A Multiple Approach for Establishing Minimum Levels for Catagory 3
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The Southwest Florida Water Management Dlstrlct (Dlstrlct) does not dlscrimlnate upon the bash of any Indlvldual's dlsablllty status. This non-dlscrlmlnatory pollcy Involves every aspect of the Dlstrlct's functlons, lncludlng one's access to, partlclpatlon, employment, or treatment in its programs or actlvltles. Anyone requiting accornrnodatlon as provlded for In the American wlth Dlsabllltles Act should contact (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476, extension 421 5; TDD ONLY 1-800-231-61 03; FAX (352) 754-6748. Table of Contents Acknowledgments ................................................... Iv LImtofTables ....................................................... v Llstof Flgures ....................................................... x Terms, Abbrevlatlons, Acronyms and Dsflnltlono ......................... xvi Sectlon 1 - lntroductlon to the Establlshmsnt of Mlnlmum Water Levels for Lakea of the Southwest Florlda Watsr Management Dlstrlct Lake Levels Program: 1970s-1996 ................................. 1-1 Lake Levels Program: 1996-1g99 .................................. 1-2 A Leglslatlve Mandate Leads to New Methods for Establlshlng Minimum Levels for Lakes wlth Frlnglng Cypress Wetlands .........1-2 Slgnlflcant Harm and Significant Change ....................... 1-5 Lake Levels Program: 1g9g to the present ........................... 1-6 Development of Methods for Establlshlng Mlnlmum Levels for Lakes wlthout Fringlng Cypress Wetlands ........................... 1-6 Sectlon 2 - Eatabllshlng Mlnlmurn Water Levels for Lakes: Badc Conslderstlons lntroductlon ................................................... 2-1 Hlgh-Water Levels .............................................. 2-1 Lake Water Level Fluctuatlon and the Effects of Prolonged Low Water Levels 2-4 Effects on Lake Morphometry ................................ 2-4 Effects on Physical Characterlstlcs and Chsmlcal Constltuents ......2-5 Effectson Bacteria, Algae, and Protozoans ..................... 2-7 Effects on Aquatlc and Terrestrlal Vegetatlon .................... 2-7 Effects on Invertebrates .................................... 2-8 Effects on Flsh ........................................... 2-9 Effectson Other Vertebrates ................................ 2-10 Sectlon 3 .Establlshlng Mlnlrnum Levels for Lakes wlth Frlnglng Cypreoo Wetlando Introduction ................................................... 3-1 Appllcablllty of the Method for Establishing Minimum Lake Levels .........3-1 Lake Water Level Fluctuations and Hydrologlc Data .................... 3-1 The Reference Lake Water Reglme ................................ 3-3 Normal Pool and Signiflcant Change Standards ....................... 3-4 Evaluating Structural Alteration of Lake Outlets ....................... 3-4 Establishing Minimum and Guidance Levels for Category 1 and 2 Lakes ....3-5 Sectlon 4 .Standards for a Multlpls-Parameter Approach to Establlshlng Mlnlmum Levels for Category 3 Lakea Current Approaches and Recornrnendatlons for Establlshlng Mlnlrnurn Levels for Florlda Lakes .................................... 4-1 Legislative Guldance for a Multlple-Parameter Approach to Mlnlrnurn Levels Establishment ...................................... 4-3 Evaluatlon of Changes in Lake Mlxlng and Susceptlblllty to Sedlrnent Resuspension .................................... 4-4 Evaluatlon of Changes In Water Depth Associated wlth Docks ............4-8 Evaluatlon of Change In Bash Connectlvlty ......................... 4-11 Evaluatlon of Changes In Specles Rlchness ......................... 4-14 Evaluation of Change In the Coverage of Herbaceous Wetland Vegetatlon . 4-18 Evaluation of Changes In the Coverage of Aquatlc Macrophytes .........4-20 Evaluatlon of Changes in Cultural (Aesthetlc and Recreatlonal) Values ....4-21 Sectlon 5 - Propmod Methods for Eatabllshlng Mlnlmum Levelm for Category 3 Lakes Overvlew ..................................................... 5-1 Hydrologlc Data Compllatlon and Classification ....................... 5-1 Development of Reference Lake Water Regime Statlstlcs ...............5-2 Acquisition of Bathyrnetrlc Data .................................... 5-6 Determlnation of the Category 3 Lake Normal Pool Elevation ............ 5-6 Establlshing Guidance Levels and the Hlstorlc P50 ................... 5-7 Developing Significant Change Standards and lnformatlon for Consideratlon for Category 3 Lakes ................................... 6-10 Lake Mlxlng and Stratification Informetlon for Conslderatlon ....... 5-10 Dock-Use Standard and Information for Consideratlon ............5-11 Bash Connectlvliy Standard and lnformatlon for Consideratlon .....5-12 Species Richness Standard and lnformatlon for Conslderatlon .....5-1 3 Herbaceous Wetland Information for Conslderatlon ..............5-13 Submersed Aquatlc Macrophyte lnformatlon for Consideratlon .....5-1 4 Aesthetlcs Standard and lnformatlon for Conslderatlon ...........6-16 RecreatlodSk! Standard and Information for Conslderatlon ........5-15 Establlshlng Mlnlmum Levels Uslng a Multiple-Parameter Approach .... 5-16 Sectlon 6 - lrnplsrnsntatlon of Propoad and Exletlng Methodm lor E8tabll8hlng Mlnlrnum LSVS~Sfor Slxtssn Lakeo In Northwest HIII8borough County, Florlda and One Lake In Central Pasco County, Florida Introduction ................................................. 8-1 Big Fish Lake .................................................. 6-4 LakeCalm ................................................... 6-17 Church Lakeand Echo Lake ..................................... 6-20 LakeCrenshaw ............................................... 6-41 Cypress Lake ................................................... 63 Falry Lake ................................................... 6-64 Halfmoon Lake ................................................ 6-76 Lakes Helen, Ellen and Barbara .................................. 6-84 Lakes Hobbs ................................................. 6-96 Lakes Ralelgh ............................................. 6-104 Lakes Rogers ................................................ 6-118 RoundLake ................................................ 6-127 SaddlebackLake ............................................. 6-130 Starvatlon Lake .............................................. 6-147 Ssctlon 7 .Lltsreturo Cltd ................. 7-1 Appendlcse Appendlx A . Sectlons 373.042 and 373.0421, Florlda Statutes .......... A-1 Appendlx B . Sectlon 62-40.473,Florlda Administrative Code ............ A-5 Acknowledgments Thls report was prepared wlth asslstance from a great number of dedlcated professlonals, Includlng: Dave Arnold, Roger Bachmann, Mark Barcelo, Ron Basso, Buddy Brass, Leland Burton, Steve Dlcks, Don Ellison, John Emery, Tlm Foret, Nlcole Gale, Llzanne Garcla, Jlm Grlffln, Annernarle Guell, Mike Hancock, Jason Hood, Mark Hoyer, Clark Hull, Tony Janlckl, Jamlson Janke, Karen Lloyd, Pat Meadors, Dave Moore, Greg Powell, Clay Rlchardson, Ted Rochow, and Daylon Toole. The authors would llke to thank each for thelr conttibution. IV Llst of Tables Table 4-1. Range of dynamlc ratio values (an Index of lake mlxlng; see text) for lake stages between the Current P10 and Current PQO elevations for fourteen Northern Tampa Bay lake systems ................................. 4-7 Table 4-2. Maximum, mean maxlmum and weighted-mean depth of occurrence for submersed and floating-leaved aquatlc rnacrophytes observed In ten or more lakes in the District. ........................................... .4-20 Table 5-1. Summary of hydrologlc statlstics for 22 reference lakes In the northern TampaBayarea ............................................... 5-4 Table 6-1. Blg Flsh Lake: Recommended Minimum and Quldance Levels wlth Assoclated Area Values. ........................................ .6-5 Table 6-2.Big Fish Lake: Summary of Elevatlon Data and Associated Area Values Used for Establlshlng Mlnlmurn Levels ......................... 6-7 Table 6-3. Big Fish Lake: Elevatlon Data Used for Eatabllshing the Category 3 Lake Normal Pool Elevation.. .................................... B-8 Table 6-4. Big Flsh Lake: Summary of Structural AlteratlonlControl Polnt Elevatlon Information .................................................. B-1 0 Table 6-6. Lake Calm: Adopted Guidance Levels (OQ September, 1980) and Assoclated Area Values ........................................ .6-17 Table 6-6. Lake Calm: Recommended Minimum and Guldance Levels wlth Assoclated Area Values. ........................................ 6-18 Table 6-7.Lake Calm: Summary of Elevatlon Data and Assoclated Area Values Used for Establishing Mlnlmum Levels ....................... 6-20 Table 6-8. Lake Calm: Elevatlon Data Used for Establlshlng the Category 3 Lake Normal Pool Elevatlon ......................................... .6-20 Table 6-0. Lake Calm: Summary of Structural Alteration/Control Polnt Elevatlon lnformatlon ................................................... 6-21 Table 6-10. Church and Echo Lakes System: Adopted Guldance Levels (OQ September, 1980) and Assoclated Area Values ...................... 6-30 V Table 6-1 1. Church and Echo Lakes System: Recommended Mlnlrnurn and Guldance Levels wlth Associated Area Values. ,640 Table 6-12. Church and Echo Lakes System: Summary of Elevatlon Data and Assoclated Area Values Used for Establlshlng Mlnlmurn Levels . 6-32 Table 6-13. Church and Echo Lakes System: Elevatlon Data Used for Establlshlng the Category 3 Lake Normal Pool Elevatlon . I I . I . 6-33 Table 6-14. Church and Echo Lakes System: Summary of Structural Alteration/