of regional water management decisions: – Felt first and most profoundly by local communities – Local communities are ultimately accountable for decisions

Agriculture Agricultural lands are: – Last lands to be developed; – Placed in conservation; or – Actively farmed Regardless of their current or future use Ag lands can help: – Restore hydrologic connectivity in developed and developing watersheds; and – Reconnect the natural hydrology of lands currently held in conservation

A Guiding Example from Winter Haven Sustainable water resource management plan –Blue-print for future growth Goals: –Restore as much as possible the hydrologic network that existed before the watershed was altered –Meet long-term water resource needs of the community Water supply Water quality Flood protection Natural system protection –Meet economic, social, and environmental needs of the community

Winter Haven CFWI

The health of our waters is the principal measure of how we live on the land —Luna Leopold