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

B206
Maintenance of Watershed Parameters & Models
Project Type Basin Initiatives
AOR(s)
Flood Protection, Water Quality, Natural Systems
Basin(s) General Fund (District), Alafia River, Hillsborough River, Northwest Hillsborough, Coastal Rivers,
Pinellas-Anclote River, Withlacoochee River, Peace River, Manasota
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager MCCLUNG, GORDON
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Citrus County, Hernando County, Pasco County, Polk County
ALTMAN, GENE, LETASI, SCOTT, TURNER, DAWN, MAYER, RICHARD, WALKER, LARRY
Description
This was a basin initiative to fund the Maintenance of Watershed Parameters and Models element of the District's
Watershed Management Program (WMP) for FY2006 to FY2009. For FY2010 the unit code is being changed from
B206 to a B300 series, 300 general, and B301 to B316 to better account for the maintenance by county.
Benefits
A WMP provides a method to evaluate the capacity of a watershed to protect, enhance, and restore water quality and
natural systems, while achieving flood protection. The information developed assists local governments with their land
management responsibilities by establishing a level of service and developing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to
address level of service deficiencies. In addition, the information provides the District with the best available
information to evaluate adverse impacts and mitigation of floodplain impacts for proposed ERPs. The continuous
maintenance of watershed parameters in the GIS database as ERP permits are approved and new information is
provided to the District through either aerial topographic mapping and its public review and comment period will
provide the most up to date information about the watershed. If a watershed model has not been developed, the
maintenance of parameters in the GIS processes the information in a format that will save time and funding when the
watershed is modeled.
Costs
In FY2005, the Governing Board contributed $80,000 and each Basin Board contributed an additional $10,000 each to
support the development of the District's maintenance process. The maintenance budget for FY2006 is $848,000, of
which the District's share is $808,000. Hernando and Polk Counties contributed $20,000 each in FY2006 for
maintenance within their jurisdiction. The maintenance budget for FY2007 is $1,094,200, the District's share is
$924,200. Hernando County ($25,000), Pasco County ($125,000) and Polk County ($20,000) are contributing the
indicated funding in FY2007 for maintenance. An additional $75,000 in FY2007 funds budgeted by the Coastal Rivers
Basin Board for Spring Hill Lakes Management Plan (L775) has been transferred to this project after the Basin Board
approved Hernando County's request to use these funds to perform maintenance based on percolation information
collected from ERPs and Hernando County. The maintenance budget for FY2008 was $2.167 million, of which the
District's share is approximately $1.597 million. For FY2009 Citrus, Hernando, Marion, and Pasco counties are
contributing funds. For FY2009, funding distribution is as follows: Governing Board $1,797,250 (includes Green
Swamp $57,284) Alafia River $78,203; Hillsborough River $366,486; Northwest Hillsborough $13,050; Coastal Rivers
$431,638; Pinellas-Anclote $86,211; Withlacoochee River $181,495; Peace River $182,333; Manasota $154,450. The
following revenue will be received: Citrus County $90,000; Marion County $31,000; Pasco County $500,000; Polk
County $20,000. The revenue will be distributed as follows: Green Swamp $3,684; Alafia River $3,553; Hillsborough
River $215,980; Coastal Rivers $271,460; Pinellas-Anclote $40,950; Withlacoochee River $92,940; Peace River
$12,433.The budget is based on the projected number of approved ERP permits and the average development area
within each Basin. Local government funds are equally matched by Governing Board and Basin Board funds. The
Governing Board is also providing funds specifically to address public meetings and unforeseen issues with projecting
the floodplains to be used in the FEMA mapping process.
Additional Information
A WMP includes five major elements: 1) Topographic Information, 2) Watershed Evaluation, 3) Watershed
Management Plan, 4) Implementation of Best Management Practices, and 5) Maintenance of Watershed Parameters
and Models. Implementing elements of the WMP with local governments is one of the Comprehensive Watershed
Management (CWM) initiative strategies and one of the District's Strategic Priorities. After the Topographic
Information, Watershed Evaluation and Management Plan elements are completed, the watershed parameters and
models require continuous maintenance to simulate the watershed's characteristics as the land form changes. The
watershed's parameters change with the rapid growth being experienced in the District. If continued maintenance of
the models is not performed, the watershed parameters and model will no longer represent the system. This limits
their value in the areas of ERP and flood protection programs. For FY2005, the District managed this project by
issuing work orders for the tasks needed to develop the maintenance process, and then by monitoring the efforts.
FY2006 funds will be used to begin implementing the maintenance process throughout the District in watersheds with
ongoing or completed Watershed Management Plans. For FY2007 this effort will be continued District wide for all
020 - Peace River Basin 93