Water Resources Advisory Commission Lake Okeechobee Committee January 25, 2006 Susan Gray, Ph.D.

Water Resources Advisory CommissionLake Okeechobee Committee

January 25, 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

LakeOkeechobeeFast-Track Projects5 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 collection Nov ‘05 – Mar ’06

(Conceptual design being conducted by CDM) Develop Basis of Design Report Apr ‘06 – Oct ‘06 Obtain Design Criteria Approval Nov ‘06 Obtain Permits Oct ‘06 – Sept ‘07 Nubbin Slough expansion permits Jan ‘06 – Aug ‘06 Nubbin Slough construction Sep ‘06 – Dec ‘07 Construct remaining Fast Track Mar ‘08 – Dec ‘09

projects

Completion Date 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 Report Jan ’06 – Aug ‘06

(SOW, preliminary operating criteria under development)

Obtain Design Criteria Approval Sept ‘06

Design Pumps/Structures Oct ’06 – Sept ‘07 Obtain Permits Oct ’06 – Sept ‘07 Construct Pumps/Structures Oct ’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 2006Phase II completion date: 2010SFWMD Point of Contact: Kim O’Dell

Steps to implementation/Schedule: SSM & water shortage modeling Oct ’05 – Aug ‘06 Seed bank evaluation Oct ’06 – Jan ‘07 Evaluate feasibility of spring recession Nov ‘06 Re-map lake sediments Apr ’06 – Apr ‘07 Review in-lake dredging options Jun ’06 – May ‘07 Ecological/hydrological modeling Oct ’05 – Sep ‘07 Purchase temporary pumps Feb ’06 – Aug ‘06 Electrical, installation platforms for Aug ’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 Act Jan ’06 - July ‘07 Develop guidelines to determine Jan ’06 – Dec ‘07

P loading and BMP credits ERP rule revisions Feb ’06 – Dec ‘07 Coordination with State-wide ERP Feb ’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 2Figure 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 assessments Dec ‘05 Complete conceptual designs & cost estimates Mar ‘06

for public land storage Evaluate cost-effectiveness of storage options Apr ‘06 Initiate construction of 4 pilot facilities on Apr ‘06

private lands Complete private & tribal lands assessments Jun ‘06 Enter into agreements on additional sites Dec ‘06 Design, construct, monitor Jan ‘07 – Dec ‘09

Completion Date 2009

Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface Water

14

Point of Contact: Scott Burns/Robert Verrastro

Steps to implementation, schedule: Assess feasibility of reactivating Taylor Jan ’06 – Jun

‘07

Creek ASR well

Feasibility of deep well injection Jan ’06 – Jan ‘07

Conduct pilot ASR for Brighton Reservation Jan ’06 – Apr ‘08

Design and permitting of 10 ASR wells Jan ’06 – Jun ‘07

Construct & begin operation 10 ASR wells Jul ’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, lake 2004 –

2015

and watershed assessments for LOPP

Flow ways feasibility study Jun ’06 – Sep ‘07

LOWP CERP PIR completion Jan ’06 – 2008

LOWP CERP land acquisition Jun ’07 – 2012

LOWP CERP design and permitting 2009 - 2015

LOWP CERP Construction 2010 – 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

Progress

Between 1998 and 2005, more than 35 projects have been completed in the north watershed.

Approximately 20 additional projects are under way and expected to be complete in the next one to five years. 

Will prevent an estimated 150 tons of phosphorus from entering the Lake each year.

Will add approximately 280,000 acre feet of additional water storage to reduce impacts from flood-control releases to the estuaries

22

Summary of FY06 ActivitiesLOER Project Implementation Schedule

Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug SepFast Track Projects

Initial design and data collectionDevelop Basis of Design Report

Nubbin Slough expansion permitsNubbin Slough construction

Permanent Forward PumpsDevelop Basis of Design ReportObtain Design Criteria Approval

Revise Lake Operating Schedule - SFWMD SupportRevise SSM and water shortage rules

Re-map lake sedimentsReview in-lake dredging options

Ecological/hydrological modelingPurchase temporary pumps

Electrical, installation platforms for temporary pumps

Revise ERP CriteriaIdentify and implement potential legislative revisions

Guidelines to determine P loading & BMP creditsERP rule revisions

Coordination with state-wide ERP review

Alternative Storage/Disposal of Excess Surface WaterOngoing communication with public & private land owners

Complete public lands assessmentComplete conceptual designs & cost estimates for public land storage

Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of storage optionsInitiate construction of 4 pilot facilities

Complete private & tribal lands assessment

Alternative Storage/Disposal - Deep Well Injection & ASRAssess feasibility of reactivating Taylor Creek ASR Well

Feasibility of deep well injectionConduct pilot ASR for Brighton Reservation

Design and permitting of 10 ASR wells

Continued Implementation of LOPP & CERP LOWPOngoing water quality projects for LOPP

Lake and watershed assessments for LOPPFlow ways feasibility study

LOWP CERP PIR completion

FY 2005-2006

23

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

24

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

25

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

26

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