The South Florida Watershed

Kevin Carter,Office of Everglades Policy

and Coordination,South Florida Water Management Districtkecarter@sfwmd.gov, phone: 561-682-6949

Our Florida Reefs Community Working Group MeetingsApril 22nd and April 28th, 2014

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Presentation OverviewCentral & South Florida Flood Control System

(CS+F):History, Scale, and Complexity

Restoration at the Watershed Scale:CERP, Comprehensive Everglades Restoration PlanCEPP, Central Everglades Planning ProjectRS, Restoration StrategiesNEEPP, Northern Everglades + Estuaries Protection

Program

(hint: you will learn these acronyms, test at the end ) 2

What does the term Watershed mean to you?

Photo fromhttp://www.nsrwa.org/Page.121.html

“In the continental US, there are 2,110 watersheds; including Hawaii Alaska, and Puerto Rico, there are 2,267 watersheds”

http://water.epa.gov/type/watersheds/whatis.cfm

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Historic

Current

The South Florida

Watershed

Historical Events Leading to Constructionof C&SF Project

Hurricanes in 1926 and 1928 resulted in failure of the levee around Lake Okeechobee

Lower East Coast drought (1931 – 1945) and saltwater intrusion threat

Hurricane in 1947 resulted in wide-spread flooding throughout South Florida

State of Florida requested Federal assistance in 1947

Congress authorized the C&SF Project in 1948 Areas Flooded in

the 1947 Storm

• Lands stretch 240 miles from Orlando to the Keys

• 18,000 sq. miles, encompassing one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world

• ~2,000 miles of canals• ~2,800 miles of levees• More than 650 water

control structures and 700 project culverts

• Nearly 70 pump stations• 7.7 million residents• More than 3 million acres

of agriculture• Protected/Managed natural

areas

www.sfwmd.gov

Today’s SFWMD

SFWMD Core Mission

Five Water Management Districts were created by 1972 Water Resources Act:

Flood Control Operate & maintain largest water

management system in the worldWater Supply

Ensure sustainable water resources for South Florida’s environment and economy

Natural Systems Protect and restore the Northern and

Southern EvergladesWater Quality

Improve water quality in the Everglades

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Pre-drainage FlowsManaged Flows(circa 2010)

Future South Florida Watershed:Increasing Flows to the South

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QualityQuantity

Timing Distribution

Future South Florida Watershed:Increasing Flows to South (cont.)

CERP: A Very Brief Background1999 – Florida Legislature

gives SFWMD authority to act as local sponsor for all portions of C&SF

1999: The C+SF Restudy submitted to Congress; comprehensive plan with more than 60 components

2000: Florida Legislature passes act to fund the state’s 50% cost-share

2000: Federal Water Resources Development Act 2000:

Approves CERP as a framework for modifying the C&SF project

Authorizes 50-50 cost-share for CERP implementation and O&M

Requires approval of Project Implementation Report for each project

Rescuing an Endangered Ecosystem:The Plan to Restore America’s Everglades

July 1999

The Central and Southern Florida Project Comprehensive Review Study (The Restudy)

1st Generation CERP► Picayune Strand► IRL-South► Site 1 Impoundment

Pre-CERP Foundation Projects► Kissimmee River► C-111 South Dade► Modified Water Deliveries

2nd Generation CERP► C-43 Reservoir► Broward County WPA► C-111 Spreader Canal► Biscayne Bay Coastal

Wetlands3rd Generation CERP

► Central Everglades PlanningProject

► Loxahatchee River Watershed Restoration Project

Nearing Completion

Under Construction

PendingCongressional Authorization

Project Planning

CERP Projects

http://www.evergladesplan.org/

Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP)

Increases storage, treatment and conveyance of water south of Lake Okeechobee Sends ~200,000 ac-ft of water

south from the LakeRemoves and/or plugs canals

and levees within the central Everglades

Improves hydroperiod and flow through Everglades National Park while protecting urban and agricultural areas to the east from flooding

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http://www.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/xweb%20protecting%20and%20restoring/restoration%20strategies

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Foundation for the Northern Everglades and Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP, 373.4595 Florida Statutes): Defines the three

Coordinating Agencies: SFWMD, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

Watershed Protection Plans: Holistic watershed approach

to restoration Suite of projects and

programs to improve the quality of water discharged from the watersheds and minimize undesirable flows

Northern Everglades & Estuaries Protection Program (NEEPP)

NEEPP: Example Projects

Dispersed Water Management

IRL-S ProjectSt. Lucie Watershed

Kissimmee River Restoration

Lake Okeechobee Watershed

C-43 West Basin Storage Reservoir

Caloosahatchee Watershed

15http://my.sfwmd.gov/portal/page/portal/xweb%20protecting%20and%20restoring/other%20everglades

NEEPP and Water Quality Restoration

FDEP leads water quality restoration with its Total Maximum Daily Load Program (TMDL)

FDEP collaborates with SFWMD, FDACS and local stakeholders

Basin Management Action Plans (BMAPs) map the path forward for TMDL implementation:St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee

Estuaries, 1st phase BMAPs underway

Lake Okeechobee BMAP in planning phase http://www.dep.state.fl.us/water/watersheds/

bmap.htm

Florida Senate Select Committee on Indian River Lagoon and Lake Okeechobee Basin The Committee, created on July 10, 2013 and

led by Senator Joe Negron, has conducted hearings to:Review water management policies and activitiesAssess the impact of Lake releases on the St. Lucie

EstuaryIdentify options to improve basin wide water

management, including alternatives to Lake discharges

Develop recommendations (short and long term) for improved water management

A Committee report was submitted November 4, 2013, to the Senate Committees on Appropriations, Environmental Preservation, and Agriculture

http://www.flsenate.gov/Media/Topics/irllob

Discussion and Contact Information

Kevin Carter,Office of Everglades Policy

and Coordination

South Florida Water Management District

kecarter@sfwmd.gov, phone: 561-682-6949

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