The Southwest Florida Watershed Council
will hold a joint meeting with the
Caloosahatchee Watershed Working Group*
Monday, June 29th at 3:00 PM
Lee County Economic Development Office,
Room 325
12800 University Drive, Fort Myers
Members of the SFWMD Governing Board and
senior staff members, including Deputy
Executive Director Ken Ammon, will be there
to discuss:
LOSA Water Availability Rule/Consumptive Use
Permit Renewals
Caloosahatchee Basin Reservation Rule Status
Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule
Flexibility
C-43 Water Quality Project Status
C-43 Reservoir CERP Project Status
River of Grass Land Acquisition
Basin Rulemaking
*Caloosahatchee Watershed Working Group
Lee County Commissioner Tammy Hall
originated the Caloosahatchee Watershed
Working Group (CWWG) as part of the
continuing effort of the county's Tourist
Development Council to bring together
stakeholders and advocates for projects to
improve the health of the Caloosahatchee
watershed and river.
James Evans Elected to Lead
Watershed Council
March 20, 2009
Biologist James Evans, who works
for the City of Sanibel, was elected Chairman by
Watershed Council members on March 19th.
Mr. Evans has been an active member of the
Council for many years, and has served as a
strong advocate of science-based water resource
management throughout his career.
Aquatic biologist John Cassani,
who co-founded the Council and chaired it for
the past three years, was thanked by members for
his dedicated service. He will remain
active as a member of the Council's Board of
Directors.
The Watershed Council again
asks the South Florida Water Management District
to establish a reservation of water for
the Caloosahatchee River
The Watershed Council initially
requested that a reservation of water be
established in 2002 out of concern that the
Caloosahatchee River is not considered an
“existing legal user” of water resources when it
comes to the process of allocating water
resources. It appeared likely that the River,
which is a tremendously important resource in
Southwest Florida, would need extraordinary
consideration in order to be guaranteed a flow
regime which will support the ecological and
economic needs of this region.
The Watershed Council has
continually been assured by the South Florida
Water Management District and other entities
such as the Florida Department of Environmental
Protection that the Caloosahatchee would receive
the water it needs, but this has not been the
case. Since the adoption of the Minimum
Flow and Level (MFL) rule for the Caloosahatchee
River in September 2001, there have been
exceedences to the rule in 2002, 2004, 2007 and
2008. The last two consecutive years
constituting a violation of the rule, causing,
by definition significant harm to the resource.
2007 and 2008 drought conditions played a
significant role in addition to water supply
demands which are apparently over allocated as
evidenced by the poor performance record of
meeting minimum flow targets through the period
of record. South Florida Water Management
District policy that allowed redirecting
Caloosahatchee Basin runoff during the 2007/2008
dry season to Lake Okeechobee via S-77, rather
than allowing the basin’s stored runoff to flow
downstream to the estuary at a critical time,
further magnified the low flow problem.
The redirected negative flows occurred through
much of the 2007/2008 dry season.
Once again, the Watershed Council
has requested that the South Florida Water
Management District act on the promises it has
made and take the steps necessary to protect the
Caloosahatchee River and Estuary.
Click here to read
the letters we have sent and received over the
years and to read the latest exchange -- a
letter written in October, 2008 to the SFWMD.
Draft Caloosahatchee Riverway Betterment
Financially and Ecologically Sustainable Concept
For The C-43 Reservoir, Southwest Florida:
Corresponding with the Caloosahatchee
River Restoration Plan per Florida Statute
373.4595 Northern Everglades and Estuaries
Protection Program; Caloosahatchee River
Watershed Protection Plan
Florida Department of
Environmental Protection draft total maximum
daily load report for waterbodies in the
Everglades West Coast Basin
The Department has completed
draft total maximum daily load reports for
several waterbodies in the Everglades West Coast
Basin. These TMDLs were presented at workshops
in early July.
Further information on the reports and workshops
may be requested by contacting Jan Mandrup-Poulsen at: 850/245-8448 or by e-mail
at: jan.mandrup-poulsen@dep.state.fl.us.
Watershed Council Priorities
Fort Myers - April 2, 2008
The Southwest Florida Watershed
Council hosted a Summit attended by 14
Non-Governmental Organizations on March 20th to
facilitate effective communication regarding
water resource issues amongst the groups.
Participants also prioritized the issues as
follows:
Score
Issue:
16
Fertilizer ordinance (local and regional) and
associated state legislation, effective public
outreach on the issue
12
Florida Forever successor program
8
State preemption of local decision making
8
Lake Okeechobee and associated regional CERP
projects
7
Support for DRGR studies and legislation /rules
to implement conclusions
6
The Harper Report and its influence on state
stormwater rules and its affect on future
permitting
Troubled Waters: An
Analysis of 2005 Clean Water Act Compliance
Christy Leavitt, Clean Water
Advocate
Environment Florida Research &
Policy Center
Click here to access the report
EPA Watershed News
http://www.epa.gov/watershed/news.html
EROC Ordinance
Regulation
of professional landscape management practices
including the application of fertilizers
containing nitrogen and/or phosphorus in Lee
County. Draft for county ordinance
available and county guidelines available.
Click here for ordinance draft
Click here
ordinance evaluation guidelines
Caloosahatchee River Basin New
EPA Established TMDLs:
http://www.epa.gov/region4/water/tmdl/florida/index.htm#caloos
South Florida Water Management
District Weekly Update on Water Conditions
The South Florida Water
Management District issues a weekly update on
water conditions and operational protocols
during the rainy season in an effort to keep
elected officials, county partners and others
informed. Click here
for the reports.