Lake Panasoffkee SWIM Plan - Southwest Florida Water ...

a local partner. Many of the basin boards have in place a five-year plan which outlines the
types of activities it expects to undertake in the next five years and provides an estimate of
the funding required to support these projects. The basin plans were prepared in close
coordination with local governments demonstrating another opportunity for integration with
local governments and ensuring the most efficient and cost-effective approach to addressing
the mutual water resource management goals and objectives.
External Linkages
FDEP - Ecosystem Management Initiative - Ecosystem management is a process for
managing environmental resources that originated at the State level. The FDEP is required
by the Florida Environmental Protection Act of 1993 to develop and implement measures to
"protect the functions of entire ecological systems through enhanced coordination or public
land acquisition, regulatory and planning programs."
FDEP has defined ecosystem management as an integrated, flexible approach to
management of Florida's biological and physical environments - conducted through the use
of tools such as planning, land acquisition, environmental education, regulation and pollution
prevention - designed to maintain, protect and improve the State's natural, managed and
human communities. The primary goal of this effort is to provide for the maintenance of a
healthy, sustainable environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
The District has been an active participant in this evolving process, both in terms of statewide
program development, and support forthe Withlacoochee River Ecosystem Management Area
Project. The project is one of six throughout the State intended to illustrate how this concept
can provide for a comprehensive, holistic linking of environmental protection at many
governmental (and private) levels. A strong correlation is apparent between the District's
Comprehensive Watershed Management Initiative (CWM) and Surface Water Improvement
and Management (SWIM) Program and FDEP's Ecosystem Management Initiative.
FDOT - Mitigation Program - Pursuant to 373.4137, Florida Statutes, the FDOT, FDEP and
water management districts (WMDs) are required to work together to develop long-range
mitigation plans for environmental mitigation of impacts from transportation projects. It was
the intent of the Legislature that mitigation to offset the impacts of transportation projects be
funded by the FDOT and be carried out by the FDEP and WMDs, including the use of
mitigation banks.
Through this process, the FDOT provides FDEP and WMDs with a copy of its adopted work
program and an inventory of habitats which may be impacted by the projects on the work
program. The FDEP, WMDs, other appropriate federal, state and local governments and
other interested parties develop a plan to provide the mitigation required to compensate for
the impacts identified by the FDOT. Pursuant to the statute, the "FDOT Mitigation Plan" is to
be developed using sound ecosystem management practices to address significant water
resource needs and to focus on the activities of the FDEP and WMDs, such as surface water
improvement and management (SWIM) waterbodies and lands identified for potential
acquisition for preservation, restoration, and enhancement.
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