Indian River Lagoon South

Comprehensive Everglades

Restoration Plan Outreach

Martin County Supports

the Indian River Lagoon

Total Phosphorus Captured

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3 Alt 4 Alt 5 SP

Alternatives

kg

/yr

Natural Area Restoration

Irrigation

Land Conversion

STAs

Reservoirs

11%

16%

35%

42% 42% 41%

Introduction – why

important?

Chapters for 5 areas

Appendices

Reference List

Emergency Phone Nos.

Non-emergency Nos.

Spill Reporting Req.

177 pages –tables, photos,

diagrams

350+ distributed to

growers, production

managers, chemical

company reps.

BMP Manual

“The Florida Legislature has declared …

Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs) …

to be the best available technology for

achieving the interim goals of the Everglades

restoration program …”

Sec. 373.4592(1)(g) Florida Statutes

Indian River Lagoon Feasibility Study and EIS Components

C-44 Basin Components

1. C-44 West Reservoir

2. C-44 West Stormwater Treatment Area

3. C-44 East Stormwater Treatment Area

4. Palmar Complex - Natural Storage and

Water Quality Area

C-23/24 Basin Components

5. C-23/24 North Reservoir

6. C-23/24 South Reservoir

7. C-23/24 Stormwater Treatment Area

8. C-23/24 Stormwater Treatment Area and

Canal

9. Allapattah Complex Natural Storage and

Water Quality Area

10. Cypress Creek/Trail Ridge Complex -

Natural Storage and Water Quality Area

C-25 & Northfork & Southfork Basin Components

11. C-25 Reservoir

12. C-25 Stormwater Treatment Area

13. Southfork Natural Storage and Water Quality Area

14. Northfork Natural Floodplain Restoration

In Estuary Components

15. Muck Remediation (phase to coincide

with reservoir construction)

16. Artificial Habitat

The Local Challenge

LEADERSHIP

CITIZENSHIP

STATESMANSHIP

CELEBRATIONS

GROUPS

CERP / IRL

Action Plan

Yearlong Planning Process

Upper East Coast Symposium, Jan/04

State of the St. Lucie River and Estuary/IRL Science

Session on Martin County’s restoration efforts and

poster display

Washington Group hired February 10, 2004

March 24, 2004

Commissioners to attend PIR ACOE

Division signing in D.C.

March 31, 2004

Commissioners attend PIR ACOE District

approval, signing and transmittal to DC in WPB

March - April 2004

IRL update to the St. Lucie River Initiative

and Rivers Coalition

An IRL Slide Show CD is developed

April 13, 2004

Indian River Lagoon

Project Plan of Action

authorized and funded by

Commission

April 13, 2004

Everglades / Indian River Lagoon Champion

Award established; Gov. Bush to be first

recipient

Friend of the Everglades Award program

approved by the MC Commission

April 14, 2004

Rep. Foley visits MC to discuss Congressional

procedures related to CERP/IRL Plan adoption

Media - Video

Weekly updates at BOCC meetings on MCTV

“Week in Review” - June 2003 to present

IRL “Call to Action” Video airing - Feb 1-present

Community Foundation-sponsored video began

airing April 1, 2004.

Media - Print – County Page CERP/IRL stories

Healthy Rivers Monthly Updates

Continuing PIR updates to the “Stuart News” and

“Palm Beach Post”

Develop an “information packet” to be provided as

requested

Letters for Commission to request support from FDEP,

Governor/President Bush for the IRL

Media – Website – MC staff updated MC homepage to include IRL

information and related links

– Posted draft letter of support for the

IRL to be used as a guide

public participation

– Web page includes phone #s,

addresses and e-mail addresses of

appropriate legislative contacts

•South Florida Ecosystem Restoration

Task Force Meeting

•Crystal Lake Elementary student

letters

May 2004

Addressed Editorial Boards

Newspaper coverage of County Commission DC trip

Contact and coordinate with local City and County officials

June 2004 - Enlist Local Players

Facilitate Stakeholder Meeting

Establish the Community Executive Committee (CEC)

Institute “Call to Action” coordination plan

Prepare and maintain lists of influential individuals

and groups for support of IRL “Short-notice”

Grassroots strategy

June 2004 – Call to Action Event

Colleen Castille, Secretary FDEP

Henry Dean, Executive Director, SFWMD

Dennis Duke, Project Manager, USCOE

– Public pep rally for IRL project

– Solicited public support to contact legislators

– Grassroots strategy

July 2004 - USCOE Moves Forward

• Congress will recess for the Month of

August

• The Chief’s Report was signed and transmitted to

Congress

September 2004

• Alert news media of “Call to Action” efforts

• Initiate local grass roots email campaign

• CEC respond to requests by the legislative delegation and The Washington Group

Points of Interest

• The Kissimmee Federal Congressional

Authorization occurred in October of 1992

• The WRDA 2000 Congressional

Authorization occurred October

31st 2000

Rainfall – August thru September 2004

(Avg. Rainfall 53”/Year)

• At Least one named storm in the Atlantic Basin

continuously from August 25 – October 2.

• There were 30 inches of rainfall in the Upper

Kissimmee Basin.

• The wettest 2 month period in the Upper

Kissimmee Basin since 1915.

• There were 21.5 inches District wide.

What We Can Expect

• It now appears more likely that nothing will

happen on WRDA before Congress recesses on

October 8 until after the election

• Now it appears that Congress will return around

November 15 for a lame duck session

• Nobody knows for sure how long that session will

last, but there is likely to be a big appropriations

omnibus bill for FY 2005

What’s Next

• The Committee Staff of the Senate Environment and

Public Works Committee continues to try to reach

agreements on the controversial items such as

beach renourishment and the Mississippi River.

• Senator Graham is exploring every opportunity that

comes along and Rep. Foley will take action if

anything happens in the Senate.

What We Were Doing

• Continue efforts to get communications to the

leadership--Frist, McConnell, Daschle and

Reid. Communications from people who know them

are most apt to be effective.

• Continue contacting the Governor to press for

Senate action on WRDA.

• Outreach to the Press for stories calling on the

Governor, the President and Senate leadership to let

WRDA move.

What We Are Doing

• Working toward another referendum

• Continue contacting the Governor to press for

Federal action on legislation

• Supporting District efforts to move forward with the

C-44 project

Everglades Restoration

Step 1: Indian River Lagoon South Component

•Martin County •St. Lucie County •Okeechobee County

IRLS Study Area CERP Project

Boundary

The Everglades

Everglades 1900 Everglades 1973

Indian River Lagoon Estuary and St. Lucie River

Are International and National Treasures

Official Designations Sites in Lagoon

International

Wetlands of National Significance (Ramsar Convention 1993)

National

Estuary of National Significance (EPA National Estuarine Program 1990)

America’s First National Wildlife Refuge (President Roosevelt 1903)

Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (Congress 1989)

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (Congress 1963)

St. Lucie Nearshore Reefs (nominated NOAA -Marine Sanctuary Program)

Uniqueness of Indian River Lagoon Estuary

•Location at the Temperate/Tropical Transition Zone in North America

America’s

Zone of

Highest

Biodiveristy

Cool water

Warm water

•2100 species plants

•2200 species animal

•800 fish species

•310 bird species

The Problem

Large-Scale Changes to the Regional Hydrology

Moderate Freshwater Flow to Estuary Too Much Freshwater Flow to Estuary

Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan

RESTORE NATURAL FLOWS

Reduce

Damaging

Flows to

Estuaries

St. LucieInlet

Coastal Reefs

Lake

Okeechobee

St. Lucie Canal

Constructed

1916 to 1928

Indian River

Lagoon

St. Lucie River

Damaging Flows to IRL

The Indian River Lagoon South

Major Freshwater Flow From Lake Okeechobee

To Indian River Lagoon Estuary & Reefs

Muck Sediment

Discharged to Estuary

Low Quality Water Discharge

Atlantic Ocean

Offshore Reefs

Indian River Lagoon

Discharge Plume

Leaving Inlet

St. Lucie Estuary

The Consequences

Loss Fisheries Habitat

(1) Seagrass Beds

(3) Coastal Reefs (2) Mangroves

Economically Important Spotted Seatrout

Reproduction Inhibited at Low Salinities in Estuary

Direct Effects on Fisheries

•Ulcers and Lesions on Striped Mullet

•Prevalent with Low Salinities & Discharges

•Potential Human Health Problems

Effects on Economics

1. Sales-$519 million/yr

• Marinas

• Boat sales/repairs

• Fishing tackle/bait/charters

2. Personal income- $206 million/yr

• 6,600 jobs supported

• Guide fishing

• Commercial fishing

3. Tourism-$115 million/yr

• Visitation to beaches/hotels

• Recreational fishing/boating

Economic Water-Related Benefits Martin and St. Lucie Counties

TOTAL: $840 million Annually

The Solution

Reduce Damaging Flows to Estuaries

Support the First Component of CERP

Indian River Lagoon South Plan