Acme Basin B Discharge Public Workshop May 22, 2002 COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

Workshop Goals l To familiarize the public with the implementation process. COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN l To solicit initial public comment at an early stage in the study in order to address as many of those comments as possible during the study’s public involvement process. l To inform the public about the Acme Basin B Discharge project. l To consider all comments.

TopicsTopics l Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) l CERP Process l Project Information l What’s Next l How to be Involved

The C&SF Project l Project Purposes: l Project Purposes: Flood control, water conservation, regional water supply, prevention of salt water intrusion, fish and wildlife conservation, water supply to Everglades National Park l Project includes: l Project includes: 10 locks, 1,000 miles of canals, 720 miles of levees, over 150 water control structures, and 16 pump stations

South Florida Ecosystem 4Area - 18,000 square miles 4Population 1950s ~ 0.5 million  Population today ~ 6 million 4Area - 18,000 square miles 4Population 1950s ~ 0.5 million  Population today ~ 6 million

A Region in Trouble…. l Too much/too little water for the Everglades/south Florida ecosystem l Massive reductions in wading bird populations l Degradation of water quality l Repetitive water shortages and salt water intrusion l Declining estuary health l 1.7 billion gallons of water a day wasted to tide

On December 11, 2000, President Clinton signed the Water Resources Development of 2000, approving: Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan A series of environmental and other improvements over 30 years with an estimated cost of $7.8 billion Rescuing an Endangered Ecosystem: The Plan to Restore America’s Everglades The Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study (The Restudy)

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) l Water storage areas/facilities –15 surface storage reservoirs – 3 in-ground reservoirs – 330 aquifer storage and recovery wells l 19 stormwater treatment areas l 2 wastewater reuse plants l Removal of over 240 miles of canals, levees and structures l Operational changes

Getting the Water Right Quality Quantity Timing Distribution

GOAL: Enhance Ecologic Values Objectives:  Increase the total spatial extent of natural areas  Improve habitat and functional quality  Improve native plant and animal species abundance and diversity GOAL: Enhance Economic Values & Social Well Being Objectives:  Increase availability of fresh water (agricultural/municipal & industrial)  Maintain existing flood protection (agricultural/urban)  Provide recreational & navigation opportunities  Protect cultural & archeological resources and values Goals & Objectives for the Restudy

l Same as the Restudy… l Project Example –System-wide Objective: Improve Habitat and Functional Quality Elsewhere in the system… downstream –Local Objective: Improve Habitat and Functional Quality Within footprint of project boundary Project Goals and Objectives

Plan Formulation and Evaluation Define Measures (Components) Develop Planning Cost Estimates (Real Estate, Construction, O&M) Evaluate Measures (compare with and without plan conditions) Conduct Incremental Cost Analysis Compare Alternative Plans Conduct Environmental Assessments RECOVER Conduct System-Wide Evaluation of Plans

CERP - individual projects were selected based on their synergistic effect to the overall plan Projects - formulated to achieve local and system- wide goals and objectives as defined by CERP l Must consider different measures, components, features, and project scales within the project area l Structural and non-structural approaches Project Formulation

l 3-step process l Select Plan based on the project that reasonably maximizes the project’s contribution toward the system-wide benefits of CERP compared to cost Project Evaluation/Assessment

l Ensures the system-wide goals and objectives defined by the Comprehensive Plan are achieved l Define the project features that optimize system performance and system-wide benefits l Costs and benefits measured at the system- wide level for each of the alternative plans l Selected project will be the plan that reasonably maximizes the project’s contribution toward the system-wide benefits of CERP compared to cost Step 1 Optimize System-wide Benefits

Project Being Evaluated Future With-Project Condition Assumptions Authorized CERP Projects Unauthorized CERP Projects Future Without-Project Condition Assumptions No CERP Step 1 – System-wide Benefits Future Condition Assumptions

l Assessment measures the contribution of the project to system-wide benefits output l Quantify and describe the incremental costs and benefits of the selected project l Costs and benefits are incremental to the total CERP project Step 2 Assessing Incremental Benefits Attributable to the Project

Project Being Evaluated Future With-Project Condition Assumptions Authorized CERP Projects Unauthorized CERP Projects Future Without-Project Condition Assumptions Authorized CERP Projects Unauthorized CERP Projects Project Not Included Step 2 – Incremental Benefits Future Condition Assumptions

l Establish baseline year for operations l Develop interim operational strategies  various operations should be considered to make the plan more efficient as an interim project l Assess local impacts  Evaluating the output of the selected project together with authorized projects provides an assessment of local and system-wide impacts due to interim operations Step 3 Assess Interim Operations

Future With-Project Condition Assumptions Project Being Evaluated Authorized CERP Projects Future Without-Project Condition Assumptions Authorized CERP Projects Step 3 – Interim Operations Assessment Future Condition Assumptions

Acme Basin B Discharge Project COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

Basin B Basin A Southern Blvd Pierson Road Forest Hill Blvd Lake Worth Road 7 G-94D Acme 10S Pump #3 Pump #4 Water Conservation Area 1 Wellington/ACME Improvement District Basin

Project Background l Everglades Forever Act ( present) l Everglades Stormwater Program ( current) l Comprehensive Review Study included Acme Basin B Discharge as an OPE (1998) l WPA Feasibility Study ( ) l Baseline Data Reports ( current) l Chemical Treatment with Solids Separation (CTSS) pilot project ( current) l Basin Specific Feasibility Studies (2001- current)

l For basins associated with EFA requirements l Currently in Task 4, evaluation of alternatives to be completed August 2002 l Information from the studies can be used when formulating alternatives in the CERP process Basin Specific Feasibility Studies

Basin Specific Feasibility Studies Acme Basin B Alternatives l Expand STA 1W (& possibly STA 1E) l Divert Runoff to the Palm Beach Aggregates Rock Pit Burns & McDonnell Brown & Caldwell l Divert Runoff to the Agricultural Reservoir l Chemical Treatment Component in the Basin l STA Component in the Basin

Basin Specific Feasibility Studies Web Site

Project Purpose The purpose of the Acme Basin B project is to provide water quality treatment and stormwater attenuation for runoff from Acme Basin B prior to discharge to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge (Water Conservation Area 1) or alternate location. Excess available water may be used to meet water supply demands.

Project Goals & Objectives l Evaluate Alternatives l Meet 2006 Schedule –Everglades Forever Act –Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) l Meet Program Authority Limit –$25 million

Where we are and what is next... l Project Management Plans – Management document only l Project Implementation Reports – bridge the gap between the comprehensive plan and detailed project design

Standard Project Development Process Detailed Design Operate Monitoring and Adaptive Assessment Project Mgmt Plan Project Implementation Report (including NEPA) Plans & Specs Construct Project Cooperation Agreement State & Congressional Authorization Real Estate Acquisition We are here CERP

Project Management Plans Are: l Lists of anticipated tasks, responsibilities, schedules, products, and budget for the next project phase COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN l General description of work and level of effort required l “Roadmaps” for activities and monitoring l Flexible - will be updated regularly, and as needed

Project Management Plans Are Not: l A decision document l Lists of each and every task that may be required COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN l Detailed scopes of work l Set in stone

CERP Project Implementation Reports (PIRs) COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN l Feasibility level decision documents l PIRs will bridge the gap between the comprehensive plan and projects, and design, permitting construction l FWS, EPA and NPS will provide significant resources during this project phase

The PIR will address: l Compliance with environmental requirements : –National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA): Chapter 401Permit (discharge permit) –Chapter 402 Permit (construction permit) –Endangered Species Act –Clear Air Act –Clean Water Act –And others l Economic/environmental justice issues: –Effects of project on minorities and low income communities COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

The PIR will address: l Water quality issues: –Modeling –Evaluation of existing WQ data –Everglades Basin Specific Feasibility Study –Evaluation of STA’s performance benefits l Watershed assessment / water budget analysis: –Review Restudy assumptions –Seepage evaluation –Hydrological/hydraulic data (rainfall, evapotranspiration, pumping records, historical structure data, etc.) –Establish conveyance requirements –Establish storage needs –Modeling scenario runs –Evaluate existing and future level of flood protection COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

Planning Process Specify Problems And Opportunities Step 1 Inventory and Forecast Conditions Step 2 Inventory and Forecast Conditions Step 2 Formulate Alternate Plans Step 3 Evaluate Effects of Alternative Plans Step 4 Compare Alternative Plans Step 5 Select Recommended Plan Step 6

How to be involved... l PMP Phase –workshops –PDT meetings l PIR Phase –workshops –PDT meetings l Mailing Lists l Web Sites

Internet Web Sites COMPREHENSIVE EVERGLADES RESTORATION PLAN

Contacts SFWMD Kathy Collins, Project Manager (561) USACE Jerry Grubb, Project Manager (904) SFWMD Ellen Underwood,Senior Communications Specialist (561)

Thank you Comments?