Southwest Florida Water Management District Report: February 2009

Water Shortage Orders
Due to continuing drought conditions throughout the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD), approximately half of the counties within the 16-county region are currently under a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage.

The Tampa Bay area comprised of Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties continue to be under a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage although Tampa Bay Water has asked the governing board to increase the region to a Phase IV Critical Water Shortage. As of Feb. 23, 2009, Tampa Bay Water’s 15-billion-gallon C.W. Bill Young Regional Reservoir was down to 520 million gallons of water and is expected to be depleted by the end of March 2009.

Instead of declaring the highest water shortage phase, the board voted to enhance the Modified Phase III Extreme Water Shortage Restrictions, which have been in effect since October 2008. The governing board felt that local governments needed to better implement Phase III restrictions before moving to Phase IV restrictions, which would affect many businesses and hurt an already troubled economy.

The goal of the Phase III Severe Water Shortage restrictions is a 10 percent reduction in water demand. At this time, the District has only achieved a less than five percent reduction. By enhancing current restrictions, the governing board feels 10 percent water demand reduction is achievable. Enhanced restrictions include:
• Requiring water utilities and local governments to increase enforcement on water use abusers.
• Asking water utilities to consider implementing a drought surcharge for high-use customers.
• Asking water utilities to consider implementing a reclaimed water availability fee as means of encouraging customers with access to reclaimed water to hook up.
• Requiring restaurants to serve water only upon request.

In addition, the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority region comprised of Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota, went from a Phase II Severe Water Shortage to a Phase III Extreme Water Shortage. Like the Tampa Bay region, the Authority’s area will now follow the District’s Modified Phase III Extreme Water Shortage Restrictions.

The remaining counties in the District remain under a Modified Phase II Severe Water Shortage, which were approved by the board in January 2007. These restrictions also include eastern Marion County as part of an interagency agreement between SWFWMD and St. John’s River Water Management District. Due to Marion County being divided between two water management districts, the agreement allows Marion County to follow SWFWMD restrictions during a water shortage order. This allows Marion County to have uniform restrictions and eliminates confusion.

In all areas under current water shortage restrictions, agricultural operations with water use permits please continue to follow the conditions on your permit.

For a complete listing of water shortage restrictions, please visit: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/drought/

SWFWMD Rule-Making Updates
Proposed Amendments to Water Use Permitting Rules for 20 Year Water Use Permits
The purpose of this rule is to develop rules allowing for a 20 year permit duration under specific circumstances. Small General permits (<100,000 gallons per day) will be issued with a 20 year duration. Applicants for General or Individual permits may request a permit with up to a 20 year permit duration if the applicant demonstrates:
1) Exceptional implementation of alternative water supplies and water conservation, or
2) Assistance in the provision of water to help meet a Minimum Flow or Level (MFL) that would otherwise not be met, or
3) The provision of a significant quantity of alternative water supply that offsets the withdrawal of ground water, and
4) Agreement to comply with conservation and water resource protection standards and associated water use compliance phase-in periods when adopted by rule.

The proposed rule also describes five year compliance reports and the information required for 20 year permits. An increased fee for 20 year permits is also being considered.

The District is accepting comments on the current draft rule through March 20, 2009. To view the current draft rule please visit: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/rules/proposed/20-year-wup-drafts.pdf

Proposed Amendments to Water Use Permitting Rule for Conservation
The purpose of this rule is to develop District-wide water use permitting rules that include water conservation standards and criteria consistent with those adopted for the Southern Water Use Caution Area (SWUCA) for public supply, recreation and aesthetic water uses and to enhance and add conservation measures District-wide for public supply, agriculture, industrial, mining recreation and aesthetic uses.

For agriculture, conservation plan requirements include submittal of a water conservation plan that demonstrates that all environmentally, technically and economically feasible water conservation practices will be implemented.

Florida Farm Bureau has submitted comments to previous drafts and is currently reviewing the February 2009 version. To view the current draft rule please visit: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/rules/proposed/draftrule_40d-1_2009-02-19.pdf

Approval of FARMS Project in Northern Region
The first northern-region Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS) project was approved by the governing board. The main goal of this project is to prevent mineralized, salty, groundwater runoff from draining into the Withlacoochee River. Hidden Acres Ranch, Inc. located in Inverness (Citrus County) drains blueberry fields into a reservoir and ditch that connects directly to the river.

This FARMS project involves constructing a surface water irrigation pump station, filtration and installing the necessary piping to connect the surface water reservoir system to the farm’s existing irrigation system. This will allow the farm to use captured rainwater and recycled runoff for irrigation. An additional benefit will be a reduction in groundwater pumping.

The project is expected to cost $80,000, of which $40,000 will be funded by the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board, the governing board and state appropriations. The remaining $40,000 is funded by the landowner.

Governor Appoints Kelly Rice to Withlacoochee River Basin Board
Florida Farm Bureau congratulates Kelly Rice on his appointment to the Withlacoochee River Basin Board.

The District’s Basin Boards provide guidance for local programs that are specific to the basins they protect. Basin Boards work with local governments and other entities on water resource projects that have an impact in local communities. Basin Boards also provide partial funding for these projects in partnership with a local government or local cooperator.

Mr. Rice resides in Webster (Sumter County) and is broker/owner of Century 21 Realty and president of Rice Cattle Company. Mr. Rice is also president of Sumter County Farm Bureau.

Agricultural Research
The District’s list of agricultural research projects for the 2010 budget year has been proposed. Research projects are funded 100 percent by the District utilizing researchers at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Projects include:

1) Water use of two biofuel crops
2) Evaluation of minimal required number of soil moisture sensors
3) Update of net irrigation requirements for turfgrass
4) Reduction of water use for citrus cold protection
5) Alternative methods for strawberry crop establishment

These research projects are in addition to current on-going water quantity and quality projects for ornamentals, vegetables, strawberries, blueberries, sod, peppers, tomatoes and citrus.

Since 1979, the District has provided over $7,000,000 in agricultural research funding. The District also contributes $100,000 annually to support the Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN).

Permitting Survey
SWFWMD is creating a web-site to collect permit data and provide various reports to permittees. They are seeking input to make the data submittal user-friendly. Please take the time to answer a 10 question survey.

To participate in the survey go to: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/survey/
Or visit the Agriculture link on the District’s website: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/agriculture/

Current Rainfall Data
2009 Rainfall (in inches)

North: Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion and Sumter
Central: Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas and Polk
South: Charlotte, DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee and Sarasota