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

L897
Highlands - Lake Clay Stormwater Retrofit
Project Type Cooperative Funding
AOR(s)
Water Quality
Basin(s) Peace River
Cooperator(s)
Highlands County, Lake Placid
Project Manager KOLASA, KEITH
Task Manager(s)
Status Ongoing
Description
This project entails the design, permitting, and construction of a stormwater treatment system within the most
urbanized sub-basin of Lake Clay, Highlands County. Lake Clay was given a high priority for implementation of water
quality and habitat enhancement projects within the assessment of 130 Ridge lakes completed by District staff. One of
the purposes of the Ridge lakes assessment was to identify lakes that would benefit from proactive management
practices to prevent them from degrading. Lake Clay was identified as a lake that has relatively good water quality and
habitat that is in need of protection. The lake is frequently used for recreational purposes including fishing, boating,
and skiing and in turn is an economic resource to the local community. The completed stormwater BMP will reduce
pollutant loads entering the lake through stormwater runoff and will be a proactive measure towards protecting the
lakes water quality and habitat. It is anticipated that reducing pollutant loads from this highly urbanized basin will
protect the lake's existing water quality and habitat. The stormwater retrofit will include the installation of French drains
along existing County and City road easements and also within parking lots of private businesses. Conceptual design
plans and a project cost estimate have already been completed for Lake Clay under project B196, Ridge Lakes
Stormwater Evaluation. District staff will manage the project. The funds approved in FY2008 are being used for the
design and permitting of the project.
Benefits
The completed stormwater treatment system will reduce pollutants to Lake Clay entering through the most urbanized
and problematic basin. Stormwater is currently discharged directly to the lake without any form of treatment. Treating
this runoff is anticipated to enhance the lake's water quality and prevent degradation of its relatively good water quality
and protect the existing recreational uses of the lake.
Costs
The FY2008 budget is $125,000, of which $31,250 is revenue from Highlands County, $46,875 is provided by the
Water Protection and Sustainability Trust Fund (WPSTF), and $46,875 is from the Peace River Basin Board. The
Town of Lake Placid had planned on providing a funding match of $31,250, however this was withdrawn. The FY2008
funds are being used for the design and permitting of the stormwater improvement project. District funds in the table
below include salary, travel and central garage charges.
Additional Information
Lake Clay, a 368 acre lake located in the Grassy Creek watershed, on the northeastern corner of the town of Lake
Placid in Highlands County, has been identified by the SWFWMD staff as receiving significant direct stormwater
discharge (Ridge Lakes Screening, SWFWMD 2003). Lake Clay was also included in the Ridge Lakes Stormwater
Evaluation Project (B196) completed in FY2007 in which conceptual design plans were developed to treat some of the
stormwater discharging to Lake Clay. The total watershed draining immediately to Lake Clay consists of 949 acres.
The dominant land use is a combination of low, medium, and high density residential, commercial structures and
highways. Additionally, this subbasin includes steep slopes, with an elevation change of 70 feet over a 1000 foot run.
Lake Clay was identified as a lake needing proactive measures to prevent water quality degradation (Ridge Lakes
Screening, SWFWMD 2003), primarily due to the good water quality recorded in the lake, the extensive development
in the watershed, and the absence of stormwater treatment for the watershed. The Town of Lake Placid has identified
this portion of the Lake watershed as a "hot spot" of concern for surface water quality. Stormwater runoff from parking
lots and roads in this subbasin carries unabated pollutants directly to Lake Clay. Contaminant levels, measured in
samples collected by the County, in this runoff water has elevated levels of heavy metals, bacteria, and nutrients.
Given the documented stormwater contamination to Lake Clay in this subbasin, work to retrofit the stormwater flows is
needed. The Water Resource Evaluation completed for Lake Clay (BCI 2006) recommended French drains under
parking lots and under right of way areas as the primary stormwater BMP. The BCI report indicated that this particular
technology should work well because of the well drained soils, Astatula sand, located in this subbasin. This project
may also require the acquisition of additional right of way and installation of other measures to reduce stormwater
runoff to Lake Clay from this and other subbasins.
020 - Peace River Basin 300