1. Apalachicola River, Floodplain and Bay
Largest forested floodplain in Florida (112,000 acres)
Highest Species Diversity of any River System in North America
UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
Outstanding Florida Water (OFW)

2. See Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve info
Habitat Diversity
Apalachicola River Floodplain hosts the highest biodiversity of any River System in North America
 50 species of mammals
 1300 species of plants
 40 species of amphibians  80 species of reptiles
 300 species of birds
See Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve info

3. Productivity Harvest  $200 million Local Seafood Industry, 90% of Florida Oysters, and 10% of US oysters, plus shrimp, crab and finfish.
 In 1994, Five Million lbs. of Seafood were produced from the Apalachicola Bay region.
 90% of all harvested species must spend some part of their life cycle inshore on the marsh and seagrass environment, even the grouper caught offshore must rely on this healthy environment.

4. Natural Features of river and floodplain
Swamp
Cut bank
Main channel
Slough
Point Bar
used for
Disposal Site
Levee

5. Forest Types Distributed by Elevation
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland

6. River Level Controls Water in Floodplain
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland

7. River Level Controls Water in Floodplain
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland

8. River Level Controls Water in Floodplain
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland

9. River Level Controls Water in Floodplain
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland

10. High and Low Water Seasons (before 1954)
Floodplain slough
Upland
Swamps
High Bottomland
Hardwoods
Main
channel
Low Bottomland
Early Spring
Summer
Fall
Severe drought

11. 2007 Flow in relation to Average Flow Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, FL
2007 flow

12. 85% of Apalachicola River fish species use floodplain

13. Stagnant conditions develop if sloughs are isolated for long periods

14. Fish trapped in floodplain will die if water dries up in isolated pools

15. Crawfish Integral Part of Food Chain
In the Apalachicola River System, crawfish are an integral part of the food chain and are an important food source of terrestrial and aquatic species. .

16. Crawfish Integral Part of Food Chain
From the time Crawfish emerge from the ground, they are a major food source for fish, eels, turtles, otter, frogs, snakes, beaver, possum, young alligator, birds, and raccoons.
High water is the time when aquatic species migrate into the flood plain to spawn and forage.

17. Crawfish Lifecycle
During the seasonal low water when the floodplain is not inundated, crawfish remain burrowed underground.
Crawfish start emerging at the beginning of the seasonal high water typically between December & February, depending on flow regime.
Upon emergence, crawfish have lost weight and immediately begin to forage for food.
A crawfish's favorite food is soft, decomposing plant matter; however, they will eat just about anything – algae, snails, insects, plants, dead fish, etc. Crawfish are cannibals and will even consume other crawfish that are molting.

18. Crawfish Lifecycle
After foraging above ground to regain weight, crawfish begin to spawn.
In the mating process, males place a sperm packet on the underside of the female's belly.
Male top; female bottom

19. Crawfish Lifecycle
After the sperm packet is placed on the underside of the female crawfish, she curls up her tail and expresses the eggs.
She passes the eggs through the sperm down on to her tail and attaches them to the swimmerets, feathery apertures on the underside of the back section of her body.

20. Crawfish Lifecycle
Eggs stay on the tail for at least four weeks. Variables such as food and water conditions can effect this gestation period.
When hatched, the young remain attached to the mother until maturity.
At the end of two weeks the young are capable of surviving on their own, at which time the mother flips her tail, releasing them into the water column.

21. Crawfish Lifecycle, continued
After being released into water columns by the mothers, babies settle to the bottom and begin to forage and grow.
In 6-8 weeks they are large enough to catch in baskets.

22. Crawfish Lifecycle Disruptions
Crawfish are unable to complete their growing cycle when only a short period of floodplain inundation occurs.
From , there was only 4-6 weeks of floodplain inundation, causing disruption in the crawfish lifecycle.

23. Crawfish Lifecycle Disruptions
Rapid drops in water level below 8.5’ at the Blountstown gauge also disrupt the lifecycle.
It does not allow enough time for Crawfish to burrow into the ground, leaving them exposed to predators and interrupts the lifecycle.
When the water level drops below 8.5’, the Crawfish start burrowing down, and are burrowed in the ground at around 6’ water level.

24. Crawfish Lifecycle Disruptions
Crawfish are unable to complete their growing cycle when only a short period of floodplain inundation occurs.
From , there was only 4-6 weeks of floodplain inundation, causing disruption in the crawfish lifecycle.

25. Summary of Major Impacts:
DECLINING RIVER STAGE
Reduced flow
Woody debris removal
Loss of Fish Habitat and Fish
Reduction of aquatic species
DRYING OUT OF FLOODPLAIN FOREST
Decrease in Forests Density
Loss of 4 million trees
Disconnected Sloughs
DECLINING SEAFOOD HARVEST
River flow drives the Bay and Eastern Gulf
Loss of Nutrients and Organics
Increased Salinity, Temperature and Disease
Chain reaction thru Food Chain

26. Summary of Major Impacts:

27. BASELINE FLOWS

29. The Apalachicola River System
The Apalachicola River System consists of the river and a 112,000 acre floodplain that ranges from 1-3 miles wide and discharges to the Bay.

30. Flow Comparison Apalachicola River at Chattahoochee, Florida Pre-Dam Post-Dam
33-yr period before
filling of Lanier
33-yr period after
filling of West Point

31. Pre-Dam Flows For Groups of Years Ranked by Average Annual Flow

32. Pre-Dam Flows For Groups of Years Ranked by Average Annual Flow

33. Annual Rainfall Unchanged
Pre-Dam Vs Post-Dam
Annual Rainfall Unchanged
10% LESS annual flow
(30% LESS Apr-Aug flow)

34. Annual Rainfall Unchanged
Pre-Dam Vs Post-Dam
Annual Rainfall Unchanged
18% LESS annual flow
(38% LESS Apr-Aug flow)
Drought years pre-dam are 1955, 1941, and 1951
Drought years post-dam are 2000, 2007, and 2002