MANASOTA & PEACE RIVER BBDs Meeting Notebook 10-21-09.docx

H048
Myakka River Watershed Initiative
Project Type WS&R Dev.
AOR(s)
Water Supply, Flood Protection, Water Quality, Natural Systems
Basin(s) General Fund (District), Peace River, Manasota
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager MORRIS, LISANN
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
STARKS, ROBERTA, SZAFRANIEC, MARY, RIALS, MARK, SMITH, RANDY, ARNOLD, DAVE
Description
The Myakka River Watershed is approximately 600 square miles in size and spans about 66 miles from Myakka Head
to its outfall in Charlotte Harbor. It includes portions of several counties including Hardee, Desoto and Charlotte with
the majority of the watershed located in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The 34-mile segment of the Myakka River in
Sarasota county has been designated a Wild and Scenic River by the State of Florida and, together with the estuarine
portions of the river, it is designated an Outstanding Florida Water by the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection. The river is the second largest source of freshwater inflow for Charlotte Harbor, which is generally viewed
as one of the most productive estuaries in Southwest Florida and is a SWIM waterbody. The Initiative is a
comprehensive project that will illustrate the effects of land use conversions and alterations and evaluate best
management practices (BMPs) for restoration alternatives. The objective of this initiative is to restore water quality,
natural system, and floodplain impacts in the watershed in ways that can also provide a benefit to water supplies in the
Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA). The Topographic Information, Watershed Evaluation, and Watershed
Management Plan elements of the District's Watershed Management Program (WMP) are included in this initiative.
This effort will build upon existing data and analyses as well as the Sarasota County Lower Myakka Watershed
Management Plan, K487, and the City of North Port Big Slough Watershed Management Plan, K883. Evaluation will
also be performed on existing and proposed activities within the watershed, including a list of identified issues and a
program to address long-term water resource issues will be developed.
Benefits
The Initiative will result in a better understanding of the dynamics of the river and watershed, determine how
alternations have affected these systems, evaluate potential water resource impacts from future land use changes,
and provide alternatives to better manage the water resource within the Myakka River watershed.
Costs
The estimated cost for the WMP of the Initiative is approximately $4.9 million. As a result of FY2009 funding from the
State, some activities can start sooner than expected. The match of state funding to existing budgeted District funds
provided an amount of $276,000 that will be amended into the agreement to cover increased coordination efforts with
potential users of the excess water in Flatford and update the GIS database to the new version of GWIS. To initiate
water quality monitoring $18,392 was transferred to the appropriate District sections.
Funding History: Back at the February 21, 2006 Governing Board Meeting, a transfer of funds ($500,000) from the
Water Supply and Resource Development reserves was approved to hire consultants to obtain digital topographic
information using LiDAR in eastern Manatee County ($380,000) and to initiate the water budget analysis for the Upper
Myakka watershed ($120,000). The FY2007 funding ($2 million) continued the Upper Myakka water budget, the
Watershed Evaluation for the entire watershed, and initiates the Watershed Management Plan element within the
Upper Myakka. The $2 million FY2007 budget was funded as follows: $575,000 from the Governing Board, $517,500
from the Manasota Basin Board, $57,500 from the Peace River Basin Board, and $850,000 from state appropriations.
$1.77 million was obtained for FY2008 to complete the Watershed Evaluation element, continue the Watershed
Management Plan element, complete the Independent quality assurance review of existing parameters and models
previously developed for the Myakka River in unincorporated Sarasota County (K487) and the Big Slough tributary
(K883). The FY008 funding was divided as follows: $635,000 from the Governing Board, $571,500 from the Manasota
Basin Board, $63,500 from the Peace River Basin Board, and $500,000 from the State Funding. The funding
distribution, percentage wise, is Governing Board (50%), Manasota Basin Board (45%) and Peace River Basin Board
(5%). Contracting for independent, peer review of the Water Budget for the Upper Myakka and the purchase of the
necessary software licenses for the MikeSHE model were accomplished with FY2008 funds. The remaining $765,000
in funding is being used to complete the Watershed Management Plan through the Alternatives Analysis.
Because this project was able to secure State Funding for FY2009 in the amount of $1,000,000, additional budget will
not be needed to leverage ad valorum funding budgeted in previous fiscal years to match the state grant. When each
element is completed, the project budget and scope may require refinement based on the information gathered. The
District funding amounts shown in the table include staff salaries. Future funding will be required for implementation of
selected BMPs.
Additional Information
021 - Manasota Basin 211