Perdido River and Bay - Florida Department of Environmental ...

Water Quality Status Report: Perdido River and Bay
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completed or are underway for 13 individual drainage basins. Contained
within each plan are descriptions of current stormwater structural controls
and identified and recommended water quality and drainage improvement
projects. Escambia County’s Engineering Department has completed the
inventorying and mapping of private and public stormwater ponds (http://
www.myescambia.com/department/engineering/documents; http://www
.myescambia.com/departments/engineering/DrainageBasins.php). Additionally,
as part of the drainage evaluation for each basin, a survey of
resident concerns for drainage and water quality is conducted.
Funding for stormwater retrofits is provided by a local option sales tax
(LOST). The tax was approved by Escambia County voters in 1992. The
intent of the tax is to help pay for capital improvement projects that address
flooding, improve access to residential and commercial properties (improve
transportation), and improve stormwater quality (Hatch Mott McDonald,
2004). The LOST became effective June 1, 1992, and was renewed by a
voter referendum in 1999. The tax expires on May 31, 2007, unless reapproved
by voters. If approved, the third local option sales tax will be in
effect until December 31, 2017 (Escambia County, 2006).
Revenue generated by LOST has provided money to pave dirt roads
and improve drainage and transportation. In total, as of February 2003,
$37.3 million had been spent for projects to primarily improve drainage,
$28.4 million to primarily improve transportation, and $16.2 million to
pave dirt roads (Hatch Mott McDonald, 2004).
Agricultural Best Management Practices
The Florida Watershed Restoration Act authorizes the Florida Department
of Agriculture and Consumer Services (DACS) to develop interim
measures and agricultural BMPs. Additional authority for agricultural
BMPs is provided in legislation on nitrates and ground water (Section
576.045, F.S.), the Lake Okeechobee Protection Program (Section
373.4595, F.S.), Agricultural Water Conservation (Section 570.085, F.S.),
and Florida Right to Farm Act Amendments (Section 823.14, F.S.). While
BMPs are often adopted by rule, they are voluntary if not covered by regulatory
programs. If they are adopted by rule and the Department verifies
their effectiveness, then implementation provides a presumption of compliance
with water quality standards.
Over the last several years, DACS has worked with agriculturists, soil
and water conservation entities, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food
and Agricultural Sciences, and other major interests to improve product
marketability and operational efficiency by implementing agricultural
BMPs, while at the same time promoting water quality and water conservation
objectives. In addition, programs have been established and are being
developed to create a network of state, local, federal, and private sources of
funds for developing and implementing BMPs.
Manuals and other Publications for Best Management Practices
To encourage growers to use BMPs, manuals have been published for
a number of Florida agricultural industries, including container-grown
plants, blended fertilizer plants, agrichemical handling and farm equipment