1004401.0003.06 Draft St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization December 2016 Prepared by: St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT 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. ii St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT Version History Location(s) in Date Version Summary of Revision(s) Document 08/12/2016 1 All Initial draft Watershed Characterization (Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6) submitted to NWFWMD. 8/30/2016 2 Throughout Numerous edits and comments from District staff 11/10/2016 3 Throughout Numerous revisions to address District comments. 11/23/2016 4 Throughout Numerous edits and comments from District staff 11/28/2016 5 Throughout Numerous revisions to address District comments. L:\Publications\4200-4499\4401-0001_NWFWD iii St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT This page intentionally left blank. iv St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT Table of Contents Section Page 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................1 1.1 SWIM Program Background, Goals, and Objectives...........................................1 1.2 Purpose and Scope of 2017 SWIM Plan ..............................................................2 2.0 Watershed Description ................................................................................................4 2.1 Introduction ..........................................................................................................4 2.2 Geographic Characteristics...................................................................................5 2.2.1 Geography ................................................................................................5 2.2.2 Land Use and Population .........................................................................9 2.3 Physical Characteristics ......................................................................................12 2.3.1 Physiographic Region ............................................................................12 2.3.2 Ecoregions ..............................................................................................13 2.3.3 Climate ...................................................................................................16 2.3.4 Geology ..................................................................................................17 2.3.5 Soils ........................................................................................................18 2.4 Hydrologic Characteristics .................................................................................20 2.4.1 Major Rivers, Tributaries, and Coastal Waterbodies .............................20 2.4.2 Lakes ......................................................................................................21 2.4.3 Springs and Sinkholes ............................................................................23 2.4.4 Groundwater Systems ............................................................................26 2.5 Ecosystem Services ............................................................................................27 2.5.1 Hydrologic Functions .............................................................................28 2.5.2 Nutrient Cycling .....................................................................................30 2.5.3 Sediment Stabilization ............................................................................30 2.5.4 Commercially and Recreationally Important Fish and Wildlife ............30 2.5.5 Recreation and Aesthetic Value .............................................................32 2.6 Ecological Characteristics ..................................................................................34 2.6.1 Seagrass Beds .........................................................................................35 2.6.2 Oyster Reefs ...........................................................................................35 2.6.3 Emergent Marsh .....................................................................................36 2.6.4 Palustrine, Riparian, and Floodplain Habitats ........................................37 2.6.5 Terrestrial Communities .........................................................................38 2.6.6 Springs ....................................................................................................39 2.6.7 Atlantic Flyway ......................................................................................39 3.0 Current Watershed Conditions and Water Resource Issues .................................42 3.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................42 viii St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT 3.2 Water Quality .....................................................................................................42 3.2.1 Impaired Waters .....................................................................................42 3.2.2 Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) .................................................46 3.2.3 Point Source Pollution ............................................................................50 3.2.4 Nonpoint Source (NPS) Pollution ..........................................................58 3.2.5 Ecological Indicators of Water Quality ..................................................67 3.3 Habitat Quality in Receiving Waters .................................................................71 3.3.1 Subtidal Communities ............................................................................71 3.3.2 Intertidal Communities ...........................................................................72 3.3.3 Freshwater Systems ................................................................................72 3.4 Floodplains .........................................................................................................74 3.4.1 Flood Prone Areas ..................................................................................75 3.4.2 Recent Flood Events ...............................................................................76 3.4.3 Floodplain Management .........................................................................76 3.5 Unique Features and Special Resource Management Designations ..................77 3.5.1 Conservation Lands ................................................................................77 3.5.2 Critical Habitat and Strategic Habitat Conservation Areas ....................78 3.5.3 Aquatic Preserves ...................................................................................79 3.5.4 Outstanding Florida Waters (OFWs) .....................................................80 3.5.5 Gulf Ecological Management Sites (GEMS) .........................................80 4.0 Implementation and Achievements of the Previous SWIM Plan ..........................82 4.1 Previous SWIM Plan Issues and Priorities .........................................................82 4.2 Progress toward Meeting Plan Goals and Objectives ........................................83 5.0 Related Resource Management Activities ...............................................................85 5.1 Deepwater Horizon: RESTORE Act, Natural Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA), and NFWF Projects ........................................................85 5.1.1 RESTORE ..............................................................................................85 5.1.2 National Resource Damage Assessment (NRDA) .................................86 5.1.3 National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) ...................................86 5.1.4 The Nature Conservancy (TNC): Watershed Management Planning ..................................................................................................87 5.2 Water Quality Monitoring ..................................................................................88 5.2.1 FDEP/NWFWMD ..................................................................................88 5.2.2 FDEP Northwest District .......................................................................89 5.2.3 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) ................................................................................................89 5.2.4 Florida Department of Health (FDOH) ..................................................90 ix St. Marks River and Apalachee Bay Watershed Characterization Northwest Florida Water Management District November 10, 2016 DRAFT WORKING DOCUMENT 5.2.5 LakeWatch .............................................................................................90 5.3 Submerged Aquatic Vegetation (SAV) Monitoring ...........................................90 5.4 Water Quality Restoration and Protection Programs .........................................90