Home > Committees > Committee Publications > Community Budget Issue Requests

Senate Committee Publications

CBIRS Request 499

Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #499

Upper Ocklawaha River Basin (including Lake Apopka) Initiative, FY 2005-2006

Requester:

Kirby Green

Organization:

St. Johns River Water Management District

Project Title:

Upper Ocklawaha River Basin (including Lake Apopka) Initiative, FY 2005-2006

Date Submitted

1/11/2005 11:06:03 AM

Sponsors:

Baker

Statewide Interest:

This project addresses improving water quality and acquatic habitats as they relate to a large regionally significant, highly degraded chain of lakes system. In addition, the uper Ocklawaha River and Lake Apopka are designated priority water bodies under the 1987 Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act.

Recipient:

St. Johns River Water Management District

Contact:

Michael Slayton

P. O. Box 1429

Contact Phone:

(321) 508-0801

Palatka 32178-1429

Contact email:

mslayton@sjrwmd.com

Counties:

Lake, Marion, Orange

Gov't Entity:

Yes

Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):

Project Description:

The Upper Ocklawaha River Basin Initiative is an ongoing project to restore, protect, and enhance the upper Ocklawaha River, its tributaries, and Lake Apopka. Funding through this initiative will help to restore and enhance this chain of lakes system. Examples of subprojects that could be funded through this request follow. This list is in alphabetical order and is not a complete listing. Apopka-Beauclair Canal Nutrient Reduction; Control of Nuisance Aquatic Vegetation; Development of Pollutant Load Reduction Goals for the Harris Chain of Lakes; Enhanced Lake Level Fluctuations and Lake Management; Habitat Restoration -Planting of Desirable Vegetation on Lake Apopka; Lake Beauclair Aquatic Enhancement; Nutrient Loading Reduction: Restoration of the North Shore of Lake Apopka; Silver River/Half Mile Creek Comprehensive Watershed Management Plan; Wetland and Aquatic Habitat Restoration.

Is this a project related to 2004 hurricane damage?

Measurable Outcome Anticipated:

Improved water quality (i.e., reduced phosphorous levels); percentage reduction in average phosphorous loading to the Harris Chain of Lakes; increased discharge of floodwaters along the natural flow-path that existed between Lakes Harris and Griffin before the 1920s; modifications along the Dora Canal to reduce structural flooding; less residual pesticide contaminants ins soils; acres of submerged aquatic vegetation.

Amount requested from the State for this project this year:

$4,000,000

Total cost of the project:

$9,700,000

Request has been made to fund:

Construction

What type of match exists for this project?

Local, Federal

Cash Amount

$12,000,000

Was this project previously funded by the state?

Yes

Fiscal Year:

2004-2005

Amount:

$3,250,000

Is future-year funding likely to be requested?

Yes

Amount:

$4,000,000

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:

SWIM Plans and District Water Management Plan

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

Yes

Hearing Body:

Lake County Delegation

Hearing Meeting Date:

12/08/2004

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:

SWR2002 2083

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:

Upper Ocklawaha River Basin (including Lake Apopka) Initiative, FY 2005-2006, approved December 7, 2004, pages 7-10; Upper Ocklawaha River Basin SWIM Plan, 1995, all pages; Lake Apopka SWIM Plan, 2003, all pages; District Water Management Plan, 2000, pages 221-236

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

Which Water Management District has the jurisdiction of your project?

St. Johns River Water Management District

Have you provided at least 50% match?

Yes

Match Amount:

12000000

Match Source:

ad valorem and federal and local funding

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

Yes

Name of water body:

Ocklawaha River and its tributaries and Lake Apopka

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:

In the Upper Ocklawaha River Basin, nutrient loadings will be reduced by filtering lake water through operating flow-ways to remove total suspended solids, total nitrogen, and phosphorus that are associated with particulate matter suspended in the lakes. Gizzard shad harvesting also reduces internal nutrient loadings in the lakes by removing shad and the nutrients they contain, reducing resuspension of sediments caused by shad feeding and improving trophic structure in the lakes, allowing reestablishment of zooplankton populations. Stormwater retrofit projects also will reduce nutrient loadings to the lakes.

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?