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

L610
Sarasota County - Watershed Plan: Lemon Bay
Project Type Cooperative Funding
AOR(s)
Flood Protection, Water Quality, Natural Systems
Basin(s) Manasota
Cooperator(s)
Sarasota County
Project Manager LOPEZ, MANNY
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
HEYL, MIKE, GARCIA, LIZANNE
Description
The purpose of this project is to develop a comprehensive watershed plan for Lemon Bay. The plan will focus on water
resource issues such as restoration of historic or more natural hydrologic regimes in the basin, improvements to water
quality and habitat restoration. The plan will attempt to identify ways to reduce excess flows into the bay, and thereby
assist in reducing pollutant loads, improve water quality and habitat conditions. The Lemon Bay watershed includes
several localities of concern with regard to documented declining water quality trends: Elevated nutrients for Alligator
Creek and Forked Creek; Elevated nutrients and low dissolved oxygen levels for Gottfried Creek, and elevated
nutrients from direct run-off to Lemon Bay. These areas of concern suggest a need to develop and implement ways
to reduce nutrient loading from the watershed. An essential element of the project will be updating and fine-resolution
improvements to the current AdICPR flood model.
Benefits
This regional initiative promotes and furthers the implementation of the Sarasota Bay CCMP, SWFWMD's Southern
Coastal Watershed CWM Plan; and Sarasota County's Comprehensive Plan. The Lemon Bay Watershed
Management Plan will be developed in cooperation with the District, the DEP Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve Program,
the Charlotte Harbor National Estuary Program, the Lemon Bay League, the DEP Bureau of Watershed Management,
and all other interested stakeholders.
Costs
The total cost of plan development is $600,000. The District's share is $300,000, and the County's share is $300,000.
The District's share is funded by the Manasota Basin Board over two fiscal years: FY2007 ($150,000) and FY2008
($150,000). The FY2007 budget is $300,000 with the District and County each contributing half ($150,000). For
FY2007, the District's share is split between the Manasota Basin Board ($75,000) and the State's Water Protection
and Sustainability Trust Fund ($75,000). The FY2008 budget is $300,000 with the County and the District each
contributing half ($150,000). The District's FY2008 share is to be funded entirely by the Manasota Basin Board. The
District funding amounts shown in the table include staff salaries, travel and central garage charges.
Additional Information
The completed plan will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners for adoption, and will include short term
and long term projects for improvements that may include wastewater reuse, stormwater reuse, smart growth, revised
land development standards, sediment control, wetland or floodplain restoration, flood level abatement, aquifer
protection, and restoration of natural flow regimes. The northern half of Lemon Bay (WBID 1983A) has been listed as
verified impaired for nutrients based on an exceedance of the 11ug/l chlorophyll-a guideline in the Impaired Waters
Rule (62-303, FAC). Lemon Bay has also been listed as impaired for bacteria based on a downgrading of shellfish
harvesting classification from approved to conditional. Development of the plan will include formation of a watershed
stakeholders group working through the Neighborhood Environmental Stewardship Team (NEST) program to
encourage public participation in the process.
021 - Manasota Basin 292