St. Johns River Water Management District Restoration of ... · •Phase 1 - Interconnects the city golf course to reclaimed water @ $1.8M (Complete) •Phase 2 - Treatment system

St. Johns River Water Management District

Restoration of Florida's

Iconic Springs:

Legislative and "Turn Dirt"

Solutions


FSA Annual Conference June 2016

Casey Fitzgerald Director, Springs Protection Initiative SJRWMD


Florida Springs

Presentation Outline

I. Springs of Florida Overview II. SJRWMD Springs Restoration

A. Geographic Orientation B. Initiative Science Update C. Projects

III. SRWMD Springs Restoration A. Geographic Orientation B. Projects

IV. Questions

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Florida Springs

(More than 700 named in FGS database)

Changes in Florida Springs

Weeki Wachee Spring 1951

Weeki Wachee Spring 2006



• High nitrate concentrations • Less native aquatic vegetation • Blooms of attached algae • Lower fish abundance • Impaired ecosystem metabolism

The Problems Ecological structure and function have

changed in many springs.

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The springs are indicators of the state of the aquifer.


Challenges

• Protect/Improve water quality

• Protect/Recover flows

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Springs in SJRWMD

Blue Spring

Wekiva Springs System

Silver Spring

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Springs in SJRWMD

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• 148 springs identified ‒ Four first-magnitude (> 100 cfs)

o Volusia Blue, Silver, Alexander, Silver Glen

‒ Sixteen second-magnitude (>10 cfs)


Springs Protection Initiative

Springs

Protection

Initiative

Applied Science

Formulate cost-effective solutions and support regulatory programs

Outreach Projects

Identify and help fund cost-effective projects

Regulation CUP ERP

MFLs

Water Supply Planning

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Applied Science

“CRISPS”

Collaborative Research

Initiative on Sustainability

and Protection of Springs

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Applied Science Approach

• Pursuant to RFP solicitation, SJRWMD/UF* entered into a 3-year, $3 million contract in March 2014.

• Assemble an integrated SJRWMD / University of Florida scientific team organized into work groups.

• Conduct an interdisciplinary study involving multiple spring systems.

• Identify key processes and data necessary to evaluate strategic management options. * Water Institute, IFAS, School of Natural Resources...


Springs Protection Initiative Science

Questions and Objectives

• Question 1: Where and when is it most feasible and cost-effective to reduce nitrate loading to the springs? – Objective: Improve the scientific foundation for management of

nitrate loadings to spring ecosystems.

• Question 2: Will nitrate reduction alone be sufficient to reduce algal abundance in springs? – Objective: Determine the need for management of environmental

factors other than nitrate loading in order to reduce algal abundance in springs.

• Question 3: What are the relative influences and manageabilities of nitrate and non-nitrate causes of excess algae in springs? – Objective: Determine what other environmental factors might cost-

effectively be managed to reduce algal abundance in springs.

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Springs Restoration Projects

SJRWMD

DEP

Local Governments and

Utilities

(Data and Science)

BMAP Process (Collaboration with

Stakeholders)

Springs Protection Initiative

Capital Improvement Plans (Primary action agents)

Funding and

Projects

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• Projects funded primarily for Wekiva River / Spring System, Volusia Blue Spring, Silver Springs and Lower Santa Fe River Springs

• General project types ‒ Water conservation ‒ Reclaimed water system enhancements ‒ Alternative water supply development ‒ Water quality improvements o Wastewater treatment plant upgrades, septic tank

conversions and stormwater treatment ‒ Innovative technologies

o Potable reuse, biologically active media in RIBs, etc.

SJRWMD Springs Projects

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SJRWMD Springs Cost-Share

By Contributor

(Fiscal Years 2013/142015/16)

Total investment ~$101 million 15

$14,809,02

0

$27,013,43

9

$59,640,79

8

DEPCofund

SJRWMDContribution

partner andlocalcontribution


SJRWMD Project Metrics

to Date

• 57 projects • 26 partners/cooperators • Total Nitrogen load reduction

– 0.97 million lbs/yr (540 metric tons/yr) • Total groundwater withdrawal offsets

– 71 million gallons per day (mgd)

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Featured "Turn Dirt"

Solutions

• Silver Springs – City of Ocala Septic Tank (OSTDS) and

Well Elimination Project

• Volusia Blue Springs – City of Deltona / West Volusia Water

Suppliers Storage and Treatment System

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City of Ocala Septic Tank and

Well Elimination Program

(FY15)

Silver Springs in Marion County • 850 OSTDS* • Up to 5 package plants • Elimination of ~ 150 private wells • $10,000,000 total investment * as of April 2016, 263 sites connected

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City of Deltona Alexander

Avenue Water Management Site

(Pending FY17)

• Identified in the District Volusia Blue Spring Prevention/Recover Strategy

• West Volusia Water Suppliers (Project 4) • Phase 1 - Interconnects the city golf course to

reclaimed water @ $1.8M (Complete) • Phase 2 - Treatment system and 4 MG of storage for

stormwater, reclaimed water and future SJR water @ $7.5M (pending FY17 funding)

• Flood control benefit - Stormwater source includes areas highly prone to flooding and lake storage system in landlocked Deltona 19


SJRWMD Pending Cost-

Share Projrects (for FY17)

• Potentially funding 15 additional springs protective projects (6 water quality; 5 alternative water supply; 4 conservation)

• District contribution for these to be

$8.9 million toward the total project costs of $30M

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Florida Springs

(More than 700 named in FGS database)


SRWMD Springs Projects

• Springs along the Suwannee, Santa Fe, Ichetucknee, Steinhatchee, Wacissa, Waccasassa, Withlacoochee & Alapaha Rivers

• Project Types • Water Use Efficiency

o Agriculture (nutrient leaching) o Urban

• Water Quality o Wastewater

• Septic tanks • Improved WWTP treatment

o Agriculture • Pivot retrofits & fertigation • Dairy wastewater • Tailwater recovery/Reuse • Treatment Technology


DEP SRWMD Local

SRWMD Springs Cost-Share

By Contributor

(FY 2013/14 – 2015/16)

Total investment ~$56.1M

$20,352,366

$9,206,838

$26,533,960


SJRWMD Featured Project

Mallory Swamp Recharge

Drainage Canals

Mallory Swamp

High Recharge

Recharge 10 MGD

Restoration 4K acres of wetlands


Future Springs Projects

• Web Page Project Portal • Public Input for SWIM Plan Updates • Ag Cost-Share Programs Evaluation • Looking for Public-Private

Partnerships • Local Government Project Ideas


Conclusions


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• Restoring Florida’s springs to ecological health is an immense challenge.

• Existing programs in regulatory, planning and management programs have been beneficial and can aid in their recovery.

• Enough is currently understood scientifically to warrant substantial funding for “conventional” restoration programs and projects.

• Deeper scientific understanding is vital to identify the most cost-effective, long-term springs restoration project investments and to properly inform enlightened future management approaches.

Questions?

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Documents

St. Johns River Water Management District Restoration of ... · •Phase 1 - Interconnects the city golf course to reclaimed water @ $1.8M (Complete) •Phase 2 - Treatment system