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

B198
Lake Jackson MFL Recovery Feasibility Study
Project Type Basin Initiatives
AOR(s)
Water Supply, Natural Systems
Basin(s) Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Highlands County
Project Manager KOLASA, KEITH
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
WILLIAMS, GARY, ARNOLD, DAVE
Description
This is a multi-year funded project is to develop lake level recovery strategies for Lakes Jackson and Little Jackson
consistent with the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) recovery plan. The state's water management
districts are statutorily charged with the establishment of minimum flows and levels for the protection of Florida's water
resources. Several lakes in Highlands County have been identified for minimum levels adoption in the District's Priority
List and Schedule for the Establishment of Minimum Flows and Levels. District staff have developed proposed
minimum levels for lakes Jackson and Little Jackson located within the Josephine Creek Watershed. The proposed
minimum levels incorporate information on the effects of water-use, rainfall and structural alterations (e.g.,
modifications to lake outlets) on lake stage. According to information in the SWUCA recovery plan, the proposed
minimum levels for these lakes are not being met. The first phase of the project, funded in FY2005, completed an
evaluation of the watershed, completed data development needed to run the hydrologic model used to evaluate
recovery options, and provided a preliminary cost of potential recovery alternatives. The second phase, funded in
FY2006 and FY2007, will complete a hydrologic model for these lakes so that potential gains in water level can be
quantified and will complete an integrated hydrologic model for the entire watershed and will further refine recovery
alternatives and costs.
Benefits
This project will identify lake level recovery strategies for Lake Jackson and Little Lake Jackson and will implement
these strategies if determined to be feasible. Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) have been established on these two
lakes and recovery strategies are needed to maintain these levels if determined to be feasible. The recovery
alternatives identified under this project may be applicable to other lakes with established MFLs.
Costs
The total project budget is $390,000. FY2005 funds ($80,000) were provided by the Peace River Basin Board. For
FY2006, $100,000 was included in the District's budget ($41,176 from the Peace River Basin and $58,824 from the
Water Protection and Sustainability Trust Fund). The FY2006 originally included an additional $30,000 as revenue
from Highlands County; however, this was later cancelled since a reduction occurred in the scope of work. The
$30,000 budgeted as revenue was allowed to lapse in FY2006 since it was no longer needed for the project. The
Funding for FY2007 ($210,000) includes $105,000 from the Water Protection and Sustainability Trust Fund and
$105,000 provided by the Peace River Basin Board. Future funding will be requested to implement the lake level
recovery alternatives under project H081. The District funding in the table below includes staff salary, travel and
central garage charges.
Additional Information
The specific elements of the District's Watershed Management Program Guidelines and Specifications that will be
completed during this project are: (1) Review of aerial contour maps and acquisition of new information on an as
needed basis; (2) Digitizing available contour information from aerial maps and review of as-built plans and other
information to document existing conditions of the Jackson-Josephine Creek watershed; (3) Development of digital
terrain models for existing conditions topography; (4) Compilation of existing reports, survey information, etc. to
document existing conditions; (5) Map historic floodplain that will be restored along Jackson-Josephine Creek
between Lake Jackson and Lake Josephine and extent of water staging areas; (6) Compilation of regional rainfall,
groundwater level, surface water level, water-use, and water quality data; (7) Assessment of Floridan Aquifer level
data, groundwater modeling results, and, if needed, application of groundwater models to determine existing
conditions; (8) Develop a GIS database for watershed modeling; (9) Formulation of the approach to watershed
modeling; (10) Limited survey to update existing information, and; (11) determination of probable or planning level
costs of recovery options.
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