Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Prepared for Rainbow River Conservation, Inc. August 14, 2013 Prepared by Wetland Solutions, Inc. in cooperation with The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Prepared for Rainbow River Conservation, Inc. August 14, 2013 Prepared by Wetland Solutions, Inc. in cooperation with The Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Table of Contents Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................. viii Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1 Section 1.0 Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 Section 2.0 Description of the Rainbow Springs System ............................................................ 3 2.1 General Location and Features ........................................................................................ 3 2.2 Geology and Hydrogeology ............................................................................................ 4 2.2.1 Hydrogeology ............................................................................................................6 2.2.2 Springshed .................................................................................................................6 2.2.2.1 Aerial Extent.......................................................................................................... 8 2.2.2.2 Groundwater Flow Paths and Travel Times......................................................... 8 2.3 Springshed Characteristics .............................................................................................. 9 2.3.1 Land Use ....................................................................................................................9 2.3.2 Population................................................................................................................10 2.3.3 Nitrogen Loading ....................................................................................................10 2.3.4 Aquifer Vulnerability...............................................................................................11 Section 3.0 Hydrology............................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Water Inputs and Outputs ............................................................................................. 14 3.1.1 Precipitation .............................................................................................................14 3.1.2 Evapotranspiration ..................................................................................................14 3.1.3 Groundwater Recharge............................................................................................15 3.1.4 Groundwater Withdrawals .....................................................................................15 3.2 Spring and River Discharge and Stage .......................................................................... 18 3.3 Floridan Aquifer Levels ................................................................................................. 20 3.4 Relationship between Groundwater Levels and Spring Discharge .............................. 21 3.5 Rainbow and Silver Springs Divide............................................................................... 22 Section 4.0 Water Quality.......................................................................................................... 28 4.1 General ........................................................................................................................... 28 4.2 Water Clarity .................................................................................................................. 29 4.3 Dissolved Oxygen .......................................................................................................... 30 4.4 Nitrate ............................................................................................................................ 31 Section 5.0 Biology .................................................................................................................... 34 iii Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan 5.1 Vegetation ...................................................................................................................... 34 5.2 Macroinvertebrates ........................................................................................................ 39 5.3 Macrofauna .................................................................................................................... 40 5.3.1 Fish ...........................................................................................................................40 5.3.2 Reptiles.....................................................................................................................44 5.3.3 Birds .........................................................................................................................46 5.3.4 Manatees ..................................................................................................................46 5.3.5 Ecological Functions ................................................................................................46 Section 6.0 Human Use and Economic Impact ......................................................................... 50 6.1 Human Use .................................................................................................................... 50 6.1.1 Rainbow Springs State Park ....................................................................................50 6.1.2 K.P. Hole County Park.............................................................................................51 6.2 Rainbow Springs Economic Impact ............................................................................... 52 Section 7.0 Regulatory Status.................................................................................................... 53 7.1 Federal and State Designations...................................................................................... 54 7.2 Protections – Water Quality ........................................................................................... 55 7.3 Rainbow BMAP.............................................................................................................. 55 7.4 Federal, State, and Regional Protections – Water Quantity .......................................... 55 7.4.1 County and Municipal Protections for Water Quality and Quantity .....................56 7.4.2 Other Local Activities and Provisions .....................................................................58 Section 8.0 Impairments............................................................................................................ 58 8.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 59 8.2 Excessive Groundwater Consumption .......................................................................... 59 8.2.1 Precipitation and Recharge......................................................................................61 8.2.2 Groundwater Pumping ...........................................................................................62 8.3 Water Quality Impairments ........................................................................................... 64 8.3.1 Nitrate Nitrogen ......................................................................................................64 8.3.2 Water Clarity............................................................................................................64 8.4 Biology ........................................................................................................................... 64 8.4.1 Reduced Dominance by Submerged Aquatic Vegetation .......................................64 8.4.2 Faunal Impacts.........................................................................................................65 8.4.3 Ecosystem Function .................................................................................................65 8.5 Human Use and Activities ............................................................................................. 66 iv Rainbow Springs Restoration Action Plan Section 9.0 Recommendations .................................................................................................. 67 9.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 67 9.2 Developing a Restoration Road Map............................................................................. 68 9.3 Specific Goals for Restoration ........................................................................................ 68 9.3.1 Water Quantity Restoration.....................................................................................68 9.3.2 Water Quality Restoration .......................................................................................70 9.3.3 Reduction of Recreational Impacts ..........................................................................71