Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Opportunities for Salt Marsh Types in Southwest Florida James Beever III, Principal Planner IV, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council 239-338-2550, ext., 224 [email protected] Whitney Gray, Senior Environmental Planner, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Currently at Florida SeaGrant [email protected] Lisa B. Beever, Ph.D., Director, Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program 239-338-2556, ext., 235 [email protected] Dan Cobb, GIS Analyst, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Currently at City of Tampa [email protected] Tim Walker, GIS Analyst, Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council 239-338-2550, ext. 212,[email protected] June 30,2012 Page 1 of 379 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. Page 2 of 379 Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program Policy Committee Mr. Doug Mundrick, Co-Chair Mr. Jon Iglehart, Co-Chair Water Protection Division South District Director U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Florida Department of Environmental Protection CITIES COUNTIES AGENCIES Hon. Joseph Fink Hon. Christopher Constance Ms. Patricia M. Steed City of Arcadia Charlotte County Central Florida Regional Planning Council Hon. Adrian Jackson City of Bartow Vacant Dr. Philip Stevens Desoto County Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission Hon. Stephen McIntosh City of Bonita Springs Hon Grady Johnson Mr. Phil Flood Ms. Connie Jarvis Hardee County South Florida Water Management District City of Cape Coral Hon. Brian Bigelow Mr. Don McCormick Ms. Melanie Grigsby Lee County Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council City of Fort Myers Hon. Joseph Kosinski Hon. Michael Gallen Mr. Bryan Beswick Town of Fort Myers Beach Manatee County Southwest Florida Water Management District Hon. Linda Yates City of North Port Hon. Bob English Polk County Hon. Charles Wallace City of Punta Gorda Hon. Jon Thaxton Hon. Mick Denham Sarasota County City of Sanibel Hon. David Sherman City of Venice Mr. Mike Britt City of Winter Haven Management Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Robert Howard Vacant U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 4 Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council Technical Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Greg Blanchard Mr. John Ryan Ms. Elizabeth Staugler Citizens Advisory Committee Co-Chairs Mr. Warren Bush Mr. Kayton Nedza Staff Dr. Lisa B. Beever, Director Ms. Elizabeth S. Donley, Esq., Deputy Director Ms. Maran Brainard Hilgendorf, Communications Manager Ms. Judy Ott, Program Scientist Page 3 of 379 SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP CHAIR.......... Commissioner Karson Turner VICE CHAIR.......... Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann SECRETARY.......... Commissioner Tom Jones TREASURER.......... Mr. Robert “Bob” Mulhere CHARLOTTE COUNTY COLLIER COUNTY Commissioner Tricia Duffy Commissioner Jim Coletta Commissioner Chris Constance Commissioner Donna Fiala Councilwoman Rachel Keesling Councilwoman Teresa Heitmann (Gubernatorial Appointee Vacancy) (City of Marco Island Vacancy) (Gubernatorial Appointee Vacancy) Mr. Robert “Bob” Mulhere Mr. Alan D. Reynolds GLADES COUNTY HENDRY COUNTY Commissioner Kenneth S. Jones Commissioner Karson Turner Commissioner Robert Giesler Commissioner Al Perry Councilwoman Pat Lucas Commissioner Joseph Miller Mr. Thomas C. Perry Commissioner Daniel Akin Mr. Mel Karau LEE COUNTY SARASOTA COUNTY Commissioner Frank Mann Commissioner Carolyn Mason Commissioner Ray Judah Commissioner Christine Robinson Councilman Chris Chulakas-Leetz Commissioner Tom Jones Councilman Mick Denham Councilman Kit McKeon Councilman Forrest Banks Commissioner Willie Shaw Councilman Joe Kosinski (Gubernatorial Appointee Vacancy) Councilwoman Martha Simons Mr. Felipe Coln Ms. Laura Holquist Mr. Paul Pass EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS Phil Flood, SFWMD Jon Iglehart, FDEP Maya Burke, SWFWMD Johnny Limbaugh, FDOT SOUTHWEST FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL STAFF MARGARET WUERSTLE..........EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LIZ DONLEY........LEGAL COUNSEL James Beever John L. Gibbons Judy Ott Lisa Beever Nichole Gwinnett Jennifer Pellechio David Crawford Rebekah Harp Timothy Walker Nancy Doyle Maran Hilgendorf Updated 7/20/2012 Page 4 of 379 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] Page 5 of 379 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- 95450310 WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY REGION 4. Special assistance was received from Ms. Rhonda Evans, 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. Internal first draft technical review is provided by the CHNEP TAC, CAC, and Management Committee and Policy Committees. Information and technical assistance, and site access permission from the CHNEP, SWFRPC, FDEP, SFWMD, SWFWMD, the USFWS, the FWC, the FMRI. Special thanks to Captain Larry Hendricks for always meeting us at many different locations; excellent work in getting us where we needed to go even when the water was too shallow and we got the boat very dirty; and getting us back to port safe. Page 6 of 379 Table of Contents Disclaimer .............................................................................................................................. 5 Acknowledgements ......................................................................................................................... 6 Table of Contents ...................................................................................................... 7 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 20 The Salt Marshes of the Charlotte Harbor Estuary (CHNEP) ................................ 21 Definition of Salt Marsh for the CHNEP ...................................................................................... 21 Florida Salt Marsh Regions ........................................................................................................... 24 Salt Marsh Types of the CHNEP .................................................................................................. 24 Table 1: Types of Salt Marsh of the CHNEP ................................................................... 26 Smooth Cordgrass Marsh ....................................................................................................