Shell Creek and Prairie Creek Watershed Management Plan Reasonable Assurance Documentation

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Shell Creek and Prairie Creek Watershed
Management PlanReasonable Assurance
Documentation
Eric DeHaven Southwest Florida Water Management
District
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Focus Area
- Joshua Creek
- Prairie Creek
- Shell Creek
Main Issue
- Water quality impairment due to Introduction
of mineralized water from agricultural irrigation
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Water Quality Impairment Identified TMDLs

• In 2004 FDEP listed three Class I waters in the
  Shell Prairie Creek Watersheds as verified
  impaired
• WBID 2040 Myrtle Slough (Shell Creek)
• Chloride, sp. conductance, TDS
• WBID 2041 Shell Creek
• Chloride, sp. conductance, TDS
• WBID 1962 Prairie Creek
• Sp. conductance, TDS

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Source of Impairment

• Agricultural irrigation wells that intersect
  mineralized ground water within Shell, Prairie,
  and Joshua Creek watersheds have been identified
  as source of impairment
• Mineralized waters enter canals and creeks
  through runoff and seepage

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Location of SPJC Watersheds
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Impact of Impairment

• City of Punta Gordas water supply (reservoir)
  threatened in 2001 due to poor water quality as a
  result of drought conditions
• Emergency Order initiated that allowed use of
  water above secondary standards
• 1200 mg/l TDS (Secondary Standard 1000)
• 500 mg/l chloride (Secondary Standard 250)
• 500 mg/l sulfate (Secondary Standard 250)
• Poor health of citrus trees

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Drought Conditions
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Monitoring the Impaired Waters

• Specific conductance is being used to represent
  TDS and chloride
• Regression analysis of historical data show
• TDS/Sp. conductance ratio of .65
• Chloride/Sp. conductance ratio of .20
• Specific Conductance of 775 uS/cm equates to
• TDS 500 mg/l
• Chloride 155 mg/l
• Specific conductance can be measured easily,
  inexpensively, and continuously (hourly)

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Response to Impairment

• Stakeholders group formed
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
  Services
• Southwest Florida Water Management District
• South Florida Water Management District
• University of Florida Institute of Food and
  Agricultural Science
• USDA/NRCS
• Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program
• City of Punta Gorda
• Charlotte County
• Desoto County
• Peace River Valley Citrus Growers Association
• Florida Farm Bureau
• Florida Citrus Mutual
• Desoto/Charlotte Farm Bureau
• Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association
• Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center
• East Charlotte Drainage District
• Joshua Water Control District

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Response to Impairment

• Regional stakeholders agree to develop a
  Reasonable Assurance Plan documenting
  management actions that will restore water bodies
  to unimpaired conditions
• TMDLs will not be developed and water bodies
  will not be listed as Cat. 5 (impaired), but as
  Cat. 4b
• Goal of Reasonable Assurance Plan
• Improve water quality to a sp. conductance level
  of 775 uS/cm (monthly average) with corresponding
  improvement in
• TDS lt 500 mg/l
• Chloride lt 250 mg/l
• Goal will be reached by 2014
• Goal will be achieved through implemented
  management actions

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Management Actions

• SPJC Well Back Plugging Program
• Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management
  Systems (FARMS)
• SWFWMD Resource Regulation
• Quality of Water Improvement Program (QWIP)
• Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)
• Best Management Practices (BMPs)
• Land Acquisition
• SWUCA Recovery Strategy/Regional Water Management
  Plan
• Research and Education/Outreach

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SPJC Well Back Plugging

• Funding assistance initiated
• Designed to back plug wells to improve water
  quality
• Over 400,000 currently budgeted (maximum
  reimbursement of 6,500/well)
• 1000 uS/cm goal for each well
• To date 40 wells have been back plugged
• Avg. reduction in Cl 68
• Avg. reduction in TDS 55
• Avg. yield loss 24

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Pre Back Plugging
Post Back Plugging
January 8, 2003
February 14, 2006
Prairie River Ranch Back Plugging Results
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FARMS Program

• Created in October 2002 by FDACS and SWFWMD
• Public/private partnership that provides
  financial assistance to agricultural operations
• Promotes development of BMPs that provide water
  quality improvement and/or water quantity
  reduction in Upper Floridan Aquifer withdrawals
• Total funding over 12M

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Conclusions

• DEP has approved RA Plan Listing Status (4b) as
  a part of the Group 3 List
• Pending EPA approval
• 46.3 of SPJC area has Management Actions
  occurring (55.3 of Water Use Permitted Area)
• Appropriate funding for Management Actions
  continues
• Cooperative approach continues and improvement
  has been noted
• Provide annual Performance Monitoring Report to
  FDEP - December, 2006