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

H014
Lake Hancock Outfall Treatment System
Project Type WS&R Dev.
AOR(s)
Water Quality, Natural Systems
Basin(s) General Fund (District), Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Project Manager HAGBERG, JANIE
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Description
The Lake Hancock projects are critical in the District's strategies for meeting the minimum flows in the Upper Peace
River, improving water quality in the Peace River, and protecting Charlotte Harbor, an estuary of national significance.
The goal of the Lake Hancock Outfall Treatment Project is to improve water quality discharging from Lake Hancock
through Saddle Creek to the Peace River. Historical data has shown that the Saddle Creek drainage basin, one of nine
sub-basins in the Peace River Watershed, contributes approximately 6 percent of the total flow of the Peace River, yet
contributes approximately 13 percent of the watershed's total annual nitrogen load. Nitrogen has been identified as the
primary target nutrient in restoring water quality in the Peace River and preventing degradation of Charlotte Harbor, a
Surface Water Improvement and Management priority water body. The Peace River ecosystem routinely suffers from
algae blooms during periods of low flows and warm weather. These events not only affect the fish and wildlife
associated directly with the river and estuary, but also affect the region's largest potable surface water supply system,
operated by the Peace River/Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority. Many of the basins along the Peace River,
including Lake Hancock, have been identified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection as impaired
under the Clean Water Act, requiring that Total Maximum Daily Loads be established. Furthermore, nitrogen loads
have been predicted to increase significantly over the next 20 years as a result of growth. Water quality treatment of
discharges from Lake Hancock has been identified as the most cost effective means of reducing nitrogen loads into
the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor. The District has acquired the 3,500-acre, planned Old Florida Plantation
development property. Portions of this tract of land are planned to be utilized for the outfall treatment project. An
engineering consultant has been retained to conduct a feasibility study of applicable treatment technologies; design
and permit the selected alternative; and to provide construction management services. The project involves five tasks:
(1) Research, Monitoring and Data Acquisition, (2) Feasibility Study, (3) Design and Permitting, (4) Construction, and
(5) System Start-up and Operation. Task 1 provides information necessary for evaluation of various treatment
technologies and for design of the full-scale treatment system. Task 2, Feasibility Study, involves two elements: a)
evaluation of applicable treatment technologies and ranking based on expected performance, cost, proof of concept,
and other factors; and b) geotechnical and potential constructability testing. Task 3 involves design and permitting of
the selected treatment system and includes preparing construction plans and specifications. A contractor will be
procured through the competitive bid process for Task 4, construction of the treatment system. Task 5 involves
treatment system start-up and optimization of system performance to achieve target nutrient removal. The District is
responsible for long-term operation and maintenance.
Benefits
The project addresses water quality and natural systems District objectives. The project will improve water quality in
the Upper Peace River listed as impaired under the TMDL Program. Water quality improvements in the Upper Peace
River from the project will improve natural systems along the river. The creation of a 1,000-acre functional marsh
system will provide habitat where historic mining has altered the landscape.
Costs
This is a multi-year funded project. A total of $26,983,383 has been budgeted in H014, W014, and SC54 through
FY2009 as follows: $13,435,446 from Florida Forever, $1,750,000 from state appropriations, $1,792,200 from the
United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), $640,070 from the Governing Board, $640,070 from the
Peace River Basin Board, $325,000 from the Water Protection Sustainability Trust Fund, $7,747,937 from the Water
Management Lands Trust Fund and $655,140 from State SWIM. The FY2009 budget totals $9,302,480 and is
allocated in project numbers W014 and SC54. Of the FY2009 funds, a total of $1,802,480 is budgeted in W014
and includes $327,570 from the Governing Board, $327,570 from the Peace River Basin Board, $655,140 from State
SWIM and $492,200 in revenue from the USEPA. Of the FY2009 funds, a total of $7,747,937 is budgeted in SC54
from the Water Management Lands Trust Fund. The proposed FY2010 budget (allocated in H014) totaling $2,350,000
includes $1,250,000 from the Governing Board, $300,000 from the Peace River Basin Board, and $800,000 from the
USEPA. District funds shown in the table include staff salaries. Additional funds will be requested in future years for
construction, operation and maintenance.
Additional Information
In 1987, the Florida Legislature established the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act, having
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