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Chapter 1 Minimum Flows and Levels - Southwest Florida Water ...

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Habitat Criteria <strong>and</strong> Characterization Methods Used to Develop<br />

MFLs<br />

Fish Passage<br />

9) The peer review panel has questioned the adequacy of the fish<br />

passage depth for maintaining negative effects associated with low<br />

flows in warm water ecosystems (i.e., temperature, dissolved<br />

oxygen, <strong>and</strong> algal blooms). The peer review staff further seeks<br />

assurance that the hydrologic control points were systematically<br />

identified. On page 4-18, in the last paragraph, it is stated, “The flows<br />

were determined by adding the 0.6-ft depth fish-passage criterion to the<br />

elevation of the lowest spot in the channel <strong>and</strong> determining the flow<br />

necessary to achieve the resultant elevations.” It would be helpful to the<br />

reader if the determination of “…the lowest spot in the channel…” was<br />

more thoroughly described in the report.<br />

As noted in item (5) above the District has committed to the study <strong>and</strong><br />

confirmation of its low flow threshold criteria (e.g., fish passage water depth).<br />

The dissolved oxygen <strong>and</strong> water temperature study currently being conducted by<br />

staff seeks to validate or improve the fish passage estimate with regard to the<br />

implied protection of oxygenation <strong>and</strong> thermal characteristics associated with<br />

flow across river shoals.<br />

With respect to the panel's concerns regarding description of the "lowest spot in<br />

the channel", staff notes that the lowest spot in the channel refers to the lowest<br />

surveyed elevation in the respective shoal cross-section. Staff has revised the<br />

MFLs report to clarify this description.<br />

9-11

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