Final Report of the Scientific Peer Review Panel on The
Engineers, FINAL REPORT OF THE SCIENTIFIC PEER REVIEW PANEL ON THE Scientists Planners& www.waterandair.com Environmental DATA AND METHODOLOGIES IN MFL Establishment for the Econfina River Prepared for SUWANNEE RIVER WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT 9225 CR 49 Live Oak, Florida 32060 Prepared under Contract 03/04-137 By Water & Air Research, Inc. Peer Review Panel Ivan Chou, M.E., P.E. Louis Motz, Ph.D., P.E., D.WRE. Jeffrey Hill, Ph.D. E. Lynn Mosura-Bliss, M.A. December 2015 REAL PEOPLE REAL SOLUTIONS TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Page Introduction 1 SCOPE OF REVIEW REQUIRED BY THE DISTRICT 2 REVIEW CONSTRAINTS 3 TIMETABLE 3 RESULTS OF PEER REVIEW 4 REVIEW SUMMARY 6 CONCLUSIONS 8 Appendices: Appendix A – Resumes Appendix B – Peer Review Forms Econfina Peer Review Report for SRWMD.docx 1/12/2016 INTRODUCTION The Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL) Program within the State of Florida is based on the requirements of Chapter 373.042 Florida Statutes. This statute requires that either a Water Management District (WMD) or the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) establish minimum flows for surface watercourses and minimum levels for groundwaters and surface waters. The statutory description of a minimum flow is “the limit at which further withdrawals would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area” (Ch. 373.042 (1)(a), F.S.). The statute provides additional guidance to the WMDs and DEP on how to establish MFLs, including how they may be calculated, using the “best information available,” to reflect “seasonal variations,” when appropriate. Protection of non-consumptive uses also are to be considered as part of the process, but the decision on whether to provide for protection of non-consumptive uses is to be made by the Governing Board of the WMD or the DEP (Ch.
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