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

L314
Highlands WMPlan Carter Creek
Project Type Cooperative Funding
AOR(s)
Flood Protection, Water Quality
Basin(s) Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Highlands County
Project Manager ARNOLD, DAVE
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Description
This is a multi-year funded project to perform 1) Topographic Information, 2) Watershed Evaluation, and 3) Watershed
Management Plan elements of the District's Watershed Management Program (WMP) for the Carter Creek
Watershed. The watershed covers an area of approximately 32 square miles in Highlands County, including nine lakes
and more than 2,100 acres of surface water. Trends toward lake level declines and degraded water quality are priority
issues within this watershed. The project will address these and other issues to improve water quality, natural systems,
and flood protection. FY2005 and 2007 funding is budgeted to complete the Topographic Information, Watershed
Evaluation, and Watershed Management Plan elements. Topographic information includes the acquisition of data and
development of the terrain features in the Geodatabase to be used in the Watershed Evaluation. The Watershed
Evaluation includes collection of existing data, GIS processing of the terrain features to establish catchments and
connectivity, field reconnaissance, refinement of the terrain features and development of the hydraulic element point
features. The Watershed Management Plan element includes: development of watershed parameters for a specific
use, GIS processing, computer modeling, floodplain and water quality analysis, surface water resource assessment,
establishment of LOS, BMP alternative analysis. The Cooperator submitted the project for REDI consideration.
Benefits
The 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 provides the science for the District's
Resource Management and Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP). It assists local governments: 1) With their land
management responsibilities by establishing a level of service and developing Best Management Practices (BMPs) to
address level of service deficiencies. 2) Provides a Geodatabase and projected results from watershed model
simulations for floodplain and water quality management.
Costs
The total budget for this multi-year project is $650,000, funded in FY2005 and FY2007. Under the REDI project
funding split the Peace River Basin's 75% share totals $487,500, and Highland County's 25% share totals $162,500.
The FY2007 budget is $385,000, of which $96,250 is revenue from the County and $288,750 is the Basin's
contribution. When each element is completed the project budget may require refinement based on the information
gathered.
Additional Information
A WMP includes five major elements: Topographic Information, Watershed Evaluation, Watershed Management Plan,
Implementation of Best Management Practices, and Maintenance of Watershed Parameters and Models.
Implementing elements of the WMP with local governments is one of the Comprehensive Watershed Management
(CWM) initiative strategies. Funding will be used to complete the Topographic Information, Watershed Evaluation, and
Watershed Management Plan elements. A cooperative funding revenue agreement with Highlands County has been
be developed as a multi-year funded project contingent on the approval of future funding to complete the WMP
elements through the Watershed Management Plan. This is a multi-year project that requires a cooperative funding
request each fiscal year until completed. The District is managing the project and entering into purchase orders and
agreements to accomplish project tasks. Future cooperative funding requests and agreements will be required for the
Implementation of BMPs and Maintenance of Watershed Parameters and Models. Cooperator submitted project for
REDI consideration.
020 - Peace River Basin 259