Southern Region - Southwest Florida Water Management District

L019
WMP - Sarasota - Update Sarasota County Watersheds
Project Type
AORs
Flood Protection
Cooperative Funding
Strategic Initiatives
Floodplain Management
Sarasota County
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager Dawn Turner
Task Manager(s)
Status
Proposed Coop. Funding Application
Recommendation
Fund as a High priority. This is an annual request for additional funding of a multi-year contract that updates Watershed
Management Plans (WMPs) for Sarasota County.
Description
This is a multi-year funded project to perform the Watershed Evaluation, Watershed Management Plan, and Maintenance of
Watershed Parameters and Models elements of the District's Watershed Management Program (WMP) for multiple watersheds
within Sarasota County. The County area is approximately 570-square miles and includes 28 watersheds. The Topographic
Information, Watershed Evaluation and Watershed Management Plan elements were completed by the cooperator for 18
watersheds before implementation of the District's Watershed Management Program Guidelines and Specifications (G&S).
Through previous cooperative funding agreements, the County prepared Digital Topographic Information for inland areas, and
performed maintenance of County watershed models to reflect capital improvement projects (CIPs) and land alterations approved
through County and District permitting. The models will be provided to FEMA for use in updating Flood Insurance Rate Maps
(FIRMs). A Watershed Management Plan provides a method to evaluate the capacity of a watershed to protect, enhance, and
restore water quality and natural systems, while achieving flood protection. The Watershed Evaluation tasks include the collection
of existing data, development of the geodatabase, Geographical Information System (GIS) processing, field reconnaissance, and
development of preliminary model features. The information is organized as a geodatabase in the GIS. The Watershed Evaluation
establishes the complexity of the watershed and provides a geodatabase that defines the watershed's natural conveyance and
storage features, and stormwater infrastructure. The Watershed Management Plan tasks include watershed model
parameterization, computer modeling, floodplain analysis, peer review of floodplain results, public notification, public meeting,
Governing Board approval of floodplain results, surface water resource assessment (water quality analysis), establishment of level
of service (LOS), and Best Management Practices (BMP) alternative analysis.
Benefits
The information developed provides the science for the District's resource management and Environmental Resource Permitting
(ERP) responsibilities. Completing elements of the District's Watershed Management Program is one of the District's Strategic
Priorities for managing the water resource, and provides information to local governments to address land use changes and
stormwater management within a specific watershed. It assists local governments with their land management responsibilities by
identifying the floodplain, establishing a level of service, evaluating BMPs to address level of service deficiencies, and providing a
geodatabase and projected results from watershed model simulations for floodplain and water quality management.
Costs
The projected cost for this project is $3,436,644, of which the District's share is $1,513,332, and the County's share is $1,913,332.
The budget amount for this project varies by year depending on the County's anticipated need for maintenance of watershed
parameters and models. With $2,636,665 in prior funding ($1,113,332 District's share), LiDAR topographic data was obtained, and
county watershed models were maintained to include permitted land alterations, address gaps and overlaps in watershed
boundaries, and add overland flow connections. For FY2011, $200,000 was included in the District's budget, and Sarasota County
will contribute $200,000 for a total of $400,000. For FY2012, an additional $200,000 is included in the District's budget. However,
Sarasota County reduced their FY2012 funding amount to $100,000. The unmatched $100,000 in District funds will be balanced
forward. The resulting total FY2012 funding is $200,000 ($100,000 District's share). With FY2011 and FY2012 funding, existing
County watershed models will be maintained to reflect completed projects and address comments produced during the review of
preliminary model results. For FY2013, $400,000 ($200,000 District share) has been requested to continue maintenance of
watershed models. Future funds identified for the project are contingent upon appoval of such amounts by the Governing Board in
the annual budget. When each element is completed, the project cost and scope may require refinement based on the information
gathered and unforeseen circumstances. The District funding amount shown in the table includes staff salaries.
Additional Information
A WMP includes five major elements: 1) Topographic Information, 2) Watershed Evaluation, 3) Watershed Management Plan, 4)
Implementation of Best Management Practices, and 5) Maintenance of Watershed Parameters and Models. Implementing
elements of the WMP with local governments is one of the District's Strategic Priorities. Sarasota County will manage this project.
The County completed Watershed Management Plans for 18 watersheds during 1999-2002. Model maintenance was initiated in
2003, and is currently performed on an annual basis. This project will require a cooperative funding request each fiscal year. The
District and County are cooperating technical partners (CTPs) with FEMA. Floodplain results will be provided to FEMA for use in
future FIRM panel updates.
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