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CHAPTER 8 - CONCLUSIONS AND DISTRICT<br />

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MFL<br />

8.1 Summary of Outcomes<br />

The tools described in Chapter 5 were applied to the criteria presented in Chapter 6.<br />

Examples were given in Chapter 7. For each resource, an estimate of the percentage<br />

reduction of seasonal flow that would cause a presumed significant harm (e.g. 15% loss<br />

or resource or habitat) was determined. The resources evaluated <strong>and</strong> basis of flow<br />

evaluation include:<br />

o Salinity habitat (adjusted flows)<br />

o Area<br />

o Volume<br />

o Benthic Community (observed flows)<br />

o Abundance<br />

o Number of taxa<br />

o Diversity<br />

o Molluscs (dominant native) (observed flows)<br />

o Polymesoda caroliniana<br />

o Crassostrea virginica<br />

o Littoraria irrorata<br />

o Fish <strong>and</strong> Invertebrates (observed flows)<br />

o Gastropods, opisthobranch (sea slug)<br />

o Unidentified harpacticoid<br />

o Lagodon rhomboides (pinfish)<br />

o Callinectes sapidus (blue crab)<br />

o Farfanepenaeus duorarum (pink shrimp)<br />

o Manatee Thermal Refuge (adjusted flows)<br />

o Freshwater Habitats (adjusted flows)<br />

o PHABSIM<br />

The results are summarized in Table 8-1. Not included in the table are the fish /<br />

invertebrates results because the range of flows observed during capture were at the<br />

predicted total exclusion of these taxa at flows normally encountered. Also excluded<br />

are the Manatee thermal refuge results because even at the low flow conditions with<br />

extremely low joint probability, the thermal refuge remaining after large reductions (e.g.<br />

25 percent) is sufficient to shelter the entire Northwest Florida manatee population <strong>and</strong><br />

is in excess of forty times the number of animals that typically use the <strong>Weeki</strong> <strong>Wachee</strong>.<br />

Several of the results reported for the 15 ppt isohaline habitat are the result of an<br />

'extended interpolation'. In some cases the projected location of the isohaline is in the<br />

Gulf westward of river kilometer zero. In these cases, the last rate of salinity change ( Δ<br />

ppt / Rkm) within the study boundary was used to estimate the location within the Gulf.<br />

____________________________________________________________________________________________<br />

Proposed <strong>Minimum</strong> <strong>Flows</strong> <strong>and</strong> Levels for <strong>Weeki</strong> <strong>Wachee</strong> <strong>River</strong><br />

Conclusions <strong>and</strong> Recommendations Page 113 of 164

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