DOCSLIB.ORG

Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District Apalachicola River and Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan November 2017 Program Development Series 17-09 Northwest Florida Water Management District Apalachicola River and Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan November 2017 Program Development Series 17-09 NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT GOVERNING BOARD George Roberts Jerry Pate John Alter Chair, Panama City Vice Chair, Pensacola Secretary-Treasurer, Malone Gus Andrews Jon Costello Marc Dunbar DeFuniak Springs Tallahassee Tallahassee Ted Everett Nick Patronis Bo Spring Chipley Panama City Beach Port St. Joe Brett J. Cyphers Executive Director Headquarters 81 Water Management Drive Havana, Florida 32333-4712 (850) 539-5999 www.nwfwater.com Crestview Econfina Milton 180 E. Redstone Avenue 6418 E. Highway 20 5453 Davisson Road Crestview, Florida 32539 Youngstown, FL 32466 Milton, FL 32583 (850) 683-5044 (850) 722-9919 (850) 626-3101 Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District Acknowledgements This document was developed by the Northwest Florida Water Management District under the auspices of the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Program and in accordance with sections 373.451-459, Florida Statutes. The plan update was prepared under the supervision and oversight of Brett Cyphers, Executive Director and Carlos Herd, Director, Division of Resource Management. Funding support was provided by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. The assistance and support of the NFWF is gratefully acknowledged. The authors would like to especially recognize members of the public, as well as agency reviewers and staff from the District and from the Ecology and Environment, Inc., team that contributed to the development of this plan. Among those that contributed considerable time and effort to assist in the development of this plan are the following. Their assistance and thoughtful comments were invaluable and are gratefully acknowledged. Plan Development Apalachee Regional Planning Council. Northwest Florida Water Management District Joe Crozier Sara Thomas Paul Thorpe Elaine McKinnon Nicole Johnson Janice Watson Karen Kebart Brittany Wood Chris Rietow Christina Coger Nick Wooten Jesse Gray Brett Cyphers Technical and Public Review Anita Grove, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Yin-Hsuen Chen, University of Florida Jennifer Harper, Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve Joann Mossa, University of Florida Jonathan Brucker, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Erik Lovestrand, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural (DEP), Aquatic Preserves Office Sciences Megan Christopher, DEP Melody Ray-Culp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nikkie Cox, DEP (USFWS) Katie Davis, DEP Maureen Walsh, USFWS Lisa Robertson, DEP Jason Drake, U.S. Forest Service Cindy Clark, City of Apalachicola Paul Medley, U.S. Forest Service Lee Mathes, City of Apalachicola Donna Legare, Apalachee Audubon Society Courtney Dempsey, City of Carrabelle Jody Walthall, Apalachee Audubon Society Brenda LaPaz, City of Carrabelle Rob Williams, Apalachee Audubon Society Angie Smith, Calhoun County Dan Tonsmeire, Apalachicola Riverkeeper Chelsea Snowden, Calhoun County Rick Harter, Ecology and Environment, Inc. Frank Snowden, Calhoun County Kent Wimmer, Florida Defenders of Wildlife Kathleen Greenwood, Florida Department of Agriculture and Robin Rickel Vroegop, Basecamp Apalach Consumer Services (FDACS) Betty Webb, BTW Services Carrie Jones, FDACS Joe Taylor, Franklin’s Promise Coalition Roy Lima, FDACS Sean McGlynn, McGlynn Labs Jeff Vowell, FDACS Darryl Boudreau, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Dan Pennington, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Janet Bowman, TNC Steve Geiger, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Amanda Green, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (FWC) (NFWF) Ted Hoehn, FWC Jonathan Porthouse, NFWF Matthew Hortman, FWC Mike Sharp, NFWF Jordan Hults, FWC Jessica Bibza, National Wildlife Federation B.J. Jamison, FWC Herman Jones, Private Citizen Thomas Kuhn, FWC Pam Jones, Private Citizen, Katie Konchar, FWC Ben Martinez, Private Citizen Gareth Leonard, FWC Dusty May, Private Citizen Phil Manor, FWC Betty Pettis, Private Citizen Amy Raker, FWC Beth Wright, Private Citizen Kent Smith, FWC Duncan Cairns, Retired NWFWMD Ricky Jones, Franklin County Chad Taylor, Riparian County Stakeholder Coalition Alan Pierce, Franklin County Shannon Hartsfield, Seafood Management Assistance Jill Jeglie, Gadsden County Resource and Recovery Team Warren Yeager, Gulf County George Willson, Tall Timbers Research Station Rett Daniels, Jackson County Parks and Recreation Cover Photograph: Cash Bayou (John Crowe) i Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District Executive Summary The Apalachicola River and Bay watershed is renowned for its environmental and economic resources and widely recognized as a waterbody of state, national, and international significance. For the purposes of this plan, the watershed is defined as including the Apalachicola, Chipola, New, and Carrabelle rivers; Lake Wimico; the interconnected estuarine system of Apalachicola Bay, East Bay, St. George Sound, St. Vincent Sound, and Alligator Harbor; together with the tributaries and contributing watershed areas of all of these waterbodies. Within Florida, the watershed encompasses about 2,850 square miles. This constitutes the downstream reach of the larger Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) rivers basin, which drains over 20,000 square miles of Florida, Alabama, and Georgia. Apalachicola Bay and adjacent watershed areas have been designated by the United States as a National Estuarine Research Reserve and the United Nations as an International Biosphere Reserve. Florida has designated the river and bay as Outstanding Florida Waters and portions of the estuary are within two aquatic preserves. Numerous listed plant and animal species are supported by the system. The river harbors the most diverse assemblage of freshwater fish in Florida, and its contributing basin provides habitat to some of the highest densities of reptile and amphibian species on the continent. Furthermore, Apalachicola Bay supports some of the most significant fisheries in the southeastern United States. Historically, the bay has produced over 90 percent of the commercially harvested oysters within the state of Florida and about 10 percent of the harvest nationally. The bay also provides habitat for numerous other species, including blue crab, shrimp, and many species of finfish. Historically, a large proportion of the region’s work force has been employed in the commercial fishing and other resource-based industries. This is the second Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) plan update for the Apalachicola River and Bay watershed. The purpose of the plan is to provide a framework for resource management, protection, and restoration using a watershed approach. Protecting and restoring watershed resources is a shared responsibility on the part of numerous stakeholders, including local governments, state and federal agencies, private businesses, and the public. It requires building upon past accomplishments to encompass a range of management approaches. The Apalachicola River and Bay Management Plan was approved by the District in 1992 and updated in 1996. Since that time, significant progress has been achieved. Restoration projects have been completed within eight sub-basins within Tates Hell Swamp, resulting in numerous hydrologic improvements and restoration of natural wetland vegetation. Stormwater treatment systems have been constructed in communities throughout the watershed, and the District has initiated an ambitious effort to work in partnership with agricultural producers to implement enhanced agricultural best management practices across the Jackson Blue Spring groundwater contribution area. Other projects completed or initiated have included hydrodynamic model development and public education and awareness initiatives. Over 610,000 acres of land have been acquired within the watershed to protect water and related resources. This constitutes over 30 percent of the watershed within Florida. Among these lands are the Apalachicola River Water Management Area, Tate’s Hell State Forest, the Apalachicola River Wildlife and Environmental Area, several state parks, and the St. Vincent Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve and Apalachicola Bay and Alligator Harbor Aquatic Preserves provide further protection to waters within the estuary. Despite the accomplishments achieved to date, challenges continue to affect water quality, natural systems, and the important public benefits provided by the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay. While this plan is focused on actions that can be taken within Florida to protect and restore watershed resources, it must be recognized that increasing and unrestrained water withdrawals in Georgia have had profound adverse impacts on the ecology of the Apalachicola River and Bay system and on the economic resources that depend on this system. At the time of this writing, the state of Florida is engaged in ii Apalachicola River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District litigation before the U.S. Supreme Court to resolve the interstate conflict in a way that would sustain the resources of the watershed for current and future generations. Aside from the effects of out of state water withdrawals,
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society
    Volume 28: Number 1 > Winter/Spring 2011 PalmettoThe Quarterly Journal of the Florida Native Plant Society Protecting Endangered Plants in Panhandle Parks ● Native or Not? Carica papaya ● Water Science & Plants Protecting Endangered Plant Species Sweetwater slope: Bill and Pam Anderson To date, a total of 117 listed taxa have been recorded in 26 panhandle parks, making these parks a key resource for the protection of endangered plant species. 4 ● The Palmetto Volume 28:1 ● Winter/Spring 2011 in Panhandle State Parks by Gil Nelson and Tova Spector The Florida Panhandle is well known for its natural endowments, chief among which are its botanical and ecological diversity. Approximately 242 sensitive plant taxa occur in the 21 counties west of the Suwannee River. These include 15 taxa listed as endangered or threatened by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), 212 listed as endangered or threatened by the State of Florida, 191 tracked by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 52 candidates for federal listing, and 7 categorized by the state as commercially exploited. Since the conservation of threatened and endangered plant species depends largely on effective management of protected populations, the occurrence of such plants on publicly or privately owned conservation lands, coupled with institutional knowledge of their location and extent is essential. District 1 of the Florida Sarracenia rosea (purple pitcherplant) at Ponce de Leon Springs State Park: Park Service manages 33 state parks encompassing approximately Tova Spector, Florida Department of Environmental Protection 53,877 acres in the 18 counties from Jefferson County and the southwestern portion of Taylor County westward.
    [Show full text]
  • Torreya Taxifolia
    photograph © Abraham Rammeloo Torreya taxifolia produces seeds in 40 Kalmthout Arboretum ABRAHAM RAMMELOO, Curator of the Kalmthout Arboretum, writes about this rare conifer that recently produced seed for the first time. Torreya is a genus of conifers that comprises four to six species that are native to North America and Asia. It is closely related to Taxus and Cephalotaxus and is easily confused with the latter. However, it is relatively easy to distinguish them apart by their leaves. Torreya has needles with, on the underside, two small edges with stomas giving it a green appearance; Cephalotaxus has different rows of stomas, and for this reason the underside is more of a white colour. It is very rare to find Torreya taxifolia in the wild; it is native to a small area in Florida and Georgia. It grows in steep limestone cliffs along the Apalachicola River. These trees come from a warm and humid climate where the temperature in winter occasionally falls below freezing. They grow mainly on north-facing slopes between Fagus grandifolia, Liriodendron tulipifera, Acer barbatum, Liquidambar styraciflua and Quercus alba. They can grow up to 15 to 20 m high. The needles are sharp and pointed and grow in a whorled pattern along the branches. They are 25 to 35 mm long and stay on the tree for three to four years. If you crush them, they give off a strong, sharp odour. The health and reproduction of the adult population of this species suffered INTERNATIONAL DENDROLOGY SOCIETY TREES Opposite Torreya taxifolia ‘Argentea’ growing at Kalmthout Arboretum in Belgium.
    [Show full text]
  • For Indian River County Histories
    Index for Indian River County Histories KEY CODES TO INDEXES OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY HISTORIES Each code represents a book located on our shelf. For example: Akerman Joe A, Jr., M025 This means that the name Joe Akerman is located on page 25 in the book called Miley’s Memos. The catalog numbers are the dewey decimal numbers used in the Florida History Department of the Indian River County Main Library, Vero Beach, Florida. Code Title Author Catalog No. A A History of Indian River County: A Sense of Sydney Johnston 975.928 JOH Place C The Indian River County Cook Book 641.5 IND E The History of Education in Indian River Judy Voyles 975.928 His County F Florida’s Historic Indian River County Charlotte 975.928.LOC Lockwood H Florida’s Hibiscus City: Vero Beach J. Noble Richards 975.928 RIC I Indian River: Florida’s Treasure Coast Walter R. Hellier 975.928 Hel M Miley’s Memos Charles S. Miley 975.929 Mil N Mimeo News [1953-1962] 975.929 Mim P Pioneer Chit Chat W. C. Thompson & 975.928 Tho Henry C. Thompson S Stories of Early Life Along the Beautiful Indian Anna Pearl 975.928 Sto River Leonard Newman T Tales of Sebastian Sebastian River 975.928 Tal Area Historical Society V Old Fort Vinton in Indian River County Claude J. Rahn 975.928 Rah W More Tales of Sebastian Sebastian River 975.928 Tal Area Historical Society 1 Index for Indian River County Histories 1958 Theatre Guild Series Adam Eby Family, N46 The Curious Savage, H356 Adams Father's Been to Mars, H356 Adam G, I125 John Loves Mary, H356 Alto, M079, I108, H184, H257 1962 Theatre Guild
    [Show full text]
  • PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS of TORREYA (TAXACEAE) INFERRED from SEQUENCES of NUCLEAR RIBOSOMAL DNA ITS REGION Author(S): Jianhua Li, Charles C
    PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF TORREYA (TAXACEAE) INFERRED FROM SEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR RIBOSOMAL DNA ITS REGION Author(s): Jianhua Li, Charles C. Davis, Michael J. Donoghue, Susan Kelley and Peter Del Tredici Source: Harvard Papers in Botany, Vol. 6, No. 1 (July 2001), pp. 275-281 Published by: Harvard University Herbaria Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41761652 Accessed: 14-06-2016 15:35 UTC REFERENCES Linked references are available on JSTOR for this article: http://www.jstor.org/stable/41761652?seq=1&cid=pdf-reference#references_tab_contents You may need to log in to JSTOR to access the linked references. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Harvard University Herbaria is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Harvard Papers in Botany This content downloaded from 128.103.224.4 on Tue, 14 Jun 2016 15:35:14 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS OF TORREYA (TAXACEAE) INFERRED FROM SEQUENCES OF NUCLEAR RIBOSOMAL DNA ITS REGION Jianhua Li,1 Charles C. Davis,2 Michael J. Donoghue,3 Susan Kelley,1 And Peter Del Tredici1 Abstract. Torreya, composed of five to seven species, is distributed disjunctly in eastern Asia and the eastern and western United States.
    [Show full text]
  • Fusarium Torreyae (Sp
    HOST RANGE AND BIOLOGY OF FUSARIUM TORREYAE (SP. NOV), CAUSAL AGENT OF CANKER DISEASE OF FLORIDA TORREYA (TORREYA TAXIFOLIA ARN.) By AARON J. TRULOCK A THESIS PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2012 1 © 2012 Aaron J. Trulock 2 To my wife, for her support, patience, and dedication 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my chair, Jason Smith, and committee members, Jenny Cruse-Sanders and Patrick Minogue, for their guidance, encouragement, and boundless knowledge, which has helped me succeed in my graduate career. I would also like to thank the Forest Pathology lab for aiding and encouraging me in both my studies and research. Research is not an individual effort; it’s a team sport. Without wonderful teammates it would never happen. Finally, I would like to that the U.S. Forest Service for their financial backing, as well as, UF/IFAS College of Agriculture and Life Science for their matching funds. 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................. 4 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ 6 LIST OF FIGURES .......................................................................................................... 7 ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................... 8
    [Show full text]
  • Chipola River Springs Inventory Study Area……………………………………………
    CHIPOLA RIVER SPRING INVENTORY JACKSON AND CALHOUN COUNTIES, FL Water Resources Special Report 04-01 Prepared by: Kristopher Barrios and Angela Chelette The Northwest Florida Water Management District July 2004 NORTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT =========================================== GOVERNING BOARD JOYCE ESTES, Chair Eastpoint L.E. MCMULLIAN, Jr. Vice-Chair Sneads STEPHANIE H. BLOYD, Secretary/Treasurer Panama City Beach Wayne Bodie Hulan S. Carter Sharon T. Gaskin DeFuniak Springs Chipley Wewahitchka Richard P. Petermann Paul Bradshaw Lois Benson Fort Walton Beach Havana Pensacola ==================================== Douglas E. Barr - Executive Director ==================================== For additional information, write or call: Northwest Florida Water Management District 81 Water Management Drive Havana, Florida 32333 (850) 539-5999 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES.............................................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES................................................................................................................ iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................................... v INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. 1 Purpose and Scope....................................................................................................... 1 Area of Investigation ....................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Northwest Florida Water Management District Hydrologic Conditions
    Northwest Florida Water Management District Hydrologic Conditions Update July 2018 – December 2018 April 1, 2019 Executive Summary Cumulative average rainfall for the last six months was well above normal for the District. After experiencing a wetter-than-normal spring and early summer, significant amounts of rainfall during the second half of the 2018 calendar year resulted in high groundwater recharge and very high streamflow. Rivers and streams of the District are generally in the well above normal to high flow levels. Precipitation Summary Rainfall totals, compared to current National Weather Service Climate Normals (1981-2010 reference period), from July to December were above normal across the District at 49.33 inches (normal cumulative rainfall for this period is 31.04 inches). Rainfall in July was 8 percent above normal at 7.69 inches. August rainfall totals were 57 percent above normal at 10.28 inches. September rainfall totals were 38 percent above normal at 7.48 inches. Rainfall in October was 37 percent above normal at 5.00 inches. Rainfall in November was 57 percent above normal at 6.61 inches. Rainfall totals in December were 200 percent above normal at 12.27 inches. Significant Events Heavy Rainfall and Minor Riverine Flooding – August 01-03, 2018 Heavy rainfall was observed after a frontal system passed across the Panhandle. Several inches of rainfall were observed in isolated areas of the coastal counties and minor flooding was observed in the St. Marks River. Tropical Storm Gordon – September 05, 2018 Tropical Storm Gordon impacted the western Panhandle and brought several inches of rainfall to Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
    [Show full text]
  • D. Bruce Means
    D. Bruce Means Scientific and Technical Publications, Popular Articles, and Contract Reports 1. Means, D. Bruce and Clive J. Longden. 1970. Observations on the occurrence of Desmognathus monticola in Florida. Herpetologica 26(4):396-399. 2. Means, D. Bruce. 1971. Dentitional morphology in desmognathine salamanders (Amphibia: Plethodontidae). Association of Southeastern Biologists Bulletin 18(2):45. (Abstr.) 3. Means, D. Bruce. 1972a. Notes on the autumn breeding biology of Ambystoma cingulatum (Cope) (Amphibia: Urodela: Ambystomatidae). Association of Southeastern Biologists Bulletin 19(2):84. (Abstr.) 4. Means, D. Bruce. 1972b. Osteology of the skull and atlas of Amphiuma pholeter Neill (Amphibia: Urodela: Amphiumidae). Association of Southeastern Biologists Bulletin 19(2):84. (Abstr.) 5. Hobbs, Horton H., Jr. and D. Bruce Means. 1972c. Two new troglobitic crayfishes (Decapoda, Astacidae) from Florida. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington 84(46):393-410. 6. Means, D. Bruce. 1972d. Comments on undivided teeth in urodeles. Copeia 1972(3):386-388. 7. Means, D. Bruce. 1974a. The status of Desmognathus brimleyorum Stejneger and an analysis of the genus Desmognathus in Florida. Bulletin of the Florida State Museum, Biological Sciences, 18(1):1-100. 8. Means, D. Bruce. 1974b. City of Tallahassee Powerline Project: Faunal Impact Study. Report under contract with the City of Tallahassee, Florida, 198 pages. (Contract report.) 9. Means, D. Bruce. 1974c. A survey of the amphibians, reptiles and mammals inhabiting St. George Island, Franklin County, Florida with comments on vulnerable aspects of their ecology. 21 pages in R. J. Livingston and N. M. Thompson, editors. Field and laboratory studies concerning effects of various pollutants on estuarine and coastal organisms with application to the management of the Apalachicola Bay system (North Florida, U.S.A.).
    [Show full text]
  • The Population Biology of Torreya Taxifolia: Habitat Evaluation, Fire Ecology, and Genetic Variability
    I LLINOI S UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN PRODUCTION NOTE University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Library Large-scale Digitization Project, 2007. The Population Biology of Torreya taxifolia: Habitat Evaluation, Fire Ecology, and Genetic Variability Mark W. Schwartz and Sharon M. Hermann Center for Biodiversity Technical Report 1992(Z) Illinois Natural History Survey 607 E. Peabody Drive Champaign, Illinois 61820 Tall Timbers, Inc. Route 1, Box 678 Tallahassee, Florida 32312 Prepared for Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission Nongame Wildlife Section 620 S. Meridian Street Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1600 Project Completion Report NG89-030 TABLE OF CONTENTS page Chapter 1: Species background and hypotheses for.......5 the decline of Torreya taxifolia, species Background ....... .. .6 Hypotheses for the Decline........0 Changes in the Biotic Environment ...... 10 Changes in the Abiotic Environment ..... 13 Discu~ssion *0o ** eg. *.*. 0 0*.0.*09 6 0 o**** o*...21 Chapter 2: The continuing decline of Torreyap iola....2 Study.Area and Methods ooo................25 Results * ** ** ** ** ** ** .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .30 Chapter 3: Genetic variability in Torreya taxif-olia......4 Methods.......................* 0 C o490 0 Results . ...... *oe*.........o51 -0L-icmion *.. ~ 0000 00000@55 Management _Recommendations .000000000000.0.60 Chapter 4: The light relations of Tgr .taz'ifgli with ..... 62 special emphasis on the relationship to growth and,,disease- Methods o..............0.0.0.0.0.00.eoo63 Light and Growth . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .64 Measurements'-of photosynthetic rates 0,.65 Light and Growth . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .69 Measurements of photosynthetic rates ..71. Discussion......... *0* * * * * * * ** . 81 Chapter 5: The foliar fungal associates of Torreya............85 ta ifola: pathogenicity and susceptibility to smoke Methods 0 0 0..
    [Show full text]
  • Chipola Slabshell (Mussel)
    Chipola slabshell (mussel) Elliptio chiplolaensis Taxonomic Classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Bivalvia Order: Unionoida Family: Unionidae Genus/Species: Elliptio chiplolaensis Common Name: Chipola slabshell Listing Status Federal Status: Threatened FL Status: Federally-designated Threatened FNAI Ranks: G1/S1 (Critically Imperiled) IUCN Status: EN (Endangered) Physical Description The Chipola slabshell is a midsized freshwater mussel that can reach a length of 3.3 inches (8.5 centimeters). This species is oval shaped with a reddish-brown outer shell, sometimes surrounded with dark and light bands, and a reddish-yellow inner shell (University of Georgia 2008). Life History The Chipola slabshell is a filter feeder (filters food out of water) and their diet primarily consists of plankton and detritus (dead organic matter). Due to its rarity, little is known about the life history of the Chipola slabshell. It is believed that males release sperm in the water and the female receives the sperm through its siphon. Eggs are fertilized in the female’s shell and the glochidia (larvae) release into the water. The larvae attach to the gills or fins of a host fish to develop. When the larvae metamorphose into juvenile mussels, they release from the fish and settle in their primary habitat. Chipola Slabshell Mussel 1 | Page Habitat & Distribution The Chipola slabshell inhabits slow to medium current rivers with a sand and silt floor (Bogan 2000). This species is found only in the Chipola River in northwest Florida. Threats Freshwater mussels face a host of threats due to an increased human population, pollution, and development. The main threat is the impoundment of fresh waterways.
    [Show full text]
  • Summary of Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Action Plans – June 2018 Prepared by the Howard T
    Summary of Outstanding Florida Springs Basin Management Action Plans – June 2018 Prepared by the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute (FSI) Background The Florida Springs and Aquifer Protection Act (Chapter 373, Part VIII, Florida Statutes [F.S.]), provides for the protection and restoration of 30 Outstanding Florida Springs (OFS), which comprise 24 first magnitude springs, 6 additional named springs, and their associated spring runs. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) has assessed water quality in each OFS and determined that 24 of the 30 OFS are impaired for the nitrate form of nitrogen. Table 1 provides a list of all 30 OFS and indicates which are currently impaired by nitrate nitrogen concentrations above the state’s Numeric Nutrient Criterion (NNC) for nitrate. Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) have been issued for all 24 of the impaired springs. The Springs Protection Act requires that FDEP adopt Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) for each of the impaired OFS by July 1, 2018. BMAPs describe the State’s efforts to achieve water quality standards in impaired waters within a 20-year time frame. Table 1. Outstanding Florida Springs. PLANNING_UNIT TITLE IMPAIRED? Withlacoochee River Madison Blue Spring Yes Lake Woodruff Unit Volusia Blue Spring Yes Homosassa River Planning Unit Homosassa Spring Group Yes Lake Woodruff Unit DeLeon Spring Yes Rainbow River Rainbow Spring Group Yes Middle Suwannee Falmouth Spring Yes Chipola River Jackson Blue Spring Yes Lake George Unit Silver Glen Springs No Wekiva River
    [Show full text]
  • The FDEP Watershed Network
    The FDEP Watershed Network Volume 1, Issue 2 – Summer 2008 In this issue: Links to more information: Chief’s Chatter Background Hot News • TMDL Program Overview Featured articles • TMDL Program Personnel updates • Basin 411 Coming Events • Impaired Surface Waters Rule • FAQs • Status & Assessment Reports • TMDL Reports Chief’s Chatter – Eric Livingston, Bureau Chief We appreciate the positive feedback we received on the first edition of the Bureau of Watershed Management’s newsletter. We are glad that it is helping our staff and stakeholders keep up with all of the activities ongoing within our TMDL/watershed restoration program. A lot has happened during the last three months and hopefully this edition of the Newsletter will get you caught up with the action! You will find information on the adoption of the first TMDLs for springs, the most recently adopted Basin Management Action Plans, water program reorganization, and more. We welcome feedback from our watershed stakeholders and invite them to provide articles for future Newsletters. Hot News First Springs TMDL Adopted In 2004, the Florida Legislature passed the Wekiva Parkway and Protection Act (WPPA) (Chapter 369, Part III, FS), which required the the St. Johns River Water Management District to establish pollutant load reduction goals for the Wekiva Study Area to assist the DEP in adoptingTMDLs for impaired waters within the Wekiva Study Area. The impaired waters include nutrient impairments in the Wekiva River (including Wekiwa Spring), Rock Springs Run, Spring Lake, Lake Florida, Lake Orienta, Lake Adalaide, Lake Lawne, Silver Lake, and Bay Lake, nutrient and dissolved oxygen impairments in the Little Wekiva Canal, and fecal coliform impairment in the Little Wekiva Canal and the Little Wekiva River.
    [Show full text]