Water Resources Advisory Commission January 5, 2006

2 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

3 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

4 Lake Okeechobee Fast-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 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

5 Lake Okeechobee Fast-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 STA Expansion Wetland restoration area Wetland restoration area Wetland Inflow structure

6 Lake Okeechobee Fast-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 Creek Reservoir

7 Lake Okeechobee Fast-Track Projects  Constructed wetland for treating basin runoff before it enters the lake  Approximately 2,700 acres in size  Removes about 39 to 48 metric tons of phosphorus/year Lakeside Ranch STA

8 Lake Okeechobee Fast-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

9 Lake Okeechobee Fast-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

10 Lake Okeechobee Fast Track Projects  Point of Contact:Harold Aiken/Mark Long/Denise Arrieta  Steps to implementation/Schedule:  Initial design and data collectionNov ‘05 – Mar ’06 (Conceptual design being conducted by CDM)  Develop Basis of Design ReportApr ‘06 – Oct ‘06  Obtain Design Criteria Approval Nov ‘06  Obtain PermitsOct ‘06 – Sept ‘07  Nubbin Slough expansion permitsJan ‘06 – Aug ‘06  Nubbin Slough constructionSep ‘06 – Dec ‘07  Construct remaining Fast TrackOct ‘07 – Dec ‘09 projects

11 Permanent Forward Pumps for Water Supply during Droughts  Point of Contact:Larry Carter/Karen Counes  Steps to implementation/Schedule:  Develop Basis of Design ReportJan ’06 – Aug ’06 (SOW, preliminary operating criteria under development)  Obtain Design Criteria Approval Sept ‘06  Design Pumps/StructuresOct ’06 – Sept ‘07  Obtain PermitsOct ’06 – Sept ‘07  Construct Pumps/StructuresOct ’07 – Sept ’09

12 Revise Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule Revise the 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

13 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 sedimentsApr ’06 – Apr ‘07  Review in-lake dredging optionsJun ’06 – May ‘07  Ecological/hydrological modelingOct ’05 – Sept ‘07  Purchase temporary pumpsFeb ’06 – Aug ’06  Electrical, installation platforms forAug ’06 – Jan ‘07 temporary pumps  Seed bank evaluationOct ’06 – Jan ‘07  Replant estuary SAV2008

14 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

15 Revise ERP Criteria  Point of Contact:Damon Meiers  Steps to implementation/Schedule:  Revise Lake O Protection ActJan ’06 - July ’07  Develop guidelines to determineJan ’06 – Dec ’07 P loading and BMP credits  ERP rule revisionsFeb ’06 – May ’08  Coordination with State-wide ERPFeb ’06 – Dec ‘06 review

16 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

17 Water Storage Assessments: Study Areas Figure 2

18  Point of Contact:  Benita Whalen, P.E.  Steps to implementation, schedule:  Active communication with agricultural ongoing land owners on storage opportunities  Complete public lands assessmentsDec ‘05  Complete private & tribal lands assessmentsMar ‘06  Complete construction of 4 pilot facilitiesApr ‘06  Enter into agreements on additional sitesDec ‘06  Design, construct, monitorJan ’07 – Dec ‘09 Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface Water

19  Point of Contact:  Scott Burns / Robert Verrastro  Steps to implementation, schedule:  Assess feasibility of reactivating TaylorJan ’06 – Jun ‘07 Creek ASR well  Conduct pilot ASR for Brighton ReservationJan ’06 – Apr ‘08  Design and permitting of 10 deep wellsJan ’06 – Jan ‘07  Construct and operate 10 deep wellsFeb ’07 – Dec ‘09 Alternative Storage/Disposal – Deep Well Injection and ASR

20 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

21  Point of Contact:  Susan Gray / David Unsell  Steps to implementation, schedule:  Ongoing water quality projects, lake2004 – 2015 and watershed assessments for LOPP  Flow ways feasibility studyJun ’06 – Sep ‘07  LOWP CERP PIR completionJan ’06 – 2008  LOWP CERP land acquisitionJun ’07 – 2012  LOWP CERP design and permitting  LOWP CERP Construction Continued Implementation of LOPP and CERP LOWP

22 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

23 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):

24 Innovative Land-Use Planning - FDCA  Innovative land-use planning techniques, including use of Florida’s Rural Land Stewardship Areas Program, to facilitate the acquisition of lands for public works Growth Management to Encourage Innovative Land-Use Planning

25 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

26 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