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CBIRS Request 478

Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #478

Rainbow River

Requester:

David Moore, Executive Director

Organization:

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Project Title:

Rainbow River

Date Submitted

1/14/2005 12:39:12 PM

Sponsors:

Argenziano

Statewide Interest:

Past activities have significantly altered the character of the Rainbow River, particularly in the lower reaches. Most of its 73.4 square mile watershed is still largely rural, but land use immediately surrounding the river has slowly transitioned from mining and agriculture to residential. Although the Rainbow River is considered to be in good health, native species of aquatic vegetation are almost completely absent in the lower reaches of the river and it is dominated by nuisance vegetation. Impacts to water quality, water clarity, and native plant and animal communities are major management issues in the watershed. It is imperative that these issues continue to be addressed. In order to improve water quality in the Rainbow River, it will be necessary to implement best management practices on agricultural and non-agricultural lands to reduce point and non-point sources of pollution that are contributing to the decline of water quality and an increase in undesirable aquatic weeds. The Rainbow River is a 5.7-mile long spring-fed tributary to the Withlacoochee River. It is formed from Rainbow Springs, one of 33 first-magnitude springs in the State of Florida and the fourth largest in terms of discharge. On average, the discharge is 493 million gallons of water per day. The river is an important natural resource with an abundance of diverse plant communities that provide excellent habitat for many different types of fish and wildlife, and it is this natural beauty that also makes the river an important recreational resource. Approximately 220,000 people visit the river annually to dive, swim, boat and fish. Because of the Rainbow River's exceptional scenic beauty and its ecological significance, the river has been designated as an Outstanding Florida Water, an Aquatic Preserve, and in 1972, Rainbow Springs was designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. It is also a District SWIM Priority Water Body and a Florida State Park.

Recipient:

Southwest Florida Water Management District

Contact:

David Rathke, Community & Legislative Affairs Director

2379 Broad St.

Contact Phone:

(352) 279-2834

Brooksville 34604

Contact email:

david.rathke@swfwmd.state.fl.us

Counties:

Marion

Gov't Entity:

Yes

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Project Description:

Submerged aquatic vegetation provide critical habitat for fish and wildlife, help maintain water clarity, and stabilize sediment. Previous efforts in the Rainbow River to re-establish native submerged aquatic vegetation in areas where they have been lost resulted in little or no long-term success. Therefore, it is very important to protect the existing native submerged aquatic vegetation beds and to prevent further increases in nuisance species. This will be accomplished, in part, through increased monitoring of water quality and implementation of measures to reduce nitrogen loading in the river.

Is this a project related to 2004 hurricane damage?

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

This project will protect the Rainbow River by preserving or improving existing groundwater quality, reducing pollutant loading from surface water runoff, reducing exotic vegetation, increasing native vegetation, and improving water clarity. Additionally, the use of agricultural, landscape, and stormwater best management practices will reduce nitrogen loading and assist in improving the health of the spring system.

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$100,000

Total cost of the project:

$200,000

Request has been made to fund:

Construction

What type of match exists for this project?

Local

Cash Amount

In-kind Amount

$100,000

Was this project previously funded by the state?

Yes

Fiscal Year:

2004-2005

Amount:

$120,000

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

Yes

Amount:

$500,000

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?

Is there a documented need for this project?

Yes

Documentation:

Rainbow River SWIM Plan

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

Yes

Hearing Body:

Marion County Delegation

Hearing Meeting Date:

01/07/2004

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:

SWR20022

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:

SWFWMD Rainbow River SWIM Plan

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

Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project?

SWFWMD

Have you provided at least 50% match?

Yes

Match Amount:

100000

Match Source:

SWFWMD

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

Yes

Name of water body:

Rainbow River

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:

Part of the SWIM Plan implementation is to work with local governments to find ways to improve and/or maintain the ecological health of the river. Since 2002, SWIM staff has been working with the Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve to identify and model factors responsible for the River's water clarity. Preliminary results indicate a very strong relationship between clarity and water-column chlorophyll concentration. Work is being conducted by the District and the University of South Florida to identify the sources of this chlorophyll. Results also support the idea that water clarity is directly affected by spring discharge suggesting that any significant decrease in discharge may have significant impacts to the river's clarity. The results of this work are expected to be published in early 2005.

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?