Comprehensive Southwest Florida/Charlotte Harbor Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Technical Report 09-3 September 15, 2009 James W. Beever III, Whitney Gray, Daniel Trescott, Dan Cobb, Jason Utley: SWFRPC And Lisa B. Beever: CHNEP 1926 Victoria Avenue Fort Myers FL 33901 (239) 338-2550 www.SWFRPC.org and www.CHNEP.org The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program is a partnership of citizens, elected officials, resource managers and commercial and recreational resource users working to improve the water quality and ecological integrity of the greater Charlotte Harbor watershed. A cooperative decision-making process is used within the program to address diverse resource management concerns in the 4,400 square mile study area. Many of these partners also financially support the Program, which, in turn, affords the Program opportunities to fund projects such as this. The entities that have financially supported the program include the following: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Southwest Florida Water Management District South Florida Water Management District Florida Department of Environmental Protection Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority Polk, Sarasota, Manatee, Lee, Charlotte, DeSoto, and Hardee Counties Cities of Sanibel, Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, North Port, Venice, Fort Myers Beach, and Winter Haven and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council. Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Policy Committee Mr. Tom Welborn, Co-Chair Mr. Jon Iglehart, Co-Chair Branch Chief, Wetlands, Coastal, & Water Quality South District Director U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Florida Department of Environmental Protection CITIES COUNTIES AGENCIES Hon. Tom Jones Vacant Hon. Don McCormick City of North Port Hardee County Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Hon. Yvonne Brookes Hon. Adam Cummings Dr. Philip Stevens City of Winter Haven Charlotte County Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Mr. Martin Black Hon. Carol Whitmore Brig. Gen. Rufus C. Lazzell (U.S. Army, ret.) City of Venice Manatee County Southwest Florida Water Management District Hon. Richard Ferreira Hon. Ray Judah Ms. Patricia M. Steed City of Bonita Springs Lee County Central Florida Regional Planning Council Ms. Connie Jarvis Mr. Jeffrey Spence Mr. Charles Dauray City of Cape Coral Polk County South Florida Water Management District Hon. Adrian Jackson Hon. Jon Thaxton City of Bartow Sarasota County Hon. Herb Acken Vacant Town of Fort Myers Beach Desoto County Ms. Melanie Grisby City of Fort Myers Hon. Charles Wallace City of Punta Gorda Hon. Mick Denham City of Sanibel Management Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Bob Howard, Co-Chair Mr. Ken Heatherington, Co-Chair U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Technical Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Citizens Advisory Committee Officers Mr. Greg Blanchard, Co-Chair Ms. Wilma Katz, Co-Chair Mr. John Ryan, Co-Chair Mr. Kayton Nedza, Co-Chair Ms. Elizabeth Staugler, Co-Chair Ms. Bobbi Rogers, Co-Chair Staff Dr. Lisa B. Beever, Director Ms. Elizabeth S. Donley, Esq., Deputy Director Ms. Judy Ott, Program Scientist Ms. Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Officers Mayor James Humphrey , Chairman Mayor Mick Denham, Vice Chairman Commissioner Paul Beck, Secretary Mr. Charles ―Chuck‖ Kiester, Treasurer Members CHARLOTTE COUNTY Commissioner Tricia Duffy Commissioner Robert Skidmore Andrea Messina, Gubernatorial Appointee Alan LeBeau, Gubernatorial Appointee Don McCormick, City of Punta Gorda COLLIER COUNTY (Governor Appointee Vacancy) Teresa Heitmann, City of Naples Commissioner Jim Coletta Charles Kiester, City of Marco Island Commissioner Frank Halas Ms. Laura Holquist, Gubernatorial Appointee GLADES COUNTY Commissioner Paul Beck Commissioner Kenneth S. Jones Dr. Edward Elkowitz, Gubernatorial Michael Brantley, City of Moore Haven Appointee HENDRY COUNTY Mali Chamness, City of Clewiston Commissioner Karson Turner Commissioner Tristan Chapman Paul Puletti, City of LaBelle Mel Karau, Gubernatorial Appointee LEE COUNTY Commissioner Ray Judah Commissioner Tammy Hall John Spear, City of Bonita Springs James Humphrey, City of Fort Myers Mick Denham, City of Sanibel Jim Burch, City of Cape Coral Tom Babcock, Town of Fort Myers Beach (Governor Appointee Vacancy) (Governor Appointee Vacancy) SARASOTA COUNTY Commissioner Carolyn Mason Governor Appointee Vacancy Ernie Zavodnyik, City of Venice David Farley, Gubernatorial Appointee Tom Jones, CIty of North Port Commissioner Jon Thaxton Ex-Officio Mr. Jon Iglehart, FDEP Dianne Davies, SWFWMD Mr. Phil Flood, SFWMD Mr. Johnny Limbaugh, FDOT Ms. Tammie Nemecek, EDC of Collier County Staff Executive Director Planning Director General Counsel Ken Heatherington, AICP Dave Hutchinson Liz Donley [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ext 222 ext 221 ext 234 Comprehensive Planning David Crawford, AICP Jim Beever Whitney Gray, Senior Planner Senior Planner Environmental Scientist [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ext 226 ext 224 ext 241 Developments of Regional Impact, Hurricane Preparedness & Sea Level Rise Daniel L. Trescott, Principal Planner Jason Utley, LEED AP [email protected] Regional Planner/Assistant DRI Coordinator ext 220 [email protected] ext 227 Economic Analysis Moji Abimbola Fiscal/Economic Analyst [email protected] ext. 216 GIS/Graphics Tim Walker, GIS Manager Daniel Cobb, GIS Analyst [email protected] [email protected] ext 212 ext 225 Hazardous Materials/Homeland Security John L. Gibbons, Principal Planner/Program Manager [email protected] ext 229 Library & Public Information Rebekah Harp, Information Specialist/Webmaster [email protected] ext 217 Vulnerability Assessment v September 15, 2009 Disclaimer: The material and descriptions compiled for this document (and appendices) are not U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, or Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program guidance, policy, nor a rulemaking effort, but are provided for informational and discussion purposes only. This document is not intended, nor can it be relied upon, to create any rights enforceable by any party in litigation with the United States. Reference herein to any specific commercial products, non-profit organization, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government, Environmental Protection Agency, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council or the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The documents on this website contain links, for example ((Embedded image moved to file: pic01212.gif)), to information created and maintained by other public and private organizations. Please be aware that the authors do not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. Further, the inclusion of links to a particular item(s) is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any view expressed or products or services offered by the author of the reference or the organization operating the service on which the reference is maintained. If you have any questions or comments on the content, navigation, maintenance, etc., of these pages, please contact: James W. Beever III Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council 1926 Victoria Avenue Fort Myers, FL 33901 239- 338-2550, ext 224 [email protected] Vulnerability Assessment vi September 15, 2009 Acknowledgements This project has benefited from the contributions of numerous agencies and individuals that have contributed information, time, and opinion to the contents and recommendations. FUNDING FOR THIS REPORT WAS PROVIDED BY U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ASSISTANCE GRANT NUMBER CE- 96457406-4 WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4. Special assistance was received from Mr. Robert B. Howard, Water Management Division, USEPA, Region 4. The Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council have provided the venue and support for the entire project and regular input in the structure and function of the study. External first draft technical review was provided by Mr. Robert B. Howard, Water Management Division, USEPA, Region 4; Mr. Jay V. Bassett, Chief, Materials Management, USEPA Region 4; Mr. Jim Titus, USEPA; Mr. Wayne Daltry, FAICP, Director, Smart Growth, Lee County; Dr. Tom Frasier; Dr Ernie Estevez, Mote Marine Laboratory; Ms. Brenda Brooks, CREW Trust; Mr. Mark Sramek, NOAA; Ms. Barbara J. Lausche, JD, Deputy Director, Marine Policy Institute, Mote Marine Laboratory; Ms. Erin Dykes Rasnake, Environmental Supervisor II, Florida Dept. of Environmental Protection (FDEP), Environmental Assessment and Restoration; Ms. Jennifer Nelson, FDEP; Ms. Jennifer Thera, FDEP; Ms. Renee Duffey, FDEP; Ms. Judy Ott, Program Scientist, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program (CHNEP): Ms. Maran Hilgendorf, Communications Manager CHNEP; Ms. Holly Greening, Tampa Bay National Estuary Program; Dr. Greg Tolley Florida Gulf Coast University, and Ms. Jamie