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

B260
Upper Peace River System - Freshwater MFLs
Project Type Basin Initiatives
AOR(s)
Water Supply, Natural Systems
Basin(s) Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager MORALES, JON
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Description
Request funds to complete establishment of minimum flows for the upper Peace River by 2011. By requirements of
Florida statutes, the District must establish Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) for water bodies within its jurisdiction.
This project is to provide technical information to support the adoption of MFLs for the freshwater portions of the upper
Peace River system. Low flow thresholds have been established on the upper Peace River. However, methodologies
for developing MFLs were not complete when staff first studied the Peace, so high flow restrictions were not
established. The District staff now has a methodology for developing high flow restrictions and seeks to complete the
MFL of the upper Peace River in 2011. An understanding of ecosystem components is needed so that relationships
between minimum flows and significant harm can be evaluated in a defensible manner. It is necessary for a number
of reasons to document the abundance, diversity, and distribution of plants and animals that are associated with these
resources under seasonally changing flow conditions. Physico-chemical variables (e.g., dissolved oxygen,
temperature), drainage alterations, and extensive hydrologic data also need to be evaluated. While much of the data
can be, or has been, collected and developed in-house, manpower and time limitations and the specialized expertise
required for some analyses dictates that some of it must be consulted out. Funding under this project will accomplish
four goals specific to MFLs development: 1) improve the hydraulic model originally used in the first round of MFL
development; 2) evaluation of hydraulic characteristics of the stream for the purpose of describing floodplain
inundation patterns under various flows; 3) assessment of fish community structure and habitat availability; and 4)
assistance in the analysis of hydrologic and biologic data to establish relationships between river hydrology (stage and
flows) and the ecologic resources that are supported.
Benefits
Completion of this project will support timely adoption of MFLs on this water body consistent with the Board adopted
MFLs priority list and schedule. Funding requested in FY2008 is primarily for use in evaluating the potential reduction
in fish and macroinverterbrate habitat and loss of floodplain wetland connection due to reductions in flow. The use of
external expertise in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and modeling will allow for the results from the hydraulic
to be utilized in a GIS environment and thus, better describe spatial patterns of floodplain inundation. Funding will also
provide partial support to a cooperative effort by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission to reassess
the fish community of the Peace River. Fish data used in initial MFL development in the upper and middle river relied
on information that is now more than 15 years old, and it is currently suspected that several exotic fish species have
expanded throughout the system.
Costs
Funding for FY2009 is currently for $9,077 which is for parts and supplies. Total requested funding for FY2010 is
130,000.00.
Prior
Funding
Cumulative FY 2009 FY2010
Transfers Funding Funding
District Budgeted - Ad Valorem Based
Revenue
010 General Fund (Districtwide) 64,724 0 8,827 247,107
0 320,658
020 Peace River Basin 60,250 0 250
0
0 60,500
Total:
Future
Funding
Total
Funding
$381,158
Critical Project Milestones Projected Amended Actual
1. Flow Measurement and Analysis
Flow Data Collection from USGS 7/1/10
020 - Peace River Basin 129