Perdido River and Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan
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Draft Perdido River and Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan August 2017 Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT 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 Crestview Econfina Milton Tallahassee 180 E. Redstone Avenue 6418 E. Highway 20 5453 Davisson Road Carr Building, Suite 225 Crestview, Florida 32539 Youngstown, FL 32466 Milton, FL 32583 3800 Commonwealth Blvd. (850) 683-5044 (850) 722-9919 Tel. (850) 626-3101 Tallahassee, FL 32399 (850) 921-2986 Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT This document was developed in support of the Surface Water Improvement and Management Program with funding assistance from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation’s Gulf Environmental Benefit Fund. iii Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT Table of Contents Section Page 1.0 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 SWIM Program Background, Goals, and Objectives .................................................... 1 1.2 Purpose and Scope ......................................................................................................... 2 2.0 Watershed Description ............................................................................................................ 3 2.1 Geographic and Geological Characteristics ................................................................... 3 2.2 Hydrologic Characteristics ............................................................................................. 5 2.2.1 Major Streams and Tributaries ........................................................................... 5 2.2.2 Floodplains and Wetlands .................................................................................. 5 2.2.3 Coastal Waterbodies .......................................................................................... 5 2.3 Land Use and Population ............................................................................................... 8 2.4 Natural Communities ................................................................................................... 13 2.4.1 Terrestrial Communities .................................................................................. 13 2.4.2 Perdido River ................................................................................................... 13 2.4.3 Riparian, Wetland, and Floodplain Habitats .................................................... 13 2.4.4 Estuarine Habitats ............................................................................................ 14 2.4.5 Coastal Barrier Systems ................................................................................... 15 3.0 Watershed Assessment and Water Resource Issues ........................................................... 16 3.1 Water Quality ............................................................................................................... 16 3.1.1 Impaired Waters ............................................................................................... 16 3.1.2 Pollution Sources ............................................................................................. 16 3.2 Natural Systems ........................................................................................................... 22 3.3 Floodplains and Floodplain Management .................................................................... 23 4.0 Watershed Protection and Restoration ............................................................................... 25 4.1 Management Practices ................................................................................................. 25 4.1.1 Nonpoint Source Pollution Abatement ............................................................ 25 4.1.2 Ecological Restoration ..................................................................................... 29 4.1.3 Wastewater Management and Treatment Improvements ................................. 30 4.1.4 Land Conservation ........................................................................................... 31 4.1.5 Public Awareness and Education ..................................................................... 31 4.1.6 Options for Further Study and Analysis .......................................................... 32 4.2 Implementation ............................................................................................................ 33 4.3 Priority Projects ........................................................................................................... 37 4.4 Project Criteria and Guidelines .................................................................................... 56 4.5 Funding Sources ........................................................................................................... 57 5.0 References .............................................................................................................................. 63 i Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT List of Tables Table Page Table 2-1 2012-2013 Land Use and Land Cover in the Perdido River and Bay Watershed (Florida Portion) .................................................................................................................................... 9 Table 2-2 Watershed Population Estimates: 2010-2030 ........................................................................ 10 Table 3-1 Wastewater Facilities in the Perdido River and Bay Watershed ........................................... 22 Table 4-1 Generalized Buffer Zone Dimensions ................................................................................... 28 Table 4-2 Priorities, Objectives, and Management Options .................................................................. 33 Table 4-3 Recommended Projects: Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan .............................................. 37 Table 4-4 Funding Sources and Eligibility ............................................................................................ 57 List of Figures Figure Page Figure 2-1 Proportion of the Greater Perdido River and Bay Watershed by State .................................... 3 Figure 2-2 Greater Perdido River and Bay Watershed (including Alabama) ............................................ 4 Figure 2-3 General Topography and Hydrology ....................................................................................... 7 Figure 2-4 Floodplains and Wetlands ........................................................................................................ 7 Figure 2-5 Coastal Natural Features in the Watershed .............................................................................. 8 Figure 2-6 General Land Use of Greater Perdido Bay Watershed (including Alabama) .......................... 9 Figure 2-7 2012-2013 Land Use and Land Cover ................................................................................... 11 Figure 2-8 Conservation Lands within the Perdido River and Bay Watershed ....................................... 12 Figure 3-1 Currently Listed Impaired Waterbody Segments, Excepting Mercury .................................. 17 Figure 3-2 Septic Tank Locations in the Perdido River and Bay Watershed .......................................... 19 Figure 3-3 Permitted Wastewater Facilities within the Perdido River and Bay Watershed .................... 21 Appendices Appendix A Related Resource Management Activities ......................................................................... A-1 Appendix B Geology and Soils in the Perdido River and Bay Watershed ............................................. B-1 Appendix C Threatened and Endangered Species within the Watershed .............................................. C-1 Appendix D Habitats and Natural Communitites ................................................................................... D-1 Appendix E 2014 FDEP Verified Impaired Waterbody Segments in the Perdido River and Bay Watershed ........................................................................................................................... E-1 Appendix F Conservation Lands within the Perdido River and Bay Watershed ................................... F-1 ii Perdido River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT Abbreviations and Acronyms List ADEM Alabama Department of Environmental NFWF National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Management NPL National Priority List ALDNR Alabama Department of Conservation NPS nonpoint source and Natural Resources NRC National Research Council BARC Bay Area Resource Council NRCS Natural Resources Conservation BFA Bream Fishermen Association Service BMAP Basin Management Action Plan NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric BMP best management practice Administration cfs cubic feet per second NPDES National Pollutant Discharge CWA Clean Water