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CBIRS Request 1932

Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1932

Upper Peace River Restoration and Charlotte Harbor Preservation

Requester:

David Moore, Executive Director

Organization:

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Project Title:

Upper Peace River Restoration and Charlotte Harbor Preservation

Date Submitted

1/13/2005 4:14:09 PM

Sponsors:

Alexander

Statewide Interest:

Over the past 150 years, there have been substantial changes to the Peace River watershed. These changes have included clearing, draining and re-contouring of lands for residential and commercial purposes, transportation, agriculture, recreation, timbering, power generation, ore and mineral extraction, and other land uses. These land uses have required extensive withdrawals of ground water that has resulted in significant declines in the level of the Floridan aquifer and salt water intrusion along the coast, lowered lake levels along the Highlands Ridge recharge area, and loss of flow in the upper Peace River. Several management plans have identified restoration of the Upper Peace Watershed as a critical component to the restoration of the Peace River Basin and Charlotte Harbor. These plans include the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program's Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan (CCMP), the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan (SWIM), and the recovery strategy for the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA), a 5,100 square mile area in the southern part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District where water resources are, or will become, critical in the next 20 years.

Recipient:

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Contact:

David Rathke, Community & Legislative Affairs Director

2379 Broad Street

Contact Phone:

(352) 279-2834

Brooksville 34604

Contact email:

david.rathke@swfwmd.state.fl.us

Counties:

Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Polk

Gov't Entity:

Yes

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Project Description:

In addition to aiding in the preservation of Charlotte Harbor, this initiative is an important component of a comprehensive watershed management plan that will also result in significant wetlands restoration, protection of a critical source of drinking water, and the establishment of a major wildlife corridor. Projects within this initiative directly support the District's SWUCA Recovery Strategy to help meet the minimum flow for the Upper Peace River

Is this a project related to 2004 hurricane damage?

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$2,500,000

Total cost of the project:

$5,000,000

Request has been made to fund:

Construction

What type of match exists for this project?

Local

Cash Amount

$2,500,000

Was this project previously funded by the state?

Yes

Fiscal Year:

2004/2005

Amount:

$2,150,000

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

Yes

Amount:

$36,000,000

To Fund:

Construction

Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?

Yes

Agency

Environmental Protection, Department Of

Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?

Yes

Is there a documented need for this project?

Yes

Documentation:

SWFWMD Charlotte Harbor SWIM Plan, SWFWMD Southern Water Use Caution Area Recovery Plan

Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?

Yes

Hearing Body:

Polk & Charlotte County Delegations

Hearing Meeting Date:

01/04/2005

Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida?

Yes

Has the project been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection?

Yes

DEP identifying number:

SWIM2002

Is this project eligible under section 403.885(5) F.S.?

Yes

Is your project addressed in a state, regional or local plan (such as a SWIM plan, Comprehensive Plan, local master plan, etc.)?

Yes

Name the plan and cite the pages on which the project is described:

Charlotte Harbor SWIM Plan, SWUCA Recovery Plan

If you are requesting funding for a stormwater or surface water restoration project:

Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project?

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Have you provided at least 50% match?

Yes

Match Amount:

2500000

Match Source:

SWFMD and EPA

Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body?

Yes

Name of water body:

Charlotte Harbor

Describe how it will reduce loadings, identify anticipated load reductions for total suspended solids, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and other contaminants, and specify the practices that will be used to reduce loadings:

The District has acquired the 3,500-acre, planned Old Florida Plantation development property. Portions of this tract of land may be utilized for the outfall treatment project. The size of the footprint of the system will depend upon the selected treatment technology. Treatment methods may include constructed wetlands, sand filter systems, chemical treatment followed by settling, aquatic plant based water treatment technology or other physical treatment processes.

If you are requesting funding for a wastewater project:

Does your project qualify for funding from DEP's 'Small Community Wastewater Treatment Grant Program' under section 403.1838 F.S.?

Other wastewater projects:

Have you received previous legislative funding for this project?

Is the project under construction?

Have you provided at least a 25% local match?