Everglades the Next Increment of Hydrologic Restoration
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South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach, FL Everglades The Next Increment of Hydrologic Restoration Lori Miller Senior Hydrologist April 12, 2017 1 1800s – early 1900s Lake Okeechobee 730 Square Miles Natural Reservoir for the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes Everglades 23 Million Acres Slope was 2 inches / mile Flows were 100 feet / day 2 Historic Everglades Historic: Tree Islands = 1-3 ft. high Present Day: Tree Islands = 8 inches high 3 Historic Everglades 1800s – 1930s: Settlers focused on drying the Everglades just south of Lake Okeechobee for agriculture using the rich muck. Flood of 1947: 100 inches of rain from a Category 4 hurricane. 1948: The flood prompted Congress to authorize the C&SF Project for drainage and flood control. 4 C&SF Project (1950s-1960s) 720 miles of canals 1,000 miles of levees 250 water control structures Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Early Everglades Activist “The Everglades: River of Grass” Published 1947 5 Lake Okeechobee 50% of the Everglades Everglades Ag Area EAA were lost! WCA-1 West (Lox NWR) Palm Urbanization Beach WCA-2A/B EAA = 1,100 sq. mi. Big Cypress WCA-3A WCAs = 1,350 sq. mi. National Ft. Preserve Lauderdale WCA-3B Everglades Miami National Park 6 Lake Okeechobee C&SF Consequences of Compartmentalization Everglades Ag Area EAA WCA-1 West 700,000 acres of wetlands (Lox NWR) Palm were dried out Beach WCA-2A/B 2.2 million ac-ft. of fresh water is drained off yearly Big Cypress WCA-3A National Ft. Water pollution of the Preserve Lauderdale estuaries WCA-3B Lack of water in Everglades Everglades Miami National Park National Park Hyper-salinity in Florida Bay 7 Historic Everglades Before 8 After 9 Water Control Structure Map Just a sampling of culverts, gates and pumps! The Myth of Command and Control!!! 10 Water Control Structure Map Just a sampling of culverts, gates and pumps! The Myth of Command and Control!!! 11 South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach 12 68 Threatened and Endangered Species 13 Multi-Species Transition Strategy 14 Historic Current Future Flow Flow Flow The Goal CERP15 Can someone please tell me how to store all this water in a tiny bucket? Everglades 50% 16 South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach Central Everglades Planning Project 2011-2013 (CEPP) USACE Pilot Planning Project CEPP to the Rescue for a measly $3 billion! 17 Central Everglades Study Process Target = 18 months Incorporate Updated Develop Develop Science & Next TSP & SCOPING Hydrology Increment PIR IPR 1 EXECUTION 3 months Coordinated Decision Point 1 Review Determine Study 1 IPR 2 IPR 3 IPR 4 REVIEW Direction • Study scope/schedule • Analysis tools & techniques IPR 5 IPR 6 CONFIRMATION • Risk register 2 • Key Assumptions - w/out project conditions IPR 7 - policy/process assumptions 3 • Review Plan Decision Point 2 • Initiate model approvals Tentatively Selected Plan 4 Incorporate Updated Develop Next Science & Hydrology Authorization Increment Develop TSP Decision Point 3 Decision Point 4 • Evaluation tools • Establish criteria • Detailed development Civil Works Review Board Final Chief’s • Update targets - Restoration of TSP • Complete draft PIR Report • Formulation Thresholds • Project assurances • Public review • Final EIS filed Scenarios - Other considerations • Reservations • Policy review • State & agency Management • Plan formulation & • Prepare draft PIR • IEPR review Measures/Features evaluation • Agency Technical • Prepare final PIR • Prepare final • Develop updated • Identify increment for Review Chief’s Report Conceptual framework authorization (TSP) 18 CENTRAL EVERGLADES PLANNING PROJECT (CEPP) PROPOSES TO: . Move water south from Lake Okeechobee through St. Lucie Estuary Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) LAKE OKEECHOBEE . Improve benefits to the east and EVERGLADES west coast estuaries AGRICULTURAL WCA AREA 1 Caloosahatchee WCA . Store and treat flows in facilities Estuary 2 WCA within the EAA 3 Gulf of . Send treated water south to improve Mexico Biscayne conditions within Water EVERGLADES Bay NATIONAL PARK Conservation Area 3A and 3B (WCA 3) and Everglades National Park and Florida Bay Florida Bay 19 GETTING TO THE HEART OF THE EVERGLADES CENTRAL EVERGLADES CEPP Models Used Tier 1 – Screening Natural Systems Model (2011) - NSM-50 model is for historic conditions with 50% of historic flows. iModel (2011) – Inverse screening model where you input targets and let the model tell you how to operate the structures. Ecological Screening Models for landscape and species impacts. Tier 2 – Alternative Plans Regional Simulation Model (2012) – The RSM produces the array of alternative plans for selecting the final plan. Savings Clause refinements for Water Supply (2013) 20 CEPP Models Used Tier 1 – Screening Natural Systems Model (2011) - NSM-50 model is for historic conditions With 50% of historic flows. iModel (2011) – Inverse screening model where you input targets and let the model tell you how to operate the structures. Ecological Screening Models for landscape and species impacts. Tier 2 – Alternative Plans Regional Simulation Model (2012) – The RSM produces the array of alternative plans for selecting the final plan. Savings Clause refinements for Water Supply (2013) 21 SCREENING COMPLETED EVERGLADES within considerations and constraints AGRICULTURAL AREA WCA North of the Redline 1 . Combination of features to increase water deliveries downstream and improve estuarine benefits L-5 WCA 2 South of the Redline WCA . 28 Features and their locations to best restore - 3A L I-75 sheetflow in northern Water Conservation Area 3A WATER Greenline/Blueline CONSERVATION L-33 AREAS . Features to best restore sheetflow through southern WCA-3A and 3B L-30 WCA . Configuration of conveyance features to best restore 3B S-333 L-29 flows to Everglades National Park Tamiami Trail L-67 Ext Yellowline . Features to best compliment rest of project and EVERGLADES NATIONAL manage seepage to the eastern urban area PARK without impacting the water supply 22 GETTINGRESTORING TO THETHE HEARTHEART OF OF THE THE EVERGLADES EVERGLADES CENTRALCENTRAL EVERGLADES EVERGLADES Everglades Viewing Window Transects Aligned with Landscape Directionality L5 L4 L2 L3 L1 T-A T-B T-C T-D 23 24 CEPP Models Used Tier 1 – Screening Natural Systems Model (2011) - NSM-50 model is for historic conditions With 50% of historic flows. iModel (2011) – Inverse screening model where you input targets and let the model tell you how to operate the structures. Ecological Screening Models for landscape and species impacts. Tier 2 – Alternative Plans Regional Simulation Model (2012) – The RSM produces the array of alternative plans for selecting the final plan. Savings Clause refinements for Water Supply (2013) 25 PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE 2 EVERGLADES STORAGE AND TREATMENT AGRICULTURAL AREA . Construct A-2 FEB and integrate with A-1 FEB operations WCA . Lake Okeechobee operation refinements within LORS 1 A-2 DISTRIBUTION/CONVEYANCE A-1 . Diversion of L-6 flows and L-5 canal improvements S-8 G-206 . Spreader canal: ~3 miles west of S-8 (3,000 cfs), ~3 miles east of L-5 WCA S-8 (800 cfs) and ~1.5 miles east of G-206 (400 cfs) 2 . Backfill Miami Canal from S-8 to I-75 WCA 28 DISTRIBUTION/CONVEYANCE - 3A L . I-75 Increase S-333 capacity to 3,000 cfs . One 750 cfs and two 500 cfs gated structures in L-67A, 0.5 mile spoil removal west of L-67A north and south of structures WATER . 6,000-ft gaps in L-67C levee at each structure CONSERVATION L-33 AREAS . One additional 500 cfs gravity structure out of WCA-3B . Tamiami Trail western 2.6 mile bridge and L-29 canal max stage at 9.7 ft. (FUTURE WORK BY OTHERS) L-30 . Degrade entire L-67 extension levee WCA 3B S-335 SEEPAGE MANAGEMENT S-333 L-29 . Increase S-356 to 1,000 cfs Tamiami Trail S-334 S-356 . Full depth penetrating seepage barrier from S-335 to S-334 C-2 L-67 Ext . Partial depth seepage barrier south of Tamiami Trail 2 miles along L-31N G-211 . One 250 cfs pump on L-31N into ENP . G-211 operational refinements; use coastal canals to convey seepage EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK FEB STA Pump Spreader Canal Backfill Levee Removal Gated Structure NOT TO SCALE Seepage Barrier 26 GETTINGRESTORING TO THETHE HEARTHEART OF OF THE THE EVERGLADES EVERGLADES CENTRALCENTRAL EVERGLADES EVERGLADES PROPOSED ALTERNATIVE 4 EVERGLADES STORAGE AND TREATMENT AGRICULTURAL AREA . Construct A-2 FEB and integrate with A-1 FEB operations WCA . Lake Okeechobee operation refinements within LORS 1 A-2 DISTRIBUTION/CONVEYANCE A-1 . Diversion of L-6 flows and L-5 canal improvements S-8 G-206 . Spreader canal: ~3 miles west of S-8 (3,000 cfs), ~3 miles east of S-8 (800 cfs) and ~1.5 miles east of G-206 (400 cfs) L-5 WCA 2 . Backfill Miami Canal from S-8 to I-75 WCA DISTRIBUTION/CONVEYANCE 28 - 3A . Increase S-333 capacity to 3,000 cfs L I-75 . Two 500 cfs gated structures in L-67A, 0.5 mile spoil removal west of L-67A north and south of structures . Include levee in WCA 3B WATER . Degrade L-67C levee in Blue Shanty flow-way CONSERVATION L-33 AREAS . One 500 cfs gated structure north of Blue Shanty levee and 6,000-ft gap in L-67C levee . Degrade L-29 levee in Blue Shanty flow-way, divide structure east of Blue Shanty levee at terminus of western bridge WCA L-30 . Tamiami Trail western 2.6 mile bridge and L-29 canal max stage at 3B S-335 S-333 L-29 9.7 ft. (FUTURE WORK BY OTHERS) Tamiami Trail S-356 . Degrade entire L-67 extension levee S-334 C-2 SEEPAGE MANAGEMENT L-67 Ext G-211 . Increase S-356 to 1,000 cfs . Partial depth seepage barrier south of Tamiami Trail 5 miles along L-31N EVERGLADES . G-211 operational refinements; use coastal canals to convey seepage NATIONAL PARK FEB STA Pump Spreader Canal Backfill Levee Removal Gated Structure NOT TO SCALE Seepage Barrier Divide Levee 27 GETTINGRESTORING TO THETHE HEARTHEART OF OF THE THE EVERGLADES EVERGLADES CENTRALCENTRAL EVERGLADES EVERGLADES South Florida Ecological Services Office, Vero Beach Current Status of CEPP: March 31, 2016 – Report to Congress December 9, 2016 - Authorization from Congress under the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act, signed December 16, 2016.