Chapter 8: Implementation of the Long-Term Plan for Achieving Water Quality Goals in the Everglades Protection Area 2006 South Florida Environmental Report Peer Review and Public Workshop Tracey Piccone September 2005

Presentation Outline Overview of Long-Term Plan Status of Project-Level Activities Revisions to the Long-Term Plan Remaining Challenges and Uncertainties Peer Review Comments Overview of Long-Term Plan Status of Project-Level Activities Revisions to the Long-Term Plan Remaining Challenges and Uncertainties Peer Review Comments

Overview of Long-Term Plan Developed in early 2003 by technical staff of SFWMD, FDEP, EAAEPD and other stakeholders Goal: Achieve compliance with state water quality standards including the phosphorus criterion in the EPA by 12/31/06 Extensive peer review and public input Developed in early 2003 by technical staff of SFWMD, FDEP, EAAEPD and other stakeholders Goal: Achieve compliance with state water quality standards including the phosphorus criterion in the EPA by 12/31/06 Extensive peer review and public input

Seven Everglades Construction Project (ECP) Basins Six Everglades Stormwater Program (ESP) Basins Plan Addresses:

Overview of Long-Term Plan BAPRT in 2003 amended EFA BAPRT in phosphorus rule adopted by the ERC in 2003 Included in December 2003 application to FDEP for permit modification Projected costs of $445 million through FY2016 (October 27, 2003 version; prior to recent major revisions adding over $200 million)

Three Primary Components Pre-2006 Projects Process Development and Engineering Post-2006 Strategies

ECP Basins Additional STA compartmentalization Vegetation management and conversion Operational refinements ESP Basins Source controls (BMPs) Operational adjustments Integration with CERP Pre-2006 Projects

Maintain and improve BMP performance in EAA and C-139 Continue and expand STA optimization research, monitoring and model development Improve reliability of estimated STA inflow volumes and phosphorus loads Refine estimated impact of CERP projects on basin discharges and phosphorus loads Determine relationship between quality of water discharged into, and water quality within, the EPA Process Development and Engineering (PDE) 1 of 2

Will continue through FY 2016, but majority of effort complete in FY 2009 Comprehensive report to Governor and Legislature due 12/31/08 Status and progress of LTP Recommend additional measures if needed to achieve water quality goals Process Development and Engineering (PDE) 2 of 2

Adaptive implementation of additional water quality improvement measures Based on actual STA performance and results of PDE effort $36 million in recommended funding Post-2006 Strategies 1 of 2

Implement steps to accelerate recovery of impacted areas in the EPA Combination of fire, hydroperiod, possibly herbicide and transplanting desirable vegetation Completion of hydropattern restoration works associated with STAs $45.3 million in recommended funding Post-2006 Strategies 2 of 2

Similar to last year, updates for most Long- Term Plan projects appear in other chapters of the SFER Volume I ESP Basin Projects – Ch. 3 Source Control Projects – Ch. 3 STA Performance & Enhancements – Ch. 4 Accelerate Recovery of Impacted Areas – Ch. 6 Refer to Table 8-1 for reference chapters Status of 8 Long-Term Plan projects presented in Chapter 8 Status of Project-Level Activities

1. Continued Development and Refinement of DMSTA Dynamic Model for Stormwater Treatment Areas (Walker and Kadlec, 2002) Model used to predict future performance of the STAs with enhancements and CERP reservoirs Objective is to increase certainty in accuracy of model predictions FY 2005 tasks completed by USDOI and USACE DMSTA2 released in FY 2005 Status of Project-Level Activities

2. Water Quality Impacts of Reservoirs Objective is to assist CERP PDTs in acquisition and analysis of calibration data sets for reservoir water quality models EAA Storage Reservoir CERP project of particular interest since it will discharge to ECP STAs FY 2004 tasks completed: Physical, chemical and vegetative data analyzed FY 2005: Transformation of data for use in calibration of a reservoir water quality model Provided to Dr. Bill Walker for use in developing reservoir module of DMSTA Status of Project-Level Activities

3. Update Baseline Data Sets Objective is to improve degree of confidence in projected TP loads in inflows to STAs and the EPA Update to be completed once every two years First update completed in FY 2005 as part of EAA Regional Feasibility Study: Updated 36-year simulation (SFWMM) with latest calibration data for EAA runoff Updated historic flow and water quality data used to develop monthly flow-weighted mean concentrations Monthly flow-weighted mean concentrations applied to revised simulated flow data (36 yrs) Status of Project-Level Activities

4. Basins with Limited Current Data Objective is to improve estimates of runoff and TP loads from C-51W, L-28 and C-11W Basins C-51W basin data analysis completed in FY 2005 Results indicate this basin’s FWMC is about 38% lower than previously assumed Results used to update the STA inflow data sets as part of the EAA Regional Feasibility Study Status of Project-Level Activities

5. Influence of CERP Projects on Inflow Volumes and Loads Objective is to revise STA inflow data sets to reflect results of design phase of EAASR Project Phases 1 & 2 First update completed in FY 2005 using A-1 Reservoir preliminary information Part of EAA Regional Feasibility Study in FY 2005 Second update to occur in FY 2010 using results of Phase 2 design Status of Project-Level Activities

6. Lake Okeechobee Long-Term Trends Significant portion of water to be treated in the STAs (in particular STA-3/4) will come from Lake 0keechobee Objective is to obtain better understanding of temporal and spatial characteristics of water leaving Lake Water quality and flow from structures discharging from Lake to EAA (S-351, S-352, and S-354) examined in FY 2004 Analyses continued in FY 2005 Results expected FY 2006 Status of Project-Level Activities

7. Adaptive Implementation Objective is to provide funding for implementation of additional STA enhancements or for integration with CERP projects to enhance water quality performance Provided FY 2005 funding for EAA Regional Feasibility Study, part of revised Part 2 of Long-Term Plan (Nov. 2004) Evaluating alternatives to optimize interaction between CERP projects and the ECP STAs Goal is to optimize phosphorus removal and achieve long-term water quality goals in EPA Status of Project-Level Activities

8. Program Management (District staff): Project management Development of technical documents Contract Management Maintenance of P3e project schedules STA operational support Status of Project-Level Activities

LTP predicated on process of adaptive implementation Revisions shall be approved by FDEP per 2003 amended EFA Summary of revisions in annual SFER First request for revision submitted to FDEP on March 18, 2004 Integration with Bolles & Cross Canal Project FDEP approved on April 15, 2004 LTP predicated on process of adaptive implementation Revisions shall be approved by FDEP per 2003 amended EFA Summary of revisions in annual SFER First request for revision submitted to FDEP on March 18, 2004 Integration with Bolles & Cross Canal Project FDEP approved on April 15, 2004 Revisions to the Long-Term Plan

Major revisions to Part 2 of LTP submitted November 2004 Modification of STA Enhancements Addition of STAs on Compartments B and C Addition of the Regional Feasibility Study Addition of recreational facilities at all STAs Revisions approved by FDEP December 2004 Impacts to LTP total projected costs are being evaluated Revisions to the Long-Term Plan

Regulatory Issues Issues with TP Rule Resolved - EPA approved July 2005 Stormwater Treatment Area Optimization Some uncertainty remains regarding effectiveness of enhancements Source control measures Uncertainty in effectiveness of urban BMPs Synchronization with CERP projects Implementation schedules and final designs Remaining Challenges and Uncertainties

Peer Review Comments Richard Meganck Will LTP projects result in suite of BMPs to be applied throughout entire project area? Not all LTP projects will result in BMPs STA Optimization, Accelerated Recovery BMP projects may be localized not system-wide Is there a strategy for coordinating with other agencies in implementation of various LTP projects? Constant Communication, Public Meetings, Internet postings Does District experience indicate you can actually determine effect of water quality measures? LTP includes modeling and research to assist in identification of recovery of impacted areas of EPA Richard Meganck Will LTP projects result in suite of BMPs to be applied throughout entire project area? Not all LTP projects will result in BMPs STA Optimization, Accelerated Recovery BMP projects may be localized not system-wide Is there a strategy for coordinating with other agencies in implementation of various LTP projects? Constant Communication, Public Meetings, Internet postings Does District experience indicate you can actually determine effect of water quality measures? LTP includes modeling and research to assist in identification of recovery of impacted areas of EPA

Peer Review Comments Richard Meganck (cont.) Text implies that certain restoration activities won’t be implemented until after TP criterion achieved Water quality improvement projects are being implemented in previously impacted areas. Intent is to avoid sending discharges to unimpacted areas until discharge concentrations achieve criterion Any progress with Challenges/Uncertainties? Progress has been made, see earlier reports with longer lists Continue reporting to maintain public awareness How are Baseline Data Sets Validated? LTP recognized need to continually update the data sets to ensure best available information used throughout implementation of LTP Richard Meganck (cont.) Text implies that certain restoration activities won’t be implemented until after TP criterion achieved Water quality improvement projects are being implemented in previously impacted areas. Intent is to avoid sending discharges to unimpacted areas until discharge concentrations achieve criterion Any progress with Challenges/Uncertainties? Progress has been made, see earlier reports with longer lists Continue reporting to maintain public awareness How are Baseline Data Sets Validated? LTP recognized need to continually update the data sets to ensure best available information used throughout implementation of LTP

Peer Review Comments Neal Armstrong Plan includes basic elements for success Water quality management & adaptive management Chapter could be enhanced considerably Management process Overall results to date Progress in achieving the water quality goals Response: Agree. FY 2005 was only 2 nd year of implementation; propose enhancing next year’s chapter as recommended Neal Armstrong Plan includes basic elements for success Water quality management & adaptive management Chapter could be enhanced considerably Management process Overall results to date Progress in achieving the water quality goals Response: Agree. FY 2005 was only 2 nd year of implementation; propose enhancing next year’s chapter as recommended

Peer Review Comments Jeff Jordan Adaptive Management approach is working Source Controls are biggest challenge District could identify and design policies in conjunction with agriculture to improve source controls Future SFERs should focus on source controls Response: See Chapter 3 of SFER for details on District’s existing extensive Source Controls Program Jeff Jordan Adaptive Management approach is working Source Controls are biggest challenge District could identify and design policies in conjunction with agriculture to improve source controls Future SFERs should focus on source controls Response: See Chapter 3 of SFER for details on District’s existing extensive Source Controls Program

Peer Review Comments DOI Technical Comments Currently under review Will be addressed in Final Report as appropriate DOI Technical Comments Currently under review Will be addressed in Final Report as appropriate

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