Standard Format Tentative Budget Submission - Southwest Florida ...

III. Budget Highlights
Completed field surveys and migrated over 2,300 data collection sites and associated databases
and work flow processes to the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) from the
obsolete National Geodetic Vertical datum of 1929 (NGVD29). Survey of the remaining 191 sites
will be completed in fiscal year 2013-14.
Continued to fund projects with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences (IFAS) for urban landscape research and for research into water use for agricultural
commodities. Five projects dealing with agricultural commodities were completed in fiscal year
2012-13. The total District cost for these five research projects was $547,800. The projects were
as follows:
o A project to quantify water needs of central Florida blueberry bushes, which will help to develop
irrigation guidelines, conserve water, reduce runoff and reduce water quality impacts.
o A project to develop a drought tolerant variety of Lantana camera, a Florida-friendly landscape
plant, and determine its water needs for nursery production and urban landscape.
o A project to develop a drought tolerant variety of Nandina, a Florida-friendly landscape plant,
and determine its water needs for nursery production and urban landscape.
o A project to compare different irrigation techniques for blueberry production in a variety of soil
types, in order to determine best irrigation practices for specific growing conditions.
o A project to evaluate the number of soil moisture sensors necessary to assist in determining
optimal irrigation quantities, duration and timing.
Completed the acquisition of five monitor-well and wetland monitoring sites with another 35 sites
pending with an expected completion by September 2013.
2.0 Acquisition, Restoration and Public Works
Land Acquisition
Received Governing Board approval for the declaration of 25 parcels as surplus.
Completed all fee simple and inundation easement acquisitions and litigation support activities
necessary to implement the Lake Hancock Lake Level Modification project.
Continuation of the activities to complete the due diligence necessary for the future sale of the
Bartow Service Office and listing of the Frog Creek parcel.
Water Source Development
In partnership with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the District
continued to fund the Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) Program
with 39 FARMS projects Board-approved in fiscal year 2012-13 with a projected ground water offset
of 4.65 million gallons per day (mgd) to meet the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA)
Recovery Strategy and other program goals.
Coordinated with the City of Bradenton to resolve the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) arsenic
mobilization issue, allowing the City to receive their operation permit from DEP; the first permit of its
kind issued in the State of Florida.
Completed the Brooksville Reclaimed Water Project, including the construction of 37,670 linear
feet of transmission main from the City of Brooksville Cobb Road Wastewater Treatment Plant to
the Southern Hills Plantation development, two 1.0 mgd pump stations, one 1.5 mg reclaimed water
storage tank, and three 3.0 mg lined storage ponds. The project will provide 0.64 mgd of reclaimed
water to be used to irrigate the golf course, common areas and individual residences.
Continued work on various projects for the Lower Hillsborough River MFL Recovery Strategy.
Various projects have been implemented and operated to meet the Lower Hillsborough River
minimum flow 70-80 percent of the time. Work continues on projects to meet remaining MFLs
need, including the design and permitting of the Blue Sink pipeline and pumping station. The
District has received a final report on the investigation of additional water sources and supply
options that may be needed to meet minimum flows for the Lower Hillsborough River. The cost of
this project is $44.5 million funded jointly through an agreement with the City of Tampa.
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