Overview of Lake Okeechobee Restoration Components
Overview of Lake Okeechobee Restoration Components Water Policy Advisory Council December 7, 2012
Bob Brown Assistant Executive Director South Florida Water Management District
Presentation Outline Background on Lake Okeechobee Watershed Legislative History
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program LOW Source Control Program LOW Construction Project
Current Conditions and Challenges
Lake Okeechobee Watershed Background
Pre-Drainage Vs. Post-Drainage Conditions
Lake Okeechobee Watershed
Effects to Lake OkeechobeeThree Primary Problems
Lake Okeechobee
High and Low Lake Levels
Excess Nutrients
Exotic and Invasive Species
Legislative History
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation – SWIM Act and LOPA 1987 Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act FDEP Dairy Rule (62-670.500 F.A.C) SFWMD Lake Okeechobee Works of the District Program (Chapter 40E-61, F.A.C.)
2000 Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) Watershed approach to restoring and protecting Lake Okeechobee Required development of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Protection Plan (LOWPP)
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation - Lake Okeechobee TMDL 2001 Chapter 62-304.700, F.A.C. • DEP adopted Lake Okeechobee TP Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) (Chapter 62-304 F.A.C.) 140 metric tons per year (mt/y) TP load to Lake Okeechobee to achieve a target in-lake TP concentration of 40 ppb in the pelagic zone of the lake • 105 mt/yr from the watershed and 35 my/yr from atmospheric deposition TMDL attainment based on a 5-year rolling average
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation - NEEPP 2007 Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Act (373.4595 Florida Statutes) • Amended LOPA to include the
St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries (known as the northern estuaries) • Requires watershed protection plans for each watershed • Improve the quality, quantity, timing, and distribution of water delivered to Lake Okeechobee and the northern estuaries • Establishes that Watershed Protection Plans shall provide the basis for BMAPs
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP)
Protection Plan Components and Goals Source Control Program
Construction Project & Dispersed Water Management
Research and Water Quality Monitoring Program
GOALS
1. Meet established Total Maximum Daily Loads 2. Manage Lake Okeechobee water levels within an ecologically desirable range 3. Maintain a desirable salinity balance in the estuaries
NEEPP – Coordinating Agency Responsibilities
LOW Source Control Program
Complementary Source Control Programs • FDEP Point and Non-Point Source Programs
• FDACS Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) • SFWMD Regulatory Source Control Program a.k.a Works of the District • University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) BMP Research • Watershed Phosphorus Control Projects
• Alternative Nutrient Reduction Technologies
SFWMD Regulatory Source Control Program 1987 SWIM Act authorized the WOD program under Chapter 40E-61 F.A.C. Set target TP concentrations to achieve 360 mt/yr discharge limit to Lake Okeechobee Applied to non-point urban and agricultural sources Presumption of compliance unless water quality monitoring indicated otherwise
Upcoming Chapter 40-61 Amendments • Statute expanded regulated area – Lake Istokpoga, Upper Kissimmee • 140 mt/yr TP TMDL for Lake Okeechobee • Coordinated with FDEP & FDACS programs thru MOU • Implementation timeline
• Update of permit criteria including monitoring requirements for permittees • Monitoring network to evaluate collective performance of source control programs
BMP Research and Demonstration
Optimize nutrient application rates for vegetables
Improve nutrient removal in above ground impoundments Tail water recovery and chemical precipitation
Cow/calf BMP Optimization
Floating aquatic vegetation control in farm canals
Watershed Phosphorus Control Projects P Source Control Grant Program Wetland Restoration Dairy Remediation Dairy Best Available Technology (DBAT)
New Alternative Treatment Technologies (NATA) Provides a forum to explore additional nutrient reduction technologies Uses the District’s request for proposal process
Demonstration projects Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) Technology
LOW Construction Project
Construction Project Toolbox of water quality and storage projects • Regional and Sub-regional Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) and Reservoirs • Wetland restoration • HWTT
• Aquifer Storage and Recovery • Dispersed Water Management
Northern Everglades Construction Projects Construction Projects
• Lakeside Ranch STA – Phase 1 1,707 acres • Remove phosphorus from stormwater runoff in Taylor CreekNubbin Slough Basin before discharge into lake
Taylor Creek STA – 118 acres Nubbin Slough STA – 809 acres Lake Okeechobee
Kissimmee River Restoration Project Channelization 1962-1971
Floodplain Vegetation Pre-Restoration
Post-Restoration14
Hybrid Wetland Treatment Technology (HWTT) Inflow
Outflow
Limerock Bed for Buffering
Mixing Zone Filtration Zone
Contact Zone with Floc Reuse
Lemkin Creek
Polishing Zone
Flow Weighted TP Concentrations & % Reductions (PORs as Noted)
900
800 700
Mosquito Creek
ppb
600 500
400 300
79%
71%
200
79%
88%
100
0
66%
70%
Nubbin Slough
Ideal Grove
Mosquito Creek
Lemkin Creek
Wolff Ditch
Grassy Island
Inflow
844
190
395
83
88
575
Outflow
180
23
81
28
26
165
Kissimmee River ASR Pilot Project Located on Kissimmee
River 2 miles North of Lake Okeechobee
5 MGD well which stored
Recovery efficiency near
100% after 4 cycles
Phosphorus
concentrations in recovery water below 20 ppb
180
Total Phosphorus Concentration, in parts per billion
approximately 4,000 acre feet of water over the past year
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0
Recharge Recovery 1 2
CYCLE 1
3 4 Recharge Recovery CYCLE 2
5 6 Recharge Recovery CYCLE 3
7
Dispersed Water Management Program
Shallow water distribution across parcel landscape using simple structures • Increases water retention and reduces nutrient loads
• Provides shallow water recharge
Phipps Park/Tropical Farms Retrofit
• Improves wetland systems and habitat • Partnerships benefit local economies
Three main approaches
Before Storage
• Cost Share/Cooperative agreements
• Easements • Payment for Environmental Services
After Storage
Dispersed Water Management Program (cont.) Cost-Share Projects • Istokpoga Marsh Watershed Improvement District Project
Easements (USDA-NRCS Wetland Reserve Program) • Voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property • Technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts • Establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection
Phase 1A: 308 acres previously acquired by IMWID
Phase 1B: 401 acres acquired in FY10
Dispersed Water Management Program (cont.) FRESP • Five-year pilot project to field-test and develop a Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program
• Included multiple partners including eight ranchers • Some converting to permanent WRP easements
NE-PES Program Offers cattle ranchers opportunity to compete for contracts for water and nutrient retention
Provides economic sustainability for ranchers, ecological and habitat enhancements, attenuates water and nutrients
Northern Everglades Dispersed Water Management More than 100 collaborative projects with public and private landowners 61,000 acre-feet of water retention has been achieved though the DWM program, 38,000 of which are in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed $34 million investment through FY16 Solicitation for FY2013 PES projects now open
Current Conditions and Challenges
Lake Okeechobee Current Conditions Water Quality Water Year 2012 had a five-year rolling average of 387 metric tons total phosphorus
Surface Water Inflows Water Year 2012 had almost 2 million ac-ft of surface water inflows
Lake Level 15.08 ft (12/5/2012)
Water Storage Approximately 115,000 acre-feet of storage/retention has been created in the Northern Everglades with the majority (92,000 ac-ft) located in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed
Challenges External loading to the lake Legacy phosphorus In-lake phosphorus loading Funding for implementation Lake stage management until Herbert Hoover Dike repaired Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project Implementation
Some good news… External loading to the lake has decreased
Water clarity increased Algal blooms activity very low
350 Total Phosphorus (ppb)
Submerged aquatic vegetation in lake increasing
Inflow
Lake
300
250 200 150 100 50 0 1970
1980
1990 2000 May-April Water Year
2010
Questions????
Questions?
Bob Brown Assistant Executive Director South Florida Water Management District
Presentation Outline Background on Lake Okeechobee Watershed Legislative History
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program LOW Source Control Program LOW Construction Project
Current Conditions and Challenges
Lake Okeechobee Watershed Background
Pre-Drainage Vs. Post-Drainage Conditions
Lake Okeechobee Watershed
Effects to Lake OkeechobeeThree Primary Problems
Lake Okeechobee
High and Low Lake Levels
Excess Nutrients
Exotic and Invasive Species
Legislative History
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation – SWIM Act and LOPA 1987 Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act FDEP Dairy Rule (62-670.500 F.A.C) SFWMD Lake Okeechobee Works of the District Program (Chapter 40E-61, F.A.C.)
2000 Lake Okeechobee Protection Act (LOPA) Watershed approach to restoring and protecting Lake Okeechobee Required development of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Protection Plan (LOWPP)
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation - Lake Okeechobee TMDL 2001 Chapter 62-304.700, F.A.C. • DEP adopted Lake Okeechobee TP Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) (Chapter 62-304 F.A.C.) 140 metric tons per year (mt/y) TP load to Lake Okeechobee to achieve a target in-lake TP concentration of 40 ppb in the pelagic zone of the lake • 105 mt/yr from the watershed and 35 my/yr from atmospheric deposition TMDL attainment based on a 5-year rolling average
History Of Northern Everglades Legislation - NEEPP 2007 Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Act (373.4595 Florida Statutes) • Amended LOPA to include the
St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee estuaries (known as the northern estuaries) • Requires watershed protection plans for each watershed • Improve the quality, quantity, timing, and distribution of water delivered to Lake Okeechobee and the northern estuaries • Establishes that Watershed Protection Plans shall provide the basis for BMAPs
Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP)
Protection Plan Components and Goals Source Control Program
Construction Project & Dispersed Water Management
Research and Water Quality Monitoring Program
GOALS
1. Meet established Total Maximum Daily Loads 2. Manage Lake Okeechobee water levels within an ecologically desirable range 3. Maintain a desirable salinity balance in the estuaries
NEEPP – Coordinating Agency Responsibilities
LOW Source Control Program
Complementary Source Control Programs • FDEP Point and Non-Point Source Programs
• FDACS Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) • SFWMD Regulatory Source Control Program a.k.a Works of the District • University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) BMP Research • Watershed Phosphorus Control Projects
• Alternative Nutrient Reduction Technologies
SFWMD Regulatory Source Control Program 1987 SWIM Act authorized the WOD program under Chapter 40E-61 F.A.C. Set target TP concentrations to achieve 360 mt/yr discharge limit to Lake Okeechobee Applied to non-point urban and agricultural sources Presumption of compliance unless water quality monitoring indicated otherwise
Upcoming Chapter 40-61 Amendments • Statute expanded regulated area – Lake Istokpoga, Upper Kissimmee • 140 mt/yr TP TMDL for Lake Okeechobee • Coordinated with FDEP & FDACS programs thru MOU • Implementation timeline
• Update of permit criteria including monitoring requirements for permittees • Monitoring network to evaluate collective performance of source control programs
BMP Research and Demonstration
Optimize nutrient application rates for vegetables
Improve nutrient removal in above ground impoundments Tail water recovery and chemical precipitation
Cow/calf BMP Optimization
Floating aquatic vegetation control in farm canals
Watershed Phosphorus Control Projects P Source Control Grant Program Wetland Restoration Dairy Remediation Dairy Best Available Technology (DBAT)
New Alternative Treatment Technologies (NATA) Provides a forum to explore additional nutrient reduction technologies Uses the District’s request for proposal process
Demonstration projects Permeable Reactive Barrier (PRB) Technology
LOW Construction Project
Construction Project Toolbox of water quality and storage projects • Regional and Sub-regional Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) and Reservoirs • Wetland restoration • HWTT
• Aquifer Storage and Recovery • Dispersed Water Management
Northern Everglades Construction Projects Construction Projects
• Lakeside Ranch STA – Phase 1 1,707 acres • Remove phosphorus from stormwater runoff in Taylor CreekNubbin Slough Basin before discharge into lake
Taylor Creek STA – 118 acres Nubbin Slough STA – 809 acres Lake Okeechobee
Kissimmee River Restoration Project Channelization 1962-1971
Floodplain Vegetation Pre-Restoration
Post-Restoration14
Hybrid Wetland Treatment Technology (HWTT) Inflow
Outflow
Limerock Bed for Buffering
Mixing Zone Filtration Zone
Contact Zone with Floc Reuse
Lemkin Creek
Polishing Zone
Flow Weighted TP Concentrations & % Reductions (PORs as Noted)
900
800 700
Mosquito Creek
ppb
600 500
400 300
79%
71%
200
79%
88%
100
0
66%
70%
Nubbin Slough
Ideal Grove
Mosquito Creek
Lemkin Creek
Wolff Ditch
Grassy Island
Inflow
844
190
395
83
88
575
Outflow
180
23
81
28
26
165
Kissimmee River ASR Pilot Project Located on Kissimmee
River 2 miles North of Lake Okeechobee
5 MGD well which stored
Recovery efficiency near
100% after 4 cycles
Phosphorus
concentrations in recovery water below 20 ppb
180
Total Phosphorus Concentration, in parts per billion
approximately 4,000 acre feet of water over the past year
160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0
Recharge Recovery 1 2
CYCLE 1
3 4 Recharge Recovery CYCLE 2
5 6 Recharge Recovery CYCLE 3
7
Dispersed Water Management Program
Shallow water distribution across parcel landscape using simple structures • Increases water retention and reduces nutrient loads
• Provides shallow water recharge
Phipps Park/Tropical Farms Retrofit
• Improves wetland systems and habitat • Partnerships benefit local economies
Three main approaches
Before Storage
• Cost Share/Cooperative agreements
• Easements • Payment for Environmental Services
After Storage
Dispersed Water Management Program (cont.) Cost-Share Projects • Istokpoga Marsh Watershed Improvement District Project
Easements (USDA-NRCS Wetland Reserve Program) • Voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance wetlands on their property • Technical and financial support to help landowners with their wetland restoration efforts • Establish long-term conservation and wildlife practices and protection
Phase 1A: 308 acres previously acquired by IMWID
Phase 1B: 401 acres acquired in FY10
Dispersed Water Management Program (cont.) FRESP • Five-year pilot project to field-test and develop a Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Program
• Included multiple partners including eight ranchers • Some converting to permanent WRP easements
NE-PES Program Offers cattle ranchers opportunity to compete for contracts for water and nutrient retention
Provides economic sustainability for ranchers, ecological and habitat enhancements, attenuates water and nutrients
Northern Everglades Dispersed Water Management More than 100 collaborative projects with public and private landowners 61,000 acre-feet of water retention has been achieved though the DWM program, 38,000 of which are in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed $34 million investment through FY16 Solicitation for FY2013 PES projects now open
Current Conditions and Challenges
Lake Okeechobee Current Conditions Water Quality Water Year 2012 had a five-year rolling average of 387 metric tons total phosphorus
Surface Water Inflows Water Year 2012 had almost 2 million ac-ft of surface water inflows
Lake Level 15.08 ft (12/5/2012)
Water Storage Approximately 115,000 acre-feet of storage/retention has been created in the Northern Everglades with the majority (92,000 ac-ft) located in the Lake Okeechobee Watershed
Challenges External loading to the lake Legacy phosphorus In-lake phosphorus loading Funding for implementation Lake stage management until Herbert Hoover Dike repaired Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project Implementation
Some good news… External loading to the lake has decreased
Water clarity increased Algal blooms activity very low
350 Total Phosphorus (ppb)
Submerged aquatic vegetation in lake increasing
Inflow
Lake
300
250 200 150 100 50 0 1970
1980
1990 2000 May-April Water Year
2010
Questions????
Questions?
