Peace River Cumulative Impact Study and Resource Management Plan

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Peace River Cumulative Impact Study and Resource
Management Plan
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2003 Legislation

• Omnibus Phosphate Legislation codified in Chapter
  2003-423, Laws of Florida
• Law provided
• Increase in phosphate severance tax and
  redistribution of tax revenues
• Priority for reclamation of Old Lands that
  provide significant benefits to surface waters
  and public supplies sunset new applications
• Variance from reclamation standards for projects
  that provide water supply or water resource
  development
• Strengthen financial responsibility and
  operational requirements for phosphogypsum stack
  systems
• Funding for FIPR research on rapid dewatering of
  clay settling areas
• Cumulative Impact Study and Resource Management
  Plan for Peace River Basin

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Study and Plan Objectives

• Study cumulative impacts of changes in landform
  and hydrology on water resources of Peace River
  Basin
• Evaluate Floodplain Buffers, including Myakka
  River
• Prepare and adopt a Resource Management Plan to
  minimize identified impacts
• Identify regulatory and non-regulatory actions
  needed
• Recommend statutory changes needed
• 750,000 in funding provided

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Consultants

• Post Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan (Lead)
• HydroGeologic
• The Nature Conservancy (Brian Richter)
• EarthBalance
• Lewis, Longman and Walker, P.A.
• Avineon
• W. Dexter Bender (Tom Fraser)

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Study Tasks

• Task 1
  Literature Review and Data Collection
• Task 2
  Description of Historical Changes
• Task 3
  Identification and Analysis of Factors Causing
  Changes
• Task 4
  Evaluating Regulatory Effectiveness

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Public Meetings

• Bartow May 24
• Arcadia - June 21
• Punta Gorda July 26
• Wauchula August 9

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Sub-basin Based Study
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Watershed Stressor and Metrics

• Stressors
• Urbanization
• Agriculture
• Mining
• Long-term Climate Patterns

• Metrics
• Streamflow
• Water quality
• Groundwater elevations
• Miles of streambed
• Acres of floodplain
• Acres of wetlands
• Acres of mined lands
• Acres of agricultural lands
• Acres of urban lands

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Landform Changes 1940s - 1999
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Changes at Watershed Level
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Changes Due to Development
1940s Developed Land Use

• Actively Mined Lands 0.5 of watershed
• Urban Land Use 1
• Improved Pasture 3
• Intense Agriculture 8

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Changes Due to Development
1999 Developed Land Use

• Actively Mined Lands 10
• of watershed
• Urban Land Use 10
• Improved Pasture 27
• Intense Agriculture 17

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Hydrology Changes

• Land-use changes (changes in hydroperiod)
• Hydrological structural alterations, changes in
  surface flows
• Historical changes in groundwater elevations
  (withdrawals)
• Natural climatic cycles (rainfall)

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Changes in Rainfall/Flow Patterns

• There have been changes in long-term
  rainfall/flow patterns in the Peace River
  Watershed
• The observed changes in rainfall (and flow) seem
  to be accounted for by the recently proposed AMO
  theory

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Changes in Low Flow Characteristics

• There have been significant long-term changes in
  low/base flow not related to rainfall patterns
• Upper watershed declines caused by
• Loss of spring flows
• Declines in groundwater levels
• Declines in discharges
• Payne Creek
• Lower watershed subbasins (Horse, Joshua, Shell
  and Prairie Creeks)
• increases due to agricultural groundwater
  discharges

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Increasing GW Use in Polk
Leads to aquifer drawdown.
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Kissingen Spring

• Flow of approx.15 to 20 Mgd prior to 1940.
• By 1950s flow was only intermittent.
• Ceased all flow after late 1950s.

• Kissingen spring is the canary in the coal mine
  for the onset of losing conditions in Upper Peace
  River.

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Polk County Artesian Well
Near Eagle Lake, 1911
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Recharge / Discharge Trends
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• Water Quality
• Trends and Status
• Long-term patterns and changes in parameters at
  40 watershed and estuarine sites
• Comparisons of current status among selected
  characteristic sites for key constituents

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? Large Change ? Intermediate Change ?
Small Change ? No Change Blank No
Data
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Summary of Water Quality

• Upper river historically received direct
  discharges from both phosphate mining/beneficiatio
  n and urban sewage treatment
• Water quality trends show large declines in
  ortho-phosphate, fluoride, and sulfate levels
  associated with changes in mining practices.
• Water color has increased, reflecting declines in
  spring flow and reduced mining discharges (loss
  of eel grass in spring runs)
• Different spatial long-term patterns
• Relative improvements in water quality northern
  watershed
• Significant degradation of surface water quality
  in southern basins

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Next Step Resource Management Plan

• The Peace River Basin Resource Management Plan
• Must identify regulatory and non-regulatory
  actions to minimize cumulative impact.
• Will consider both regulatory and non-regulatory
  recommendations.

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Soliciting Ideas from Stakeholders

• Stakeholder meetings
• July 13 Wauchula
• September 7 Wauchula
• Representatives of
• DEP, SWFWMD, FWCC, RPC, IFAS
• Local Governments and Water Supply Authority
• Environmental Groups
• Phosphate, Citrus, Agriculture

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Strawman Recommendations

• Fully implement SWUCA Recovery Strategy
• Identify re-connection and re-hydration
  opportunities
• Discuss competing applications
• Prioritize wetland systems for restoration, fix
  mitigation rule glitches
• Pursue mineralization abatement
• Cradle to Grave phosphate mining and
  reclamation permitting, off-site mitigation
• Fully fund Old Lands Program
• Create incentives to protect floodplains
• Fund floodplain acquisition
• Need for better data
• Convene Standing Workgroup

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What is the Integrated Habitat Network?

• The Integrated Habitat Network lies within the
  Central Florida Phosphate Mining District
• Guide for management and protection of greenways,
  wildlife habitat and riparian buffers.
• Guide for permitting and reclamation
• A combination of undisturbed and reclaimed lands

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What areas are in the IHN?

• Coastal Settlement Areas
• Conservation Easements
• Donations
• Acquisitions

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How does the DEP implement the IHN?

• Through the Regulatory Process (WRP/ERP and
  Conceptual Plan Approvals), the Department can
  encourage the applicant to consider concepts in
  the IHN.

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EXAMPLES

• Proposed Conservation Easements using the IHN
  Concept
• Ft. Green Ona Extension (525 acres)
• Four Corners Altman Tract (559.6 acres)

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Fort Green Historical
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Fort Green 1994
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Fort Green 1999
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Fort Green 2004
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Questions?

• More Info at
• http//www.dep.state.fl.us/water/mines/prcis.htm
• and
• http//www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/waterman/peaceriver/