Florida Forever Work Plan
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Florida Forever Work Plan January 1, 2003 prepared by South Florida Water Management District Florida Forever Work Plan Contributors South Florida Water Management District Florida Forever Work Plan January 1, 2003 Contributors Christine Carlson Dolores Cwalino Fred Davis Jude Denick Juan Diaz-Carreras Andy Edwards Paul Ellis William Helfferich Sally Kennedy Phil Kochan Tom McCracken Kim O’Dell Steve Reel Bonnie Rose Dawn Rose Wanda Caffie-Simpson Andrea Stringer iii Florida Forever Work Plan Contributors iv Florida Forever Work Plan Executive Summary EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 1999, the Florida Forever program was created, which authorized the issuance of bonds in an amount not to exceed $3 billion for acquisitions of land and water areas. This revenue is to be used for the purposes of restoration, conservation, recreation, water resource development, historical preservation and capital improvements to the acquired land and water. The program is intended to accomplish environmental restoration, enhance public access and recreational enjoyment, promote long-term management goals and facilitate water resource development. The water management districts create a five-year plan that identifies projects meeting specific criteria for the Florida Forever program. Each district integrates its surface water improvement and management plans, Save Our Rivers (SOR) land acquisition lists, stormwater management projects, proposed water resource development and water body restoration projects and other activities that support the goals of Florida Forever. Thirty-five percent of the Florida Forever bond proceeds are distributed annually to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) for land acquisition and capital expenditures in order to implement the priority lists submitted by the water management districts. A minimum of 50 percent of the funding is to be used for land acquisition. The South Florida Water Management District’s annual net share is $33,075,000, of which $25 million will be used for Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects, and $8 million will be used for Kissimmee Restoration projects. Including Florida Forever funding, a total of $195.5 million was spent in fiscal year (FY) 2002 to acquire 26,500 acres of land. The Florida Forever Work Plan lists and describes the 20 projects eligible for Florida Forever funding in the FY 2003 – 2007 period, as well as nine projects for which the South Florida Water Management District expects to seek reimbursement through Florida Forever in FY 2003. The plan is arranged in sections that correspond to the CERP regions as described in the CERP Guidance Memorandum 012.00. In addition to the regional project descriptions, the Florida Forever Work Plan provides system-wide and regional descriptions of land use, water quality, water management practices, physical conditions and other characteristics as required by statutes. The work plan includes a report on real estate acquisition activity performed in FY 2002 (Appendix C). This plan also provides performance measures (Appendix A), CERP Project Management Plans (PMPs) for projects eligible for Florida Forever funding (Appendix B) and an implementation schedule for the CERP (Appendix D). The majority of this document is being provided exclusively on CD-ROM. This allows for a wider distribution than would be possible with traditional printed copies. Individuals who require paper copies may print them directly from the CD or provide the CD to any duplication service for production. v Executive Summary Florida Forever Work Plan vi Florida Forever Work Plan : TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary v List of Tables xiii List of Figures xv List of Abbreviations and Acronyms xvii Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Legislation (Florida Forever and Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan) . 1 Florida Forever Program. 1 The Florida Forever Act . 1 Save Our Everglades (SOE) Trust Fund. 3 Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) . 4 Florida Forever Water Management District Work Plan . 4 Florida Forever Performance Measures . 9 Project Rankings, Schedule and Resources . 10 Funding and Manpower Resources. 10 Implementation Schedule . 10 Chapter 2: Regional Study Area 11 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project (Project Modifications) . 13 Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Regional Overview . 13 Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Mercury . 15 Land Use . 16 Study Purpose . 17 Study Scope . 17 Other Studies . 18 Permits and Authorizations . 19 Interim Land Management . 19 Chapter 3: Kissimmee Region 21 Physical Conditions - Kissimmee Region . 21 vii : Florida Forever Work Plan Existing Conditions - Kissimmee Region Water Management . 22 Future without Plan Condition - Water Quality - Kissimmee Region . 25 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Kissimmee River Restoration . 25 Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Kissimmee Region . 26 Land Use - Kissimmee Region . 27 Agriculture . 28 Chapter 4: Lake Okeechobee Watershed Region 29 Physical Conditions - Lake Okeechobee Watershed Region . 29 Existing Conditions - Lake Okeechobee Water Management . 30 Water Quality . 31 Future without Plan Condition - Water Quality - Lake Okeechobee . 33 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Manatee Protection . 33 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule . 34 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Critical Restoration Projects . 34 Lake Okeechobee Water Retention / Phosphorus Removal . 34 Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Lake Okeechobee . 34 Land Use - Lake Okeechobee Region . 35 Agriculture . 36 Urban . 36 Eligible Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Projects . 36 Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project . 36 Chapter 5: Lower West Coast Region 39 Physical Conditions - Lower West Coast Region . 39 Existing Conditions - Lower West Coast Region Water Management . 40 Problems Related to Water Management . 42 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Critical Restoration Projects . 42 Lake Trafford Restoration . 42 Southern CREW / Imperial River Flowway . 42 Western Tamiami Trail Culverts . 43 Future without Plan Condition - Water Quality - Lower West Coast Region . 43 viii Florida Forever Work Plan : Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Lower West Coast Florida Region . 44 Land Use - Lower West Coast Region . 45 Caloosahatchee River . 45 Agriculture . 45 Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP) . 46 Urban Areas . 47 Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve . 47 Southern Golden Gate Estates . 48 Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) . 48 Everglades National Park (ENP) . 48 American Indian Reservations . 48 Agriculture . 48 Eligible Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Projects . 49 C-43 Basin Storage Reservoir. 49 Caloosahatchee Backpumping with Stormwater Treatment Area . 49 Southern Golden Gates Estates Hydrologic Restoration . 50 Big Cypress / L-28 Interceptor Modifications . 50 Chapter 6: Upper East Coast Region 51 Physical Conditions - Upper East Coast Region . 51 Existing Conditions - Upper East Coast Water Management . 52 Surface Water Resources . 54 Surface Water Inflow and Outflow. 55 Groundwater Resources . 56 Future without Plan Condition - Physical Facilities and Operations - Critical Restoration Projects . 56 Ten Mile Creek Water Preserve Area. 56 Future without Plan Condition - Water Quality - Upper East Coast . 56 Water Quality Problems and Opportunities - Upper East Coast . 57 Land Use . 58 Upper East Coast . 58 Agriculture - Upper East Coast. 58 Eligible Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Projects . 59 Indian River Lagoon (IRL) . ..