Environmental Restoration ti Update Phil Flood, South Florida Water Management District
Presentation Overview Kissimmee River Restoration Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan River of Grass Acquisition
Kissimmee River Restoration
Kissimmee River Channelization (1962 to 1971) Transformed the 103- mile natural, meandering river and floodplain To a 56-mile straight, narrow and deep canal
Kissimmee River Channelization Unintended Consequences More than 30,000 acres of wetland habitat lost More than 90% reduction in migratory waterfowl Dramatic reduction in wading birds Significant impact on sport fisheries replaced by species that can tolerate low oxygen
Kissimmee River Restoration Project 1994-2013 Acquire 102,000 acres of historical river floodplain l 100% complete; $300 million invested Remove 2 large water control structures 1 structure removed Backfill 22 miles of canal ~ 65% complete Recarve 9 miles of remnant river channel ~ 60% complete Rehydrate 26,500 acres of river floodplain ~ 60% complete
Kissimmee River Restoration Canal Backfilling Progress Degraded Spoil Area Backfilled C-38 Canal Remnant River Channel 14 miles of C-38 Canal backfilled 24 miles of continuous river channel restored Approximately 15,000 acres of floodplain habitat restored New River Connection Remnant River Channel
Kissimmee River Restoration Response: Floodplain Vegetation Pre-restorationrestoration Post-restoration
Kissimmee River Restoration Response: Wading Birds
Everglades Stormwater Treatment Areas
Stormwater Treatment Areas Agricultural Land Constructed Wetland Constructed wetlands designed to remove phosphorus through natural physical, chemical and biological processes
Stormwater Treatment Areas Performance Since 1994, more than 45,000 acres of Stormwater Treatment Areas constructed; $1.8 billion invested An additional 12,000 acres of treatment wetlands are under construction; scheduled to be flow- capable in December 2010 In 2009, more than one million acre- feet of water treated; reduced total phosphorus loads by 82% Combined with BMPs, prevented more than 3,200 metric tons of phosphorus h from entering the Everglades to date
STA Expansions Compartment B & C Buildouts 18,000 acres to complement existing Everglades Agricultural Area STAs 100% land acquired Compartment C design and permitting complete; construction began April 2009 Compartment B design and permitting complete; construction began June 2009 Construction of pump stations began September 2009
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan 50/50 state-federal partnership Appropriations to date: State - $2.4B Federal - $600M Restore and improve quality, quantity, timing and flow of water Provide sustainable water supply to meet environmental, agricultural and urban needs
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan The Goal
Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) Includes 68 components to be implemented over 35 years Features include: Aquifer Storage & Recovery Surface Water Storage Reservoirs Stormwater Treatment Areas Seepage Management Removing Barriers to Sheetflow Operational Changes Reuse Wastewater
Land Acquisition Progress Approximately 233,277 acres or 60% of estimated lands needed for CERP acquired $1.63 Billion expended $1.26B - SFWMD/State $246M - Federal $117M - Local $8M - Tib Tribal l(s (Seminole) 157,555 acres still needed Lake Okeechobee Watershed Project 14,219 acres (37%) Includes Lakeside Ranch STA (100%) Caloosahatchee Reservoir 12,428 acres (62%) Includes C-43 West Basin Reservoir (100%) Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir 32,591 acres (67%) Includes EAA-Phase 1 (100%) Picayune Strand Restoration (Southern Golden Gates Estates) 54,244 acres (99%) Seminole Tribe Big Cypress Reservation Water Control Plan 2,241 acres (100%) Big Cypress National Preserve Everglades National Park Water Conservation Areas Indian River Lagoon-South Project Lands 21,771 acres (88%) Includes C-44 Reservoir/ STA (100%) Natural Lands 32,704 acres (34%) North Palm Beach Project 4,428 acres (67%) Acme Basin B 368 acres (100%) Strazzulla Wetlands 2,796 acres (83%) Palm Beach County Agricultural Reserve 994 acres (60%) Fran Reich Preserve/Site I Impoundment 1,658 acres (100%) Broward County WPAs 6,672 acres (91%) Includes C-9 and C-11 Impoundment (100%) Lake Belt Storage Areas 666 acres (6%) Bird Drive Recharge Area 1,400 acres (35%) C-111 Spreader Canal 29,918 acres (81%) Includes Western Project (100%) Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands 12,802 acres (92%) Includes Phase 1 (100%) Rev 02/11/10
Restoration Progress Expedited Projects Picayune Strand North Palm Beach County Project L-8 Reservoir Site 1/Fran Reich Preserve Lakeside Ranch STA C-111 Spreader Canal Acme Basin B C-43 West Reservoir Indian River Lagoon -C-44 Reservoir EAA A-1 Reservoir Biscayne Bay Coastal Wetlands
Restoration Progress Picayune Strand Seven miles of Prairie Canal filled 65 miles of roadway removed
Restoration Progress Picayune Strand 17 culverts constructed t to restore natural sheetflow More than 13,000 acres of restored and enhanced habitat
Restoration Progress Picayune Strand
Restoration Progress C-43 West (Caloosahatchee River) Reservoir Test cell complete Project final design complete Approximately 6,000 acres of citrus to be cleared Final Project Implementation Report (PIR) by Corps
Caloosahatchee Estuary Water Reservation Required to receive federal funding for project construction and operation. Legal mechanism to set aside water for the protection of fish and wildlife or the public health and safety Prevents new uses from accessing reserved water
Restoration Progress C-43 Water Quality Treatment & Testing Facility Land acquisition complete 1,770 acres, $27.3 million District i t investment Environmental assessments & cultural resources study complete Water quality studies began in 2009 Developing design criteria
Restoration Progress Lakeside Ranch STA A portion of Taylor Creek/Nubbin Slough Storage & Treatment t Area Construction of STA North (Phase I) underway Design of STA South (Phase II) underway
River of Grass Land Acquisition
Land Acquisition Acquisition Lands 73,000 acres for initial acquisition - $536 million 33,000 acres of citrus 40,000 acres of sugarcane 107,000 acres of option lands
Land Acquisition Next Steps Closing subject to affordability, bond validation and financing Bond validation Court validated d District s i t authority to issue Certificates of Participation Challenges filed by New Hope Sugar and Miccosukee Tribe Supreme Court hearing April 7 Ongoing WRAC Issues Workshops - public planning process
Questions?