Governing Board Meeting January 11, 2006 Susan Gray, Ph.D.

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  ERP Revisions  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 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 Completion DateDecember 2009

6 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 Completion Date:2009

7 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

8 SFWMD Support to ongoing revisions to the Lake Okeechobee Operating Schedule Phase I completion date:December 2006 Phase II completion date:2010 SFWMD Point of Contact:Kim O’Dell Steps to implementation/Schedule:  SSM & water shortage modeling Oct ’05 – Aug ‘06  Seed bank evaluationOct ’06 – Jan ‘07  Evaluate feasibility of spring recessionNov ‘06  Re-map lake sedimentsApr ’06 – Apr ‘07  Review in-lake dredging optionsJun ’06 – May ‘07  Ecological/hydrological modelingOct ’05 – Sep ‘07  Purchase temporary pumpsFeb ’06 – Aug ‘06  Electrical, installation platforms forAug ’06 – Jan ‘07 temporary pumps

9 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

10 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 – Dec ‘07  Coordination with State-wide ERPFeb ’06 – Dec ‘06 review Completion Date:2008

11 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

12 Water Storage Assessments: Study Areas Figure 2

13 Point of Contact:Benita Whalen, P.E. Steps to implementation, schedule:  Ongoing communication with public and ongoing private land owners on storage opportunities  Complete public lands assessmentsDec ‘05  Complete conceptual designs & cost estimatesMar ‘06 for public land storage  Evaluate cost-effectiveness of storage optionsApr ‘06  Initiate construction of 4 pilot facilities onApr ‘06 private lands  Complete private & tribal lands assessmentsJun ‘06  Enter into agreements on additional sitesDec ‘06  Design, construct, monitorJan ‘07 – Dec ‘09 Completion Date2009 Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface Water

14 Point of Contact:Scott Burns/Robert Verrastro Steps to implementation, schedule:  Assess feasibility of reactivating TaylorJan ’06 – Jun ‘07 Creek ASR well  Feasibility of deep well injectionJan ’06 – Jan ‘07  Conduct pilot ASR for Brighton ReservationJan ’06 – Apr ‘08  Design and permitting of 10 ASR wellsJan ’06 – Jun ‘07  Construct & begin operation 10 ASR wellsJul ’07 – Dec ‘09 Completion Date:2009 Alternative Storage/Disposal – Deep Well Injection and ASR

15 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

16 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 Construction2010 – 2015 Completion Date:2015 Continued Implementation of LOPP and CERP LOWP

17 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

18 Mandatory Fertilizer BMPs - FDACS  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):

19 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

20 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 land applied in Phosphorus-Sensitive Basins

21 Watershed Current Projects Project DescriptionStatus Annual P-Load Reduction (Mtons) Project Water Storage (acre-ft) Equivalent Lake Okeechobee Depth (ft) Larson 6 & Milking R Soil Amendment EvaluationComplete (Apr-02)0.05n/a Critical Project: Byrd Stockyard Stormwater Retention/DetentionComplete (Jun-02) Structure Retrofit PC01-L59 and S-192, Tributary Dredging L-62, L-63NComplete (Mar-04)tbd Dairy Dry Lake 1, Butler Oaks, and Davie DairyComplete (May-04) Davie Dairy Public-Private Partnership: Chemical Trmt of Off-site RunoffComplete (Jun-04)0.58n/a PL-566 Structure Retrofit - Beaty RanchComplete (Jun-04) Phosphorus Source Control Grant ProjectsComplete (Aug-04) Buck Island Cattle Ranch Water Management ResearchComplete (Jan-05)tbd Lazy S Ranch Iron Humate Filter Runoff TreatmentComplete (Feb-05) Kirton Ranch Isolated Wetland RestorationComplete (Feb-05) Lamb Island Dairy RemediationComplete (Apr-05) Taylor Creek STAComplete (Jul-05) EAA Diversions: Closter, East Shore, East Beach, SFCD, South ShoreComplete (Jul-05) , Kissimmee River RestorationUnder construction28tbd Nubbin Slough STAUnder construction6.51, Dairy Best Available Milking RUnder construction Structure Retrofit G-106, PC03-L63N, PC01-L63S, PC02-L63SUnder constructiontbdn/a Installation of 2 Urban Sediment TrapsUnder constructiontbdn/a Mattson Former Dairy RemediationUnder constructiontbd Eagle Island Farm Tailwater Recovery and Reuse ProjectUnder construction Solid Waste Authority (Palm Beach County)Under construction3.6n/a WOD Permit Addendum Modifications & Consent AgreementsOnoing25%tbd FDACS BMPSOnoing25%tbd SUBTOTAL89.649,

22 Watershed Projects to Be Constructed North of Lake Okeechobee. Project DescriptionConstruction will begin Annual P-Load Reduction (Mtons) Project Water Storage (acre-ft) Equivalent Lake Okeechobee Depth (ft) Isolated Wetland Lemkin CreekDec Rofra Former Dairy RemediationDec Water Quality Alternative Supply (Cattle drinking water)Dec n/a McArthur 5 Former Dairy RemediationDec Pilgrim Former Dairy RemediationJan-06tbd PL-566 Structure Retrofit - Taylor Creek RanchJan Runoff Diversion / Nubbin SloughJan-06tbdn/a 101 Ranch Alternative Water Supply Projects (2)Jan-06tbd Cornerstone Farms Alternative Water Supply ProjectJan-06tbd DHW Sod Alternative Water Supply ProjectJan-06tbd Lamb Island Dairy Tributary Stormwater Treatment ProjectMar Isolated Wetland Eckerd Youth CenterMar Taylor Creek DredgingMar-06tbdn/a Buck Island Ranch - Pilot Water Management AlternativeMar Alderman Ranch - Pilot Water Management AlternativeMar Williamson Ranch - Pilot Water Management AlternativeMar Lykes Ranch - Pilot Water Management AlternativeMar , EAA ReservoirApr-06tbd76, Nubbin Slough STA ExpansionMay , Larson 7 Former Dairy RemediationJun-06tbd Lemkin Creek Urban Runoff TreatmentDec Kissimmee River Headwaters Revitalization ProjectJan-10tbd100, Nubbin Slough "fast track" STA / ReservoirMay Lakeside Ranch "fast track" STAOct , Taylor Creek "fast track" reservoirDec-06432, TOTAL ,1130.6

23 Summary of FY06 Activities

24 Summary of Estimated Costs for FY06  Lake Okeechobee Fast Track Projects  Permanent Forward Pumps  Lake Schedule Revisions  ERP Revisions  Alternative Surface Water Storage  ASR/Deep Well Disposal  Lake Okeechobee Protection Program  CERP Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project  FY06 T0TAL  $13,232,500  $1,800,000  $4,009,300  $0  $1,000,000  $ 900,000  $5,000,000  $ 200,000  $26,141,800

25 Lake Okeechobee and Estuary Recovery  All LOER components are progressing  At the request of the Governing Board, additional efforts have been incorporated including:  In-lake nutrient removal options Marsh flow-ways Sediment removal  Implement ASR  Feasibility of deep well injection

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

27 Other Agency Actions  Implement Modified Water Deliveries  Removal of sediments and bank stabilization of the C-44  Retrofit S-308 and S-77 for mid or top water releases