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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #311 |
| LAKE PANASOFFKEE RESTORATION |
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| Requester: |
David Moore, Executive Director |
Organization: |
Southwest Florida Water Management District |
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| Project Title: |
LAKE PANASOFFKEE RESTORATION |
Date Submitted |
1/12/2005 11:28:15 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Dockery |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Located in Sumter County,this 3800 acre lake is designated as a District SWIM Priority Water Body and Outstanding Florida Water. It is the third largest lake in west central Florida. Due to concern for the health of Lake Panasoffkee, the Florida Legislature created the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council. The Council was charged by the Legislature to identify strategies to restore the lake. It was required to report to the Legislature by November 25 of each year on the progress of the Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Plan and provide recommendations for the next fiscal year. Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council's 1998 Report to the Legislature identified sediment accumulation and encroachment of emergent vegetation as the primary issues threatening the lake. An estimate of angler expenditures on Lake Panasoffkee, conducted in 1998,yielded a value of approximately $2 million. This fishery, along with the natural resource values of the lake, make Lake Panasoffkee important to the state, local,and regional economy. |
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| Recipient: |
Southwest Florida Water Management District |
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Contact: |
David Rathke, Community & Legislative Affairs Director |
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2379 Broad Street |
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Contact Phone: |
(352) 279-2834 |
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Brooksville 34604 |
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Contact email: |
david.rathke@swfwmd.state.fl.us |
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| Counties: |
Sumter |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| Historically,Lake Panasoffkee supported a nationally revowned sport fishery,especially for redear sunfish. However,recent studies,conducted by Southwest Florida Water Management District (District),have shown that fisheries in the lake have experienced a significant decline due to sediment accumulation and encroachment of emergent vegetation. While water quality in Lake Panasoffkee has been considered good, diagnostic studies completed by the District, in 1995, provided evidence that aesthetic and recreational uses of the lake had been adversely impacted.
Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Council Report to the Legislature and the Lake Panasoffkee SWIM Plan are the blueprints for restoration of the lake. The Restoration Plan for LakePanasoffkee consists of a four step dredging plan to improve fisheries habitat,restore the historic shoreline,and facilitate navigation. This project is intended to restore the economic and environmental viability of the lake by removing emergent vegetation and sediments to improve fisheries habitat. |
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| Is this a project related to 2004 hurricane damage? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| Lake Panasoffkee Restoration Plan as outlined in the Council's November 2003 Report to the Legislature is comprised of four steps. Step 1,the Coleman's Landing Pilot Dredging Project, completed in December 2000, provided technical information needed for the design and permitting of the in-lake dredging steps, as well as re-established boat access to the lake from Coleman Landing. Step 2, is the first part of the first full scale in-lake dredging project with the objective of restoring historic fish bedding areas along the eastern shoreline around Grassy Point and Shell Point, and along the entire western shoreline of the lake,and will involve the dredging of approximately 3.2 million cubic yards of in-place sediment. Step 3, is the second part of the full scale in-lake dredging project and involves the restoration of the historic lake shoreline and creation of open water habitat by the dredging of approximately 5.2 million cubic yards on in-place sediment and the removal of approximately 800 acres of dense emergent vegetation along the eastern and southern shore lines of the lake. Step 4, is the maintenance dredging and cleanout of the residential canals along the western shoreline, and is being implemented by Sumter County through a cooperative agreement with the District. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$1,500,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$1,500,000 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Construction |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
None |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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Yes |
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Fiscal Year: |
2004-2005 |
Amount: |
$4,320,000 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Lake Panasoffkee SWIM Plan |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Sumter County Delegation Meeting |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
01/20/2005 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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Yes |
| Has the project been submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection? |
Yes |
| DEP identifying number: |
SWR20022 |
| Is this project eligible under section 403.885(5) F.S.? |
Yes |
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| 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: |
| Lake Panasoffkee SWIM Plan |
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| If you are requesting funding for a stormwater or surface water restoration project: |
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| Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project? |
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Southwest Florida Water Management District |
| Have you provided at least 50% match? |
No |
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| Will this project reduce pollutant loadings to a water management district designated 'priority' surface water body? |
Yes |
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Name of water body: |
Lake Panasoffkee |
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| 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: |
| Step 1, of the restoration, the Coleman's Landing Pilot Dredging Project,was completed in December 2000,provided technical information needed for the design and permitting of the in-lake dredging steps, as well as re-established boat access to the lake from Coleman Landing. STep 2 is the first part of the first full scale in-lake dredging project with the objective of restoring historic fish bedding areas around Grassy Point and Shell Point, and along the western shoreline of the lake, and will involve the dredging of approximately 3.2 million cubic yards of
in-place sediment. Step 3, is the second part of the full scale in-lake dredging project and involves the restoration of the historic lake shoreline and creation of open water habitat by the dredging approximately 5.2 million cubic yards on in-place sediment and the removal of approximately 800 acres of dense emergent vegetation along the western and southern shore lines of the lake. Step 4, is the maintenance dredging and cleanout of the residentail canals along the western shoreline, and is being implements by Sumter County through a cooperative agreement with the District6. |
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| If you are requesting funding for a wastewater project: |
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| Does your project qualify for funding from DEP's 'Small Community Wastewater Treatment Grant Program' under section 403.1838 F.S.? |
No |
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| Other wastewater projects: |
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| Have you received previous legislative funding for this project? |
No |
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| Is the project under construction? |
No |
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| Have you provided at least a 25% local match? |
No |
