Statement of Estimated Regulatory Costs for the Dover / Plant City ...

1.0 SUMMARY OF PROPOSED RULE JANUARY 2011
A non-regulatory component of the recovery and prevention strategy for the DPC WUCA
is for the District to provide up to 75 percent of the cost of projects designed to replace
ground water withdrawals for frost / freeze protection through the District’s Facilitating
Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) program.
1.2 Regulatory Approach
The proposed rule will create a Dover / Plant City Water Use Caution Area (DPC WUCA)
in portions of Hillsborough and Polk counties for the following purpose (from proposed
40D-80.075 (2)).
“By January 2020, to reduce groundwater withdrawals used for frost / freeze protection
by 20% from January 2010 withdrawal quantities to lessen the potential that drawdown
during a future frost / freeze event would lower the aquifer level at District Well
DV-1 Suwannee below 10 feet NGVD.”
The area to be designated as the DPC WUCA is depicted in Figure 1-1. The legal description
of the DPC WUCA is provided in Chapter 40D-2.801(3)(d), F.A.C. Valid permits
legally in effect as of the effective date of this proposed rule are hereafter referred to as
“existing permits”. Portions of the area of the DPC WUCA are also included within the
Northern Tampa Bay WUCA and the Southern Water use Caution Areas and rules pertaining
to those areas remain in force within those areas.
In establishing the Minimum Aquifer Level under proposed changes to Chapter 40D-
8.626 Minimum Aquifer Levels, as measured at District Well DV-1 Suwannee, the District
has determined that the actual water level is below the Minimum Aquifer Level. As a
result, the District is implementing a Recovery Strategy for the Minimum Aquifer Level
described in proposed changes to Section 7.4 “Dover / Plant City Water Use Caution
Area” of Part B of the Basis of Review, Water Use Permit Information Manual (herein
referred to as BOR or Basis of Review).
44324-000R4.docx
The proposed requirements, relative to current rule, of new, renewal and modified water
use permit applicants in this proposed WUCA or those outside of this WUCA proposing
quantities that could impact the proposed Minimum Aquifer Level are as follows. These
requirements are from the proposed changes to Chapter 40D-1.659, Procedural, F.A.C.,
Chapter 40D-2, Water Use Permits, F.A.C., Chapter 40D-8.626 Minimum Aquifer Levels,
F.A.C. and Part B, Basis of Review, Water Use Permit Information Manual, Sections
1.4.1, 1.9.9, 1.12, 2.1, 3.1, 3.3, 4.3, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, and 7.4. These requirements address
withdrawal impacts, the use of alternative water supplies (AWS), the use of alternative
frost / freeze protection methods, and recovery to the Minimum Aquifer Level.
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA WATER MANAGEMENT DISTRICT Page 1-2
SERC FOR DOVER / PLANT CITY WUCA RULE
HAZEN AND SAWYER, P.C.