Draft Choctawhatchee River and Bay Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan August 2017 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 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. Choctawhatchee 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 .............................................................................................. 6 2.2.1 Major Streams and Tributaries ........................................................................... 6 2.2.2 Floridan Aquifer Springs ................................................................................... 6 2.2.3 Lakes .................................................................................................................. 8 2.2.4 Floodplains and Wetlands .................................................................................. 8 2.2.5 Choctawhatchee Bay .......................................................................................... 9 2.3 Land Use and Population ............................................................................................... 10 2.4 Natural Communities ..................................................................................................... 13 2.4.1 Terrestrial Communities .................................................................................. 13 2.4.2 Choctawhatchee River and Tributaries ............................................................ 13 2.4.3 Riparian, Wetland, and Floodplain Habitats .................................................... 14 2.4.4 Emergent Marsh ............................................................................................... 14 2.4.5 Seagrass Beds .................................................................................................. 14 2.4.6 Oyster Beds ...................................................................................................... 15 2.4.7 Coastal Barrier Systems ................................................................................... 15 2.4.8 Coastal Dune Lakes ......................................................................................... 15 3.0 Watershed Assessment and Water Resource Issues ...................................................................... 17 3.1 Water Quality ................................................................................................................ 17 3.1.1 Impaired Waters ............................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Pollution Sources ............................................................................................. 18 3.2 Natural Systems ............................................................................................................. 23 3.3 Floodplains and Floodplain Management ..................................................................... 24 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 Needs and Recommendations for Further Analysis ......................................... 32 4.2 Implementation .............................................................................................................. 33 4.3 Priority Projects ............................................................................................................. 38 4.4 Project Criteria and Guidelines ...................................................................................... 57 4.5 Funding Sources ............................................................................................................ 57 5.0 References ...................................................................................................................................... 63 i Choctawhatchee 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 Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed (Florida) 10 Table 2-2 Watershed Population Estimates: 2010-2030 12 Table 3-1 Domestic Wastewater Facilities 21 Table 4-1 Generalized Buffer Zone Dimensions 28 Table 4-2 Watershed Priorities, Objectives, and Management Options 34 Table 4-3 Recommended Projects: Choctawhatchee River and Bay SWIM Plan 38 Table 4-4 Funding Sources and Eligibility 58 List of Figures Figure Page Figure 2-1 Proportion of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed by State and Florida Counties ... 3 Figure 2-2 Features of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed within Florida ............................... 4 Figure 2-3 General Topography and Hydrology .......................................................................................... 7 Figure 2-4 Floodplains and Wetlands ........................................................................................................... 8 Figure 2-5 Stratification of an Estuary ......................................................................................................... 9 Figure 2-6 Generalized Land Cover in the Greater Choctawhatchee Watershed (Alabama and Florida) . 10 Figure 2-7 Land Use and Land Cover for the Florida Portion of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed ................................................................................................................................. 11 Figure 2-8 Public and Conservation Lands ................................................................................................ 12 Figure 2-9 Coastal Natural Features in the Watershed ............................................................................... 16 Figure 3-1 Impaired Waters in Florida's Portion of the Watershed ............................................................ 18 Appendices Appendix Page Appendix A Implementation and Achievements of the Previous Swim Plan ........................................ A-1 Appendix B Related Resource Management Activities ......................................................................... B-1 Appendix C Geology and Soils in the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed ............................... C-1 Appendix D Threatened and Endangered Species within the Watershed ............................................... D-1 Appendix E Habitats and Natural Communitites ................................................................................... E-1 Appendix F 2016 FDEP Verified Impaired Waterbody Segments in the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed ............................................................................................................. F-1 Appendix G Conservation Lands within Florida’s Portion of the Choctawhatchee River and Bay Watershed ........................................................................................................................... G-1 ii Choctawhatchee River and Bay SWIM Plan Northwest Florida Water Management District August 10, 2017 DRAFT Abbreviations and Acronyms List ACWP Alabama Clean Water Partnership NRCS Natural Resources Conservation ADEM Alabama Department of Environmental NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Management Administration AFB Air Force Base NPDES National Pollutant Discharge BMAP Basin Management Action Plan Elimination System BMP best management practice NRDA Natural