Acme Basin B Discharge

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Acme Basin B Discharge
Public Workshop
May 22, 2002
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Workshop Goals

• To inform the public about the Acme Basin B
  Discharge project.

• To familiarize the public with the implementation
  process.

• To solicit initial public comment at an early
  stage in the study in order to address as many of
  those comments as possible during the studys
  public involvement process.

• To consider all comments.

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Topics

• Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
• CERP Process
• Project Information
• Whats Next
• How to be Involved

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The CSF Project

• Project Purposes Flood control, water
  conservation, regional water supply, prevention
  of salt water intrusion, fish and wildlife
  conservation, water supply to Everglades National
  Park
• Project includes 10 locks, 1,000 miles of
  canals, 720 miles of levees, over 150 water
  control structures, and 16 pump stations

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A Region in Trouble.

• Too much/too little water for the
  Everglades/south Florida ecosystem
• Massive reductions in wading bird populations
• Degradation of water quality
• Repetitive water shortages and salt water
  intrusion
• Declining estuary health
• 1.7 billion gallons of water a day wasted to tide

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On December 11, 2000, President Clinton signed
the Water Resources Development of 2000,
approving
Rescuing an Endangered Ecosystem The
Plan to Restore Americas Everglades
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
A series of environmental and other improvements
over 30 years with an estimated cost of 7.8
billion
The Central and Southern Florida Project
Comprehensive Review Study
(The Restudy)
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Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)

• Water storage areas/facilities
• 15 surface storage reservoirs
• 3 in-ground reservoirs
• 330 aquifer storage and recovery wells
• 19 stormwater treatment areas
• 2 wastewater reuse plants
• Removal of over 240 miles of canals, levees and
  structures
• Operational changes

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Getting the Water Right
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Goals Objectives for the Restudy

• GOAL Enhance Ecologic Values
• Objectives
• Increase the total spatial extent of natural
  areas
• Improve habitat and functional quality
• Improve native plant and animal species
  abundance and diversity
• GOAL Enhance Economic Values Social WellBeing
• Objectives
• Increase availability of fresh water
  (agricultural/municipal industrial)
• Maintain existing flood protection
  (agricultural/urban)
• Provide recreational navigation opportunities
• Protect cultural archeological resources and
  values

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Project Goals and Objectives

• Same as the Restudy
• Project Example
• System-wide Objective Improve Habitat and
  Functional Quality
• Elsewhere in the system downstream
• Local Objective Improve Habitat and Functional
  Quality
• Within footprint of project boundary

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Plan Formulation and Evaluation

• Define Measures (Components)
• Develop Planning Cost
• Estimates (Real Estate,
• Construction, OM)
• Evaluate Measures (compare
• with and without plan
• conditions)
• Conduct Incremental Cost
• Analysis
• Compare Alternative Plans
• Conduct Environmental Assessments

RECOVER

• Conduct System-Wide
• Evaluation of Plans

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Project Formulation

• CERP - individual projects were selected based on
  their synergistic effect to
  the overall plan
• Projects - formulated to achieve local and
  system- wide goals and objectives as
  defined by CERP
• Must consider different measures, components,
• features, and project scales within the
  project area
• Structural and non-structural approaches

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Project Evaluation/Assessment

• 3-step process
• Select Plan based on the project that reasonably
  maximizes the projects contribution toward the
  system-wide benefits of CERP compared to cost

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Step 1Optimize System-wide Benefits

• Ensures the system-wide goals and objectives
  defined by the Comprehensive Plan are achieved
• Define the project features that optimize system
  performance and system-wide benefits
• Costs and benefits measured at the system-wide
  level for each of the alternative plans
• Selected project will be the plan that reasonably
  maximizes the projects contribution toward the
  system-wide benefits of CERP compared to cost

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Step 1 System-wide BenefitsFuture Condition
Assumptions
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Step 2Assessing Incremental Benefits
Attributable to the Project

• Assessment measures the contribution of the
  project to system-wide benefits output
• Quantify and describe the incremental costs and
  benefits of the selected project
• Costs and benefits are incremental to the total
  CERP project

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Step 2 Incremental BenefitsFuture Condition
Assumptions
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Step 3Assess Interim Operations

• Establish baseline year for operations
• Develop interim operational strategies
• various operations should be considered to make
  the plan more efficient as an interim project
• Assess local impacts
• Evaluating the output of the selected project
  together with authorized projects provides an
  assessment of local and system-wide impacts due
  to interim operations

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Step 3 Interim Operations AssessmentFuture
Condition Assumptions
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Acme Basin B Discharge Project
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Wellington/ACME Improvement District Basin
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Project Background

• Everglades Forever Act (1994 - present)
• Everglades Stormwater Program (1996 - current)
• Comprehensive Review Study included Acme Basin B
  Discharge as an OPE (1998)
• WPA Feasibility Study (1998 - 2002)
• Baseline Data Reports (1999 - current)
• Chemical Treatment with Solids Separation (CTSS)
  pilot project (2000 - current)
• Basin Specific Feasibility Studies (2001- current)

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Basin Specific Feasibility Studies

• For basins associated with EFA requirements
• Currently in Task 4, evaluation of alternatives
  to be completed August 2002
• Information from the studies can be used when
  formulating alternatives in the CERP process

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Basin Specific Feasibility StudiesAcme Basin B
Alternatives
Burns McDonnell

• Expand STA 1W ( possibly STA 1E)
• Divert Runoff to the Palm Beach Aggregates Rock
  Pit

Brown Caldwell

• Divert Runoff to the Agricultural Reservoir
• Chemical Treatment Component in the Basin
• STA Component in the Basin

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Basin Specific Feasibility StudiesWeb Site
www.sfwmd.gov/org/erd/bsfboard/bsfsboard.htm
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Project Purpose

• The purpose of the Acme Basin B project is to
  provide water quality treatment and stormwater
  attenuation for runoff from Acme Basin B prior to
  discharge to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife
  Refuge (Water Conservation Area 1) or alternate
  location. Excess available water may be used to
  meet water supply demands.

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ProjectGoals Objectives

• Evaluate Alternatives
• Meet 2006 Schedule
• Everglades Forever Act
• Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP)
• Meet Program Authority Limit
• 25 million

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Where we are and what is next...

• Project Management Plans
• Management document only
• Project Implementation Reports
• bridge the gap between the comprehensive plan and
  detailed project design

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CERP
Standard Project Development Process
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Project Management Plans Are

• Lists of anticipated tasks, responsibilities,
  schedules, products, and budget for the next
  project phase

• General description of work and level of effort
  required

• Roadmaps for activities and monitoring

• Flexible - will be updated regularly, and as
  needed

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Project Management Plans Are Not

• A decision document
• Lists of each and every task that may be required

• Detailed scopes of work

• Set in stone

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CERP Project Implementation Reports (PIRs)

• Feasibility level decision documents
• PIRs will bridge the gap between the
  comprehensive plan and projects, and design,
  permitting construction
• FWS, EPA and NPS will provide significant
  resources during this project phase

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The PIR will address

• Compliance with environmental requirements
• National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
  Chapter 401Permit (discharge permit)
• Chapter 402 Permit (construction permit)
• Endangered Species Act
• Clear Air Act
• Clean Water Act
• And others
• Economic/environmental justice issues
• Effects of project on minorities and low income
  communities

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The PIR will address

• Water quality issues
• Modeling
• Evaluation of existing WQ data
• Everglades Basin Specific Feasibility Study
• Evaluation of STAs performance benefits
• Watershed assessment / water budget analysis
• Review Restudy assumptions
• Seepage evaluation
• Hydrological/hydraulic data (rainfall,
  evapotranspiration, pumping records, historical
  structure data, etc.)
• Establish conveyance requirements
• Establish storage needs
• Modeling scenario runs
• Evaluate existing and future level of flood
  protection

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Planning Process
Specify ProblemsAnd OpportunitiesStep 1
Inventory and Forecast ConditionsStep 2
Formulate Alternate PlansStep 3
Evaluate Effects of Alternative PlansStep 4
Compare Alternative PlansStep 5
Select Recommended PlanStep 6
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How to be involved...

• PMP Phase
• workshops
• PDT meetings
• PIR Phase
• workshops
• PDT meetings
• Mailing Lists
• Web Sites

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Internet Web Sites
www.evergladesplan.org www.sfwmd.gov www.saj
.usace.army.mil
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www.evergladesplan.org
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Contacts

• SFWMD
• Kathy Collins, Project Manager
• [phone]
• email kcollin_at_sfwmd.gov
• USACE
• Jerry Grubb, Project Manager
• [phone]
• email Gerald.K.Grubb_at_saj02.usace.army.mil
• SFWMD
• Ellen Underwood,Senior Communications Specialist
• [phone]
• email eunderwo_at_sfwmd.gov

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Thank you
Comments?