[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]








                                                                         Planning Activities
                                                                             Associated with
                                                                       South Florida
                                                                              Ecosystem
                                                                             Restoration

                                                                 A compilation of existing plans





                                                                          Reconnaissance Report:
                                  Simulation Model of South Central Florida Hydrologic System
                                                                      U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                                                                          Florida Bay Science Plan
                                                                               Nationa I Park Service

                                                     Towards Ecosystem Management in Florida
                                                     Florida Department of Environmental Protection

                                                              Implementation Plan for Florida Bay
                                                                     NOAA/Coastal Ocean Program

                                                                                1994 Annual Report
                                 South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Working Group

                                                                      Scientific Information Needs
                              South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Science Subgroup






                                                                                   March 1995










                                                                       Planning Activities
                                                                           Associated with
                                                                     South Florida
                                                                            Ecosystem
                                                                          Restoration

                                                               A compilation of existing plans





                                                                        Reconnaissance Report:
                                 Simulation Model of South Central Florida Hydrologic System
                                                                    U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

                                                                       Florida Bay Science Plan
                                                                             National Park Service

                                                    Towards Ecosystem Management in Florida
                                                   Florida Department of Environmental Protection

                                                            Implementation Plan for Florida Bay
                                                                   NOAA/C-oastal Ocean Program

                                                                             1994 Annual Report
                                 South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Working Group

                                                                    Scientific Information Needs
                              South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - Science Subgroup






                                                                                March 1995










                    Six documents describing planning activities associated -with South Florida ecosystem
                    restoration, including Florida Bay, are included in this volume. This material has been
                    compiled as background information for NOS's Florida Keys Integration Project.

                    1. Reconnaissance Report - Simulation Model of South Central Florida
                        Hydrologic Ecosystem
                        U.S. Army Corps of Engineers - November 1991
                    The purpose of the reconnaissance study was to determine the technical feasibility and Federal
                    nori-Federal interest in developing a simulation modeling system of the south and central
                    Florida hydrologic ecosystem. The report presents the general background and history of the
                    project, objectives, and a description of the study area. The detailed appendices attached to the
                    original report are not included here.

                    .2. Florida Bay Science Plan
                        National Park Service - April 1994
                    This was the first "plan" put together addressing the enviro nmental problems of Florida
                    Bay. It was developed by an interagency'working group at the request of Everglades
                    National Park and the Department of Interior's National Park Service. The Executive
                    Summary on page 5 describes its purpose. Please not that pages 9- 10 were an oversized
                    map of Florida Bay that could not be included in this volume.

                    3. Towards Ecosystem Management In Florida
                        Florida Department of Environmental Protection - March 1994
                    The publication of this report coincided with the opening of Florida's new Department,of
                    Environmental Protection. It was developed to demonstrate how ecosystem management
                    strategies are being applied to six threatened ecosystems throughout the' state, including
                    Florida Bay (sections on the other ecosystems are not included here).

                    4. Implementation Plan for Florid     a Bay
                        NGAA/Coastal Ocean Program - July 1994
                    Following the publication of Park Service's Science Plan, NOAA's leadership (i.e. Doug
                    Hall) directed the development of a plan outlining how NOAA would contribute to the
                    restoration of Florida Bay in the areas of research, assessment, and analysis. This
                    report was developed at the direction of Peter Ortner (NOAA/OAR/AOML) and Nancy
                    Thompson (NOAA/NMFS/SEFSC), both of whom participated in the development of the
                    Park Service's Science Plan. The projects described are funded by NOAA's Coastal Ocean
                    Program. Selected FY94 projects were funded. FY96 funding is still pending.

                    5. Annual Report from Interagency Working Group
                        South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task Force - August 1994
                    This report is an overview of all the issues and activities associated with the South
                    Florida -Ecosystem Restoration Task Force, a Federal inter-agency task force established
                    in 1993.

                    6. South Florida Ecosystem Restoration - Scientific Information Needs
                        South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task ForcelScience Sub-Group - September 1994
                    This plan, which is not so much a plan as it is a plan of a plan, was developed by the
                    Science Subgroup of the Federal task force established in 1993. It is one component of
                    the activities described in the Task Force's Working Group Annual Report (4). This
                    document reflects the Florida Bay restoration issues addressed in the NOAA Plan (2) and
                    the' Science Plan (1). It also addresses other issues associated with areas north of
                    Florida Bay that are part of the larger South Florida ecosystem (see map on page 2). As
                    described on page 1, this document is a summary of a much more extensive report on
                    scientific information needs.









                                   RECONNAISSANCE REPORT







                                   SIMULATION MODEL
                            OF SOUTH'CENTRAL FLORIDA
                               HYDROLOGIC ECOSYSTEM





















                U. S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS                           NOVEMBER1991
               JACKSONVILLE DISTRICT
               SOUTH ATLANTIC DIVISION










                                                        .NOTICE

                    This reconnaissance report was submitted for review to the U.S. Army Corps
                    of Engineers' headquarters and the office of the Secretary of the Army. As a
                    result of that review, it was determined that due to the high cost of model
                    development this study is not a priority activity and the Corps of Engineers will
                    not proceed with development of the model.








                                                 RECONNAISSANCE REPORT


                                                     SIMULATION -MODEL
                                                OF SOUTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
                                                  HYDROLOGIC ECOSYSTEM


                                                           SYLLABUS


                               The Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project, authorized in 1948,
                        involves an area of about 16,000 square miles, which includes all or part of 18
                        counties in central and southern Florida. It embraces Lake Okeechobee, its
                        regulatory outlets, a large portion of the Everglades, the upper Kissimmee -
                        River Basin, and the lower east coast o  f Florida. The project primarily serves
                        flood control and water conservation purposes.,

                               The C&SF project is a complex system which manages the surface and
                        ground water resources of the area to serve a variety of interests. The area's
                        natural ecosystem has been substantially altered by human activities. There
                        has been increasing concern over continued rapid growth in central and
                        southern Florida and subsequent water use and management efforts on the-
                        ecosystem. There is particular concern about the Lake Okeechobee and
                        Evergglades National Park ecosystems, which have been overly stressed in
                        recent years. The complex nature of both the hydrologic system and the
                        ecosystem has made evaluation of changes to the C&SF Project or its operation
                        or of other human activities in the vicinity difficult. A simulation modeling
                        system is needed to adequately evaluate the impacts that changes could make,
                        on the ecosystem.

                               The purpose of this document is to present the findings of this -
                        reconnaissance study on South Central' Florida Hydrologic Ecosystem
                        Simulation Model. This study was authorized by Section 11 of, the Water
                        Resources Developnmnt Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-676).

                               For the purposes of this study, the Upper. St. Johns River basin, while
                        it is part of the C&,SF Project area, was omitted since it is in another -drainage
                        basin. In addition, adjacent areas to the C&SF Project were added in-order to
                        assess impacts of human activities to areas receiving discharge from the C&SF
                        Project.

                               A technical study plan was developed which addresses modeling purpose,
                        scope, model development priorities, model linkages, data collection and
                        research requirements, modeling.methods, phases of model development, costs,
                        management tasks during development. and for operation of the modeling
                        system. Several options to performing all of the tasks in the technical study
                        plan were evaluated. Option B which involves performing the "bigh priority"
                        tasks from each Task area, - Water Quantity, Water Quality, Vegetation and
                        Animal is recommended. This option. was considered to be the, most








          economically and technically feasible alternative. The cost of this option -:is
          $53,325,000. The authorization directs that the Federal share of developing
          and operating the simulation model shall be 75 percent. 'Therefore., the Federal'
          share of this option'would be $39,993,750. Due to the need for exten@sive.
          interagency cooperation and coordination, which would be. needed to
          successfully develop' and operate' the modeling system as well as the
          interagency benefits of such a'system, ftmding for the development and
          operation of the modeling system could be provided by the Corps of Engineers
          and other Federal, S tate, and local agencies

                This simulation modeling system will provide a means to establish an.
          interagency exchange of ideas, data, and'modeling efforts. The assembly of
          improved knowledge and the interchange of objective analytical concepts and
          techniques among hydrologic ecosystem researchers, resource managers, and
          development regulators can be expected to sigmificantly improve system
          management procedures and technical coordination among agencies with
          management and regulatory responsibilities in the C&SF Project area.

                This modeling system will be used by Federal and State water and land
          management agencies evaluating the status and goals of watersheds or regions.
          It will be used by the Corps of Engineers and other Federal agencies to
          evaluate projects based on    a combination of economic and environmental
          benefits. This project will establish a Geographic Information System (GIS)
          which will be compatible between state water management agencies, the Corps
          of Engineers, the Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife
          Service, Everglades National Park, and others. By establishing one compatible
          system, Federal, state and local agencies will have the use of the system at a
          total cost that will be -less than if each agency develops their own system.

                The results' of this study have'been coordinated with the study
          participants, the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the
          Everglades National Park (ENP). The SFWMD is the potential local sponsor
          and the ENP has expressed interest in participating as a Federal sponsor. In
          view of the favorable results of the analyses -conducted for this study, the
          District Engineer recommends that development and operation of the
          Simulation Model of South Central Florida Hydrologic Ecosystem proceed.









                                                           TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                                                               PAGE NO.
                           SYLLABUS


                           INTRODUCTION         ........................................................             I
                                   AUTHORITY      ................       * ' * * * * ' * * * * * * * ''****** ...  .......1
                                   PURPOSE AND SCOPE          ...........................................            1
                                   STUDY AREA      .................    ..................................           2
                                   REPORT AND STUDY PROCESS            ....................................          2
                                   STUDY PARTICIPANTS         ..........................................             4
                                   IIISTORY OF STUDY AREA         ........................................           4
                                   CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA PROJECT                   ....................      12

                           DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA           ............                                         15
                                   UPPER EAST COAST        ................                                         15
                                   ST. LUCIE CANAL AND ESTUARY            ................................          17
                                   KISSIMNEE RIVER BASIN          ........................................          18
                                   LAKE OKEECHOBEE            ..........................................            21
                                   EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA               .............................         24
                                   WATER CONSERVATION AREAS             .................................           25
                                           General   ................................................               25
                                           WCA I   ..................................................               29
                                           WCA 2   ...................................................              29
                                           WCA 3   ..........................       -1-1-1--l-11-1 30
                                   LOWER EAST COAST AREA           .................................         I ..... 31
                                   BISCAYNE BAY        ...............................................              34
                                   EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK             .......   ..........................        35
                                   SHARK RIVER SLOUGH           ........................................            36
                                   FLORIDA BAY, WHITEWATER BAY AND THE TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS 40
                                   BIG CYPRESS BASIN . . @    ...........................................           41
                                   LOWER WEST COAST           ..........................................            43
                                   CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER             ......................................          46

                           kMSTING CONDITIONS                                                               ....... 49
                                   POPULATION                                                   ................    49
                                   ECONOMY       ...................................................                51
                                   CLIMATE                                                                   ...... 52
                                   HYDROLOG'Y*    ...                                                        ...... 53
                                   GROUND WATER HYDROLOGY              ..................................           54
                                           Shallow Aquifers   ..........................     I.................     54
                                           Major Aquifers  .............    ................................        55
                                           Floridan Aquifer   .........................................             56
                                           Biscayrne Aquifer  ....                                                  57
                                   SALT WATER ENCROACHIVIENT            .................................           58
                                   EVAPORATION AND TRANSPIRATION                .............................       58'
                                   OPERATION OF THE C&SF PROJECT              ..............................        58

                           IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES,PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS: INTRODUCTION                        ...... 61
                                   SCOPING WORKSHOPS          ..........................................            61
                                           July Workshop   ............................................             61









                             October Workshop     .........................................              62
                     SYSTEM COMPLE)UTY           .........................................               62

             IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES,PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS: WATER QUANTITY                            ... 65
                     WATER SUPPLY          ...............................................               65
                             Urban    ...........    ......................................              65
                             Agriculture    .............................................                65
                             Natural systems   ..........................................                w
                             Other Losses of Water     .....................................             67
                             Sustainability  .............................................               67
                             Historic Conditions    ........................................             68
                             Projected Water Use     ......................................              68
                             Global Warming    ..........................................                68
                             Water-Budget      ..........   .................................            68
                             Water Levels and Delivery     ....................................          69
                             Salt Water Intrusion    .......................................             70
                             Wellfield Impacts   .........................................               71
                             Drought    ................................................                 71
                             Flood Protection    .........................................               74
                             Overdrainage    ............................................                75
                     WATER MANAGEMENT POLICIES                ................................           76

             IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES,PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS: WATER QUALITY                           ..... 79
                     EUTROPHICATION          .............................................               79
                             Kissimmee River Basin      ......................       i  .............    79
                             Lake Okeechobee     .........................................               80
                             Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park        ...........    82
                     MARJORIE STONEMAN DOUGLAS ACT                   ...........................         83
                     EVERGLADES LAWSUIT           ........................................               83
                     EVERGLADES SWIM PLAN            ......................................              8.5
                     EVERGLADES MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT                       ....................       86
                     NUTRIENT REMOVAL SYSTEMS               .................................            81
                             Proposed Stormwater Treatment Area        .........................         87
                             St. Lucie River   ...........................................               89
                             Big Cypress Basin    ........................................               90
                     SALINITY AND DISSOLVED SOLIDS              ..............................           90
                     CONTAMINANTS          ..............................................                90
                             Mercury    ..................................................               92

             IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES,PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS: BIOTA                      ..............     95
                     LOSS OF HABITAT         .............................................               95
                             Kissimmee River Basin      ....................................             95
                             Everglades   i0il" * ' ' * ' * * ' ' * ' * * * * * ' ' ' '' * * * * ' * * * * * ' ' ' * * ..... 96
                             Loss due to       utants  .....................................             96
                             Loss of Wetlands    .........................................               96
                             Seagrass Die-off in Florida Bay   ...............................           97
                     DECLINE IN ANIMAL SPECIES            ...................................            97
                             Wading birds, Alligatiors, Fish, Shrimp & Deer Populations      .........   97
                             Endangered Species     .......................................              98
                     LOSS OR CHANGES IN SOIL            ....................................            101,
                     MESO-SCALE DISTURBANCES             ..................................             101








                                              invasion of exotic plant species      ..............................                  102
                                     DATA AND/OR KNOWLEDGE GAPS                       ..............................                104
                                     NEED FOR SYSTEM-LEVEL RESTORATION                         .......................              104

                           FORMULATION OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH                                   ..................           107
                                     MODEL OBJECTIVES             ..........................................                        107
                                     FORMULATION OF MOD19IJNG SCOPE                     .............         ..............        109
                                     ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING MODELS                      .............................               109-
                                     PARAMETERS FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT                            ......................
                                              Components       .............................................                        112
                                              Geographical Information System           ............................                112
                                              Hardware and Software . . 0        ................................                   113
                                              Use of Existing Data/Models         ...............................                   114
                                              Two-way Usage       ....................             .....................            114
                                              Phasing    ................................................                           114
                                     TECHNICAL STUDY PLAN                 ........................................                  114
                                              Water Quantity      .........................................                         115
                                              Water Quality      ............................................                       115
                                              Biota (Vegetable and Animal)        .................................                 115
                                     WATER QUANTITY TASKS                 ......................................                    115
                                              Task 1. 1  ...............         z..................................                115
                                              Task 1.2   ...............................................                            116
                                              Task 1.3   ...............................................                            116
                                              Task 1.4   .................................................                          117
                                              Task 1.5   ...............................................                            117
                                     WATER QUALITY TASKS                ......................................                      117
                                              Task IIA     ................................................                         117
                                              Task 11.2    ..............................................                           118
                                              Task 11.3    ...............................                 *''*''**'***        ...  119
                                              Task IIA     .............................................                       @.. .119
                                     VEGETATION TASKS             .........................................                         120
                                              Task 111. 1  ...............................................                          120
                                                                                                                      ........      120
                                              Task 111.2   ......................................
                                     ANIMAL TASKS          ......................................                     L........     121
                                              Task TV. 1   ..............         ...............................                   121
                                              Task TV.2    ..............................................                           121
                                              Task IV.3    ...................          L...........................                121
                                              Task IVA     ..............................................                           122
                                     TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION, MAINTENANCE, APPLICATION, AND
                                              DISTRIBUTION TASKS             ...........       .............        ..........      122
                                              Task VJ                                                                               123
                                              Task V.2                                                                              124
                                                                                    .................. ...........                  124
                                              TaskV.3
                                              Task VA      ............................               ...................           124
                                     TIME, COSTS, AND PRODUCTS                   .................................                  125
                                              Schedule of Time and Costs         ..........................              i ......   125
                                     OPTIONS FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT                         ..........................               127
                                              Option A     ...............................................                          127
                                              iOption B    ...............................................                          1.28
                                              Option C     ...............................................                          129
                                              Option D     ...............................................                          131
                                              Recommended Option           ....................................                     133
                                     B
                                         'EFITS OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT                    ...........................                 133
                                      EN










                                   C&SF Project Modifications    ..................................           134
                                       Bolles and Cross Canals   ................................             134
                                       C-51 West Project   .....................................              134
                                       C-111/South Dade Flood Control Project       ....................      134
                                       Hillsboro Canal   ......................................               135
                                       Kissimmee River Restoration     ............................           135
                                       Modified Water Delivery to Everglades National
                                        Park (Shark River Slough Restoration)     ....................        135
                                       Shingle,Creek Basin Project    ..............................          135
                                   Regulatory Activities   ......................................             136
                                   Resource Management       ....................................             138

                  MODEL IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION                    ............................          139
                           MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION               ................................             139
                                   Model Development     .........................................            139
                                   Model Operation     .........................................              142
                                   Model Availability   ........................................              142
                           COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS               ................................           143.
                                   Model Development     ......................................               143
                           COORDINATION AND SPONSOR VIEWS                ..........................           144



                  CONCLUSIONS          .....................................................                  145

                  RECOMMENDATIONS             ...............................................                 151


                  BrBLIOGRAP1:-rY      ....................................................                   153


                                                               TABLES
                           NO.     TITLE


                            1      POPULAT'ION FOR 18 COUNTY AREA              .....................           50
                            2      TOTAL COSTS FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT                    ................      126
                            3      OPTION B - HIGH PRIORITY FROM ALL TASKS                 ...............    129
                            4      OPTION C - TASKS I AND 13 ONLY           .........................         131
                            5      OPTION D - COSTS $M BY YEAR           ...........................          132


                                                               FIGURES

                            1      LOCATION MAP        ...........................................              3
                            2      HISTORIC MAP        ...........................................              6
                            3      DISSTON'S DRAINAGE MAP            ................................           7
                            4      EVERGLADES DRAINAGE DISTRICT WORKS 1905-1938                    ..........   9
                            5      KISSIMMEE RIVER BASIN           ................................            19
                            6      WATER CONSERVATION, AREAS             ...........................           26
                            7      MODEL DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE                          ........   140


                                                               PLATES


                            1      CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA PROJECT MAP
                            2      STUDY AREA





                                                                   iv








                                                              INTRODUCTION



                            "AUTHORITY

                                   This study     was authorized by Section 11 of            the -Water Resources
                           Development Act of 1988 (Public Loaw 100-676) which states:

                                     "(4) In General.    The Secretary, in cooperation with affected Federal,
                                   State, and local agencies and other interested persons, may develop and
                                   operate a simulation model of the central and. southern Florida
                                   hydrolqgic ecosystem for use in predicting the effects -

                                           (1) of modifications to the flood control project for central and
                                           southern Florida, authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1948,

                                           '(2) of changes in the operation of such proj*ect, and

                                           (3) of other human activities conducted in the vicinity of such
                                           ecosystem which individually or in the aggregate will significantly
                                           qffect the ecolo& of such ecosystem,

                                   on the flow, characteristics, quality, and quantity of surface and ground.
                                   water in such ecosystem and on plants, and wildlife within such
                                   ecosystem Such model shall be capable ofJoroducing information which
                                   is applicable for use in evaluating the impact of issuance of proposed
                                   permits under section 10 of the Act of March 3, 1899 (30 Stat. 1151; 33
                                   US. C 403), commonly known as the River and Harbors Appropriation
                                   Act of 1899, and under section 404 of the Federal Water Pollution Control
                                   Act.

                                   (b) Availability to State and Local Agencies. - The Secretary shall allow
                                   Federat State, and local agencies to use, on a reimbursable basis, the
                                   simulation model developed under this section.

                                   (c) Cost Sharing.      The Federal share of the cost of developing and
                                   operating the simulation model under this section shall be 75 percent."


                           PURPOSE AND SCOPE

                                   The purpose of this reconnaissance study is to determine the technical
                           feasibility and Federal and non-Federal interest in developing and operating a
                           simulation modeling system of the south and central Florida hydrologic
                           ecosystem. This reconnaissance report presents the general background and
                           history of the project, objectives, and a description of the study area.








                  The report discusses the technical feasibility;of developing and operating
           a simulation modeling system of the south and central Florida hydrologic
           ecosystem, the usefulness, costs and benefits of such a modeling system. Also
           discussed are the identification of a local sponsor; cost sharing requirements;
           model use reimbursement; and, finally, a recommendation on whether' the next
           phase, model development, should be pursued.


           STUDY AREA

                  The study area covered by this investigation, shown on Figure 1, includes
           the entire area of the Central & Southern Florida (C&SF) Project, exclusive of
           the Upper St. Johns River Basin. The C&SF Project involves an area of about
           16,000 square miles including all or part of 18, counties in central and southern
           Florida. The counties are Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Dade, DeSoto, Glades,
           Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Lee, Martin, Monroe, Okeechobee, Orange,
           Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and St. Lucie. Additionally, portions of the
           southwest coast and the coastal areas of southern Florida not within the C&SF
           Project area have been included in this study.

                  For the purpose of developing this simulation modeling system, the
           Upper St. Johns River basin has been eliminated from the study area. While
           it is part of the C&SF Project, the basin drains north with a separate drainage
           basin and ecosystem. Areas adjacent to the C&SF Project were added to the
           study area in order to fulfill the purpose of the authorization, which is to
           predict impacts of the C&SF Project and other human activities on the
           ecosystem. Inclusion of these areas is necessary to understand how these
           activities will impact estuaries and bays which receive water from the C&SF
           Project.


           REPORT AND STUDY PROCESS

                  Planning by the Corps of Engineers QQorps),for any Federal water,
           resources project normally is accomplished in two ph   'ases: reconnaissance and
           feasibility. The reconnaissance phase is conducted at full Federal expense,
           while the feasibility phase is shared equally between the Federal government
           and a non-Federal sponsor. For this particular project; however, there will not
           be a feasibility phase. Instead, following the reconnaissance phase will be the
           model development phase. The reconnaissance phase has been accomplished
           at full Federal expense and the model development phase is to be cost shared
           75 percent Federal and 25 percent non-Federal in accordance with the study
           authorization.




                                                   2





                                        GEORGIA


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                                                                                                STUDY AREA


                                                                                                   FIGURE 1








                    For the reconnaissance phase of this study, the objectives were to
            determine'the technical feasibility of developing and operating a simulation
            modeling system and to ascertain the Federal and non'-Federal interest in
            proceeding to the model development phase.

                    The model development phase will undertake a much more intensive
            examination of the problems of the study area while evaluating and adapting
            previous studies and models to the extent possible. The model development
            itself will be divided into phases which will miclude the development of a set of
            models and other tools. At the end of each phase, there will be an opportunity
            to evaluate progress and re-evaluate modeling efforts and objectives.


            STUDY PARTICIPANTS

                    The Corps'Jacksonville District has the primary responsibility to conduct
            this study. The Corps'Waterways Experiment Station in Vicksburg, Mississippi
            was enlisted to provide technical assistance and to develop the technical study
            plan. The, South Florida Water Management District and the Everglades
            National Park staff of the National Park Service have also been involved as
            partners. Other agencies, organizations, and individuals participated in the
            study.


            HISTORY OF THE STUDY AREA

                    The following quote and much of the           following history is from the
            Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project, Eight Years of Progress,
            1948-57 Report, published by the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control
            District (now the South Florida Water Management District) in 1957:

                       'Many centuries before the arrival of Ponce de Leon, prehistoric redmen
                lived along the shores of this immense natural water system. And various wo4s:
                still existing among the remains of their cultures show that they, too, had their
                water problems. Their difficulties with floods and droughts are not known, but
                they did dig canals for navigational and ceremonial purposes. Today these
                works can be seen easily from the air in the form of straight lines cutting
                through piney woods or in strange circles near mounds and other ancient
                earthworks.

                    In 1847, two years after Florida was granted statehood, one of the State's
            original United States Senators, J.D. Westcott, made the first known proposal -                             I
            to drain the overflowed lands. of the lower peninsula. The Senator's plan was
            based on reports of General William S. Harney, who                 'had explored the
            Everglades area, and General Thomas S. Jessup, who had directed operations

                                                        4







                         in the Kissimmee Valley and the area west and to the south. of Peace Creek.

                                The Secretary of the Treasury, in 1848, appointed Buckingham Smith of
                         St. Augustine to make a general inspection of the area. and to report his
                         findings. Smith reported to the United States Senate in June 1848 that he
                         believed the Everglades could be reclaimed by a sensible system of canaling and
                         by deepening the various streams that flowed both east and west to the coasts.
                         He believed that drainage would insure the growth of a. new agricultural
                         empire in south Florida.

                                .The United States Congress passed the "Swamp Lan& Act of 1850",
                         which conveyed the whole of Florida's swamp and overflowed lands to State.
                         ownership.. A stipulation in the act was that the sale of the lands to private
                         interests. should. finance the necessary work of reclamation. To plan for the
                         development of this huge area, a Board of Internal Improvements was created
                         in 1851 by the State Legislature.. Figure 2 shows the central and southern
                         Florida region in the mid-19th century.

                                Little progress was made in the way of internal improvements for the
                         next thirty years. Transportation was in poor shape in the state. During the
                         '
                         Civil War, several extensions of the railroads were completed, when Florida
                         became one of   . t.he main sources of supply for the Sou'th. But more railroads
                         were destroyed by both sides as the material was needed and by the end of the
                         war, rail transportation 'Was set back again. During reconstruction by the
                         carpetbag governments, the'Internal Improvement Fund became so entangled
                         in debt and politics that it was unable to accomplish anything constructive.
                         The Trustees tried to get the Fund out of debt by increasing land sales. Before
                         many deals could be made, creditors forced the District   Court of North Florida
                         to put the Fund in the hands of a receiver.

                                Thus by 1877, when actual h    ome   rule returned to the State,    Florida
                         possessed an Internal Improveme     .nt Fund in receivership, several millions in
                         worthless bonds, and high taxation. Trustees continued to sell parcels of land
                         through the receivership and the monies were used to settle claims and
                         judgments against the Fund. But the ordinary sales of land were not enough
                         to keep the debt from increasing and the Fund was being depleted by
                         compound interest and the expense of litigation.

                                Samuel A., Swann, an agent of the Trustees, was authorized to negotiate
                         the'sale of three million, acres at not less than thirty cents an acre. He spent
                         from 1877 to 1881 with northern capitalists and English financiers looking for.
                         .an immediate buyer of a large tract to save the Fund from disaster. Then mi
                         1881, the Trustees found Hamilton Disston, a Philadelphian who had inherited.
                         his father's saw works a few years earlier.


                                                                 5










                                                                                All-
                                                          ir









                                                                   .42
















                                                                                                                     lk








                                                                                      71






              .mj ixrmty %I.\ I,
              rim
       FLORIDA


                                                                           Ae















                                                                                                  4




       Source:. Corps of Engineers      Ma   of 1 856
                                           p








                                                1856 MAP OF SOUTH FLORIDA

                                                               FIGURE 2









                            On February 26,1881, Hamilton Disston signed the first contract, which
                      would drain overflowed lands south of Township 23 East and east of Peace
                      Creek in return for half the area reclaimed in the form of the odd sections In
                      each township. Disston's first project was to give Lake Okeechobee an outlet
                      to the Gulf through the Caloosahtchee River (see Figure 3). Work began at
                      Lake Flirt in January 1882 and within a year the lake's waters began to flow
                      to the Gulf through the cut and Okeechobee's level dropped considerably.

                            In July 1882, a second operation began in the upper Kissimmee valley
                      with the cutting of the Southport Canal between Lake Tohopekaligand Lake
                      Cypress. Finishing the cut, the dredge turned to connecting Lake Tohopekaliga
                      -with East Lake Tohopekaliga. This canal, called the St. Cloud Canal, was
                      begun in January 1883, and completed in September 1884. By the fall of 1883,
                      the company had opened navigation from the Gulf to the town of Kissimmee.






                                                TUIVILLI
                                          ORLANDO


                                                                           LOCAT
                                  TAMPA                                       MAP



                                                               At lastic


                                                                  Ogden

                                                        LAKI
                               Gulf of      FORT CALOINATCN  wily
                                            Myers                PALM
                                                                  BEACH
                                          DISSTON'S PROJECT WORKS


                                                     FIGURE 3



                            A tract of land on the Southport Canal, previously under three feet of
                      water, was used for sugar. cane in February 1856q94, and harvested later With
                      much success. Disston opened a sugar plantation in January 1886, just east of
                      the St. Cloud Canal on East Lake Tohopekaliga.


                                                             7
                                                                           
                                  
 







                  After Disston's death in 1896, his empire -in Florida quickly crumbled.
           Disston's drainage project did not accomplish all that was expected and, in some
           cases, led to overdrainage. But it was the first large scale project in the central
           and southern Florida area and a major part of it is AM Functioning today.

                  The State Le     lature created a Board of Drainage Commissioners in
                                91S
           1905 and turned over to them lands acquired in 1850 by the Swamp Lands Act.
           This board was vested with the authority:

               "to establish drainage districts and to fix the boundaries thereof in the State of
               Florida". They were... 'to establish a system of canals, levees, drains, dikes, and
               reservoirs ... to drain and reclaim the swamp and overflowed lands within the
               State of Florida,

                  In 1906, the Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund and               the
           Drainage Commissioners purchased and' operated dredges. Between 1906 and
           1913,225.4 miles of drainage canals were dug, including the Miami, North New
           River, and South New River Canals. During the period 1913 to 1927, six mejor
           drainage canals and numerous minor canals, totaling 440 miles; 47 miles of
           levees; and 16 locks and dams were constructed (see Figure 4). The system of
           canals and locks constructed during this period provided the groundwork for
           draining the northern and eastern parts of the Everglades region. The five
           major canals originated at Lake Okeechobee and flowed easterly toward the
           Atlantic.

                  The partial drainage of the Everglades ope         'ned the area -to farm
           settlement. The first wave of settlers came between 1910 and 1915, followed
           by another from 1920 to 1926. By 1921, the population      in the lake region was
           estimated to be around 2,000 people. Most of the cultivated land in the glades
           was developed after 1920. The, first crops grown commercially were sugarcane,
           tomatoes, beans, peas, poppers, and potatoes.

                  Although some 440 miles of canals had been completed and $18,000,000
           expended, only the Caloosahatchee and S     't. Lucie Canals provided satisfactory,
           outlets from Lake Okeechobee to the sea. The other canals lacked the slope
           necessary to reduce the lake level appreciably. In addition, efforts were so
           widely scattered that,' on the whole, there was little return for the money
           spent. It also became apparent that canals alone did not afford sufficient
           protection from overflow during unusual weather. The hurricanes of 1926 and
           1928, - created wind tides on Lake Okeechobee which overflowed the
           surrounding areas with disastrous results. The hurricanes of 1926 and 1928
           essentially marked the end of the construction period under the Everglades
           Drainage District; they also marked the start of the Federal interest in water
           control through the Corps.


                                                    8














                                                                 L A K



                                                           Off'rf CHO a Cr



                                                                             6@2


                                                                                                                             WEST



















                                                                                          Seven Af   ft"of ce."",        Fr. LAUOEMk






                                                            re in, *.P,
                                                                                                                     V/


                                                                                                      ceov




                                                                                                         c
                                                                                                         ct













                                       EVERGLADES DRAINAGE DISTRICT WORKS 1905-1948
                                                                 L A KE @stt-"'

                           C  110,00 -.1
                        Oro















                                                                                                     1-IN
                                                                                                         c(












                                                                     FIGURE 4









                  The hurricane -which struck Miami and the Lake Okeechobee region in
            1926 caused over 200.deaths and great financial loss. The Federal government
            was pressured to.take action. Then the hurricane of 1928 swept in through the.
            Palm Beach area toward the Lake.. Wind-driven water of Lake Okeechobee,-
            augmented by the torrential rains, overflowed the lake shore and drowned
            approximately. 2,400 people, near' Moore Haven, in addition to destroying a vast
            amount of property.

                  To prevent a recurrence of these disasters, the State Legislature in 1929
            created the Okeechobee Flood Control District, which was authorized to
            cooperate with the Corps in flood control undertakings. Prior to this time, the
            Corps had engaged only in the improvement of navigation in the rivers and
            harbors in the Lake Okeechobee area. After a personal insp    ection of the area
            by President Hoover, the Corps drafted a new plan which provided for the
            construction of floodway channels, control gates and major levees along
            Okeechobee's shores. Construction began in 1930.

                  in June 1936, a national flood control policy was adopted by Congress.
            The Flood Control Act of 1936 established the policy that the Federal
            Government should:

               "improve or participate in the improvement of navigable waters or their
               tributaries for flood control purposes, if the benefits to whomsoever they may
               accrue, are in excess of the estimated cost, and if the lives and social security of
               the people are' otherwise adversely affected"

                  Successive extreme dry spells of 1931 through 1945 resulted in lowered
            groundwater levels and the threat of serious saltwater intrusion into the
            municipal wells of Miami and other coastal cities.' When the water level fell in
            the Everglades area, salt water from the ocean rose in the wells upon which
            the cities depended. There was an important relationship between the areas
            around Lake Okeechobee and the other water resources of the region which
            had been overlooked in earlier efforts to drain the interior. Furthermore, land
            which in the past had regularly flooded, was now actually vanishing. The
            peaty, organic soils of the Everglades were drying out and shrinking at a clearly
            visible rate. Thousands of acres caught fire and the muck itself was consumed
            and lost forever.

                  During the dry years, with the resulting dehydration of the glades and
            the intrusion of salt water into the coastal area, it became apparent that water
            conservation was a necessary function of any drainage plan. Structures
            designed to drain certain areas while protecting them in time of flood, were
            also depriving them of necessary moisture during other periods.

                  In 1947, 100 inches of rain fell on south Florida, more than tripling the
            region's total rainfall for 1945 and ending one of the worst droughts in Florida

                                                   10








                        history. In a few weeks, the rain had drenched farmland and filled lakes and
                        canals. Then in the space of just 25 days, two hurricanes and a tropical
                        disturbance dumped more water on an already saturated area. When the rains
                        finally ceased, 90 percent of southeastern Florida, from Orlando to the Keys,
                        was, under water. The total damage of this disaster was estimated by the
                        Corps at more than $59,000,000.

                               Following the disastrous flood in 1947, the problems of the area came to
                        a climax. This flood, coupled with the experiences of the drought in 1945 and
                        the intrusion of saltwater made it imperative that immediate. corrective action
                        be startedL These actions were needed to prevent further loss of life and
                        damage to property because of floods, and to conserve water for beneficial uses
                        during periods of drought.

                               Acting upon the requests of many local agencies concerned with flood
                        control and water conservation, and under the authority of Various flood control
                        acts, river and harbor acts of Congress, and resolutions of - appropriate
                        congressional committees, the Corps' Jacksonville District conducted public
                        hearings throughout the area to determine the desires of the many local
                        interests. and to collect data from which to formulate a plan.

                               Views expressed during the public hearings stated that the problems
                        were too large and complex for the capabilities of either the State or local
                        agencies act'   alone, therefore making it practically impossible for either to
                                    Ing
                        draft a plan that would be satisfactory to all.

                               A comprehensive plan for flood control and water conservation, which
                        would encompass the entire area, while satisfying the major needs expressed
                        by the various agencies, be beneficial to the greatest number and to the largest
                        portion of the area, and be performed by the Federal government; with local
                        cooperation, seemed to offer the best solution.

                               A comprehensive report was prepared by the Corps and submitted to
                        higher authority on December 19,1947. This report stated ihatthe problems'
                        of flood protection, drainage, and water control were considered to be physically,
                        inter-related, and that the St. Johns, Kissimmee, Lake Okeechobee,
                        Caloosahatchee, and Everglades drainage areas all formed a single economic
                        unit. Accordingly, it recommended a comprehensive program in the interest of
                        "flood control, dr ainage and related purposes.'

                               Congress approved the plan as part of the Flood Control Act of June 30,
                        1948, and the report was published in House Docurwnt No. 643, 80th Congress,
                        Second Session. The basic purpose of the overall Central and Southern Florida.
                        Flood Control Project, quoted from House Docunwnt No. 643, reads:









                'In its natural state the part of central and southern Florida considered in this
                report was a vast wilderness of water, forest, prairie, and marshland.. The forces
                of nature had combined to establish a fine balance which supported the
                vegetable, animal and human life thatprevailed and resulted in building up the
                land to the condition in which white man first found it. A large part of this
                land, the Everglades, was still in a formative stage when its development began.
                The inherent fertility of the area and its resources made its development and use
                inevitable. This development, however, resulted in physical changes which
                altered the natural balance between water and soi4 and much ofthe development
                was undertaken without any real knowledge of the area or of the hazards
                involved,  The parched prairies and burning mucklands of the Everglades in
                1945, the flooding of thousands of acres offarms and communities. in 194 7, and
                the intrusion of salt water into land water supplies of the east coast are basically
                the results of altering the balance of natural forces. The basic problem of this
                area is@ @therefore, to restore the natural balance between soil and water in this
                area insofar as possible by establishing protective works, controls, and
                procedures' for conservation and use of water and land.'
                    The Governor of Florida approved the plan for the State in February
            1948. The following year, the State Legislature formed the Central and
            ,Southern Florida Flood Control District, later renamed the South Florida
            Water Management District (SFWMD), to act as a single local agency with
            which the Federal government could deal on all matters of local cooperation.


            CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN FLORIDA PROJECT

                    The USF Project, first phase, (see Plate 1) was authorized by the Flood
            Control Act of June 30, 1948 for the purposes of flood control, water level
            control, water conservation, prevention of set water intrusion, and preservation
            of fish and, wildlife.

                    The first phase consisted of most of the works necessary to afford flood
            protection to the agricultural development south of Lake Okeechobee and to
            the highly developed urban area along the lower east coast of the State.'               The
            second phase, consisting of all remaining works of the original Comprehensive
            Plan, was authorized by the Flood Control Act of September 3, 1954.
                    Improvements in Hendry County and Nicodemus, Slough Qust west of
            Lake Okeechobee) were added to the project by the Flood Control Acts of July
            3,1958, and July 14,1960, respectively. Improvements in Boggy Creek, Cutler
            Drain Area, Shingle Creek, South Dade County, and West Palm Beach Canal
            were added to the project by the Flood Control Act of October 23, 1962.
            Improvements in Sou thwest Dade County were added to the project by the



                                                         12








                           Flood Control Act of October 27, 1965; the same act also modified the 1958
                           authorization for the Hendry County improvements.

                                  The  Flood    Control Act of 1968 expanded the project to            provide for
                           increased storage and conservation of water and for improved distribution of
                           water throughout much of the project area and added recreation as a project
                           purpose. Flood control measures for Martin County were added. The 1968
                           modifications would also facilitate increased delivery of water to the Everglades
                           National Park (ENP).

                                  Section 2   of -Public Law 91-282 enacted June 19,             1970, authorized
                           appropriations for the Corps to accelerate:

                              "construction of borrow canal L-70, canal C-308, canal C-119W, and.pumpi         ng
                              station S-326, together with such other works in the plan of improvement as the
                              Director of the National Park Service and the Chief of Engineers agree are
                              necessary to meet the water requirements of the Everglades National Park:
                              Provided further, That as soon as practicable and in, any event upon completion
                              of the works specified in the preceding proviso, deliv&y. of water from the central
                              and southern Florida project to the Everglades National Park shall be not less
                              than 315,006 acre-feet annually, prorated according to the monthly schedule set
                              forth in the National Park Service letter of October 20, 1967, to the Office of the
                              Chief of Engineers, or 16.5per centum of total deliveries from the project for all
                              purposes including the park, whichever is less."

                                  Section 104 of the Everglades National Park Protection and Expansion
                           Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-229) directed the,Corps:

                              "to construct modifications to the Central and Southern Florida Project to improve
                              water deliveries into the park and shall, to the extent practicable, take steps to
                              restore the natural hydrological conditions within the park.'

                                  The authorizing acts require that local interests shall provide all lands,
                           easements, and rights-of-way; pay for relocations of highways (with cert
                           exceptions), highway bridges, and public utilities which may be required for
                           construction of project works; hold and save the United States free from damages
                           resulting from construction and operation of the works; maintain and operate
                           all works (except certain major regulating structures) after completion.and make
                           a cash contribution for each part of. the work prior to its initiation.

                                  Authorized project facilities include 30 pumping stations, 212 control and
                           diversion structures, 990 miles of levees, 978 miles of canals, 25 navigation locks,
                           and 56 railroad relocations (bridges). Construction was begu'nin January 1950.
                           The project as a whole is about 81 percent completed.



                                                                       13'








                 The project provides for an east coast protective levee extending from the:
          Homestead area north to the eastern shore of Lake Okeechobee near St. Lucie
          Canal. There are three conservation areas -for water impoundment in the
          Everglades area, west of the east coast protective levee, with control structures
          to transfer water as necessary. There are also local protective works along the
          lower east coast with an encirclement of the Lake Okeechobee agricultural area
          by levees and canals. Enlargement of portions of the Miarni, North New River,
          Hillsboro, and West Palm Beach Canals and existing Lake Okeechobee levees
          are part of the project. Also included are construction of new levees on the
          northeast and northwest shores of the Lake; increased outlet capacity for
          improved control of Lake Okeechobee; floodway channels in the Kissimmee River
          Basin,. with suitable control structures to prevent overdrainage; and facilities
          for regulation of floods in the Upper St. Johns River Basin.

                 The project provides water control and protection from the recurrence
          of flood waters for the highly developed urban'area along the lower east coast
          of Florida and for the agricultural areas around Lake Okeechobee (including the
          towns around the lake), in the Upper St. Johns and Kissimmee River Basin, and
          in south Dade County. Another project function is the conservation of flood waters
          ,for beneficial uses during dry seasons. In accordance with Public Loaws 91-282
          and 101-229, the. project also. delivers water to the ENP according to a set
          schedule.

                 The Corps operates and maintains project works on the St. Lucie Canal;
          Caloosahatchee River; Lake Okeechobee levees, channels, locks, and major
          spillways; and the main outlets for WCAs 1, 2A, and 3A. The SFWMD operates
          the remainder of the project in accordance with regulations prescribed by the
          Corps. The local sponsor has an essential role with the Corps in developing water
          management criteria for the C&SF Project. The local sponsor is responsible for
          allocation of water from project storage, except where mandated by Federal law.
















                                                  .14






                                            DESCRIPTION OF STUDY AREA


                               The study area covered by this investigation involves over 16,000 squar    e
                        'miles. The following chapter provides details      on each   of the regions that
                        comprise this large study area. Plate 2 shows the location of each of these
                        regions.



                        UPPER EAST COAST

                               The Upper East Coast area consists of approximately 1,139 square miles
                        and includes Martin and St. Lucie counties as well as a portion of eastern
                        Okeechobee County. The east coasts of Martin and St. Lucie counties are on
                        the Atlantic Ocean, and a substantial portion of Martin County's western
                        landmass borders Lake Okeechobee.

                               The land is generally flat, ranging in elevation from 15 to 60 feet NG"M1
                        in the western portion With an average of 28 feet. The coastal area ranges
                        from'sea level to 25 feet. The coastal sand hills adjacent to the Atlantic
                        Intracoastal Waterway (IVM are higher than most parts of the county and
                        reach a maximum of 60 feet.

                               The natural drainage has been altered by the construction of canals and
                        drainage ditches with. most of the    drainage going to the east coast. Urban
                        development is expan   ding along the coastal areas while the. central and western
                        portions are used primarily for agriculture where the main products are citrus,
                        truck crops, sugarcane, and beef and dairy products. The area contains the
                        Canal 23 (C-23)', C-24, and C-25 drainage basins and the drainage area served
                        by the St. Lucie Canal. The St. Lucie Canal is Lake Okeechobee's eastern'
                        outlet, exteriding 25.5 miles from Port Mayaca to tidewater at the St. Lucie
                        Estuary.

                               The geological characteristics of the area reflect the origin of the Florida
                        peninsula and those -significant climatological events that have resulted in
                        significant changes in the mean sea level over time. The coastal areas are
                        characterized by sand hills which contain much shell fragment. These overlie
                        varying limestone formations of great depth. 'Inland areas have. a notably
                        higher organic content of near surface soil, which results in a muck in low lying


                        1 All elevations in this report refer to the National Geodetic Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD)
                         unless otherwise noted.

                        2Canal desigmation

                                                                 15









           areas. In those more readily drained areas, soils tend to be sandier'in nature.
           Here also much of the area is underlain by significan limestone formations.
           Common geologic groups found in this area.include: the Pleistocene/Holocene
           Series comprised of the Anastasia Formation and undifferentiated terrace
           deposits of un -c*onsolidated sand, shell, and clay interspersed with limestone,
           sandstone, and shell beds; the Miocene/Pliocene Series which includes the
           Tamiami Formation of fossiliferous sandy limestone; the Miocene.Series which
           includes the Hawthorne Formation of a heterogeneous sequence of phosphatic,
           sandy, clayey, calcareous,. and dolomitic sediments; and, the Eocene Series
           which includes the Avon Park Limestone and the Ocala Group limestone.

                  The occurrence of surface water in the area is highly dependent upon the
           terrain and location within the area. There are no     Isignificant natural surface
           water drainage ways within the interior areas. Along the coast, the St. Lucie
           and Loxahatchee Rivers provide drainage for the coastal ridges. Natural
           drainage of rainfall runoff in'the large interior* areas has until recent times
           depended upon the interaction between surface and groundwater of the area.
           Rainfall has in times 'ast ponded on the flat interior areas until it was either
                                  p
           evaporated back* into 'the atmosphere or infiltrated into the groundwater
           system. The more recent construction of three major canals in this region has
           allowed some drainage of the interior areas to the east. More notably, except
           for Lake Okeechobee to the west, there are no significant freshwater surface
           lakes in the area.

                  As in all of south Florida, flora and fauna in this area are defined by land
           use practices and associated shifts in hydroperiods. In the Upper East Coast,
           natural resources are limited by the pasture and agricultural usage of the
           majority of inland areas, the increasing development of the coastal region, and
           the accompanying drainage of wetlands.

                  In inland areas where natural vegetation remain , eastern pineland flat
           woods predominate, with naturalized guava, slash pine, and saw palmettoas
           understory. There are some cabbage palms and scattered oak hammocks.
           Various glades, and,freshwater marshes continue to thrive in lower areas that
           have not been drained.

                  Downstream of the St. Lucie Lock and Dam, mangrove forests with asso-
           ciated buttonwoo,d are present, and the coast is populated with sand pines,
           woody shrubs, palmettos, and sea grasses. Aquatic based vegetation further
           inland includes hyacinths, water lilies, and other freshwater species.

                  Due to extensive development, wildlife is largely confined to the
           remaining forested sections of unimproved -pastures, and consists mostly'of
           common    upland species of marnmal , including armadillos, raccoons, deer,


                                                   16







                        cottontail rabbits, and gray foxes. Wading birds and water fowl inhabit the
                        marshes, and songbirds and reptiles are found along the coast. Reptiles in the
                        area are represented by alligators, ornate diamond back terrapins, and gopher
                        tortoises.

                           The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has identified four endangered
                        species in this area --*the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), red-cockaded
                        woodpecker (Dendrocopus borealis), West Indian *manatee (Trichechus
                        manatus), and Everglade Kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) and two
                        threatened species, the American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) and
                        eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais). Other endangered species, such as
                        the peregrine falcon and woodstork, may also be present. There aredesignated
                        areas of critical habitat only for manatees.


                        ST. LUCIE CANAL, AND ESTUARY

                               The St. Lucie River basin is part of a much larger southeastern Florida
                        basin which drains over 8,000 square miles. The St. Lucie River, which is
                        composed of North and South Forks, lies in Martin and St. Lucie counties in
                        the northeastern portion'of the basin. The South Fork is a relatively short
                        stretch of river. The North Fork, also known as an Aquatic Preserve, begins
                        south of Fort Pierce and flows past the city of Port St. Lucie to an estuary.

                               Much   of the St. Lucie River has been channelized and many drainage
                        canals empty into the'river, particularly the St. Lucie CAina C-23 and C-24.
                        The St. Lucie Canal, which is the largest overflow canal for Lake Okeechobee,
                        is a navigation channel 8 feet deep and 100 feet wide connecting the IWW at
                        Stuart with Lake Okeechobee at Port Mayaca. The surrounding uplands have
                        also been modified by the extensive development associated with the cities of
                        Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Palm City, North River Shores and other residential
                        areas.


                            Beginning at the east central shore of the Lake, the St. Lucie Canal extends
                        across a relatively high sandy ridge in a generally northeast direction to join
                        the South Fork, an improved natural watercourse which drains northerly into
                        St. Lucie River. The can  al discharge is controlled at the Port Mayaka Lock and
                        spillway located 25 miles downstream from Lake Okeechobee and the St. Lucie
                        Lock and Dam at the eastern end of the canal.

                               The main vegetative communities along the North Fork are mangrove,
                        freshwater swamp, and tidal flats. The river is a breeding and nursery area
                        for crab, shrimp, and various fisheries. The corridor is also a nesting area for



                                                                 17








          theBald Eagle, American Oystercatcher, raptors, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers,
          alligators, and a variety of wading birds.

                 The St. Lucie.River claims 83 species of fish, 17 of which are freshwater
          varieties. Among the most common are striped mullet, yellowfin, menhaden,
          sea catfish, and black crappies.


          KISSIMMEE RIVER BASIN

                 The Kissimmee River Basin (see Figure 5) is comprised of 3,013 square
          miles, and extends from Orlando southward to Lake Okeechobee. The
          watershed, which is the largest providing surface water to the Lake, is about
          105 miles long and has a maximum width of 35 miles..

                 Project works in the b    asin for flood control   and navigation were
          constructed by the Corps, as part of the C&SF Project. Upper Basin works
          consist of channels and structures that control water flows through 18 natural
          lakes into Lake Kissimmee." The Lower Basin includes the chiannelized
          Kissimmee River (C-38) as a 56-mile earthen canal extending from Lake
          Kissimmee to Lake Okeechobee.

                 The northern portion of the basin is comprised of many lakes, some of
          which have been interconnected by canals. This large sub-basin often termed
          the "Upper Basin" or "Chain of Lakes", is bounded on the southern end by State
          R,oad 60, where the largest of the lakes, Lake Kissimmee, empties into the
          Kissimmee River.

                 The Upper Basin is 1  633 square miles which includes Lake Kissimmee
          and the east and west chain of lakes area in Orange and Osceola Counties. A
          758-square-mile Lower Basin, includes the tributary watersheds of the
          Kissimmee River between the outlet in Lake Kissimmee and Lake Okeechobee.
          The 622-square-mile Lake Istokpoga area provides tributary inflow to the
          Lower Basin.

                                        most heavily populated and intensively developed
                 The Upper Basin is the
          part of the watershed. The main municipalities are the southern half of
          Orlando; Kissimmee, which is the center of the cattle industry in central
          Florida; St. Cloud and Haines City. Walt Disney World is located in the Reedy
          Creek Improvement District in the upper portion -of the b

                 The Lower Basin contains large areas devoted to improved and
          unimproved pasture for dairy and beef cattle. The Avon Park Air Force
          Bombing Range is located on the west side of the Kissimmee River. This


                                                 18








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                                                                                         SIMIM RIVER BASIN

                                                                                                 FIGURE 5








           military facility maintains an active resource management program for its large,
           areas of natural grazing lands and wetlands.

                  Historically, the Kissimmee River meandered approximately 103 miles
           within a one to two mile wide flood plain.      The flood -plain was 49,000 acres
           .(USFWS, 1991), sloping gradually to the south from an elevation of about 51
           feet at Lake Kissimmee to about 15 feet at Lake Okeechobee; falling an average
           of I about one-third of a foot in elevation over each - mile of the river. Under
           historic conditions, river flows generally exceeded 250 cubic- feet per second (cfs)
           95 percent of the time, while overbank flooding occurred when flows exceeded
           1,400 cfs in the upper reaches to 2,000 cfs in the lower reaches. The river
           moved very slowly, with normal river velocities averaging less than two feetper
           second.

                   Major plant communities found within these wetlands included
           maidencane and beakrush wet prairies, broadleaf marsh, and woody shrub.
           Other plant communities common in the wetlands, but not distributed
           extensively, included wetland hardwoods, cypress stands, oak-cabbage
           hamrhocks, switchgrass, sawgrass, and floating mats or tussocks (Pierce et al.,
           1982).

                  Distribution and maintenance of plant communities within the river
           wetlands depended on prolonged inundation and seasonally fluctuating water
           levels (Dineen et al., 1974; Toth, 1991). A fluctuating hydroperiod, coupled with
           the undulating topography of the flood plain, a meandering river channel,
           oxbows, and natural discontinuous levees, enhanced and maintained habitat
           diversity, including a mosaic of intermixed vegetation types (Perrin et al., 1982).

                  In the mid-1.950',s, the river fishery supported an estimated 35,000 fishing
           days annually in the 90-mile reach between' the center of the current Pool A
           and the Government Cut at the lower end of the river. The rough fish (gar
           and bowfin) to game fish ratio is believed to'have been about two-to-dne. The
           Kissimmee River was especially renowned for its largernouth bass fishery.
           During normal water conditions, it was estimated that greater that 75% of the
           total fishing effort on the river would be directed toward black bass.

                  In, the 1950's, the Kiss       ee River flood plain harbored a large and
           diverse wintering waterfowl population, including ring-necked ducks, American
           widgeon, northern pintail, and blue-winged teal (USFWS 1958).. The winter
           duck population was estimated at about 12,500 birds. White and glossy ibis also
           were found in the grassy wet prairies and flooded pastures of the Lower
           Kissimmee Basin. Wet prairies were the most valuable of the wetland
           communities to waterfowl. 'Under hydrologic conditions during this time, wet
           prairies were dry from spring through early summer, allowing annual plants


                                                    20







                        such'as wild millet.to germinate and produce seed.       Fall and early winter
                        flooding made wet prairies attractive feeding sites.

                              In the past, south Florida's wetland habitats. have supported      a great
                        diversity and abundance of wading birds - one of the largest centers of
                        abundance in the world Mushlan and White, 1977). Despite the 95% reduction
                        in wading bird. population in the state reported since the 1800's, all fourteen
                        species of wading birds found in the eastern United States were reported
                        nesting in Florida in 1977 (Custer and Osborn). The number of wading birds
                        on the Kissimmee River flood plain prior th channelization was estimated at
                        .18,000 birds (USFWS).

                              The river and flood plain were not discreet and independent ecosystems,
                        and the ebb and flow of their life was closely interrelated. In November, ducks
                        and probers, such as snipe and ibis, fed in the sloughs, potholes and wet
                        prairies in upland areas near the tree line. Many of the same populations used
                        the potholes, oxbows, backwaters, and marshes of the flood plain in February,
                        and the river and the deepest marshes and cypress swamps near theriver mi
                        May. In the 1950's, peak populations of ducks and wading birds centered in and
                        around Lake Okeechobee ranged out to the Kissimmee, the Upper St. Johns
                        River basin, areas known as the Water Conservation Areas. (WCAs) south of
                        Lake Okeechobee, and the northern reaches of ENP when and where water
                        and feeding conditions were most favorable.


                        LAKE OKEECHOBEE

                              Lake Okeechobee lies 30 miles west from the Atlantic coast and 60 miles.
                        east from the Gulf of Mexico in the central part of the peninsula. Lake
                        Okeechobee is a broad shallow lake which occurs as a bedrock depression. The
                        large, roughly circular lake, with a surface area of approximately 730 square'
                        miles, is the principal natural reservoir, in southern Florida. Historically, its
                        depth has ranged from about 10 to 20 feet, and its bottom is near sea level.
                        Lake Okeechobee is the second largest freshwater lake wholly within the
                        United States. 'The drainage area,, including the lake area, is about 5,600
                        square miles. The drainage is derived from the Kissimmee River basin, Taylor
                        Creek, Nubbin Slough, Nicodemus Slough, Fisheating Creek, Indian Prairie
                        Canal, Harney Pond Canal, the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), Lake
                        Istokpoga, and contiguous areas.

                              The lake's largest outlets include the St. Lucie Canal eastward to the
                        Atlantic Ocean and the- Caloosahatchee Canal and River to the    Gulf of Mexico.
                        The four major agricultural canals, West. Palm Beach, Hillsboro, North New
                        River, and Miami Canals, have a smaller capacity, but are used whenever


                                                               21








           possible to release excess water to the WCAs, south of the lake, when storage
           and discharge capacity are available. When regulatory releases from the lake
           are required, excess water can be passed to the three WCAs up to the capacity
           of the pumping stations and agricultural canals, with the remainder going to
           the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico.

                 The waters of the lake are impounded by a system of encircling levees,
           which form a multi-purpose reservoir for navigation, water -supply, flood
           control, and recreation. Pumping stations and control structures in the levee
           along Lake Okeechobee are designed to move water either into or out of the
           lake as needecL

                 The geologic characteristics of the Lake area are s imilar to those found
           in the Upper East Coast area although near surface conditions reflect the effect
           of the flatter nature of the terrain. This has led to the formation of a more
           organic layer of topsoil in the northern and southern areas of the Lake.

                 Other surface water bodies include the Kissimmee River, Fisheating
           Creek, and Taylor Creek which flow into the Lake from the north; the
           Caloosahatchee River which flows out of the Lake to the west; the St. Lucie
           and West Palm Beach Canals that flow out of the Lake Io the east; and the
           Hillsboro, North New River, and Miami Canals that flow out of the Lake to the
           south. The hydroperiod of the Lake is controlled, permitting water levels to
           fluctuate with flood and drought conditions and the demand for water supply.

                 The environmental setting of the Lake has been altered significantly by
           the construction and operation of works designed to reduce nearby flooding and
           enhance water supply capabilities by regulating lake levels. The levee system
           that surrounds the lake and the manipulation of water levels have resulted in
           increased development in contiguous areas.

                 The effects of water control and the associated changes in the water
           quality of Lake Okeechobee are being studied by local, State, and Federal
           agencies. There are concerns. about the large inflows of water containing
           nutrients, phosphates, and pesticides which could have serious and detrimental
           effects on water quality of the Lake. The SFWMD recently reported that
           phosphorous concentrations in Lake Okeechobee have reached an all time high
           of,0.12 parts per million, which well exceeds the SFWMD's targeted level of
           0.04 ppm (Everglades Status: A Report, October 25, 1988, Prepared by the
           Office of Planning and Budgeting, Governor Bob Martinez, p. 3).

                 The water control 'system surrounding the lake and the associated
           drainage and   settlement have also extensively altered the original plant
           communi ies. The resul    ting distinctive vegetation within the dikes can be


                                                 22








                                                                                  osal islands, natural
                       classified into four types - dike/berm areas,b.erm areas/disP
                       islands, and the littoral zone.

                              The dike/berm areas are covered with herbaceous species maintained by
                       mowing, including Bermuda and Argentine bahia grasses and brown mullet,
                       with invasion by Spanish needles, periwinkles, and pepper and panic grasses.

                              The berm areas/disposal islands are invaded with exotic tree species
                       such as Melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, and Australian pine.. The natural islands
                       in Lake Okeechobee contain upland and wetland species.

                              The limited upland areas are reserved. for wild grasses, Melaleuca, shrub
                       forests, and citrus, with 'some fig trees, guava, castor beans, and royal palm.
                       There is a dense cover of torpedo and napier grass, along with Bermuda reed,
                       and water penny wort. Small willows and custard apple trees are scattered,
                       and water hemp can be found in exposed areas.

                              The littoral zone includes marshes extending from the upland-exotic
                       plant communities at the levees to bullrush, cattail, and spikerush at 10 to 12
                       feet. The marsh encompasses a band from one-half to nine miles wide on the
                       western side of the lake. The 95,000 acres of marsh support spikerush, beak
                       rush, cattail, willow, bullrush, and wire cordgrass. There is some preserved
                       cypress swamp, most notably near the northeastern shore. Land outside of the
                       levees is devoted primarily to agriculture, with cattle'ranchers and dairy
                       farmers to the north, and sugarcane and vegetable growers to the south in the
                       EAA.

                              Lake Okeechobee is known to support 43 species of fish. It is frequented
                       by both sportsmen seeking mostly crappie, largemouth bass, warmouth,
                       bluegill, and redear sunfish; and by commercial fishermen harvesting catfish
                       and black crappie.

                              Waterfowl are prevalent    at Lake Okeechobee. In addition to the
                       predominant diving ducks, there are a variety of dabblers (including widgeon,
                       pintail, teals, Florida duck, and mallard) which utilize the food and shelter
                       offered by the marshes. Wading birds, such as the great egret, cattle egret,
                       snowy egret, white ibis,, glossy ibis, and woodstork also inhabit the marshes.

                              The. Lake Okeechobee area contains several reptiles, including the
                       American alligator, ornate diamondback terrapin, soft-shelled turtle, brown
                       snake, indigo snake, and common mammal such as the raccoon and Florida
                       water rat. Four endangered/threatened species: the endangered manatee
                       (Trichechus manatus), woodstork (Mycteria anwricana), Florida Everglade kite
                       (Rostrahmus sociabilis plumbeus), and Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi)


                                                              23









           have been identified in this area. The western side of Lake Okeechobee is,
           designated critical habitat for the Everglade kite. One bald eagle (Haliaeetus
           kucocephalus) nest site has been located near the lake.


           EVERGLADES AGRICULTURAL AREA

                  The lands located immediately        south and southeast of the      lake   are
           known as the Everglades, Agricultural Area (FAA). This area of about 700,000
           acres is rich, fertile agricultural land.  The average ground elevation is about
           12 feet. Prior to the mid 1930's, the EAA was largely either undeveloped or
           devoted to the production of sugar cane crops. However, with the construction
           of the C&SF Project, the containment of Lake Okeechobee, and the improved
           runoff handling capabilities south of the Lake, agricultural use has intensified.

                  The flat nature of the area has permitted the gradual formation of a
           highly productive soil wel.1-suited for farming. Today, the land is used primarily
           for sugarcane; along with some truck crops, including beans, celery, cabbage
           tomatoes, and peppers.. A large portion of the area is devoted to beef-cattle
           production on improved pasture.

                  The general soil types near the southeastern shore of Lake Okeechobee:
           are -Okeechobee muck and Okeelanta peaty muck, Everglades peat and peaty
           muck are found farther south. The area is encircled by levees to protect
           against floodwaters. A network of canals, structures, and levees divides the
           area to provide for removal of excess water to Lake Okeechobee and the W-CAs
           and for delivery of water from Lake Okeechobee for dry season use.

                  Included in this,area are two non-agricultural areas, the Holey Land and
           the Rotenberger. Tract. The Holey Land encompasses 49.6 square miles of
           state-owned land. It is mainly wet prairie and marsh, but due to water
           management practices it receives less water than it did historically under
           natural conditions.

                  Four major habitat types exist in the Holey Land, including tree isla       nds,
           sawgrass marshes,    Ishrub cornmunitie   s, and a mixture of shrubs and sa'wgrass.
           The area represents an Everglades environment in transition to a terrestrial
           plant community of willow, elderberry, salt bush, dog fennel, and wax myrtle.

                  While fish are limited, 71 species of birds have been identified,
           predominantly in and around the tree islands. The most common are the
           yellow throat, yellow-rumped warbler, and red wing blackbird. Wading birds,
           such as ibis and the great egret, are less apparent due to the dryer conditions.
           Similarly, mammals are mostly of the small variety - e.g., cotton rat and cotton


                                                     24







                        mouse --although there are,somie white-tailed deer. There are approximately
                        10 species of snakes. The endangered woodstork (Mycteria anwricana) is
                        present'in this area, and the Holey Land is a possible site for the endangered
                        Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi). The SFWMD, in cooperation with the
                        Florida Game, and Fresh Water Fish Commip-gion (FGFWFQ, (Memorandum
                        of Agreement dated October 7, 1983) is developing a plan to restore the Holey
                        Land by controlling the water level and to monitor changes in water quality
                        and vegetation.

                               The Rote.nber'ger Tract is 35.5 squaremiles located west of the Holey
                        Land,  and is.partially privately-owned. The,area is at a slightly higher
                        elevation and contains numerous tree islands which can support more deer.

                               The  geolo ical characteristics of this area are similar to other areas
                                         91
                        except for  the near surface soils. These are the result of the prolonged
                        coverage of vegetation on the flat, poorly drained soils.. Under this condition,
                        the decaying vegetation developed a layer of organic muck above the normally.
                        sandy soil. This layer of muck was originally some 14 to 17 feet thick when
                        cultivation was initiated., However, the highly organic nature of the muck
                        causes an extremely accelerated rate of oxidation when the soil is dried and
                        exposed to open air. Thus,@ the depth of this layer has been decreasing. Below
                        this topsoil lies a more,sandy, limestone formation which is similar to that.
                        found in the East Coast area.

                               The occurrence of surface water in the area is now a direct result of the
                        construction of the numerous conveyance and drainage canals. The Miami, the
                        North New River, and the Hillsboro Canals traverse the area north-south, and
                        the Bolles and the Cross Canals extend east-west. Water levels and flows are
                        stringently manipulated. in. the canals to achieve optimum crop growth and
                        minimal soil oxidation. Major surface impoundments in the area are non-.
                        existent.



                        WATER CONSERVATION AREAS


                        General

                               The  Water   Conservation   Areas (WCAs), Figure     6,' are an integral
                        component of the Everglades and freshwater supplies for south Florida. The
                        WCAs, located south and east of the EAA, comprise an area of about 1,350
                        square miles, including 1,337 square miles of the original Everglades, which
                        averaged some 40 miles in width and extended approximately, 100 miles
                        southward from Lake Okeechobee to the sea.



                                                               25









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                                                   FIGURE 6







                               The WCAs provide a detention reservoir for excess         water from the.
                        agricultural area and parts of the east coast region, and for flood discharge from
                        Lake Okeechobee. The WCAs also provide levees needed to preventEverglades
                        floodwaters from inundating the east coast, while providing a water supply for
                        east coast agricultural lands and the ENP; improving water supply for east
                        coast communities by recharging the Biscayne 'Aquifer (the sole source of
                        drinking water for southern Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, and Monroe counties);
                        retard salt water intrusion in coastal well fields; and benefit fish and wildlife
                        in the Everglades.

                               Soils throughout the area are generally Loxahatchee peats. These peats
                        vary greatly in depth and are soft and subject to large volumetric changes -when
                        drained. The area is underlain by either a sandy limestone or a highly porous
                        marl. The depth of the surface layer may vary. Throughout the area the
                        deeper substrates are Pleistocene marine and freshwater limestone as well as
                        some shelly sands.

                               The characteristics and occurrence of surface water in this area have
                        been greatly altered by the construction of the levees and control structures for
                        each WCA Historically, surface water moved through this area in a more
                        random sheet flow nature with no major well-defined drainage ways. Overland
                        flow generally began in Lake Okeechobee to the north moving southeast across'
                        the glades. However, the coastal ridge to the east prevented this water from
                        reaching the Atlantic. Instead, it gradually turned the water westward to
                        eventually empty into the Gulf of Mexico and Florida Bay areas via the ENP
                        area. During floiods, much water flowed out of the Everglades through the
                        transverse glades in the coastal ridge to the Atlantic Ocean.

                               However, with the'construction.of the major drainage canals in the
                        1920's and the later construction of the WCAs in the 1950-60's, surface flow
                        patterns were greatly altered. The major canals provided the means to -drain
                        surface water directly to the Atlantic Ocean. The WCAs provided the means
                        to intercept and retain surface flow until such time as it could be released as
                        desired. This has.led to almost a complete regulation and control ofthe surface
                        flow through this area.    '  Water levels are now a direct result, of the
                        superimposed regulation schedules by which the overall system is operated.
                        The net result is an increased hydroperiod (or the time over which an area is
                        inundated) for most areas within the WCAs and a decreased hydroperiod for
                        certain areas immediately adjacent to and/or downstream of the WCAs. Not
                        only has the duration of inundation been altered but so has the depth. This
                        has been most noticeable along the leveed borders of the WCAs where
                        permanent surface water is now found.




                                                                27








                  Vegetation in the area consists chiefly of mixed varieties of grasses and.
           semitropical water plants and sawgrass. This vegetation, when undisturbed by
           fire or prolonged flooding, effectively covers the ground to heights of 3 to 6 feet.
           There are also many hammocks of myrtle and bay which grow to a height of
           10 feet.

                  Three major habitat types exist in these WCAs: tree, islands, sawgrass
           marshes, and wet prairies (including sloughs). The tree islands are inhabited
           by wax myrtle, red bay, and swamp and royal fern. Sawgrass marshes support
           mostly wetland species of button bush, willow, and wax myrtle. The wet
           prames contain typical wetland vegetation, including maidenc'ane, . spikerush,
           and beakrush. Sloughs in these areas are more reminiscent of the ideal
           Everglades pattern and support aquatic species such as water lotus*, water
           hyssop, and bladderwort.

                  While parts of the southern WCAs are more typical of the Everglades,
           the more northern regions (WCA 3A, e.g.) display some transitional terrestrial
           understory vegetation. WCA 2 also varies from the Everglades environment,
           in this case due to the effects of the 'extended hydroperi6d and increased water
           depths caused by impoundment. As a result, in WCA 2, the original plant
           communities - wet prairies, sloughs, tree islands, and open marsh - have been
           altered. Major plant communities include remnants of tree islands, with
           dahoon holly, wax 'myrtle, and red bay; open water sloughs, supporting such
           plants as water lotus and bladderwort; and large areas of sawgrass mixed with
           cattail.

                  The wet prairie vegetation has been virtually destroyed. Recent draw-
           down efforts designed to restore the natural alternation between wet and dry
           seasons have meant an increase in slough and wet prairie species, and some
           new herbaceous growth on the tree islands. Because of the slow movement of
           water 'in those, densely vegetated areas, rapid removal of flood storage from the
           interior of those areas via the canals is limited.

                  WCA I is designated as the Arthur R Marshall Loxahatchee National
           Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) managed by the USFWS. WCAs 2 and 3 are public
           hunting and fishing areas comprising the Everglades Wildlife Management Area
           maintained by the FGFWFC.

                  The WCAs are rich in fish and wildlife resources. The Florida Panther,
           Everglades Kite, Wood Stork, the American Alligator, and White-tailed Deer are
           only a few of the species that inhabit the WCAs.





                                                   28








                         The WCAs     are frequen ted by wading birds.   Prawns, crayfish, and fish,
                      including the Florida gar and flagfish, are well adapted to the'wet conditions
                      and white-tailed deer tolerate wet conditions in some of the areas.

                             The endangered woodstork (Mycteria anwriccm) and Everglade kite
                      (Rostrhamus socilabilisplumbeus) inhabit parts of the WCAs. Much of the area
                      has been designated as critical habitat for the Everglade kite., In fact, the
                      USFWS manages the Refuge (WCA 1) to protect the Everglade snail kite and
                        aintain the marsh habitat and apple snails critical to the kite's survival.

                      Water Conservation Area 1

                             WCA 1 is about -21 miles long from north to south and comprises an area
                      of 221 square miles. The West Palm Beach Canal lies at the extreme northern
                      boundary,and on the south the Hillsboro Canal separates WCA 1 from WCA 2.
                      Ground elevations slope about 5 feet in 10 miles, both to the north and to the
                      south from the west center of the area, varying, from over 16 feet in the
                      northwest to less than 12 feet in the south. The. area, which is enclosed by
                      about 58 miles of levee (approximately 13 miles of which are common to
                      WCA 2), provides storage for excess rainfall,. excess runoff fr 'om agricultural
                      drainage areas of the West Palm Beach Canal (230 square miles) and the
                      Hillsboro Canal (146 square miles), and excess water from Lake Okeechobee.
                      Inflow comes from rainfall and runoff from the EAA through canals at the
                      northern end. Release of water for dry-season use is controlled by structures
                      in the West Palm Beach Canal, the Hillsboro Canal, and in the north-south
                      levee which forms the eastern boundary of the area. When stages exceed the
                      regulation schedule, excess water in WCA 1 is discharged to WCA 21.

                             The Refuge was established in 1951 by an agreement with the SFWMD
                      and the, USFWS. It is made up of sawgrass marshes, wet priiies, sloughs, and
                      tree islands. Endangered and threatened species such as the snail kite and the
                      American alligator live in this wetland habitat. The USFWS has the
                      responsibility of managing and protecting the wildlife resources of the Refuge.
                      Over 250 species of birds live at the Refuge, including ibises, egrets, herons,
                      and snail kites. Migratory ducks "such as blue-winged teal and ring-necked
                      ducks are plentiful during the winter months along with the resident mottled
                      ducks and wood ducks. Raccoons, river otters, bobcats, and white-tailed deer
                      also live on the Refuge, as well. as rabbits, coveys of bobwhite, and small
                      reptiles.

                      Water. Conservation Area 2

                             WCA'2 is comprised of two areas, 2A and 2B, and measures about 25
                      miles from north to south and covers an area of 210 square miles. It is

                                                             29








          separated from the other WCAs by the Hillsboro Canal on the north and the
          North New River Canal on the south., Ground elevations slope southward at
          2. to 3 feet in 10 miles, ranging from over 13 feet in the northwest to less than
          7 feet in the south. The area is enclosed by about 61 miles of levee, of which
          approximately 13 miles are common to WCA I and 15 miles to WCA 3. An
          interior levee across the southern portion of the area reduces water losses due
          to seepage into an extremely pervious aquifer at the southern end of the pool
          and prevents overtopping, of the southern exterior levee by hurricane. waves.

                 The upper pool, WCA 2A, provides a 173-square-mile reservoir for.
          storage of excess water from WCA 1 and a. 125-square-mile agricultural
          drainage area of the North New River Canal. Storage in WCA 2A provides
          water supply to the east coast urban areas of Deerfield Beach and Fort
          Lauderdale and irrigation water to approximately 75,000 acres of east coast
          agricultural area bordering the Pompano Canal (C-14) and Middle Riveir Canal
          (C-13) areas. Water enters the area from WCA 1 and the Hillsboro Canal on
          the northeast side, and from the North New River Canal on the northwest side.
          Water in excess of that required for efficient operation of WCA 2A is discharged
          to WCA 3 via structures into C,14, the North New River Canal, and WCA 2B.

                 WCA 2B has ground elevations ranging from 9.5 feet 'in the northern
          portions down to 7.0 feet in the southern portions of the area. The area
          experiences a high seepage rate which does not allow for long term storage of
          water, and as a result, water is not normally released from the area.

          Water Conservation Area 3

                 WCA 31 is also divided into two parts, 3A and 3B. It is about 40 miles long
          from north to south and comprises about 915 square miles, making it the
          largest of the conservation areas. Ground elevations, which slope southeasterly
          one to three feet in ten miles, range from over 13 feet in the northwest to six
          feet in the southeast. The Miami Canal traverses the area from northwest to
          southeast, and the North New River Canal separates it from WCA 2. The area
          is enclosed by about I I I miles of levee, of which 15 miles are common to WCA
          2. An interior levee system across the'southeastern comer of the area reduces
          seepage into an extremely pervious aquifer.

                 The upper pool, WCA 3A, provides a 752-square-mile area for storage of
          excess water from WCA 2A, rainfall excess from approximately 750 square miles
          in Collier and Hendry Counties and from 71 square miles of the Davie
          agricultural area lying east of Pumping Station 9, and excess water from a 208-'
          Aquare-mile agricultural drainage area of the Miami Canal and other adjacent
          areas to the north. Water enters WCA SA from various sources on the
          northern and eastem sides. The storage is used to meet the principal watef

                                                 30







                         supply -needs of. adjacent areas, including urban water supply and salinity
                         control requirements for- Dade County, irrigation requirements, and water
                         supply for the ENP.


                         LOWER EAST COAST AREA

                               The Lower East Coast area, which consists of the coastal ridge section
                         in Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade Counties, is a strip of sandy land which
                         forms the eastern border of the WCAs. The ground surface of the flatlands -in
                         the west ranges from about 25 feet in the upper part of the region to about 5
                         feet in lower Dade County. The coastal ridge is comprised of broad, low dunes
                         and ridges with elevations ranging from 10 to 25 feet. This ridge area ranges
                         from 2 to 4 miles in width from the northern part of the area down to northern
                         Nliami. South of Miami the ridge becomes less pronounced but signifi          IY
                         wider.

                               The Lower East Coast area i   s the most densely populated part of the
                         State. The largest population centers are near the coast and include the cities
                         of Miami, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Hollywood. The coastal
                         canals are controlled near the coastal shoreline to prevent overdrainage and to
                         resist salt water intrusion through these canals into the ground water and well
                         lelds upon which the urban areas depend for a potable water supply.

                               This area is characterized by sandy flatlands to the- 'west, the sandy
                         c,oastal ridge, and the coastal marsh and mangrove swamp areas along the
                         Atlantic. seaboard. The northern portion, generally that part north of Dade
                         County, marks the shore of a higher Pleistocene Sea and occurs as one or more
                         relict beach ridges. The southern portion appears to be marine deposited sands-
                         or marine limestones.

                               Extensive development has resulted in nearly complete urbanization of
                         the coastal region from West Palm Beach southward through Miami, and these
                         physiographical characteristics have been greatly. overshadowed. South of
                         Mami, in Dade County, this coastal area widens as the Everglades bends to the
                         west to include urban areas and agricultural areas that extend almost to the
                         southern coast. Dade County's agricultural industry covers more than 83,000
                                  he southwest of the coastal metropolitan. Vegetables, tropical fruits,
                         acres in t
                         and nursery plants. are grown in this area.

                               The Atlantic Coastal Ridge supported pine or mixed forests and
                         contained natural drainage ways through which water flowed from the
                         Everglades to the Atlantic Ocean during high water periods. Coastal marshes
                         and swamps generally surround the bays and inlets.


                                                               31








                   Southeast of the Everglades and Atlantic Coastal'Ridge is the Southern
            Slope. This area is composed of mangrove swamps and coastal glades. .-.The@
            mangrove swamps formed a belt just inland from the barrier beaches on the.-.,:.
            northeast part of the Southern Slope, and only relics of -these mangroves exist
            today. To the south, they broaden into a band eight to ten miles wide -and
            range in elevation from slightly below sea. level to approximately, two feet.

                   Behind t  'he mangrove swamps he the coastal glades or freshwater.
            marshes composed of layers of calcite mud soils, called Perrine Marl, and peat.
            These soils vary in depth from less than one foot to over six feet and cover
            limestone. The soils thin gradually inland until the bedrock of Miami,Oolite
            outcrops and provides the separation between -the Southern Slope and the
            Everglades. The predominate vegetations of the middle portion of the
            Southern Slope are sawgrass, spike rush, willow marshes, and dwarf cypress.

                   The environment of the Lower East Coast has been seriously altered by
            both urban and agricultural development. Much of what was once wetland or
            marsh, for example, is now utilized for agriculture - including vegetables, citrus,
            sugarcane, and grazing - or residential and related urban growth. Similarly, the
            natural surface water regime and sheet flow has been converted into a system
            of canals, levees, and control structures. There are no significant areas of
            surface storage east of the WCAs.,

                   The climate resembles that of most of south Florida and is characterized
            by long hot summers and short mild winters. Temperatures range from a
            mean low of around 67* in February to a mean high of 83* in August. Most
            of the average 60 inches of rainfall per year occurs between May and October.
            The area is subject to hurricanes and tropical storms, on the one hand, and
            droughts, on the other.

                   The geology in this area is characterized by sandy topsoil overlying a
            very porous marl and limestone formation. Much of the Lower East Coast is,
            comprised of the coastal ridge which historically formed the shoreline of the
            lower coast. The ridge itself is the remnant of the sea and wind-swept dune
            system common to seaside areas. The occurrence of large wale marl deposits
            reflects the historical inundation of the area during periods of higher sea levels.
            The extremely flat nature of areas surrounding the ridge was very conducive
            to the deposition of marine sediments and the subsequent formation of the
            marl. Deeper in the area, the limestone common to the western areas becomes
            predominant, exhibiting many of the same characteristics found elsewhere in
            the study area.

                   Vegetation and the wildlife supported by it is varied. Those areas not
            devoted to agriculture or urban development range from pine flatwoods, saw


                                                    32








                       palmetto prairies, and prairie grasslands in the northern section, to cypress
                       swamps, prairies and marshes, and mangrove swamps farther south.

                             The Loxahatchee Slough, located in Palm Beach County, is typical of the
                       Lower East Coast area due to its natural sheet flow now being regulated by a
                       control structure (S-46). The original wet prairie and marsh vegetation has
                       been replaced by increased drainage and the resultant changes in hydroperiods,
                       development, timbering practices, and the, invasion of exotics. The cypress
                       swamps have suffered the effects of logging and have been invaded by
                       melaleuca. Because of dryer conditions, wetlands and prairie areas are now
                       inhabited by slash pine, and marsh -areas now support wax myrtle, saltbush,
                       and Brazilian pepper.

                             Despite these changes, in addition to the deer, foxes, raccoons, and
                       armadillos which can be found in this area, there are five endangered and two
                       threatened species. These include the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker
                       (Dendrocopos borealis), Florida Everglade kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis
                       plumbeus), Kirtland's warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii), peregrine falcon (Falco
                       peregrinus tundrius), and bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), and the
                       threatened eastern indigo snake (Drymamhon corais couperi) and American
                       alligator (Alligator mississippiensis).

                             Located south of the Loxahatchee Slough, the area around the West
                       Palm Beach Canal displays similar shifts from original sawgrass, marsh, cypress
                       forest, and wet prairie to slash pine forests with scattered cabbage palm, saw
                       palmetto, and some c ress. The exotic Australian pine was planted to reduce
                                            yp
                       erosion along the canal. The game endangered and threatened species
                       identified in the Loxahatchee Slough can be found in this region as well.

                             Sections of Palm Beach and neighboring Broward Counties support
                       prairie grasslands and cypress swamps.          The prairie grasslands are
                       characterized by wire cordgrass, sawgrass, beakrush, and needlegrass. This
                       vegetation provides habitat for the sandhill crane and burrowing owl, as well
                       as numerous reptiles and marnmal . It is subject to flooding and often utilized
                       for cattle grazing. The flora and fauna of the swamp forests are adapted to the
                       fluctuating water levels common in these areas. Vegetation (including
                       sawgrass, cypress, cocoa plum, air plants, and invading melaleuca) and fish and
                       wildlife (reptiles, birds, deer, bears, and panthers) are well-suited to this
                       environment.

                             While agriculture and urbanization have claimed much of Dade County,
                       this most southern area of the Lower East Coast does retain some of its natural
                       environment. There is land around C-111, for example, which continues to be
                       occupied by freshwater prairies, wetlands, and mangroves. Cypress domes and

                                                             33








          bayheads (containing red bay, cocoa plum, myraine, poisonwood, and ferns) are
          scattered within the broad plain.- The graminoid plain boasts a mixed
          community of muhly grass, beardgrass, maidencane, sawgrass, and spikerush.
          Farther south, spike rush, sawgrass, and red mangrove predominate.

                 This southern area provides rich and varied habitat for numerous species
          of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. The Upper Florida Bay
          serves as a nursery area for pink, shrimp, red drum, croaker", and sea trout, in
          part due to its lower salinity. The coastal marshes are more suited for snook,
          tarpon,' ladyfish, and mullet. In addition, five endangered species have been
          located in this area. These are the Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Ammospiza
          rwritima mirabilis), American crocodile (Crocodylus actutus), Florida panther
          (Felis concolor coryi), West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus), and bald
          eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Designated critical habitat exists for the Cape
          Sable seaside sparrow, the manatee, and the Florida crocodile. In fact, an
          18,000-acre sanctuary has been created for the crocodiles in the northeastern
          portion of Florida Bay.


          BISCAYNE BAY

                 Biscayne Bay is a shallow, tidal sound located near the extreme south-
          eastern part of Florida. Its original areal extent approximated 216 square,.
          miles, but it has since undergone major areal modifications as a result of
          development. Most shorelines and the northernmost extent.of the bay'have
          been greatly modified by dredging and filling such that the'original headwaters
          no longer exist. The head is now considered to include dredged areas known
          as Maule, Lake and Durnfoundling Bay, near the northern boundary of Dade
          County. The bay extends about 38 miles in a south-southwesterly direction
          from:Dumfoundling Bay on the north to Card Sound on the south. It varies in
          width from less than 1 mile in the vicinity of the IW passage. to
          Durnfoundling Bay, to about 9 miles between the mainland and the reefline
          extending southward from Key Biscayne Island.

                 Depending upon the flood stages reached, all C&SF Project canals in
          adjacent Dade County can carry floodwaters to Biscayne Bay. However, much
          of the time, discharges from project canals represent primarily runoff or
          seepage from. within the protected area of the county. These flows originate
          in the extensive networks of secondary drainage canals and storm sewers that
          discharge into the project canals. Supplementing the complex system of project
          canals and secondary drainage systems are many hundreds of other stormwater
          drainage canals and storm sewer outfalls within Dade County that discharge
          freshwater directly into Biscayne Bay.



                                                 34







                               Biscayne Bay is essentially a semi-closed system with restricted tidal
                        flushing. It has a variable freshwater input from drainage canals. and
                        experiences extremes in temperature and salinity. The bay bottom is covered
                        with Silt and sand layers of varying depths that greatly influence the occurrence
                        of commlinity types.

                               The marine communities. within the bay, are extremely rich and variedL
                        The most extensive bay-bottom community is turtle grass with sub-components
                        of manatee grass, whose productivity is one of the highestof any marinetype.
                        It is the nursery ground for commercial.'shrimps and lobsters, as.well as for
                        many species.of bay fishes. The principal organisms grazing on these grass
                        beds are sea urchins and certain parrot fishes 'in the vicinity of patch reefs, but
                        a great variety of other species depend indirectly on the shelter of substrate
                        niches.



                        EVERGLADES. NATIONAL PARK

                               Everglades National Park (ENP) encompasses 2,150 square miles of
                        wetlands and submerged lands at the southern end of the Florida peninsula.
                        The topography is extremely low and flat. Most of the area is below four feet,
                        with the highest elevation (six to seven feet) found in the northeastern section.
                        The coastal areas of the Park are highly susceptible, to the influence of salinity
                        from tidal action.

                               ENP was formally established by Congress in 1947           to preserve the
                        unique ecology of the Everglades and is the second largest national park in the
                        con* tinental United States. It has been designated by the United     'Nations as a
                        World Heritage Site. It has also been named as. a Federal Wilderness Area, an
                        International Biosphere Reserve, and a Wetland of International Signfficance.
                        'It is also one the nation's 10 most endangered parks. Since the 1930's, the-
                        Park's population of wading birds has dropped by 90 percent, its nesting bald
                        eagle population is down and wood stork breeding has been halved since 1970.
                        ENP is an aquatic environment and is        'dependent on seasonal rainfall and
                        overland flow from the north. Historically, approximately half of the Park's
                        water flowed in from the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp.

                               The preservation of the Park is largely dependent on the continuance of
                        water conditions which were instrumental in its formation. Prior to the
                        settlement and development of central and southern Florida, overflow from the
                        lower Everglades 'and during large floods from Iake Okeechobee and its
                        tributary areas,, flowed slowly through heavily vegetated areas west of the
                        coastal ridge;much of it discharged into the area which now constitutes the
                        ENP. However, drainage and flood control measures which were necessitated


                                                                35








             by urban and agricultural development an d expansion have modified the
             original drainage pattern and the natural balance of fresh water and salt water
             volume and seasonal distribution of flow.
                   Adjacent to the Park and integrally linked to its ecological balance is an
             area designated as the East Everglades, which *'includes the Northeast Shark
             River Slough. Bordering the P -ark on the east, it is privately-owned and is
             inhabited and utilized by individual homeowners and agriculturalists. Over 90
             percent of this area is undeveloped, and it serves as -a buffer protecting the
             Park from encroaching growth and development.


             SHARK RIVER SLOUGH

                   While. not part of the ENP boundary, the Northeast portion of the Shark
             River Slough is included in this study as part of the ENP. The historic Slough
             was the principal pathway of water draining slowly southward from Lake
             Okeechobee to tidewater. Water flowed from Lake Okeechobee, and then:

                   - through what is now WCA 3A,

                   - through what is now WCA 3B;

                   - through the area now called Northeast Shark River Slough (NESRS),
             which is bordered by Levee 67 (L-67) Extension on the West; L-29, which is the
             southern component, of WCA 3, and is adjacent and parallel to U.S. Route 41
             (the Tamiami Trail) on the north; and L-31N on the east;

                   - and through the portion of ENP immediately south of L-29, the
             southern boundaryof WCA 3A (sometimes called the "Chimney" of ENP).

                   Under natural conditions, the eastern boundary of the Everglades
             extended eastward to the coastal ridge... However, these areas have been
             developed and extensive urban and agricultural development which now exist
             in the historic peripheral Everglades. The Shark River Slough is a very broad
             (as much as 40 miles, depending upon season), shallow, natural drainage way
             at a slightly lower elevation than the surrounding Everglades.

                   The area known as East Everglades includes the NESRS and a developed
             area along the slough's eastern boundary. It is bounded on the north by L-29,
             on the east by L-31N, on the south by ENP, and on    the west by ENP and L-67
             extension.





                                                    36








                               Eight different vegetative associations are located in the area: sawgrass
                        Everglades, mangrove forest, salt marsh, cypress forest, pine forest, mixed West
                        Indian hardwood hammock forest, bayhead, and Cape Sable saw palmetto salt
                        prairie., The vegetative communities most strongly affected by hydroperiod
                        change are wetlands, particularly sawgrass marshes, spike rush flats,' and
                        prairies and the more hydric forest communities, such as bayheads, bayhead-
                        harnmocks and cypress formation.
                               About 300 species  'of birds have been identified in the ENP. Southern
                        Florida's location makes it a migratory crossroads for West Indian and Central
                        and South American birds. Numerous North American species are residents.
                        Many of this continent's species of wading birds, shorebirds, and water fowl are
                        represented here at some time of the year. Many of them are nesting
                        residents, including some which seldom range farther north and others which
                        have disappeared from areas where they once occurred.

                               The current alligator population has recovered from an estimated 80 to
                        90 percent reduction, in numbers since the late 1800's. However, the current
                        population is recovering m' very changed conditions in Shark River Slough.
                        NESRS, which historically received more water, now receives less, and the
                        western slough inside the ENP where alligators are concentrated now receives
                        more water than it did before minimum delivery schedules were imposed mi
                        1971.

                               ENP s waters support a large variety of fish in both freshwater and salt
                        water habitats. Fish populations in ENP's portion of Shark River Slough are
                        seasonally and annually variable, being affected by both ambient and
                        antecedent water conditions.

                               The ENP is classified. as a subtropical wetland. Ninety-eight percent of
                        the area is either permanently or seasonally under water. Its subtropical
                        climate means warm temperatures - varying from a mean high of about 81 0 to
                        a mean low.of 66* - light winds, and    *alternating wet and dry seasons. The
                        average annual rainfall of 57 inches represents the effects of tropical storms
                        and hurricanes, and 85 percent occurs between May and October.

                               Water is introduced to the Park not only through precipitation, but by
                        overflow and discharge through control structures from WCA 3A. Although the
                        ENP receives water originating from areas affected by urban development and
                        agricultural activities, Congress has enacted legislation to guarantee the quality
                        of water entering the Park. The ENP depends upon regulated surface water
                        flow, which is delivered from the Shark Slough through S-12, Taylor Slough
                        (L-31W Canal), and C-111 cutouts.



                                                                37








                 The constant inundation of the area maintains the organic nature Of
                                                                            i
          much of the soil. This peat is intermixed with marl soils, particularly in the
          areas of rocky limestone outcrops.

                 Eight vegetation communities exist in the ENP, including sawgrass,
          mangrove forest, saltmarsh, cypress forest, pine forest, mixed West Indian
          hardwood lisimmock forest, bayhead, and Cape Sable saw palmetto salt prairie.
          Sawgrass and mangrove forests occur in areas which are inundated for part of
          the year. The sawgrass prairies are located inland in higher elevations on marl
          or muck -soils, which are wet when flooded and subject to fires during the dry
          winter and spring.
                 The sedges, grasses, and marsh plants are replaced by mangrove forests'
          near the coast which display red mangroves closest to the coast, black
          mangroves farther inland where there is greater salt content, and white
          mangroves in areas following floods. Dispersed in these forests are areas of salt
          marsh with cord grasses and rushes.

                 Farther inland, the cypress belt extends southeast to.northwest across
          the Park and supports airplants, orchids, and cypress trees dwarfed by the lack
          of humus accumulation. @ The pine forests are intertwined with Indian
          hardwood. hammocks which occur in areas with humus, marl, or rock and of
          great enough elevation to avoid saltwater intrusion, flooding, and fires. Tree
          islands with bayheads occur in elevated areas with peat soil, while cypress
          heads occupy shallow ponds.

                 The bayheads, support red bay, magnolia, myrtle, willow, and holly, and
          are extremely susceptible to the damaging effects of fires. The Cape Sable salt
          prairies develop on marl flats and give rise to grass and shrubby vegetation -
          including cabbage palm, prickly pear, agave, and seaside lavender              and
          scattered buttonwood hammocks.

                 The ENP provides habitat for 27 species of marnmal , over 300 species
          of birds, 3 to 4 species of salamanders, 6 species of lizards, 10 species of land
          and sea turtles, 12 frogs, and 23 snakes. Fifteen of these species are designated
          as endangered or threatened.

                 Marnmal include the white-tailed deer, black bear, panther, opossum,
          raccoon,'wildeat, otter, porpoise, and manatee. Most species of wading birds,
          shorebirds, and waterfowl frequent the Park, such as the sandhill crane,
          lumpkin, anhinga, cormorant, brown and white pelicans, and frigate.

                 Many others use it for feeding and nesting, including the roseate
          spoonbill, great white.heron, reddish, great and snowy egrets, littleblue heron,

                                                 38







                        woodstork, white and glossy ibis, bald eagle, and Everglade Idte.     There are
                        crocodiles and alliptors and large populations of sunfish, mullet, and saltwater.
                        catfish.

                              Included in the impressive list of fauna in the Park are the following
                        endangered (E) and threatened (T) species:. Florida panther (Felis concolor
                        coryi - E), West Indian manatee (Trichecus manatw - E), Florida Everglade kite
                        (Rostrhamus sociabilisplumbeus - E), bald eagle (Hal M* M@tus leucocephalus - E)l
                        Cape Sable seaside sparrow (Amnwspiza maritima mirabilis -E),'American
                        alligator (Alligator M'ississippiensis - T), -green turtle (Chelonia mydas - E),
                        American crocodile (Crocodylus acutus - E), Atlantic ridley turtle (Lepidochelys
                        kempii - E), loggerhead turtle, (Caretta caretta* -, T), hawksbill turtle
                        (Eretmochelys imbricata - E), leatherback turtle (Dermocheloys coriacea - E), -
                        Eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi - T), A    rctic peregrine falcon
                        (Falco peregrinus tundrius -. T), and the woodstork (Mycteria anwricana - E).
                        The Park provides critical habitat for the manatee, Cape Sable sparrow,
                        Everglade kite, and crocodile.

                              The East Everglades, including the Northeast Shark River Slough,
                        borders the Park and is a significant part of the water recharge area for the
                        Biscayne Aquifer. It is also an area of surface water runoff for the eastern
                        section of the Park. The environment in the East Everglades is similar to that
                        of the ENP, and the two areas are integrally related.

                              While only 3,000 acres of land are under cultivation in the East.
                        Everglades, 65 percent of the area retains its wetland characteristics. In
                        addition to the rainfall, surface water is introduced from WCA 3A and seepage
                        under L-29 from WCA 3B into the Tarmarni Canal and ultimately into the
                        Northeast Shark River Slough. Soils consist mainly of Everglades, Gandy, and
                        Loxahatchee peats, which are poorly drained. Other areas are primarily
                        rockland of Miami Oolite or porous, solution-ridden Tamiami Umestonewith
                        a very thin covering of unc'onsolidated soil material. The central portion of the
                        rockland contains pinnacle rock, which is considered rare.

                              The marsh habitats in the East Everglades support sawgrass, spike rush,
                        beakrush, maidenca  'ne, and cattail. Also prevalent are combined mesoic grami-
                        noid communities with muhly and beard grass. Like the adjacent Park, there
                        are cypress trees, hardwood hammocks, prairie, willows, and mangroves. The
                        original vegetation has been altered by reduced hydroperiods, causing *increased
                        growth of broadleaved trees and greater 'invasion by exotics, such as Australian
                        pine, Brazilian pepper, and nwlaleuca. Fires have resulted in the spread of
                        willow heads and cattail marshes.




                                                               39








                 This Everglades environment in the East Everglades supports over 350
           species of animals. Most dominant are the 34 species of fish - including
           mosquitofish, golden toprninnow, and killifisb - 18 species of amphibians, and
           44 species of reptiles - including pig and leopard frogs, water snakes, and
           alligators. The 28 species of mammals include white-tailed deer, otters,
           raccoons, and rabbits. More than 230 species of birds feed, nest, and/or migrate
           in the East Everglades.

                 Not only do the wildlife populations of the East Everglades resemble
           those of the ENP, but they move freely between the two areas. Seven of the
           endangered and two of the threatened species present in the, Park are also
           found in the East Everglades. These are the endangered Florida panther,
           Florida Everglade kite, bald eagle, Cape Sable seaside sparrow, American
           crocodile, Arctic peregrine falcon, and woodstork, and the threatened American
           alligator and eastern indigo snake. The East Everglades also provides critical
           habitat for the Cape Sable seaside sparrow and the American crocodile.

                 The hydrology of the southern Everglades was altered by the
           construction of L-67A, L-67C, and L-29 flood control levees. Unseasonably high
           water conditions in the ENP in 1983 prompted Park officials to request
           emergency measures to be taken to correct the hydrologic imbalance and
           restore sheet flow to the northeast Shark River Slough. Congress authorized
           and the Corps conducted a program of experimental water deliveries to the
           Park.

                 In December 1989, President Bush signed t    he EvergladesNational Park
           Protection and Expansion Act. This act authorizes expansion of the ENP to
           include an additional 107,600 acres and authorized the construction of
           modifications to the C&SF Project to the benefit of the ENP in Dade County.
           The primary objective of this project is to enhance th   e natural resources of
           ENP 'in Shark River Slough through structural and operational - water
           management alterations to the C&SF Project'. A secondary objective is to
           develop an initial operating plan based on restoring, to the extent possible, the
           natural hydrologic conditions with the ENP and other contiguous Everglades
           habitat that may be necessary to achieve the primary objective. A flood
           mitigation system is proposed for a residential area in the east Everglades.


           FLORIDA BAY, WHITEWATER BAY, AND THE TEN THOUSAND ISLANDS

                 Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands comprise 1,500 square miles
           of ENP. The mangrove estuaries, where fresh water from the sawgrass marsh
           merges with salt water from the Gulf of Mexico, provide a nursery for the
           species that feed Florida's commercial fishing industry. The brackish fringes'


                                                  40







                        are breeding grounds for shrimp, stone crab and lobster, which alone mean $60
                        million annually to th 'e state. Blue crabs, mullet and other fish also begin their
                        lives here. In the Ten Thousand Islands and Florida Bay, tarpon, snook and
                        redfish fishing are a $9 millionindustry. ENP's water supply is crucial to the
                        health -of Florida Bay. If there is not enough'water flowing through the
                        Everglades, then the bay gets too salty. Studies indicate    'Florida Bay is saltier
                        than it, should.be. Southwest of the Southwestern Slope and the Everglades
                        are, the Reticulate Coastal Swamps composed primarily of mangroves and salt
                        marshes, and includes the area known as the Ten Thousand Islands..



                        BIG CYPRESS BASIN

                               Much of the Big Cypress Basin watershed consists of variegated areas of.
                        swamps, marshes and sloughs that regenerate aquifers on which both urban
                        and rural populations rely for water supply. Elevations in the Big Cypress
                        Swamp are slightly higher than the Everglades to the east. Big Cypress.
                        Swamp spans approximately 1,205 square miles (771,000 acres) from'southwest
                        of Lake Okeechobee to the Ten Thousand Islands in the Gulf of Mexico.
                        Because of its relative flatness, the Big Cypress Swamp is covered with water
                        for several months each year. It is considered to have the best quality surface
                        water in south Florida.

                               The Big Cypress Swamp'is the primary home of the highly endangered
                        Florida Panther and it contains numerous species of other endangered plants
                        and wildlife. The 570,000-acre Big Cypress National Preserve (BCNP) was
                        established by Public Law 93-440 in 1974 to protect natural and recreational
                        values of the Big Cypress watershed and to allow for continued traditional uses
                        such as hunting, fishing, and oil and gas production. It was also established to
                        provide an ecological buffer zone and protect the ENPs water supply. In 1988,
                        Congress passed the Big Cypress National Preserve Addition Act which will. add
                        146,000 acres to the BCNP.

                               The preserve consists of primarily undeveloped land containing cypress,
                        pineland, and marsh communities, and is located in southwest Florida adjacent
                        to the northwest side of ENP. Elevations range from 14 feet to sea level at the
                        coast. There are more than 120 miles of canals and 39 structures which serve
                        to provide drainage and storage of surface water within the Big Cypress Basin.
                        This area contains almost 40 percent of the Big Cypress Swamp and, like the
                        ENP, the BCNP is. characterized by a water-dominated ecology. During the
                        wet season, as much as 90 percent of the area is inundated while during the
                        dry season, as little as 10 percent remains inundated, mostly in shallow ponds
                        and sloughs. Plants and animals are basically aquatic and have adapted to
                        fluctuating seasonal water levels. Wildlife -within the BCNP, consists of


                                                                 41







           numerous species of amphibi    ans, reptiles, birds, and mammal      Several of
           these are classified as threatened or endangered by the USFWS.

                  Since the Preserve is generally flat, there are no well-defined stream
           The slight gradient, combined with a dense vegetation cover, slows the move-
           ment of water. As the water level rises with the progression, of the wet season,
           the natural sheet flow begins in the strands and sloughs and overflows into
           adjacent marshes. The water from the BCNP flows to the ENP. The water
           quality in this area has been de i ated as "Outstanding Florida Water".
                                            SIP

                  Geologically, the Preserve occupies a bedrock of marine sands         and
           limestone deposited during the h1iocene - Pleistocene era. Soils consist of a
           thin layer of marl, sometimes mixed with sand, covering deeper strata of peat
           at the center of cypress domes.

                  Not surprisingly, the environment in the BCNP is dictated by the
           hydroperiods, and plants and animals well-suited to water fluctuations are
           found here. The vegetation com'Munities include pine-palm-palmetto forest,
           wet prairie and marsh, freshwater swamp, and cypress forest. The pine-palm-
           palmetto forests occur in the dryer areas with the greatest elevation, and are
           inhabited by fire-adapted.trees and shrubs, such as the. slash pine, cabbage
           palm, saw palmetto, wax myrtle, and red bay.

                  Wet prairie and marsh appear at the ground 'elevation and are
           cl@aracterized by alternating wet and dry seasons. Although the marsh areas
           are wetter, they do experience dry periods as   'well. These areas are largely
           treeless with emergent vegetation such as scrub grasses, spikerush,' and
           maidencane. The freshwater swamps are inundated most of the year and
           support hardwood, palms, airplants, orchids, and epiphytic ferns.

                  The cypress forests occupy the lowest elevation. Me the freshwater
           swamps, they are inundated for most of the year, and also foster growth of
           ferns, orchids, and'bromehads. They are distinguished, however, by cypress,
           not present in the swamps. The BCNP is also subject to exotic invasion by
           Melaleaca and Brazilian pepper.

                  Aquatic life adapted to the Big Cypress environment - prawns, mosquito-
           fish, killifish, bass, and gar - as well as reptiles and amphibians inhabit the
           area.. Also present, and sought after by hunters, are white-tailed deer, turkey,
           bobwhite quail, feral hog, gray squirrel, snipe, morning dove, marsh rabbit,
           raccoon, armadillo, and opossum.

                  The unique environment of the BCNP is ideal for numerous endangered
           and threatened species. The endangered Florida panther (Felis concolor icoryi),

                                                 42







                         woodstork (Mycteria americana), 'Cape Sable sparrow (Amnwspize mapitima
                         mirabilis), red-cockaded woodpecker (Demdrocopus borealis), bald eagle
                         (Haliaeetus. leucocephalus), and Everglade kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis
                         plumbeus), and threatened eastern indigo snake (Dry marchon corais couperi),
                         have all been located in this re "'on. Other species of concern to the State, such
                                                         91
                         as the Florida tree snail, mangrove fox squirrel, and black bear, also inhabit the
                         Preserve. The habitats of these species are subject to modification by logging
                         activities, shortened hydroperiods, increased wildfires, and the invasion of
                         exotic plants.,

                                The National Park Service's (NPS) task of managing the environment
                         in the BCNP is complicated by permissible usages by hunters, farmers grazing
                         cattle, and the Seminole and Miccosukee Indians who have been granted the.
                         right to hunt and continue traditional ceremonial practices.


                         LOWER WEST COAST

                                The Lower West Coast region covers approximately 4,000 square miles.
                         in Lee, Hendry, and Collier Counties and a portion of Charlotte County. This
                         area is generally bounded by Charlotte County to the north, Lake Okeechobee
                         and the EAA to the east, the BCNP to the south, and the Gulf to the west.
                         The area is characterized by the sandy flatlands region of Lee County, which
                         give way to sandy though more rolling terrain in Hendry County; and the
                         coastal marshes and mangrove swamps of Collier County. Most of the region
                         is less than 15 feet above mean sea level.

                                Tourism is important to the economy of the area, particularly in coastal
                         towns such as Naples and Fort Myers. The principal occupation in the
                         remainder of the region, is truck farming, based predominantly on tomatoes,
                         cucumbers, peppers, and watermelons, although cattle raising is also prevalent.
                         Oil production adds to the economy, with an oil field located at Sunniland in
                         central Collier County.

                                The West Coastal Watershed covers 2,197,000 acres along the Gulf coast
                         from Charlotte County on the north to mainland Monroe County on the south.
                         It is divided into two sub-watersheds: Coastal and Big Cypress sub-watersheds.
                         The Coastal sub-watershed drains westerly to the Gulf of Mexico via the
                         Caloosahatchee Mver and many small coastal stream . The Big Cypress sub-
                         watershed includes all of the Big Cypress Swamp drainage area except the
                         northeast corner, which drains into the WCAs (the Hendry-Collier sub-
                         watershed).




                                                                  43








                 The 1,278,200 acres of the Big Cypress sub-watershed is characterized
           by a swampy area which emerges into a coastal marsh on the southwest area
           of the peninsular. Because of poor drainage, as much as 90 percent of the-
           undeveloped area is inundated for as long as 4 months during the rainy season,
           and reduces to about 10 percent inundation in the dry season. This results in
           a variety of plant communities, such as pine-palm-palmetto forest, wet prairie
           and marsh, freshwater swamp, and hammock forest in the area. Areal
           distribution of these communities depends mainly on land elevations.

                 In the western portion, the drainage is southward and westward through
           as extensive canal system of the Golden Gate development area. Drainage in
           the central and relatively undeveloped portion of the Big Cypress area is
           generally southward and tends to concentrate in the Okalachoochee Slough, the
           Baron River and Turner River Canals, and the Fakahatchee Strand.
                 Much of the natural environment* included in the lower west coast has
           been disturbed by either urban development or agricultural use. The
           remaining areas support diverse vegetation communities, ranging from
           sawgrass. marsh and wet prairie to pine flatwood and cypress and hardwood
           swamp, much of which has been subjected to invasion by exotic species. These
           varied areas provide habitat for mammal , fish, reptiles, amphibians, and birds.
                 The nearby Nicodemus Slough' is located in       a largely developed area.
           While ninety-five percent of Glades County is mi agricultural use; most of which
           is devoted to grazing. The Slough supports scrub palmetto, maidencane marsh,
           broadleaf marsh, wax myrtle, and oak-cabbage palm hammocks. The greatest
           vegetation cover is for truck crops, sugarcane, and pasture. Nonetheless, the
           area is still inhabited by song and wading birds, wild turkeys, frogs and toads,
           snakes and lizards, deer, wild hogs, and rabbits. The endangered bald eagle
           (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) and Everglade kite (Rostrhamus sociabilisplumbeus)
           are also located here.

                 The Slough occupies an area with sandy soil composed of sand mixed
           with muck. Drainage is provided by two natural channels and a series of short
           tributaries. S-47B controls the water level in the slough and prevents
           overdrainage.

                 The Six-Mile Cypress Slough in Lee County, near Ft. Myers, is predomi-
           nantly bald cypress, although nwlaleuca and Brazilian pepper have been making
           serious inroads. Associated wax myrtle and mid-sorous fern are prevalent.
           Some hardwood areas still exist with live oak, red maple, and cabbage palmetto.

                 The slough is inhabited by 20 species of mammal1q; 6      7 species of birds,
           including the endangered woodstork (Mycteria anwricana); 44 species of

                                                   44







                       reptiles, including the threatened eastern indigo    snake  (Drym4wrhon corais
                       couperi); 19 species of amphibians, 11 species       of fish, and 8 species of
                       invertebrates.

                              The Six-Mile Cypress Slough serves as a tributary drainage way'to Ten
                       Mile Canal and drains from the east towards the Ft. Myers -area. The water
                       is then transported to Mullock Creek and finally into'Estero Bay, which is a
                       State Aquatic Preserve.
                              The' geological composition here consists of Holocene Series overlying
                       Pleistocene sediment. The topsoil is fine to medium-grain6d quartz sand with
                       some shell and clay covering shell beds and limestone. The underlying bedrock
                       material includes the Tam lami and Hawthorne Formations.

                              Farther south in Collier County is the Big Cypress Swamp, which
                       includes numerous cypress-dominated sloughs and strands (e.g., Fahkahatchee
                       Strand), extending southwest from the Tamiami Trail. The surface water of
                       this area discharges into the Gulf of Mexico through the Ten Thousand Islands.
                       The environment and the geological characteristics here are similar to those
                       in the BCNP. Vegetation is characterized by cypress forest within the Fahka
                       Union Basin, mixed swamp forest, pine forest, pine-cypress forest, and areas of
                       pine-dwarf cypress, pine-cypress-palmetto        ' mosaic, pineland-grassland
                       understory, pineland-saw palmetto understory, and dry and wet prairies. These
                       diverse communities have been invaded by nwlaleuca and Brazilian pepper.

                              They also. support large varieties of freshwater fish, including gar,
                       bowfin, catfish, and perch; estuarine yellowfin menhaden, silver perch, and
                       ladyfin; amphibians and reptiles; forest-dwelling, wading, diving, and shore birds
                       as well as birds of prey; and 34 species of mammals, micluding skunk, opossum,
                       black bear, white-tailed doer, and wild hog. Six endangered and one threatened
                       species have. been identified.      These are the endangered red-cockaded
                       woodpecker (Dendrocopos borealis), woodstork (Mycteria americana), peregrine
                       falcon (Falco peregrinus tundrius), bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), West
                       Indian manatee (Tric,hechus nwnatus), Florida panther (Felis concolor coryi),
                       and the threatened eastern indigo snake (Drymarchon corais couperi).

                              South of the Big Cypress Swamp are prairie and marsh areas that
                       remain under surface. water, for more than 2 months per year. Marl soils
                       (holocene marls overly Miocene to Pleistocene marine limestones) predominate
                       with some intermixture of peat. Dominant vegetation mi these areas is spike,
                       beakrush, and sawgrass, with scattered tree islands. The endangered Everglade
                       kite (Rostrhamus sociabilis plumbeus) and woodstork (Mycteria antericana)
                       depend on such locales.



                                                              45








                 Some coastal areas represent typical beach dunes with         quartz     d
           calcareous sands. These areas are vegetated by sand pines, palmettos, sea oats,
           and xerophytic woody shrubs. Scrub jays, gopher tortoises, and songbirds find
           these areas attractive.

                 Collier County - including the Big Cypress Swamp, prairie and marsh
           regions, and coastal areas - contains seven major drainage'b

                 1. The Big Cypress Basin, which is located in northeast Collier County.
           and transports water from.north towards the southeast to WCA 3;

                 2. The Okalachoochee Basin, the largest in the'county, which contains
           the Fahkahatchee Strand, much of Big Cypress Swamp, and the Okalachoochee
           Slough, and carries water south to ENP and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico;

                 3. Henderson Creek Basin, which flows southwest towards Marco Island
           and is drained by the Henderson Creek Canal;

                 4. Golden Gate Basin, comprised of 102 miles of drainage canals;

                 5. Cocohatchee Basin, involving the River Canal;

                 6. Corkskrew Basin, encompassing Corkskrew Swamp Sanctuary and
           Lake Tefford;

                 7. Fahka Union Basin, which is part of the canals for Golden Gate
           Estates.

                 In addition to supporting numerous endangered and threatened species,
           the Lower West Coast contains designated critical habitat for the manatee.
           Charlotte Harbor and the Caloosahatchee River in Lee County and the Ten
           Thousand Island area in southwest. Collier County provide this critical habitat.


           CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER

                 The Caloosahatchee River Valley is the dominant physiographic feature
           of the Caloosahatchee River- watershed.        The valley's axis follows the
           Caloosahatchee from Lake Okeechobee to the Gulf of Mexico. . The
           Caloosahatchee Incline slopes gradually upward on the north side of the valley
           and joins the Desoto Plain which is a very flat terrace extending to the Central
           Florida Highlands and is generally regarded as a submarine terrace formed
           below the Wicomids Shoreline. To the south of the Caloosahatchee Valley is
           the Immokalee Rise, an area which is predominantly sandy soils. Both the


                                                 46








                        Caloosahatchee Incline and the Immokalee Rise were formed as submarine
                        terraces of the Pamlico Shoreline.@

                               Southeast of the Immokalee Rise is the Big Cypress Spur, a sloping tran-
                        sition area between the Rise, the Everglades to the east, and the Southwestern
                        Slope to the west. The spur is best characterized by its abundant dwarf cypress
                        on marl soils to the west and its sandgrass/Everglades slough vegetation to.the
                        east.'The Southwestern Slope lies southwest of the Immokalee Rise and the
                        Big Cypress Spur and extends from the Caloosahatchee Valley to the
                        Everglades. Its southern portion substrata are thin sands overlying Tamiami
                        limestone with distinct slough and strand vegetation running perpendicular to
                        the coastline. Toward the north, sands are often deeper and more prevalent
                        as evidenced by increasing pineland vegetation and less distinct coast-
                        perpendicular drainage.

                               The Coastal sub-watershed occupies an area of 909* 800 acres, most of
                        which is in Lee County. The Caloosahatchee River is the ia r1gest river in the
                        watershed. Its major tributary, the Orange River, joins at a point 8 miles
                        upstream from Fort Myers. With a drami'age area of 83.4 square miles, the
                        Orange River contributed an average annual.flow of 7.83 inches during its only
                        10 year period (1935-45) of stream flow measurement, about 15 percent of the
                        mean annual rainfall over its drainage area.

                               The Imperial River drains westerly along the southern edge of Lee
                        County into the south end of Estero Bay. Its stream gaging station near Bonita
                        Springs experienced a' mean. annual. flow of 62,260 acre-feet during its only
                        period of operation from 1940 to 1954. Line-A Canal originates in Fort Myers
                        and intercepts flow from the Six Mile Cypress Slough on its 10 mile course to
                        Mullock Creek.

                               Th e Caloosahatchee River sub-   'watershed includes an area of 550,900
                        acres in parts of Lee, Glades, Charlotte and Hendry counties. From a hurricane
                        gate on the southwest shore of Lake Okeechobee at Moore Haven, the
                        Caloosahatchee Canal drains westerly for about five miles through a very flat
                        terram' into Lake Hicpochee. From there the canal joins the upper reach of the
                        Caloosahatchee River. On its way to the Gulf of-Mexico the river is controlled
                        by navigation locks at Ortona (15 miles downstream from Moore Haven) and
                        at Ogla near Fort Myers. Downstream from Ortona Lock, many tributaries
                        join the.river along, its course to the Gulf. The Caloosahatchee River serves as
                        a portion of the cross-state Okeechobee Waterway, which extends from Stuart
                        on the east coast via the St. Lucie Canal, through Lake Okeechobee and the
                        Caloosahatchee River to Fort Myers on the Gulf of Mexico. The river has been
                        straightened by channelization through most of its 65 mile course from the
                        Moore Haven Lock to Fort Myers.



                                                                47








                 The Caloosahatchee River region was once dominated by sawgrass marsh
          and wet prairie but has been ditched for agricultural and residential develop-.
          ment. The river corridor does still display some cabbage palm-oak hammocks
          with cypress, maple, and hickory; and larger areas of pine flatwood.

                 Shorelines -with mangrove. vegetation have been invaded by Brazilian i
          pepper. Submerged vegetation, including turtle and manatee grasses, as well
          as freshwater alligator weed, floating maidencane, water lettuce, and water
          hyacinths, do continue to thrive.

                 The river itself boasts 246 species of fish as well as crocodiles, turtles,
          lizards, and snakes.        The threatened American alligator (Alligator
          mississippiensis) and endangered West Indian manatee (Trichechus manatus)
          have been identified in this area as has one bald eagle nest.

                 The Caloosahatchee River receives'water from Lake         Okeechobee And
          acts as a natural drainage way for stormwater runoff from a4jacent lands..
          Canals now divert some runoff that once entered the. River. - The soils are
          mainly organic and marl, overlying limestone.




























                                                  48







                                                        ING CONDITIONS



                              The following   chapter provides. an overview of the population and
                       economy of the study area. It also provides a general discussion of the climate
                       and hydrology of the south and central Florida area and the operation of the
                       C&SF Project.


                       POPULATION

                              Over the last   several decades, Florida. has. consistently   experienced
                       population growth far above the national average.' Between 1950 and 1960, the
                       State's population grew 78.7 percent. Although growth slowed from this pace
                       during th e sixties and seventies, Florida still grew 43.6 percent between 1970
                       and 1980. The comparable rate for the nation durIng this latter period was
                       11.4 percent.

                              The resident population of the 18 counties, which make up the study
                       area, before the C&SF Project was authorized in 1945, was 727,097. The
                       population of those same counties in 1990 was 6,348,770. This does not include
                       winter residents and tourists who double the population of the east 'and west
                       coast centers during the winter season, or migratory workers who greatly
                       increase the population of the Lake Okeechobee area during the period of
                       heaviest crop production, which is also in the winter.

                          The population estimates to the year 2035, for Florida and the study area,
                       are presented in Table 1. The population of the study area is estimated to
                       increase to 7.0 million residents by 2000.

                              Since the early 1980's, Florida has outdistanced the Southeast and the
                       nation in employment, income, and population growth. Above-average growth
                       during the decade - demonstrates Florida's resiliency during the most recent
                       recession. The 1980-1982 recession aff&cted Florida much less than it did the
                       nation as a whole, and the State experienced a very, strong recovery. The
                       economy's momentum carried through 1985, although the pace of growth eased
                       to more sustainable levels. The State's level of business activity remained high
                       and expanded at a healthy pace during 1986, resulting in a very prosperous
                       economy for the year.

                              Florida's economy has undergone extensive change and experienced
                       strong growth during the last several decades. These changes have led to the


                                                              49










                                                                 TABLE 1, POPULATION



                                                                  (ACTUAL)                    (PROJECTED)
                   COUNTY                1980          1985          1990           1995          2000          2005          2015           2035
                   ---------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ------------ ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                   Broward         1,081,257     1,101.000     1,255.488      1,342,905    1,432,064     1,504,441      1.652.033     1,867,365
                   Charlotte         58,460         79,500       110.975        96,533        104.628       110,984       121,693       137,302
                   Collier           85,971       117,100        152,099       164,226        182,002       195,861       218,855       252,891
                   Dade           1,625,509      1,744,500     1,937,094     .1,818,028    1,876,698     1,935.714      2,067,347     29249 365
                   Desota            19 039'        21,400       .23,865        26,999         28.922        30,537        33,025         36:850
                   Glades              5:992         6,800          7,591         7,646          7,986         8,288         8,787          9,598
                   Hardee            20,357         21,200        19,499        26,017         27.413        28,560        30,296         33,109
                   Ifendry           18,599         22.600        25.773        29,733         32,044        33,933        36,699         40,873
                   Highlands         47,526         56,900        68.432        70,937         76,097        80,286        87,303         97.722
                   Lee              205.2 6       266,800        335,113       381,877        426,560       462.960       525,771       620 578
                   Martin            64,014         82.9         100.900       125,073        139,890       151,746       170.559       198:930
                   Monroe            63.188         71.100        78,024        91,693         98,789       104,457       116,769       127,492
                   Okeechobee        20,264         26,000        29,627        31,526         33,836        35,722        39,064         44,164
                   Orange           470,865       555 000        677,491.      678,401        726,581       764 895       838,109       945,069
                   Osceola           49,287         76:700       107 728       106 038        118 970       129:101       146,744       173,365
                   Palm Beach       576.758       724 300        863:518       971:488     1,062:614     1,134 466.
                                                                                                                    2,  1,256 979     1.439 369,
                   Polk             321 652,      368:400        405 382       433 988        461 073       483:87        524:377       584:801
                   St. Lucie         87:182       115,700        150:171       165:078        183:521       198,399       221,970       257,187


                   TOTAL          4,821,186      5,457,900     6,348,770     6,568,186     7,019,688     7,394,222      8.096,380     9,116,030


                   SOURCE:     US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,BUREAU OF        THE CENSUS,CENSUS OF POPULATION,1980 & 1990
                               U.S.'DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS REGIONAL ECONOMIC ANALYSIS-DIVISION,
                               COUNTY-LEVEL PROJECTIONS OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY AND POPUEATION,FLORIDA, 1990-2035.







                        State's *volution from' an economy based primarily upon agriculture, tourism,
                        and retirement living to an urban economy which also includes a sophisticated
                        mix of industrial and commercial activities.

                              Until the 1960 s, Florida's economy was dependent primarfly upon the
                        State's natural resources. Agriculture, forestry, citrus, commercial fishing,
                        mining, resource-related manufacturing, and tourism composed the bulk of
                        economic activity in the State. These activities werebased on the moderate
                        climate, the ocean and beaches, forests, vast tracts of-undeveloped land, and
                        mineral deposits.

                              However, industries which are based on natural resources sire dependent
                        upon finite supplies of some resources, weather conditions, and other natural
                        phenomena.over which man has no control. Too great a reliance on resource-
                        based industries heightened the susceptibility of Florida's economy to severe
                        problems resulting from a natural disaster. The development of other
                        industrial sectors has led to a reduced dependence on the State's resource--
                        based industries. Nevertheless, the State's natural resources have continued
                        to play a major part in the growth and health of Florida's economy.

                              Agriculture has traditionally been a mainstay of the     Florida economy.
                        In 1985, Florida producers received $4.7 billion from marketing of agricultural
                        products, ranking it ninth among the 50 States and accounting for 33'percent
                        of the nations total.

                              Nearly 45 percent of all land in Florida is commercial forest land. The
                        wholesale manufactured value of forest products in 1984 was $2.1 billion.
                        Counting the value added by additional manufacturing, transportation, and
                        marketing, forest products generated some $8.3 billion in income for the State.

                              In 1984, the State ranked fourth in the nation with nonfuel mineral pro-
                        duction of $1.5 billion. Florida ranked first in the production of phosphate rock,
                        peat, and masonry cement.

                              Florida had nearly one-tenth of the nations fishery products plants in
                        1984 with a total of 46. In 1982, commercial landings of fish and shellfish
                        amounted to more than 193 million pounds valued at $171.3 million, dockside.


                        ECONOMY

                              During the period 1970 to 1985, private sector employment grew by 1     02.1
                        percent in Florida, while advancing only 37.7 percent nationally. The State
                        made strong gains in all private industry employment.


                                                               51








                  While the U.S. has shown no growth in manufacturing, the State showed
            a 60.2 percent increase. The State is becoming less dependent on rnanufac-
            turing groups which are tied to agricultural and rainin and moving more
            towards those industries which are keyed to advancing technology.

                  The State has been very successful in attracting high technology industry
            in recent years. Currently ranked sixth in the nation and first in the
            Southeast, the State has more than doubled in high technology employment
            since 1975.'The southern region of Florida, including Dade, Broward, and Palm
            Beach counties features computers, aviation, telecommunica ions, and
            biomedical concentrations.



            CLIMATE
                  The climate of the area'is categorized as subtropical since occasional
            frosts do occur. The climate is influenced by several factors, the most
            important of these being- (1) low latitude; (2) proximity to th e Atlantic Ocean
            and Gulf of Mexico; and (3) the inland lakes that are so prevalent over the area.

                  Area summers are long, warm and generally humid, while the winters
            are mild with occasional short, cool or cold periods. Coastal areas generally
            have slightly warmer winters and cooler summers than the inland areas at the
            same latitude. Annual temperatures average in the middle 70's on the
            mainland and may average as high as 77 to 78 degrees at Key West. Summer
            temperatures average 81 to 82 degrees throughout the area. During the coolest
            months, temperatures in the area average about 13 degrees higher than in the
            northern part of the state. July and August are generally the warmest in
            southern Florida, with January and February the coolest months.

                  The summer heat is tempered by sea breezes along the coast and by
            frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms in all areas. During the
            warm season, sea breezes are felt almost daily within several miles of the coast
            and occasionally 20 to 30 miles inland. Thundershowers, which on the average
            occur on about half of the summer days, frequently are accompanied by a 10 to
            20 degree drop in temperature, resulting in comfortAle weather for the
            remainder of the day. Since most of the large wale wind patterns affecting
            Florida have passed over water surfaces, hot drying winds seldom occur.

                  Average rainfall over the study area averages about 53.1 inches per year
            but it varies greatly, ranging from about 37.8 inches in 1961 to 117.0 inches in
            1947. Rainfall distribution over the area is also quite variable at times.




                                                   52








                              Wet and dry seasons are well defined. Considering the entire area, about
                        55 percent of the rains occur during June through September and about 10
                        percent during December through February. However, seasonal distribution
                        varies from one part of the area to another. F)rontal movements result in
                        widespread light to moderate rains that may last two or three days.

                              Thunderstorms rarely occur in any great number during the winter, but
                        can occur as often as two days out of three during the summer. An average of,
                        about 70 thunderstorms a year occur over the extreme southwest part of the
                        are a, increasing to about 100 a year.over the ridge along the western side of
                        the Kissimmee River area. Hurricanes and less severe tropical storms are at
                        times major sources of precipitation. They are often accompanied by two to
                        five inches or more of rainfall over an area of several thousand square Miles.
                        On the average, two or three tropical storms a year may be expected to affect
                        some part of the area.


                        HYDROLOGY

                              The major characteristics of south Florida hydrology are:

                              1. local rainfall,
                              2. evapotranspiration (ET),
                              3. canals and water control structures,
                              4. flat topography, and
                              5. the highly permeable Biscayne Aquifer near the. land surface along a
                              30-to 40-mile wide coastal st
                                                            rip.

                              Water that is introduced from either direct rainfall or canals is rapidly
                        removed by ET, seepage into the aquifer, or canal and overland surface
                        drainage to the Atlantic Ocean, Florida Bay, or the Gulf of Mexico. Water that
                        is introduced at a rate that exceeds that of removal tends to inundate a large
                        area to relatively shallow depths.

                              The straight line distance from Lake Okeechobee southward to Florida
                        Bay is approximately 125miies. The natural flowage way of the Everglades
                        from Lake Okeechobee southward is nearly flat with innumerable tree and
                        brush vegetated hammocks and other grass and sedge vegetated areas grading
                        into shallow depressions that contain surface water most or part of each y'ear,.
                        Much of the Everglades is underlain by highly porous surficial aquifers. When
                        rains are sufficient, surficial aquifers are recharged and surface water flows
                        from points receiving rainfall into adjacent depressions. When enough rainfall
                        occurs, surface water naturally moves slowly in a general southward direction.
                        As water evapotranspires, surface water movement can cease, but a very slow

                                                              53







           movement of ground water can continue from surficial aquifer areas with..
           higher water levels to areas with lower water levels. As seasonal and prolonged
           droughts. occur and ET continues, normal surface water areas can become dry
           and water levels within the surficial aquifers may decline to levels several feet
           below average land surfaces.

                  In its natural state, the Kissimmee River basin drained into Lake
           Okeechobee, which in turn, spilled its surplus water into the Everglades. From
           the Everglades the water ran slowly in a south-southwesterly direction to the
           lower end of the peninsula. All of the area around the rim of Lake
           Okeechobee, except the sandy ridge above its northeastern shore, was subject
           to infrequent flooding when high lake stages occurred during mqjor floods, or
           when hurricane tides on the lake. overflowed its shallow rim. The latter
           occurred from the hurricanes of 1926 and 1928 and heavy loss of life and
           property damage resulted.

                  This natural interconnected ground water and surface water system has
           been substantially modified by the water control works incorporated into and
           constructed as part of the C&SF Project. The drainage pioject eliminated the
           natural flow of water and all the normal flowage from the Kissimmee basin was
           discharged into the ocean and Gulf by way of the St. Lucie Canal and the
           Caloosahatchee River.

                  The major canals south of Lake Okeechobee through the EAA serve a
           multiple purpose, that of assisting in regulatory discharges from the Lake
           southward, providing irrigation water to the agricultural area from lake
           releases, and as collecting sumps for agricultural area runoff to be pumped to
           the lake and WCAs. The interior canals in WCA 3A (Mami Canal, L-68A,
           and L-67A canals. and L-67A Extension Canal) also serve as distribution
           channels. for delivery of water to the ENP. C&SF Project canals also serve as
           small-boat navigation- channels.


           GROUND WATER HYDROLOGY

           Shallow Aquifers

                  Shallow. aquifers are present over most of the area, but are generally
           used only when supplies from the Florida or Biscayne aquifers are not available
           or of poor quality. They contain water under both non-artesian and artesian
           conditions and are located above the Floridan aquifer.

                  The thickness of the shallow     aquifers varies throughout the area,
           ranging -up - to 40 feet in Orange County, 90 feet along the Gulf of Mezico-.

                                                  54







                         (Collier County) and considerably thicker in some portions of Polk County.
                         Recharge is from local rainfall and percolation from surface water bodies. The
                         water table generally follows local topography, but is. more subdued, appearing
                         at or near land surface in low areas and deeper in high areas. Water-level
                         fluctuation, is more pronounced in the topographically high areas than in the
                         low lands.

                                 Discharge from shallow aquifers is by seepage into lakes, stream      marine
                         waters, and canals;,by ET; by pumping and by downward leakage to -the
                         Floridan aquifer.

                                 Small-capacity wells are developed in the'shallow aquifers for domestic
                         and irrigation purposes. The wells are generally less than 12 inches in
                         diamet  er and as much as 80 feet deep-,

                                 Water from the shallow aquifers is generally of good quality, though it
                         ranges from soft to very hard, and is often high in color and iron content.
                         Freshwater occurs in the shallow aquifers in all portions of the area except in
                         coastal areas affected by recent sea-water encroachment, and in some inland
                         areas where the aquifers contain residual saline water. The largest areas of
                         residual saline water are under large agricultural developments in the
                         Everglades southeast of Lake Okeechobee, and an inland area near Naples on
                         the west coast..

                                 Shallow aquifers are an important source of water in the Atlantic and
                         Gulf coastal areas where deep artesian water is highly mineralized. They are
                         the main source of good quality groundwater in Charlotte, Collier, Glades,
                         Hendry, Lee, Martin, Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties...

                         Major Aquifers

                                 Groundwater is one of the most abundant and valuable natural resources
                         in the Kissimmee-Everglades Area. The area is underlain        by both artesian and
                         non-artesian groundwater aquifers which consist of many water-bearing
                         formations.

                                 The principal source of groundwater in the northern portion of the area
                         is th e artesian Floridan aquifer; the non-artesian Biscayne       aquifer supplies
                         most of the water to thelower, east coast. Throughout most of the area, small
                         water supplies are obtained from shallow aquifers.





                                                                  55









           Floridan Aquifer

                 The Floridan aquifer underlies the entire area and is the principle source
           of artesian water. However, the aquifer b    ecomes highly mineralized to the
           south of Lake Okeechobee, which greatly restricts its use in this area.

                 Most recharge to the Floridan aquifer occurs in the ]highlands area
           immediately northwest of the Kissimmee-Everglades Area, where the confinin
           layer is absent or breached by sinkholes and the aquifer is'overlain by
           permeable sediments. Recharge areas for the Floridan aquifer which lie within
           the area are mainly confined to the vicinity of the Highlands Ridge and the
           extreme northern porti o*n of the area.

                 Wate  .r flows through the aquifer along faults, joint systems, fractures,
           intragranular spaces, along bedding planes and through cavities of various sizes,
           created by solution of the limestone. The magnitude and number of cavities
           is greater where the aquifer is near the surface and breached by sinkholes,
           such as in the highlands counties of Orange, Polk, and Highlands counties.
           Variations in these solution features throughout-the' aquifer cause extreme
           ranges in transmissivity, both regionally and locally.

                 In the northern portion of the area, except for Orange county, the
           Florida aquifer functions as a single hydrologic unit. South of Highlands
           County the aquifer consists of @everal water-bearing formations separated by
           relatively impermeable material.

                 The potentiometric surface of the aquifer generally slopes toward the
           coastal areas. The potentiometric surface in Polk and Highlands counties forms
           part of an elongate dome which reaches an elevation of more than 80 feet. The
           dome extends southward and flattens in the area south of Lake Okeechobee,
           where the potentiometric surface ranges in elevation from less than 60 feet in
           Hendry County and western Palm,Beach counties, to less than 40 feet in the
           Miami area, to about 20 feet in southernmost Dade County. It is approximately
           ,at sea level in the, Florida Keys.

                 Discharge of thei Florida aquifer is by submarine springs, pumping, and
           artesian flow. Submarine discharge occurs through outcrops on the Atlantic
           Coast. The aquifer is not known to outcrop in the Gulf of Mexico west of
           southern Florida, but upward leakage probably occurs.

                 Thick, relatively impermeable beds of the Hawthorn Formation overlie
           the Floridan aquifer over most.of the area and restrict the upward movement
           of water, thus causing artesian pressure. Artesian flow occurs in wells
           penetrating the aquifer in coastal areas, stream valleys, and in many other

                                                  56







                          areas where the potentiometric surface is above land surface. Parts            of the
                          Kissimmee River watershed are the only major portions'-of the area where
                          artesian flow does not occur. The artesian heads in the area differ with
                          permeability differences in the aquifer and fluctuate in response to changes in
                          recharge and discharge.

                                 Generally, freshwater can be produced from the Floridan aquifer in and
                          near the recharge areas on the north and west border of the Kissiminee River
                          watershed, where the aquifer is near the surface and replenished by rainfall.
                          South of the Kissimmee River watershed the aquifer is deeper, development
                          of wells is more costly, and contamination by mineralized water is more
                          probable.

                                 In the Kissimmee River watershed, from the northern end of the area
                          to southern Highlands and Okeechobee counties, the chloride content of ground
                          water from the upper part of the Floridan aquifer is less than'250 parts per
                          million (ppm), which is within the limits for chloride -recommended by the U.S.
                          Public Health Service. In the remainder of south Florida, the aquifer is highly
                          productive, but contains water with chloride as high as 4000 ppm.in coastal
                          areas.


                          Biscayne Aquifer

                                 The Biscayne aquifer is the chief source of groundwater in southeastern.
                          Florida. The fresh water portion of the aquifer underlies an area of about
                          3,000 square miles, and is the only major source of fresh groundwater in Dade
                          and Broward counties. Water. in the aquifer is generally under water table
                          conditions, although artesian pressure esists locally.

                                 The aquifer has an average fresh water saturated thickness of about 70
                          feet. It ranges in total thickness from 125 feet near Miami and 200 feet near
                                                                                                            arm',
                          Ft. Lauderdale to about 60 feet at the eastern edge of the WCAs west of Mi            i
                          to less than 60 feet in southem Dade County, to virtually 0 feet in eastern
                          Collier and Monroe counties.

                                 Recharge of the aquifer is mainly by rainfall, however, the numerous
                          fresh water canals add to recharge when the water table is low. Percolation of
                          water into the aquifer is aided by the permeable nature of the Miaml Oolite at
                          the surface. Generally, the water table is close to the'surface.

                                 Discharge of the aquifer is by ET, seepage into canals and coastal waters,
                          and by pumping. Fresh water in the Biscayne aquifer generally has hardness
                          ranging from 200 to 300 ppm and chloride ranging from 20 to 30 ppr. Most of
                          the water in the upper part of the aquifer is highly colored, due to organic

                                                                    51








            staining and/or iron, however, this condition decreases with depth. Underlying
            the Everglades, the water from the Biscayne is generally harder with higher
            chloride content due to saline residues.

                   Salt water has migrated into the Biscayne aquifer in many coastal areas
            due primarily to uncontrolled drainage by can-al before 1946. Sea water
            encroachment responds to the fluctuation of fresh water levels in the aquifer.
            The greatest inland advance of salt water occurs in areas around tidal canals
            during low water table conditions.


            SALT WATER ENCROACHMENT

                   Salt water encroachment has effected southern portions of the Southeast
            Coastal Watershed to a greater extent than northern portions of the area.
            Encroachment into the shallow aquifers in St. Lucie, Martin and Palm Beach
            counties has not been extensive, largely due to the relatively few canals that
            cut across the coastal ridge, and to adequate controls on existing canals that
            maintain sufficiently high groundwater levels near the coast. However,
            problems have occurred in localareas bordering salt water, such as Sewell
            Point and Hutchinson and Jupiter islands in Martin County. Most large
            municipal ground water supplies in coastal Palm Beach County are obtained
            from wells located approximately one mile inland, in order to avoid possible
            encroachment.



            EVAPORATION AND TRANSPIRATION

                   Of all rainfall supplied 'to the area, the major portion is returned to the
            atmosphere by evaporation from water and soil surface, and also by vegetation
            uses.    Abundant rainfall, numerous surface storages, relatively'
            temperature and solar radiation give rise to high ET losses *(evaporations from
            water and land surface and transpirations; by vegetation). In 1988, the Corps
            estimated these losses to be 88 percent of the total rainfall.

                   Evaporation. from the soil surface and ET are investigated only at
            experiment stations, mostly located aro  'und Lake Okeechobee. Evaporation pan
            and evapotranspirometer data, which are only indexes of the basin ET, are only
            sparsely located in this area.


            OPERATION OF THE C&SF PROJECT

                   The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District was initially
            created by the state to comply with the conditions of local cooperation relating
            to the C&SF Project. The successor organization, the SFWMD, in addition to

                                                    58







                        its other missions, is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the
                        C&SF Project. The general operational strategy for the system is to provide
                        adequate flood protection during the wet season (June through October) by
                        placing Water into storage and discharging excesses to the ocean; and to draw
                        from the' storage areas during the dry season (November through May). This
                        strategy must also incorporate, protection of the enviro nimental and water
                        q Iuality values of the lakes, wetlands, and estuaries in south Florida.

                               Flood waters are placed either by gravity flow or by pumping into four
                        large water storage areas, Lake Okeechobee, and the three WCAs. These
                        storage areas also serve as a source of water supply during dry periods. A
                        network of primary arterial canals covers most of the area and permits flood
                        or water supply flows to be discharged either into or out of the storageareas
                        or into the ocean. Innumerable secondary canals, managed by local entities, are
                        connected to the primary system.

                               Management of the system is based on criteria designed to ensure that
                        the congressionally authorized purposes are satisfi   'ecL Operation of each of the
                        project's lakes and WCAs is based on a specific regulation schedule. The
                        regulation schedule specifies a maximum desirable water level for any given
                        time of the year. Generally, the schedules allow for the highest water levels
                        at the beginning of the dry season to provide maximum water supply. By June
                        1, the beginning of the wet season, water levelstave been'lowered to provide
                        the capacity for storage of the wet season's anticipated rainfall. In this way,
                        both water supply and flood protection objectives can be satisfied.

                               Because of south Florida's flat terrain, some freshwater           discharges
                        through coastal structures are required even during water shortage conditions.
                        Since storage availability in primary canals is very limited, a significant rainfall
                        event could cause flooding in some low-lying areas unless adequate releases are
                        made.

                               To  operate the system, up-to-the-minute data are required, including the
                        current status of all control structures, the existing water and weather
                        conditions throughout the system, and a prediction of weather conditions in the
                        immediate future. Observers are sent into the field to report on existing
                        'conditions. Other data are collected by SFWMD's staff meteorologist and from
                        the Corps, the National Weather Service, various local water related agencies
                        and cooperating private interests.         Information is received at 'SFWMD
                        headquarters by radio, telephone and teletype or through the communications
                        and control system. This sophisticated electronic system is capable of gathering
                        hydrologic data, as well as operating and monitoring water control structures
                        through a centralized computer.

                               Vital water and weather data are transmitted via a telemetry system to
                        SFWMD's Operations Control Center in West Palm Beach. Operational

                                                                 59








           directives are then transmitted over the system to .-control facilities and are
           executed remotely. These actions are monitored around-the-clock at the
           control center.

                  Remote acquisition and control units contain environmental sensors and
           control elements which operate water control facilities. Aside from being used-
           to open and close flood gates on canals, the system is capable of measuring and
           recording variables like rainfall, water levels, and salinity as well as
           temperature, wind speed and direction. - While the communications and control
           system coverage is currently limited to locations south of Lake Okeechobee, an
           on-going expansion program is targeting other areas for inclusion in the system.


































                                                  60








                          IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES9 PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS:

                                                    -INTRODUCTION

                            This chapter and the following three chapters present an overview of the
                     issues and needs of the study area as they pertain to the hydrologic ecosystem.
                     These issues and needs have been categorized into Water Quantity, Water
                     Quality,,and Biotics. Although each issue or need has been categorized out of
                     necessity for this report, it is recognized that many of these issues and needs
                     fit into more than one category.


                     SCOPING WORKSHOPS

                            Two scoping workshops were held. the first at the University of Florida
                     (UF),  Gainesville, Florida on July 9-11, 1991, and the other at the SFViMD
                     Auditorium in West Palm Beach on October 18,1991. Concerns were identified
                     by the participants of the workshops and further expanded by a team consisting
                     of the SFWMD, ENP, and the Corps. The details of the workshop results can
                     be found in Appendices B and C.

                            A background information package was mailed to all of the participants
                     invited to the workshops. The information package included the identification
                     of the objectives; study background; preliminary list of issues; and a review of
                     past and present Everglades environmental restoration efforts, including an
                     overview of major hydrologic and water quality modeling capabilities for central
                     and south Florida. Participants of the October workshop also received the
                     results of the July workshop to revie   w.

                     July Workshop

                            The July workshop (Appendix B) was co-sponsored by the ENP and
                     faci'litated by Lance Gunderson aind Dr. C. S. Holling of UF. The ENP has
                     modeling efforts underway to aid in achieving restoration and management
                     goals for the Park and have been of great assistance during the formulation of
                     this reconnaissance study. 'UF had previously conducted a series of Adaptive
                     Environmental    Assessment (AFA) workshops that consisted of an informal
                     consortiu. m of scientists and managers attempting to model and screen policies
                     for restoration of the Everglades ecosystem. The AEA workshops were initially
                     sponsored by the ENP and SFWMD. The July workshop was designed to build
                     upon the understandings learned from the series of AEA workshops. Many of
                     the same participants were involved, but many new agencies/groups also
                     attended the Simulation Modeling System. workshops.








                       The goal of this workshop was to develop a collection.of the most
                productive activities to be pursued in future modeling endeavors. To reach this
                goal, the participants were asked to:

                       1) review current and possible future issues
                       2) assess existing modeling activities
                       3) identify gaps in models, methods and understanding
                       4) propose approaches for meeting the needs identified
                         in the earlier sessions
                       5) prioritize the activities.

                       All of the group's at the July workshop had a history of modeling
                activities, and therefore, a fair assessment of the status of existing modeling
                actions. The participants included 43 scientists and engineers from Federal,
                State, and local agencies, as well as universities and -other research
                organizations. A list of the participants is included in Appendix B.

                October Workshop
                       This workshop (Appendix *Q was designed to identify critical issues and
                possible solutions while determining the needs of policy makers, resource
                managers, and other decision makers who affect or are affected by the
                hydrologic ecosystem. The attendees of the workshop consisted of Federal,
                State and local agencies, universities, research organizations, and
                representatives of environmental groups, agricultural interests, the Seminole
                and Miccosukee Indian tribes, and private engineering firms.

                       The workshops provided an environment for technical specialists of
                varied disciplines to -discuss the issues of south and central Florida while
                proposing methods to address those issues.' The workshops provided valuable
                information for completion of the technical study plan for model.development
                including an understanding of the issues and priorities of agencies and interest
                groups in south and central Florida.


                SYSTEM COMPLEXITY

                       The C&SF Project hydrologic ecosystem is very complex.         The project
                area encompasses more than 16,000 square miles. The USF Project was
                developed to manage the surface and ground water resources of the project
                area and to serve a variety of interests for multiple purposes. Those purposes
                include flood control, water level control, prevention of salinity intrusion, water
                deliveries to the ENP, water supply, and fish -and wildlife conservation. In
                addition, there are complex ground and surface water interactions, as well as


                                                        62







                 complex groundwater and canal interactions that complicate the understanding
                 of the hydrology of the area.

                        The ecosystem in central and southern Florida is also very complex and
                 fragile. In the study area (see chapter entitled. Description of Study Area)
                 there are a wide variety of ecosystems: mangrove swamps,.estuarine systems,
                 isolated freshwater wetlands, sawgrass stands, cypress swamps, lakes, marshes,
                 tidal flats, hammocks, sloughs, bays, uplands and many others.

                        Due to the comple m-ity of the hydrologic ecosystem, it has been very
                 difficult to predict the impacts that proposed projects would have on the
                 ecosystem. Many models have been developed over the years to study specific
                 processes within limited subregions, but no previous attempt has been made
                 to model water quantity, water quality, and biotic processes for the entire
                 system. A consensus reached at both workshops was that there is a definite
                 need to model the system as a whole. It was also recognized that meso-scale
                 and micro-scale models would be developed for certain sub-regions and/or for
                 specific processes, but the desired end product would be a simulation modeling
                 system that encompasses the entire study area.
























                                                       63








                               IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES, PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS:

                                                        WATER OUANTITY


                                 This chapter discusses issues, problems, and needs, categorized as water
                          quantity issues. These issues, while they may differ slightly from region to.
                          region, have been identified as system-wide concerns.


                          WATER SUPPLY

                                 The range    and variety   of competition for the limited waterresources
                          within the region is discussed in the following paragraphs.

                          Urban


                                 Central and southern Florida has experienced unprecedented economic
                          growth in recent decades with subseque         nt development and alterations of
                          natural systems. Several million People now inhabit the Atlantic Coastal ridge
                          lands to the east of Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades., Roughly 365,000
                                                                                                             'new,
                          newcomers, 1,000 per day, move to south Florida each year. Each of these
                          residents uses 200 gallons of fresh water a day. This means 200,000 more
                          gallons must be found daily to meet their needs (Duplaix, 1990). This rapidly
                          growing population and associated economic activities are placing progressively
                          increased demands upon the limited water resources of the surficial aquifers
                          underlying the Everglades. The Biscayne aquifer still adequately supplies the
                          east coast, but the west coast is increasingly forced to use desalinated water.

                          Agriculture

                                 There is no consensus on how much water the agricultural industry uses.
                          Many claim that agriculture uses much more water than natural systems or
                          urban residents, while farmers claim- that their croplands actually use less
                          .water than the natural vegetation. The farmers also claim that by retaining
                          water within the canals in. the FAA, less water is being lost to ET than the
                          other Everglades lands which have a larger surface area. The farmers believe
                          that there could be a further reduction in rainfall if land is taken out of
                          production. Citrus and vegetable farmer's further claim that much of the water
                          used is taken from aquifers underneath their land,- irrigates their land and
                          runoff is captured and pumped into wetland areas where it re             turns ;to the
                          aquifers. By contrast, they claim urban users pump water from the same
                          aquifers but return relatively little of it. Much of the water winds up in sewer
                          systems or canals and carried to the ocean.

                                                                    65









                   There is increasing concern over the rapid expansion of citrus groves in
            Collier County. Since 1986, the number of producing citrus acres has increased
            from 10,100 acres to 23,600 in 1990. The increase is attributable to severe
            freezes driving growers from the central 'art of thestate to the southwest. It'
                                                     .. P
            has been forecasted that by 2010, there wi  'H be 59,800 acres of citrus, increasing
            their water usage from 24.1 billion gallons in 1990 to 55.7 billion gallons.

            Natural systems

                   Natural resource managers in the study area claim that the water needs
            of natural systems are considered only after urban and agricultural needs ate
            met.


                   The ENP is last in line in the 250-mile-long Everglades watershed and
            for many years had little to say about how much water it received and when.
            When a summer downpour filled the WCAs or flooded adjacent agricultural
            areas, the excess was released into the ENP. During droughts, urban and
            agricultural areas received water first and'the ENP received what water was
            left, if any. A computer model was designed to mimic seasonal rainfall
            conditions and annual water deliveries along the ENP's northern boundary.
            This new model has significantly improved the timing and distribution of water
            allotments, but problems still exist. When the recent drought imposed
            restrictions on Miami residents in 1989, no water was released to the ENP for
            37 weeks (Duplaix, 1990).

                   During the -drought of 1989-91, the WCAs were expanses of cracked
            earth. The number of alligators in the Refuge fell 40 percent in just two years.
            in the Everglades, the number decreased by more than two-thirds. Alligators
            will not build nests if the marsh is too dry in April and May. In 1990,.it was
            predicted that 90 percent of the alligators would probably not produce. In bot    *h
            the Refuge and the ENP, alligators that survive are generally the larger, older
            ones that have eaten many of the smaller offspring during the drought. The
            officials had to close the Refuge during the drought for six weeks, "due to the
            extreme low water levels. The concerns included the belief that alligators
            driven into the canals for water would harass park visitors or that people would
            get in the way of wildlife attempting to reach water.

                   Woodstorks and great egrets and other wading birds found so little food,
            during the'drought, that they were not nesting. In the late 1930's and early
            1940's there were 8,000 to 10,000 adult storks nesting in the ENP. In the last
            few years, that number has dropped to 250. There were four traditional
            nesting spots in the Park; now there is one.




                                                    66









                               Resource managers claim that without     the Everglades, much of South
                        Florida would simply dry up. Evaporation from the wetlands in the summer
                        and fall begin an atmospheric chain reaction that brings most of South Florida's
                        rainfall and replenishes ground water supplies. They advocate that a water
                        allocation system that shares adversity is absolutely necessary if the natural
                        resources are to survive in the future.


                        Other Losses of Water

                               Beside the consumptive uses of water by the urban, agricultural, and
                        natural system sectors, there are other losses of water in the system. These
                        include:


                               1) Water is lost at the salinity control structures due to seepage losses
                        from project storage areas along the more than 170 miles of coast. It has been
                        estimated that the seepage loss rates range from 2 cfs/ft head/mile in the
                        northern areas to 5 cfs/ft head/mile in the southern areas.

                              2) ET accounts for the major portion of rainfall loss and its evaluation
                        is necessary in order to determine the amount -of rainfall excess available for
                        other purposes.

                               3) Seepage losses through and under the C&SF project levees have been
                        found to range from 4 to over 100 cfs/ft head/mile of levee. The higher
                        seepage losses occur along the exterior levees bordering WCA 3B. Estimated
                        annual seepage losses from the'three WCAs total about one-half million acre-
                        feet during normal years. Some benefits accrue from this seepage, especially-,
                        to the east coast agricultural and urban interests and to the ENP, in making
                        up part of the supply to those areas. However, if losses to the aquifer. and to
                        the.coastal canals that are excess to the needs of the area, and are discharged
                        to tidewater, could be reduced, this would result in a considerable potential
                        supply.

                        Sustainability

                               Another concern     categorized as a water supply issue       is that of
                        sustainability. There is great uncertainty in just how much water is needed by
                        all of the consumers in the project area. It is not known exactly how much
                        water is needed by the present urban areas and how much might be needed for
                        future residents. There is also limited accounting of all the' water used for
                        agricultural purposes. It is unknown how much water and what- hydroperiod
                        is needed to sustain the native fauna and flora or what water level is needed
                        to sustain the remaining soil in the Everglades.



                                                               67










              Historic Conditions

                     There is limited knowledge of historic regimes and the conditions that
              produced and sustained the system in the past. This information would be
              beneficial to a better understanding of the type of practices needed to sustain
              the current system or to attempt to restore the ecosystem.

              Projected Water Use

                     Studies need to be undertaken to predict water needs        in the future.
              Projections of agriculture, industry, and urban consumers should be undertaken
              to evaluate the existing hydrologic- system structural and operational
              capabilities to accommodate future growth while maintaining supplies for the
              natural resources. The SFWMD has initiated preparation of a Water Supply
              Plan for the lower west coast. This area includes all of Lee County, most of
              Collier and Hendry counties and a portion of Charlotte, Glades and Monroe
              counties. The purpose of the plan is to project water demand and identify
              water sources and methods to meet this demand on a regional scale.

              Global Warming

                    .Global warming,    also known as "the greenhouse effect, is still a hotly
              debated topic. Most scientists now agree that man-made increases in the
              amount of carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gases are making the world's
              climate hotter. The gases come from car exhausts, power plants, industrial
              smokestacks and the burning and clearing of the world's forests. The gases
              form a giant blanket holding in Earth's heat. The debates now focus more on
              how large the increase will be. With its long coastline, Florida is probably the
              most vulnerable state in the U.S. As temperatures heat up and seas rise, we
              can expect hotter summers, deeper floods, thicker air pollution, and vanishing
              beaches. In projecting needs for water supply, it is felt that this sea level rise
              will need to be taken into account.


              Water Budget

                     A water budget is needed to understand more accurately how much
              water is available in the entire system. An accounting is needed to know how
              much water each sector uses, loss due to seepage, ET, floodwater releases.to
              the oceans, and other losses. SFWMD has begun a 2-year effort on a water
              budget for the Lower East Coast.





                                                      68








                        Water Levels and Delivery

                              Not only is it necessary to understand the total volume of water needed
                        by the consumers, but it is important to understand the optimum timing of the
                        water deliveries. The manipulation of the water schedule has not simulated
                        natural. conditions. As discussed in the Natural Systems section above, the
                        ENP has had problems with receiving too httle water much of the time, but
                        also with receiving too much water in a short period. The Refuge has also
                        complained that water levels are not maintained for the best conditions for the
                        vegetation and wildlife, but only the schedule needed for water storage for
                        urban areas.

                              Problems also occur in other areas. The estuaries often receive large
                        amounts of freshwater, when flood waters are routed through the canals. One
                        example is the 12 inches of rain- that feH in south Florida one day in August
                        1988. The flooded farmlands were relieved by releasing a plume of fresh water
                        from C-111 into Barnes Sound, adjacent to the ENP. The.fish, shrimp, sponges,
                        crabs and lobsters that were not killed by the change in salinity, died in silt
                        that spread over 25 square miles. This action temporarily wiped out this
                        marine breeding ground for shrimp and fish, a source of food to humans and to
                        thousands of wading birds. Two years later, the areas still had not recovered.
                        In Barnes Sound and adjacent Florida Bay, a fairly precise mix of brackish
                        water is required to produce the small fish and shrimp, that the birds need to
                        survive. The St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries experience similar
                        problems with water delivery.

                              In 1983 tons of fresh water released from Lake Okeechobee into the St.
                        Lucie Estuary chased away fish, wiped out oyster beds and caused the deaths
                        of dozens of endangered brown pelicans. For 46 consecutive days, lake water
                        from beavy rains poured into the salty estuary. One proposal to alleviate the
                        excessive floodwaters released to the estuary involves a plan to discharge water
                        into the estuary more frequently but in smaller quantities. This "pulse"
                        method is largely theoretical and only one of several recommended plans.
                        Others propose a plan to release water when Lake Okeechobee's water level
                        reaches. 14.5 feet. They say that this would be more environmentally sound.
                        Another plan is to release fresh water when the Lake rises to 16 feet. This
                        latest plan is favored by agricultural interests because the added storage
                        capacity in the Lake would be a reserve against drought. There has been
                        debate for several years about what water level is best to maintain for the
                        Lake; in order to sustain marsh vegetation and fish and wildlife. 'Another
                        question that needs to be answered is what effect those lake levels would have
                        on nutrient dynamics. State and Federal regulatory agencies would have to
                        approve any plan.



                                                               69








                 On the west coast, millions of gallons of fresh water flow into the
           relatively brackish estuaries daily from the State Road 29 canal and the Faka
           Union canal into the Ten Thousand Islands, from the County Road 951 canal
           and Henderson Creek into Rookery Bay from the Golden Gate canal into the
           Gordon River and Naples Bay and from the Immokalee Road canal into Wiggins
           Bay. The result can be a catastrophic modification of the saline balance and
           that can dramatically alter the ability of the estuary to function properly. The
           only estuary on the southwest coast that is regularly monitored for freshwater
           intrusion is Rookery Bay, halfway between Naples and Marco Island. The
           Rookery Bay system is managed and protected by the Rookery Bay National
           Estuarine Research Reserve. - More freshwater species like bass and alligators
           have been seen in the bay lately.

                 There is also a problem with insufficient freshwater being delivered to
           the bays. Salt concentrations of twice the level of sea water have been found
           in parts of Florida Bay. Hypersalinity has also been a problem in St. Lucie
           Estuary. Before roads were built and canals dug to drain the wetlands, water
           flowed evenly into the estuaries like a sheet over the land. Nature maintained
                                                                  "for irrigation and water
           the salinity balance in the estuaries. But canals built
           consumption hold back fresh water that used to feed the estuaries for.increased
           municipal and agricultural use of water supplies.

           Salt Water Intrusion

                 In coastal areas, particularly along the lower southeastern coast, the
           fresh and saline interface is primarily governed by the groundwater table and
           the ease of water movement. In these areas, significant problems have been
           encountered with salinity intrusion, or the gradual shift of the fresh/salt
           interface inland. This has resulted from two major events.

                 The first is the lowering of the groundwater table in the area due to the
           overdrainage and reduced recharge as well as the increased withdrawal of
           water by pumping. The second reason, which had a more direct impact, is the
           construction of numerous drainage and navigation canals from inland areas to
           the coastal waters. This provided an unobstructed route for salt water to
           migrate inland. The inland migrationwas halted by actions taken-in the 1960's
           to contain the movement of salt water up the drainage canals. Now when
           coastal monitoring wells detect saltwater contamination, freshwater pumping
           is shifted inland or more water is sent through canals to block the advance of
           saltwater. However, continued and increased with drawils. from the aquifer
           continues to aggravate the intrusion problem. As A result, several of the
           municipal water supply wells located along the coast have been abandoned, and
           many others are threatened by salt water contamination. A prolonged drought
           would aggravate the situation to a much greater degree.,


                                                  70









                              Salinity related issues occur in the estuaries around the southern part
                        of the state, and at the interface of fresh/saline groundwater. Riverine
                        freshwater flow influences the [email protected] estuaries of the Indian River Lagoon,
                        and the Caloosahatchee River.        Overland sheet flow and groundwater
                        influences the salinities through the Whitewater Bay/Ten Thousand island
                        Area and into Florida Bay. Saltwater intrusion into wells continues to plague
                        coastal areas along-the east and west coasts of south Florida.

                        Welffield Impacts

                              Anothex concern is the impact that wellfields are making on the water
                        supply. Especially in the lower east coast areas, more and more wellfields are
                        being constructed to the detriment, many believe, of the aquifer and the
                        ecosystem in the region. A regional wellfield was just approved for North
                        Broward County in August. The wellfield, which will pump 10 million gallons
                        a day, is expected to take care of that area's growing demand for water through
                        the end of the century. Broward County had already been given permission
                        last December to begin work on a wellfield to serve cities in the southern part
                        of the county.

                              A wellfield is proposed by Dade County officials to help provide water to
                        .a growing Miami population. The proposed wellfield would pump 140 million
                        gallons of water daily. The wellfield would be located just east of the ENP.
                        Park officials are extremely concerned of potential impacts to the Park's
                        already troubled water supply and will likely demand that consumption be cut
                        by more than two-thirds, to about 40 million gallons a day.

                        Drought

                              Dry seasons are normal in south Florida, they are part of the natural
                        .cycle of wet and dry that characterizes the. climate. Each year water levels
                        drop naturally from January until June in advance of the rainy season. All
                        storage areas are scheduled to be their lowest on June 1 to absorb the rain
                        which falls during the summer. Eighty percent of south Florida's rainfall
                        comes during the summer months. However, there have been several record
                        droughts in the past decade.

                              The *dry season of 1980-81 was not especially noteworthy, but when the
                        dry season should have ended in June, the rain did not begin. The trend
                        continued throughout that rainy season.        -By the spring of-1981, Lake
                        Okeechobee had fallen below 12 feet. The Lake continued to drop, and more
                        and more concern was expressed for the safety of coastal wellfields, which are
                        always susceptible to saltwater intrusion. In April 1981, the SFWMD requested
                        all South Floridians to conserve water. In May the request became mandatory,


                                                               71









          with the SFWMD taking officialAction to declare, a water shortage emergency
          throughout the District.

                 Conservation measures helped relieve the pressures to draw water from
          the aquifers faster than it could be replenished. The threat of saltwater
          intrusion still existed, but did not actually occur in any wellfields. However,
          June came and went, again without the beginning of a rainy season. Lake
          Okeechobee continued to drop, and reserves in the WCAs dwindled. Sinkholes
          began occurring in central Florida. By July, Governor Bob Graham declared
          the entire southern end of the state in a drought disaster. Ah of the lakes in
          the Upper Kissimmee chain experienced extreme low stages; Lake Istokpoga
          and the Kissimmee River were far below normal. A statistical analysis showed.
          that the severity of the drought in this area was on the order of 'a one-in-400
          year event.

                 Lake Okeechobee reached its all-time low of 9.75 feet. on July 29, 1981.
          The WCAs were depleted of water and the soil dried and cracked. The actual
          severity of the drought in the southern end of Florida was not as extreme as
          in the north, but the number of people relying on the limited amount of water
          exaggerated the condition to make it a drought of major proportions. A cloud-
          seeding project brought some rain to the parched Kissimmee Valley. A respite
          was felt in August and September when rain fell throughout south Florida, but
          water levels in the ground and all storage areas were precariously low as the
                   dry season approached.

                 Less than a month after Lake Okeechobee hit its record low level on
          July 29, 1981, Tropical Stor m. Dennis, blowing in from the southwest, emptied
          nearly 20 inches of rain on southern Dade County, while missing the drought-
          stricken Lake Okeechobee drainage basin almost entirely. The same area
          received another 24 inches of rainfall in September. Two extremes of nature
          occurred at the same time; a record drought in the northern and central
          regions of the study area and a record flood in the southern reaches. While
          agriculturalists and homeowners in Palm Beach and Broward counties were
          practicing water conservation, their neighbors in southern Date County were
          bailing out their homes and watching avocado groves suffocate under a foot or
          more of floodwaters caused by extremely high water tables.

                 However, as the 1981-82 dry season continued, the level of Lake
          Okeechobee, a prime indicator of water conditions throughout much of the
          study area, continued to remain low. Sporadic rain fell through the winter
          months, but provided little relief. By November 1981, farmers were seeking
          reassurance that their harvest would be able to take place in the spring.
          Harvesting, especially for sugarcane, requires . a high water table - a
          requirement no one could guarantee could be met as the dry season progressed.


                                                 72









                         Then from late May through June much of the study area received abnormally
                         high rainfall. The lake level rose from 10.5 feet to 13.& feet in about a month.
                         This drought lasted 18 months, but then the floods began. Those floods are
                         discussed in the following section.

                               Another drought struck in 1989 which lasted two and one-half years.
                         This drought broke the record from 1980-82 and the Everglades were at their
                         driest since 1957. The snail, kite and wading birds that live off small fish,
                         sought other feeding areas. Some of the animals showed up hundreds of miles
                         to the north, in western Indian River County in central Florida, an area filled
                         with a broad band of freshwater. marshes, wetlands and Blue Cypress Lake.

                               The water level in the Refuge fell below 11 feet.' Once waterlevels fall
                         below 13 feet in its rim canals, interior marshes drain into them and dry out.
                         Thousands of acres in the Refuge were dry, including 10,000 acres at -the north
                         end that had been dry for nearly two years. Nearly all life in the dry areas died
                         or moved away. The managers estimated that when the water returned,
                         recovery could take up to three years.

                               Water restrictions had to be imposed on both coasts. Water restrictions
                         were in effect on the West Coast from November 1988 until July of 1989. On
                         the East Coast, restrictions were imposed on areas in northern Broward County
                         in April 1989, and in northern Palm Beach County and around Lake
                         Okeechobee as they were lifted on the West Coast in July 1989. Lake
                         Okeechobee- dropped to 11. 18 feet, close to three feet below normal by August
                         1989. The SFWMD was forced to briefly -resume backpumping into Lake
                         Okeechobee in September 1989.

                               Throughout the District, rainfall was 13 inches below normal - a one-in-
                         50 year drought. In the EAA, the rainfall deficit was over 20 inches. When
                         rain did occur, it seldom fell over areas like Lake Okeechobee or the WCAs,
                         where it could be held for later use. The surface water supply system lost a
                         record 3.1 million acre feet from September 1988 to August 1989.

                               Groundwater levels at Cape Coral and southern Fort Myers on the west
                         coast hit record lows. The aquifer in that area dropped to 40 feet below sea
                         level. In 1989, groundwater levels in South Palm Beach and North Broward
                         counties dropped between one and three feet to just above sea level. Levels
                         continued to drop as the drought lasted.

                               The fourteen inches in October that floode     'd parts of south Florida still
                         left the region critically short of water since most of the deluge washed out to
                         sea. In October, the SFWMD designated a 13-county area as "a critical water
                         supply problem area". This allows the SFWMD to force communities to take


                                                                 73









          conservation measures such as using recycled, treated sewer water for lawn-
          watering. This designation means that all communities in this area meet
          certain conditions and are likely to experience water shortages in the next 20
          years. In December, the SFWMD is to decide whether to require all water
          extracted during the sewage treatment process to be reused. If that plan is
          approved, utilities in the critical zone will be required to begin reusing treated
          waste water within five years.@

                 Counties throughout the west coast are developing conservation
          programs. Some of the measures under consideration include: low-flow' toilets,
          shower heads and sprinkler systems, low pressure water delivery systems that
          would* reduce water pressure in pipes, re-use of treated waste water for
          irrigation, and mandatory xeriscaping. Xeriscaping uses drought-resistent
          plants for landscaping.

          Flood Protection

                 Flood protection was the primary purpose for,the construction of the
          C&SF Project. It is still a very critical function of the project today. During
          recent flooding in the.EAA, farmers complained that tens, of millions of dollars
          worth of crops were lost. They claimed that the SFWMD waited too long to
          start pumps that move storm water into Lake Okeechobee. and prevent fields
          from flooding. According to SFWMD, the pumps were started as soon as
          criteria permitting pumping had been met. There is concern that the criteria
          set by the State and the Corps is outdated. It is felt that the subsidence of
          muck in the region needs to be'taken into account (Shuchman, 1991). Urban
          flooding in October caused damage to 900 homes in Dade County. Once again
          the SFWMD was blamed for not opening flood gates to drain nearby canals soon
          enough. SFWMD staff however said that the system could not handle the
          excessive rain that fell in the short period of time.

                 Tropical Storm Dennis, discussed in the Drought section above, emptied
          nearly 20 inches of rain on southern Dade County in August 1981. The
          SFW.MD responded to this major flooding episode by opening all water control
          structures in the South Miami-Homestead area to full discharge capacity. The
          earthen plug at the southern end of C-111 was removed for the second time
          since its construction in 1968, allowing maximum releases to be made from the
          area.


                 After 18 months of drought, the 1982 rainy season began with a bang.
          From May 23 to June 26, 1982, a total of 22.37 inches of rain was recorded at
          a rain gauge station in LaBelle. The same pattern occurred throughout the 900
          square mile WCA 3A, amounting to twice the amount of rain normally received
          in these areas during May and June. Due to the unusually heavy rains, and in


                                                   74








                       some cases compounded by inadequate drainage          systems, severe flooding
                       occurred in several areas of the study area. One county especially hard hit was
                       Hendry County. A federal emergency task force declared a state of emergency
                       for the -area on June 18, 1982, and requested President Reagan on June 30 to
                       declare a major disaster in the area. On that same day, Governor Bob Graham
                       declared Hendry County, and several other counties outside of the study area,
                       a flood disaster area.

                             While work was progressing to relieve flooding in Hendry County, WCA
                       3A also began to have problems. On May 1, 1982, the level of WCA 3A was two
                       feet below regulation schedule. When the rains came later that month, the
                       level began to rise. This direct rainfall was supplemented by water flowing into
                       the area from flood water releases out, of the north. The level increased from
                       7.7 feet on May 1 to 11.04 feet on July 19. While the recharge of south
                       Florida's water supply was welcome, the high levels caused problems for
                       wildlife.

                              The wildlife in WCA 3A is managed by the FGFWFC. Aware that the
                       rising water would lead to increased competition by the deer and other upland
                       animals for food and dry habitat, the FGFWFC announced plans for a special
                       deer hunt. Anti-hunting groups, claiming that the animals should be rescued
                       from the area or left to die a "natuial" death, challenged the hunt in court. In
                       response to this controversy, which received much local and national publicity,
                       Governor Graham appointed an Everglades Wildlife Management Committee.
                       The , committee was charged with considering ways to better manage
                       Everglades wildlife - in concert with basic water management goals in south
                       Florida. The committee made several recommendations for improving both
                       wildlife management and water management in the Everglades.

                       Overdrainage

                              The original need to provide flood control and drainage improvements to
                       the developed areas, combined with the haste to drain additional areas for
                       development opportunities, has resulted in area-wide problems related to
                       overdrainage of soil and shallow aquifers. The increased rates of water removal
                       from developed areas by improved drainage systems has also reduced aquifer
                       recharge. This, combined with the ever increasing pumpa'ge of water from the
                       aquifer, has reduced the natural storage and availability of water from the
                       major surficial aquifers, such as the Biscayne Aquifer. In the lower southeast
                       coast, the Biscayne Aquifer serves as the major supplier of water. Anything
                       adversely affecting this aquifer has far-reaching effects on both the population
                       and economy of the entire area.




                                                              75









                 Largely as a result of the agricultural and urban growth along the
          Orlando upland on the north and the Lake Wales ridge to the west of the
          Kissimmee River, the potentiometric surfac    e of the Floridan aquifer beneath
          these uplands has declined almost 35 feet since the 1930's. This potentiometric
          level decline has resulted in reduced ground water. seepage that previously
          reemerged as surface water contributions to the upper Kissimmee River basin
          chain of lakes, to the Kissimmee River, and to Lake Okeechobee.



          WATER MANAGEMENT POLICIES

                 Another problem identified wasthat the policies governing the system
          are not flexible enough to investigate feasible operational alternatives that
          would cover a wide.range in conditions. It is felt that studies are requi  red to
          attain optimum or maximum benefits for the entire area as a whole.

                 As discussed. in the previous chapteri the hydrologic ecosystem is very
          complex. Many people question that the water supply problem is real in an
          area where an average of 60 inches of rain falls each. year. However water
          shortages can, and do, occur here; because most of those rains fall during a
          period of time, from June through October, when people's demands are lowest,
          and flooding is the greatest threat to the works of man. It is also not always
          well understood that water withdrawn anywhere in the region can affect levels
          elsewhere in the system. Reserves of groundwater or surface water pay little
          attention to boundaries. A Dade County farmer's underground well drilled into
          the Biscayne Aquifer depends on'surface water conveyed from canals or'
          reservoirs as far away as Lake Okeechobee.

                 The attempt to model this system in the past has been limited in scope.
          The South Florida Water Management Model (SFW           'MM) developed by the
          SFW`MD is the most heavily used modeling tool within the region.

                 The code used in that model integrates surface water and groundwater
          flows to address water management issues (such as water supply, flood control,
          and environmental quality). The model simulates flow for an area that includes
          the WCAs, EAA, much of the BCNP, ENP, and the lower east coast. The
          model provides differing levels of simulation sophistication for all of the
          important processes affecting water management in this area: rainfall, runoff,
          ET, interconnections between surface systems (particularly the canal system)
          and aquifers (particularly the Biscayne * Aquifer),. and overland, *canal, and
          groundwater flows.

                 While the model is highly advanced, it still has a number of opportunities
          for improvement.   This is discussed in more detail in later chapters, but one  of


                                                 76








                       its major criticisms As the very complex nature of the model. The model
                       requires a computer programmer to operate it and to interpret the large file
                       of numbers that is produced as output. It is not possible to efficiently run a
                       number of alternative water management scenarios as the- computer code must
                       be: rewritten to incorporate changes.

































                                                             77








                             IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES, PROBLEIVISs AND NEEDS:

                                                     WATER QUALITY


                              Water quality issues in the study area basically fit within three
                       categories: eutrophication, salinity/dissolved solids and contaminants. The
                       topics were primarily defined at the sub-region level, however, the same or
                       related problems appear throughout the entire system.


                       EUTROPHICATION

                              The eutrophication issue has a long   history in some areas, while other
                       areas are potential sites for problems. A major eutrophication issue for at least
                       the past 20 years, has been the effect of nutrient enrichment (primarily
                       nitrogen . and phosphorus) on - Lake Okeechobee.             The other major
                       eutrophication issue involves the freshwater marshes of the Everglades system
                       (WCAs and the ENP). The freshwater marshes of the natural systems are
                       extremely oligotrophic; seemingly minor changes in the nutrient status can
                       result in dramatic changes in the microflora and macrophytes. Eutrophication
                       is also currently an issue in the upper watershed, or Kissimmee River Basin.
                       The infestation of aquatic plants in the canals of the system is related to
                       nutrient enrichment. Potential areas of eutrophication include the Big Cypress
                       area, mangrove zones, estuarine bays, and Florida Bay. In the foreseeable
                       future, impacts from agriculture will become apparent in southwest Florida, as
                       cultivation of citrus groves and other crops becomes established.

                       Kissimmee River Basin

                              The Kissimmee River Basin has been identified as one possible source
                       for excess nutrients Ge: phosphorus, nitrogen) that can been blamed for the
                       eutrophication of Lake Okeechobee and systems downstream. The dairy
                       industry is located in this area. The dairy farms' 45,000 cows each produce raw
                       waste equivalent to that of 22 human beings. The 2,295 tons of waste
                       contribute to the 1.5 tons of phosphorus that flow into the lake each day
                       (Duplaix, 1990). These huge inflows of phosphorus and nitrogen, accumulating
                       in the silty bottom of Lake Okeechobee, hasten the natural aging process of
                       eutrophication. There is a need for scientific study* to understand the sources,
                       means of transport. and fate of the excess nutrients. it would then be possible
                       to establish Best Management Practices (BMPs) for the farms in the basin.




                                                               79








                 Some measures have already being undertaken or considered to enhance
           the quality of the water discharged into Lake Okeechobee. As discussed in the
           following section on Lake Okeechobee, a dairy buy-out program has been
           instituted by SFWMD, along with other phosphorus reduction measures.

                 Another projectcurrently being studied by the Corps and SFWMD is the
           restoration of the Ydssimmee River. The proposed modification includes
           completely backfilling about 29 miles of the canal, partially backfilling another
           16 miles, primarily in Okeechobee County, excavating 12 miles of new river
           channel, and construction of a by-pass weir at Structure 65 on S.R 60 in
           Polk/Osceola counties. The Kissimmee River provides 30 percent-of the water
           flowing into the north end of Lake Okeechobee'. Restoration of the river and
           surrounding wetlands and implementation of BMPs are expected to halt the
           contamination of the Lake and replenish the depleted water flow to the
           Everglades. It is estimated that the water quality would improve by 15 to 20
           percent.

           Lake Okeechobee,

                 Lake Okeechobee is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S., south of the
           Great Lakes. It is a primary source of drinking water for South Florida and
           supplies water directly to several cities around the Lake. In times of drought,
           water from the lake is used to recharge the Biscayne Aquifer, primary water
           supply for the 4.5 million people in southern Palm Beach, Broward, Dade,. and
           Monroe Counties.

                 During the 1971 drought, the USGS released a report stating that Lake
           Okeechobee was in danger, by being overburdened with nutrients, and aging
           too rapidly. Lakes, like every other living organism, have a natural life cycle.
           Lake Okeechobee could suffer a decline unless this early eutrophic state was
           reversed. In 1972, Governor Reubin Askew convened a conference on water
           management which clarified the necessity of balancing man's and the
           environment's needs and managing water resources on a regional basis. Later
           that year, the State legislature enacted the Water Resources Act, the Florida
           Comprehensive Planning Act and the Environmental Land and Water
           Management Act.

                 This legislation created five regional water management districts
           responsible for all surface and ground waters within their boundaries, rather
           than just flood control works. This changed SFWMD's mission and mode of
           operation, shifting the emphasis from flood control to water managemen      t.

                 In the summer of 1986, national attention was focused on Lake
           Okeechobee after a record 120 square miles of the lake was covered with an


                                                  80









                        algae bloom. This particular outbreak was identified as "anabaena circinalis, " a
                        blue-green algae considered to be deadly to aquatic life, since it robs the water's
                        oxygen during its decomposition,        Scientists from the Lake Okeechobee
                        Technical Advisory Committee (LOTAC) concluded that the increased algae
                        blooms on Lake Okeechobee were a result of the increases of phosphorus and
                        nitrogen. They recommended the physical removal of phosphorus via aquatic
                        weed removal; expansion of BMPs to the Lower Kissimmee; improved
                        conservation fr om agriculture via SFWMD permit renewals; and the diversion
                        and aquifer storage and recovery of nutrient-rich water.

                               Scientists say that Lake Okeechobee is overloaded with phosphorus,
                        primarily from the dairy farms at the north end of the lake and from the
                        agricultural farms which rim the southern end, and is quickly becoming
                        stagnant. The canal water also carries nitrogen compounds leached from the
                        Everglades muck. Back-pumping farm drainage into the lake to raise water
                        levels was routine until 1979, when the SFWMD decided that the quantities of
                        nitrogen 'and phosphorus had begun to threaten the viability of the Lake. The
                        water was then sent south through the WCAs. Back-pumping still occurs, but
                        only as a last measure. Stormwater runoff carrying fertilizer into the lake has
                        also been cited as a problem.

                               Between 1974 and 1984, concentrations of total phosphorus in Lake
                        Okeechobee almost doubled. Preliminary evidence suggests that excessive
                        nutrient loading has reduced the Lake's capacity to assimilate phosphorus. In
                        addition, the ratio of total nitrogen to total phosphorus has shown a significant
                        downward trend, which may indicate a shift in. species composition from the
                        Lake's normal algal flora to less desirable nitrogen-fixing blue-green algae, such
                        as Anabaena. If these trends continue,. it is possible that eutrophication will
                        accelerate and that the Lake will suffer an ecological collapse of its food chain
                        and fishery resource (Swift, Anclade, and Kantrowitz, 1987).

                               The Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act was passed
                        in 1987 which required each water management district to develop a priority
                        list of water bodies in need of restoration and protection, and then identify
                        strategies to protect or restore them. Water bodies identified by the SWM Act
                        for priority improvement in South.Florida included Lake Okeechobee, Biscayne
                        Bay, and the Indian River Lagoon. Others would be added. the Everglades,
                        mcluding.the three WCAs and ENP. During 1987, Interim Management Plans
                        for the Indian River Lagoon and Biscayne Bay were completed. New studies
                        of Lake Okeechobee water levels and the importance of the Lake's littoral zone
                        were begun, as was an interim SIWM Plan for the Lake.

                               Because ambient levels of phosphorus in the Lake reached a record high
                        in 1987-88, the Lake Okeechobee SW7M Plan adopted in 1989, calls for


                                                                 81









           immediate implementation of some very aggressive phosphorus reduction:
           strategies. The SW7M Plan set phosphorus limits of 0.18 part per million of.
           water entering all points around the Lake to achieve a aximum, annual
           loading of 397 tons. The total phosphorus loading to Lake Okeechobee from
           October 1990 to June 1991 is estimated to be 252 tons. The current projection
           for the year ending September 30, 1991 is 574 tons. Therefore, phosphorus
           loading for 1991 is expected to exceed. the target of 397 tons, or forty-five
           percent.   The increased phosphorus loading is primarily due to excess
           stormwater runoff caused by higher than normal rainfall. There were several
           algae blooms in Lake Okeechobee in June, in July there were no algae blooms,
           but in August there was a bloom of 4-5 square miles at the south end of the
           Lake (Office of the Governor, 1991). Another algae bloom covering 20 square
           miles appeared in late August.

                  The Lake Okeechobee S147M Plan goal is to reduce phosphorus loadings
           to 397 tons per year. To accomplish this goal, the SFWMD is implementing a
           regulatory program to control the sources of nutrient-laden runoff. A dairy
           buy-out program has been instituted by SFWMD. The dairy buy-out program,
           involving the SFWMD and DER, pay the dairies a fee per cow for closing their
           farms in exchange for a guarantee that dairy farming operations Will never
           occur on that property again. Other dairies are required to apply for permits
           for the construction of BMPs. BMPs include aquifer storage and recovery, on-
           site surface storage, crop rotation, letting certain lands periodically he fallow,
           and others described in a Draft SR7M Plan. The SFWMD will submit a final
           Lake'Okeechobee SWIM Plan to the Florida Department of Environmental
           Regulation (DER) by June 1992.

           Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park

                 Pollutants entering the WCAs have damaged the ecosystem. The
           contaminated water contains 10 to 20 times the normal concentrations of
           phosphorus and nitrogen. Where the pollutants have penetrated the. Refuge
           and other areas in the WCAs, the original sawgrass swamp is being overtaken
           by cattails. The cattails thrive on the excess phosphorus and soon crowd out
           the sawgrass with their roots and leaves. The exotic cattails also shade out the
           oxygen-producing periphytic algae, which is. the base of the Everglades food
           web. Thousands of acres of native sawgrass, have been displaced in the WCAs
           alone in the past 10 years. Phosphorus also eats away algae critical to the
           Everglades food chain and keeps oxygen from dissolving properly in water.

                 It is believed that the unnatural phosphorus loads from the north would
           be better dispersed if water were delivered more slowly and naturally. The
           phosphorus is blamed for- disrupting biological processes that support a diverse


                                                   82









                        community of plants and animals. The goal of the cleanup plan    is for the WCAs'
                        to receive no more than. 41 tons of phosphorus by the year 2002.


                        MARJORIE STONEMAN DOUGLAS ACT

                              The Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Everglades Protection Act, Section
                        373.4592, Florida Statue, went into effect July 1, 1991 with the purpose of
                        facilitating the surface water improvement and management (SWIM process
                        by providing a funding mechanism to implement Everglades SWIM plan
                        strategies and other projects necessary to meet Everglades water quality
                        requirements. Specifically, the act authorizes SFWMD to acquire la       ,nds and
                        create stormwater utilities for the construction and.operation of stormwater
                        management systems and program

                              The act requires SFWMD to apply for 5-year interim permits for its
                        structures in the C&SF Project, which should include recommended ambient
                        concentration levels and discharge limitations for phosphorus necessary to meet
                        state water quality standards, proposed interim concentration levels, and
                        strategies to achieve compliance-including the development of a regulatory
                        program to improve water quality before it enters the sitormwater management
                        systems. SFWMD must also publish rules by April 1992 for permits authorizing
                        discharges from the EAA and set nutrient limitations for such discharges.


                        EVERGLADES LAWSUIT

                               The U.S. Attorney's office in Miami sued the SFWMD and DER in 1988,
                        charging SFWMD and, DER with: 1) violating state law by failing to enforce
                        state water quality standards against FAA farmers, 2) operating SFWMD water
                        management structures within the project without state permits, and 3)
                        allowing EAA nutrient enriched waters to enter the Refuge and ENP causing
                        an "imbalance in natural fauna and 17ora" in violation of Class III water quality
                        standards.

                               In full recognition that the'Park and Refuge are unique and irreplaceable
                        natural resources and, in order to settle the lawsuit, in July 1991 the Federal
                        and State parties agreed to cooperate in a commitment to restore and maint
                        the quality of water delivered to the Park@ and Refuge.

                              Under the Agreement,       the Federal and State parties committed to
                        cooperate to protect and enhance the water-dependent ecosystems of the Park
                        and Refuge, subject to events beyond their control, such as natural disasters or
                        unavoidable legal barriers or restraints, including those arising from the actions


                                                                83








           of third parties. Section 4 of the Agreement provides, "In recognition of the
           serious and potentially devastating degradation threatening the Park and
           Refuge as a result of nutrient-laden waters, . . . [the United
           States, DEI@ and SFWMD] commit themselves to guarantee water quality and
           water quantity needed to preserve and restore the unique flora and fauna of
           the Park and the Refuge."

                  The Corps is cooperating with the SFWMD in the operation of the its
           structures to assist the District in achieving its water quality goals.' In addition,
           the Corps agreed to assist in research and monitoring and to defend the
           agreement against third parties.

                  On July 11, 1991, Governor Chiles and U.S. Attorney General Thornburg
           announced agreement on the terms of settlement of the Everglades Lawsuit.
           Major points of the agreement include:.

               Restoring and Maintaining Water Quality: The settlement provides that
               such actions as necessary shall be taken so that waters entering the
               Everglades systems will achieve water quality standards by July 1, 2002.
               Phosphorus load-reduction required by the settlement is quantified with
               interim levels to be achieved by 1997, and long-term goals to be reached
               by 2002.

               Water Quantity Reguirement: Quantity, distribution and timing of
               water flow must be sufficient to maintain and restore abundance and
               diversity of natural flora and fauna in ENP and the Refuge.

               Stormwater Treatment Areas (STAs): Under the settlement agreement,
               SFWMD commits to purchase, design and construct stormwater
               treatment areas to reduce phosphorus concentrations. These areas will
               include approximately 35,000 acres within the EAA at key inflow points
               to the system.           -

               Research and Monitorin        The parties of the settlement      agree to on-
               going research and monitoring programs necessary for implementation
               and compliance of the agreement.

               Regulatory Program: A regulatory program for the EAA will be designed
               to achieve a ten percent reduction of phosphorus in the water leaving
               the EAA by 1994, and a 25 percent reduction by 1996. The regulatory
               program shall require permits for internal drainage systems in the EAA,
               BMPs designed to meet phosphorus allocations, monitoring and
               reporting.



                                                     84









                           Imi)lementation: Under the settlement, the SFWMD shall apply to DER
                           for five-year interim permits by October 1, 1991, and DER shall take
                           final agency action on permit applications before July 1, 1992. The
                           permits are to be designed to ensure meeting phosphorus concentration
                           limits. Additionally, the SFWMD shall develop a SWIM plan by October
                           1, 1991, and shall take final agency action on the SWM plan by March,
                           31,1992.

                           Technical Oversight Committee (TOC): A TOC, composed of scientific
                           representatives from the Corps, the ENP, the Refuge, DER and SFWMD
                           will oversee research, monitoring and compliance.

                           Settlement of Disputes: The      parties Wee to settle disputes through
                           good faith negotiation. A mediation framework is established, and the
                           court retains jurisdiction.

                               The Corps was involved as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. Under the terms
                        of the agreement the Corps agreed to apply for stormwater management
                        permits for the operation of the S-10s, S-11s, and S-12s by 1 October 1991. The
                        Corps has submitted the application for a stormwater permit for the Corps
                        structures, which are the main outlets from the WCAs.



                        EVERGLADES SWIM PLAN

                             The SFWMD has been tasked to develop the Everglades Surface Water
                        Improvement and Management (SRUM) Plan under Sections 373-451-373-4595,
                        F.S., and the Marjorie Stoneman Douglas Act. The Everglades SWIM Plan
                        describes the area's development and management history, -summarizes the
                        present knowledge of the system, and provides an overview of the ecosystem's
                        current conditions. The plan then attempts to integrate proposed and existing
                        programs to address various aspects of water resource management within the
                        Everglades such as, water quality, water quantity, water supply, flood control,
                        and environmental enhancement.

                             The overall goals of the plan are to: 1) make structural and operational
                        changes as needed to correct certain known hydroperiod problems in the Holey
                        Land, north ends of water conservation areas, the Park, the C-111 Basin and
                        coastal estuaries; 2) reduce phosphorus loadings into the Everglades marshes
                        by 75 percent; and 3) expand continuing lefforts to control the spread of the
                        exotic tree, Melaleuca, which is invading Everglades wetlands.           The plan
                        provides a regulatory framework for achieving these goals in the Everglades
                        system. This requires the use     of individual best management plans by
                        agricultural interests in the re 'on in order to achieve the goals set by the plan.
                                                        91


                                                                85









                The plan represents an overall approach and guidelines for integrating
           Everglades water resource management activities and is subject to public
           review and State approval. All implementation program and projects are
           au.thorized by separate public processes such as SFWMD Governing Board
           Approval, permits and rule making. The document is currently in draft form,
           having not yet been approved by the DER The Corps has been an active
           participant in the development of the plan and is firmly committed to the goal
           of maintaining and restoring the full abundance and diversity of the native flora
           and fauna in the Park and Refuge.


           EVERGLADES MEMORANDUM OF AGREEMENT

                 There is currently in force a Memorandum ofAgreement (MOA) between
           the SFWMD, the Park, and the Corps, signed December' 4, 1979 and updated
           in 1984, on the quality of water entering the Park. This agreement provides
           specific numerical water quality criteria for the Park- The original numerical
           criteria were developed by Park staff at levels above existing water quality
           measurements to serve as an indicator of potential problems rather than daily
           safeguards. The criteria were calculated from baseline water quality data from
           two inflow points that discharged water to the Park from WCA 3A over a
           period of record from 1970 to 1978. Under the'terms of the MOA, the Corps
           monitors four inflow stations to the Park. A specific paragraph in the MOA
           says that should a clear and present danger to the Park be present the parties
           shall take such measures as may be necessary to improve the water being
           delivered to the Park. As part of this agreement an additional ten (10) water
           quality stations are monitored by SFWMD at are" around the Park,

                 The obligations of the parties to the MOA are not altered or affected by
           the Settlement Agreement.

                 The settlement would enforce an Everglades cleanup plan requiring
           35,000. acres of farmland be converted to pollution-filtering marshes at an
           estimated cost of $300 to $600 million. At the present time, farmers in the area
           are fighting the settlement in State and Federal courts. They claim to have
           been unfairly burdened with pollution cleanup costs. They question the
           scientific basis of the cleanup and point out that the settlement agreement
           acknowledges that there is considerable uncertainty regarding how well the
           planned corrective measures, including STAs and the regulatory program in thet
           EAA, will work and that there may be a need for additional remedies.

                 In addition, farmers have never conceded that agriculture is detrimental
           to the Everglades. They argue that phosphorus is only'a small contributor to
           the Everglades' ills, and that most of it occurs naturally in the south Florida

                                                  86









                        soil. They blame the State's mismanagement of water supplies throughout
                        southern and central Florida.

                              Since it is just as important that the Everglades receives enough water
                        and at the right time of year, one of the specifications of the settlement is that
                        farmers may retain on their land no more than 20 percent of the water which
                        otherwise would flow south. Farmers say that they cannot obey, those limits
                        and still remove 25 percent of the phosphorus from their runoff, another
                        provision of the settlement. They can either put the water into surface
                        impoundment areas, where grasses would absorb phosphorus, or pump it deep
                        into the ground, where the phosphorus would bind to limestone. In either case,
                        however, they claim that more than 20 percent of the water would be lost.


                        NUTRIENT REMOVAL SYSTEMS

                        Proposed Stormwater Treatment Areas

                              The lawsuit settlement requires setting aside approximately 35,000 acres
                        of farmland for marshes to filter pollution from water bound for the WCAs and
                        ENP. The primary strategy of the STAs is to remove nutrients from
                        agricultural runoff. Through management of the growth of specific plant
                        species in the STAs, SFWMD plans to produce a significant reduction in the
                        total nutrients. The reduction in nutrients is due to the scavenging actions of
                        the plant species and the reduction in total suspended nutrients by settling due
                        to reduction in velocity.

                              The STAs will mainly receive stormwater from the primary agricultural
                        drainage canals and hold and process it for the removal of nutrients through
                        intensive management. Deliveries may be made to the STAs from Lake
                        Okeechobee or other sources. These areas will be designed, operated and
                        managed primarily to purify the waters entering the WCAs, the ENP, and the
                        Refuge. The water from these treatment areas is expected to eventually be
                        passed through the S-10, S-11, and S-12 water control structures. The plan
                        requires that phosphorus overloads be reduced by 80 percent within ten years.

                              ,Before the lawsuit, the SFWMD, as part of its overall Everglades cleanup
                        efforts, worked for nearly three years on such a filtration marsh project in the
                        EAA adjacent to the   'Refuge. The 3,742-acre Everglades Nutrient Removal
                        (ENR) project system is on the site of state-owned land in the EAAL which had
                        been farmed for 20 years. This ENR was to 'act as an. experimental project to
                        provide information for larger filtration projects being planned.




                                                                87








                 In August 1989, Phase I of the ENR project was completed. Phase I
           consisted of flooding 1,200 acres to allow growth of marsh vegetation. An on-
           site nursery containing bulrushes and other flora has been developed to provide
           the plants needed for the project. The flooded land will be used to monitor
           vegetation growth during construction of the whole project as well as nutrient
           uptake.

                 Phase II consists of design and construction of the primary structural
           components of the project. This phase includes the 7.4-mile perimeter levee
           around the triangular-shaped tract, the initial construction project Will include
           culverts, canals and levees, and pump stations to move water in and out of the
           entire area.

                 Phase III encompasses the design and construction of the interior water
           distribution system and components required to build and regulate the internal
           nutrient retention system. The interior of the ENR project will be made up of
           four cells of wetlands that will allow water to be treated in a north-to-south
           sequence. Cell One, on the northern end, will be the deepest and will serve as
           the initial nutrient removal component of the system. Cells Two and Three,
           in the center, will be the primary nutrient removal cells, while Cell Four will
           be the shallow "polishing" cell, from which water will be discharged directly into
           the refuge. Predictions are that the system eventually will treat 125,000 acre
           feet (nearly 41 billion gallons)- of stormwater per year.

                 Completion of the total ENR project is set for 1993. This will be the first
           scientifically-based and monitored large-scale conversion of agricultural land
           into a marsh system for the purpose of removing nutrients. However, the
           lawsuit settlement requires the construction of 35,000 acres of STAs. The ENR
           project will be incorporated into a larger project, STA 1. STA 2 will be
           constructed along Hillsboro Canal adjacent to WCA 2A. STA 3 will be
           constructed adjacent to North New River Canal along WCA 3A and STA 4 will
           be constructed along the Miam, Canal north of the Holey Land tract.

                 Another project that the SFWMD was       working on before the lawsuit is
           the restoration of the Holey Land and Rotenberger Tracts. These 95-square-
           mile area tracts are adjacent to the northern boundary of WCA 3. This former
           Everglades area has been degraded by overdrainage, muck fires, and invasion
           by upland weeds and other plants. Construction to restore the wetlands of the
           Holey Land, a 35,000-acre-tract of land located in southwest Palm Beach
           County, began in 1985, and was completed by September 1989. Some of the-
           water from the E.AA tan now be passed through this marsh, and distributed
           across a broad front as it enters WCA 3.




                                                  88









                              These STAs have been controversial. No one knows the correct levels
                       of nutrients required by the Everglades. Sound, scientific research must be
                       performed to determine what the goal should be. It is still unknown how large
                       these marshes need to be, how efficiently they will remove nutrients,- and how
                       long they will remain effective. A nutrient budget for the entire system is
                       needed to quantify present and past nutrient fluxes and storage. Then models
                       should be developed to predict allowable nutrient loads and timing required to
                       achieve desirable concentrations. Research is also needed to understand the
                       impacts that contaminants or excessive nutrients have on a particular system.
                       There is limited knowledge of plant uptake rates and the biotic thresholds for
                       various substances.

                              In September, consultants for SFWMD stated that a 35,000-acre marsh
                       system would need 10-foot-deep ponds surrounded by 20-foot-high dikes, two-
                       thirds the height of the Herbert Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee; canals
                       larger than any of the existing canals; and pump'    stations 20 percent larger
                                                                        Ing
                       than the S-5A, which is one of the largest in the world. Marsh vegetation can
                       not survive in water more than 2 or 3 feet deep, and this vegetation is a key
                       factor in removing pollutants. If 10-foot ponds are needed on 10,000 of the
                       35,000 acres, it would take another 20,000 acres to lower the water to
                       acceptable levels. The consultants are still studying the plans.

                              An experimental water-filtering project at Lake Apopk4 is being closely
                       watched for possible use in cleaning up Everglades pollution. Some say that
                       Lake Apopka, located in Lake and Orange counties in central Florida, is a dead
                       lake because generations of diking and drainage encouraged massive algae
                       blooms that chocked off almost all marine life. The only fish left is izzard
                                                                                               91
                       shad. The 950-acre project is in its early stages, the work underway since
                       November is only a pilot project intended to eventually cover 5,000 acres. The
                       water flows by gravity from the 31,000-acre lake into a marsh created by
                       flooding vegetable farms. The only artificial action is pumping the water from
                       a reservoir into a canal connecting Lakes Apopka and Beauclair., Scientists say
                       the wetlands filters out 90 percent of the sediments and 45 percent of the
                       phosphorus.,

                       St. Lucia River

                              One hundred years ago, there were areas of the upper estuary where the
                       water ran as deep as 16 feet. Today, in some of those same areas, the water
                       is only a . foot deep.    Sediment carried by large discharges from Lake
                       Okeechobee and storm runoff from canals is filling in and polluting the river.
                       Development along the banks, flood control efforts and agricultural runoff have
                       had a major impact on the biology of the river. Sediment, water color, and
                       other physical aspects of the river need to be addressed. Clay combined with


                                                              89








          organics and metallics is flowing into the North Fork of the river and heavy
          metals can be found on the river bottom. A normal estuary contains ten
          percent or less of flocculent ooze, but several areas in the St*. Lucie contain as
          much as 30 percent. In several large pockets, more than 40 percent of the
          bottom sediment is muck. That much sediment can kill all of the fish and
          vegetation in that area of the river. The bottom sediment steals all of the
          oxygen out of the water, creating an anaerobic environment. The 3-foot-deep
          ooze blocks sunlight, harming aquatic plants. Freshwater entering the estuary
          is carrying pollutants, sea gras ses and mangroves are declining.

          Big Cypress Basin

                 Big Cypress Basin was identified as an area of potential concern for
          eutrophication.     Impacts from drainage, agriculture, and discharge of
          mineralized. water need to monitored in the future.



          SALINITY AND DISSOLVED SOLIDS

                 Salinity problems were discussed,in the previous chapter on Water
          Quantity. Dissolved organics in the groundwaters of the lower east coast pose
          treatment problems. Waters from the Everglades that are transferred via
          canals or surficial aquifers to wells have high concentrations of dissolved
          organic compounds, which may lead to problems in treatment 'for human
          consumption.

          CONTAMINANTS

                 In August, the nonprofit Institute for Southern Studies released its
          Green Index, a book that ranks the 50 states in various environmental and
          public health categories. Overall, Florida was ranked among the healthier
          places to live, except for having the most polluted water in the United States.
          Among the factors were the volume of toxic chemicals released to surface,
          waters and sewers or injected into deep underground wells, sewage treatment
          problems, polluted lakes and streams and pesticide contamination of
          groundwater (Olinger, 1991). Contaminants in the waters of the system
          include heavy metals, especially mercury and residues from agricultural
          practices, including herbicides and pesticides.

                 Ethylene, dibromide (EDB), a pesticide banned in the    '1980s because of
          its cancer-causing potential, has seeped into drinking water supplies in 22
          Florida counties. The contamination ranges from northern counties; where
          EDB has been detected in the Floridan aquifer, a large undergroundreservoir.
          that supplies much of the state's drinking water,' to central Florida; where


                                                  90










                        filters have been installed to remove EDB from school water fountains in the
                        town of Alturas. State workers have detected EDB in drinking water in about
                        2,500 wells, mostly in citrus and peanut-growing areas of, central and north
                        Florida. Because EDB is a durable compound and was widely applied, the State
                        program to monitor a pesticide no longer in use could last a century (Olinger,
                        1991).

                              The water systems for the towns of Belle Glade, South Bay   and Pahokee
                        have shown an increase in trihalomethanes (THMs), compounds that are
                        known carcinogens and which are produced by treating nutrient-rich water
                        with chlorine. Fort Myers has also been plagued by THMs. EPA allows levels
                        up to 100 micrograms of THMs per liter. Fort Myers' city water currently
                        averages 400 micrograms per liter (Hersch, 1990).

                              A $2 million study is currently researching the source of pollution
                        apparently killing off coral reefs in Palm Beach County and slowly spreading
                        south. Scientists suspect that either farm runoff or city sewage is to blame for
                        the spre* ad of codium, a once-rare algae that sails from reef to reef on
                        parachute-shlaped spores. Over the past three years, the algae has killed off
                        several square kilometers of America's northernmost coral reef. It is believed
                        that too many nutrients, in the form of phosphate and nitrate from sewage or
                        fertilizer, are probably to blame for the algae's bloom. The research is
                        attempting to determine if sewage is thoroughly diluted by sea water, or
                        whether it creates pockets of pollution that could causethe algae bloom. The
                        reefs off Palm Beach County are the only ones affected so far.

                              Historically, the Miami River served as a vital link between the
                        Everglades system and Biscayne Bay. The Everglades spilled over its eastern
                        rim and freshwater flowed from the Everglades and natural springs down the
                        river providing nourishment to Biscayne Bay's brackish estuarine system. The
                        very form and uses of the river changed in the early 1900s when the
                        Everglades drainage project began and Henry Flagler laid the first      sanitary
                        sewer pipe along Miami Avenue, discharging raw sewerage into the Miami
                        River. Large volumes of raw sewage were discharged into these waters from
                        1920 to 1955. Today, the river receives stormwater runoff from urban Miami
                        and provides flood protection and. drainage to over 132 square miles in Dade
                        County. The Miami River is Biscayne Bay's most polluted -tributary and is
                        considered one of the most polluted waterways in Florida.

                               Biscayne Bay, historically, was a clear shallow coastal estuary. Today,
                        turbidity is a major problem and has been a continuing cause of water quality
                        degradation since extensive dredging and filling of North Bay began in the early
                        1900's. Major sources for continued turbidity are sedimentary. input associated
                        with the erosion of non-stabilized spoil, resuspension of fine and flocculent
                        materials from dredged materials from dredged areas and deep holes,


                                                              91









           stormwater runoff, and phytoplankton blooms associated with abnormally high
           nutrient content. Wastes from residential communities also pollute the
           Biscayne Bay National Park, adding to the agricultural runoff of pesticides and
           herbicides.

                  Biscayne Bay is a highly visible and vital part of the region's identity,
           economy, and recreational life. However, the direct relationship between water
           quality in the Bay's tributaries, specifically the Miami River, and the Bay itself
           is not always understood.

                  There is growing concern that disturbing levels of toidc chemicals are
           being found in hard and soft corals in the reefs that border Biscayne and
           Florida Bays. In 1989, the University of Miami reported to)dns including heavy
           metals and such organochlorine pesticides as lindane, heptachlor, and DDT
           have been found in the reefs. These are also found in fish and shellfish that
           people eat. No one is sure where these chemicals are coming from. Additional
           laboratory tests are under way to verify the levels of contamination (Laycock,
           1991).

           Mercury

                  Recently, in Florida, mercury in     the environment has come under
           intensive investigation after widespread amounts of mercury were discovered
           in freshwater bass. The discovery led to the appointment of a mercury task
           force in December 1989; The national safety standard for human consumption
           of mercury is one part per million (ppm), but tests have found up to seven ppm
           in fish, 3 ppm in alligators. Tests on liver tissue taken from a Florida panther
           that died of unknown causes registered 110 ppm. (Seminole Tribune, 1989).
           Mercury levels of up to 1.5 parts per million have been found in fish all over
           the state, but the highest levels - 3 parts per million - have mystifyingly turned
           up in the Everglades (Santaniello, Neil, 1989). Since November 1988, to)dc
           levels of mercury have been detected in largemouth bass in about half of 120
           major rivers and lakes that have been tested in the State. The State has
           issued health advisories calling for limited consumption of certain fish taken
           from the Everglades, a state preserve in St. Lucie County, eight rivers and nine
           lakes.

                  The mercury's origin is a mystery; no point source of contamination has
           been identified.     Mercury is an element that occurs naturally in the
           environment, particularly in salt water. Mercury is believed to be accumulated
           in fish in two ways - by direct absorption from the water through the gills and
           through the food chain. The source of the mercury needs to be determined.

                  The theories are that it could be coming from atmospheric fallout (from
           smokestacks and incinerators), from old pesticide residue, or that man could be


                                                   92








                        doing something that is creating organic mercury from naturally occurring
                        elemental mercury. Batteries and florescent tubes placed in landfills. are being
                        blamed. According to scientists, high amounts of mercury in the soil can be
                        immobilized by the organic compounds that bind them in such a way that only
                        negligible amounts escape, thus preventing a contamination problem. But it
                        is thought that certain processes mobilize the mercury, allowing it to be
                        ingested by fish and other aquatic wildlife and move up the aquatic food chain,
                        where higher concentrations can be detected in large predatory animal , such
                        as large-mouth bass.

                              Environmental groups claim that the practice of burning sugar cane
                        fields before harvest spreads mercury and the pesticide paraquate. Scientists
                        know that for some. reason, mercury builds up in the rich, black muck soils like
                        those where sugar cane is grown near Lake Okeechobee. Some of this mercury
                        is apparently taken up by'the sugar cane through roots. They say, that up to
                        11 tons of mercury are released each year by burning the mercury. Another
                        theory is that the current suspected high levels -of mercury are merely a
                        previously unknown but naturally occurring phenomenon.

                              Warnings were issued two years ago, after dangerous levels of mercury
                        were found in the organs of Everglades fish. Today, health advisories warning
                        of mercury poisoning have been issued for one-third of Florida's rivers, lakes,
                        and streams. No person has been. diagnosed with mercury poisoning, but high
                        levels of mercury have been found in the livers of Florida panthers. One
                        panther that died in the ENP in July 1989, had a mercury level of 110 parts
                        per million (ppm). After this discovery, USFWS conducted additional tests on
                        various tissues of other dead panthers. Test results -from the livers of 11 dead
                        panthers ranged from 0.049 ppm to 20 ppm. The death this summer of the last
                        two breeding female panthers in the ENP has been blamed on mercury. One
                        showed a fivefold increase in the level of mercury since being tested in
                        Novemb er. ENP officials are considering moving the last two panthers, a pair
                        of males, from the Park to BCNP to protect them from further exposure to
                        mercury. There are only 30 to 50 of the endangered species left. Wildlife
                        biologists are beginning to question whether mercury poisoning might also
                        account for the decline of wading birds an d other species.

                              DER has developed a multi-year plan to study the source of the mercury
                        contamination, and how the toxic heavy metal travels in air, water, sediment
                        and aquatic life. Scientists will submit study plans for $200,000 in research
                        money allocated by the State Legislature last spring. The research could begin
                        by May 1992. The study could take three to five years and the $200,000 is only
                        a fraction of the study's cost. Up to $5 million eventually may be needed. The
                        agency likely will seek additional money from the Legislature and possibly the
                        electric utility industry.



                                                               93








                            IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES, PROBLEMS, AND NEEDS:

                                                           BIOTA



                              This chapter discusses issues, problems, and needs, categorized in the
                       area of vegetation and animal life. Most of the vegetation issues appear to
                       occur at the meso-scale, although there are some micro-scale issues such as the
                       massive seagrass degradation in Florida Bay. The animal issues are similar to
                       the vegetation in that they are related to both the effects of water manage-
                       ment actions, both directly and indirectly, and have legislative mandates for
                       protection, preservation and restoration.


                       LOSS OF HABITAT

                              The following chapters describe examples of the loss of habitat that have
                       occurred in the study area.

                       Kissimmee River Basin

                              One of the largest projects of the 1960s was the channelization of the
                       Kissimmee River, a response to devastating floods which swept through central
                       Florida in. the 1940s and 50s. Over almost ten years, the meandering 103-mile
                       river was deepened and straightened by the Corps. The channel was designed
                       to remove flood waters from central Florida, and more quickly convey them to
                       Lake Okeechobee. Flooding was successfully alleviated, but     when as much as
                       45,000 acres of, floodplain were drained by the deepened, widened channel,
                       natural habitat was lost. Water fowl populations are estimated to have
                       declined by as much as 90 percent. The river ecosystem was altered. It
                       became more like a man-made lake than a river. Extensive studies have been
                       and are currently being done to attempt to restore the river, while continuing
                       to provide flood protection to those living in the basin.

                              It is believed that restoration efforts would provide favorable conditions
                       for endangered plant species; re-establish waterfowl usage of the floodpl
                       restore wading bird utilization of the flood plain, particularly for the
                       endangered wood stork and the threatened sandhill crane;'restore the food base
                       for bald eagles and the wading bird and fish food chains; and *increase the
                       spawning,, nursery, and feeding habitat for fish species. The restoration would
                       also decrease the need for control of in-stream vegetation and the chemical
                       pollution associated. with that activity. If the flood plains are restored, the



                                                              95









            sponge effect for filtering waters would be re-instated, aerating and cleansing
            the water before. they flow into the lake.

            Everg lades

                  At the turn of the century, the Everglades covered about 4 million acres,
            extending as far west as Fort Myers and as far east as what is now SW 27th
            Avenue in Dade County. It stretched north to Lake Okeechobee and south to
            Florida Bay. It has now s  hrunk to less than half of its original size.

            Loss due to Pollutants

                  Loss of habitat is also caused by the  pollutants entering the ecosystems.
            As discussed in the previous chapter, contaminated water entering the WCAs
            carry ten to.twenty times normal concentrations of phosphorus and nitrogen.
            This threatens to change the entire vegetative pattern -,of the Everglades.
            Where the pollutants have penetrated the Refuge. and other WCAs, the original
            saw grass swamp is being displaced by cattails. In the past decade cattails have
            taken thousands of acres in the WCAs alone. A report by SFWMD in August
            of 1990 said cattails have nearly taken over 6,000 acres of Everglades and are
            present in another 14,000 acres. For this reason, the Refuge is listed among
            the nation's ten most endangered.

            Loss of Wetlands

                  'Wetlands" is a broad term applied to ecosystems ranging from prairie
            potholes to vast tidal marshes. They filter pollutants, replenish water supplies,
            nourish organisms essential to the food chain and provide an important habitat
            and breeding ground for wildlife. They act as sponges, retaining water and
            slowly releasing it, decreasing the severity of flooding. Their plants also protect
            shorelines from erosion. The Clean WaterAct of 1972 required anyone seeking
            to fill a wetland to obtain a permit from the Corps and submit to be reviewed
            by EPA- The Government estimates that more than half of the 215 million
            acres of wetlands originally found in the 48 contiguous states have been
            destroyed.. About 200,000 acres of wetlands were lost in 1990 alone (Valbrun,
            1991). More than half of the wetlands, about 9.3 million. acres, that'existed
            when Florida became a state have been destroyed. The losses are insidious and
            incremental. Wetlands are slowly piece-mealed out of existence. It often takes
            years to understand the cumulative effect of the losses. Some scientists
            theorize that massive destruction of      wetlands has caused south Florida's
            climate to be drier. Sea breezes, so the theory goes, are more likely to become
            saturated and lead to rain if they travel over humid wetlands than over.hot,
            dry ground (Reilly, 1991).



                                                    96









                        Seagrass Die-off in Florida Bay

                               More than'400,000 acres    of sea grass, primarily turtle grass, covered
                        Florida Bay in 1984. In the summer of 1987, biologists first noticed the grass
                        was dying. Fifteen thousand acres of the seagrass, are dead, while another
                        50,000 acres have been damaged. The cause of this is still unknown, although
                        hypersalinity and abnormally high levels of nutrients are suspected. In
                        addition, seagrasses respond to variations in temperature, insolation, salinity
                        and other factors. The decline is allowing other sea grasses to colonize the
                        estuary, increasing animal and plant dive  rsity.


                        DECLINE OF ANIMAL SPECIES

                        Wading birds, Alligators, Fish, Shrimp, and Deer.Populatlons

                               The Everglades is home to more than 40 animal species, 300 bird species,
                        50 reptile species, 18 amphibian species, 120 tree species and 1,000 plant
                        species. About 95 percent of the wading birds that once dwelt in the
                        Everglades are gone, biologists say, victims of not enough water. Wood storks,
                        white ibis, roseate spoonbill, and a variety of herons have a smaller food supply
                        when water disappears. In 1988, the entire Everglades system was dried out.
                        Only 7,600 pairs tried to raise young throughout the WCAs and the ENP, and
                        at least half abandoned their nests or were unable to feed their young. Bird
                        populations are at an all-time low in the southern Everglades and the Big
                        Cypress Swamp. Overall, the number of wading birds attempting to nest in the
                        Everglades each year is believed to have dropped from a high of about 300,000
                        in the 1930s to the current level between 15,000 and 30,000.

                               The droughts also iffect fish resources and alligators. Millions of small
                        fish that live in the marshes die without freshwater supplies. It is estimated
                        that the alligator population has declined from an estimated 50,000 two years
                        ago to approximately 10,000 now.

                               Nesting wading birds, 300,000 strong 60 years ago, today number 15,000
                        in the Everglades. ENP biologists believe that with improved water deliveries
                        some bird populations can recover, although there is no longer enough natural
                        freshwater marshland left for huge flocks of waders. Saltwater wading birds
                        pose a different problem. The mix of brackish water needs to be just right to
                        produce the small fish and shrimp that the birds need to survive (Duplaix,
                        1990).

                               In the surnmer of 1982, the Everglades deer herd suffered large losses
                        as a result of high water in the WCAs. Wildlife officials estimated that up to


                                                               97









           5,000 deer were struggling for food and dry land when the water. rose in 1982.
           The wholesale drowning and starvation caused nationwide controversy (see
           chapter entitled: Identification of Issues and Needs - Water Quantity). To
           avoid similar future problems, the Governor and other State officials directed
           FOFWFC to control the size of the herd so it would have enough food and
           shelter even during wet years. Biologists figured the areas could sustain
           approximately 3,250 deer, but the herd has never gotten above 2,000 since the
           die-off. The lowest count was in 1988 when most of the fawns were lost to
           high water and only about 600 animals were left. A 1991 count estimates there
           are 1,640 in the WCAs (McLachlin, 1991).

                  South Florida's shrimp catch in 1990 was at a historic low. In 1990 the
           shrimp catch was measured at 2.4 million pounds in Monroe County, down from
           an annual average of 6.4 million pounds for the years 1968 to 1988. Imports of
           pond-grown shrimp are considered a major factor in the decline of the Florida
           shrimp industry. But marine biologists also suspect that habitat degradation
           has caused shrimp populations to decrease over the last couple of years.

                  Marine biologists are also concerned about the dwindling fish populations
           in Florida Bay. - A series of massive fish kills have occurred in the 1990's. The
           largest fish kill in the ENP's history occurred in 1990. Hundreds of thousands
           of fish from almost a dozen species, including redfish, spotted seatrout, and jack
           crevalle, died in Garfield, Rankin and Snake bights. Park officials blamed high
           salinity levels, warmer than normal water temperature and oxygen depletion
           for the kill. The officials reported that fish kills routinely occur in Rankin
           Bight during summer because the water has poor circulation and is prone to
           extreme temperature shifts. The oxygen level decreases because of decaying
           seagrass and other organic matter on the bottom. Large areas of dead seagrass
           have been found in Rankin, Garfield and -Santini bights. Some scientists
           believe that a kill of this size could indicate that a pollutant was involved
           (Klinkenberg, 1990).

           Endangered species (kite, wood stork, and panther)

                  South Florida's wilderness is home to many           endangered species,
           including Florida panthers, red-cockaded woodpeckers,       American crocodiles,
           wood storks, Southern bald eagles, West Indian manatees, snail -kites, and
           Atlantic Ridley turtles. Altogether, nearly 250 species of birds and mammals
           live in the region, from falcons and swallows to otters and black bears.

                  Fourteen endangered or threatened species live in the ENP including the
           Florida panther, wood stork, snail kite, apple snail, American crocodile, West
           Indian manatee, green turtle, and Schaus' swallowtail butterfly.- Their


                                                   98








                        numbers are thinned each year by the pressures of living in the nation's fastest
                        growing,state.

                               A 1990 mid-winter count estimates are that 418 Everglades Kites remain
                        (the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commi sion estimated a population of
                        668 birds in 1984). Only the California condor and the whooping crane are
                        more rare. Declines in the kite population have been attributed to widespread
                        drainage and drought conditions. The Everglades Kite (also known as the snail
                        kite) is influenced significantly by the timing, volume and. distribution of water
                        flow, and the existence of open marsh habitat and specialized vegetation which
                        allows the kites to obtain their primary food source - apple snails (Office of
                        Governor Chiles, 1991). Only 100 snail kites hatched in 1989.

                               Drought has driven the snail kites in the Everglades into an area where
                        citrus groves and farms pushed the birds out decades ago, Indian River County.
                        A $100-million project designed to hold water for flood control and agribusiness
                        has attracted the birds to the area, about 100 miles north of the Everglades.
                        The St. Johns River Water Management District, using Federal and State
                        funding,. has constructed this intricate system of holding ponds, dikes and
                        levees to store water, but never anticipated the arrival of about 90 snail kites.
                        The problem is that the project was not designed for them. Draining or even
                        raising the water in a wetlands area quickly disrupts the kites' access to the
                        apple snails. The half-dollar-sized snails require little care and feeding, but
                        they do not react well to changes in their watery habitat. If there is too much
                        water then the plant stems that the snails live on will be covered with water.
                        Too little water and the snails' environment dries up. When the apple snails
                        do not survive, the snail kites often do not survive either.

                               Abundant rainfalls this spring, back-pumping by growers getting rid of
                        excess water and the flood control project have combined to leave water much
                        deeper this year. Though years of drought or heavy rainfall are part of the
                        natural order of things, dikes, ditches and the like have two profound effects.
                        First, the structures artificially quicken the drought cycles, which in turn
                        harms wildlife. Secondly, the droughts tend to be more severe, harming
                        wildlife. Steve Beissinger, associate professor of wildlffe, ecology at Yale
                        University and an expert on snail kites, studies weather records kept since
                        before the turn of the century. He noted that the natural period between
                        serious droughts was seven to ten years before the Everglades were cut off
                        from Lake Okeechobee by the network of levees,'canals and drainage ditches.
                        Since the flood control construction, however, the drought cycle has speeded to,
                        every four to five years (Rogers, 1991).

                               The numbers of pairs of breeding wood storks have dropped 80 percent
                        in the last 25 years. Approximately 500 wood storks remain in the Everglades.


                                                                99









           Man-made changes in water delivery have caused the wood storks to postpone
           winter nesting until spring, when rains disperse the fish needed to feed chicks.
           In 1989 and 1990, the wood stork failed to increase their population.

                  It is estimated that thirty to fifty adult Florida Panthers now survive in
           south Florida, making it one of the most endangered animals on earth. Habitat
           loss, mercury poisoning, illegal hunting, poor food supplies, inbreeding and
           highway mortalities are the. greatest threats to the panther. In 1990 there
           were 10 panthers in the ENP; at the close of 1991 there are two males left and
           Park officials are considering removing them' to BCNP for their protection.
           Protection of the Florida Panther has become a national priority and a number
           of State and Federal. agencies have contributed significant resources to panther
           recovery.

                  The endangered Florida panther roam in the BCNP now, which also
           boasts three bald eagle nests and the largest concentration of the rare red-
           cockaded woodpecker nests in south Florida. Black bears have been sighted
           there. Alligators, river-otters, raccoons and opossums are numerous. So are
           deer and wild hogs. The water flowing through is clean, unlike south Florida's
           other wilderness areas. Most of the preserve is self contained; its water mostly
           comes from rainfall. Big Cypress drains in the ENP. When Congress establish
           tCNP in 1974, it told the National Park Service to preserve, conserve and
           protect the land, water trees and animals. But Congress also told the park
           service to allow hunting, fishing, trapping, oil exploration and farming. That
           is where the most of the problems lie for the BCNP. The Preserve officials
           have to ensure that hunters don't shoot all the panthers-' food, that the all-
           terrain vehicle drivers don't destroy the ground, the Indians don't cut down too
           many cypress trees for their chickens, and carefully monitor the oil well sites.

                  Nearby Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve has suffered due to
           surrounding development and drainage canals along its western border. The
           canals and the 11 7-square-mile preserve belongs are a legacy of the now-defunct
           Gulf American land Corporation, which turned the Fakahatchee Strand over to
           Florida as mitigation for the company's illegal development practices. Gulf
           American built the canals to drain water from its Golden Gate Estates
           development site. But the canals also pull water from the preserve, radically
           altering the plant life. That has affected the deer there. Much of their lush
           forage has been replaced by sense, woody underbrush. In 1987, FGFWFC
           outlawed all deer hunting with the preserve in an attempt to save the few
           whitetail deer left for the endangered Florida panthers that live there.

                  The canal that carries water away from the Fakahatchee dumps it into
           Faka Union Bay, part of the Ten Thousand Islands. A recent National Marine
           Fisheries Service study showed that by upsetting the natural balance of fresh


                                                  100









                        and salt water in the bay, the canal has drastically reduced the numbers of
                        small fish and shellfish in the estuarine nursery. Also the diversion of fresh
                        water has allowed salt water to move into wells north of U.S. 41, toward
                        Golden Gates Estates.


                        LOSS OR CHANGESIN SOIL

                               TheEAA, lying south of and adjacent to Lake Okeechobee, is composed
                        of muck-land farms on what was originally part of the "Everglades"- a densely
                        vegetated marsh area. It is one of the richest agricultural areas in the world.
                        Farming in the FAA just south of Lake Okeechobee is a $2.4 billion. industry
                        with 20,000 full-time jobs and other 10,000 foreign workers who come to
                        Florida to cut sugar cane (Sewell, 1991).

                               Originally, the ground elevation in the EAA was at about elevation 17-18
                        feet. Farming operations and natural fires during droughts have lowered
                        ground levels through oxidation and burning of the peat soil. A concrete
                        marker at the University of Florida's agricultural research station, in Belle
                        Glade show that more than 5 feet of soil have been lost in the past 68 years.
                        The soil is disappearing at the rate of an inch every year and by the year 2000,
                        half of the EAA will have less than a foot of soil left on top of the bedrock, and
                        87 percent of it will have less than 3 feet (McLachlin, 1989).


                        MESO-SCALE DISTURBANCES

                               Vegetation changes are not only due to changes in water quantity or
                        quality, but also linked to and interact with other meso-scale phenomena
                        (especially fire) in altering composition and structure. There is a need to assess
                        impacts of vanations in nutrients, hydrological changes, altered fireregimes,
                        alien species, air pollutants and other factors on biota.

                        Fires

                               Historically'  surface and groundwater levels in the Everglades were
                        considerably higher than at present, and in wet years water levels were
                        probably higher than they have been since reliable recording began. Even
                        then, at least part of the Everglades dried.in most winters and droughts
                        occurred periodically with a general drying of large areas. During these dry
                        periods there were natural fires. However, because the water table generally
                        remained high in the rich, organic muck-soil, these fires rarely damaged much
                        of the soil itself, but acted instead as an ecological control mechanism. which
                        prevented the fire-adapted sawgrass from being outnumbered by other types


                                                                 101








           of vegetation. However, due to. overdrainage, fires have consumed the organic
           soil down to the limestone bedrock in many areas. While it takes thousands of
           years to produce peat, it can be burned in a matter of days.

                  Fires used to come naturally in May or June, at the beginning of the wet
           season, sparked by lightning from springtime thunderstorms. Now they usually
           are started by people, eith.er'controUed burns set by foresters or accidental
           blazes set by sparks from boat motors or automobile exhaust systems, while
           some are set by arsonists. The controlled burns serve the same functions as
           the natural fires that are part of the age-old cycle of the Everglades; clearing
           older plants and fertilizing the soil. But early, uncontrolled blazes are harmful.
           If a fire goes through too early, the leaves will be killed, the plant will not have
           the reserves to produce new leaves, and the plant will subsequently die. In
           1989, fires from March to June attacked nearly 500,000 acres - including more
           than 140,000 acres in the ENP and 43,000 acres in the Refuge.

           Invasion of exotic plant species

                  Water hyacinths were unsuspectingly imported as flowers in about 1888,
           and have become an expensive nuisance in the waterways'j During flood
           periods, great masses of hyacinths tear loose and float down the canals, clogging
           culverts and bridges along the way. The system then overflows with serious
           damage to crops, dikes and drainage facil.ities. Even in normal stages, they can
           so completely clog canals and ditches as to make water movement very difficult.
           Their growth are escalated by excess nutrients from fertilizer runoff. Hyacinth,
           hydrilla and cattails deprive native fish and plants of light and oxygen. When
           deprived of enough oxygen, plants may die off, but then algae feed off the dying
           vegetation and use up any remaining oxygen in the process - causing massive
           fish kills.

                  Hydrilla was brought into Florida in 1960 from central Africa and sold for
           use in aquariums. One theory as to how the plant arrived in U.S. waters is
           that when people moved or grew tired of their aquariums they dumped them
           into stream . It quickly covered canals in south Florida and began to spread
           from canal to river to lake. In 1984 more than 45,000 acres of the plant was
           present in 214 water bodies.
                  More than 400 foreign plant species have taken root in the 'State,
           including Melaleuca, Australian pines, Brazilian pepper. It is      iestimated that
           Melaleuca, imported early this century from Australia to drami swamps, are
           taking over 10,000 to 20,000 acres a year. They have no natural enemy in
           Florida. A typical 25-foot tree can contain 20 million seeds, but they tend to
           &II close by. Melaleucas are incredibly resilient., They are tolerant of salt,
           wind and.fire, and consume up to five times as much water as native plants.


                                                    102









                       They release all their seeds 24 to 48 hours after they have been cut or even
                       burned. Fire dries out the seed pods, causing them to burst. So unless the
                       debris is immediately trucked away, cutting down one tree can create a forest
                       of seedlings. The tree's layers of spongy bark also insulate its living core from
                       flames. Once the plant moves in, it chokes out other species and native
                       animals. Pure Melaleuca stands can cover an estimated 40,000 acres.

                              Biologists estimate 25 percent of south Florida's wetlands are now
                       infested. In 1980, the figure was about 15 percent. In 1988, Melaleucas were
                       scattered on about 6,000 acres of the 145,000-acre Refuge. During the 1989-91
                       drought, the trees spread to an additional 1,250 acres. If the seeds- land in
                       standing water deeper than six inches, they usually cannot germinate and will
                       eventually die. But the sheet of water that feeds the marshes and wet prairies
                       of the Refuge disappeared during the drought. When the water returned this
                       year, Melaleucas had taken root where years before there had been thick
                       sawgrass. Scientists estimate 6 billion trees, covering one-fourth of the
                       Everglades, are growing in south Florida. They fear the trees Will cover the
                       Everglades by the end of the decade. DNR reports that more wetlands are lost
                       in Florida each year to exotic plants than to development.

                              Brazilian pepper, marked by red berries and imported as a pretty bush,
                       turns out to grow unabated in Florida's hospitable soil and climate. It spreads
                       seeds everywhere and has covered thousands of acres of south Florida, growing
                       as high as 40 feet with a trunk three feet in diameter. The tree's toxic berries
                       have been blamed for massive bird kills, and it sickens domestic animals and
                       children. The bark causes a serious allergic rash and its pollen can be
                       disastrous for hay fever sufferers.

                              The rapidly spreading Australian pine thrives in salty coastal areas, can
                       grow ten. feet in a years, and usurps the nesting places o*f endangered
                       loggerhead and green sea turtles, and the rare American crocodile. Its branches
                       break off easily, and its shallow root system means a hurricane can easily
                       topple it.

                              There is a new exotic plant species, the cat-claw mimosa or mimosa
                       pigra, that many say could be, as destructive to Florida wetlands as the
                       Melaleuca tree. The cat-claw is a hardy, bush-like tree which was brought in
                       to Florida from Latin America 50 years ago. It grows in dense, impenetrable
                       thickets that crowd out native plant species. The cat-claw can grow from a
                       seedling to a mature plant in three months in ideal conditions. One plant can
                       produce 90,000 seeds in a year, and those seeds remain viable for as long as 10
                       years.




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           DATA AND/OR KNOWLEDGE GAPS

                  The following are some of the gaps in understanding that members of
           the workshops identified:

                  1. Better topographical, information,

                  2. A better understanding of changes in aquatic organism dynamics and
                  vegetation dynamics,

                  3. Relationships between water quality and species response,

                  4. Influence of flow, circulation and salinity on distribution and
                  abundance of organisms,

                  5. Subsistence levels for biotic species,

                  6. A better understanding of historic regimes.

                  More detail is presented in Appendices B and C.


           NEED FOR SYSTEM-LEVEL RESTORATION

                  Everglades vegetation and the.fish and wildlife that depend upon it
           require.water levels to rise and fall in accord with natural, seasonal and annual
           rainfall. Historical patterns have been much distorted by water management
           intended to drain land for agricultural and urban development and to supply
           water for agricultural irrigation. When water is plentiful, canals cause water
           to flow faster than natural through the Everglades. Water piles up abnormally
           high on the downstream levees of the WCAs and falls prematurely in the
           upstream area. When water is in short supply, it first drained from the WCAs
           to supply agriculture and urban areas. The WCAs and ENP then become
           abnormally dry.

                  Human manipulation ofwater flow has meant too little water M' the
           Shark River Slough at the top of the Park and often too much water at the
           southern end. Canals divert water past the northern area and allow it to gush
           into the, sensitive ecosystem below.

                  No one disputes that the drainage system has disturbed the Everglades'
           vital water supply. More recently, water. problems have been compounded by
           pollution from phosphorus, a naturally occurring fertilizer that is leaching into
           the Everglades.


                                                  104









                                John Ogden, an ornithologist at the ENP, wrote an article in the
                        Everglades Update in 1990 *stating that while some features of the Everglades
                        ecosystem are irreversibly gone others are not. Accumulated research and
                        understanding of the hydrologil patterns, population dynamics, and habitat
                        requirements would now'enable resource managers to recommend a course for
                        restoration of the ecosystem. The critical element is a return to natural
                        hydrological conditions in the remaining wetlands with ENP and adjacent
                        upstream marshes. The volume of water, timing of surface water flows,
                        distribution patters of flooding, and extent of flooding will result in a
                        substantial increase in levels and extent of biologically productive. wetlands. In
                        addition, the program will produce long-term stabilization and, at the very
                        least, partial recovery for many characteristic and endangered Everglades
                        animals. The current water management system has compartmentalized the
                        system, especially in distribution and timing of surface water flooding and flows.

                                Ogden named these key steps for restoration:

                                1) Publish papers from. the October 1989 Everglades Symposium to
                                provide biological and hydrological guidelines for restoration.

                                2) Acquire the 107,000-acre addition to ENP.

                                3) Develop an improved hydrological model for the entire southern
                                Everglades system, including downstream mangrove estuaries.

                                4) Develop a single regional restoration plan - outlining overall goals and
                                management guidelines for all State and.Federal agencies responsible for
                                the Everglades.

                                5) Modify structural components of the water delivery system for the
                                Shark and Taylor slough's drainage basins in order to provide greater
                                flexibility in future water deliveries; and re-establish natural hydrological
                                conditions.

                                6) Evaluate and revise current water delivery schedules to Shark and
                                Taylor Slough's basins so that when structural changes occur more
                                natural hydrological patterns are achieved.

                                7) -Monitoring must continue and expand during restoration. Especially
                                important are wading bird nesting colonies, total wading bir&distribution
                                patterns, alligator nesting efforts and success, and distribution and
                                population trends for key indicator species - Florida panther, wood stork,
                                snail kite, Cape Sable sparrow and American crocodile.



                                                                 105









                  Ogden further stressed that "restoration management is still new and
           Everglades restoration must be undertaken as an experiment. The results of each step
           are difficult to predict with certainty, and the outcome of each step determines the next.
           All agencies must work together and must maintain trust and flexibility."

                  The authorization directs the Corps to develop a modeling system to
           predict the effects of modifications to the C&SF Project and other human
           activities on the flow, characteristics, quality, and quantity of surface and
           ground water and on the plants and wildlife within the ecosystem. As shown
           in these last three chapters and in the workshop discussions in Appendix B and
           C, the problems and needs of the water quantity, water quality, and biotics are
           complex and varied. In addition to the complexity of the system itself and the
           c.omplicated and varied problems, the system must be managed to fulfill the
           needs of a variety of competing users. More knowledge is needed about the
           existing and historic systems to help predict the needs of the- future.

                  In planning for the future, many changes are foreseeable, but other
           changes are'inherently unpredictable and it is necessary to develop adaptive-
           strategies. There are 'many existing models and other tools to describe
           subregions of the study area and individual processes; but no attempt has been
           made to incorporate all of these tools and construct new models, collect data,
           and perform research to extend the tools to the entire study area and to
           provide linkages between the tools. As stated in the, introduction of these.
           chapters on issues (see. chapter entitled. Identification of Issues and Needs:
           Introduction), the participants of the workshops emphasized that the most
           critical need was for a cooperative effort to construct a "system-wide" modeling
           system.





















                                                    106








                             FORMULATION OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT APPROACH


                              Puring the reconnaissance phase, planning efforts were primarily
                       directed toward formulating feasible modeling approaches. -Emphasis was
                       placed on utilizing experts in the various disciplines and assessing existing data
                       and models for possible use in the development of a hydrologic ecosystem
                       modeling system. The technical study plan, which was prepared by WES and
                       is summarized in this chapter, addresses, in general, the types of research
                       efforts, data collection, and models needed to develop an interdisciplinary
                       modeling system. Estimated time and costs necessary to complete these tasks
                       are also included in the technical study plan. However, it must be recognized
                       that due to the comple3city of this modeling task, refinements and modifications
                       to the model development scope will occur during the model development
                       phase. Also presented are various options or levels of scope for performing all
                       of the work proposed in the technical study plan.


                       MODEL OBJECTIVES

                              The basic objective of a simulation modeling system. of south central
                       Florida hydrologic ecosystem is to address three,major water resource issues
                       of the study area: (1) the ability of the C&SF Project to sustain the three
                       major water use sectors (urban, agriculture, and natural areas); (2) impacts of
                       land use (agricultural and urban) on the natural system; and (3) preservation
                       and restoration of natural portions of the ecosystem.' The models will be
                       capable of producing information useful in assessing environmental impacts and
                       evaluating regulatory applications.

                              Simulation modeling requires some form of fundamental understanding.
                       of the variables to be modeled. Basic to the modeling process is the
                       quantification of values for each variable included in the model. Quantification
                       requires either empirical data or sets of assumptions based upon ftmdamental
                       knowledge of each variable's :ftmctions. This information mi ecological studies
                       is typically drawn from comparable ecosystem structures or theoretical
                       assumptions. Typical investigations begin with the development of prototype
                       simulations. These preliminary efforts provide means for identifying and
                       organizing essential data.      As understanding of variable fimctions and
                       interactions improve, the simulation modeling process permits the development
                       of improved knowledge on the hierarchical, temporal, and spatial functions of
                       each modeled variable.

                              Regardless of the basis used to establish values for variables, a
                       simulation model of the C&SP Projectarea will represent a simplification of

                                                               107








           the complex abiotic and biotic interactions, materials cycling, and other factors
           occurring within the hydrological framework of the modeled ecosystem
           Modeled findings can never provide accurate descriptions of the real ecosystem.
           Simulation models fimdamentally provide mechanisms for comprehending sets
           of complex interactions through forced quantification and simplification of
           selected system processes. The modeling process forces the analyst to move
           from subjective assumptions and opinions into an analytical process predicated
           upon quantifications of assembled knowledge.

                 When used in an analytical mode to develop improved objective
           knowledge, the simulation modeling process permits the analyst.to establish
           and test probable value ranges for variables that are expected to be
           representative of selected conditions within an ecosystem of concern. Repeated
           simulations lead to patterns of modeled responses that, when understood and
           replicated or otherwise verified, can result in improved confidence in modeled
           assumptions. As confidence in the products of subsystem components or
           submodels increases, the model findings can provide improved guidance on the
           probable impacts of management actions on aspects of the ecosystem's
           functions. The general acceptability of- simulation modeling results for
           management purposes will be dependent upon the consensus developed
           between the discipline specialists and resource managers participating in the
           model development and use process.

                 In ecological analyses, simulation models have been used for several
           decades to predict probable cause and effect relationships of proposed resource
           management actions impacting populations of species within localized
           ecosystems. Sequences of calculations, often based upon available general
           knowledge of a subject species' population characteristics, production rates,
           survival rates,. etc., and with very limited empirical data, are typically used to
           simulate a species' survival rates and maintenance potentials.

                 The sets of calculations used for these purposes are called models.     The
           calculations typically are organized into hierarchies. of complexity. More
           detailed models require more assumptions and information. As the process
           becomes more complex, the likelihood of omitting or misinterpreting critical
           calculations increases, and chances of predictive errors also increase. Similarly
           as a model's complexity increases, the intuitive consequences of the modeled
           conditions becomes less apparent, and the model's resource management utility
           tends to decrease.

                 As a result  of the above tendencies, the ecological simulation model
           development process requires extreme care in the definition of variables and
           careful attention to logic and consistency in formulation of the sequence of
           calculations that become the model structure. The process requires a very


                                                  108








                       close partnership among the disciplin  e specialists, resource managers, and the
                       model designers and programmers. Finally, all participants must have a
                       common understanding      of the model development purposes.


                       FORMULATION OF MODELING SCOPE

                              During this reconnaissance study, the technical. expertise of WES, the
                       SFWMD, ENP, and many other agencies and groups was used. Due to the
                       complexity and vast scope of this endeavor, inter-agency cooperation was the
                       best approach to gain knowledge from modeling experts, as well as experts
                       familiar with the study area. Part of this cooperation was accomplished during
                       the interagency/interest group workshops previously discussed. These experts
                       provided knowledge of past and on.going data collection, research and modeling
                       efforts. They discussed problems in the study area, identified gaps in
                       knowledge and technology, and recommended approaches to address those
                       needs..

                              A meeting was held    with personnel from the Corps' Baltimore District
                       in March 1991, regarding a similar project; the Chesapeake Bay 3-D Time
                       Var
                           ying Hydrodynamic and Water Quality Model. The Chesapeake Bay study
                       was accomplished under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between
                       EPA and the Secretary of the Army. The Baltimore District was responsible
                       for model production and delivery-, this involved using the expertise of WES, as
                       well as other agencies, research institutions, private contractors, and
                       consultants. The Baltimore District provided helpful insight on the structure,
                       management, and sponsor participation in Chesapeake Bay's complex modeling
                       effort. While that effort is not identical to this model development effort, there
                       are parallels which were useful in developing an approach.


                       ASSESSMENT OF EXISTING MODELS

                              In order to assure that existing knowledge would be utilized as much as
                       possible, a number of activities were performed to assess existing models, data,
                       and research in the study area. Meetings were held with various sources and
                       a literature'search was conducted by WES. The automated literature search
                       to identify appropriate models and related studies identified approximately 400
                       citations. WES reviewed the abstracts and selected publications. A few of the
                       existing models that should prove to bebeneficial to this modeling effort are
                       discussed below. Others are discussed in the background and results of the
                       workshops presented in Appendices B and         and in the technical study plan in
                       Appendix D.,



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                 Technical discussions were held at the SFWMD in March                  1991,
          concerning past and present data collection program , modeling studies, and
          database management activities. SFWMD has been active for many years
          collecting water quality data throughout the study area. These data are
          currently being loaded into a database management system that also includes
          information on surface water and groundwater. Work in the area of modeling
          has concentrated on hydrologic/hydraulic models, although in the last few years
          they have initiated studies at UF to develop watershed loading models and a
          three-dimensional sediment/water interaction model of Lake Okeechobee with
          an emphasis on phosphorus dynamics. Future water quality and ecological
          modeling is currently being planned.

                 Other related efforts by the SFWMD include the follo            A project is
                                                                          W1119.
          planned to begin in Fiscal Year (FY) 1992 to re-evaluate and redesign the
          SFWMM. This project is anticipated to take three years and will produce a
          more scaleable, easier to use model. Part of this effort will be contracted to
          research institutions. SFWMD has modified the SFWMM to produce the
          Natural System Model.. (NSM). The NSM predicts the hydrology of the
          Everglades prior to influence by man. The NSM is considered to have a high
          potential, for determining -restoration objectives. Additional work toward
          improving the model is necessary before it can be used to develop restoration
          objectives. A project planned for FY 1992 is to develop a model that links
          rudimentary water quality and ecological dynamics to water quantity models.
          It is anticipated to take three years. A contract with the University of
          Maryland is proposed in FY 1992 to produce a landscape dynamics model of the
          Everglades Basin, including coupled hydrologic, sediment, nutrient, and
          vegetation dynamics. This model would be built on the SFWMM hydrologic
          routines with some modifications. It is expected to: take two years.

                 The SFWMM       is, and will continue to be, the cornerstone modeling,
          technology for water quantity decision support relative to the south and central
          Florida hydrologic system.        The model integrates surface water and
          groundwater flows in order to address water management issues, including
          water supply, flood control, and environmental quality. The model simulates
          flow for an area that includes the WCAs, EAA, much of the BCNP, ENP, and
          the Lower East Coast areas (i.e., Broward and Dade counties). The model
          provides differing levels of simulation sophistication for many of the important
          processes affecting water management in this area. The model has been used
          on numerous occasions as a primary aid . for water management decision,-
          making.

                 Technical meetings were    held at UF in March and May 1991, to discuss
          their work within the study area pertainin to hydrodynamic and phosphorus
          modeling and associated field efforts. Process oriented studies are being


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                      conducted in Lake Okeechobee to better understand phosphorous dynamics,
                      sediment geochemistry, littoral/pelagic exchanges, and vegetation dynamics.
                      Sub-watershed studies are emphasizing nutrient loadings to Lake. Okeechobee
                      from sugar cane and dairy activities.

                             Another study that UF, in conjunction with SFWMD and ENP, has been
                      working on is the development of a dynamic simulation modeling effort for the
                      Everglades. From October 1989 through April 1991, a series of workshops were
                      held at ENP and UF, addressing Everglades environmental research and
                      management. The initial workshops focused on the development of simplified
                      hydrogeologic and ecologic models of the Everglades watershed, to be used as
                      conceptual tools for synthesis during the Everglades symposium. The later
                      workshops used these models (referred to as the AEA models) to design a series
                      of ecological restoration optionsi and examine the impacts and tradeoffs of the
                      different alternatives. Additional funding has been provided to review the
                      management history in a set of complex, regional systems around the world, in
                      order to examine the dynamics of ecological change and institutional response.
                      This work has been developed in conjunction with the AEA workshops
                      discussed in the chapter entitled Identification of Issues, Problems, and Needs:
                      Introduction.

                             A site visit was conducted in April 1991, to acquaint the team from WES
                      with the C&SF Project and the study area. MeetingsWere also held with the
                      Corps' area office in Clewiston, and ENP and USFWS personnel at the Refuge.
                      Detailed discussions of the meetings are included in Append    ix A.

                             A technical meeting was held at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS),
                      Miami office, in May 1991, to discuss their surface water and groundwater
                      studies being conducted in the study area. For more detailed* evaluations of
                      groundwater resources and their interactions with wetland and riverine
                      systems, the USGS has coupled their three-dimensional saturated-zone
                      groundwater model, MODFLOW, with in-house surface water flow routing
                      models. This modified model, named MODBRANCH, has been used
                      successfully to evaluate various groundwater pumping schemes in Dade and
                      Broward counties. Appendix A discusses other work that USGS is doing, as
                      well as- their recommendations for this modeling study.


                      PARAMETERS FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT,

                             The following section discusses the basic parameters followed in the
                      development of the technical study plan. These parameters are proposed to
                      ensure that the most efficient methods are used during the model development
                      phase. The main technical concerns of this undertaking include the extremely









          large geographic area under consideration, the massive amount of data that will
          be collected, and the effort needed to organize the data in an efficient manner.

          Components

                 It became apparent very early on, that one model could not be developed
          efficiently to simulate over 16,000 square miles as well as performing hydrology,
          water quality functions, and vegetation and animal processes. Therefore, the
          technical study plan divides the model development tasks into five major
          components - water quantity, water quality, vegetation, animal, and technology
          integration. Tasks were developed for each of th      'ese components. Each of
          these tasks was then broken down into sub-tasks.

          Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

                 It is important to understand the interconnection between these
          components of the hydrologic ecosystem, so an important task will be to
          develop linkages between the different kinds of models. It is also critical to
          design this modeling system to be as "user-friendly" as possible. In.order to
          accomplish that, it was decided that the modeling system would use a GIS
          input and output shell. Linkages between the databases, models, and the GIS
          shell will also be required.

                 GIS technology allows for the generation of new spatial data through the
          comparison and analysis of multiple' spatial themes. To accomplish this
          creation of - new data, most GIS systems share a conceptual model that
          differentiates spatial elements into layers or themes, such as vegetative cover,
          soil types, land use zones, slope types, etc, These themes are represented in
          various formats, such as arcs/nodes, polygons, grid cells and triangulated
          networks. - GIS organizes information about both the spatial location and the
          value of each unit in a data layer, so that new data can easily be derived when
          two or more layers are compared.

                 GIS allows the user to store, manipulate, and analyze large volumes of
          cartographic data that would be cumbersome using conventional methods and
          helps in developing an easily updated resource. database. - GIS can be used to
          develop land-use, soil-group and sub-basin boundary maps.

                 GIS, used in conjunction with image processing, computer-aided design
          and drafting, automated mapping and facility management, and related tools
          that use digital spatial data, are already proving essential resources for helping
          to. manage resources. GIS users include public agencies that have land
          management missions, such as the Bureau of Land Management, the National
          Park Service, and U.S. Forest Service; state and local governments that


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                        evaluate transportation, land use, taxation, and facility siting issues; and public,
                        educational and private organizations that attempt to model complex landscape
                        (or seascape) phenomena - such as wildfire dynamics, groundwater movement,
                        soil and sediment transport, optimal land use schedules, and best path
                        routing/corriclor analysis.

                               The Corps uses GIS technology to plan recreation, water storage and
                        flood control projects, to monitor and manage Corps operated lands and
                        waterways, to evaluate applications for activities on wetlands, to site dredge
                        materials, to model hydrologic phenomena, and to assist the Army in managing
                        training lands. Not only is the Corps using GIS technology, but several Corps
                        labs have developed GIS software - including the Geographic Resources
                        Analysis Support System (GRASS) which was developed by the Construction
                        Engineering Research Lab and is now a standard for numerous Federal
                        agencies.

                               GIS technology links geographical and infrastructural features to tabular
                        data related to those features. Once spatial features and data are digitized,
                        they can be used immediately to produce maps of natural or manmade features.
                        Understanding local and regional geography is a critical part of man        g water
                        resources. Determining the relationships between spatial features on a map
                        is the basis of a geographic information system. GIS allows for the utilization
                        of data collected or created by other agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau
                        and USGS.

                               The models must be integrated in a manner that minimizes the effort
                        required for application and interpretation.          GIS provides a means to
                        accomplish some of the interfacing. A GIS could be used to import and couple
                        input data to the models and providegraphical display. Most GIS software can
                        reside on current and anticipated new generation microprocessor workstations.
                        Unix based workstations with powerful graphics capabilities facilitate linkage
                        of models, development of user-model interfaces, and development of highly
                        versatile graphical output options. For these reasons, the modeling system will
                        be GIS based.


                        Hardware and Software

                               In order to ensure that this modeling system is available to as many
                        agencies, groups and individuals as possible, the hardware and software systems
                        will be designed to be as compatible as possible with existing systems.
                        Therefore the modeling system will be designed to run on microcomputers or
                        workstati'@ns and. every attempt will be made to design software to be
                        compatible with systems currently being used by the SFWMD, ENP, USGS, and
                        other agencies and interest groups working in the study area.


                                                                113









          Use of Existing Data/Models

                 Existing data and models will be utilized whenever possible and:a
          coordinated system for data transfer will be established. The assessment of
          models that have been developed for the study area or that could be adapted
          for use in the study area have been discussed previously. During the model
          development phase, a continuous effort will be made to utilize existing data and
          models whenever possible.

          Two-Way Usage

                 To allow maximum flexibility in the use of the modeling system, the
          modeling system will be designed to function in a two-way manner. For
          example, a resource manager will be able to determine the effects on the
          vegetation or wildlife process, if modifications ar e made in the quantity or
          quality of water; as well as address the possible effects on the quantity or
          quality water if land use changes are made.

          Phasing

                 Developffig a complex modeling system for the study area will take an
          extended period of time and effort. It will need to be "phased" in order to
          efficiently manage all the efforts that will be undertaken. Phasing will also
          provide a way for usable products to be available throughout the model
          development period. Various databases and models will be available for use
          before the entire modeling system is completed.


          TECHNICAL STUDY PLAN

                 The technical study plan was developed using the parameters discussed
          in the previous section. The complete technical study plan is included in
          Appendix D. The technical study plan addresses modeling purpose, scope,
          model development priorities, model linkages, data collection and research
          requirements, modeling methods, phases of model development, costs,
          management tasks during development and also for operation of the modeling
          system. The work proposed in the plan deals with model development,
          calibration, verification, and application. The. model package includes both
          system-wide and regional models, as well. as     models of selected vegetative-
          communities and animal populations. The technical study plan presents a
          generalized approach and     is the basis for future development of detailed
          technical scopes of work.




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                              The, summaries of problems and issues discussed in previous chapters
                       allow the identification of the following targets for technology development:

                       Water Quantity

                              1. South and central. Florida hydrology and water quantity management
                              2. South and central Florida system optimization for improved water
                              management strategies

                       Wat
                           er Quality

                              3. Nutrients and other eutrophication related variables
                              4. Toxins sources, exposure, transport, fate and risk, assessment
                              5. Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
                              6. Groundwater salinity intrusion
                              7. Salinity for Florida Bay, coastal estuaries, and the St. Lucie and
                              Caloosahatchee River Estuaries

                       Blota (Vegetation and Animal)

                              8. Vegetation community structure and landscape changes
                              9. Fish and wildlife habitat loss
                              10. Impacts of salinity levels on flora and fauna
                              11. Decline in productivity of higher trophic levels, such as wading birds.

                              The following sections present a summary of the tasks which comprise
                       the technical study plan.


                       WATER QUANTITY TASKS (Task Area 1)

                              Five major research and development tasks will be required to produce
                       the technology needed to answer the water quantity concerns in south and
                       central Florida.

                       Task 1.1: Modify, Enhance, and Apply the South Florida Water Management
                       Model (SFWMM)

                              As- discussed previously, there are several modifications and
                       enhancements which should be made to the SFWMM to improve and extend
                       its performance and utility. A two-step approach is recommended for the
                       proposed changes to the SFWMM. First, the existing SFWMM will be improved
                       in several ways over a two-year period to allow for its relatively immediate use
                       in water quantity decision-making. Secondly, and concurrent with,              the


                                                              115









         modification of the existing SFWMM, major enhancements to the SFWMM are
         proposed. These efforts will take approximately four years to complete. Once
         completed, most of the water quantity issues for the freshwater syspem. could
         be. answered within a single modeling framework.

         Task 1.2: Develop and Apply Groundwater-Wetland Models

                Site-specific - questions in several sub-system components whose
         hydrologic regimes are dominated by wetland/groundwater interchanges (such
         as the WCAs, the EAA, or the Lower East Coast well fields) will require
         development of localized groundwater/wetla-nd models. These models will
         answer localized questions, such as the effects of large-scale grou       ndwater
         pumping within, Dade county on the hydrology of the C-111 basin, detailed
         distribution of flows delivered to the Refuge and ENP, as well as the
         distribution of flows within the EAA or EPA. Finally, the need to evaluate
         salinity intrusion within the Biscayne Aquijkr will also require more detailed
         groundwater modeling capabilities than those proposed for the SFWMM.

                The groundwater model development proposed in this task Will require
         extensive field data collection related primarily to the establishment of a more
         definitive database on subsurface stratigraphy and transmissivities, particularly
         in the vicinities of canal reaches. Applications of the models developed in this
         task will center on evaluation of the effects of operational water delivery
         changes on coastal salinity intrusion, the effects of the large well fields being
         implemented in Dade county, and the inter-connections of major wetland and
         groundwater connections within the system.

         Task 1.3: Develop and Apply a System-wide Water Budget

                A complementary and insight-Providing component of any numerical
         modeling study is to evaluate the sources and sinks of the quantity being
         simulated. In the case of south and central Florida, this is particularly true
         relative to the sources and sinks of water within the system. Although water
         budgets have been constructed for certain system components, an exhaustive
         budget has not been completed for the system as a whole.

                The worth of a water budget for the south and central Florida hydrologic
         system would be a valuable investigation in that: the major sources and sinks
         of Water would be specifically identified, the locations where inadequate data -
         exist would be determined; and, a fairly concise estimate of the actual
         magnitude of water available in the system would be known. This information
         would, in turn,. support the activities proposed under other Water Quantity
         tasks, and would provide additional insight into system performance under
         anthropogenic influences.


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                             The activities proposed to complete this task would commence in the
                       first year of the proposed overall study and conclude in the middle of the
                       study's third year.

                       Task I*_ Develop and Apply Multi-dimensional Hydrodynamic Models
                             The need to address major environmental questions for several of the
                       south Florida estuaries and Lake Okeechobee will require development of two
                       and three-dimensional hydrodynamic models. These models must be able to
                       accurately and efficiently simulate the effects of numerous forcing fimctions,
                       such as time-dependent boundary conditions (i.e., meteorology, tidal influences,
                       fresh water'delivery schemes, etc.) and the impacts of density stratification,
                       over multiple study years and operating plans. These models must include
                       temperature and salinity transport that are coupled through state equations to
                       water density, which is included in the hydrodynamic equations. The models
                       must also produce velocity fields that conserve mass and "map" to water quality
                       models for additional analyses.

                       Taskl.5: Develop and Apply Dynamic Routing and Watershed Runoff Models
                       for the Kissimmee River System

                             Dynamic river routing and field-level watershed runoff modeling
                       capabilities are needed within and along the Kissimmee River System (KRS).
                       The KRS is of general concern relative to the south and central Florida
                       ecosystem for two reasons: (a) the river often carries high nutrient loads from
                       dairy farm runoff in the Kissimmee watershed; (b) the potential restoration of
                       the KRS (i.e., the removal of certain. Corps-constructed, structural features
                       within the system as means of returning the system to a more natural
                       environment).


                       WATER QUALITY TASKS (Task Area 11)

                             Four tasks are proposed for the. Water Quality task area and are
                       discussed in the following paragraphs.

                       Task 11.1: Develop and Apply a System-Wide Nutrient Budget

                             The first step to gaining a better understanding of nutrient fate Js to
                       develop a nutrient budget, or accounting of nutrient fluxes at various control
                       points throughout the system. The system for Task I1.1 includes all the
                       freshwater areas of the SFWMD, such as the Kissimmee River basin, Lake
                       Okeechobee, C&SF Project, EAA, WCAs, ENP, etc.



                                                             117









                Observed nutrient concentrations and water discharge would be used to
         compute mass flux (i.e., loads) for the nutrient budgets. Any use of simulated
         water discharges would require interfacing the nutrient budget software with
         hydrologic models developed under Task Area I. By comparing loads at points
         of interest, such as influent and effluent points of a WCA, general conclusions
         can be drawn regarding nutrient import, export, and trapping. Additionally, it
         would be advantageous to be able to use the nutrient budgets for more
         accurately prescribing boundary conditions for various nutrient/water quality
         simulation models. This would require interfacing the nutrient budget
         software with the water quality models.

         Task 11.2: Develop and Apply Models of Nutrient Dynartiles and Water Quality
         for Landscape Regions

                The landscape regions are major components pertaining to nutrient
         enrichment issues. The term 'landscape regions" as' used here refers to
         freshwater areas that are not lacustrine, such as wetlands of the ENP and
         WCAs, canals of the USF, and overland flow areas of the FAA. Anutrient.
         dynamics and water quality model for these regions is required to predict the
         impacts of various water management decisions. For this task, the system is
         defined as the freshwater, non-lacustrine areas.extending from the outflows of
         Lake Okeechobee to inflows of Florida Bay, including the EAA, C,&SF Project,.
         WCAs, Big Cypress National Preserve, and the* ENP. A 'generic nutrient
         dynamics and water quality model is needed to evaluate water quality of
         -various subregions within the system or the system as a whole.' Therefore, it
         is proposed that a general water quality model (i.e., SFWQM) be developed for
         nutrients and other water quality variables. This general model would be the
         basis for developing and applying a system-wide model or sub-regional models,
         such as for WCA I or the ENP.

                It is envisioned that this model would satisfy the need for a phosphorus
         dynamics models as described in the Federal-State settlement agreement. The
         model would be used for simulating all forms of major nutrients and carbon,
         phytoplankton, periphyton, macrophytes, Ph, and dissolved oxygen. The model
         could also be used for studying other water quality variables of interest, such
         as TDS, and could. serve as a framework for future contaminant modeling.

                The SFWQM would be a companion to the SFWMM.and would use the
         same grid as this model or versions of this model applied to subregions. Output
         from the SFWMM would be indirectly linked to the SFWQM, i.e., information
         from the hydrologic model would be saved and used subsequently by the
         9FWQM for transport computations. A substantial amount of research and
         development will be required to build and validate the appropriate sub-models
         and algorithms, which would be of a mechanistic nature.


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                             Output from the SFVQM would be indirectly linked to plant succession.
                       models (i.e., landscape change model). Likewise, information from the
                       landscape change model could be used to modify input conditions for the
                       SFVQM, and the SFWQM could be run for vegetation changes.

                       Task 11.3: Develop and Apply Models of Field-Scale Agricultural Runoff Of
                       Nutrients and Water Quality

                             A model is needed to assess nutrient, TDS, and pesticide runoff
                       characteristics from agricultural. areas. The term field-scale refers to the fact
                       that this model is intended for application to agricultural fields and orchards
                       and not to large watershed regions. This field runoff model would be used to
                       assess various existing and proposed land use and agricultural practices.
                       Output from this model would be coupled to the SFWQM of Task 11.2 to
                       evaluate large-scale impacts.

                       Task 11A Modify and Apply Nutrient Dynamics and Water Quality Model for
                       Lake Okeechobee

                             Much work has been completed or is ongoing regarding eutrophication
                       of Lake Okeechobee. The UF, through funding from SFWMD, has developed
                       a. hydrodynamic and water quality model of the lake. Modeling work is
                       scheduled for completion in 1992. There are a number of improvements to the
                       water quality model that have been identified and would be completed as part
                       of this task.

                             It should be noted that five water quality targets were outlined above.
                       It is recommended that Target 4, which deals with toxic , substances, be
                       addressed in a separate study. The problems and issues surrounding Target 4
                       have already caused significant attention, which is evident by the Mercury
                       Technical Committee (1991) study and recommendations. This committee
                       recommended a six year effort with about 10 million dollars to exclusively study
                       mercury problems.

                             The mercury issues are different from the other water quality issues and
                       can be treated as a separate component through other ftmding sources. it is
                       also recommended that activities pertainin to development of eutrophication
                       models for estuarine and coastal environments, not be addressed within this
                       study. This decision is based on the lower priority this task received, relative
                       to the other water quality tasks, during the scoping workshops.





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          VEGE   TATION TASKS (Task Area 111)

                 Two tasks are proposed for the vegetation task area and are discussed
          as follows.

          Task 111.1. Develop and Apply a System Level Landscape Vegetation Model
          for Freshwater Wetlands

                 The objective of this task will be to construct a landscape ecosystem
          model for the. Everglades Protection Area (EPA); which consists of the WCAs,
          the Refuge, and, ENP; that - will be used to evaluate the effects of water-
          management actions on the vegetative landscape, habitat. loss and the
          associated loss of native flora, the impacts of exotics on the native landscape,
          and assessments of the- current and future status of native plant               S.

                 This task will involve a first year literature and information search for
          available data on the current and historical vegetative state of the EPA system.
          An information collection and monitoring network'will be established in the
          study region to provide data on the distribution"and abundance of vegetation
          types and relevant edaphic factors. This task will additionally require updated
          topographic maps of the region. A research effort will be established to provide
          data for a more thorough understanding of the seasonal and long-term
          successional patterns of the dominant plant species.

                 A conceptual landscape model based on the CELSS technology will be
          developed in year two. The conceptual model will be used to determine
          linkages between the vegetative landscape and the SFWMM. Data collection
          efforts will provide data input into and calibration of the conceptual model.
          The working landscape model will be designed to provide output for scientific
          animation programs and the common GIS.

          Task 111.2. Develop and Apply Habitat-Specific Landscape Vegetation Models
          In Conjunction with Individual Based Models

                 The objective of this task is to develop and apply-landscape vegetation
          models with fine-scale spatial resolutions (10 - 100 meter) for freshwater
          wetland habitats to be.completed with an individual based wading bird model
          .and alligator model. Linkages will be developed among. the vegetative
          dynamics, SFWMM, and the. SFWQM such that these* models can be used as
          input to drive forcing functions in the landscape model.






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                       ANIMAL TASKS (Task Area IV)

                              Four major research and development tasks will be required to provide
                       the technology necessary to address the animal'issues in south and central
                       Florida.

                       Task IVA: Develop and apply Individual oriented/species level models

                              The primary goals of any animal modeling effort in the south and central
                       Florida region is the protection, preservation, and restoration of native and
                       endemic species. In order to address these problems a considerable amount of
                       information is needed on the population dynamics, behavior, and ecological,
                       energetics of the target species. These data can be used to create models
                       which examine the impacts of alterations to the hydraulic regime on species
                       assemblages. The Oak Ridge'National Laboratory has developed an individual-
                       based modeling (IBM) approach which utilize daily time budgets for numerous
                       organisms in a population - to construct fine-scale simulations of
                       animal/vegetation patch dynamics. One such IBM has been constructed for
                       wood storks in the ENP.


                       Task IV.2: Develop process    oriented and structured population models       and
                       develop network flow characterization for freshwater wetlands In the EPA.

                              The objective of this task will be to develop a descriptive and predictive
                       modeling system of the trophic community within the wetland region based on
                       the biomass flow through the trophic structure of the system. This modeling
                       system will be used to evaluate restoration efforts and proposed changes in
                       operational and structural water management decisions on the trophic
                       structure and dynamics of the wetland region. The modeling system will also
                       be used to determine the effect of habitat loss or alteration, loss of keystone
                       species, changes in soil/water column /organism assemblage interactions and
                       changes in food web 'connectivity and linkages due to wetland' sy;tern
                       perturbations. The modeling system will be designed to accept input from the
                       system hydrologic and water quality models. This modeling system Will also
                       provide output to the standardized GIS and scientific visualization programs.

                       Task. IV.3. Develop and apply process oriented and structured population
                       models and network flow characterization for the Florida Bay, ecosystem

                              The objective of this task will be to develop a descriptive and predictive
                       modeling system of the trophic community for the Florida Bay ecosystem based
                       on the biomass flow through the trophic structure of the system. This
                       modeling system will be used to evaluate restoration efforts and proposed
                       changes in, operational and structural water management decisions on the


                                                              121









          trophic structure and dynamics of Florida Bay. The modeling system will also
          be used to determine the effect of habitat loss or alteration, loss of keystone
          species, changes in soil/water colurnn/organism, assemblage interactions, and
          changes in food web connectivity and linkages due to wetland system
          perturbations. The modeling system will be designed to accept input from the
          system hydrologic and water quality models. This modeling system will also
          provide output to the standardized GIS and scientific visualization program

          Task IV.4. Develop and apply process oriented and structura     I population and
          network flow characterization for Lake Okeechobee

                 The objective of this task will be to develop a descriptive and predictive
          modeling system of the trophic community for the Lake Okeechobee ecosystem.
          based on the biomass flow through the trophic structure of the system. This
          modeling system will be used to evaluate restoration efforts and proposed
          changes in operational and structural water management decisions on the
          trophic structure and dynamics of Lake Okeechobee. The modeling system will
          also be used to determine the effect of habitat loss or alteration, loss of
          keystone species, changes in soil/water column/organism. assemblage
          interactions, and changes in food web connectivity and linkages due to wetland
          system perturbations. The modeling system wiU be designed to accept input
          from the system hydrologic and water quality models. This modeling system
          will also provide output to the standardized GIS and scientific visualization
          programs.



          TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION, MAINTENANCE,                      APPLICATION, AND
          DISTRIBUTION TASKS (Task Area V)

                 The models discussed in the above'sections, must be integrated in a
          manner that minimizes the effort required for application and interpretation.
          This integration requires the development and coupling of basically four types
          of interfaces: 1) model-user interface; 2) model-model interface; 3) input data-
          model interface; and 4) output data-graphical/*uaUzation interface. The
          model-user interface is a convenient means of accessing the model to make
          scenario changes and execute simulations. This interface would be graphics
          based with windows and pull down menus. The model-model interfaces are
          essential for linking the various models, such as providing flows/hydrodynamics
          to the water quality models, and would be transparent to the user. Input data-.--
          model interfaces are necessary to couple large data bases for changing model
          input conditions. Output data-graphical interfaces are required to allow easy
          manipulation and graphical display of model output.




                                                 122








                             The technology proposed for development in Task Areas I through IV
                       represents, in and of itself, a very important cog in the creation of appropriate
                       management strategies for the south and central Florida ecosystem. The most
                       effective use of this technology, however, must involve the integration of
                       developed system components within a framework easily used by scientists,
                       engineers, and decision-makers. Additionally, given the investment to be made
                       in this technology and the long range nature of ecosystem management
                       decisions, it is imperative that the maintenance, application, coordination, and
                       distribution of said technology be well planned. The following section presents
                       a series of tasks to address these concerns. It should be noted that these tasks
                       are proposed to be completed throughout the development of the modeling
                       system. Maintenance, coordination, and distribution Will also need to be
                       performed after the model development phase is completed, but that issue will
                       be discussed later in this report and is not included in the tasks, products, and
                       costs discussed below.

                             To accomplish the tasks in Task Area V, it is absolutely essential that a
                       single group or organization be responsible for their planning and execution.
                       This group or organization will have as its primary mission the execution of the
                       tasks presented in this section below.. The office should be located in Florida,
                       and act as a technology center in support of the consortium of agencies involved
                       with the management of the south and central Florida hydrologic ecosystem.
                       Additional details of the office, such as its staffing, management, and reporting
                       chain, require agreements among participating parties, and are beyond the
                       scope of this.'reconnaissance report.

                             Four tasks are envisioned for this group or organization which involve
                       both research and development and technology transfer. These tasks which art-
                       detailed below are:


                       Task V.1. Integrate Modeling Components

                             Most of the products being developed within Tasks I-IV will be developed
                       as somewhat discrete pieces of technology. To have their greatest management
                       utility, these items must be appropriately Unked/coupled. For example, the
                       SFWMM output, while of interest separately, is also the needed input to the
                       SFWQM. This model's output, mi turn, along with that of the former, is input
                       to various biotic models. From this information, the impacts oif various water
                       management decisions upon the ecosystem's components can be evaluated.
                       The linkage of these models, however, is not a trivial set of tasks.

                             The integration of the models and tools discussed in previous sections
                       Will require the development offour basic types of interfaces: (1) model-user
                       interface; (2) model-model interf@ce; (3) input data-model interface; and, (4@


                                                              123.









          output data-graphical/visualization interface. The model-user interface is the
          actual environment through which the user accesses various programs, selects
          program attributes, inputs data, simulates various conditions, and evaluates
          model output. The model-model interface, which is transparent to the user,
          includes the essential linkages between various.models, and their outputs. The
          input data-model interface is necessary to couple large databases with models,
          and to allow efficient retrieval of data based on user-selected conditions.
          Finally, the output data-graphical/visualization interface is critical to the
          presentation of voluminous and sophisticated model results in a fashion
          amenable to interpretation by decision makers, as well as scientists and
          engineers.

                Beyond this interface development, large, but separate, databases must
          be compiled, integrated, and placed in a single repository for common use.
          Analogously, the models being developed or adapted within this proposed plan
          must be compiled and integrated through the above interfaces.

          Task V.2. Maintain System Components

                The investment represented by the models, tools, and databases
          proposed for development within this plan of study will be Jarge. For their
          effective use over the length of the study and the long term, the technology
          must be appropriately maintained. Maintenance, in this context, is much more
          than providing for locations for data and models to reside. The term includes
          modification of these technologies due to error identification, improved
          technology, or additional requirements not within this plan of study. In
          addition, hardware and communications systems must be maintained to allow
          users to access models and data from remote entry locations.

          Task V.3. Distribute Technological Products

                As the central repository for databases and models, it would be
          appropriate for the group or organization to also be the primary distributor for
          reports, users manuals, model user support, etc. Additionally, the office would
          publish periodic newsletters or information bulletins delineating new available
          technologies, updates to existing models, errors found in existing models, etc.,
          and respond to requests for various models and data bases.

          Task VA. Apply Models

                In its efforts to support users and to maintain technology, the group or
          organization should become proficient appliers of the models developed within
          this plan of study. Agencies and groups having either in-house or contractor
          expertise will also b6 proficient in model application. A hardware and software


                                                124









                       base must be nurtured to allow the office to apply these codes.              These
                       applications will be on a cost-reimbursable basis, with reimbursement coming
                       from the agency requesting the application. Only a single subtask, that of
                       applying the models, is presented due to the highly site and case-specific nature
                       of the requests that the office will receive.


                       TIME, COSTS, AND PRODUCTS

                              This section provides estimates of time and cost required to accomplish
                       the tasks outlined above. Anticipated products and task/product schedules are
                       also included here. All costs are in constant 1991 dollars without adjustment
                       for inflation.


                       Schedule of Time and Costs

                              The estimated time and costs required to accomplish each. of the
                       tasks/sub-tasks are outlined in the technical study plan. It should be
                       recognized that these times and costs are, estimates, and adjustments may be
                       required during the study. Thus, periodic reporting and review are extremely
                       important during the study.

                              Discussion with ENP personnel showed that numerous tasks proposed
                       herein are planned or underway within their work program. These tasks are
                       related to modification of the current SF?7hW, topographic and biotic data
                       collection and analysis within ENP, and the development of component biotic
                       models. The ENP staff has estimated that approximately- $2,000,000" of
                       current or proposed Federal funding that they are to receive annually could be
                       earmarked for investigations proposed (or subsets thereof) in this scope. Given
                       that -this is Federal funding, and it is expected to continue over the. life of the
                       investigation proposed herein, this ftinding was used to reduce the ftinding
                       requirements of the studies proposed herein as shown in the table below. The
                       amount was adjusted to $500,000 for the first and last years of study to reflect
                       ramp-up and ramp-down portions of the overall study.

                              This report serves as general technical plan of study. Following initiation
                       of this project, specific technical workshops will be held and additional planning
                       will be conducted to develop detailed scopes of work for. each task.

                              It is recognized that the size and scope of this study will require the
                       involvement of many technical institutions/agencies. There is not a single


                          3M ngure was based on coordination with ENP staff. EXP's letter (Appendix A) indicates that current funding is $275.
                    300K now; but additional funding may be available in FY O@3 from new programs.

                                                               125










               agency, university, or consulting firm that is capable of conducting all of this
               large, diverse effort. It is envisioned that multiple Federal and State agencies,
               universities, and consulting firms will be required to successfully accomplish
               this work in a team atmosphere.

                         The total cost (in 1991 dollars) for all five task areas by year and the
               total of the entire study are shown in Table 2.



                                                                      TABLE 2


                                                     TOTAL OOSTS OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT


                                                                 FUNDING SM. BY




               TAS                                         4                                                        TOT
                                                                    j       A         I        1        2

               Areal        1200    2750     3300      2175      1875     1800    1800      1850       85O             1768qW


               Area 11      810     3325     3925      5750     6375      5575    3725     2075       400            31900


               Area III     58      1700     1750     16      200        0         0        0        0              5750


               Area FV      875     1475     1275      1425      1825      925    1725     1675      1175            12375


               Area V,      250       700      950     00        850       800       800      750      680               664qW


               TOTAL        3635    4O4       112O0    11800     11125      9100     8050       O8       3075             742135

                                                                            NON-FEDERAL SHARE (25%)                  18571

                                                                            FEDERAL SHARE (75%)                      5570qk

                                                                              ENP EFFORTS                            15006e

                                                                              REMAINING FEDERAL                      4714




                         As shown in Table 2, the estimated total time and cost of conducting this
               study is nine years and about $74.3 million (1991 dollars). The tasks were
               scoped to miclude all components of study, i.e., research, data collection,
               monitoring, and modeling.






                  4 The technical study plan developed by WES shows $15 million in effort by ENP towards model development This
               figure was based on coordination with ENP staff. ENP's letter indicates that current funding is $275-300K now; but
               additional funding may be availble in FY 93 from new programs.


                                                                         '126
 









                        OPTIONS FOR MODEL DEVELOPMENT

                               The previous discussions in this chapter outlined the tasks proposed to
                        develop a hydrologic ecosystem modeling system that would fulo the study
                        authorization. The technical study plan incorporated the most feasible tasks
                        of those determined necessary by the participants of this reconnaissance study;
                        workshop attendees and study partners. Unfortunately-, not all of the research,
                        data collection and modeling efforts desired by the participants are feasible, due
                        to limited knowledge, technology, or funding.
                               In addition to narrowing the scope ofthe modeling system during the
                        development of the technical study plan, levels of scope of the completed
                        technical study plan were also considered. These'levels of scope, or options
                        were considered in order to ensure that the most technically sound and
                        economical model development proposal was recommended. , The following
                        section describes four options that were considered, evaluations.of each option,
                        and the recommended option.

                        Option A

                               This option proposes that all of the tasks enumerated in the technical
                        study plan be performed, but in a phased approach. The tasks would be divided
                        into three phases. The first phase would include Years I through 2 and is
                        estimated to cost a total of $13,585,000 (refer to Table 2). The primary
                        products that would be developed during.Phase I include: the modified
                        SFWMM, a water budget database, nutrient database and analysis software,
                        initial framework for the SFWQM, landscape vegetation models, and databases
                        on selected species and freshwater wetland organisms.

                               Phase II include Years 3 through 5 and costs $34,125,000. The major
                        products to. be accomplished during this phase would include: *the'enhanced
                        SFWMM, water budget software, landscape vegetation models, groundwater
                        models, estuarine hydrodynamic/salinity models, the SFWQM and databases
                        on selected species and Florida Bay organisms.

                               Phase III would last from Year 6 through 9 to complete the model
                        development phase and is estimated to cost $26,575,000. This phase would
                        include: an agricultural runoff water quality model, population/community
                        dynamics and food web models, estuarine databases and models,. a Lake
                        Okeechobee water quality model, adapted Kissimmee nivermie and watershed
                        models, nutrient budget analyses, and individual based models for selected
                        species. The total cost of this option is $74,285,000. The Federal share of this
                        option, 75 percent, would be $55,714,000. The non-Federal share, 25 percent,
                        would be $18,571,000.


                                                               127









                 As discussed in a pre  vious section, Schedule of Time. and Costs,
          discussion with ENP personnel showed that numerous tasks proposed herein
          are planined or underway within their work program. As previously discussed,
          the ENP staff has estimated that approximately $2,000,000 of current or
          proposed Federal funding that they are to receive annually could be earmarked
          for investigations proposed (or parts thereof) in this scope.

                 The 9-year effort is the shortest possible time frame to conduct the
          described technical study plan, and the identified funding to be theminiTnum
          required to adequately address the effort.

                 This option meets the full intent of the authorization, is technically
          sound  as a "road map", addresses the important concerns and issues of the
          region, and is consistent with information and priorities obtained at the July
          and October 1991 workshops.

          Option B

                 This option, refer to Table 3, is based upon conducting only those tasks
          in the technical study plan that were considered high priority by the October
          1991 workshop participants. The major-Water Quantity Tasks would include:.
          modification of the SFWMM; development of groundwater/wetland models; and
          development of a system-wide water budget. The Water Quantity Tasks that
          would be omitted under Option B would include the development of multi-
          dimensional hydrodynamic models and dynamic routing and watershed runoff
          models for the Kissimmee River System.

                 The major Water Quality Tasks would include the development of a
          system-wide nutrient budget and models of nutrient dynamics and water
          quality for landscape regions. The Water Quality Tasks omitted would include
          the development of models of field-scale agricultural runoff of nutrients and
          water quality and the modification of nutrient dynamics and water quality
          models for Lake Okeechobee.

                 The major Vegetation Tasks would include the development of a system-
          level landscape vegetation model for freshwater wetlands and habitat landscape
          vegetation models in conjunction with Individual Based Models. No Vegetation
          Tasks would be omitted with this option.

                 The major Animal Tasks would include the development of individual
          oriented/species level models and process oriented and structured population
          models and network flow characterization for freshwater wetlands in the
          Everglades Protection Area. The Animal Tasks that would be onAtted would
          include process oriented and structured population models and network flow

                                               128












                                             characterization for Florida Bay and for Lake Okeechobee. It Is estimated that approximately 90 percent of Task V would
                                             still hood to be performed.

                                                                                                                      TABLE 3


                                                                                                                     OPTION B


                                                                                                             HIGH PRIORITY TASKS


                                                                                                             FUNDING SM. BY YEAR


                                             TASK                  1          2                                                                        A           .2                  TOTAL

                                             11              1050       2100        2000        1450        1000          400          200            0           0                   8200
                                             1.2                 50       350         98          725         575             0              0         0           0                   2600
                                             13              100         300         400             0           0           0              0         0           0                     88qW
                                             111             365        1175        1325        1525        1 4qW         1525         1525        1225            0                   10190
                                             11.2             445        2150        2450        2675        2350          950          4           450        250                    12570
                                             1111            250        1100        1300        1150         200             0              0         0           0                   4000
                                             111.2            250         600         450         450             0           0              0         0           0                   1750
                                             IV. 1            625         625         525         625         625          125          125         .125        125                    3525
                                             IV.2             250         850         750         Soo         am           300               0         0           0                   3750
                                             V                225         630         855         765         765          720          720          675        585                    5940

                                             TOTAL           3610        9880       10955        10165       784          402D         342D        2475         99D

                                                                                                                              NON-FEDERAL SHARE (25%)                                  13331

                                                                                                                              FEDERAL SHARE (750%)                                      398qW
                                                                                                                                 ENP EFFORTS                                           11250

                                                                                                                                 REMAINING FEDERAL                                     8744
                                             OPTION C

                                                          It is proposed that his option also be phased as described in Option A.
                                             Phase I would cost $13,490,000. The major products would include: the
                                             modified SFWMM, water budget database, nutrient database and analysis
                                             software, initial framework for the SFWQM, landscape vegetation model for
                                             EPA, and databases for selected species. Phase II would cost $28,960,000. The
                                             major products would include: water budget software, landscape vegetation
                                             models, enhanced SFWMM, groundwater models, SFWQM, and databases on
                                             selected species and freshwater organisms. Phase III would cost $10,875,000.
                                             The major products would include: population/commimity dynamics and food
                                             web models, nutrient budget analyses, and individual based models for selected
                                             species. This option would cost $53,325,000 (refer to table 3). The Federal
                                             share of this option would be $39,994,000. The non-Federal share would be
                                             $13,331,000.1



                                                  5 The technical study plan developed by WES shows $108 million in effort by ENP towards model development This
                                             figure was based on coordination with E0NP staff. For Option B this account was reduced to $11.25 million to account
                                             for the elimination of some tasks. ENP's letter indicates that current funding is $275-300K now; but additional funding
                                             may be avalble in FY93 from new programs.

                                                                                                                          129
 








                 These tasks from the technical study plan are shown below along with
          that portion of Task V required to support the overall study. Although a
          detailed analysis of the phasing of products under this option was not
          performed, it is reasonable to assume the general phasing would be consistent
          with that shown in the technical study plan for the identified tasks. The cost
          reduction shown for the ENP were assumed to be $11,250,000; 75 percent of
          that assumed for the technical study plan, due to the reduced scope.

                 The advantage of this option is that it does address the "Perceived" high
          priority items based upon a "show of hands vote" taken at the October 1991
          workshop. However, the information available to workshop participants did not
          include the technical study plan, wherein details of various tasks were
          described. Some important areas would not be studied. . For example, the
          agricultural areas, selected landscape subregions, Lake Okeechobee, Kissimmee

          option, while it does narrow the scope of.the technical study plan, still would
          River System, and the bays and estuaries are omitted in this option. This

          fulfill the intent of the study authorization.
          Option C

                 This option includes only Tasks I and II of the technical study plan and
          appropriate level of Task V to support the overall effort. It is assumed that the
          phasing of products would generally be the same as presented in the technical
          study plan. Funding for this option is shown in Table 4. The cost reduction
          shownfor the ENP are assumed to be $3,800,000; 25 percent of that assumed
          in the technical study plan. Note that Task V below is 85 percent of that
          shown in the technical study plan. Phase I would cost $8,895,000. The major
          products would include: the modified SFWMM, water budget database,
          nutrient database and analysis software, and initial framework for the SFWQM.
          Phase II would cost $25,650,000. The major products would include: water
          budget software", groundwater models, enhanced SFWMM, estuarine
          hydrodynamic/salinity models, nutrient budget database and analyses, and
          SFWQM. Phase III would cost $20,625,000. The major products would include:
          agricultural runoff water quality model, estuarine databases and models, Lake
          Okeechobee water quality model, adapted Kissimmee riverine and watershed
          models, and nutrient budget database and analyses. The total cost of this
          option is $55,170,000. The Federal share would be $41,3780500 and the non-
          Federal share -would cost a total of $13, 792,000.

                 By deleting the work pertaining to vegetation and animals (i.e., Tasks III
          and IV), this option would produce a very restricted hydrologic ecoystern
          modeling system. Significant savings are not obtained over Option A. The
          major problem with this option is that it does not address very important issues
          and concerns of the region. Preliminary discussions with the SFWMD and ENP
          indicated that they would not support this option.


                                                 130














                                                                                      TABLE 4


                                                                                      OPTION C

                                                                                TASKS I A14D 11 ONLY

                                                                               FUNDING W BY Y



                                  TASK                                                   A       z       A

                                  1          1200   2750     3300    2175     1875    1800   1800    1 &W       850          17800
                                 .11          810   3325     3925    5750     6375    5575   3725    2075       400          319W'
                                  V           215    595      810      720     720     680    680      640      550            5610

                                  ToTAL      2225   OM       8=      045      SM      8=     SM      460       IBM           55170

                                                                                            NON-FEDERAL SHARE (25%)          13792

                                                                                            FEDERAL SHARE (75%)              41378
                                                                                              ENP EFFORTS                    375e

                                                                                              REMAINING FEDERAL              31 ON

                                  Option D

                                          This option, refer to Table 5, includes only the high priority tasks in the
                                  Water Quantity and Water Quality areas, which includes Tasks 1. 1, 1.2,1.3, IIJ,
                                  and 11.2. The major Water Quantity Tasks would include- modification of the
                                  SFWMM; development of groundwater/wetland models; and development of a
                                  system-wide water budget. The Water. Quantity Tasks that would be omitted
                                  under Option B would include the development of multi-dimensional
                                  hydrodynamic models and dynamic routing and watershed runoff models for the
                                  Kissimmee River System. The major Water Quality Tasks would include the
                                  development of a system-wide nutrient budget and models of nutrient dynamics
                                  and water quality for landscape regions. The Water Quality Tasks omitted
                                  would include the development of models of field-scale agricultural runoff of
                                  nutrients and water quality and the modification of nutrient dynamics and
                                  water quality models for Lake Okeechobee. The cost reduction shown for' the
                                  ENP are assumed to be $3,800,000-- 25 percent of that assumed in the technical
                                  study plan. It is estimated that 95 percent of Task V would still need to be
                                  performed.

                                          It is assumed that the phasing approach proposed in the previous options
                                  would be used for this option. Phase I would cost $8,895,000. The'major tasks



                                     6 The technical study plan developed by WES shows $15 million in effort. by FNP towards model development.. This
                                  figure was based on coordination with FNP staff. For Option C this amount was reduced to $3.75 miWon to account for
                                  the elimination d tasks. ENP's letter indicates that current funding is $275-=K now; but additional funding maybe
                                  available in FY 93 from new programs.

                                                                                          131









               would include: the modified SFWMM, water budget database, nutrient budget
               database and analysis software, and initial framework for the SFWQM. Phase
               II would cost $21,150,000. The major products would include: water budget
               software, groundwater models, the enhanced SFWMM, and the SFWQM.
               Phase III would cost $9,925,000. The major products would include: the
               nutrient database and budget analyses. The total cost of this option is
               $39,970,000 (refer to Table 5). The Federal share would be $29,978,000; the
               non-Federal share $9,992,000.

                        By deleting the work pertaining to vegetation and animals (i.e., Tasks III
               and IV), this option, like Option C, would produce a very restricted *hydrologic
               ecosystem modeling system. Preliminary discussions with the SFWMD and
               ENP indicated that they would not support this option. The "SFWMD is
               required by law to perform modeling tasks that wiU ensure that the ecosystem
               of the Everglades Protection Area (EPA)'is not jeopardized by any management
               actions. To meet this requirement by the deadlines imposedin the lawsuit
               settlement, the SFWMD must perform ecosystem modeling. The SFWMD has
               emphasized that this modeling effort must not interfere with the effortsithat
               they must undertake to meet their legal obligations. ENP staff. has also
               preliminarily stated that they would not be interested in any option that would
               not fulfill ecosystem modeling.

                                                                      TABLE 5


                                                                     OPTION D
                                                                   TASK I AND 11
                                                               HIGH PRIORITY ONLY
                                                              FUNDING SM. BY Y


               IASK           1       2                         1       A         Z      .1      1           T

               1.1        1050    2100     2000    1450      10DO     400     200        0       0            am
               1.2           50     350      9W      725      575       .0        0      0       0            25W
               1.3         100      300      400        0       0        0        0      0       0              am
               11.1        365    1175     1325    1525      1525    1525    1525     1225       0            10190
               11.2        445    2150     2450    2675      2350     9W      &90      450     250            12570
               V           215      595      810     720      720     680     680      640     550            5610


               TOTAL      2225    6M       7885    7095     6170     3555    3255     2315     SIX            3997

                                                                           NON-FEDERAL SHARE (25%)            9992

                                                                           FEDERAL SHARE (75%)                29978
                                                                           ENP EFFORTS                        37507
                                                                             REMAINING FEDERAL



                  7 The technical study plan developed by WF.S shows $15 million in effort by ENP towards model development This
               figure was based on,oDordination with FM staff. For Option D d-ds amount was reduoed to $3.75 minion to a unt fo     'r
               the elimination of tasks. ENP's letter indicates that current funding is $275-=X now, but additional funding may be
               available in FY93 from new program.


                                                                        132









                      Recommended Option

                             An evaluation of these options showed that all options would fulfill the
                      intent of the study authorization. Options C and D, however perform very
                      limited work pertaining to vegetation and animals; only the minimum necessary
                      to complete the water quantity and water quality tasks. Therefore, those
                      options would produce a very restricted hydrologic ecosystem modeling system.
                      Because of the importance of evaluating the vegetation and animals to
                      understand the overall ecosystem, Options C and D were eliminated.
                      Preliminary discussions held with the SFWMD indicated that the agency would
                      not support Options C or D.- Furthermore, the ENP has stated that they would
                      not support those options.

                             Option B, while it does not include all areas of the ecosystem, would
                      perform those tasks that were considered the highest priority. Option A would
                      provide a more complete ecosystem modeling system, but at a substantially
                      greater cost. Option B would produce a simulation modeling system of the
                      south and central Florida hydrologic ecosystem. Option B is the recommended
                      approach for model development.


                      BENEFITS OF MODEL DEVELOPMENT

                             The general acceptability and broad use of this modeling system as an
                      analytical device for improving resource management procedures can be
                      accomplished through continued. and progressive participation from the
                      majority of local interests concerned with the project area's ecosystem. The
                      modeling system development process will require extended cooperative efforts
                      among all Federal, State, and local institutions with technical capabilities and
                      management concerns for the C&SF project area. The assembly of improved
                      knowledge and the interchange of objective analytical concepts and techniques
                      among hydrologic ecosystem researchers, resource managers, and regulatory
                      agencies can. be expected to significantly improve system management
                      procedures and technical coordination among agencies with management and
                      regulatory responsibilities in the study area.

                             Specific benefits of developing this modeling system include gaining a
                      com rn on database of south and central Florida, developing a coordinated system
                      of sharing that data, learning more about the hydrology and various ecosystem
                      processes, improving management practices, securing a better understanding
                      of cumulative and secondary impacts of decisions, and more accurately.
                      predicting the effects of project.




                                                             133









          C&SF Project Modifications

                 One of the purposes of developing this modeling system is to predict the
          impacts of modifications to the C&SF Project. There are a number of proposed
          Modifications currently being considered by the. Corps which are discussed in
          the next few paragraphs. While these modifications may not benefit by the
          proposed modeling system, once developed, similar projects could be evaluated
          to predict the impacts they might have on the south and central Florida
          ecosystem.

          Bolles and Cross Canals

                 The canals are located in the FAA between the Mami, New River and
          Hillsboro Canals. The Bolles and Cross canals have a limited capacity which
          is insufficient to convey the stormwater discharge from adjoining farms after
          a significant storm event. The proposed project is to provide flood control
          benefits and permit the inter-basin transfer of storm waters which in
          conjunction with the Everglades SWIM plan may ultimately result in
          improvements to water quality.

          C-51 West Project

                 C-51 is located in central Palm Beach County, between WCA I and the
          IWW. The area has experienced periods of heavy rainfall which have resulted
          in localized flooding. Proposed plans include canal hinprovements, construction
          of a divide structure and a pumping facility, and a detention area.

          C-111/South Dade Flood Control Project

                 C-111 is located in southeastern Dade County.             The canal was
          constructed to provide flood control. The basin is developed primarily by
          agriculture which has exceeded projected growth trends. Extended durations
          of flooding due to periodic major storm events, has an impact on agricultural
          productivity in portions of the basin. Environmental problems have persisted
          due to the alteration of wetlands in the basin which has affected wildlife
          productivity and habitat values; Surface water overflow to the ENP and
          northeast Florida Bay is poorly distributed. Operational releases of large
          volumes of freshwater and the loss of overland sheet flow has contributed to
          a reduction of marine and estuarine productivity. The objectives of this project-
          area are to provide flood control benefits to agricultural interests, restore sheet
          flow to the marsh adjacent to C-111 and northeast Florida Bay via the ENP,
          reduce large freshwater flows to Barnes Sound and protect, preserve, and
          minimize impacts on significant archaeological and historical resources.



                                                 134










                       Hillsboro Canal


                              The   Hillsboro Canal is    located in southeastern Palm Beach and
                       northeastern Broward Counties. Periodic flooding has occurred in the service
                       area as a result of increased drainage problems due to highly developed urban
                       areas and prolonged heavy seasonal rainfall combined with an inadequate
                       primary drainage system. Concern has a].so been expressed over the lack of
                       adequate protection from rising waters within WCA 1 that may adversely affect
                       wildlife habitat and nesting behavior. Increased capacity in the Hillsboro Canal
                       would also aid the restoration efforts in WCA 2.

                       Kissimmee River Restoration

                              This project, located   in Highlands, Okeechobee, Osceola, and Polk
                       Counties, involves revitalizing headwaters by modifying upper basin features
                       and backfilhng three to five miles of the canal'in the central reach of the river.
                       This is the first step towards backfiRing a continuous 25 to 30 mile section of
                       the canal and will restore approximately 8500 acres of floodplain wetlands.

                       Modified Water Deliveries to Everglades National Park

                              The hydrology of the southern Everglades was altered by the
                       construction of L-67A, L-67C, and L-29 flood control levees. Uriseasonably high
                       water conditions in the ENP in 1983 prompted Park officials to request
                       emergency measures to be taken to correct the hydrologic imbalance and
                       restore sheet flow to the northeast Shark River Slough. Congress authorized
                       and the Corps conducted a program of experimental water deliveries to the
                       Park. In December 1989, President Bush signed the Everglades. National Park
                       Protection and Expansion Act. This act authorizes expansion of the ENP to
                       include an additional 107,600' acres and authorized the construction of
                       modifications to the C&SF Project to the benefit of the ENP in Dade County.
                       The primary objective of this project is to enhance the natural resources of
                       ENP in Shark River Slough through structural and operational water
                       management alterations to the C&SF Project. A secondary objective is to
                       develop an initial operating plan based on restoring, to the extent possible, the
                       natural hydrologic conditions with the ENP and other contiguous Everglades
                       habitat that may be necessary to achieve the primary objective. A flood
                       mitigation system is proposed for a residential area in the East Everglades.

                       Shingle Creek Basin Project

                              This project involves correction of flooding problems and     enhancement
                       of water quality for portions of Orange and Osceola Counties. Proposed plans
                       will provide flood protection for the upper and extreme lower basins. The
                       project will include the enlargement of the existing Shingle Creek Canal in the
                       upper basin; construction of a water control structure in the south end of the

                                                              135









          upper basin; and clearing/reshaping of a local drainage canal. The structure
          will eliminate potential erosion problems downstream and prevent overdrainage
          of the upper basin. The General Design Memorandum has been completed and
          the Corps is proceeding with the engineering details to prepare a Detailed
          Design Memorandum.

                 The benefits that are expected to result from the proposed works listed
          above include: flood protection, increased water conservation and improved
          distribution of water throughout the project area. In 1968, the pro ect was
          expanded to include provisions for storage and conservation of water and
          improved distribution of water throughout the project area. In recent years
          greater emphasis is being given to the maintenance and enhancement of water
          quality throughout the project. In addition, benefits from the restoration and
          enhancement hydrological and water quality conditions in ENP, the Everglades
          area and the Kissimmee River.

                 Along with structural changes such as those mentioned above, resource
          managers need to be able to predict impacts on the ecosystem from changes in
          the operation of water schedul     'es, reduction of nutrients, and other non-
          structural alternatives. As an example, alternative water delivery scenarios
          could be run to predict the impacts on the water levels and resultant changes
          in vegetation throughout the entire study area, in order to study the optimum
          water delivery schedule.

          Regulatory Activities

                 The authorization directs that the modeling syste        m be capable of
          producing information useful mi evaluating Section 10 and 404 'Permit
          applications.

                 Th e management decision model based on a GIS database could be used
          by regulatory agencies to test the compatibility of-site specific permit requests.
          GIS can be used to compile a database on environmentally sensitive areas;
          denoting areas of special concern for species, sensitivity, lanfforms, f1mctions
          and aesthetics. The model will. be programmed by Federal and State water and
          land resource management agencies in defining the status and pals of
          watersheds or regions. And it could be used by the Federal government to
          evaluate projects based on environmental benefits. This -project will establish
          a GIS which will be compatible between State water and land resource
          management agencies, EPA, USFWS, the Corps, and others.

                 The Corps has been looking for ways to enhance enforcement capabilities
          with image processing, remote sensing and GIS. Currently, a limited number
          of workers or "enforcement scientists" with heavy caseloads try to investigate
          and evaluate filling and dredging activities. In 1989, the, Corps'Army Engineer
          Topographic Laboratory (USAETL) helped the Corps' Norfolk District's

                                                 136








                       Northern Virginia field office with image processing and GIS support for two
                       suspected illegal fillings. Landsat Thematic Mapping imagery and scanned
                       aerial photography were used to study the extent of the suspected fill in a
                       street extension project in Virginia. Comparison of the Landgat images from
                       two different years, processed against eachother, showed changes in patterns
                       of vegetation and surface hydrology-

                              Also in Virginia, an in-house u*nage processor and GIS determined the
                       extent of an illegal fill, and measured the drainage basin above the site. A
                       spring 1987 Landsat Thematic Mapper scene and an aerial photo of the area
                       were geographically referenced to a 1:24000 scale USGS topographic
                       quadrangle'. In addition, a portion of the corresponding national wetlands
                       inventory map was digitized and fed mito the GIS. From this comparison the
                       Corps and EPA determined the illegal filling and draining and issued a stop-
                       work order. The time and effort saved from the personal evaluation of filling
                       and dredging activities will offset the cost of remote sensing and GIS. This
                       type of desk top evaluation will also support litigation (Austin, 1990).

                              This research, data collection, and modeling activities would allow
                       agencies to learn more about how wetlands function and how to design and
                       engineer wetland restoration and construction.

                              While  it would not be practical to use the modeling system for each
                       permit application that is submitted, the modeling system could be used for
                       proposed large developments or evaluating a Regional Impact Assessment. One
                       means for this modeling tool to assist regulatory agencies would be to assist in
                       the preparation of Advanced I'dentification of Wetlands (ADID) Studies. An
                       ADID is a planning tool for use by potential developers, the general public, and
                       the federal regulatory agencies to identify, in advance of any permit application,
                       those sites (wetlands) for which the discharge of dredged or fill material would
                       likely co- mply with the Section 404(b) (1) Guidelines in the Clean Water Act.

                              One example of an ADID is described in the following paragraphs. The
                       Corps   and EPA recently completed a draft two-year study of wetlands in
                       Broward County. EPA, Region IV, Atlanta, Georgia, with the cooperation of the
                       Corps, Jacksonville District, made a determination of possible future disposal
                       sites and areas general unsuitable for the disposal of dredged or fin material
                       with West Broward County. The ADID study area encompasses approximately
                       52 square miles of historic Everglades wetlands in western Broward County.
                       The final draft of the Technical Summary Document for the-ADID was
                       completed by EPA and a public meeting to solicit comments was held in
                       September 1991. The comments are currently under review and the results of
                       the analyses by both agencies will be completed soon.

                              In their study of the area, the EPA and the Corps determined that wide
                       swaths of southwest Broward's wetlands are vital to preserving underground

                                                               137









          water supplies, maintainin wildlife habitat and controlling floods. The study
          had two purposes: to identify wetlands vital to protect and to act as a guideline
          where development generally would be allowed or prohibited.

                 The draft ADID proposes designating 24 square miles of southwest
          Broward County as unsuitable for development. The study recommends that
          no development be allowed on all land west of U.S. 27 but outside Everglades
          conservation areas, known as the Everglades Buffer Strip, plus a half-mile wide
          sliver of land north of GriiTm Road and east of U.S. 2.7. No development, except
          in limited circumstances, would be allowed in an area southwest of Weston and
          north of Griffin Road and a tract bounded by Pines Boulevard, U.S. 27, Dade
          County and Southwest 172nd Avenue. Development would be allowed with
          requirements for environmental compensation in other lower quality wetlands
          in southwest Broward west of Interstate 75.


          Resource Management

                 One of the difficulties of managing the C&SF Project has been that while
          certain actions that may benefit one segment, they may be disastrous to other.
          areas. For example, efforts to regulate Lake Okeechobee's lake level for flood
          control have often had a negative effect -on wildlife. Decisions to enhance the
          fishing industry may. conflict with the agriculture industry. Most often the
          reasons for these conflicts have been the lack of scientific data, the lack of
          understanding of the long@-range impact of various decisions and the absence of
          a coordinated system of coordination.         This authorization provides an
          opportunity to develop a management system tool which will address these
          problems and permit decisions to be made based on common and scientific
          information and allow for logical prediction of the impact of those decisions on
          all segments of the ecosystem.

                 The ecosystem modeling system has tremendous potential for increasing
          the knowledge and understanding of the south and central. Florida ecosystem
          and for improving current predictive abilities necessary for water resources
          planning, management and decision-making.

                 One of the. major benefits of this project would be to establish and
          maintain the needed mechanism for the scientists and engineers to
          communicate and coordinate their research and planning efforts associated with
          the south and central Florida ecosystem. Another benefit derived from this,
          project would be that the modeling system, if developed -by a cooperative effort,
          would be acceptable to the scientific community. The data collected and the
          models developed would be accessible to the resource agencies and the scientific
          community.




                                                 138









                                    MODEL IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION


                              The technical feasibility, utility, and benefits of developing the
                        simulation modeling system were discussed in the previous chapter. The
                        technical study plan describes the tasks, with associated time and costs, to
                        accomplish a hydrologic ecosystem modeling system for the entire study area.
                        Alternatives were discussed and a recommended approach was proposed. This
                        chapter presents an outline of the management organization necessary for
                        model development to.succeed. Also presented are the requirements for cost
                        sharing and the views of the potential local sponsor.


                        MANAGEMENT ORGANIZATION

                              Model development will require a system management structure to
                        provide direction and oversight for the effort. Model operation will, likewise,
                        require a management structure to insure that the models which are developed
                        are utilized effectively and are updated and maintained as needed, not only
                        during the model development phase, but also once the actual model
                        development is over.' Procedures delineating Federal and local sponsor model
                        management responsibilities and contingencies win be developed in detail as
                        part of the negotiations for a cost sharing agreement for model development
                        and operation, but the following paragraphs provide a preliminary approach.

                        Model Development.

                              The final management structure for the model development phase will
                        be developed during negotiation of the cost sharing agreement. However, the
                        final management structure that is developed should be based-on consideration
                        of the expertise, responsibilities, and interests of the Federal, State, and local
                        agencies, resource managers, and. others that manage the hydrologic ecosystem
                        in south and central Florida. For this reconnaissance report, a preliminary
                        management organization structure was developed.               This preliminary
                        organization chart for the management structure is shown on Figure        7.

                              The top level of the management organization is the Executive
                        Committee that would consist of decision makers from each of the agencies
                        which comprise the study partners. This committee would have the final
                        decision-making authority on all model development matters.

                              To assist the Executive Committee, a Scientific Advisory Committee
                        should be formed to provide an impartial oversight of the modeling efforts.
                        This group would be comprised of senior members of the scientific and

                                                               139






                                                           FIGURE 7

                                   Model Development. Management Structure




                                                                                          .............................
                                                   .. ..... ........

                                                                                    SCIENTIFIC
                                                      EXECUTIVE
                                                                                    ADVISORY
                                                      COMMITTEE
                                                                                    COMMITTEE
                                                                                 ............ .......

                                                                                             ............













                                                           ........... ...... .
                                                   ,IMPLEMENTATION
                                                      COMMITTEE


                                                   ..........









                                                                                        ..................

                                                                       ..... ... ......
                          TECHNICAL           TECHNICAL          TECHNICAL           TECHNICAL
                       ;SUBCOMMITTEE I     SUBCOMMITTEE 2      SUBCOMMITTEE 3     SUBCOMMITTEE n

                         ij-

                                   ..........     ............ .... .........










        9". 11101 no go 4M WN-                 aw    AM up law                                     JIM to '-jw we








                        engineering  community that would n      ot be involved in any of the actual
                        research, data collection, or modeling efforts. Some of the members of the
                        Scientific Advisory Committee could be Deans and Department Chairs from
                                      'ties.
                        major universi

                              The mid-level of the management organization is an Implementation
                        Committee. This committee would coordinate efforts that the Technical
                        Subcommittees, discussed in the following paragraph, are. pursuing and
                         aintain communication with other agencies or research organizations. The
                        Implementation Committee would report on all aspects of model development
                        activities to the Executive Committee. They would also be responsible for
                        setting all the parameters for modeling activities and ensuring that all
                        Technical Subcommittees work within those 'parameters. This will ensure that
                        all model development activities are performed with an interdisciplinary
                        approach. This committee would, at a minimum, include the. chairpersons from
                        each *of the Technical Subcornrni tees. Other members of the Subcommittee
                        could include the chairpersons of each of the working group that will be set up
                        within each Technical Subcommittee.

                              The final level of the management organization would be the Technical
                        Subcommittees. It is anticipated that three to six of these committees would
                        be formed to coordinate efforts for: Hydrologic and Water Quality Modeling,
                        Hydrologic and Water Quality Monitoring, Ecosystem Modeling, Ecosystem
                        Monitoring, and GIS and Database Management and Integration. Each
                        Technical Subcommittee would be responsible for a particular area of the model
                        development effort and would be composed of technical staff involved in the
                        modeling effort. Membership would also include technical staff from agencies
                        or organizations that are not parties to the cost sharing agreement. Numerous
                        working groups would be formed under these Technical Subcommittees to
                        handle specific tasks. It is anticipated that each Technical Subcommittee would
                        have an external technical peer review panel, whose expertise is specific to the
                        work of the particular Technical Subcommittee.

                              Initial items which the management organization should address in     *clude:
                        detailed scopes of works, sub-model development priorities, and requisite sub-
                        model to general model evolvement; software development; model
                        implementation concepts and procedures; knowledge base management and
                        library requirements; data and information forms and transfer procedures;
                        system hardware requirements; fimding and funds management needs; and the
                        form of organization necessary for general management and accountability.

                              The proposed settlement of the Everglades lawsuit filed by the
                        Department of Justice requires the formation of a Technical Oversight
                        Committee (TOC) to oversee all activities related to the settlement. Since it
                        is anticipated that the modeling system which is developed would be used to


                                                               141








          assist in activities required by the proposed settlement, there should be some
          linkage of the model development management organization and the TOC The:
          nature of this would need to be determined as the final management
          organization is developed and responsibilities at each level are delineated.

          Model Operation

                 In order to ensure that there would continue to be adequately trained
          personnel to operate the program, continuously refine the model, and also to
          use the model for system-wide (hydrologic and ecologic) evaluation of proposed
          changes to the water management system, it is vital that the databases and
          models developed. during this modeling effort continue to be maintained and
          operated after the model development phase is completed.

                 The technology proposed for development in Task Areas I through IV
          represents, in and of itself, a very important cog in the creation' otappropriate
          management strategies for the south and central Florida ecosystem. The most
          effective use of this technology, however, must involve the integration of
          developed system components within a framework easily used by scientists,
          engineers, and decision-makers. Additionally, given the investment to be made
          in this technology and the long range nature of ecosystem management
          decisions, it is imperative that the maintenance, application, coordination, and
          distribution of said technology be well planned.

                 To accomplish the tasks in Task Area V, it is absolutely essential that a
          single group or organization be responsible for their planning and execution.
          This group or organization will have as its primary mission the execution of
          those tasks. The office should be located in Florida, and act as a technology
          center in support of the consortium of agencies involved with the management
          of the south and central Florida hydrologic ecosystem.

                 It is envisioned that the technology center that is proposed to complete
          the activities for Task V. - Technology Integration, Maintenance, Application,
          and Distribution, would continue after completion of model development to
          perform model operation tasks. This would involve a commitment for
          continued funding and personnel from the study partners and other
          participants. No costs for this continued operation has been included in the
          technical study plan.

          Model Availability

                 The authorization directs that the model shall be available for Federal,
          State, and local agencies to use on a reimbursable basis. Procedures regarding
          this process will developed in the context of the model management structure.



                                                 142










                       COST SHARING REQUIREMENTS


                       Model Development

                              Section 11 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1988 directs that
                       the Federal share of model development and operation shall be 75 percent.
                       However, the authorization does not specify whether the 25 percent non-
                       Federal share of the cost must be in cash or whether in-kind services may
                       make up all or a portion of the non-Federal share.

                              The potential local sponsor for this project is the South Florida Water
                       Management District (SFWMD). Over the past twenty years or more, the staff
                       at the SFWMD has developed a number of numerical models.in the subject
                       area to assist in the evaluation of surface water resources conditions; such as
                       flow rates, peak elevations, drought situations, and management alternative
                       evaluations. One of these models, the South Florida Water Management Model
                       (SFWMM), simulates water surface elevations for the entire Lower East Coast,
                       the Everglades Agricultural Area, Lake Okeechobee, the Water Conservation
                       Areas, Big Cypress National Preserve, and the Everglades. National Park. The
                       SFWMM also contains a system management routing wh             'ich can estimate
                       discharge at major structures. Although it is generally agreed that this model
                       could benefit from refinements, it has become apparent that the SFWMM could
                       provide the cornerstone of the simulation modeling system for the South
                       Central Florida Hydrologic Ecosystem. In addition, the SFWMD has the
                       capability to'provide a great deal of assistance towards model development.

                              The SFWMD has indicated a desire to utilize in-kind services for the
                       non-Federal share. The extent of in-kind services which are allowed. to be
                       ftu-nished by the SFWMD must be determined prior to negotiating the cost
                       sharing agreement.

                              There has been interest expressed by the ENP of the possibility of their
                       participation in the model development phase and the use of ENP funds f6r
                       model development. Preliminary discussions have been held regarding the
                       possibility of negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU       between the
                       Corps and the National Park Service or the Department of the Interior.
                       Further discussions with these agencies, as well as other Federal, State, and
                       local agencies, will be held during the negotiation of the cost sharing agreement
                       with the local sponsor and the development of the model management
                       organization structure.






                                                              143










          COORDINATION AND SPONSOR VIEWS

                 Throughout this reconnaissance study, close and extensive coordination
          was maintained with many agencies, organizations and individuals. Numerous
          meetings were held and two workshops conducted. A more detailed discussion
          of this coordination may be found in Appendix A - Coordination and Public
          Views. Close coordination was maintained with the potential local sponsor, the
          South Florida Water Management District and the Everglades National Park.
          Both agencies were provided a draft of the technical study plan for review and-
          comment. The SFWMD, has expressed their desire to continue participation in
          this.. study. The ENP.has also expressed their support of the continuation of
          this study.

































                                                144









                                                       CONCLUSIONS


                               The development and operation of a simulation modeling system for the'
                        central and southern Florida hydrologic ecosystem is being conducted in two
                        phases - a reconnaissance phase and a model development phase. The
                        reconnaissance phase is the subject of this report. The main purposes of the
                        reconnaissance phase were to determine the technical feasibility of developing
                        such a simulation modeling system, to determine if there is a Federal and non-
                        Federal interest in developing such 'a modeling system, and to prepare a work
                        plan and cost estimate for the proposed model development phase. The main
                        purpose of the model development phase will be to conduct research, collect
                        data, and develop models and other tools for use in predicting the effects of
                        modifications or changes in     the operation of the C&SF Project and other
                        human activities on the flow, characteristics, quality, and quantity of surface
                        and groundwater and on the plants and wildlife within the ecosystem.

                               During the reconnaissance phase, extensiv    e efforts were made to define
                        the issues, problems, and needs of the study area. These efforts included field
                        reconnaissance; meetings with Federal and State agencies and universities; and
                        workshops conducted to communicate with Federal, State, and local agencies,
                        as well as research organizations, environmental groups, agricultural interests,
                        and private engineering firms.

                               The problems of the study area are numerous and varied. The. C&SF
                        Project hydrologic ecosystemis very complex. The project area encompasses
                        more than 16,000 square miles. The C&SYProject was developed to manage
                        the surface and groundwater resourcea of the project area -and to serve a
                        variety of interests for multiple purposes. Those purposes include flood control,
                        water level control, preventioii of salinity intrusion, water deliveries to the
                        ENP, water supply, and fish and wildlife conservation. The ecosystem in
                        central and southern Florida is also very complex and fragile.

                               The issues, problems, and needs of the study area were categorized into
                        Water Quantity, Water Quality, and Biota - Vegetation and Animal, for the
                        purpose of this report. Water Quantity problems included. competition for
                        water resources; limited knowledge of historic, current, and future needs of the
                        system; optimum water levels and delivery, and the need for more flexible
                        management . policies.       Water Quality problems mainly pertained to
                        eutrophication, dissolved solids, and contaminants. Biotic problems focussed on
                        loss of habitat; decline of species; loss or change in soil; meso-scale disturbances
                        such as fires, and invasion of exotic plant species; limited knowledge of
                        vegetation and animal dynamics; and the need for system-level restoration.


                                                                145









                 The purpose of the modeling system is to address the three major
          resource issues of the area: (1) the ability of the C&SF Project to sustain the
          three major water use sectors (urban, agriculture, and natural areas), (2)
          impacts of land use on the natural system, and (3) preservation and restoration
          of natural portions of the ecosystem. The modeling system will be capable of
          producing information useful in assessing environmental impacts and evaluating
          regulatory applications.

                 Due to the complexity of the hydrologic ecosystem, it has been very
          difficult to predict the impacts that proposed projects would have on the water
          levels or water quality in other areas of the system and what the ecosystem
          response to those changes would be. Some of the changes can be anticipated,
          but others are unpredictable and require adaptive strategies.

                 There are numerous existing models and other tools that have been
          developed to describe subregions of the system and individual processes; but no
          attempt has been made to consolidate these tools, perform research, collect
          data and construct additional models to extend the tools for the entire study
          area and provide linkages across scales and disciplines. The consensus reached
          by the study participants was that the most critical need in understanding the
          hydrologic ecosystem of south and central Florida, is to develop a systertirwide,
          interdisciplinary modeling system.

                 The best approach to construct this simulation modeling system is to
          continue extensive collaboration with the many agencies and interest groups
          involved throughout the study area. A model management structure is
          proposed within this report to form interagency management and technical
          committees. This management structure will provide a means to utilize the
          expertise of the many Federal, State, local- agencies and others and provide a
          forum for exchanging information and ideas.

                 A generalized work plan in the form of a technical study plan          was
          developed for this reconnaissance report. This plan was developed with
          cooperation from the study participants. The proposed plan outlines the
          development of a series of simulation models for the management of the south.
          and central Florida hydrologic ecosystem. The technical study plan addresses
          scope, model development priorities, model linkages, data collection and
          research requirements, modeling methods, phases of model development, costs,
          and management tasks during development and also for operation of the
          modeling system. The model package includes both system-wide and regional
          models, as well as models of selected vegetative communities and animal
          populations.




                                                 146








                              The technical study plan presents a generalized approach and  is the basis
                       for future development of detailed scopes of work. It is to be recognized that
                       changes in scope or direction may need to be made during the model
                       development phase. to take advantage of technological breakthroughs or a
                       change of priorities.

                              The parameters followed in this technical study plan included:

                              A) Dividing the model development tasks into five mikjor components -
                       Water Quantity, Water Quality, Vegetation, Animal, and Technology
                       Integration;

                              B) Designing this modeling system to be as "user-friendly" and accessible
                              as possible;

                              C) Utilizing existing data and models whenever possible;

                              D)  Designing the modeling system to exchange information between
                              disciplines and in a two-way manner; and

                              E) Phasing the model development, such that usable, products will be
                              available throughout the effort and allow an efficient way to manage and
                              review efforts undertaken in this model development phase.

                              Water Quantity Tasks include: 1) modification, enhancement, and
                       application of the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMM);
                       development and application of 2) groundwater/wetland models, 3) a system-
                       wide water budget, 4) multi-dimensional hydrodynamic models, and 5) dyn ic
                       routing and watershed runoff models for the Kissimmee River system.

                              Water Quality Tasks include the development and application of 1) a
                       system-wide nutrient budget, 2) models of nutrient dynamics and water quality
                       for landscape regions, 3) models of field-'scale agricultural runoff.of nutrients
                       and water quality, and 4) modification and application of nutrient dynamics and
                     -..water quality model for Lake Okeechobee.

                              Vegetation Tasks include the development and application of 1) a
                       system-level landscape vegetation model for freshwater wetlands, and 2)
                       habitat-specific landscape vegetation models in conjunction with- Individual
                       Based Models.

                              Animal Tasks include the development and application of: 1) individual
                       orient,ed/species level models, 2) process oriented and structured population
                       models and network flow characterization for freshwater wetlands in the
                       Envirb=ental Protection Area, 3) process oriented and structured population


                                                              147









           models and network flow characterization for the Florida Bay ecosystem, and
           4) process oriented and structured population and network flow
           chara cterization for Lake Okeechobee.

                 Technology Integration Tasks include 1) integration of modeling
           components, 2) maintenance of system components, 3) distribution of
           technological products, and. 4) application of models.

                 The performance of all of the tasks in the technical study plan as
           outlined above, has been estimated to require nine years and a total cost of
           $74,285,000. The Federal share of this cost would be $55,713,750; the non-
           Federal share $18,571,250. Due to the extensive time and costs required, four
           options were considered.

                 Option A would consist of performing all of the tasks in the technical
           study plan, but in a phased approach. The total cost is the same discussed in
           the paragraph above. Phase 1, Years 1 and 2, would cost a total of $13,585,000.
           Phase II, Years 3 through 5, would cost $34,125,000. Phase III, Years,6
           through 9, would complete the model development phase at a cost of
           $26,575,000.

                 Option B involves conducting "high priority" tasks, also in a phased
           approach taking nine years. The major Water Quantity Tasks would include-
           modification of the SFWMM; development of groundwater/wetland models; and
           development of a system-wide water budget.

                 The major Water Quality Tasks would include the development of a
           system-wide nutrient budget and models of nutrient dynamics and water
           quality for landscape regions.

                 The major Vegetation Tasks would include the development of a system
           level landscape vegetation model for freshwater wetlands and habitat landscape
           vegetation models in conjunction with Individual Based Models.

                 The major Animal Tasks would include the development of individual
           oriented/species level models and proces's oriented and structured population
           models and network flow characterization for freshwater wetlands in the
           Everglades Protection Area. The total cost of Option B would be $53,325,000.
           The Federal share would be $39,993,750; the non-Federal share $13,331,250-
           Phase I would cost $13,490,000. Phase II would cost $28,960,000.     Phase III
           would cost $10,875,000.

                 Option C would involve performing only Water Quantity and Water
           Quality Tasks, with appropriate Technology Integration Tasks. It was assumed
                                            me years would generally correspond to that
           that phasing of this option over n**

                                                148









                       proposed for Options A and B. The total cost of this option would be
                       $55,170,000.. The Federal share would be $41,377,500; the non-Federal share
                       $13,792,500. Phase I would cost a total of $8,895,000. Phase 11 would cost
                       $25,65.0,000. Phase III would cost $20,625,000..

                              Option D proposes performing only the "high priority" tasks in Water
                       Quantity and Water Quality areas, with appropriate Technology Integration
                       Tasks. The major Water Quantity Tasks would include: modification of the
                       SFWMM; development of groundwater/wetland models; and development of a
                       system-wide water budget.

                              The major Water Quality Tasks would include the development of a
                       system-wide nutrient budget and models of nutrient dynamics and water
                       quality for landscape regions. The total cost of Option D is $39,970,000. The
                       Federal share would be $29,977,500; the non-Federal.share. $9,992,500. Phase
                       I would cost $8,895,000. Phase II would cost $21,150,000. Phase III would cost
                       $9,925,000.

                              'An evaluation of these options showed that all options would fulfill the
                       intent of the study authorization. Option's C and D, however perform very
                       -limited work pertaining to vegetation and animals; only the minimum necessary
                       to complete the water quantity and water quality tasks. Therefore, those
                       options would produce a very restricted hydrologic ecosystem modeling system.
                       Because of the importance of evaluating the vegetation and animals to
                       understand the overall ecosystem, Options C and D were eliminated.
                       Preliminary discussions held with the SFWMD indicated that the agency would
                       not support Options C or D. Furthermore, the ENP has stated that they would
                       not support those options.

                              Option B, while it does not include all areas of the ecosystem, would
                       perform those tasks that were considered the highest priority. Option A would
                       provide a more complete ecosystem modeling system, but at a substantially
                       greater cost. Option B would produce a simulation modeling system of the
                       south and central Florida hydrologic ecosystem. Option B is the recommended
                       approach for model development.

                              Given that model development of the south central Florida hydrologic
                       ecosystem is feasible and it has been shown that there is a Federal and non-
                       Federal interest in pursuing model development, proceeding to- th      'e model
                       development phase is warranted. Due to the need for extensive interagency
                       cooperation and coordination. which would be needed to successfully develop
                       and operate the modeling system as well as the interagency benefits of such a
                       system, ftmding for the development and operation of the modeling system
                       could be provided by the Corps of Engineers and other Federal, state and local
                       agencies.


                                                             149









                                                 RECOMMENDATION

                             I recommend that development and operation of the Simulation Model
                      of South Central Florida Hydrologic Ecosystem proceed generally in accordance
                      with Option B as outlined in this reconnaissance report, dependent upon
                      development of fLmding agreements between the Corps of Engineers and other
                      Federal, State, and local agencies to share the costs of model development and
                      operation.





                                                                    TERRENCE C. SALT
                                                                    Colonel, Corps of Engineers
                                                                    Commanding






























                                                           151









                                    SOURCES CITED OR USED IN THE STUDY



                       Central and Southern Florida Flood Control District, 1957. Central and
                              Southern Florida Flood Control Project, Eight Years of ProgLress, 1949-57.
                              West Palm Beach, Florida.

                       Chiles, Lawton. 1991. January 11, 1991, Speech to Everglades Coalition.
                              Everglades Status' IState of FLorida, Office of Environmental Affairs,
                              January 15, 1991.

                       Custer, T. W. and R G. Osborn. 1977. Wading Birds a Biological Indicators:
                              1975 Colony Survey. U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Spec. Sci. Report -
                              Wildlife 206. 18pp.

                       Dineen, J.W., R.L. Goodrick, D.W. Hallett, and        J.P. Milleson. 1974. The
                              Kissimmee River Revisited, In Dgpth Report, Vol. 2. No. 2. Central and
                              Southern Florida Flood Control District. -West Palm Beach, Florida.
                       Duplaix, Nicole. 1990.'"South Florida Water, Paying the Price", National
                              Geographic.

                       Gunderso  n, L.H. and Holling, C.S. 1991. Central and Southern Florida
                              Ecogystem Modeling Reconnaissance --Study, Results of July 1991
                              WorkshM, Arthur R. Marshall Jr. Laboratory, University of Florida,
                              Gainesville, Florida, August 1991.

                       Hersch, Valerie. 1990. "Five firms enter bids for water treatment plant", Ft.
                              Myers News-Press, February 8, 1990.

                       House Document No. 643, 80th Congress, Second Session. 1948. Flood Control
                              Act of June 30, 1948.

                       KLinkenberg, Marty. 1990. Tark ignored fish kill, marine officials charge", The
                              Miami Herald October 2, 1990.

                       Kushlan, J. A. and D   A. White. 1977. Nesting Wading Bird Populations in
                              Southern Florida. Fl. Sci. 40(l):65-72.

                       Laycock, George. 1991. "Good times are killing the Keys", Audubon, September
                               October, 1991.



                                                              153









          McLachlin Mary. 1989. "Everglades looking into water-tolerant cane", The
                 Pal;@ Beach Post, October 26, 1989.

          MdLachlin, Mary. 1991. "Everglades officers on lookout for deer stranded by
                 water". The Palm Beach Post, July 4, 1991.

          Olinger, David. 1991. "Florida's polluted waters", St. Petersburg Times August
                 18,1991.

          Perrin, L. S., M.J. Allen, LA Rowse, F. Montalbano III, KJ. Foote, and M.W.
                 Olinde. 1982. A Report on Fish and Wildlife Studies in the Kissimmee
                 River Basin and Recommendations for Restoration. Florida Game and
                 Fresh Water Fish Commission, Office of Environmental Services,
                 Okeechobee, Florida.. 260 pp.

          Pierce, G. J., A.B. Amerson Jr., and L.& Becker Jr. 1982. Pre-1960 Flood I
                                                                                    @p ain
                 Vegetation of the Lower Kissimmee River Vallgy, Florida. Final ReRort.
                 Environmental Consultants, Inc. Dallas, Texas. Biological Services Report
                 82-3. 24 pp.

          Reilly, William K 1991. "A new way with wetlands", Journal of Soil and Water
                 Conservation, May-June 1991, (based on speech delivered March 7,1991).

          Rogers, David K 1991. "Rare birds'refuge turns menace amid wetland job", St.
                 Petersburg Times, July 7, 1991.

          State of Florida, Office of Governor. 1991. Save our Everglades.
                 August 31, 1991.

          Santaniello, Neil. '1989. "Peat study could solve mercury        mystery", Ft.
                 Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, October 2, 1989.

          Shuchman, Lisa. 1991. 'Multimillion-dollar harvest lost to rains", The Palm
                 Beach Post, January 25, 1991.

          Seminole Tribune. 1989. "Florida Panther tests reveal high mercury levels",
                 November 15, 1989.
          Sewell, Dan. 1991. "Chiles seeks 6-month hold on Everglades pollution suit"'.
                 The Tampa Tribune, February 9,1991.

          Swift, David, R., Anclade, Cathy, and Kantrowitz, I.H. 1987. "Algal blooms in
                 Lake Okeechobee, Florida, and management strategies to mitigate



                                                154








                              eutrophication", National Water Sum  m= 1987 - Water Supply and Use:
                              SELECTED EVENTS.

                       U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1975. Water Qualily Report - -UMer St. Johns
                              Basin. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District,
                              Jacksonville, Florida. June 1975

                       U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. 1983. Draft Reconnaissance Hoort. BisgMe
                              Bay, Florida. U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville District,
                              Jacksonville, Florida. June 1983.

                       U. S, Army Corps of Engineers. 1989. Central and Southern Florida Water
                              SupRly Study, Final Hoort U. & Army Corps of Engineers, Jacksonville
                              District, Jacksonville, Florida. April 1989.

                       U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1958. "A Detailed Report of the Fish and Wildlife
                              Resources in Relation to the Corps of Fnaineers' Plan of Development,
                              Kissimmee River Basin, Florida". U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish
                              and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, Atlanta,
                              Georgia. December 17, 1958. 24 pp.

                       U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991. Tish and Wildlife Coordination Act
                              Report on the Kissimmee River Restoration Project to the Corps of
                              Engineers, Jacksonville District, Florida".





















                                                              155
























                                         FLORIDA BAY SCIENCE PLAN






                  A science planning document provided to the 1nteragency Worldng Group on Florida Bay


                                                       April 1994
















                Drafting Committee:



                Nationai Park Service:
                                      Thomas V. Armentano
                                      Everaiades National Park/South Florida Natural Resources Center


                National Biological Survey:
                                      Michael Robblee
                                      South Florida/Caribbean Field Unit


                National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:
                                      Peter Ortner
                                      Adanuc Oceanic and Meteoroiozical Laboratory

                                      Nancy Thompson
                                      Southeast Fisheries Science Center


                South Florida Water Management District:
                                      David Rudnick

                Florida Department of Environmental Protection:
                                      John Hunt
                                      Florida Marine Research Institute












                                                      TABLE OF CONTENTS
                 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY             .................     : ...........................            5

                 II. INTRODUCTION ANDTRAMEWORK                   .............     i ..................          8
                         A. Context  .............                                                               8
                                        Map of Florida Bay  ..........................           .........       9
                         B. Management Responsibilities and Research Activinies     ..................           I I
                         C. Management Framework for Florida Bay Research         ...................            12
                                1. Interagency Florida Bay Program Management         .................          12
                                2. Florida Bay Scientific Review Panel    .........................              14
                                3. General Policy Oversight   ..................................                 14
                                4. The Role of the Florida Bay Working Group      ...................            14
                 III. GENERAL BACKGROUND              ..............................            ...........      15

                 IV. ORGANIZING STRATEGY              .......................................                    17
                         A.  Restoration Perspective  ....................................... .                  17
                         B. Scientific Goals and Objectives     ................................                 IS
                         C.  Research Approach   ......................         I.................... .          2 0
                         D.  Linking Research and Resource Management        .......................             20

                 V. MAJOR RESEARCH TOPIC AREAS                .................................                  21
                         A. Water Budgets, Ci  'rculation Dynamics, and Salinity  ...................            21
                                1. What has been the relationship of surface water and groundwater
                                        flows through the Everglades to the salinity of Florida Bay?
                                        How has this relationship changed in the past, and how is it
                                        expected to change with future management plans?     ............        21
                                2. What is the effect of the*relative lack of storms over the past three
                                        decades on the buildup of sediments, nutrients. and organic
                                        material in the Bay?  .................................                  2
                                3. What havebeen the effects in Florida Bay of increased residence
                                        time of water caused by restricted water flow through channels
                                        between the Keys, shoaling, and reduced freshwater inflows?   ..... .    @4
                         B.  Water quality and nutrient cycling  .........                                       15
                                1. What are the sources, quantities, and ecological effects of external"
                                -       nutrients introduced into Florida Bay?  ......................           -D
                                2. What are the rates of nutrient exchange between the sediment and
                                        water column within Florida Bay, and what controls the
                                        magnitude and direction of these fluxes?  .................... .
                                3.  What are the rates of nutrient assimilation by phytoplankton in the
                                        Bay, and what limits the growth of the phytoplankton
                                        assemblage?   ....................................... ...                0




                                                                 3










                         4. What are the sources   quantities, and effects of toxic Pollutants introduced
                                 into the Florida Bay ecosystem?  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
                         5. What is the cause of turbidity in the Bay, and what is its effect on.
                                 Bay water quality?  . ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32
                  C. Seagrass, Mangrove, and Hardbottorn Habitats    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
                         1. What environmental factors explain the observed distribution of
                                 seagrasses within the Bay and caused the recent die-off9  ........    33
                         2. What environmental factors explain the pattern of mangrove die-
                                 back within the Florida Bay ecosystem?     ...................        35
                         3. What has been the cause and consequence of spongedie-off and the
                                 subsequent alteration of hardbottom communities9     ............     36
                  D. Living Resources     ...........................................                  37
                         1. Has recruitment into Florida Bay been affected by habitat changes in
                                 Florida Bay, and have altered environmental conditions affected
                                 growth and survival of animals in Florida Bay?   ...............      37
                         2. Has habitat degradation or loss caused a reduction in fishery
                                 productivity in the Bay?  ...............................             39
                         3. Have environmental and habitat changes in the Bay affected the
                                 distribution and reproductive success of upper- trophic-level
                                 consumers?    .......................................                 40


           V. REFERENCES         .................................................                     43































                                                          4










                    1. EXECUTrVE SUMMARY'

                            The following science plan was developed by the Florida Bay Interagency Working
                    Group, which was initiated by Everglades National Park in January 1993. The plan focuses upon
                    the research. monitoring, and modelin *g objectives that must be addressed to guide the restoration
                    of Florida Bav and represents a synthesis of research plans prepared over the past year by several
                    federal and state agencies. With additional plans focused on the coastal mangrove estuaries of
                    southwest Florida, the Florida Reef Tract, and, the Florida Keys and Dry Tortugas, this science
                    plan will serve as the basis for restoration of Sub-region 8 under the aegis of the South Florida
                    Ecosystem Task Force.

                            Administratively, an interagency research plan for Florida Bay is especially needed
                    because of the number of agencies that have jurisdiction over areas affected by Florida Bay
                    research and restoration. Representatives of the major agencies (Department of Commerce.
                    Department of Interior, Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the South Florida
                    Water Management District) have participated in drafting an interagency plan consistent with
                    their respecItive responsibilities. As recommended by a disinterested advisory panel convened
                    in September 1993 at the behest of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish and Wildlife
                    and Parks, a management framework has been explicitly set forth to ensure continuing integration
                    of the activities of the different agencies. This framework includes an Interagency Program
                    Management Committee, a Review Panel, and a Technical Advisory Group. It was agreed that
                    individual implementation plans prepared by each agency should not only be consistent with the
                    scientific approach and priorities of the interagency science plan but each should also include the
                    following:

                            1) Cross-references to and discussions of the implementation plans developed by other
                    agencies,
                            2) A funding source for participation in annual interagency principal investigator meetings
                    at which data and results can be exchanged, and
                              Compatible data- mana 2e ment plans and procedures.

                            The management objective for Florida Bay is to restore it to a naturally functioning
                    ecosvstem. Elements of the restoration process and the.dezree to which management can effec:
                    change, in large part, define the focus, approach, and priorities of this science plan. To support
                    restoration, the science program must be long-term and goal-oriented in perspective.             The
                    program must be committed t   'o the process of integrating scientific understanding of Florida Ba%-
                    into the management decision-making process and must focus on interdisciplinary ecosyste         'rn-
                    based research. The specific objectives of the science program should include the followinz:

                            1) Developing an understanding of the condition of Florida Bay prior to significan.
                    alteration by man;
                            2) Separating anthropogenically   induced changes in Florida Bay from natural syster-
                    variation;


                                                                     5









                   3) Developing a basic understanding of the ecology of Florida Bay by evaluating
           alternative hypotheses;
                   4) Developing the capability to predict how the ecosystem as a whole and how a suite of
           species that collectively may be considered indicators of Florida Bay ecosystem health respond
           to perturbation.

                   The approach recommended embraces a closely linked program of monitoring, research,
           and modeling. By monitoring, we can track critical ecosystem parameters and provide baseline
           data and model parameterization. By conducting research, we can develop an understanding of
           the physical and biological processes regulating Bay ecosystem status, test model predictions,
           and evaluate cause and effect relationships. Computer simulation models, in which our best
           understanding of the Bay's ecology within the regional landscape is expressed, will be used in
           a predictive mode to assess system response to change, to hindcast historical conditions, and to
           develop and select management alternatives.

                   Four general topic areas were considered: 1) water budgets, circulation dynamics, and
           salinity; 2) water quality and nutrient cycling; 3) seagrass, mangrove, and hardbottorn habitats;
           and 4) living resources. Following the recommendation of the advisory panel, priorities were then
           established within each of the general topic areas by formulating questions that must be answered
           in order to understand the.ecosystem of Florida Bay, the        changes it has undergone, and the
           possible effects of alternative restoration scenarios. These are some of the questions posed:

           1. What is the relationship of surface water and groundwater flows through the Everglades to
           the salinity of Florida Bay?

           2. Wh   at has been the effect of the relative lack of storms over the past three decades on the
           buildup of sediments, nutrients, and organic material in the Bay?

           3. What have been the effects in Florida Bay of increased residence         time of water caused by
           restricted water flow through channels between the Keys, shoaling, and reduced freshwater
           inflows?


           4. 'What are the sources, quantities, and ecological effects of "externa  I" nutrients introduced into
           Florida Bay?

           5. What are the rates of nutrient' exchange between the sediment and water column within
           Florida Bay, and what controls the magnitude and direction of these fluxes?

           6. What are the rates of nutrient assimilation by phytoplankton in the Bay, and what limits the
           growth of the phytoplankton assemblage?

           7. What are the sources, quantities, and, effects of toxic pollutants introduced into the Florida
           Bay ecosystem?



                                                              6










                      8. What is the cause of turbidity in the Bay, and what is its effect on Bay water quality?

                      9. What environmental and biological factors explain the observed di       stribution of seagrasses
                      within the Bay and the recent die-off9

                      10. What environmental factors explain the pattern of mangrove die-back within the Florida Bay
                      ecosystem?

                      11. What has been the cause and consequence of sponge die-off and the subsequent alteration
                      of hardbottom communities?


                      12. Has recruitment into Florida Bay been affected by habitat changes in Florida Bay, and have
                      altered environmental conditions affected growth and survival of animals i    n Florida Bay?

                      13. Has habitat degradation or loss caused a reduction in fishery productivity in the Bay?

                      14. Have environmental. and habitat changes in the Bay affected the distribution and reproductIVII
                      success of higher- troph ic- level consumers?






























                                                                       7












            11. INTRODUCTION AND FRAMEWORK


                   A. Context


                   Since 1987, a series of changes in Florida Bay (Fig.1) have become evident to even the
            most casual observer. To date, these have included extensive losses of seagrass habitat,
            diminished water clarity, micro-algal blooms of increasing intensity and duration, and population
            reductions in economically significant species such as pink shrimp, sponges, lobster, and
            recreational gamefish. In response to heightened local concem, the representatives of a number
            of state and federal agencies began meeting in January 1993 as an informal Working Group for
            Florida Bay. In fact, however, not only Florida Bay but the entire South Florida ecosystem, a
            unique, interdependent landscape- seascape, may be threatened. With national attention to this
            crisis, the relevant federal agencies (see below) entered into an historic Agreement' to cooperate
            and work with the State of Florida "to address and solve the myriad issues involved in restoring
            and maintaining the unique world resources embodied in the South Florida ecosystem."

                   The Agreement established an interagency Task Force consisting of Departmental
            Assistant Secretaries (or their equivalents) from the Dept. of the Interior (DOI), the Dept. of
            Commerce (DOC), Dept. of the Army (Civil Works), Dept. of Justice, Dept. of Agriculture, and
            the Environmental Protection Agency. It is intended that, as soon as possible, the appropriate
            State of Florida (Department of Environmental Protection/DEP) and regional (South Florida
            Water Management District/SFWMD) agencies will be invited to become members of the Task
            Force and its subsidiary bodies. - The Task Force has already established a South Florida
            Management and Coordination Working Group consisting of local administrators, which has in
            turn established, among other advisory subgroups, a Scientific Working Sub-Gmup to pmvide
            necessary technical advice. This last body began to meet in October 1993, 'and, at the request
            of the Army Corps, has provided the South Florida Management and Coordination Working
            Group (and Task Force) with a set of objectives and success criteria for the hydrological and
            ecological restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem. Objectives and criteria were separately
            provided for ten subregions, which were viewed not as a set of isolated geographic areas but
                                         2
            rather as an integrated whole .

                   For each subregion (or combinations thereof), detailed science plan have been developed
            that will be integrated into a regional, ecosystem-based science program. The Agreement not
            only envisions such integration, but also explicitly sanctions line agency cooperation and
            facilitates mechanisms (e.g., interagency transfers of funds) needed to accomplish efficient
            integration.

                   The document to follow was developed at the request of the chairman of the South Florida
            Management and Coordination Working Group for Florida Bay, the Superintendent of Everglades
            Park. It represents the first interagency science plan for any South Florida subregion since the
            Agreement was executed.



                                                            8











                            The  following plan focuses upon the research, monitoring, and modeling objectives that
                    Must be addressed in the restoration of Florida Bay. The substance of this plan is a synthesis
                    of the following: a draft research program for Florida Bay developed by the National Park
                    Service's South Florida Research Center (now the South Florida Natural Resources Center)3          ; a
                    draft report from a NOAA workshop held to define Florida Bay research prioritieS4           ; and the
                    internal draft research plans recently prepared by the South Florida Water Management District,
                    the Florida Depanment of Environmental Protection, and the United States Geological Survey.
                    The svnthesis effort was preceded by a scientific review of Florida Bay problems conducted by
                    a panel of nationally recognized scientists, as requested by Assistant Secretary Frampton (DOI)5.

                            B. Management Responsibilities and Research Activities

                            Administratively, an interagency research plan for Florida Bay is essential because of the
                    number of agencies that have jurisdiction in Florida Bay or in ecologically connected areas. The
                    principal federal "research" agencies are in the DOI and the DOC. Approximately 85% of
                    Florida Bay lies within the Everglades National Park, and the National Park Service (DOI) also
                    manages the adjacent Dry Tortugas and Biscayne National Parks. Under the Organic Act of
                    1916, the NPS is responsible for both protecting and preserving these unique environments. For
                    the Past several decades, the ENP has both conducted its own research in Florida Bay and funded
                    academic researchers. Moreover, the Fish and Wildlife Service (DOI) has twelve national
                    wildhfe refuges in the South Florida regional ecosystem as well as sign   'ificant responsibility under
                    the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for endangered terrestrial species utilizing the Bay and
                    adjacent coastal wetlands.

                             The remainder of the Bay lies with the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, which
                    is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAAIDOC) under the
                    National Marine Sanctuaries Act. Sanctuary managers now have an explicit mandate to look
                    upstream outside its boundaries, if necessary, to protect the FKNMS's unique coral habitats.
                    In 1990, Congress directed EPA and the State of Florida, in conjunction with NOAA,.to develop
                    a comprehensive water-quality protection program for the Sanctuary.

                            The Bay is a critical nursery habitat for recreationally and commercially fished species
                    and is the habitat of protected marine mammals and a number of threatened and endangered
                    marine species. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS/NOAA/DOC) is responsible for
                    research on and conservation of living marine resources and their habitats under the Magnuson
                    Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976, for marine mammals under the Marine
                    Mammal Protection Act, and for endangered marine species under the Endangered Species Act.
                    Moreover, under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, NMFS is charged with representing the
                    interests of living marine resources in government          decisions regarding land and resource
                    management or development. NOAA/NMFS has been conducting research in the Bay sin                ce the
                    early 1980's.

                            The USGS, which has no management responsibilities for          Florida Bay, maintains long-









            term gound-water and surface-water monitoring programs in South Florida that are expanding
            this year through the USGS's National Water Quality Assessment (NAWQA) Program. This
            monitoring provides baseline data on water flow into the coastal areas. Coastal processes
            including erosion, deposition, and sediment transport and certain associated pollutants are
            evaluated by the Marine and Coastal Program of the USGS.

                    The principal state management agency is the Florida DEP. The state manages fisheries
            within its territorial waters and since 1983 has been conducting research aimed at assessing the
            pre-fishery recruitment of resource species which utilize estuarine and near-coastal areas. The
            Florida Marine Research Institute (DEP) has recently implemented a substantial monitoring
            program in Florida Bay and has proposedthat it be significantly expanded in the next legislative
            session.


                    Last, and perhaps most critically, neither the National Park Service (DOI), NOAA (DOC),
            nor DEP controls the fresh water delivered to Everglades National Park and in turn to the Bay.
            Water delivery is regulated by the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) in
            conjunction with the Army Corps of Engineers (DOD). The SFWMD conducts its own research
            in the Bay and sponsors academic re     Isearch through the ENP.

                    No one agency has sufficient management control, scientific expertise, and financial
            resources to independently solve the problems of Florida Bay. As concluded by Boesch et al.,
             surely, the problems of Florida Bay are so severe and the difficulties in understanding them so
            challenging that Interior, NOAA, EPA, the Corps, Florida DEP, the South Florida Water
            Management District and Florida universities can find a             .way to make complementary
            contributions and encourage synergy in the scientific enterprise."s It is our hope that this plan
            is a major step in that direction.

                    C. Management Framework for Florida Bay Research

                            1. Interagency Florida Bay Program Management

                            To assure that the broad range of scientific activities planned for Florida Bay are
            integrated, an interagency Program Management Committee (PMC) will be established consisting
            of representatives from each federal agency, the Florida DEP, and the SFWMD.                       Each
            participating agency will be responsible for drafting its own detailed Florida Bay Implementation
            Plan. 'Me primary role of the interagency PMC will.be to review each of these implementation
            plans as they are completed to assure that they are consistent with this Interagency Florida Bay
            Science Plan. The PMC also will attempt to take advantage of the particular scientific and
            institutional strengths of the participating agencies. Thus the PMC will assure that each of the
            critical science priorities defined by the cooperating agencies is addressed by the agency or
            agencies best suited to do so. The science priorities will be based on research needs, which will
            form the basis for the scientific requirements of restoration and support any restoration plan
            developed by responsible agencies.



                                                               12










                                    The NPS, through Everglades National Park, accepts responsibility for leading
                   deliberations   on Florida Bay restoration plannin         for setting scientific priorities, and for
                   coordinating the science programs conducted in Florida Bay. The Park's responsibility includes
                   convenin a management groups and regularly communicating relevant information to agencies and
                   institutions. The Park will use its permitting process to track the initiation of new projects, and
                   to track the reporting of results from these projects as required by the permits.

                           Given differences in practice and institutional experience, implementation plans may differ
                   markedly-- e.g., some agencies award contracts, whereas others issue grants; some use panel
                   review, and others use mail review; some conduct their own research, others primarily fund
                   academic scientists, and still others rely upon formal government-academic cooperative units.
                   This plan endorses no particular approach. However, the overall program must be as integrated
                   as possible so that each implementation plan is complementary. Enlicit cross-references and
                   discussions of implementation plans develooed bv the various varticivant agencies will, therefore.,
                   be required in all agency implementation plans. A second important role of the PMC will be to
                   provide additional discussion about and review of decisions made within individual research
                   agencies. It is assumed that PMC agency representatives will communicate recommendations
                   made at PMC meetings to their adn-dnistrative superiors.              It is further assumed that, if
                   recommended by the P.MC, administrators authorized to develop Florida Bay_science plans and
                   progams for their agencies will modify current plans and introduce new elements into future
                   plans.

                                    Experience in mu lti- institutional interdisciplinary scientific progams shows thai
                   improving, communication between the principal investigators is instrumental to the program's
                   success. This is even more critical when the scientists work for different agencies and those
                   agencies have different funding mechanisms. All agency implementation plans will at least have
                   to provide for their scientists' particiDation in annual meetings of T)rincil)al investizators. Fundin 2
                   for requisite electronic interconnection. InterNet, and/or OMN"ET is also hiehlv desirable. All
                   agency implementation plans should also provide for their scientists' participation in annual
                   agency (or multi-agency) program reviews.


                                    Agencies will be expected to specificallv address data management in th'
                                                                                                                         Ll _r
                   implementation plans.       Too often this is added as an afterthought, but given the multi-
                   institutional, interdisciplinary nature of the science proposed herein, efficient integration of all
                   the information generated is critical to the progam's success. The data policy for the. overall
                   federal interagency program should be consistent with that already agreed upon for the
                   interag          S. Global Change Research Program.' In brief, this requires, eariv and continuing
                           ency U"
                   commitment to maintaining and distributing data, full and open sharing of data, archiving of data,
                   assuring data accessibility, limiting periods of exclusive principal investigator access to an as-
                   needed basis only,. and using nationally and internationally approved standards wherever
                   appropriate. Individual implementation plans should include a data management function and
                   centralized databases that can be readily linked to and integrated with those implemented by other
                   agencies.


                                                                      13










                          To assure scientific quality, an interagency Technical Advisory Group (TAG)
           consisting of scientists representing a broad range of disciplines will be appointed to advise the
           PMC on-the complex technical issues certain to arise in setting research priorities and planning
           programs. Membership will consist predominantly of principal investigators funded by the
           different agencies but will not be. restricted to that group. Members could be added to the TAG
           as needed to address particular short-term needs and the TAG could also establish serrd-
           permanent subgroups to address recurrent issues such as interdisciplinary modeling, reviewing
           proposals for new work and evaluating scientific priorities.

                          2. Florida Bay Scientific Review Panel

                          An interdisciT)Iinarv panel of nationally recognized scientists will be invited to
           become members of an interagencv' Florida Bay Scientific Review Panel. Its role will be to
           provide periodic, broad, technical review of agency plans, PMC recommendations, and research
           results.- The group will be asked to attend annual agency (or interagency) program reviews and
           to provide written comments and specific suggestions as to how programs can be improved. The
           panel will assist the agencies in setting science priorities for the Bay. Membership would be for
           at least four years and terms would be staggered. Membership continuity is essential to assure
           institutional memory--i.e., to ascertain whether programs have been responsive to the panel's
           review and what suggestions have proven helpful. Members of the panel will have to forego
           subsequent research as investigators funded under the interagency Florida Bay Science Plan.

                          3. General Policy Oversight

                          Assuming that state and regional agencies are officially incorporated into the South
           Florida Task Force, and the South Florida Management and Coordination Working Group, policy
           oversight will be provided by the Task Force through the Working Group. The Task Force has
           been specifically charged with coordinating the development of consistent policies, strategies, and
           plans and with monitoring all restoration-related research programs and activities to assure that
           they furtherthe overall objective of eco 'system restoration. The Task Force was also established
           to facilitate the implementation of projects and programs included in the overall interagency
           coordinated plan for the restoration of the South Florida ecosystem.

                          4. The Role of the Florida Bay Working Group

                          As mentioned above, this document is    -intended to provide guidance and facilitate
           integration of the research to be conducted.by the agencies represented in the Florida Bay
           Working Group and their cooperators. The PMC will c'ommunicate with the Florida Bay
           Working Group by reporting at Working Group meetings onthe progress being made in science
           prograrn implementation. The Working Group, in turn, can provide the PMC essential feedback
           from its primary constituents: restoration managers, environmental and economic interest groups,
           and the general public.



                                                            14











                   111. GENERAL BACKGROUND

                           Florida Bay is a triangularly shaped body of water about 2200 km in area. Over 80%
                   of the Bay lies within Everglades National Park. The Bay is bounded by the Florida mainland
                   on the north, U. S. Highway I on the northeast, the Florida Keys on the southeast, and the
                   Intracoastal Waterway between Long Key and East Cape Sable. 'Me region west of the Park's
                   western boundary across to the Middle Keys is also commonly considered to be part of Florida
                   Bay.     The Bay is shallow, often hypersaline and until recently, was characterized by clear
                   waters and lush seagrass meadows covering a mosaic of shallow-water banks and relatively
                   deeper water basins or "lakes." Deep-water channels (I to 5 rn deep) connect neighboring basins.
                   Hardbottorn. habitats in southwestern Florida Bay support sponge and hard and soft coral
                   communities. Florida Bay is known as the principal inshore nursery for the offshore Tortugas
                   pink shrimp, Penaeus dUorarum, fishery and for providing critical habitat for juvenile spiny
                   lobster, Panulirus argus and stone crab, Menippe mercenaria.    The Bay is the site of an extensive
                   sport fishery and supports populations of the American crocodile, bald eagle, osprey, numerous
                   wading bird species, the bottlenosed porpoise, manatee, several species of sea turtle, and other
                   noteworthy species. Over 200 small islands or "keys" occur in the Bay, all of which are rimmed
                   with mangroves. Most islands have interior, irregularly flooded "flats" with calcareous blue-
                   green algal mats that serve as foraging and resting sites for migratory birds.

                           Florida Bay exchanges waters with the Straits of Florida through numerous channels
                   between islands and with the Gulf through tidal flux and long-shore currents. In addition, some
                   seepage must occur through the porous Key Largo Limestone. Surface fresh water flows into
                   Florida Bay mainly from Taylor Slough and numerous small streams to the east. Groundwater
                   seepage from the peninsula i   s believed to be a major but poorly quantified freshwater input.
                   Large flows of fresh water from the Shark River Slough reach Florida Bay only after mixing with
                   Gulf of Mexico water and flowing eastward around Cape Sable.- For most of the western half
                   of the Bay, currents are presumed to move in a southerly direction, although few direct
                   measurements support this pattern. Currents on the Bay side of the Upper and Middle Keys
                   presumably flow to the southwest. resulting in a net flow from the Bay toward the Atlantic side
                   throuah the channels between the Keys. Thus, constriction of the channels between the Keys
                   could reduce net flow of water through.the Bay.

                           The complex bottom topography of the Bay divides it into various subenvironments that
                   have  different physical and chemical conditions. The uppermost part of the Bay consists of a
                   number of semi-enclosed sounds that are partly isolated from one another.             Southwest of
                   Blackwater and Little Blackwater sounds (northeastern Florida Bay proper), the mud shoals and
                   islands become le"              . and the        is shallow. Toward the Gulf of Mexico on the
                                      ss numerous             area 1
                   mainland side, mud banks increase.in width and depth. On the Kevs side (toward the Atlantic).
                   the mud banks are narrower and encircle deep, hardbottom "lake" areas.

                           Northeastern Florida Bay is strongly influenced by seasonal freshwater runoff. Salinities
                   range widely, from brackish to salinities' greater than seawater. The interior of Florida Bay 1@
                   characterized by extremely restricted circulation and widely fluctuating salinities anC4


                                                                    15









            temperatures; evaporation exceeds freshwater inflow and direct rainfall. Flushing is slow except
            for occasional wind-driven transport across shallow boundary sills. In contrast, a-long the western
            margin of the Bay, temperatures are relatively moderate and salinities fluctuate near oceanic
            levels.


                    The rainy season, May through October, coincides with a seasonal rise in sea level. As
            the sea level falls (about 15 cm), water of lower salinity reaches well out into the Bay. In
            addition to this seasonal salinity variation, drought/flood cycles also affect annual salinity ranges.
            The effects of such cycles can be pronounced. For example, August salinities in northeastern
            Florida Bay may range from 15 ppt to 50 ppt in successive years, depending on rainfall/runoff
            conditions. Salinities approaching 70 ppt are reported to have occurred in the central Bay during
            the droughts of the early 1950s when freshwater supply to the northern Bay was reduced to meet
            agricultural and municipal requirements.

                    The Bay is underlain by a floor of extremely flat and permeable Pleistocene limestone that
            was formed between 125,000 and 145,000 years ago during the last. interglacial. This floor
            gently slopes to the southwest, so that during the last glacial melting, the Bay was flooded from
            southwest to northeast as sea level approached its present position. During the past 4500 years,
            peat and carbonate mud have accumulated to form a series of Holocene intertidal mud banks and
            mangrove islands that now dissect the Bay into shallow basins locally termed "lakes." The
            present configuration of mud banks is the result of complex deposition and erosion processes that
            form coastal levees, ponds, storm ridges, migrating islands, and mud banks at various locations
            throughout the Bay. These sediments are formed from organisms living in the Bay at rates that
            have easily kept up with sea-level rise during the past few thousand years. Rapid sedimentation
            may be further restricting the Bay; however, large volumes of sediment are also exported from
            the Bay, and it is unclear if sedimentation is keeping up with the relatively rapid sea-level rise
            that has occurred during the last century.

                    Over the past decade, a number of biological, chemical, and physical changes in Florida
            Bay have been observed by scientists, tourists, and fisherman who frequent the Bay. Seagrasses
            in western Florida Bay, principally turtlegrass (Thalassia testudinum have been dying since the
            summer of 1987 and continue to as of March 1994. Mass mortality of this magnitude has not
            been observed previously in Florida Bay nor. has it been reported in the scientific literature on
            tropical seagrasses.    Initially, three causes of seagrass die-off were proposed.'          First, the
            synergistic effects of several long- and short-term factors appear to have caused a
            production/respiration imbalance. Second, the observed contagious distribution of die-off patches
            and the rapidity of the die-off process suggest that a pathogen was the proximate cause. of
            seagrass die-off. Third, eutrophication was considered a possible cause of die-off, although
            evidence of eutrophication was observed prior to seagrass die-off in Florida Bay..

                    Several adverse trends have accompanied the die-off, most notably declining water quality
            as algal blooms have increased in intensity and duration. Declines in the pink shrimp and sport
            fisheries and the die-back of sponges threatening the lobster fishery have also coincided with
            seagrass die-off in the Bay.


                                                               16









                           Conditions that have been present in the Bay since 1988 appear to be associated with, and
                    may result in some way from, seagorass die-off. For example, Florida Bay has had plankton
                    blooms since the seagrass die-off in 1987, but not before. The blooms have reoccurred each year
                    and have become steadily bigger and more persistent as the seagrass die-off has spread to
                    relatively higher-energy areas of the Bay such as Sandy Key Basin. The exposed sediments are
                    resuspended daily by the tides and frequently by winds, increasing turbidity and probably
                    releasing nutrients into the water column.

                           The most compelling hypothesis for the cause of seagrass die-off involves long- and short-
                    term processes, both involving alteration of freshwater supply to the Bay. Over the long-term
                    period of a half century or more, the diversion of fresh water by upland water management has
                    contributed to increasingly marine-like conditions in Florida Bay. Knowledge of the comparative
                    biology of the seagrasses suggests that this trend has favored the dominance and growth of
                    turtle.grass over other species.

                           Over the past three decades. Florida Bay has experienced fewer hurricanes compared to
                    the lone-term record in South Florida, and water management has diverted peak storm flows that
                    otherwise would have reached Florida Bay. Both trends have had the effect of reducing
                    disturbance of the Bay benthos and sediments. The absence of these high-volume inflows has led
                    to stabilization and deepening of bottom sediments and heavy accumulation.of seagrass detritus.

                           On the time scale of several years, high salinities and elevated water temperatures have
                    been measured in Florida Bay at levels that are understood to cause physiological stress in
                    seagrasses. Both stresses may have contributed to seagrass die-off. In addition, since August
                    1992, Florida Bay has experienced Hurricane Andrew, the "storm of the century" (in March
                    1993), and the wettest January (1993) on record. Each of these events, as. well as the severe 1989
                    freeze, may have contributed to the present status of Florida Bay.

                    IV. ORGANIZING STRATEGY


                           A. Restoration Perspective

                           The management      objective for Florida Bay is to    restore  it to a naturally functioning
                    ecosystem. The restoration process and the degree to which management can effect change.
                    define, in large part, the focus and priorities of the scientific activities supporting Florida Bay
                    restoration.


                           Restoration as a goal assumes, a priori, that the Bay has been impacted by.man.            The
                    current perception of Florida Bay is that the Bay is a system in decline. Seagrass die-off.
                    persistent plankton blooms, extensive turbidity, and declining commercial and recreational
                    fisheries are thought to be the consequence of accelerating human population growth, land use
                    changes, the expansion of agriculture, and the development of increasingly invasive and
                    environmentally destructive water- mana gemen t practices in the headwaters of Florida Bay
                    Although it is probable that the Bay is, and has been, strongly impacted by man's activities r,


                                                                     .1.7









            South Florida, cause- and-effec t relationships have not been rigorously determined. Long-term
            natural changes have not been clearly separated from those that result from human intervention.
            Various hypotheses have been put forth to explain current problems in the Bay. These are not
            mutually exclusive. However, limitations of the means available to direct change in Florida Bay
            strongly argue for a research program that emphasizes hypotheses linked to manipulation of the
            quality, quantity, timing and distribution of freshwater inflow to the Bay.

                   Defining a realistic restoration endpoint is an important step. To what condition, to what
            status, do we seek to return the Bay? In one sense, restoration implies that the natural ecological
            condition for the Bay is known or can be known. Since 1988, Florida Bay has definitely differed
            from the clear-water, turtle grass -dominated system well documented to be characteristic of the
            Bay over recent decades. But a reliable historical picture of what Florida Bay was like in its
            natural, unregulated condition is unavailable. The era of water management began more than 100
            years ago, when few scientific data were collected. A major challenge, therefore, is to determine
            to what extent any reconstruction of Florida Bay. to conditions that existed prior to human
            intervention constitutes an achievable restoration target.      The present and future regional
            environment of which Florida Bay is a part may further constrain an historically-based definition
            of successful restoration.


                   Management options and capabilities with regard to restoration are regional in context,
            and the principal available options relate to the controlling of physical or chemical factors (e.g.,
            manipulation of water deliveries, improved agricultural practices, nutrient removal). In contrast,
            the. success of restoration will be measured in biological terms. For example, the Bay functions
            as a nursery ground for pink shrimp, as critical habitat for numerous endangered species and as
            the foundation of the recreational fishing industry throughout South Florida, including the Keys.
            These and other ecological functions must serve as criteria for evaluating the success of Florida
            Bay restoration. Thus, interdisciplinary research must link physical and chemical factors to
            biological processes.

                   Implicit in the restoration goal is the intention to modify or eliminate anthropogenic'
            processes harmful to the Bay and thus regain the natural ecosystem. Absent from this goal is
            any intent- to modify the Bay's natural function to enhance the prospects of a single species or
            to.maximize economic return. This perspective has guided us in developing the scientific goals
            and objectives described below.

            B. Scientific Goals and ObjectiVes

                   The science program needed to accomplish successful restoration must be long term and
            goal oriented and be committed to the integration of emerging results into the management
            decision-making process. The research program, discussed in detail below, addresses several
            broadly complementary research objectives. It will provide the basic understanding of the Florida
            Bay ecosystem so that appropriate plans for restoration can be determined. Specific objectives
            include the following:



                                                             18














                                        BASIC MODEL FOR A SCIENCE PROGRAM
                                                          IN FLORIDA BAY




                                                          FIE
                                           -TERMI                                   _ER          R E
                                     LONG                   LO                            =E
                                                                                                  C
                                     NICINITCRIN(@-j RESEARCH           MODEU             ANSAOGUEMEN



                                           OBSERVE               UNDERSTAND                 PREDICT







                       Figure 2


                     1) Developing an understanding, of the condition of     Florida Bay prior to man's significanti,,-
                     altering it. This infon-nation will help provide an "idealized" target for restoring Florida BaN.
                     Although full restoration may prove impossible,         an historical understanding provides i
                     perspective on the extent and effectiveness of management restoration actions.

                     2) Separating anthropogenically induced changes in Florida Bay from natural system vanation
                     Both. natural disturbances (e.g., hurricanes. freezes) and long-term climate processes (drou2@-:
                     cycle, sea-level rise) have strongly influenced the structure and function of the Bay. These sarn@,'
                     p
                      rocesses may mask or exacerbate the effects of anthropogenic: forces on the Bay. Tllerefor@-.
                      ,

                     it is essential to understand anthropogenic effects within. the context of natural system.funcfion
                     and variation.


                     3) Developing a basic understanding of the ecology of Florida Bay by evaluating altemafivz
                     hypotheses.

                     4) Developing the capability to predict the response to Perturbation     of a subset of species 07
                     ecoloLrical processes that collectively may be considered indicators of key processes or function,
                     of Florida Bay. Restoration of Flon'da Bay will require choosing among alternative manageme:7-.
                     actions based on ecosystem responses. Relating the responses of these indicators to potenu..,;
                     mana2ement alternatives is one way in which an ecological understanding of the Bay becomt:,
                     a key ingredient in the decision-making processes of agency managers.


                                                                      19











                     C. Research Approach

                     If a science program is truly to support restoration efforts in Florida Bay, monitoring,
              research, and modeling elements must be tightly linked, as illustrated in Figure 2.              By
              monitoring, we can track critical ecosystem parameters and support long-term research and
              modeling efforts by providing baseline data and the means to calibrate and validate models.
              Further, after management decisions have been made, monitoring data will be used to evaluate
              the effectiveness of these decisions. Through research, we will develop an understanding of the
              physical and biological processes regulating Bay ecosystem status by establishing statistical
              associations, defining and testing conceptual and research models, evaluating cause- and-effec t
              relationships through experimentation, and synthesizing available information.            Computer
              simulations that synthesize our best understanding of the Bay's ecology will be developed to a
              stage that allows for predictions of system responses to change, hindcasting of historical
              conditions, and selection of management alternatives. Regular feedback between pr            *ogram
              elements is needed to yield increasingly reliable computer simulations of the Florida Bay
              ecosystem for use by management.

                     D. Linking Research and Resource Management

                     Modeling is central to the process of linking research findings with resource management
              decisions that will implement restoration actions. Hydrology models and biological models will
              be used to develop and select appropriate management alternatives for restoring the Bay. The
              feasibility of a modeling approach already has been demonstrated. For example, the hydrology
              of Taylor Slough, at the headwaters of Florida Bay, has been modeled. These models are being
              used to predict the hydrologic effects of structural or water-delivery modifications of the existing
              canal system or to predict water conditions in the absence of canals. Biological models should
              be further developed so that they can predict the response of "representative" species to
              hydrologic conditions established by water- management alternatives. The current Army Corps
              of Engineers General Reevaluation Report and Environmental Impact Statement for Canal I I I
              (C- 111 GRR) is one element in a process whereby preferred structural and operational water-
              management alternatives would be selected and implemented. Analyses of hydrologic and
              biological monitoring data would allow researchers to evaluate the system's actual response to
              the resultant hydrologic conditions and would provide the basis for evaluating alternatives and
              refining models.

                     Conceptually, this process is iterative. However,      the relatively high level of natural
              variation in the Florida Bay ecosystem; the expected relatively slow response of the flora and
              fauna of the Bay to changed hydrologic conditions; and the time required to plan, fund, and
              construct canal structures for water deliveries, argue that restoration of Florida Bay will be a
              long-term process and that the first iteration must achieve significant restoration benefits. The
              system's inherent complexity also supports the emphasis in this strategy placed on predictive
              modeling as the best tactic for testing and evaluating alternatives.



                                                              20











                    V. MAJOR RESEARCH TOPIC AREAS

                           Management decisions on restoration must be based on scientific understanding of the
                    Bay, of the changes the Bay has undergone, and of the various natural and anthropogenic
                    processes determining the Bay's present and future status. The following four comprehensive
                    topics describe the major gaps in our present understanding of the Florida Bay ecosystem, our
                    continuing data needs, and the necessity of improving our predictive capacity. Carrying out these
                    specified tasks will provide answers to the questions that need to be answered if restoration is
                    to proceed on a scientifically sound basis. In order to focus in this document on programmatic
                    needs rather than on technical procedures, no attempt was made to provide technical references.
                    Rather, the reader is directed toward the following compilations for further information: the
                    special issue of the Bulletin of Marine ScienceS7    published in 1989, the SWIM Plan for the
                    Everglades', and the bibliography of the Science Sub-group report to the Federal Restoration
                    Working Group9.

                           A. Water Budgets, Circulation Dynamics, and Salinity

                           Three interrelated aspects of Florida Bay water budgets and circulation dynamics are
                    considered here, particularly as they relate to salinity patterns and trends in the sub-environments
                    of the Bay. Quantitative knowledge of the mass balance and circulation dynamics of Bay waters
                    is essential to understand the causes of observed biological and chemical patterns within the Bay
                    and their relation to processes outside the Bay.

                                   1.   What has been the relationship of surface water and
                                   groundwater flows through the Everglades to the salinity of
                                   Florida Bay? How has this relationship changed in the past,
                                   and how is it expected to change with future management
                                   plans?

                           Under present conditions, the    natural flows of fresh water into Florida Bay are much
                    reduced. The Natural System Model       indicates that for the 1965-1989 period, as the system is
                    currently managed, less. than one half of the "natural" surface-water flow through Taylor Slough
                    was discharged into Florida Bay (32,500 ac-ft/yr versus 82,000 ac-ft/yr). The flow of Shark
                    River also seems to have been significantly reduced from "natural" conditions, although flows
                    during 1991 and 1992 were nearly three times the annual average for the 1980s. How changes
                    in freshwater delivery through the Shark River    'Slough (whose flow is an order of magnitude
                    greater in volume than the natural flow through Taylor Slough) have affected Florida Bay is not
                    well known.


                           Salinity records, anecdotal evidence, and predictive models linking groundwater levels in
                    northern Taylor Slough to salinity in Little Madeira and Joe bays provide evidence that salinities
                    in northeastern Florida Bay have increased as a result of reductions in -freshwater inflow.
                    Salinities have been elevated since at least the mi'd-1950s and on occasion have been markedl@,
                    hypersaline (to 70 ppt). The -relationship between salinity levels in the open central Bay and


                                                                     21









            reductions in freshwater discharge is unclear. Discontinuous salinity measurements made in the
            more open central and western Florida Bay from 1955 through 1990 show no obvious changes
            in salinity, although hypersaline conditions have characterized the northcentral and northwestern
            Bay at least since the rnid-1950s. The historical record, however, indicates that large increases
            in freshwater inflow during extended periods of heavy rainfall (e.g., during 1983) can eliminate
            hypersaline conditions in the eastern and central Bay, whereas hypersaline conditions developed
            during dry years, even before most of the flow through Taylor Slough was diverted down the C-
            111 canal.


                   Key Research Needs



                   The goal of the physical oceanographic research and modelingeffort will be to collect
            data and to develop models sufficient to predict, both for the Bay as a whole and for its major
            subbasins, the influence of varying freshwater inflow and precipitation on circulation dynamics
            and salinity patterns.

                   Specific Tasks

                   i. Determine the rates and effects on water quality of freshwater flows through
                   the Taylor Slough rivers and channels, canals and adjacent panhandle area into
                   Florida Bay. The spatial and temporal variation across this transition zone must
                   be quantified for a range of wet and dry hydrologic regimes. A sampling system
                   is needed so that episodic events and low flow conditions are accurately
                   characterized. Salinity/hinoff relationships must be developed so that effects on
                   inflow rates of differing water-delivery policies can be quantitatively predicted.

                   ii. Quantify the importance of groundwater as part of freshwater input and as a
                   factor influencing water quality in Florida Bay. Groundwater contributions to
                   Florida Bay are one of the most poorly known components of the water budget.
                   Because of the difficulty of measuring it, groundwater is often estimated
                   frornhydrolo gic models. Some field measurements are essential to calibrate and
                   verify models. Estimates of flows through he Buttonwood Ridge and other
                   components of the mangrove fringe and associated boundary areas in the
                   southernmost mainland are particularly critical.

                   iii. Determine the linkage between Shark River Slough discharges and Florida
                   Bay. Temperature, salinity, and current measurements in the tributaries of the
                   Slough and perhaps tracer studies of nearshore currents between the main Shark
                   River estuaries, Cape Sable, Sandy Key Basin, and the Flamingo area are needed
                   to permit quantification of the net flux of water and salinity into the Florida Bay.
                   Data are needed over several annual hydrologic cycles in order to understand
                   seasonal and interannual effects.




                                                            22










                             iv. Determine the spatial pattern of salinity in Florida Bay and its relationship to
                             freshwater inflow and climatic variation. Consideration should be given to
                             supplementing the existing salinity-sensor network with automated salinity sensors
                             and/or augmenting these measurements with micro-radiometry- based remote
                             sensing of surface salinity when operational systems become available. Efforts
                             should also be made to determine historical salinity patterns in Florida Bay.

                             v. Determine evaporation rates from the Bay and the canals and characterize their
                             temporal and spatial variations.

                             vi. Improve monitoring of rainfall. The precision of traditional rain gauges is poor, but
                             their performance . could be improved by judicious use. of radar- and acoustic-based
                             measurement methods.


                             vii. Develop a circulation dynamics model for Florida Bay. The model should
                             incorporate existing model structures from other water bodies as much as possible
                             and be capable of simulating circulation and transport across the Bay as a whole,
                             both within the major sub-environments and within local basins. Development of
                             the model should proceed cooperatively with ecological modeling efforts so that
                             model structure and outputs are accessible for addressing questions on the
                             movement, recruitment, and distribution of marine organisms and on the transport,.
                             accumulation, and cycling of nutrients and contaminants. Adequate answers to
                             these questio.ns may eventually require a three-dimensional model, but until that
                             is demonstrated, a two-dimensional model will suffice.

                             viii.  Integrate circulation models of Florida Bay with larger-scale physical
                             oceanographic, hydrological, and meteorological models that provide the Bay
                             model with its boundary conditions and forcing functions. Erosion and sea level
                             rise are two, important continuing processes that must be explicitly tested in a
                             complete model. A mesoscale meteorological model that could improve prediction
                             of precipitation intensity and distribution would be invaluable to both circulation
                             and hydrological modeling.

                                     2. What is the effect of the       relative lack of storms over the
                                     past three decades on the buildup of sediments, nutrients, and
                                     organic material in the Bay?

                             Hurricanes are believed to resuspend and transport sediments and organic detritus out o@,
                     bays. Few, if any, hurricanes have significantly affected Florida Bay since 1965.        In the absenc,-
                     of these erosional events, production of sediments and their trapping by seagrasses ancl.
                     mangroves could reduce water circulation, thereby affecting salinity distribution, water
                     temperature, nutrient supply, habitat, and movement of marine organisms.

                             Quantitative evidence on the effects of storms is lacking, but qualitative observations


                                                                        23










           suggest that the reduced occurrence of major storms has resulted in significant accumulation of
           calcareous muds and entrained nutrients.


                  Kev Research Needs


                  Because Florida Bay is a shallow-water system, sediment        dynamics are particularly
           important. Much of the primary production in the Bay is berithic, and resuspended sediments can
           markedly reduce photosynthetic potential. 'Me fine-grained, shallow sediments are susceptible
           to physical and chemical alteration by the forces of weather and biological and human activity.
           Despite the importance of sediments, however, information on their dynamics, composition, and
           spatial patterning is insufficient for reaching a quantitative understanding of their role in the
           changing conditions of Florida Bay.

                  Specific Tasks

                  i. The bottom. topography of the Bay has not been systematic     ally examined in
                  three decades. Plotting the bottom contours on a grid fine enough to delineate the
                  basins and their interconnections is essential both to document changes in water
                  depth and to supply information for circulation modeling. Whether this can be
                  done by compiling existing data or whether extensive new measurements are
                  required cannot be determined in advance. The answer may depend on the degree
                  of sensitivity of various models to water depth. The scale of the bathymetry data
                  should be appropriate to circulation modeling requirements.

                  ii. Determine the main components of the sediment budget for Florida Bay,
                  including exchange-s with connected waterbodies, inputs from the mainland, and
                  accumulation within selected subbasins.


                  iii. Determine the physical and chemical composition of the sediments, the pattern
                  of composition throughout the. Bay, and the variability in composition over
                  hydrologic cycles and in relation to storm event s.

                  iv. Determine the historical pattern of sediment accumulation and composition.
                  Bay sediments should be cored following standard procedures. Cores should be
                  subjected to radioisotope dating, stable isotopic analysis, and any other physical
                  or chemical analyses deemed to be helpful in reconstructing historical Bay
                  conditions.


                          3. What have been the effects in Florida- Bay of increased
                          residence time of water caused by restricted water flow through
                          channels between the Keys, shoaling, and reduced freshwater
                          inflows?




                                                          24










                           Little is known about the residence time of water within Florida Bay, although a decrease
                   in the flushing rate could have. widespread consequences to this ecosystem. As a result of land-
                   fillina alona the Keys, an increase in residence time is likely to have occurred. Mudbank
                   shoaling may also have further decreased flushing of isolated basins in the Bay. But the extent
                   to which flushing may have been decreased by channel constriction or shoaling is unknown.
                   Except for the regions of the northeastern Bay directly affected by the Taylor Slough discharge,
                   reductions of freshwater flows may have had little impact on the flushing rate of the Bay.
                   Salinity could have increased through more evaporative concentration of Bay water, especially
                   because freshwater inputs have decreased. Greater stagnation could also increase temperature
                   extremes, increase concentrations of plant nutrients, and disrupt recruitment of planktonic fish
                   and invertebrate larvae.


                           If one assumes that flow through Taylor Slough has been reduced by 50,000 ac-ft/yr and
                   that the average depth of the Bay is about I m, the total diverted flow during a full year would,
                   on the average,. be sufficient to replace only about 10% of the volume of the Bay. Tidal and
                   wind-driven flows surely exchange far more of the Bay's volume, probably on the scale of days.
                   Also, because the Bay is shallow and vertically well mixed, there should be no appreciable
                   gravity flows of the type found in deeper, stratified estuaries by which the flushing effect of
                   freshwater inputs is greatly magnified.

                           Specific Tasks

                           i. Deten-nine the effect on circulation of shoaling caused by sediment accretion
                           on the mudbanks. This could have a very great effect on the flushing rates for
                           basins in the central and eastern Bay, but this effect has not been measured or
                           estimated. A program of field-data collection in selected subbasins is needed.
                           This program should quantify both incremental processes and mass movements
                           that may accompany episodic climatic events. Since the data are valuable for
                           circulation modeling, compatibility with models is important.

                           ii. Determine the relative importance of tides, winds, and altered freshwater
                           inflows on flushinc, rates and exchanges with adjacent waterbodies. Data are
                           needed on time scales of days, months, and years across a range of wet and dry
                           cycles to adequately parameterize circulation models.

                           B. Water quality and nutrient cycling

                                  L' What are the sources, quantities, and       ecological effects of
                                    :xternal" nutrients introduced into Florida Bay?

                           The exchange of nutrients between Florida Bay and adjacent regions ("external" dynanucs.,
                   and the cycling of nutrients within Florida Bay ("internal" dynamics) underpin the entire Bay',
                   ecological structure and function, the occurrence of algal blooms, seagrass mass mortality, an@;
                   the sustenance of critical species. We currently have little understanding of the rates of thes"


                                                                   25










            processes or the mechanisms that control the rates. Furthermore, we have little understanding
            of how these dynamics have naturally varied in the past or how human activities have affected
            them.


                   Algal blooms in the Bay appear to be similar to blooms caused by anthropogenic nutrient
            loading, which has been observed in estuaries throughout the world. However, the sources of
            the nutrients that sustain Florida Bay's blooms are unknown. Although it is likely that the
            blooms are in part sustained by nutrients derived from decomposing seagrass detrirus resulting
            from seagrass die-back events, the blooms may also depend upon the supply of external nutrients
            from agriculture, fertilizer mining, or sewage in the Keys. Changes in the input of nutrients to
            the Bay may also result indirectly from altered hydrology; changes in freshwater flow and salinity
            iIntrusion may have reduced the retention of nutrients within the Everglades and mangrove
            ecosystems. Finally, the Bay may appear eutrophic not because the total inflow of nutrients has
            increased, but because the residence time of source waters with high concentrations of nutrients
            has increased with diminished flushing rates (see above), or because internal sinks of nutrients
            have decreased.


                   Understanding the exchange of nutrients between Florida Bay and adjacent regions
            requires an integrated effort to 1) measure the flux of nutrients across the Bay's boundaries; 2)
            characterize the physical, chemical, and ecological mechanisms that regulate these fluxes; and
            3) integrate this information into a regional landscape model of nutrient transport and
            transformation. The major boundaries that must be considered are between Florida Bay and the
            atmosphere, the northern coast, the Gulf of Mexico, and the -Florida Keys. Thus, an effort to
            understand the nutrient dynamics of the Bay must be integrated with efforts to accurately describe
            surface and groundwater inflows from the Florida mainland, the exchange of Bay water with the
            Gulf of Mexico and through passes in the Florida Keys, and atmospheric deposition rates.

            Kev research needs


                   Atmospheric   deposition of nutrients is khown to be a significant nutrient source in many
            coastal ecosystems and may be particularly important in Florida Bay because the Bay appears
            to have been oligotrophic throughout much of its history and is surrounded by relatively low-
            nutrient wetlands and water bodies. A key research need is to determine deposition rates and
            atmospheric nutrient sources.

                   Specific Tasks


                   i. Measure the deposition of wet and    dry nutrients into the Bay.

                   ii. If these inputs are important, relative to other inputs, determine the sources of
                   these nutrients and estimate their historical variability.

                   Additional research is needed to determine the exchanges of nutrients between the Bay
            and the Gulf of Mexico and the degree to which these exchanges have been altered by human


                                                            26










                    activity. The Gulf of Mexico may be an important nutrient source for the Bay for several
                    reasons. First, there appears to be a net advection of water from the Gulf into the northwestern
                    Bay. Second, the Gulf ecosystem, like most marine ecosystems, is probably N limited, and thus
                    has a small "excess" of P, relative to N. Third, the Florida fertilizer industry may enrich Gulf
                    waters. Fourth, organic P flows into the Gulf from the western Everglades and the dense
                    mangroves along the southwest Florida coast. Although this water has a high N:P ratio, the
                    absolute quantity of organic P delivered to the Bay may nevertheless be significant. This N
                    source may, furthermore, stimulate algal blooms and benthic macrophytes west of the Bay, where,
                    N limitation may be more prevalent than in the Bay.

                           Specific Tasks

                           i.  Continue and extend water-quality monitoring in the western Bay and
                           southwestern Florida coastal waters on both a regular schedule and on an event
                           basis, so that exchanges during storm events can be determined.

                           ii. Monitor the distribution, transport, and nutrient demands of algae along the
                           western Bay boundary.

                           iii. If budgets suggest that Gulf waters are an imponant nutrient source,
                           investigate the import and export of nutrients through mangrove ecosystems in
                           representative sectors of the southwest Florida coast and estimate their historical
                           variability (see mangrove subsection below).

                           Determining the exchange of nutrients between the northern Bay and the South Florida
                    wetlands and the degree to which these exchanges have been altered by human activity is also
                    needed. No measurements have been made of the flux of organic or inorganic nutrients across
                    the salinity transition zone of the coastline. The rapid appearance and disappearance of dense
                    macroalgal clumps in streams that feed into the northeastern Bay suggest that the export of
                    nutrients from this zone may at least be locally important. The N:P ratio of this source is
                    probably high, and the mechanisms altering this ratio have not been studied in the transition zone.

                           Specific Tasks


                           i. Estimate nutrient flux by measuring surface and goundwater flows into the
                           Bay and their nutrient concentrations across the entire northern coast.

                           ii. Continue water-quality monitoring in    the northern Bay.

                           Another key to. understanding the inflow of nutrients to the Bay from both the southwest
                    and south Florida coasts is understanding the ecology and biogeochemistry of mangrove
                    ecosystems.  Along with the Everglades marshes, mangroves are a biological filter through which.
                    much of the freshwater inflow passes before reaching the Bay. Despite. low P inputs from the
                    Everglades to the mangrove forests, the mangrove forests are highly productive, and their


                                                                    27









        standing stock and litter represent a potential nutrient source. A large export of nutrients from
        these systems either on a regular (e.g., seasonal) or episodic basis (e.g., freezes and hurricanes)
        is possible. Furthermore, the extent to which the retention or release of nutrients by coastal
        wetlands and mangroves has changed in response to human activities and climate change (e.g.,
        increased intrusion of seawater resulting from sea-level rise and freshwater diversion) is
        unknown..

                Specific Tasks

                i. Measure water flow and the import and export of dissolved and particulate
                nutrients at selected sites, especially after episodic disturbances.

                ii.  Investigate the  sources of nutrients for mangrove trees (marine, inland,
                sediments).

                iii. Investigate the effects of altered salinity regimes upon nutrient dynamics
                within mangrove and marsh systems, including effects on decomposition,
                mobilization from, and immobilization in sediments.


                iv. Assess recent changes in the distribution and biomass of mangroves along
                South Florida coasts (see section C below).

                v. From Bay sediment cores, assess changes in the historical accumulation of
                organic matter derived from mangroves and other terrestrial sources.

                Research is needed to determine nutrient fluxes through passes in the Keys    and the input
        of nutrients to the Bay from sewage in the Keys. Sewage effluent from the Keys is known to
        have caused localized eurrophication. The regional importance of this nutrient source is not
        known. This may be of more direct significance to the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.
        Researchers sponsored by the Sanctuary should be directed to undertake the following in
        collaboration with the Florida Bay program.

                Specific Tasks


                i. Monitor the flow of water and organic and inorganic nutrients through the
                Keys' passes.

                ii. Estimate the input of anthropogenic nutrients frorn'the Keys.

                        2.   What are the rates of nutrient exchange between the
                        sediment and water column within Florida Bay, and what
                       controls the magnitude and direction of these fluxes?

                Because of Florida Bay's shallow depth and the carbonate composition of its sediments,


                                                         28










                    the internal dynamics of nutrients within the Bay are regulated by sedimentary processes. Given
                    the Bay's shallow depth and. historical clarity, seagrass primary production has been considered
                    the basis of overall Bay productivity. However, the shallow depth of the Bay also results in high
                    resuspension rates for unconsolidated sediments (see section Q. Suspended sediments not only
                    decrease light penetration through the water, but also scavenge particle-reactive solutes such as
                    inorganic phosphates from the water. The carbonate composition of these sedimentary particles
                    is important because the particles have the potential to bind inorganic P under both oxic and
                    anoxic conditions. Thus, apparent P limitation in the Bay may be due not to biological utilization
                    but to loss to the sediments. We need to know if mechanisms exist whereby this P can be
                    released.


                            One such mechanism may involve the normal physiological activities in the seagrass
                    rhizosphere. It is possible that seagrasses exude organic acids or sustain a microbial consortium
                    that mobilizes phosphorous. Thalassia may be particularly important in this regard because this
                    species has a deep and extensive root system. It has thrived in recent decades in waters with
                    salinities that were higher than those found before the water diversion from the Everglades (see
                    above); as a result P mobilization from the sediment may have also been accelerated.

                            Other mechanisms that may alter the extent to which P is bound to or released from
                    carbonate particles may involve the surface chemistry of carbonate particles, in particular their
                    organic coatings. Seagrass and mangrove die-offs and wetland perturbation may have altered
                    organic inputs into the Bay. Salinity itself may play a direct role because ionic strength is an
                    important van-able affecting surface reactions.

                            Kev Research Needs


                            Key research needs include estimating rates of benthic nutrient fluxes at various sites in
                    order to accurately estimate flux for the Bay as a whole, assessing the importance of          different
                    mechanisms upon the mobility of nutrients bound in sediments, and assessing how the internal
                    nutrient cycles of Florida Bay may have changed during past decades and centuries.

                            !Specific Tasks

                            i. Measure net fluxes in benthic chambers and from sediment cores.


                            ii. Measure rates of    detrital decomposition in healthy and declining seagrass
                            stands.


                            iii.  Investigate the    processes by which seagrasses, particularly Thalassia
                            assin-dlate nutrients from sediments and assess the effect of environmental (e.g.,
                            light, temperature, and salinity) conditions upon observed rates.

                            iv. Investigate the chemical and microbial processes that mobilize or immobilize
                            nutrients in the sediments.


                                                                      29










                  v. Develop a model of the benthic subsystem that includes seagrass populations
                  and all the nutrient pools and pathways potentially significant to the overall
                  nutrient cycle.

                  vi. Determine the contribution of nutrients from tidal pumping nutrient-rich subsurface
                  water from the permeable limestone floor to the water column.

                  vii. Obtain and date sediment cores; estimate rates of sediment and nutrient
                  accumulation and theirtemporal variation.

                         3.     What are the rates of nutrient assimilation by
                         phytoplankton in the Bay, and what limits the growth of the
                         phytoplankton assemblage?

                  Pelagic primary production has increased in relative importance in much of the Bay. With
          continued seagrass die-off, sediment resuspension has increased, thus increasing light extinction
          by inorganic particles. The situation may be perpetuated by a feedback loop whereby dense
          microalgal blooms inhibit seagrass recovery by absorbing light and thereby increase sediment
          resuspension, furthering their own competitive advantage. Pelagic dynamics that have been
          heretofore ignored now need to be studied.

                  Key Research Needs

                  Key research needs include developing basic information on the    phytoplankton ecology
          of the Bay and assessing the importance of factors other than nutrients upon the development and
          maintenance of algal blooms.

                  Speci fic Tasks


                  i.  Measure the distribution, biomass, productivity, and composition of the
                  phytoplankton community.

                  ii. Monitor light distributions in the water column.

                  iii. Determine photosynthesis versus light extinction curves for the dominant
                  phytoplankton species.

                  iv. Measure nutrient uptake kinetics of the dominant phytoplankton species and
                  conduct experiments to study phytoplankton nutrient limitations.

                  v. Measure zooplankton biomass and grazing rate.

                  vi. Measure benthic filter feeder biomass and grazing rate,



                                                          30










                           vii.   Estimate the effect of sediment resuspension upon light and nutrient
                           availability in the water column.

                           viii. Use the sedimentary record to determine whether       extensive   phytoplankton
                           blooms occurred in the past and if so under what conditions.

                           ix. Develop a model of water column processes that is coupled          to the benthic
                           model (and sediments) and that incorporates both pelagic nutrient dynamics and
                           grazing losses.

                                        What are the sources, quantities, and effects of toxic
                                   pollutants introduced into the Florida Bay ecosystem?

                           Pollutants are a common problem in coastal ecosystems, but given the relative isolation
                    of Florida Bay from extensive municipal and industrial development, toxic pollutant inputs from
                    sources other than local agriculture should be minimal. However, we currently have little
                    information on inputs, pathways, or effects of toxic pollutants in the Bay. Because it is likely
                    that manazement actions taken to restore freshwater inputs to the Bay will also affect pollutant
                    dynamics, we need to establish a monitoring program before these changes are made.

                           Mercury is a pollutant of special concern. It is a human health hazard because of 11s
                    toxicity, persistence, and the extent. to which it bioaccumulates in.tissues and biomagnifies
                    throu*gh the food chain. It has also been found at high levels in the Everglades biota, including
                    fish in northeastern Florida Bay. Thus, mercury contamination in the Bay may be increasing.

                           The other major group of toxic pollutants of particular concern are synthetic organic
                    compounds that are used as pesticides both in mosquito control and in South Florida agriculture.

                           Kev Research Needs


                           Key research needs include determining the extent, pathways, and history o          f mercun-
                    contamination in the Bay; determining the flux of dissolved and absorbed toxic organics into the
                    Bay; and determining the atmospheric flux of pesticides into the Bay. Monitoring mercun
                    concentrations in selected Florida Bay biota is a prudent first step given the problems alread%
                    evident in the Everglades. Monitoring all or most of the toxic organics used in Florida
                    agriculture is unnecessary. Rather, attention should be paid to pesticides that are used in large
                    quantities, are mobile in surface water or groundwater, are relatively persistent, and are known
                    to have significant ecological effects. A Contaminants Advisory Committee should be established
                    to determine which compounds warrant study.

                           The main concern in determining atmospheric flux is direct aerial input because
                    pesticides are extensively used for mosquito control in Dade and Monroe counties. This may
                    have a local effect at the time of application. Larval crustaceans are particularly sensitive to.such



                                                                     31










           chemicals, and thus, the timing of these doses    and their distribution in the Bay warrant further
           study.

                   Specific Tasks

                   i. Monitor tissue concentrations in fish and organisms from upper trophic levels,
                   e.g., crocodile eggs.

                   ii. Monitor water column mercury concentrations and chemical forms in water
                   entering the Bay and at selected stations within the Bay.

                   iii. Measure atmospheric mercury inputs.

                   iv. Measure the historical record of mercury accumulation in the           Bay    from
                   sediments, peat, or corals.

                   v.   Monitor mercury concentrations in canals and other surface            water and
                   groundwater.

                   vi. Monitor water and sediment mercury concentrations at a set of Bay stations.

                   vii.  Monitor mercury concentrations in those fauna that may integrate the
                   variability of exposure in the Bay (e.g., filter-feeding bivalves), those species that
                   may have high body burdens (e.g., from upper trophic levels or those with an
                   especially high fat content), and those species that may be particularly sensitive
                   to pesticides (e.g., the osprey).

                   viii. Monitor the time, amount, and extent -of pesticide application (including
                   information on not only the "active" compounds but the associated solvents) and
                   establish a centrally accessible data base.

                   ix. Relate actual pesticide application to potentially critical areas    and periods
                   within the Bay, considering the life history and recruitment of key species.

                   x. Monitor the body burden of the pesticide compounds applied to the larvae,
                   juveniles and adults of key species (e.g., pink_shrimp).

                   xi. Perform special studies to assess specific pesticide   application events.

                           5. What is the cause of turbidity      in the Ba  y, and what is its
                           effect on Bay water quality?

                   Increased turbidity is the most conspicuous     change in the Bay since .1987. Declining
           water clarity has the potential to shift Florida Bay    away from a system dominated by benthic


                                                             32










                    primary production towards one dominated by water-column productivity. This critical area
                    needs to be researched further.


                           Svecific Tasks


                           i. Determine biological components of turbidity.

                           ii. Determine contribution of resuspended sediments to turbidity and determine how
                           suspended sediments relate to sediment transport, erosion, and deposition.

                           C. Seagrass, Mangrove, and Hardbottom Habitats

                           The three major habitat types in Florida Bay are discussed      here. Each has undergone
                    significant change, particularly seagrass meadows. Ifistorically,     seagrasses have been the
                    dominant primary producers in Florida Bay. In addition they structure the benthic habitats by
                    providing refuge to important consumer species in their vulnerable early stages and by
                    consolidating otherwise readily resuspended carbonate sediments. Recent changes in seagrass
                    distribution and abundance throughout Florida Bay constitute a major shift in the functional
                    dynamics of the ecosystem. 'Me resultant effects on organisms, food chains, processes, and the
                    Bay as a whole are of major concern for all three habitat types.

                                   1.    What environmental factors explain the observed
                                   distribution of seagrasses within the Bay and caused the recent
                                   die-ofV.

                           Reduced freshwater flow into Florida Bay resulting from drought and diversion of upland
                    runoff is thought to have caused significant increases in average salinities in the interior basins
                    of Florida Bay. The higher salinities have allowed Thalassia testudinum beds in the north-
                    central and western Bay to develop very high densities and biomass in basins that historicallv
                    supported a more diverse, more typically estuarine seagrass assemblage (e.g., Halodule Ruppia.
                    and Thalassia .


                           Nonetheless, seagrass populations of Florida Bay appeared to be thriving as late as 1984.
                    Leaf defoliation of bank-top seagrasses and seagrass die-off was observed during the summer of
                    1987. Seagrass die-off spread rapidly, affecting primarily but not exclusively the dense beds of
                    north-central and western Florida Bay. It is speculated that the shallow waters and restricted
                    circulation of Florida Bay, coupled with diminished freshwater flow from the Everglades and the
                    exaggerated near monospecificity attained under these conditions, amplified the effects of natural
                    temperature and salinity variations and thus caused large-scale die-offs.



                           Kev Research Needs


                           The first step is to fully understand the causes   (both natural and anthropogenic) of    the


                                                                    33









      observed changes and the relationships between these factors. Detailed physiological, ecological,
      and demographic information is essential if we are to develop a predictive capability. Estimating
      future changes in seagrass distribution, abundance, and dynamics is an essential component of
      the scientific basis for restoration management.

              Specific Tasks

              i. Determine current seagrass species distributions, abundances, and biomasses to
              assess possible large-scale spatial changes that have taken place since the 198   3-84
              survey. Incorporate these data into a GIS database.

              ii. Determine the effects of salinity, light, temperature, and nutrient concentration upon
              seagrass species distribution and productivity, population growth, and succession by
              conducting controlled factorial laboratory and field/mesocosm experiments.               Light
              compensation points and limiting nutrient dynamics need to be determined for growth in
              the carbonaceous (and high-sulfide) sediments of Florida Bay. The effects of persistently
              reduced light on seagass species distribution need to be assessed.

              iii. Conduct surveys of benthic and epiphytic macroalgae to assess relative
              eutrophication of the system and possible competitive effects upon the seagrasses.

              iv. Determine the age structure and mortality -and reproduction patterns in
              Thalassia Halodule and Ruvvia subpopulations. The distribution of Thalassia
              rhizomes in areas currently unvegetated or vegemted by other seagasses should
              be used to map past mortality events.

              v. Monitor productivity, plastochrone interval, and shoot-specific leaf area in
              Thalassia these characteristics provide indications of physiological status of
              Thalassia and are indicative of environmental stress. Determine whether these
              characteristics are useful indicators in the other seagrass species.

              vi. Determine the etiology of seagrass die-off in situ in Florida Bay. The patchy
              distribution patterns, density dependence, spread rates, and leaf necroses associated
              with die-off of Thalassia. suggest the involvement of a pathogenic organism.
              Given the high concentrations of dissolved sulfide in sediment porewater, hypoxic
              stress of subterranean Thalassia tissue also may play a role. Although-it may be
              impossible to determine with any certainty what precipitated the original die-off
              event, it is still important to determine the proximal causes. of die-off if we are to
              anticipate future events.

              vii. Determine the influence that increased epiphytism, decreased water clarity
              due to resuspension of unvegetated sediments, and increased phytoplankton.
              concentrations have upon seagrass recolonization and population recovery rates.



                                                       34











                           viii. Develop spatially coupled physical-biological models linking experimentally
                           verified causes of die-off to the distribution of@seagrasses throughout Florida Bay
                           in order to evaluate recovery potential and predict the effects of restoration efforts.
                           Verify,these models through a continuing monitoring program.

                                        What environmental factors explain the pattern of
                                  mangrove.die-back within the Florida Bay ecosystem?

                           Mangrove communities in South Florida are          potentially affected by a number of
                   anthropogenic and natural factors whose relative significances are not well known. These may
                   act synergistically to si'gnificantly change the mangrove community. The importance of the
                   transition zone and island mangrove communities to the Bay ecosystem dictates that greater
                   attention be paid to their physiological ecology, growth, and reproductive biology.

                           Hurricane Andrew severely damaged more than 70,000 acres of mature mangrove forest
                   on the west coast of Everatades National Park. Winter freezes in 1983 and 1989 also damaeed
                   large areas of mainland mangrove communities, but no quantitative damage assessment has been
                   made. Reduction in freshwater delivery to the southern margin of the mainland and Florida BaN
                   also has been suggested as a factor in mangrove mortality. An increasing problem is associated
                   with the exotic tree Schinus terebinthifolius, which has displaced mangroves in some areas of the
                   Gulf coast mangrove forest.

                           The impact of the 1989 freeze may have been exacerbated by low water levels in the
                   Everglades, which in turn resulted from drought and hydroperiod manipulations. Although
                   hurricanes have been an historical factor in the evolution of South Florida mangrove ecosystems.
                   dispersal and establishment of alien plant species in mangrove communities is facilitated by
                   hurricanes. Mangrove communities, possibly more than any other community, will be vulnerable
                   to changes in tidal inundation patterns associated with eustatic sea-level rise and the accelerated
                   sea-level rise forecast in global-climate-change scenarios.


                           Kev Research Needs


                           A combination of monitoring and experimentation will be required to elucidate the key
                   mechanisms that could change the mangrove communities of Florida Bay, the extent of present
                   mortality, and the impact of this upon the Bay ecosystem.

                           St)ecific Tasks


                           i. Monitor manL-rove community composition and coverage on the South Florida
                           mainland and islands in Florida Bay. Quantify changes for the entire area on a
                           multi-year schedule. and sample smaller areas more frequently. Analyze available
                           aerial photographs to determine past changes. Incorporate all data into a GIS-
                           database.




                                                                    35










                    ii. Determine the effects of tidal inundation patterns, freshwater-flow alteration,
                    and nutrient availability upon mangrove growth, physiology, and reproduction.

                    iii. Determine the relationship of past, present, and future freshwater-flow patterns
                    to the extent, vigor, and functional integrity of mangrove communities within the
                    mainland region of Everglades National Park and on the Florida Bay keys.

                    iv. Continue assessment of Hurricane Andrew's impacts on mangroves, with
                    particular emphasis on recovery patterns and invasion by exotic plant species.

                    v. Model mangrove population dynamics in Florida Bay and adjacent mainland
                    areas based upon the above data fi-iv].

                    vi. Determine the significance of mangrove habitats, production, and nutrient
                    cycling to the Florida Bay ecosystem by studying food-web and habitat utilization,
                    and incorporate the mangrove community into an overall ecosystem model (see
                    section B).

                    vii. Monitor salinity of hypersaline groundwater on islands in relation to mangrove die-
                    off.



                           3. What has been the cause and consequence of sponge die-off
                           and the subsequent alteration of hardbottom communities?

                    Mass mortality of sponges has occurred throughout large areas of the       south-central and
            Southwestern portions of Florida Bay. Circumstantial evidence links sponge mortality to the
            presence of the algal bloom that has persisted in. that region; however, no experimental
            confirmation of that linkage exists. Sponges are a major structural component of Florida Bay
            hardbottom communities and may contribute to water clarity through filtration. Little is known
            about the ecological implications of their loss.

                    Specific Tasks

                    i. Determine the mechanism for sponge mortality. Experimentally verify the
                    linkage between phytoplankton blooms 'and sponge mortality using cultures of
                    dominant bloom species in controlled laboratory experiments. Transplant sponges
                    to bloom areas to evaluate susceptibility of individual species. Include cellular
                    analysis of sponges.

                    ii. Incorporate hardbottom communities into a biological monitoring program. The initial
                    goals of such a program will be to evaluate variations in abundance of the structural
                    components of hardbottom habitat across Florida Bay and use these data to experimentally



                                                              36










                            test the effects of change in this community and the community's relationship to
                            living resources.

                            D. Living Resources

                            The living resources of the Bay include, as a general category, those organisms specially
                   recognized because of the species' ecological, regulatory, conservation, and/or economic value.
                   To varying degrees, many of these have exhibited population trends suggesting that Florida Bay's
                   capacity to support them is declining. Oth    er species, however, have not been studied enough to
                   evaluate trends.


                                    1. Has recruitment into Florida Bay been affected by habitat
                                    changes in Florida Bay, and have altered environmental
                                    conditions affected growth and survival 'of animals in Florida
                                    Bay?

                            The interactions of known and suspected environmental changes such as salinitV
                   variations, current modifications, nutrient or pollution inputs, freshwater input, algal blooms, grass
                   die-offs, and sponge die-offs are suspected to affect the distribution and abundance of living
                   resources. A given taxon.'s sensitivity to any of these factors may differ with life history, trophic
                   position, and length of exposure to Florida Bay water (e.g., whether the entire life cycle or JUSE
                   a part is spent within Florida Bay). Often the most sensitive stages are the recruit and the
                   juvenile stages. Therefore, the study of recruits and juveniles can provide valuable predictive
                   information about subsequent overall population changes. Along with community-level studies.
                   a suite of critical or indicator species will be selected as the focus of these population level and
                   physiological studies.


                            Kev research needs


                            A combination of monitoring, research,     and modeling is required to link habitat change
                   to shifts in living resources. The key elements     of each are defined below.

                            Soecific Tasks


                            i. Develop a baywide faunal monitoring program in the major sub-environments
                            of the'Bay. Design surveys to establish correlations with other measured factors
                            that then will be tested experimentally for causal relationships. Compare results
                            with past studies in retrospective analyses. Critical observations should include
                            but not be limited to the followincy:


                             the age and/or size of animals - e.g., detection of shifts in abundance fTom one
                            size- or age-class to another will lead to the testing of hypotheses relating
                            population changes to ecosystem changes.



                                                                     37










                  - health and condition of organisms.

                  - reproductive condition or stage.

                  Additional actions needed to test specific hypotheses may include sampling algal
                  blooms within and beyond Florida Bay and sampling across gradients of salinity,
                  latitude, and distance from channels between the keys.

                  The monitoring program must be of sufficient duration to permit meaningful time-
                  series analyses of trends and restoration efforts. Special attention is needed on the
                  following taxa:

                  - Pink and Caridean Shrimp - because of their utilization of grassbeds as
                          a nursery area.

                  - Spiny Lobster - because algal blooms depleted the number of sponge             shelters for
                          juvenile lobster.

                  - Fishes - because they may be quantitatively censused with          nets in bloom waters.
                          Community-level analyses of fish assemblages may provide a means to measure
                          changes in habitat.

                    Mollusks - because many are indicative of salinity and because shell
                          accumulations permit comparisons of compositional change over time.

                  ii. Conduct comprehensive life-history studies of selected species for basic
                  information such as levels of recruitment and transport of recruits, criti('al shelter
                  and forage habitats, and how habitat use changes with environmental modification.


                  iii, Conduct manipulative field experiments testing the impacts of change in
                  critical habitats on distribution, abundance, and survival of critical life stages.

                  iv    Couple the above field work with laboratory-based physiological and
                  behavioral experiments investigating the tolerances and preferences of fishes to
                  conditions that exist in Florida Bay or might exist under proposed management
                  strategies.

                  v. Develop models linking experimental data to information on life histories,
                  habitat change, and changes in the physical environment that will emerge from
                  research described in other areas of this plan. These models should be sufficiently
                  detailed to evaluate causes of changing abundance patterns, if any, and sufficiently
                  broad to evaluate any changes that occur on a regional scale. Model outputs need



                                                            38










                           to be regularly verified by the monitoring and experimental approaches described
                           above.

                                  2.   Has habitat degradation or loss        caused a reduction in
                                  fishery productivity in the Bay?

                           Degradation of Bay habitats has been blamed for causing declines in fishery resources as
                   reflected in fishery-dependent data. However, these data encompass only adult life-history stages.
                   Although these data are sufficient indicators of fisheries productivity at a given time, they are
                   subject to biases due to gear type, angler behavior, and fishing regulations. Furthermore, the fact
                   that commercial fishing has been prohibited in the NPS portion of the Bay since 1985 further
                   confounds data interpretation. In short, the causes of observed declines have not been identified
                   with any certainty. Some fishery-independent sampling has been conducted in the Bay and
                   adjacent waters but only to a limited areal and temporal extent. Collectively these data may
                   provide some basis for comparison with results from future surveys.

                           Kev Research Needs


                           Detailed information is needed on the quality and quantity of        available habitat and
                   species' habitat preferences. Much Of this information will be obtained from research and
                   monitoring efforts described earlier. Fisheries landings data, collected since the 1960's, will
                   provide an initial basis for research on impacts upon fisheries productivity and can guide
                   additional data collection allowing more rigorous determination of cause and effect relationships.
                   The direct impact of habitat change or degradation can be ascertained by analyzing specific,
                   tissues and forage items that accumulate toxins and pollutants. Elucidating the physiological
                   impact on selected species of such toxins will require laboratory studies.

                           Sr)ecific Tasks


                           i. Collect unbiased information on all the life-history stages of selected indicator
                           species. This information is best derived by supplementing fishery- dependent
                           sampling with fishery-independent
                                                                  sampling.    Fishery- independent sampling
                           should be directed at specific life-history stages and should be habitat based.

                           ii. Focus on habitat-based research, particularly the structure and function of each
                           habitat type. Research that defines the -linkage between seagrass and mangrove
                           habitats and the effects on fisheries of changing benthic vegetation is critical.
                           Specifically, pre- and post-die-,off seagrass and mangrove f@unal community
                           composition must be quantified.

                           iii. To address the decline in the pink shrimp fishery, develop        a,model that relates
                           cohorts on nursery grounds to cohorts in the Tortugas fishery landings'.

                           iv. Attempt to measure the impacts of habitat change via tissue         analysis and


                                                                    39










                  stomach contents analyses. For some species, tissues will need to be examined
                  to define the overall health of a particular species within the Bay.

                  v. Conduct   complementary laboratory physiological research on early life- history
                  stages of key species to evaluate changes in habitat on coastal resources.

                          3. Have environmental and habitat changes        in the Bay affected
                          the distribution and reproductive success of upper. trophic-level
                          consumers?


                  Everglades National Park and Florida Bay are important foraging and rookery habitats for
           many species of wading birds, shore birds, and top-level predatory birds such as eagles, ospreys,
           and brown pelicans. In addition, the entire U.S. population of the Great White Heron resides in
           southern Florida, and about 65% of the population nests on fringing mangroves and mangrove
           islands in Florida Bay. Declines in many species, particularly wading birds and ospreys, have
           been measured over the past several years. One possible explanation for these population
           declines is that they are the direct result of declines in the quality of resources available.

                  Four species of marine turtles have been reported to occur in Florida Bay; loggerhead and
           green turtles are regular residents. Kemp's ridley and the hawksbill turtle are present but less
           common. Adult male loggerheads are particularly common, and the Bay may serve as adult
           resident habitat or an important migratory route for the western Atlantic loggerhead reproductive
           contingent. Seagrass communities provide forage for turtles, and seagrass community diversity
           has been shown to be significant in providing sufficient nutrition for the herbivorous green turtle.
           Fibropapillorna disease affects 70% of all captured green turtles and has been documented in
           more loggerheads within South Florida than ever reported from any other geographic location.
           Although the etiology of the fibropapilloma disease is unknown, one hypothesis is that
           environmental contaminants may weaken the turtle's immune system.

                  Bottlenosed dolphin are regular residents and.users of Florida     Bay. Although dolphins
           consume Bay finfish, the relative importance of this habitat to dolphins in the southeastern U.S.
           is unknown.

                  Manatees utilize the Bay and adjacent waters on a seasonal basis and their numbers within
           the Bay have been well documented. Changes in the distribution of manatees in the Bay over
           time suggest a decline in use of the northern Bay, although historically, the northeastern portion
           was the most important area of the Bay for manatees. Proposed changes in freshwater inflow
           may have direct impacts on the benthic vegetation, which is critical forage for manatees. How
           these changes in vegetation have affected the distribution and abundance of manatees in the Bay
           is poorly understood.

                  The endangered American cr      ocodile is found exclusively in South Florida from the
           southern portion of Biscayne Bay to Florida Bay. The distribution and growth of crocodiles are
           related to seasonal fluctuations in salinity. In addition, the survival of hatchlings has been linked


                                                            40










                     to periodic access to freshwater. How changes- in freshwater inflow affect the distribution,
                     abundance, and survivorship of hatchlings is unknown.

                             Clearly, changes in freshwater inflow into the Bay will influence the quality and quantity
                     of habitat available to all life-history stage s of manatees, turtles, dolphins, and crocodiles. The
                     scientific basis for predicting the extent of the habitat change is currently weak. However, as
                     coastal habitat outside the Bay diminishes in quality and quantity, the relative importance of the
                     Bay to the protection and recovery of these species will likely increase. Therefore, investigation
                     of the impacts of habitat change in the Bay upon all protected species groups is imperative.

                             Kev Research Needs


                             Protected areas such as the Bay will likely become increasingly important as refuges for
                     protected species as coastal development continues. To develop predictive models, information
                     on the abundance and distribution of an     imals in the Bay is critical. These results will be used
                     to evaluate the carrying capacity of the Bay for these species, an    essential element of restoration
                     management. Information on the movements and use of the Bay as nursery or developmental,
                     habitat is essential. Information needs, to be collected over many years to delineate population
                     trends in the species that have long generation times. Information on the impact of toxins and
                     pollutants on protected species is critical if recovery is to be achieved.

                             For some- species, such as osprey and bald eagle, available monitoring records are
                     sufficient to determine the current status of populations in the Bay; for others, however, regular
                     population monitoring should be initiated and continued. For all species, consistent censusingy
                     must be either continued or initiated to determine the impacts of habitat change on these
                     populations. Monitoring of both the nesting and foraging components of all populations are
                     needed. As such, all species can be used as indicators of ecosystem health. The accumulation
                     of toxins has been documented for some species. The impact of this on individuals and on
                     reproductive and hatchling success must be quantified.



                             Specific Tasks


                             For predatory bi  rds:

                             i. Monitor the abundance and distribution of key species. The most commonly use                 d
                             method is via aerial survey counts. To evaluate hatching and fledging rates, nests must.
                             be routinely sampled.

                             ii. Determine the relative importance of specific areas for nesting, feeding and roosting
                             within the Park and the Bay, using radio- and sate Ilite- tracking tagsi

                             iii. Analyze stomach contents to provide needed information on feeding and habitat
                             preferences.


                                                                        41











                  iv. Sample n ests for egg and hatchling productivity.

                  v. Population changes can only be determined by monitoring these species in the
                  Bay and adjacent coastal waters. On the larger scale, aerial surveys are an
                  appropriate method to census animals and evaluate distributional changes.

                  For crocodiles:


                  vi. Nest censuses need to be used to determine population status.

                  For sea turtles:

                  vii. Netting studies are appropriate when accompanied by tagging as currently
                  practic
                       .ed. The use of point-transect sampling may also provide abundance
                  estimates.


                  viii. Distribution and abundance data on legally protected species, Florida Bay habitat
                  characterization and environmental parameter data need to be integrated in order to
                  evaluate the effects of environmental changes on turtles.

                  ix. Radio-tagging studies should be undertaken to provide information on the moverne  nts
                  of animals within and outside the Bay, including their migratory movements.

                  x. The examination of stranded animals should be used to provide additional
                  information on habitat use and preference via stomach-contents analyses. Stomach
                  contents should be examined via gastric lavage of living animals.

                  xi.  Specific study of the fibropapillorna disease is needed to provide for
                  mitization and recovery.

                  For all species:

                  xii. Analyses of toxins in forage items and tissues must be completed and tissues from
                  all life-history stages should be analyzed for contaminants.











                                                         42












                  V. REFERENCES

                  1. Interagency Agreement on South Florida Ecosystem Restoration. September 23, 1993.
                  2. Federal Objectives for South Florida Restoration. Prepared by the Science
                          Sub-group of the South Florida Management and Coor     dination Working Group,
                          Nov. 15, 1993.
                  3. M.B. Robblee, T.V. Armentano and R.W. Snow. A Research Program
                          for Restoration of Florida Bay, May 18, 1993.
                  4. P.B. Ortner, D.E. Hoss and J.A. Browder (eds.). NOAA Workshop on
                          the. Restoration of Florida Bay, July 14-16, 1993. Conveners: B.Brown and
                          P.B.Ortner.
                  5. D.F. Boesch, N.E. Armstrong, C.F. D'Elia, N.G. Maynard, H.W.
                          Paerl and S. Williams. Deterioration of the Florida Bay Ecosystem: An
                          Evaluation of the Scientific Evidence, September 15, 1993.
                  6. A copy of the full official policy statement is available from
                       . the U.S. Global Change Research Program, National Science Foundation.
                  7. Bulletin of Marine Science, Vol.44(l): Symposium on Florida Bay, a Subtropical
                          Lagoon, U.S. National Park Service/Everglades National Park and University of
                          Miami/Rosentiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 1-5 June 1987, 524pp.
                  8. Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan for the Everglades: Supporting Infor-
                          mation Document, (472 pp) and Appendices. South Florida Water Management
                          District, March 13, 1992.
                  9. Federal Objectives 'for South Florida Restoration by the Science Sub-Group of the South
                          Florida Management and Coordination Working Group, Nov. 15, 1993.























                                                                  43











                                                                    7/25/94

                            NOAA Florida Bay Implementation Plan FY94


               I. PROJECT BACKGROUND

                   A. Background

                       Florida Bay is a triangularly shaped body of water about,
               2200 km2 in area. Over 80% of the Bay lies within Everglades
               National Park. The Bay is bounded by the Florida mainland on the
               north, U. S. Highway 1 on the northeast, the Florida Keys on the
               southeast,,and the Intracoastal Waterway between Long Key and East
               Cape Sable. Commonly the region west of the Park's western
               boundary across to the Middle Keys is included in Florida Bay. In
               the Park over 200 small islands or "keys" occur in' the Bay all of
               which are rimmed with mangroves and have interior, irregularly
               flooded, "flats" with calcareous blue-green algal mats. The Bay is
               shallow, often hypersaline, and, until recently, was characterized
               by clear waters, and lush seagrass meadows covering a mosaic of
               shallow water banks and numerous relatively deeper water basins or
               "lakes". Deep narrow channels (1 to 5 m deep) connect neighboring
               basins. Hardbottom habitats in southwestern Florida Bay support
               sponge and hard and soft coral communities.

                    -1 Florida Bay is known as the principal inshore nursery for
               the offshore Tortugas pink shrimp fishery, Penaeus duorarum, for
               providing critical habitat for juvenile spiny lobster, Panulirus
               argus, stone crab, Menippe mercenaria and many important finfish
               species. The Bay is the site of an extensive sportfishery and
               supports populations of the bottlenosedporpoise, and several
               species of sea turtles as well as other noteworthy species.

                       Seagrasses in western Florida Bay, primarily turtlegrass,
               (Thalassia testudinum), have been dying since the summer of 1987.
               This seagrass die-off continues today. A phenomenon such as this
               has not been observed previously in Florida Bay nor has a mass
               mortality of any tropical seagrass been reported in the scientific
               literature. In some areas, vegetative cover has been partially
               reestablished, by either the-original species or anoth  er species.
               In other areas, however, recolonization has been slow, and large
               areas of the bottom are devoid of vegetation.

                       There are many other indications that th  'e environmental
               health of Florida Bay has deteriorated. Fishing success has
               declined for many of the commercial and recreational species that
               depend upon the Bay as a juvenile nursery habitat, suggesting a
               decline in recruitment. Changes in resident fishery populations
               associated with these habitat changes are occurring. Atypical
               phytoplankton blooms have been reported in the last few years
               across much of the western Bayand have extended into the Florida
               Keys. Loggerhead sponge dieoffs have been attributed to such
               blooms. Most recently, mangroves, interior and along the edge of









             mangrove islands within-the Bay, are reported to be in t*acline.
             While the causes of the various problems and the relationships
             between them are not well understood, there is no question that,
             like the sawgrass habitat of the Everglades, the Florida Bay
             coastal marine ecosystem as we know it is in jeopardy.

                      Florida Bay and its seagrass, mangrove, and coralline
             habitats are closely coupled with the freshwater Everglades, the
             Florida Keys reef tract, and.the West Florida shelf. The
             freshwater that flows through the sawgrass habitat of the
             Everglades eventually meets saltwater to create an estuarine
             environment dominated by mangroves and seagrasses. Bay waters are
             a mixture of the freshwater runoff from the Everglades and coastal
             shelf waters that enter around Cape Sable from the west Florida
             shelf. There are infrequent local intrusions of near oceanic water
             through inlets between the Keys along the eastern edge of the Bay.
             More regularly, the coral reef tract is itself inundated by Bay
             water that escapes seaward through these same inlets. These
             environments constitute a closely 'Coupled coastal landscape and
             cannot be considered in isolation.

                      More freshwater alone may not return Florida Bay to its
             pristine condition. Timing, location, and quality of the inflowing
             waters is important. Water quality is particularly important, and
             measures to address pollution specific to the Everglades may not
             have been adequate to protect Florida Bay. Increasing freshwater
             flow to the Bay, all else being equal could increase nutrient
             loading, which might induce more frequent, more extensive
             phytoplankton blooms. These -could in turn result in further losses
             of bottom vegetation in the Bay by light limitation. Nutrient
             loads in Bay waters that exit between the Keys could be injurious
             to the coral reefs of the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary. Lastly    ,
             increasing water flow may also increase trace contaminant loading.
             In short, quantity, timing, location and quality of fresh water
             released to Florida Bay must be considered.

                      At present there is not sufficient scientific knowledge to
             with confidence, predict the consequences of anticipated
             alterations in freshwater input to Florida Bay. Although increased
             flow can certainly reduce the frequency and severity of
             hypersalinity,-fine-tuning of water flow, reduction in plant
             nutrient concentrations in inflowing water, and other corrective
             measures may be necessary to restore the health and productivity of
             the Bay.

                      Since no one can turn back the clock and South Florida's
             rapid development will almost certainly continue, a series of
             compromises and tradeoffs will have to be made in restoring and
             maintaining a healthy South Florida coastal ecosystem. It is
             essential that decisions be made based on reliable scientific
             information. As concluded by a workshop convened last summer,
             given its individual responsibilities with the Bay (see below) and
             the pivotal role of Florida Bay within the larger South Florida
             coastal ecosystem, NOAA must become an active participant in the










               scientific effort that will inform Bay Restorationl.


                   B. NOAA Mandates

                        The NOAA assigns responsibility for research on Living
               Marine Resources (LMRs), their habitats, and their conservation to
               its National marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). NMFS carries out
               these responsibilities under many laws and mandates from Congress,
               but those that have most relevance to Florida Bay are the Magnuson
               Fishery Conservation and Management Act.of 1976, which regulates
               fisheries within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ); the
               Endangered Species Act, which protects species determined to be
               threatened or endangered; the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which
               regulates taking of marine mammals and requires that populations be
               maintained at or restored to optimum levels; the Lacey Act, which
               prohibits fishery transactions that violate state, Federal,
               American Indian or foreign laws; and the Fish a   'nd Wildlife
               Coordination Act, which authorizes NMFS to represent the interests
               of living marine resources in government decisions regarding land
               and water resource management or development.

                        The living marine resources harvested along the South
               Florida coast depend upon a healthy, productive Florida Bay. For
               many species, Florida Bay is the principal nursery area (e.g.,
               spotted seatrout, gray snapper, grunt, spiny lobster, pink shrimp) .

               For this reason NOAA has the mandate to protect and, where
               degraded, restore the Bay habitat. The NMFS/SEFSC has ongoing
               efforts to assess the relation between juveniles of fishery species
               and changing habitats within the Bay. NMFSISEFSC has developed a
               predictive model on the Tortugas pink shrimp fishery relative to an
               index of freshwater inflow to the Bay. Both efforts require
               expansion and augmentation from the point of view of Bay
               restoration.

                        NOAA is responsible for the designation and protection of
               endangered marine species. Florida Bay serves as important habitat
               for three endangered species of sea turtles and for the jewfish,
               which soon-may also be listed as endangered. Given the presence of
               these species in this threatened environment, the Bay could be
               designated a Critical Habitat under the Endangered Species Act.
               NMFS also is charged with protecting marine mammals, and
               substantial local bottlenose dolphin populations utilize the
               Florida Bay habitat.

                        NOAA's National Ocean Service (NOS) has responsibility,
               under the National Marine Sanctuaries Act, for the Florida Keys
               Marine Sanctuary (FKNMS). The FKNMS preserve includes the coral
               reef tract and the 10% of the Bay not in Everglades National Park.
               FKNMS regulations are now being finalized after extensive public
               comment and discussion. Under the Oceans Act of 1992 the FKNMS has
               the mandate to look upstream outside its boundAries - i.e., to the
               remainder of Florida Bay, if necessary, to protect the FKNMS's
               unique coral habitats.










                     ',ven in the absence of all these specific obligations, NOAA
             would have a general responsibility under the Coastal Zone
             Management Act to work with the.State of Florida and other Federal
             agencies to protect the coastal marine ecosystem, including Florida
             Bay and its adjacent waters.

                 C. NOAA Context - The NOAA STRATEGIC PLAN

                     It is the intention of our Administrator that the
             priorities and directions within NOAA be guided in large.part by
             NOAA's Strategic Plan. The Portfolio within that Plan particularly
             concerned with coastal regions*is entitled Environmental
             Stewardship. A Florida Bay project would directly address three of
             its critical program elements: Rebuild U.S. Fisheries; Recovering
             Protected Species; and, Coastal Ecosystems Health.

                .1. Rebuild U.S. Fisheries

                     The living marine resources harvested along the South
             Florida coast depend upon a healthy, productive Florida Bay. For
             many species, Florida Bay is the principal nursery area (e.g.,
             spotted seatrout, gray snapper, grunt, spiny lobster, pink shrimp) .
             In 1990 almost 20 million pounds of fish and shellfish were landed
             in Monroe County. Their dockside value was almost $50 million.
             This county alone represents over 20% of the total commercial
             landings for Florida. The wholesale value for these products was
             estimated at $64 million. The net result to the economy-of this
             area includes $90 million in economic activity, $32 million in
             earnings, and 2,230 jobs. Recreational activities and tourism
             account for an estimated 50% of the total employment in Monroe
             County. Recreational fishing contributes about $77 million to the
             local economy, while diving contributes $354 million. The
             progressive degradation of the Bay is evident. A continuing
             decline in resource productivity and the quality of the marine
             environment would result in significant job loss in South Florida
             tourism and fisheries-related industries. In contrast, restoration
             of the pink shrimp fishery alone would be worth almost $20 million
             dollars at dockside and many times that to the regional economy.

                 2. Recovering Protected Species

                     Florida Bay serves as important habitat for three
             endangered species of sea turtles and for the jewfish, which soon
             may also be listed as endangered. Given the threat to these
             species posed by progressive degradation, the Bay could
             conceivably be designated a Critical Habitat under the Endangered
             Species Act. Substantial local bottlenose dolphin populations
             utilize the Florida Bay habitat and data is insufficient to
             determine if their health or abundance has been adversely affected.

             Restoration efforts will almost certainly alter their habitat and
             effect their feeding and possibly reproduction. The populations
             will have to be monitored far more closely than in previous
             decades.











                   3. Coastal Ecosyste,-is Health

                       The emphasis of NOAA Is Coastal Ecosystem Health strategy is
               f ederal/state/private collaboration implementing integrated coastal
               zone management. Consistent with this the NOAA Florida Bay Project
               will contribute to the Interagency coordinated scientific program
               necessary to develop an understanding of the structure and function
               of the Florida Bay coastal ecosystem in the context of the entire
               south Florida landscape. The present Bay ecosystem is the result
               of decades of increasing development and environmental alteration
               throughout south Florida. Our management goal is to re-establish
               and sustain the natural diversity, abundance and behavior of the
               marine and estuarine flora and fauna. With a coordinated
               systematic federal mitigation strategy and direct state and local
               participation substantial progress can be made in that direction.
               Nonetheless, we must remain realistic. Additional flow to the
               Everglades is not enough. Timing, location, type and quality of
               input are-all critical to the Bay. Integrated, scientifically
               sound management of the entire coastal ecosystem of which Florida
               Bay is a part is absolutely essential. Coastal Ecosystem Health
               seeks sustained economic growth. In fact scientifically well-
               informed integrated.management is necessary to maintain the quality
               of life in south Florida much less to accommodate any future
               development. Bay restoration should be an iterative process
               through which management alternatives are developed and selected,
               the preferred alternative implemented, the physical and biological
               responses assessed and the process repeated as restoration
               proceeds.















                 D. INTERAGENCY CONTEXT

                     The alarming changes in Florida Bay have beco  me evident to
             even the most casual observer. In response to heightened local
             concern the representatives of a number of state and federal
             agencies began meeting more than a year ago as an informal Working
             Group for Florida Bay. In fact, not only Florida Bay but the
             entire South Florida ecosystem, a unique interdependent landscape-
             seascape, may be threatened. With national attention to this
             crisis, the relevant federal agencies (see below) entered into an
             historic Agreement2 to cooperate and work with the state of Florida
             in order "to address and solve the myriad issues involved'in
             restoring'and maintaining the unique world resources embodied in
             the South Florida ecosystem3l'.

                     The Agreement established an interagency Task Force
             consisting of Departmental Assistant Secretaries (or their
             equivalents) from the Dept. of the Interior (DOI), the Dept. of
             Commerce (DOC) , Dept. of the Army (Civil Works) , Dept. of Justice,
             Dept. of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. As
             soon as possible t 'he appropriate state of Florida (Department of
             Environmental Protection/DEP) and regional (South Florida Water
             Management District/SFWMD) agencies will become members of the Task
             Force and its subsidiary bodies. The Task Force has already
             established an Interagency Working Group consisting of local
             administrators which has in turn established, among other advisory
             subgroups, a Scientific Working Sub-Group to provide necessary
             technical advice. This last body began to meet only in October. At
             the request of the Army Corps it provided the Working Group (and
             Task Force) with a set of objectives and success criteria for the
             hydrological and ecological restoration of the South Florida
             Ecosystem. Although objectives and criteria were separately
             provided for ten subregions, these were viewed not as a set of
             isolated geographic areas but rather as an integrated whole4. Each
             subregion (or combinations thereof) will eventually develop
             detailed science plans for eventual incorporation into a regional
             ecosystem-based integrated science program. The Agreement not only
             envisions such integration, but also explicitly sanctions line
             agency cooperation and facilitates mechanisms (e.g. interagency
             transfers of funds) needed to accomplish efficient integration.
             The first such-interagency South Florida subregional science plan
             that has been developed was the Florida Bay Interagency Science
             Plan5.


                     Administratively there is a special need for an interagency
             science plan for Florida Bay because of the number of agencies
             whose jurisdiction is implicated by Florida Bay research and
             restoration. Representatives of the major agencies (DOC, DOI,
             Florida DEP and the SFWMD) participated in drafting an interagency
             plan compatible with their respective responsibilities. As
             recommended by a disinterested advisory panel convened last
             September at the behest of the Assistant Secretary of the Interior,










              a management framework was explicitly set forth to ensuia
              continuing integration of the activities of the different agencies.

              this framework includes an Interagency Program Management
              Committee, Review Panel and Technical Advisory Group. The
              individual implementation plans prepared by each agency will have
              to be consistent with the scientific approach and priorities of the
              interagency science plan. The intention is that individual agency
              Implementation plans be complementary rather than comprehensive.


                       The substance of the Interagency Plan relied upon a draft
              Research Program for Florida Bay developed by the National Park
              Service's South Florida Research Center6, a NOAA workshop held to
              define Florida Bay research priorities7, and the internal draft
              research plans more recently prepared by the South Florida Water
              Management District, the Florida Department of Environmental
              Protection and the United States Geological Survey. The synthesis
              ef fort was guided by a thorough review of Florida Bay problems that
              was conducted at the behest of Assistant Secretary Frampton (DOI)
              by a panel of nationally recognized scientists working in other
              estuarine systems8.

                       NOAA's institutional expertise and its specific
              environmental mandates delimit NOAA's participation in the Florida
              Bay Interagency effort and guide the substantive content of this
              Implementation Plan.    On the one hand, NOAA will focus upon the
              larger oceanographic, atmospheric and fisheries context within
              which Bay restoration will proceed. This implies attention to the
              Bay's linkages with the adjacent Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico
              ecosystems and its regulation by large scale atmospheric and
              meteorological processes. On the other hand, NOAA will collaborate
              in conducting biological studies within the Bay particularly in
              regard to fisheries habitat assessment and protected species.
              Last, being an interagency "partner" implies an obligation to
              additionally contribute where NOAA's technical capabilities and
              experience may be unique: e.g., in regard to the problems of
             .accurately estimating evaporation and precipitation or of
              understanding nutrient dynamics.

                  E. RELATIONSHIP TO THE FKNMS

                       The Florida Keys National Marine sanctuary (FKNMS) was
              created with signing of HR5909 (Public Law 101-605, Florida
              Keys National Marine Sanctuary and Protection Act) on 16
              November 1990. Included in the Sanctuary are 2800 square
              nautical miles of nearshore waters extending from just south
              of Miami to the Dry Tortugas which includes the eastern
              portion of Florida Bay adjacent to Everglades National
              Park.



                       The act directs the Federal Government and the State of
              Florida to jointly develop and.implement a comprehensive










             program to reduce pollution in the waters offshore the
             Florida Keys to protect and restore the water quality,    coral
             reefs, and other living marine resources of the Florida Keys
             environment. In addition, the extent to which problems
             within the FKNMS are affected by conditions beyond its-
             jurisdictional boundariesi the plan is to reflect measures
             necessary to address these problems.

                      As part of this program EPA in conjunction with   the State
             of Florida and in cooperation with NOAA has developed a    Water
             Quality Protection Program which consists of four
             interrelated components: corrective actions, monitoring,
             research, and public education/outreach. For each component
             a list of strategies (see Attachment) has been developed to
             address critical needs. Of these several have direct
             implications as they relate to Florida Bay and its influence
             on the FKNMS as discussed below.

                      Specific recommendations have been reflected in the plan'  to
             examine the influence`o*f Florida Bay on"wate'r quality in the
             sanctuary and its possible effects on resources (Strategies W.19:
             Florida Bay Freshwater Flow; and W.24: Florida Bay Influence). To
             the degree possible it is hoped that activities funded by this
             Water Quality Protection Program be consistent with and-
             contributory to NOAA and other Interagency Florida Bay research
             projects. In addition, other research/monitoring strategies (W.20:
             WQ Monitoring Program, W.21: Predictive Models, W.22: Pollutant
             Assessment, W.23: Leachate Transport, W.25: WQ Impact.Researchl
             W.26: Indicators, W.27: Other Monitoring Tools, W.28: Regional
             Database, W.29: Dissemination of Research Findings, W.31: Global
             Change, and W.32: Technical Advisory Committee) will establish
             operational Protocols and procedures which need to:'considered and.-.
             in the development of a research plan for Florida Bay.

             II.  PROJECT OBJECTIVES


                  A. Research Hypotheses

                      Following the recommendations of an advisory panel, the"
             Interagency Florida Bay Science Plan drafting committee formulated
             the following questions the answers to which were deemed critical
             to understanding the ecosystem of Florida Bay, the changes it has
             undergone and the possible effects of alternative restoration
             scenarios:

                  1. What is the relationship of surface and groundwater flows
             through the Everglades to the salinity of Florida Bay?


                  2. What is the effect of the relative lack of storms over the
             past three decades on the buildup of sediments, nutrients and
             organic material in the Bay?

                  3. What have been the effects of increased residence time of











               water dLe to restrictions to flow through channels between the
               Keys, shoaling and reduced freshwater inflows?

                    4. What are the sources, quantities, and ecological effects
               of "external" nutrients introduced into Florida Bay?

                    5. What are the rates of nutrient exchange between the
               sediment and water column within Florida Bay and what controls the
               magnit ude and direction of these fluxes?

                    6. What are the rates of nutrient assimilation by
               phytoplanktQn in the.Bay and what limits the growth of the
               phytoplankton assemblage?

                    7. What are the sources, quantities, and effects of toxic
               pollutants introduced into the Florida Bay ecosystem?

                    8. What environmental factors are significant to seagrass
               physiology, growth and reproduction and to what degree has a
               synergy between these resulted'in the observed distribution of
               seagrasses within the Bay and caused the recent dieoff?

                   9. What environmental factors are significant to physiology,
               growth and reproduction and how have they affected mangrove
               distribution within the Florida Bay ecosystem?

                  10., What has been the cause and consequence of sponge.dieoff
               and the subsequent alteration of hardbottom communities?

                  11. What are the changes in the distribution and.abundance of
               living resources that have occurred as a result of habitat changes
               in FloridaBay?

                  12. Is habitat degradation causing reduced fisheries
               productivity as reflected in declining recreational and commercial
               landings since the 1960's?

                  13. Has reduced availability of resources resulted in declines
               in populations of protected resources in the Bay and adjacent
               coastal waters?

                  14. Is the quality of the water flowing from the,Bay
               contributing to the degradation of corals along the reef tract of
               the Florida Keys in the Atlantic Ocean?

                  15. Have changes in Bay habitat caused declines in bird
               abundance and diversity?

                       As a participant in the Interagency effort these same
               questions necessarily guide the NOAA Florida Bay Implementation
               Plan.


                   B. Research Approach









                     NOAA's efforts A7ill include retrospective analyses,
             monitoring, modeling, and the acquisition of critical new
             information through both field studies and laboratory experiments.
             Monitoring, modeling, and research are necessary and complementary
             components of scientific investigation in support of restoration.
             The understanding derived from basic research into system processes
             and function will be incorporated into models to make predictions
             useful in guiding management decisions. Monitoring will not only
             provide data for model input and model validation but will also
             allow the effect of restoration efforts to be evaluated. Analyses
             and models make monitoring meaningful, help guide further research,
             and lead to recommendations on how to improve the restoration
             actions.

                     Retrospective analyses are essential to document the timing
             and extent of change already experienced in Florida Bay as well as
             the degree of natural variability in system parameters. This
             includes both synthesis and assimilation of data or samples that
             have already been collected as well as analysis of samples to be
             collected for the specific purpose of documenting historical
             change.

                     monitoring design must reflect the spatial heterogeneity of
             the Bay. Moreover it must be closely integrated with present and
             planned monitoring efforts either in the Bay (ENP) or in adjacent
             waters (e.g., the FKNMS and SFWMD) . NOAA monitoring could markedly
             augment the station coverage planned or already ongoing by ENP or
             expand its geographic scope to in6lude the adjacent waters that
             influence and interact with Florida Bay. It must also supplement
             the parameters being monitored within the Bay by other agencies and
             their contractors. In general Bay monitoring by the set of
             participating agencies and academics must address the full set of
             biological and physical process measurements that need to be done
             to document system changes and to understand the relationship
             between the various parameters. Water quality parameters, physical
             processes (e.g., wind, rainfallf and evaporation), fish stocks,
             benthos (including plant and animal community structure and
             ecological associations) and plankton all need to be monitored.
             Some must begin as soon as possible in order to document any
             changes that occur with the onset of increased freshwater flow and
             must be continued sufficiently long to follow changes in the
             ecosystem as it responds to new conditions. This charge exceeds
             the resources and capabilities of any one contributing agency.

                     modeling is an essential component of the NOAA Florida Bay
             Implementation Plan. To be useful to managers, any understanding
             of the ecosystem gained by scientific investigation has to be
             incorporated into models yielding "what if" predictions of water
             quality and ecological effects. Models are invaluable in testing
             hypotheses to determine if they are consistent with fundamental
             physical laws and are realistic. Models also c   .an generate
             hypotheses that can be tested by targeted experimental and field
             research. Results from these activities can then be used to refine
             the models. Model simulations can provide valuable insight for









               designing restoration approaches and finetuning restoration
               efforts.

                       considering the intense public interest in Florida Bay,
               there- is little basic information about the ecosystem. While it is
               obvious that the Bay has undergone changes, available information
               is simply insufficient to support, rigorous prediction. Research is
               essential to'address this deficiency. An adequate program to
               obtain'this Critical New Information includes both field studies
               and experimentation.

               .III. PROJECT COMPONENTS

                       A. Year One (FY94) Activities:

                       Some FY94.activities build upon  collaborative efforts
               already underway while others represent  new starts. Not all
               activities required Coastal Ocean Program FY94 funds, Some are
               being entirely funded by NOAA line organizations. Some of these
               are very closely integrated with the Coastal Ocean Program funded
               activities.  scientific merit, principal investigator competence,
               overall scientific priority, Lo responsibilities, other agency
               plans and general feasibility determined which of a large number of
               proposed activities were inititiated in FY94. The basic procedures
               of selection are discussed below under Program,Management. A few
               of the listed FY94 activities have not yet.been funded. When and
               if additional funds are made available to the'program a competitive
               process will be initiated to determine which of these merit
               .funding.
               1. Retrospective 'Analyses

                   a.)  Compile available historical information on impacts to the
                        Bay: (NOS, NESDIS and RSMAS)

                        To assist in determining the Bay's former
                        condition and to catalogue changes, events that may
                        have affected or have occurred in the Bay are being*
                        described, listed and graphically displayed in a
                        common time scale. The time coverage begins in 1910
                        with construction activities along the Florida Keys
                        and in what later became'the Everglades National
                        Park.   Included are global scale atmospheric,
                        geological and astronomical phenomena such as El Nino
                        events, volcanic eruptions and solar activity that
                        may affect local weather. On local scales,
                        observations of the dieoffs of species such as sea
                        grasses, sponges and fishes; occurrences of   algal
                        blooms,-coral reef degradation, fishery catches and
                        soil subsidence; and human-activities such as
                        population increases, and construction are
                        catalogued.









                 b.)   Collection and assemblage of AVHRR coastal sat,ilite-
                       imagery: (NMFS, RSMAS)

                       4-km spatial sea surface temperature (SST)   fields are
                       being'acquired from RSMAS by SEFSC and are  being used to
                       construct 5-day composites of the waters of the western
                       North Atlantic along the eastern U.S. seaboard. The data
                       set will consist of May-October 1983-1984, all months,
                       from 1985 through 1990, May-October from 1991-1992, May-
                       August 1993 and September 1993 SST. The data will be used

                       by SEFSC, Miami, to prepare time series of mean, median,
                       and maximum sea surface temperatures for Florida Bay from
                       1983 to the present.


                 C.) The Sediment Record as a Monitor of Natural and
                      Anthropogenic Changes: (OAR/AOML, RSMAS, UM, FIT)

                      We need to understand how the environment may have
                      changed since the building of the water-diversion
                     .canals. The sediments potentially contain a
                      continuous record of such changes and may provide the
                      data that can be evaluated in a manner analogous to a
                      long-term monitoring study through a multiparameter
                      investigation of the sediment record. Planned
                      USCGS/SFWMD Florida Bay coring program would be
                      supplemented and complemented by coring-in brackish
                      marginal lakes and at the southern terminus of the
                      Florida peninsula, and obtaining surficial grab
                      samples on a grid across Florida Bay. The brackish
                      marginal lakes contain potentially continuous records
                      of both terrestrial and marine variability and define
                      the northern boundary conditions for Florida Bay.
                      d) Refinement of Florida Bay Bottom topography:-(NbS,   NBS)

                           The objective is to define the significant topographic
                      features of Florida Bay (i.e., mud banks, mud bank
                      cuts, shoaling areas, basins, and islands). The
                      purpose is to refine the existing bathymetry maps to
                      support circulation model and resource assessments
                      needs.   The approach 'will be to update the current
                      navigation charts using available T-sheets, aerial
                      photography, and satellite imagery. An analysis will
                      be conducted to determine areas of change and areas
                     -for which additional aerial photography and
                      hydrographic surveys will be required. For areas
                      determined as topographically stable, and examination
                      will be made of the extent to which archival
                      hydrographic surveys can be used to resolve
                      bathymetry. Based upon the above, a field survey will
                      be designed and conducted using the most effective
                      combination of alternative surveying techniques for










                      selected areas in Florida Bay. This work will be
                      coordinated with USGS bathymetric surveying efforts.
                         [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED]

              2. Monitoring

                   a) Focus sampling of commercially and recreational
                      important fisheries resources include additional
                      biological information needed for predictive stock
                      assessment: (NMFS)

                      Currently, NMFS is collecting commercial fisheries
                      statistics for the EEZ-including the FKNMS but has not
                      focused specifically on Florida Bay. Data collection is
                      ongoing as part of a regional or national data collection
                      ef fort. To complete stock assessments, age and growth, and

                      fecundity estimates are required.- Thi's  information is
                      provided by the NMFS/SEFSC regional data collection program

                      under its Trip Interview Program (TIP).   The intensity of
                      TIP sampling will be changed to permit better prediction of

                      fisheries productivity associated with progressive changes
                      in Bay habitat as restoration proceeds.


                   b) Expand Mussel Watch stations into Florida Bay:
                   (NOS/NS&T)

                      Five NS&T Mussel Watch sites are located  it'South Florida
                      and one in the Florida Keys.. In order to.improve our
                      ability to evaluate the impact of the restoration project
                      in the Everglades on levels of toxic contaminants in
                      Florida Bay, two new Mussel Watch sites have been added in
                      1994. These are located at Flamingo and in Blackwater
                      Sound.

                   c) Initiate an Ecos ystem Health Survey: (NOSINS&T, EPA)

                      In the summer of 1994, The MS&T Program will conduct a
                      survey of the benthic community of Florida Bay and adjacent

                      waters. Samples of macrobenthos will be collected at about

                      50 sites in Florida Bay and adjacent waters out to a line
                      between Naples and Key West. The numbers of species and of

                      the individuals of each species will be determined to
                      obtain baseline information on the composition and
                      biodiversity of the macrobenthic community of this region.
                      This project is being conducted in cooperation with the
                      Estuarine component of the Environmental Protection
                      Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program










                      (EMAP-E). The data will be used to calculate a Benthic
                      Index of the health of the benthic community following the
                      procedures already established by the EMAP-E program for
                      estuarine monitoring.

                   d) Initiate a Bioeffects Survey: (NOSINS&T, NMFS and
                      Dade County/DERM)

                      A Bioeffects Survey of Biscayne Bay will be conducted
                      during the summers of 1994 and 1995. The survey is
                      designed to assist the magnitude and extent of biological
                      effects due to toxic chemical contamination in this area.
                      The survey will include investigations concerning sediment
                      toxicity, impairment of.fish reproduction, genetic damage
                      in fish, and indicators of toxic chemical effects in
                      bivalve molluscs.

                   e) continue monitoring water temperature in the Keys Reef
                      Tract and along the Bay side of the Keys: (NOS/FKNMS)

                      A total of thirty stations have or will be established to
                      monitor water temperature both along the reef tract and
                      along the Bay side of the Keys. Most of these stations
                      were established in 1990 and include a thermograph deployed

                      within 30 cm of the seabed as each location. Instruments
                      are PC programmed to record at 2 hour intervals in degrees
                      Celsius and will operate for 530 days. Accuracy of these
                      are plus or minus .3 o C. All units are retrieved annually

                      and downloaded on diskette.


                   f) Data Management: (NOS/NESDIS, NMFS)

                   The National Environmental Data and Information Service,
                   NESDIS of NOAA, is responsible for collecting, quality
                   checking, and archiving all oceanographic and meteorological
                   (including satellite) data collected by U.S. investigators. It
                   has provided the NOAA Florida Bay Program a local data
                   coordinator who is contacting the other agency data
                   coordinators, has arranged a joint meeting,- resolved issues of
                   selecting a common database structure and has established an
                   InterNet mailing list of various agency and academic
                   participants. Eventually specific hardware and software will
                   be acquired (and discussions have already proceeded with NMFS
                   ADP personnel in Miami) for a local bulletin board and data
                   retrieval network. In addition preliminary work has begun on
                   specifying data reporting and collection requirements for the
                   NOAA funded PI's.


                   g) NOAA South Florida Contaminants Committee:
                   (NMFS,OAR/AOML, Florida/DEP)

                      A NOAA Contaminants Committee has been formed to obtain










                       available inforiation on the contaminants entering the
                       South Florida environment, identify sources and
                       potential problems, and explore possible means of
                       reducing contaminant inputs to South Florida waters.
                       it consists of four NMFS representatives and one
                       representative each from The Nature Conservancy and
                       the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

                   h)  Monitor responses of fish and shellfish to habitat
                       changes: (NMFS/Beaufort, NMFS/Galveston, NBS/Miami)

                            Quantify and compare densities of f ishes and decapods
                       in. central Florida Bay basins (subject to hypersalinity)
                       and western Florida Bay (not subject to hypersalinity) as
                       freshwater flow to central basins is increased. This will
                       continue our sampling and analysis of fisheries and
                       habitats in low salinity, transitional salinity and high
                       salinity zones of Florida Bay that were initiated during
                       1993 and 1994 under funding from the SEFSC. It will allow
                       comparison of pink shrimp and other resident fish and
                       shellfish in the area of the Corps of Engineers inflow
                       experiment with those from other regions that will not be
                       directly influenced. Comparative sampling will be
                       conducted with drop frames (Galveston) , trawls and possibly

                       pop nets (Beaufort) twice during the rainy season and twice

                       during the dry season. These data will be. complemented
                       with benthic habitat information (e.g., seagrass species
                       composition and abundance, sediment depth) as well as
                       temperature and salinity.

                       mercury assessment and bioaccumulation in Florida Bay
                       biota (NMFS)

                            A program of mercury monitoring in target species
                       will be initiated and conceptual models developed to
                       better understand the transfer of mercury up the food
                       chain to species most at risk from methylmercury
                       accumulation. These results will be used to
                       anticipate and predict changes in mercury
                       bioaccumulation in response to changes in water
                       management via restoration. Mercury concentrations
                       will be monitored in critical target species.
                         [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED]

              3. Modeling

                 a)    Publish and distribute Circulation Modelling Workshop
                       Report: (NOS/ORCA)

                       This workshop was jointly sponsored by the NPS and NOAA/NOS
                   and was held early this Fall. NOS has taken the
                   responsibility of completing the workshop report this









                  fiscal year. It will be used to gLide NPS and SFWMD
                  funding decisions regarding circulation modeling. Those
                  agencies will soon be issuing an RFP in this.regard. The
                  NOAA circulation work will have to be complementary to
                  and integrated with whatever efforts are funded by these
                  other participant agencies.


                  b)  Mesoscale Atmospheric Modeling Applied to the South Florida
                      Ecosystem: (OAR/AOML, NWS, SFWMD)

                      A high resolution, non-hydrostaticmesoscale atmospheric
                      model will be employed for prediction of the
                      initiation, evolution and distribution of rainfall in
                      the Everglades and Florida Bay and for predicting
                      surface wind fields relevant to circulation patterns
                      in Florida Bay. A high resolution (1-10 km grid),
                      non-hydrostatic model is well suited to simulating
                      thunderstorm complexes that form due to sea breeze
                      convergence forcing from the east and west Florida
                      coasts. With proper boundary conditions, this model
                      is also suitable for prediction of heavy rain episodes
                      associated with tropical disturbances and fronts. The
                      model selected for this study is the Advanced Regional
                      Prediction System (ARPS) developed with NSF support
                      at the University of Oklahoma's Center for Analysis
                      and Prediction. It will be adaped to South Florida.
                      Moreover NEXRAD and WSR-88D radar data will be
                      incorporated to determine thunderstorm complex
                      interactions.




                  c)  Regional Numerical Ocean Circulation Modeling System:
                      (RSMAS, FIT)

                      The circulation of the Intra-Americas Sea (the Gulf of
                      Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the adjacent waters from the
                      Guianas to the Bahamas), is central to understanding the-
                      external forcing of Florida Bay. As in so many other areas

                      of the ocean, there is both intense mesoscale variability
                      and a paucity of observations. Thus, a modeling system is
                      needed that can resolve the mesoscale variability, utilize"
                      effectively whatever data are available, and provide
                      guidance for enhancing the observing'system with critical
                      observations. In such a modeling system, we envision a
                      .hierarchy of numerical circulation diagnostic and
                      prediction models whereby a Florida Bay model is nested
                      into a Straits of Florida model, which in turn is nested
                      into a regional-scale (Gulf/Caribbean/Bahamas/Guianas)
                      model, which is nested in an (existing) operational
                      Atlantic basin model. An initial evaluation process would
                      be conducted by NOS as a first step in developing this










                        modeling effort..

                        it is nece .ssary to establish (and evolve) a continually
                        operating circulation model f or the region f rom the of f ing
                        of the Guianas to Cape Canaveral, with regional
                        participation in the observing system and interpretation of

                        the model output. A progressive development is envisioned
                        which will eventually involve the Group of Experts on
                        Ocean Processes and Climate of the Subcommission for the
                        Caribbean and Adjacent Regions of the Intergovernmental
                        oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the World
                        Meteorological Organization's regional body in the
                        development and evaluation process; undertake feasibility
                        studies for 4-dimensional data assimilation; explore the
                        use of alternative methods for 4-dimensional data
                        assimilation; conduct simulations of alternative observing
                        systems; and analyze the model output for evidence of
                        climate variability. Thus a direct and active link is
                        established between university and government researchers,
                        international organizations, and users, with continual
                        feedback to assure the quality, utility, and availability
                        of nowcasts and forecasts for operational and research
                        objectives.



               4. Critical New Information

                  a)    Evaluate seagrass habitat health and community diversity
                        and compare with historical information: (NMFS)

                             The NMFS Beaufort and Galveston Laboratories have been

                        conducting,fishery-habitat sampling along salinity
                        gradients in northwestern Florida Bay. To date three
                        sampling trips have been conducted to evaluate fisheries
                        populations 'in low salinity (9-17 o/oo) and salinity
                        transition (> 20 o/oo) areas in the vicinity of Little
                        Madeira and Madeira Bays.     At each station bottom samples
                        are taken for vegetation type and abundance, and salinity
                        and temperature are taken as well. Fish and shellfish are
                        identified from each collection and data are to be,compared

                        with similar samples taken during 1990-1993 ift the high
                        salinity Gulf portion of the Bay for comparison of
                        community structure. Additionally, Beaufort has
                        established GPS coordinates for these sites as well as for
                        all published sites sampled during the 1984-1985 pre-
                        seagrass die-off studies.


                    b) Prop-Scar restoration in the Florida Keys National
                        Marine Sanctuary: (NOS, NMFS)









                      Motor boat propeller scarring of seagrass meadows in the
                      Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary has had a major
                      impact on these habitats that is increasing in both
                      incidence and acreageimpacted. This is resulting in a
                      concomitant loss of f ishery habitat. Thousands of acres of

                      habitat have been-impacted over the past, and these areas
                      actually expand over time due to modifications in current
                      patterns that result. A research study has been initiated
                      to develop and evaluate techniques for restoring these
                      habitat impacts in the Sanctuary. Seagrass transplanting
                      techniques using bare root and peat pot (plus nutrients)
                      will be'evaluated under several experimental designs.
                      Experimental sites and control sites have been selected,
                      and activities will be initiated in May 1994. * Transplant
                      population dynamics and growth and coverage rates will be
                      assessed and used to develop or modify an existing model of

                      seagrass population dynamics.



                   c) Zooplankton Abundance and Grazing Potential in Florida
                      Bay: (LUMCON, OAR/AOML)

                      There is not a single published report quantitatively
                      characterizing the resident population nor estimating
                      their contribution to secondary production in the Bay.
                      With a decline in seagrass coverage and an increase in
                      the areal extent and duration of phytoplankton blooms
                      the relative importance of zooplankton grazing may
                      have increased.   In fact, the fact that the Bay
                      historically supported large populations of teleost
                      larvae whose primary food is copepod nauplii (e.g.,
                      spot and croaker) suggests that zooplankton played a
                      significant role even when the Bay was clear and
                      phytoplankton blooms we*re rare. It is important to
                      recognize that adjacent environments like Biscayne Bay
                      support large populations of estuarine copepods like
                      Acartia tonsa by supplementing their phytoplankton
                      diet with macrophytic plant detritus. Many
                      macroinvertebrates have meroplanktonic stages that can
                      serve as important food resources to larval fish. Net
                      sampling will be. used to quantify the abundance of
                      various holo and mero-planktonic animals in the Bay in
                      relation to concomitantly measured hydrographic
                      information in conjunction with a recently initiated
                      Florida DEP fisheries independent survey of Florida
                      Bay. In addition the "gut fluorescence" method will
                      be used to determine the grazing rate of the dominant
                      copepod species encountered. Data collection will
                      continue as Bay conditions change with Restoration










                    d) Rates of bioeros-ion of the Florida Keys reef tract:
                        (NOSIFKNMS)

                        Bioerosion refers to the natural breakdown and reduction of

                        reef mass by the activities of various organisms such as
                        boring sponges and mulluscs, certain sea urchins and
                        parrotfish which continually work to wear down the
                        structure of the reed in their search for food and shelter.

                        The Hens and Chickens reef was selected for study because
                        the primary reef building coral species there, mountainous
                        star coral, displays both normal annual growth bands and
                        stress bands, which chronicle severe cold weather events,
                        much like the records of draught found within the growth
                        rings of trees. During the winter of 1969-70, record low
                        temperatures resulted in the death of the majority of
                        mountainous star coral heads at Hens and Chickens. Those
                        that did survive now contain a permanent time marker from
                        which subsequent growth or erosion of the coral surface can

                        be measured. Core samples will be taken from living and
                        dead corals and the rates of loss or accretion of material
                        since the 1969/70 event will be measured.


                    e-) Complete photointerpretation of bottom habitats in the Bay
                    with groundtruthing via C-CAP: (NMFS, NOS, Florida/DEP)

                        Precipitous declines in fisheries of Florida Bay have
                        been associated with reported die-offs of marine and
                        estuarine aquatic beds and reefs. Losses of submerged
                        rooted vascular.(SQV) aquatic beds, persistent
                        phyutoplankton blooms, and elevated turbidity are
                        symptoms of a major ecological change for the system.
                        Quantification of the status and recent change in the
                        spatial distribution and extent of SRV is central to
                        understanding the nature and extent of these declines
                        and to guide research and management efforts. This
                        effort if a joint effort of C-CAP and the Florida DEP
                        and augments and extends ongoing studies. Completion
                        of the inventory and change d@atection will require a
                        combination of new photography and historical
                        photography.


                    g)-Environmental controls upon algal blooms, food web
                        structure and carbon flow: (OAR/GLERL, U Mich.)

                        Multifactorial field microcosm and mesocosm experiments
                        will be used to determine the importance of various
                        micronutrients, light, salinity and turbulence in
                        initiating bloom formation. Autoecological laboratory
                        experiments would also be conducted. Translocation









                     mesocosm experi.,ients would be used where distinct food
                     webs could be subjected to simulated bloom conditions.
                     Field experiments would be used to investigate
                     remineralization and nutrient regeneration pathways
                     particularly in regard to sediment/water column flux.



                  h) Relationship of pink shrimp 'cohorts on nursery grounds
                     to fishery productivity: NMFS1 Miami, Galveston, and
                     Charleston, NBS and RSMAS)

                           The pink shrimp is viewed as an ideal indicator of
                     ecological health of Florida Bay4 Pink shrimp support a
                     valuable commercial fishery for which a relatively long
                     time series of consistent records of catch and effort are
                     available.   Statistical analyses of the commercial catches

                     suggest that pink shrimp are sensitive to freshwater
                     inflow. Furthermore, pink shrimp are a principal prey item

                     of many important game fish species in Florida Bay.

                           This comprehensive'study involves statistical
                     analysis, biological modeling, physiological trials, caging

                     experiments, resource surveys, and genetic analysis of the
                     pink shrimp stock supporting the multimillion dollar
                     Tortugas fishing grounds. The study will characterize the
                     within-year cohorts in the fishery and link them to
                     specific nursery grounds in Florida Bay and nearby
                     estuaries. Pink shrimp catch rates suggest a longterm
                     stock decline, with an increasing rate of decline in the
                     past decade. The study is designed to gain understanding
                     on how environme 'ntal conditions and anthropogenic
                     manipulations of the environment affect pink shrimp
                     recruitment. Researchers will study the environmental
                     requirements of pink shrimp growing on nursery grounds in
                     or near Florida Bay where they are exposed to markedly
                     environmental conditions. The improved understanding of
                     pink shrimp ecology gained from this study will be used in
                     models to evaluate proposed management alternatives in the
                     restoration process and to develop a monitoring program
                     based on pink shrimp that will help assess the effect of
                     management actions.



                     Pesticide Analysis of Agricultural Nonpoint Source
                     Waters: (NMFS)

                           In south Florida there are significant
                     agricultural activates in the upland areas adjacent to
                     Florida Bay. In the Homestead, Florida area there are










                      numerous truck farming operaticas which utilize a
                      plastic row cover in the cultivation of crops such as
                      tomatoes and other vegetables. For example it has been
                      found that these plastic row covers enhanced the
                      runoff potential by 70% of pesticides in plot studies
                      in coastal areas of South Carolina. Additionally these
                      vegetable crops use large quantities of pesticides to
                      control insect, fungal and plant pests.

                           To address the potential inputs of agricultural
                      pesticides from vegetable farming.operations in South
                      Florida on estuarine water quality in Florida Bay, a
                      baseline study was conducted. Results to date indicate
                      significant levels of the insecticide endosulfan in
                      the C-111 canal at concentrations ranging from 0.002-
                      0.170 ug/L. Levels of 0.002 ug/L were also found just
                      southwest of Man of War Key in western Florida Bay. As
                      more freshwater runoff is diverted into Florida Bay as
                      a result of the recent agreement on the Everglades
                      reflooding, there is an increased possibility of
                      agricultural nonpoint source runoff entering Florida
                      Bay.

                           Research activities will include: 1)expanded
                      monitoring of pesticide runoff and toxicological (i.e.
                      Mysid IQ Test and grass shrimp) assessment of runoff
                      ef f ects on crustaceans; 2) Ecotoxicological assessment of
                      fish and crustacean populations in Florida Bay using
                      Beaufort Laboratory's historical data base and additional
                      sampling to augment runoff studies conducted in 1994; 3)
                      Establishment of first kinetic loading models for pesticide

                      runoff into Florida Bay; and 4) Comparisons of findings
                      for 1993-94 with historical contaminant information for
                      Florida Bay.

                      k) Monitoring and evaluation of radar measured rainfall
                      estimates over Florida Bay and the Everglades:
                      (OAR/AOML, NWS, NASA-Goddard, SFWMD and NPS)

                      The new next- generation Doppler weather radars
                      (NEXRAD) will be capable of producing rainfall
                      estimates over the entire Florida Bay area at a
                      resolution never before possible. Because of the
                      small size scale of convective rainfall events and a
                      dearth of rain gages over Florida Bay and portions of
                      the Everglades, NEXRAD will provide the only large
                      scale estimate of the fresh water contribution from
                      direct rainfall. while estimates of the contribution
                      of rainwater runoff to Florida Bay from the Everglades
                      may be made from hydrological models, these models
                      rely on input data from rain gage measurements and, in
                      the near future, from the n6w Doppler radars. In
                      order for the new radars to be valuable for









                      hydrological purposes over Florida Bay and th
                      Everglades, their rainfall estimation algorithms must
                      be evaluated against e 'xisting rain gages and
                      disdrometer measurements including drop distribution
                      measurements made during P-3 overflights.

                        (THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED.]

                   1) High resolution synoptic salinity mapping of Florida Bay
                   with airborne remote sensor: (NOSINESDIS, NMFS, OAR/AOML,
                   RSMAS, NPS)

                           Determining the relationship between freshwater
                      discharge and salinity patterns is critical to the overall
                      Florida Bay restoration effort. Salinity patterns in
                      Florida Bay are complex because of the Bay's basin-bank
                      topography, wind effects on water movement, and the number
                      of locations of freshwater input. Given the size and
                      complexity of Florida Bay, the most practical way to map
                      salinities is with an airborne sensor. The first year would

                      be a pilot test, or prototype study, to work out the
                      logistics of preparing synoptic salinity maps of Florida
                      Bay using a light-weight, GPS-logged, airborne salinity-
                      sensor based on a microwave radiometer carried beneath a
                      small plane. A multispectral video camera will also be on
                      board and will be used to map algal blooms and other color
                      features of the Bay, such as the yellow-brown color
                      ("gebstoff") often associated with freshwater discharge.
                      The intent is to prepare salinity maps of the entire Bay,
                      while water color maps may be prepared for only the
                      northern part of the Bay since Florida DEP is mapping the
                      algal blooms in the western part of the Bay. Groundtruthing

                      would calibrate the color data and insure the accuracy of
                      the salinity instrument in Bay waters. Eventually routine
                      salinity maps (weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly) could be
                      overlain on habitat maps of the Bay to determine effective
                      habitat area (i.e. habitat area that is within the
                      appropriate salinity range) . In follow up years, we plan to

                      collaborate with C-CAP, Florida DEP, and other groups who
                      are preparing habitat maps of Florida Bay. Approaches
                      developed in Year 1, as well as economies of scale, are
                      expected to enable cost cutting procedures that will reduce

                      unit mapping costs in subsequent years.
                        [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED]




             IV. PROJECT PRODUCTS


                   A. First Year Products:











                         1. A NOAA technical memorandum entitled: Natural and
                             Anthropogenic Events Impacting Florida Bay: 1910-
                             1993 Timeline.

                         2.  An AVHRR coastline database

                         3.  A collection of sediments from brackish marginal lakes
                         4. Fisheries statistics database 'for Florida Bay

                         5.  Marine Mammal census data and tissue sample. collection

                         6. Establishment of Florida Bay Musselwatch stations

                         7.  An NS&T benthic database reflecting overall ecosystem
                             health

                         8.  Comparison data on benthic organisms in neighboring
                             Biscayne Bay

                         9.  Continuation of the long-term temperature database for

                             the FKNMS

                       10.   Establishment of NOAA South Florida Contaminants
                    93       Committee

                       11.   Publication of NPS, NOAA Circulation Modeling Workshop

                             Report

                       12.   Adaptation of Mesoscale Atmospheric Model to the South

                             Florida Ecosystem

                       13.   Initial integration of Florida Bay circulation model
                             with numerical ocean circulation model for the region

                       14.   Estimates of biodiversity in changing seagrass
                             habitats within the Bay

                       15.   Prop-scar mitigation through seagrass replanting
                             trials in the FKNMS

                       16.   Estimates of zooplankton abundance and grazing
                             potential

                       17.   Estimates of bioerosion in FKNMS corals

                       18.   Delimitation of bottom habitat types by aerial
                             photography and groundtruth estimation

                       19.   Assessment of the relative importance of different









                          plant nutrients and physical changes in stimulating
                          algal blooms

                     20.  Estimation of the relationship between pink shrimp
                          productivity and nursery habitat condition

                     21.  Initial assessment of non-point source pesticide
                          introduction into Florida Bay



             V. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

                 The NOAA Florida Bay Project.exactly complies with the
             distributed project management approach characteristic of the NOAA
             Coastal Ocean. Program (COP). This mechanism has proven highly
             effective in multiple line organization interdisciplinary
             federal/academic collaborative programs like NECOP and SABRE.
             Designated representatives of two different participating NOAA line
             organizations as well as one academic serve on a three person
             Project Management Committee (PMC) - See Appendix One. The PMC is
             responsible both for continuing project management and for making
             specific funding decisions; their first task was to appoint a
             small Technical Advisory Group (TAG) consisting of federal, state
             or academic scientist with the expertise necessary to advise the
             PMC (See Appendix One). The NOAA Florida Bay PMC reports directly
             to the Coastal Ocean Program. One of its members (NT with PBO as
             alternate) serves on the Interagency Florida Bay Program Management
             Committee responsible for coordinating individual agency activities
             and implementation Plans. Another member (PBO) serves on the
             Science Subgroup of the Interagency South Florida Ecosystem
             Restoration taskforce.

                  Membership in the TAG will be for at least four years with
             staggered terms. The TAG will attend formal annual program reviews
             and assist the PMC in the funding decision process. Membership
             continuity is essential to assure institutional memory-i.e., to
             ascertain whether programs have been responsive to the panel's
             review and what suggestions have proven helpful.   The first job of
             the TAG was to provide reviews of proposed Year One activities so
             that the PMC could allocate the available COP funds (see Appendix
             Two).

               Many of the Year One activiti es consist of supplementing funding
             to projects already underway. Given the extensive planning process
             that has'gone on with regard to Florida Bay over the past year (and
             the fact'that we needed to begin work without further delay) the
             PMC in consultation with its COP and LO funding sources based
             project selection upon 5 page workplan/planning letters accompanied
             by curriculum vitae and budgets rather than full proposals.      To
             help the PMC chose among these, the TAG provided detailed reviews
             of each short proposal. Every effort was made to assure minimal
             overlap and maximally efficient resource utilization across all
             state and federal agencies collaborating in Florida Bay. The
             COP funded projects were given only nine months funding after which










              they will have to comp.;te with all new submissions. In subsequent
              years the more deliberate process described below will be followed.

              In addition all funded principals were required to modify their
              workplans to accomodate the significant criticisms of the TAC.
              Copies of all reviews were retained by the PMC and were promptly
              provided (albeit as anonymous "abstracts") to applicants upon
              request. Appendix Three includes all responses sent to.principal
              investigators seeking COP funds in FY94.


                   In FY95 and beyond years a more exhaustive process similar to
              that followed in SABRE and NECOP will be followed. It    will be
              initiated in November of 1995. First, potential NOAA participants
              will be asked to submit brief planning letters describing their
              prospective research and accompany these with required supporting
              documentation (curriculum vitae, budgets indicating organizational
              funds to be contributed, etc.) to corroborate their capabilities
              and their institutional commitment. The PMC with the assistance of
              its TAG will then decide what aspects of the Project can and should
              be done within NOAA. The technical criteria used to evaluate
              planning letters will be individual scientific promise, the degree
              to which research proposed is essential to long-term and short-term
              objectives, the documented competence of the principal
              investigators, the extent of institutional commitment and the total
              funds made available within NOAA. It goes with out saying that a
              signif4cant programmatic consideration criterion will be the source
              of the funds made available and the specific mandates and
              responsibilities of the contributing line organizations.

                   Second, the PMC will send out a request for planning
              letters to the academic community. Those who inquire will be
              supplied the NOAA FY95 Florida Bay Implementation Plan, a document
              describing FY94 activities and a rough target figure for individual
              academic project budgets. As in NECOP and SABRE, academic research
              plans explicitly collaborative with NOAA scientists are anticipated
              but that would not be an absolute requirement. What is expected,
              however, is fundamentally collaborative academic-NOAA research and
              not simply the subcontracting or farming out of routine work tasks.

              All planning letters submitted would have to include'not only
              research plans anda budget but also curricula vitae. The PMC,
              assisted by its TAG will then evaluate academic planning letters
              using the very same criteria listed above excepting "institutional
              commitment".

                   Only when evaluation of planning letters has been completed
              and decisions as to overall project priorities have been made, will
              requests for more detailed multiyear proposals be sent to the
              selected principal investigators. Requests for preparation of full
              proposals (to both NOAA and academic participants) will include
              specific technical and budgetary guidance. Explicit suggestions
              will be made concerning collaboration with other investigators
              where appropriate. Submissions will then be directed at specifying










              research plans and technical approache; rather than rejustifying
              the significance of the proposed research. Clearly, the PMC will
              have to work closely with PI's asked to prepare proposals. This
              will almost certainly require an iterative process of proposal
              modification, in order to assure coherence and integration with the
              overall Interagency Florida Bay effort. Both NOAA and academic
              proposals will then be reviewed by the TAG who will also be
              provided with the guidance letters sent out by the PMC. Where the
              PMC and/or TAG deems it necessary, mail reviewers will also be
              employed to review proposals.

                   The mechanics of data management are entirely consistent with
              the policies agreed upon in the Interagency Florida Bay science
              Plan. These in turn rely upon the accepted po    'licies for the
              national Global Change Program9. Plans have been made to establish
              a remotely accessible database at either the NMFS or OAR laboratory
              in Miami. we anticipate that the same computer     system will
              function as an electronic bulletin board linking various NOAA and
              NOAA-funded investigators with each other and with other components
              of the Interagency effort.

                   Day to day project management within NMFS, ERL and NOS will be
              coordinated with and implemented through separate institutional
              management structures just as has been the case in most Coastal
              Ocean Program and Global Climate Change programs. Funding for some
              academic participants has been distributed through ciooperatative
              arrangements like the Cooperative Institute for Marine and
              Atmospheric Science (CIMAS/UM) while funds for other academic
              participants were distributed as subcontracts or under other
              existing NOAA/academic agreements. In subsequent years we expect
              this function to be performed predominately by state Sea Grant
              Offices as with other COP programs.


              VI. PROJECT FUNDING (as of 7/94)

                        The following table lists NOAA organization contributions
              to t'he respective projects. Line organization contributions
              entirely funds some projects and are also a requirement to match
              COP funds going to NOAA investigators.      COP contributions total
              $545K in FY94. of this $254K was allocated to non-NOAA (90%
              university) investigators and $291K to NOAA principal investigators
              based on the process described above.

              1. RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS
                   a) Compile available historical information on impacts to
                      the Bay:
                                   NESDIS                15
                                   NOS/S&T               50
                                              SubTotal:  65
                  b) Collection and assemblage of AVHRR coastal satellite
                     imagery:      NMFS                  35
                                             SubTotal:   35-









                   c) The Sediment  IRecord as a Monitor of Natural and
                      Anthropogenic Changes:
                                    COP                  65
                                    OAR                  21
                                              SubTotal:  86
                                    Retrospective Total:186K

                   d) Refinement of Florida Bay Bottom   topography:
                          [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED)

               ii. MONITORING
                    a) Focus sampling of commercially and recreational
                       important fisheries resources include additional
                       biological information needed for predictive stock
                       assessment:
                                    NMFS                 75
                                              SubTotal: 75
                    b) Expand Mussel Watch stations into Florida Bay:
                                    NOS/S&T              30
                                              SubTotal: 30
                    c) Initiate an Ecosystem  Health Survey:
                                    NOSIS&T              30
                                              SubTotal:  30
                    d) Initiate a Bioeffects  Survey:
                                    NOSIS&T              50
                                    NMFS                 15
                                              SubTotal:  65
                    e) Continue monitoring  water temperature in the Keys Reef
                       Tract and along the  Bay side of the Keys:
                                    NOSIFKNMS          10 (estimated contribution]
                                              SubTotal: 10
                    f) Data  Management:
                                    NESDIS/NODC
                                              SubTotal: 50
                    g) NOAA South Florida Contaminants Committee:
                                    NMFS                 15
                                    OAR                  10
                                              SubTotal:  25
                    h) Monitor responses of fish and shellfish to habitat
                         changes:   COP                  70
                                    NMFS                 75
                                              SubTotal:  145
                                    Monitoring Total:    430K


                    i) Mercury assessment and bioaccumulation in Florida Bay
                        biota (NMFS)
                         [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED]

              3. MODELING
                    a) Publish and distribute Circulation Modelling Workshop
                       Report:
                                    NOS/ORCA             15












                                            SubTotal: 15
                  b) Mesoscale Atmospheric Modeling Applied to the South Florida
                     Ecosystem:
                                  COP                   65
                                  OAR                   70
                                            SubTotal:   135
                  c) Regional Numerical Ocean Circulation Modeling System:
                                  COP                   70
                                            SubTotal: 70
                                  Modeling Total:       220K

             4. CRITICAL NEW INFORMATION
                  a) Evaluate seagrass habitat health   and community diversity
                     and compare with historical information:
                                  NMFS                  75
                                            SubTotal: 75
                  b) Prop-Scar res toration in the Florida Keys National
                     Marine Sanctuary:
                                  NOSIFKNMS          20 (estimated contribution)
                                  NMFS                  20
                                            SubTotal:   40
                  c) Zooplankton Abundance  and Grazing Potential in Florida
                     Bay:
                                  COP                   25
                                  OAR                   9
                                            SubTotal:   34
                  d) Rates of bioerosion of the Florida Keys reef tract:
                                  NOSIFKNMS          30 (estimated contribution]
                                            SubTotal: 30
                  e) Complete photointerpretation of bottom habitats in the
                     Bay with groundtruthing via C-CAP:
                                  COP                   30
                                  NMFS                  10
                                            SubTotal:   40
                  f) Environmental controls upon algal blooms, food web
                     structure and carbon flow:
                                  COP                   55
                                  OAR                   56
                                            SubTotal:   111
                  g) Relationship of  pink shrimp cohorts  on nursery grounds
                     to fishery productivity:
                                  COP                   135
                                  NMFS                  85
                                            SubTotal: 220
                  j) Pesticide Analysis of Agricultural Nonpoint Source
                     Waters:
                                  COP                   36
                                  NMFS                  36
                                            SubTotal:   72
                            New Information Total:      622

                  k) Monitoring and evaluation of radar measured rainfall
                     estimates over Florida Bay and the Everglades:
                       [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED)










                    1; High resolution synoptic salinity mapping of Florida Bay
                       with airborne remote sensor:
                          [THIS HIGH PRIORITY ACTIVITY HAS YET TO BE FUNDED]
               --------------------------------------------------------------


                         Overall Project FY94 Total:         $1.458M

               VII. REFERENCES

               1. P.B. Ortner, D.E. Hoss and J.A. Browder (eds.). NOAA Workshop
                   on the Restoration Of Florida Bay, July 14-16, 1993. Conveners:

                   B.Brown and P.B.Ortner.

               2.  Interagency Agreement on South Florida Ecosystem Restoration

               3.  Federal Objectives for South Florida Restoration by the Science

                   Sub-group of the South Florida Management and Coordination
                   Working Group, Nov.15, 1993.

               4.  G.T. Frampton, Assistant Secretary, Dept.of the Interior,
                   September 23, 1993.

               5.  Armientano, T.A., Ortner, P.B., Robblee, M.R., Thompson, N.
                   Rudnick, D., Hunt, J. and J. Ley. Interagency Florida Bay
                   Science Plan, March 1993.

               6.  Ortner et al, ibid.

               7.  M.R. Robblee, T.A. Armentano and R.W. Snow. A Research Program
                   for Restoration of Florida Bay, May 18, 1993.

               8.  D.F. Boesch, N.E. Armstrong, C.F. D'Elia, N.G. Maynard, H.W.
                   Paerl and S. Williams. Deterioration of the Florida Bay
                   Ecosystem: An evaluation of the Scientific Evidence, September
                   15, 1993.

               9.  A copy of the full official policy statement is available from
                   the U.S. Global Change Research Program, National Science
                   Foundation.











                  Toward Ecosystem Management In Florida



                       Florida Department, of Environmental Protection



                                           Lawton Chiles, Governor
                                        Virginia B. Wetherell, Secretary











                                                       W"z








                                                  March, 1994
                                                    N






                                       Fh)rida Departnivnt
                          Fnvironmental Protection


                                      Vlarillrv                 B11111filig
            1'. 14 oil Il i 1,                 0 it I it 14 it I %V 411 1 1 tt 114 it I -d
                                        Tallahassee. I'lorlila 32399-3000



                                                        February 25, 1994



          Dear Reader:


                The legislation that created the Department of Environmental Protection also
          empowered this new department to focus more of its resources on the protection
          of entire ecological systems.

                We take that charge seriously, and in the-pages that follow you will find
          descriptions of the kinds of activities we at the Department feel are part of
          ecosystem management. After reading them, I think you will discover that in some
          areas we in Florida have been doing ecosystem management all along. What is
          new is the Department's commitment to the process in the future.


                Governor Chiles'  merger of the two premier state environmental and natural
          resource agencies gives us the chance to do it better. Now, with almost all of the
          tools needed for ecosystem management under the same roof--tools such as
          planning, land acquisition, environmental education, regulation, and pollution
          prevention--we have new opportunities for cooperation. Working with the five
          water management districts, we can use these tools to improve our ties with local
          governments and other agencies which have key roles to play in ecosystem
          management, and with landowners and other members of the public. We can
          begin to develop a public ethic of shared responsibility for the world around us.
          We can become more efficient; more effective. Our combined resources will let     us
          reduce duplication and overlap--resulting in better use of both state and local tax
          dollars. Most importantly, we can do a better job.


                TO illustrate how we have moved- toward ecosystem management over the
          years, and to show how it can be done in the future, we chose six of Florida's
          threatened ecosystems as examples. We easily could have chosen others. In the
          pages that follow, you will see that for.one or two of these areas our ecosystem
          activities are well advanced. In others, we have scarcely begun. You also will see
          how ecosystem management will work for Florida--and that it works best when










                 Toward Ecosystern Management In Florida     2



                 public and private interests in an area work in partnership. The following are the.
                 six areas we chose:


                 Apalachicola River and Bay. Of the six areas, the Apalachicola-
                 Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) Rivers basin in Florida, Georgia and Alabama is perhaps
                 the most advanced example of ecosystem management in action. Interstate
                 activities in the ACF basin have been going on since the late '70s. The three
                 states and the Army Corps of Engineers are in the midst of an extensive
                 study that will result in a blueprint for managing this resource which. is so critical
                 to the health of the Apalachicola Bay and the economy it supports. Much,
                 however, remains to be done to assure that the needs of residents around the
                 Apalachicola River and Bay are considered when land and water use decisions  are
                 made by Upstream jurisdictions.


                 Lower St. Johns R iver. The Lower St. Johns (the river reach between the north
                 end of Lake George and the Atlantic Ocean), is a lest-studied river basin than the
                 Apalachicola. State agencies and the water management district each have
                 worked in the river, but while there have been successful attempts at
                 project-by-project coordination, most of the work was to meet an agency's specific
                 need--water quality or water quantity--and associated land uses often were
                 considered in only a cursory fashion. With the merger, ecosystem management for
                 the lower St. Johns River offers the chance to bring the agencies, local
                 governments, land owners, and others together for the good of the river basin and
                 themselves.


                 Florida Bay. Although a flurry of activity over the last several months might make
                 it seem otherwise, Florida Bay is one of the least-studied ecosystems in Florida.
                 Management of the bay is a challenge because of the huge number of complicatim;
                 issues that must be dealt with. Ecosystem management for the bay and its
                 immediate tributary watersheds focuses upon three key areas: intergovernmental
                 coordination; restoration-oriented research and monitoring, and reestablishing the
                 water quality and hydroperiod of Taylor Slough.


                 Wekiva River. The Wekiva River basin is another in which much has   been done bu,
                 more needs doing. The river flows through a rapidly growing and urbanizing area.
                 and interagency and community groups--such as the Friends of the Wekiva, the
                 Governor's Wekiva River Task Force and the Wekiva River Basin Working
                 Group--have been working on the basin for several years now. Ecosystem
                 management for the Wekiva will concentrate  on urban problems such as









           Toward Ecosystdm Management In Florida      3


           stormwater, interagency cooperation and continued protection for the natural
           systems that surround and buffer the river.


           Hillsborough River. The Hillsborough River basin iz; another in which some work
           has begun, but where most of it still lies ahead. Located in another growing
           population center, the basin faces issues that run the gamut from land use through

           water quality (both fresh and salt water), water supply, air quality, and natural
           habitat. The effectiveness of an ecosystem management program for the
           Hillsborough River basin will depend upon' continued commitment not only from the
           Department and the water management district, but from ail public and private
           interests in the basin.


           Suwannee River. Water quality issues in the Florida portion of the Suwannee River
           have a relatively long history of intergovernmental coordination and cooperation.
           As a result, water quality in the Suwannee is, quite good--with local exceptions.
           However, like the ACF, the Suwannee is an interstate river, and while the part of
           the river within Florida has been extensively studied, we know much less about the
           interstate issues that affect the basin. Ecosystem management for the Suwannee
           will focu's upon these; and upon bringing together the public and the 57
           governmental units with some kind of jurisdiction within the basin.

                 One common thread among all of the ecosystem management programs we
           have highlighted is the need for better intergovernmental coordination. But,
           important as that may be, ecosystem management is much more than just
           coordination between governments. It is coordination of the interests of all the
           stakeholders within an ecosystem. After you have read these pages, I hope you
           will support and join with us at the Department of Environmental Protection and
           the five water management districts as we begin to move toward ecosystem
           management in Florida.




                                                 Virginia B. Wetherell
                                                .Secretary,
                                                 Department of Environmental Protection








                                                       Contents








               A. Apalachicola River and Bay Ecosystem Management Area

                      Su mmary                                                                 I-A
                      Overview of the Functioning and Natural Resources                        3-A
                      Current Management Activities                                            5-A
                      Major Natural Resources Problems and Issues                              6-A
                             Interstate Issues                                                 7-A
                             Intrastate Issues                                                 9-A
                      Re,-@ommended Future Actions and Needs                                   19-A
                      G-lossary                                                                21-A
                      References                                                               .22-A

               B. Lower St. Johns River Ecosystem            Management Area

                       X,
                      Introduction                                                             I-B
                      Major Issues and Associated Problems                                     4-B
                             Balance Between Economic Development
                               and Environmental Protection                                    5-B
                             Land Use Management.                                              6-B
                             Water Resources Management                                        7-B
                             Environmental Education/Public Awareness                          9-B
                      Future Recommendation                                                    10-B

               C. Florida Bay     Ecosystem Management Area

                      Introduction                                                             I-C
                      Management Area                                                          3-C
                      Natural Systems                                                          3-C
                      issues,                                                                  4-C
                             Intergovernmental Coordination                                    4-C
                             Restoration Research and Monitoring                               6-C
                             Hydroperiod and Water Quality Restoration
                               Through Land Acquisition                                        I O-C








                                                     Contents (Cont.)





                   D. Wekiva River Ecosystem Management Area

                           Introduction
                                 Resource Description                                            I-D
                                 Management Activities                                           I-D
                           Major Issues                                                          4-1)
                                 Surface Water Quality                                           4-1)
                                 Water Supply/Ground Water Quality                               6-1)
                                 Interagency Coordination                                        7-D,
                                 Natural Systems Protection and Management


                   E. Hillsborough River Ecosystem Management Area

                           Summary                                                               I-E
                           Introduction                                                          2-E
                           Major Natural Resource Issues and Resource
                            Management Activities                                                4-E
                                 Water Supply Protection and Management                          4-E
                                 Water Quality Protection and Management                         5-E
                           Natural Systems Protection and Management                             7-E
                                 Air Resources Management                                        9-E
                                 Compliance and Enforcement                                      10-E
                           Planning Initiatives, and Management Committees                       11-E
                           References                                                            12-E








                                             Contents (Cont.)






              R Suwannee River Ecosystem Management Area

                    Introduction                                                     I-F
                    Background                                                       I-F
                    Agencies Involved tin the Suwannee Watershed                     3-F
                    Ecosystem Management Issues/Implementation Strategies            4-F
                           Coordinating government programs                          4-F
                           Coordinating planning and management
                             activities between Florida and Georgia                  5-F
                           Water Quality M%--nagement                                6-F
                           Habitat Protection                                        8-F
                           Integrating land use planning, water
                             resource planning and ecosystem management              10-F
                           Water quantity management                                 12-F
                     Q     Environmental education and public information            13-F
                    References                                                       14-F
























                                          Ecosystem Management

                      An integrated approach to management of Florida's biological and
               physical env ironments--conducted through the use of tools such as planning, IanJ
               acquisition, environmental education, regulation, and pollution prevention-
               designed to maintain, protect and improve the State's natural, managed, and
               human communities."










                          Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Area






                                              Contributors:


                                          Peter Rhoads, Director
                                       Ecosystem Restoration Office
                                 South Florida Water Management District

                                  Susan Olson, Florida Bay Coordinator
                                       Ecosystem Restoration Office
                                 South Florida Water Management District

                                           Ken Haddad, Chief
                                     Florida Marine Research Institute
                              Florida Department of Environmental Protection

                              Ernie Barnett, Water Management Adminstrator
                                   Office of Intergovernmental Programs
                              Florida Department of Environmental Protection

                                   John Hunt, Research Administrator II
                                     Florida Marine Research Institute
                              Florida Department of Environmental Protection


















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                                                                        Florida Bay Ecosystem
                                                                                                                    74 7S@,111















              Introduction

                    In contrast to most of the other Ecosystem Management Areas, Florida
              Bay and its immediate tributary areas have only recently become the subject of
              intensive research, concentrated interagency attention, and the funding necessary
              to resolve difficult environmental resource problems. Restoration and
              management of Florida Bay is an urgent and challenging issue from a variety of
              viewpoints-- including research, implementation, interagency coordination,
              funding and litigation. To date, governmental efforts have not demonstrated the
              speed and responsiveness commensurate with the problems of Florida Bay- One
              purpose of this document is to improve the response of state government to the
              Florida Bay crisis.

                    The Florida Bay ecosystem is changing in a dra-tic and catastrophic
              manner. Visual observations of widespread mortality of seagrass, turbid water
              associated with a die back, and the occurrence of large and sustained
              phytoplankton blooms support this perception. Moreover, there is a coincident
              decline in the yield of commercial and sport fisheries. These observations have
              prompted many concerned citizens to conclude that Florida Bay is dying
              (Everglades Coalition, 1993). A recent report (Boesch et al, 1993), examined
              eleven hypotheses andidentifieda variety of causal factors in which more
              information is needed to determine causes and effectively guide restoration.

                    Significant hydrologic changes have occurred within the    tributary
              watersheds of Florida Bay, primarily as a result of public flood control efforts.
              The Taylor Slough basin, (ref. map) has experienced a significant decrease in
              water levels and in the duration of inundation (hydroperiod). Restoration of
              water levels and hydroperiods in Taylor Slough and the Eastern Panhandle C- I I I
              .basin will benefit the ecosystem of Northeast Florida Bay (Boesch et al, 1993).

                    As a result of the high level of public concern, several governmental
              agencies are focusing attention on Florida Bay. The Federal Task Force, headed
              by an Assistant Secretary of the Interior, and with comparable appointees from
              other federal agencies and departments, was formed in 1993 to coordinate federal
              activities. A Management Working Group, Sub Groups and area-specific
              committees were created to implement the charge. In addition, an-Interagency
              Work Group was formed by Everglades National Park (ENP) that includes
              federal and state and local scientists to define research needs for Florida Bay.
              The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary (spon     sored by NOAA) includes


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                  Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan




                  portions of Florida Bay, and its Steering Committee also is active     in guiding
                  m.,lnagement of the sanctuary, with accompanying adverse effects on Florida Bav.

                         At the State level, the involved agencies are coordinated through the
                  Interagency Management Committee (DCA, DEP, Governor's Office,
                  Department of Commerce, FGFFC, Marine Fisheries Commission, and others).
                  The Coastal Management Citizens Advisory Committee is focusing on Florida
                  Bay. The South Florida Water Management District operates and maintains the
                  Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project as local sponsor for the
                  Corps of Engineers, in addition to carrying out a variety of other water
                  management tasks, such as administering the Bay Watch contract. The
                  Department,of Environmental Protection is currently developing a state        Council
                  composed of,state agencies and others to recommend improvements regarding
                  Florida Bay.

                         Locally, the South Florida Regional Planning Council has formed a Florida
                  Bay Committee to address Florida Bay issues. In addition, a coalition of Florida
                  Keys interest groups have joined to form the Water Quality Joint Action Group
                  focus on Florida Bay and the Marine Sanctuary.

                         The role of such groups as the Everglades Coalition, the Nature
                  Conservancy, other groups and various individuals are a significant influence on
                  the course of events within the Florida Bay Area. Indeed, these organizations
                  and individuals have been a key forcing function in galvanizing government inco
                  action.

                         Ecosystem Management in Florida Bay and its immediate tributary
                  watersheds is focusing on three key areas: intergoverrimental coordination,
                  restoration rese arch and monitoring, and hydroperiod and water quality
                  restoration. In addition to the information deficiencies identified by the Boesch
                  panel and the various groups addressing research, restoration of the hydroperiod
                  and the water quality of Taylor Slough is a criti-cal issue. Of perhaps greatest
                  importance, however, is the need to coordinate the efforts of the various
                  interagency groups working towards. the restoration of Florida Bay. These issu,,@*@
                  and implementation steps are identified in subsequent sections.






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             Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



             Management Area

                   To accomplish a fully implemented ecosystem management approach to
             Florida Bay and the Southern Everglades, the entire Everglades Ecosystem from
             Lake Okeechobee to Florida Bay and the Florida Keys must be considered.
             However, to initiate and demonstrate the process of ecosystem management two
             drainage basins--Taylor Slough and the C-I 11 canal sub-basin-have been
             selected for focus along with Florida Bay (see Map). Ultimately, the entire
             Everglades system must be considered if Florida Bay is to be protected.

                   The Taylor Slough drainage basin is formed by an extension of the. Miami
             Coastal Ridge southeast and a southeast/ northeast ridge known as Long Pine Key
             (Schomer and Drew, 1982). The Taylor Slough headwaters are partially located
             within the Everglades National Park, but most of the headwaters are within
             private ownership known as the East Everglades. To the east and south of the
             main stem of Taylor Slough is the C-I I I canal sub-basin. The natural resources
             of C- I I I and Taylor Slough drainage basins reflect a system of modified
             hydrologic regimes and land-use alterations.

             Natural Systems

                   The natural system includes hardwood hammock forest, thicket and shrubs.
             sawgrass prairie and tree islands, pine woods, and sawgrass and mulhy marsh.
             The upper basin of Taylor Slough has been significantly modified and is
             dominated by agricultural land and urban sprawl. The C-I I I canal system is a
             major water conveyance system that bifurcates the Taylor Slough and C-I I I
             basin -and terminates in the eastern Florida Bay, Barnes Sound. The C- I I I cana I
             -system is part of the greater Everglades canal system but is locally effective in
             maintaining lowered water tables to prevent urban and agricultural flooding. The
             conveyance system has significantly reduced the volume and timing of water in
             Taylor Slough and the CA I I drainage area and has allowed large discharges
             through the C- I I I canal to Barnes Sound. Altered hydroperiods have initiated
             in some cases, changes in the conditions of the natural landscape and in animal
             populations such as wading birds and amphibians.

                   Florida Bay is a key link in the Everglades/Florida Bay/Florida Keys
             ecosystem and lies between Cape Sable, the southernmost point of Florida's
             mainland, and the Florida Keys, encompassing some 1000 square miles of
             shallow marine and estuarine waters. The Bay supports the second largest area
             of critical seagrass habitat in the U.S, has abundant mang rove and salt marsh


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                   Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



                   habitat, and has a complex of hardbottom and sponge communities. These
                   habitats are critical Juvenile nursery habitat for many species both economically
                   and ecologically important to.south Florida including pink shrimp and spiny
                   lobster.


                   Issues

                   1) Intergovernmental Coordination
                     Discussion
                         There are more than a dozen interagency groups on the local, state, and
                   federal levels devoting time and energy to restoration of Florida Bay. A major
                   part of their effort is restoration of this water body tosome semblance of a
                   to natural". condition. Although their implementation plans have severall key po*inLs
                   in common, none of these groups has attempted a broad-based, process-driven,
                   coordination process.

                         Both the Department and the SFWMD have independently concluded thaL
                   facilitation of interagency research and management is an important part of their
                   charge with respect to Florida Bay. Thus far, the responsibility has been taken
                   by the federal government, but several legal bottlenecks have kept state agencies
                   from being full partners in some of the federal efforts. The two primary agencies
                   must take on this important responsibility for Florida Bay.

                   This proposal puts forth a multi-step effort to achieve the following goals:
                         9 broad-based education and communication regarding the current
                         state of understanding of the science of Florida Bay;
                         0 comp  letion of a vision/mission/strategy effort, designed to clarify
                         objectives, and ensure consistency between' agencies, environmental
                         groups and "concerned citizens"
                         0 assessment of each agency's role and objectives in the
                         management plan for Florida Bay; and      -
                         0 a carefully crafted implementation plan, based on the work
                         defined above.

                   Implementation

                         Proposed Actions:
                         DEP and the South Florida Water Management District staff will:

                           assess current activities by agency and discipline; by 3/94


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            Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



                     determine strengths and deficiencies of current processes-, by 4/94

                   0 develop a working plan to build.on strengths/resolve deficiencics
                   by 5/94
                     bring plan forward for approval by DEP hierarchy and District
                   Governing. Board b,y 6/94

                   The next action steps will begin the actual vision/mission/strategy work to
            build a coalition of agencies, environmental groups, and concerned citizens.

                   Proposed Actions:
                   DEP and SFWMD staff will:
                   0 utilize a working plan to outline the process for the
                   vision/mission/strategy work; by 8/94
                   ï¿½ identify facilitators and share working plan with them; by 8/94
                   0 develop v/m/s process and schedule; by 9/94
                   ï¿½ implement process and develop feedback mechanisms to ensure
                   success; by 11/94

            Upon completion of these tasks, and approval of the implementation plan, the
            next step will be to secure funding from appropriate sources (ie. Legislature,
            Governing Board, etc). When the funding is secured, DEP and SFWMD
            technical staff willbegin preparation of the technical implementation plan. It will
            be the responsibility of this group to accomplish the following:

                   0 define appropriate methods to achieve the various projects (ie. RFP,
            contract, grants, other mechanisms) and develop a time line for implementation-,
            by 1/95
                   0 "implement funding of various projects; by 5/95
                   0 recommend strategies to ensure effective coordination and
            communication of results obtained from the work, including a newsletter,
            electronic bulletin board, or similar vehicle for communication (ongoing)
                   0 ensure the various agencies carry through in their commitments for
            implementation (ongoing)

            Future Actions or Needs
                   0 The most important outcome of these actions will be coordination of the
            various agencies' efforts to avoid redundancy or significant misses in research,
            management and other related actions. The best way to accomplish this is a


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                   Florida Bay Ecosystem Managem@nt Plan



                   central database for ALL Florida Bay information. A key discussion item In the
                   near term will be creation of such a data base, input and output accessible by all
                   participating agencies and individuals. A secondary, but no less crucial item will
                   be a public education plan that ensures that research findings and subsequent
                   management plans receive broad-based dissemination to all appropriate parties.
                         0 Create a working group to develop a program that will tie the entire
                   Everglades system into the effort to protect Florida Bay.

                   2) Restoration Research and Monitoring
                    Discussion

                         Although the Everglades Ecosystem has received considerable attention
                   over the last several decades, Florida Bay still is poorly understood. It did not
                   receive adequate consideration when the South Florida water delivery system \X as
                   designed. A series of catastrophic events have occurred in the Bay that have
                   ecological and economic consequences and reflect the need for an ecosystem
                   approach to management.

                         Habitat and associated wildlife have been experiencing unprecedented
                   cfiange in Florida Bay. A seagrass die-off was first observed in 1987. By 1991).
                   nearly 63,000 acres of turtle grass (Thalassia) had been lost. Although die-off
                   events have been poorly monitored and documented since 1990, an estimated
                   100,000 acres of total seagrass have,been. lost. Blooms of microalgae are
                   occurring with increasing frequency and intensity. These blooms have become a
                   more widespread and persistent feature of the Bay and may be having devastaLing
                   effects on many benthic communities. Associated with the algal blooms, spom:@:
                   mortality has occurred from Everglades National Park to Marathon; many a r;2 -, -
                   have experienced a 100% mortality of all sponge species. Mangroves on islar-.,:
                   and the mainland in the central region of Florida Bay have been dying since
                   1991. These and other fundamental changes in the Florida Bay landscape are
                   linked to reduced abundance of pink shrimp and juvenile spiny lobsters and ma,.
                   be affecting a range of dependent species.

                         The Florida Bay and Everglades Ecosystem is complex. C       onsidering th-,.
                   importance of Florida Bay, we have comparatively little scientific information
                   about its problems and the exact causes (Boesch, et al, 1993). Many
                   compounding factors related to natural cycles and man's intervention are noL
                   documented. However, there is unanimous agreement that the historical flo%@..
                   timing of flow, or distribution of freshwater to Florida Bay has been altered.
                   that these changes are damaging the Bay.


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             Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



                    Water delivery to Taylor Slough and the C- I I I sub-basin upstream of the
             Bay are of special concern. Everglades water management has created a.
             long-term reduction in freshwater entering Taylor Slough and the C-1 I I basin,
             altering the seasonal timing of flow and the location of water delivery. This has
             contributed to marine and hypersaline conditions. These changes are thought to
             be contributing to the biological changes in.the northeastern Bay.

                    A number of factors may be involved in the various ecosystem
             perturbations being observed. (Boesch et at, 1993) To effectively describe the
             events, elucidate cause and effect, and ensure long-term corrective measure's a
             multi-government-agency, private-science-based effort must be maintained and
             coordinated. A multi-agency science group has drafted a research and
             monitoring program that recommends specific objectives leading to ecosystem
             restoration:
                    0 developing an understanding of the condition of Florida Bay prior to
                    significant alteration by man;
                    .0 separating anthropogenic induced changes in Florida Bay from natural
                    system variation,
                    0 developing a basic understanding of the ecology of.Florida Bay and,
                    0,,developing the capability to predict the response to perturbation of a
                    suite of species which collectively may be considered "representative" of
                    Florida Bay.

             Implementation
                    The DEP and the SFWMD are dedicated to making significant
             contributions to building the scientific knowledge necessary for science-based
             understanding, management, and restoration of the ecosystem. The Interagency
             Working Group on Florida Bay has identified four priority research and
             monitoring topics for implementation. The DEP and WMD are contributing to
             these.four priority topics as follows:

             Topic  1. Assess water budgets, circulation dynamics, and salinity to determine
                    1) the relationship of surface and ground water flows through the
                    Everglades to the salinity of Florida Bay, 2) the effect of the relative lack
                    of storms over the past three decades on the build-up of sediments,
                    nutrients, and organic material in the Bay, and 3) the effects of increased
                    residence time of water due to restrictions to flow through channels
                    between the Florida Keys, shoaling, and reduced freshwater inflows.




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                   Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



                          Proposed Actions:
                          0 Determine the long-term net water transport patterns linking Florida Ba@,
                   with the Gulf of Mexico and link these patterns to external wind, tidal and
                   oceanic forc'ing.. Results from this research will be incorporated into a broader
                   circulation model of Florida Bay. Sponsored by DER Start: February 1994.
                          0 Determine sediment history in Florida Bay and. conduct coral dating for
                   historical salinity analyses, using isotope dating. Sponsored by SFWMD. Start
                   Date: mid-1994
                          0 Analyze historical salinity, nutrients, food web variations by stable
                   isotopes, pigments, etc., in sediment. Sponsored by SFWMD. Start Date:
                   1996.  0 Salinity in Everglades National Parks. Sponsored by SFWMD. Start
                   Date: On-going.
                          0 Conduct circulation modeling of Florida Bay and conduct elevation
                   surveys of ENP platforms for circulation studies. Sponsored by SFWMD.           S@a-,
                   Date: requests for proposals in preparation.


                   Topic 2. Assess water quality and nutrient cycling to determine 1) the sourcc,.
                          quantities, and ecological effects of "external nutrients" introduced ir
                          Florida Bay, 2) the rates of nutrient exchange between the sediments and
                          water column within Florida Bay and what controls the magnitude and
                          direction of these fluxes, 3) therates of nutrient assimilation by
                          phytoplankton and what limits the growth of the phytoplankton assembla,_-t
                          and, 4) the sources, quantities, and effects of toxic pollutants introduced
                          into the Florida Bay ecosystem.

                          Proposed Actions:
                          0 Map and correlate microalgal bloom event in relation to basic physil.-I
                   and chemical variables and identify nutrient sources and fluxes that may
                   blooms. DEP is conducting or sponsoring the phytoplankton studies and
                   cooperating with BAYWATCH and existing nutrient sampling efforts funded lh%
                   the SFWMD. Ongoing.
                          0 Determine the ambient waterquality and nutrient levels in the wesc@:.--.
                   portion of Florida Bay. DEP and SFWMD are sponsoring this study. Start
                   Date: February 1994.
                          0 Determine ambient water quality and nutrient levels    in Florida Bay  i,', P
                   boundaries. Sponsored by SFWMD. Start Date: on-going.
                          0 Develop a citizen based algal bloom monitoring program for Flori,_;.]
                   called BAYWATCH. Sponsored by SFWMD. Start Date: February 1994


                                                            8-C








          Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plah



          Topic 3. Assess seagrass, mangrove, and hardbottom habitats to determine 1.).
               environmental factors significant to seagrass physiology, growth and
               reproduction and determine to what degree a synergy between these has
               resulted in their distribution and caused the recent die-off, 2)
               environmental factors significant to mangrove physiology, growth and
               reproduction and how they have affected distribution within the Florida
               Bay ecosystem and 3) the cause and consequence of sponge die-off and
               subsequent alteration of hardbottom communities.

               Proposed Actions:
               e Determine the present distribution and abundance of benthic
          macrophy-tes and compare the present conditions with conditions ten years
          before, assess the vigor of turtle grass, and determine the severity and recovery
          potential of mangrove die-off. DEP is conducting or sponsoring these studies.
          Ongoing.
               * Evaluate the effects of changing lobster nursery habitat (sponge did-off)
          on recruitment to'the fishery and develop a predictive capability regarding habitat
          change and lobster populations. DEP is conducting and sponsoring this study.
          Ongoing.
               9 Determine seagrass response to salinity and nutrients. Conducted by
          SFWMD and cooperative agreement. Start Date: Mid-1994.
               0 Biology in Joe Bay and Long Sound. Sponsored by SFWMD. Ongoing.

          Topic 4. Assess living resources to determine 1) -changes in the distribution and
               abundance of living resources as a result of habitat change, 2) whether
               habitat degradation is causing reduced fisheries productivity reflected in
               recreational and commercial landings since the.1960's, 3) if reduced
               availability of resources has resulted in declines in populations of protected
               speci  in the Bay and adjacent coastal wat-rs, 4) whether the quality of
                   ies
               water from Florida Bay is contributing to degradation of the coral.reef tract
               and, 5) whether changes in Bay habitat have caused declines in bird
               abundance and diversity.

               .Proposed- Actions:
               0 Establish baseline data on distribution patterns of fauna prior to
          rest.oration efforts and continue sampling to evaluate change in fauna[.'
          communities as restoration proceeds. Conducted by DER Ongoing.
               0 Identify, collate and synthesize information on temperature and salinity
          tolerances of recreationally important species in Florida Bay and evaluate the



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               Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



               potential effects of restoration on these specie s. Conducted and sponsored by
               DER Ongoing.

               Future Actions or Needs

                      10 Increase research and monitorin  g efforts in Florida Bay through a DEP
               legislative budget request in the 1994 legislature and by DEP and SFWMD using
               collective resources to leverage additional fedcral contributions to the science
               programs of the south Florida ecosystem. Sponsored by DEP and SFWMD
                      0 Establish a GIS oriented data management system that fosters data
               exchange and cooperative analysis for science based resource management of the
               region. Sponsored by DEP and SFWMD.
                      ï¿½ Initiate a re-mapping of the benthic communities of Florida Bay.
                      ï¿½ Establish a monitoring program in Taylor Slough and the C-1 I I
               sub-basin to adequately define hydrologic regimes and change in those regimes.

               3) Hydroperiod and Water Quality Restoration Through Land Acquisition

                      Discussion

                      Historic water management practices are contributing to the alteration of
               the hydroperiod of the Taylor Slough., The red uked freshwater flows and
               alteration of the pre-development quality, quantity and timing of freshwater 'into
               the system are thought to be a major contributing factor to the hypersallne
               conditions and abrupt salinity changes in Florida Bay.

                      Hydrop,eriod restoration will require an integrated approach combining
               engineering and land acquisition. However, a consensus approach to the
               ,engineering design has not been reached. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
               preliminary draft of the C- I I I General Re-evaluation Report (GRR) proposed      a
               series of alternatives designed to enhance hydroperiod restoration to Taylor
               Slough and the C-1 I I canal. The proposed alternatives involve a land acquisiticn
               component. A flexible process to purchase the lands required for.implementacicl-1
               of the approved Army Corps of Engineers alternative when finalized is lacking

                      Two state land acquisition programs acquire lands necessary. for
               restoration, the Conservation and Recreation Lands program administered h%-
               Department of Environnicntal Protection, and the Save Our Rivers Progralli
               administered by the South Florida Water Management District. Innovativk2.
               flexible                          ust be developed for both of these prov
                        acquisition strategies M                                          ranl"


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            Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



            For either program to purchase lands, the land must be part of an approved
            project. Fortunately, the East Everglades CARL project and the Frog
            Pond/L-3 IN SOR project, both considered critical to restoration of Taylor
            .Slough and Florida Bay, are existing approved projects.

                   The East Everglades CARL Acquisition proj ect.comp rises 100,563 acres in
            westem   'Dade County. The project borders Everglades National Park and is
            considered critical to the park's ecosystems. East Everglades serves as a water
            storage area that will prevent flooding and serves as a recharge area for well
            fields in south Dade County. The East Everglades CARL project has a pending
            addition which overlaps the Frog Pond/L-3 IN Transition Lands Save-Our-Rivers
            (SOR)  project. The East Everglades addition is a 15,435 acre study area
            consisting of three separately named but spatially continuous parcels: the
            Ei'ght-and-a-half Square Mile Area, the L-3 IN Buffer Strip (also called the Rocky
            Glades), and the Frog Pond. Over 95% of the area is disturbed to the extent that
            the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (FNAI) does not classify the area as a
            natural community. The natural communities remaining on each of the three
            parcels have been subject to a variety of differing land uses ranging from very
            limited disturbance tocomplete removal of natural communities as a consequence
            of extensive and ongoing agricultural enterprises. Associated     'with this variation
            in land uses are changes to the natural topography of each area.

                   The Frog Pond/L-31N SOR project is located within the boundaries of the
            larver East Everglades CARL project. These lands have been identified in one or
            more of the Army Corps of Engineers GRR alternatives as having crucial
            importance to the restoration of more normal hydrologic conditions in the eastern
            part of Everglades National Park and to the principle freshwater feature of the
            park, Taylor Slough. It is widely held by local, state, and national scientists that
            an increase in surface water levels and flows from and through the historic
            headwaters of Taylor Slough is necessary to reestablish natural conditions in
            nor theast Florida Bay.

                   There is no consensus on which, if any, additional parcels of land not
            included in a CARL or SOR project are needed to restore the hydroperiod and
            water quality of the area. Identification of these lands needs to be coordinated
            with on-going restoration planning activities.






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                   Florida Bay Ecosystem Management Plan



                   Implementation

                         Proposed Actions:
                           Support the SFWMD initiative to add the Frog Pond and L-31 N
                   Transition Lands to the East Everglades CARL Project. (DEP; February 1994).
                         0 Support legislative initiatives to use CARL trust fund dollars to be used
                   on a dollar-for-dollar matching basis with the SFWMD funds to purchase lands ir
                   the Frog Pond, the L-31N Transition Lands, and any additional lands needed for
                   the primary purpose of Taylor Slough/Florida Bay restoration. (DEP &
                   SFWMD; June 1994)
                         0 Coordinate land acquisition efforts between DEP and SFWMD.
                   Formalize with agreement. (June 1994)
                       @ 9 Identify, jointly with Army Corps of Engineers and the National Parks
                   Service,, additional parcels of lands which may be needed for implementation of
                   restoration activities. (DEP & SFWMD; September 1994)
                         0 Pursue adding identified projects to the CARL and SOR lists or amend
                   existing project -boundaries. (DEP & SFWMD February,, 1995)
                        .0 Establish flexible strategy for land acquisition to purchase lands requirecl
                   for implementation of the approved C-1 I I GRR alternative, when finalized and
                  ,J future Taylor Slough/Florida Bay restoration plans. (DEP & SFWMD; June
                   1995)
                         *-Cooperatively develop and implement Taylor Slough and Florida Bay
                   restoration plans with SFWMD, Corps of Engineers, Everglades National Pa@rk,
                   and Department of Environmental Protection. (DEP & SFWMD; June 1999)

                   Future Actions or Needs


                           Investigate and develop inno vative permitting processes that facill
                   restoration projects that have a- net environmental benefit.













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                                   1994 REPORT
                        INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP
               ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE



                          DRAFT: AUGUST 19, 1994











           On September 23, 1993, a five-year Interagency Agreement on South
           Florida Ecosystem Restoration was signed by the Departments of
           Interior, Commerce, Army, Justice, and Agriculture, and the
           Environmental Protection Agency. The task force resulting from
           this agreement coordinates "the development of consistent
           policies, strategies, plans, programs and priorities for
           addressing the concerns of the South Florida ecosystem." It has
           tasked an 11-member working group with responsibility annually to
           formulate and recommend to the task force management policies,
           strategies, plans, programs, and priorities for ecosystem .
           restoration and maintenance. A draft of this first annual report
           follows. Th e working group recognizes that significant
           improvements may'need to be made prior to the final transmission
           of this report, ranging from addition of suitable graphics and
           maps to substantive changes in content.


           working draf t 8119194











                                 DRAFT 1994 REPORT
                         '33qTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP
                 ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION AND MAINTENANCE



                                Table of Contents


            Section                                                          Pacre


            NOTE TO REVIEWEERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   X

            1.  From Kissimmee Through the Keys: Introduction To The Problemx
                A. introduction
                B. Partners In The Solution

            -71. Mosaic of Water, Land and People: Understanding The Problem.x
                A.  The Natural System
                B.  History of Change
                C.  Other Forces That Shaped The System
                D.  The Ecosystem Today
                E.  Restoration issues
                F.  Sustainability: Balancing Environment and Use
                G.  Ecosystem Management Objectives

            ZII. Building Blocks of Restoration: Defini   ng Ecosystem
                    Restoration, Protec-tion. and Maintenance . . . . . . . .  x
                A.  The Altered Ecosystem
                B.  Process of Restoration
                C.  Establishing A Restoration Direction
                D.  Achieving Restoration
                E.  Conceptual Foundation of Restoration
                F.  Regional Restoration Success Criteria
                G.  Evaluation Process for Success Restoration
                H.  Requirements For Annual Evaluation Process

            XV. Working Group Activities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .    x

            V.  Working Group Recommendations  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   x
                A. Sustainability
                B. Agency Coordination
                C. Expediting Restoration
                D.  Water Quality and Supply
                E.  Wetland Permitting and Mitigation Strategy
                F.  Habitat Restoration and Recovery Plan
                G.  Land Based Protection
                H.  Science Program

            working draft 81.29194           2










                                       APPENDICES



            A. Progress in Task Force Initiatives      . . . . . . . . . . .  A-1

            B.   Sustainability   . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  B-1

            C.   Coordinating Agency Positions and Actions   . . . . . . . .  C-1

            D.   Expediting Corps Restoration Projects   . . . . . . . . . .  D-1

            E.   Water Supply Issues
                     Agricultural, Urban, and Ecosystem Needs     . . . . . . E-1

            F.   Water Quality Management Strategies   . . . . . . . . . . .  F-1

            G.   Comprehensive Wetland Permitting
                     and Mitigation Strategy  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   G-1

            H.   Harmful Non-indigenous Plants and Animals   . . . . . . . .  H-1

            1.   Habitat Restoration and Management Plan Addressing
                     the Decline of Native Flora and Fauna   . . . . . . . .  I-1

            J.   Multi-species Recovery Plan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   J-1
  t
            K.   Habitat Restoration and Management Plan for Near Coastal
                     Waters   . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  K-1

            L.   Support Land Based Protection Strategy    . . . . . . . . .  L-1

            M.   Coordinated Ecosystem Based Science Program   . . . . . . .  M-1

            N.   Public Information/Education/Involvement    . . . . . . . .  N-1

            0.   State and Local Partnerships    . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  0-1

            P.   Bureau of Indian Affairs Perspective  . . . . . . . . . . .  P-1

            Q.   Integrated Financial Plan  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   Q-1










            working draft 81191-94
                                              3

  t i














                                     LIST OF ACRONYXS



           ADID         Advances Identification
           AF           acre-feet
           APHIS        Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
           ARS          Agricultural Research Service
           ATLSS        Across Tropic Levels System Simulation
           BIA          Bureau of Indian Affairs
           BMP          Best Management Practice
           CARL         Conservation and Recreational Lands Program
           cfs          cubic feet per second
           COE          Corps of Engineers
           DEIS         Draft Environmental Impact Statement
           DEP          Florida Department of Environmental Protection
           DOA          Department of Army
           DOC          Department of Commerce
           DOI          Department of Interior
           DOT          Department of Transportation
           EA           Environmental Assessment
           EAA          Everglades Agricultural Area
           EIS          Environmental Impact Statement
           ENP          Everglades National Park
           EPA          Environmental Protection Agency
           ET           evapotranspiration
           FACA         Federal Advisory Committee Act
           FEMA         Federal Emergency Management Agency
           FWS          U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
           Fy           fiscal year
           GEIS         Generic Environmental Impact Statement
           GFC          Game and Fish Commission
           GIS          geographic information system
           IFAS         Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
           LOTAC        Lake Okeechobee Technical Advisory Committee
           MDWASA       Metropolitan Dade Water and Sewer Authority
           mg           milligram
           mgd          million gallons per day
           mg/L         milligram per liter
           NBS          National Biological  Survey
           XG0          non-governmental organization
           XGVD         National Geodetic Vertical Datum
           NMFS         National Marine Fisheries Service
           NOAA         National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
           NPDES        National Pollution Discharge Elimination System
           NPS          National Park Service
           OMB          Office of Management and Budget
           ppb          parts per billion
           ppm          parts per million
           SCS          Soil Conservation Service
           .SFWMD       South Florida Water Management District

           working draft 8119194










            SJRWMD      St Johns River Water Management District
            SOR         Save Our Rivers
            SRF         Systematic Reconnaissance Flights
            STA         stormwater treatment area
            swim        Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan
            TMP         Technical Mediated Plan
            TOC         Technical Oversight Committee
            TMDF        total maximum daily flow
            USDA        U.S. Department of Agriculture
            USGS        U.S. Geological Survey
            WCA         Water Conservation Area
            WES         Waterways Experiment Station, COE





































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                                            5











                                NOTE TO REVIEWERS


            On September 23, 1993, a five-year Interagency Agreement on South
            Florida Ecosystem Restoration was signed by the Departments of
            Interior, Commerce, Army, Justice, and Agriculture, as well as
            the Environmental Protection Agency. This agreement was a first-
            -a. federal effort formally establishing the South Florida
            Eizosystem, Restoration Task Force made up of assistant secretaries
            and taking on responsibility for coordinating the development of
            "consistent policies, strategies, plans, programs and priorities
            for addressing the concerns of the south Florida ecosystem."

            To help accomplish this, the Task Force established a management
            and coordination team, known as the Interagency Working Group,
            comprised of 11 agency managers with management and/or regulatory
            responsibilities in south Florida. This group was charged with
            developing and submitting a south Florida ecosystem restoration
            report to the Task Force within a year.

            To accomplish this task, the Interagency Working Group appointed
            three sub-groups: on science, on infrastructure, and on
            management. These groups were responsible for reporting back to
            the Working Group, as well as contributing to the development of
            federal ecosystem strategies and coordination in south Florida.
            The Working Group also met regularly as its members began the
            cc=lex and intensive process required to produce the following
            report.

            As you read, keep in mind the nature of this report.
            Requirements of the Federal Advisory Committees Act have made it
            dtfficult for the Interagency Working Group to quickly and
            comprehensively incorporate the resources and experience of all
            levels of government currently involved in south Florida land and
            natural resource management issues. Numerous state and local
            groups have been working for years on land and water issues
            Unked to Florida's agricultural, ecological and recreational
            interests. For years individual federal agencies have been
            involved with them on various projects. However, these projects
            have not been carried out within the framework of an ecosystem
            management strategy. Such a framework is only now beginning to
            evolve. The federal Task Force is one avenue through which
            ecosystem restoration is being approached.   The Governor's
            Commission for a Sustainable South Florida, the'Man and the
            EELosphere program, the ecosystem management by the Florida
            Department of Environmental Protection, and  the work of the South
            Florida Water Management District are other  prominent efforts.


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            Think of these groups as operating on parallel tracks, connected
            by their efforts on behalf of sustainability and ecosystem
            restoration rather than by a single mandate or mechanism tasking
            them to carry out a mutual set of goals. If you can picture
            this, you will have a better sense of the complex level of
            activity in south Florida today as parallel interests attempt to
            converge.
            Contributing to this convergence, the Interagency Working Group
            has begun to hold its public meetings in conjunction with the
            Governor's Commission on Sustainable Development to encourage
            close coordination and wide attendance, while avoiding as much
            duplication as possible. The goal is to generate an atmosphere
            in which information is shared freely and communication takes
            place effectively. Certainly, much remains to be done before all
            the ecosystem-related efforts and the groups responsible for
            carrying them out coalesce behind a unified vision and a
            coordinated effort. However, coincidentally scheduling public
            Working Group meetings is an important step in.that direction.

            in the meantime, this draft report is intended as a starting
            point for comment. The Working Group intends to reach out to
            south Florida groups through the public comment process, drawing
            on a full range of expertise that, to date, has been unavailable.
            Comments received will be considered in the report finally
            adopted and transmitted to the Task Force, the first of five
            annual reports by the Interagency Working Group.

            The purpose of this draft is to indicate how far the work  of the
            participating federal agencies has gone and where those agencies
            stand in developing a strategy and in carrying out their
            responsibilities to the south Florida ecosystem. Undoubtedly,
            there are gaps in information, recommendations and issues being
            worked on by other entities that may be more fully addressed this
            year as a result of public comment, or developed in next year's
            report or the ones that follow.

            The Interagency Task Force, through its Interagency Working
            Group, is not yet in a position to propose a comprehensive, fully
            integrated restoration plan for the south Florida ecosystem.
            That will come as the result of ever-closer relationships and
            consensus with non-federal groups also carrying out ecosystem
            restoration.   However the Working Group is making a series of
            recommendations that should lead toward the development of that
            plan as well as continue coordinated steps toward ecosystem
            protection. In addition to this report, the Interagency Working
            Group has completed the first Task Force initiative-to assist the
            Corps of Engineers with their reconnaissance study of the Central
            and Southern Florida Flood Control Project (Appendix A).

            As you read, be aware that a multiplicity of activity is

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          occurring throughout south Florida--that the energy and necessity
          motivating ecosystem restoration is occurring at the state and
          local levels as well as throughout the scientific community.
          Since this report is strictly a federal effort, it does not
          reflect the important contributions of these other groups.
          P-lease be aware that these other efforts exist as you consider
          the following report and its recommendations. Make your voice
          hemrd by providing ideas on how to improve the federal effort,   as
          well as how better to integrate it with state and local
          government. Those involved in the federal effort recognize that
          full restoration of the south Florida ecosystem cannot be
          accomplished until local, state, scientific, and federal efforts
          are combined.

          We look forward to hearing from you between now and mid-September
          regarding this year's reporz. We hope to continue hearing from
          you as matters arise that you feel require cur attention.


                                  Management and Coordination Working Group






























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            1.  FROM KISSIMMEE THROUGH THE KEYS: INTRODUCTION To THE PROBLEM

            A.  Introduction

                water is life in south Florida--from the head waters of
            the Kissimmee to the end of the Florida Keys, which define
            the ecosystem. For the area's animal and plant populations,
            as well as its human community, clean, abundant water has
            been fundamental to prosperity and growth. Yet urban
            development of south Florida during the past 100 years has
            altered natural processes, and shifted the centuries-old
            relationship between land and water.
                Channelization of water flow and drainage, as well as
            the filling of wetlands--long accepted means for land
            de-velopment--have gradually altered natural communities and
            the hydrologic regime. Over the past years, the south
            Florida ecosystem has shown increasing signs of stress, with
            a severe loss of its wading birds, and 56 plant and animal
            species either threatened with, or endangered by,
            extinction. wetlands loss, organic soils subsidence, exotic
            plant and animal invasions, and such catastrophic events as
            algal blooms, seagrass and mangrove die-offs, and coral
            diseases manifest ecosystem stress in south Florida at a
            time when protection of the area's drinking water supply, as
            well as its diverse plant and animal communities, depends on
            a stable, healthy system.
                Many regard the catastrophic changes in Florida Bay as
            harbingers.of south Florida's future, failing corrective
            action. From estuary to marine lagoon, the Bay now contains
            areas in which salinities exceed sea water strength, a
            condition that many feel has led to the loss of of thousands
            of acres of seagrass, continuing algal blooms, and fish
            kills.
                Before human intervention in the south Florida area, a
            stable, predictable hydrologic system sustained fish and
            wildlife populations and their habitat. Changes occurred
            when human populations required increased acreage of
            dependable dry land. Few realized the impact that lowering
            the water table could have on the overall system, only one
            of.'which was allowing sea water to flow into the estuaries
            and infiltrate parts of the fresh-water aquifer.
                Although resource managers now better understand the
            interconnectedness of the south Florida ecosystem, this
            understanding comes at a time when the area's human
            population has grown to slightly more than six million--
            about half Florida's total population. Attracted by the
            area's mild climate, they have contributed to the state's
            two most significant industries, agriculture and tourism.
                South Florida's mild temperatures provide an extended
            growing season which, in conjunction with effective water
            drainage, has made agriculture a year-round endeavor.
            Citrus, cattle, sugarcane and vegetable farming dominate,
            while commercial fishing for fin fish, shrimp, lobster and

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           crab lead the    ine industries.
               Tourism, the largest industry in South Florida, attracts
           international travelers to the eastern and western
           seaboards, as vell as to the Florida Keys. They come for
           diving, snorkeling, and recreational fishing, to relax in
           the. sun and enjoy the climate. They contribute
           approximately $77 milli= to the economy from recreational
           fishing. (need reference) The resulting economic growth,
           which has impacted population growth, has focused attention
           on infrastructure flood control and drinking water supply
           issues.
               Tourism and agriculture, as well as the quality of human
           life depend on environmental quality. But if human
           populations have altered the natural system, how can
           commerce and environmental quality coexist? Some have
           translated this dilemma into a debate between the economy
           and the environment. In reality, the two are so closely
           linked that the economy may not be sustainable if the
           ecosystem supporting it fails.
             The challenge of the Task Force on South Florida
           Ecosystem Restoration is to help propel the community of
           south Florida with its varied array of stake holders to a
           state of balance where human activities and a healthy
           environment coexist.


           B. Partners Xn The Solution

               The September 1993 signing of the Interagency Agreement
           on the South Florida Ecosystem led to the creation of the
           Task Force, as well as its Working Group, whose membership
           comprises various federal agencies., As a federal entity,
           the Interagency Working Group (IWG) conducts itself in
           accordance with the Federal Advisory Committees Act, which
           makes it difficult for the group to comprehensively
           incorporate the resources and experience of non-federal
           organizations currently involved in south Florida land
           management issues. Given the legislative limits within
           which it has been necessary to operate, the IWG still has
           attempted to encourage communication by keeping its meetings
           public. Formal partnership with the state of Florida, the
           South Florida Water Management District, the Florida
           Department of Environmental Protection, other state
           agencies, and local and tribal governments, as well as the
           public does not exist at the present time. However, federal
           IWG members recognize that full restoration of the south
           Florida ecosystem cannot be accomplished until local, state,
           scientific, and federal efforts are combined, and they are
           working toward that end. Indeed, public involvement in this
           restoration effort is critical, if change is to occur
           successfully at the grassroots level.
             In a very broad sense each resident of south Florida
           holds a stake in the process. The areal's two dominant
           industries, agriculture and tourism, depend on ecosystem

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            health. So does the quality of urban life. Adequate
            drinking water not only impacts the way Floridians live but
            also affects other components of the ecosystem. Certainly
            local, state and federal agencies with trustee
            responsibilities for south Florida's natural resources are
            vested in this effort. Working with the public for
            productive change, the following federal agencies play
            important roles as Working Group members:
            U. S. Department of Interior

               The National Park Service administers three national
            parks (Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas), and one
            national preserve (Big Cypress) in south Florida. It assists
            with state and local conservation and recreation planning.
               The Fish and Wildlife Sex-vice administers 10 national
            wildlife refuges, manages all actions under the Endangered
            Species Act, provides comments on comprehensive wetland
            programs including permitting, carries out authorities of
            the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act and enforces federal
            wildlife laws.
               National Biological Survey, a newly formed agency, is
            responsible for inventorying, monitoring,-and conducting
            research on biological resources.
               United States Geological Survey provides geologic,
            topographic, and hydrologic information.
               Bureau of Indian Affairs has trust responsibility for
            south Florida's federally recognized Miccosukee and Seminole
            Indian Tribes.

            U. S. Department of Commerce

               National oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
            has the trusteeship responsibilities for U. S. marine
            resources, and extensive research capabilities in marine and
            atmospheric research, some of which address south Florida
            is-sues. The agency has the following main line components:
               a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) reconciles
            conflicts between water resource projects and marine
            resources; handles review and permit processes pertaining to
            marine resources; consults, evaluates, and reports on marine
            species; protects cetaceans; and manages marine fishery
            resources.
               a. National Ocean Service (NOS) administers the Florida
              ya National Marine Sanctuary and administers the Coastal
            Mone. Management Program which provides assistance to states
            for planning.
               COAR has no information available.
               COP has no information available.

            U. S. Department of Agriculture

               Soil Conservation Sex-vice provides technical assistance

            working draf t 8/2-9/94
                                          3









           to farmers and ranchers; maps the nation's soils, and
           develops erosion-resistant plants; provides flood prevention
           and water conservation assistance for irrigation,
           recreation, wildlife habitat and other uses; and through
           local water TP ources research, enabling local governments
           and citizen groups to plan water-related needs.
             Agricultural Research Sex-vice (ARS) is the primary in-
           house research arm of the Department of Agriculture,
           carrying out research in categories ranging from soil, water
           and air to systems integration.

           U. S. Department of the Army

             U. S. A=y Cozps of Engineers (Coxps) has flood control
           authority in central and south Florida; and is responsible
           for water deliveries to Everglades National Park; for
           restoration of the Xissimmee River; and for studying the
           effects of modifying the Central and Southern Florida Flood
           Control Project on environmental quality, aquifer
           protection, and urban water conservation. Under the Clean
           Water Act the Corps issues all federal permits for dredge or
           fill of wetlands.

           U. S. Department of Justice

             U. S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of
           Florida represents federal agencies in judicial actions
           involving the United States in south Florida.

           U. S. Environmental Protection Agency

             The Environmental Protection Agency is charged with
           restoring and maintaining the chemical, physical and
           biological integrity of the nation's water, as well as
           permitting discharges. In addition, it is required to
           develop a water quality protection program for the Florida
           Keys National Marine Sanctuary, and to recommend priority
           corrective actions and compliance schedules addressing point
           and nonpoint pollution.

           mi.    MOSAIC OF WATER, LAND AM PEOPLE: UNDERSTANDING THE
                  PROBLEM


           A. The Natural System

             The south Florida ecosystem encompasses approximately
           28,000 square kilometers with at least 11 major
           physiographic provinces: Everglades, Big Cypress, Lake
           Okeechobee, Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay, Florida Reef Tract,
           nearshore coastal waters, Atlantic coastal ridge, Florida
           Keys, Immokalee Rise, and Kissimmee River valley. Kissimmee
           River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades form the

           wox,king draft 8129194
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            watershed that connect a mosaic of wetlands, uplands,
            coastal areas, and marine areas.
              Prior to drainage, which began in the late 1800s,
            wetlands covered most of central and southern Florida (Fig.
            1). The Everglades region, nearly flat and sloping slightly
            from east to west, was nevertheless heterogenous in
            landscape, sculpted by 5,000 years of hydrologic and
            biological evolution on a Pleistocene limestone platform. A
            circa 1850 military map (Ives 1856) provides the best
            template for determining pre-drainage conditions.
              The pre-drainage landscape was characterized by swamp
            forest; sawgrass plains; mosaics of sawgrass, tree islands,
            and ponds; marl-forming prairies dominated by periphyton;
            wet prairies dominated by Eleocharis and Nymphaea, cypress
            strands, pine flatwoods, pine rocklands, tropical hardwood
            hammocks, and xeric hammocks chiefly of oak. The estuarine-
            coastal system had its own identity: shallow seagrass beds,
            riverine and fringe mangrove forests, intertidal flats,
            coral reefs, hard bottom communities, mud banks, and
            shallow, open inshore waters. Land and water interconnected
            an a topographic gradient ranging from about 20 feet above
            mean sea level at Lake Okeechobee to below sea level at
            Florida Bay. Sustaining these communities was a hydrologic
            system that stored and released water on a large scale over
            a vast territory of diverse habitats, home to innumerable
            plants and animals.

            B. Histoxy of Change

              The first haphazard efforts in the late 1800s to drain
            portions of south Florida were followed in the early 1900s
            by the creation of the Everglades Drainage District,
            established to encourage Everglades drainage for
            agricultural and urban use, especially south of Lake
            Okeechobee in what is now the Everglades Agricultural Area
            (FAA). By 1929, 440 miles of canals and levees had been
            constructed, including four major canals draining
            southeastward from Lake Okeechobee to the Atlantic Ocean.
              In 1926 a hurricane swept water from Lake Okeechobee
            southward killing 400 to 500 people. In 1928 another
            hurricane killed 2,400 people living in farming communities
            within the EAA and the city of Okeechobee. Consequently,
            the federal government built Hoover Dike around a portion of
            Lake Okeechobee in the 1930s. Drought and subsequent fires
            prevailed until 1947, when two hurricanes inundated the
            region, causing about $60 million of property damage.
              Congress declared the need for a regional master plan
            balancing flood control and water supply protection. In
            1948, the Army Corps of Engineers assumed responsibility for
            a comprehensive state-federal water control program known as
            the Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project
            (C&SF) that would cover 15,000 square miles. Congress
            authorized $208 million.


            wozking draft 8129194
                                         5







             Designed and built by the Corps, the C&SF is maintained
          and operated both by the Corps and by the South Florida
          Water Management District, the local sponsor. It includes:

             0    990 miles of levees
             0    978 miles of canals
             0    30 pumping stations
             0    212 flood control or water diversion structures
             0    secondary water management systems constructed by
                  local interests.

             Costing approximately $1 billion, with much of the work
          completed during the 1950s and 1960s, C&SF work includes:
             0    channelization of the Kissimmee River into a 56-mile
                  canal with control structures
             0    a levee surrounding Lake Okeechobee (730 square
                  miles) with control structures, hurricane gates and
                  pumping stations
             0    encirclement of the 1000 square mile Everglades
                  Agricultural Area by canals and levees, with 7
                  pumping stations to provide forced drainage
             0    an east coast protective levee for urban flood
                  control extending from the eastern shore of Lake
                  Okeechobee 130 miles southward to Homestead
             0    local protective works along the developed lower
                  east coast
             0    three multi-purpose water Conservation Areas-one the
                  Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge-(totaling 1137
                  square miles) in the Everglades west of the east
                  coast levee with control structures to effect water
                  transfer, including transfer to Everglades National
                  Park

             Authorized project purposes include flood control, water
          supply, drainage, fish and wildlife preservation, Everglades
          NP water supply, recreation, navigation, and saltwater
          intrusion prevention. The C&SF Project was designed to
          accommodate the area's high evapotranspiration rates,
          significant overland flow, subsurface flow in highly
          transmissive aquifers, pronounced wet and dry seasons,
          drought, intense rainfall, tropical storms, low coastal
          elevations and other hydrologic characteristics. Complex
          water quality demands and growing environmental awareness
          made resolving conflicting priorities within the multi-
          purpose C&SF Project more and more difficult.

          C_ Othem Forces That Changed The System

             2. Population Growth: In the 1800s Seminoles and
          Miccosukees chiefly populated south Florida because floods
          and hurricanes discouraged the region's urban and
          agricultural development. Growth occurred only in such
          naturally well-drained areas as the Atlantic Coastal Ridge.

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                                        6








            In 1890 the population of the area presently encompassed by
            Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties was 861, while nearly
            all of the lower west coast population of 20,200 was located
            in Key West-in contrast to the current population of south
            Florida that numbers more than 6 million. The population of
            what became the South Florida Water Management District
            (SFWMD) was 32,000.
              Comprehensive flood control has helped to transform the
            area, expanding developable acreage, which resulted in
            increased population and appraised property value:
              0     The lower east coast population was about 215,000 in
                    1930, 694,000 in 1950, 2.2 million in 1970 and 4.0
                    million in 1990.
              0     The population of the 18 counties within SFWMD
                    boundaries was 727,097 in 1945, and 6.3 million in
                    1990.
              0     Population projections show south Florida tripling
                    within So years.
              0     The appraised property value was $1.2 billion in
                    1950, $240 billion in 1991.

              2. Land Use Conversions: Highly fragmented, the south
            Florlda ecosystem contains four wetland landscapes now
            reduced to remnants: the cypress strands fringing the
            western side of the Atlantic coastal ridge, the pond apple
            forest/swamp on the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee, the
            tall sawgrass plain of what is now the Everglades
            Agricultural Area (EAA), and the biologically important
            peripheral wet prairies (Davis et al. 1994).
              0     On the east coast ridge, only 10k of the former
                    rockland pinelands and 10k of the tropical hardwood
                    hammocks persist; stressed by a lowered water table
                    and introduced exotics, they are more vulnerable to
                    natural disasters.
              0     Compartmentalizing theIEverglades further fragmented
                    the system by creating a series of poorly connected
                    wetlands.
              0     Urbanization fragmented the upland systems and
                    placed stress on the ecosystem's water supply and
                    water storage capacity.
              0     Roughly 50k of the pre-drainage wetlands have been
                    lost to agricultural, industrial, and residential
                    development (Fig. ), especially the peripheral
                    (short hydroperiod) wetlands on the eastern side of
                    the Everglades, and continue to be incrementally
                    diminished by wetland permitting programs.
              0     Wetland loss has reduced landscape heterogeneity and
                    long-term population survival for vertebrate species
                    requiring extensive territory, among them wading
                    birds, snail kites, and panthers.
              0     Decreasing-the extent of south Floridas wetlands
                    has reduced the solar collector area feeding aquatic
                    productivity.

            working draf t 81.1-9194
                                          7








          By any measure of species richness, there has been a drastic
          erosion of south Florida's biodiversity.
             In their natural condition, the Everglades and other
          wetlands were naturally flowing systems that not only
          covered a greater area but also exhibited longer inundations
          and more sustained outflows to estuaries than exist in their
          current managed state. With decreased wetlands has come a
          decrease in the function, sheet flow, and base flow of
          wetlands. Water management significantly changed the volume
          and timing of water flow, as well as overland flow patterns
          across wetlands and into estuaries.

             3. C&SF Project: The 1948 cost-benefit analysis that
          justified the C&SF Project projected the greatest benefit to
          be the increased land use. Since the project's initiation
          in the late 1940s, rapid growth has increased the demand for
          flood control and water supply to meet municipal,
          industrial, agricultural, and environmental needs. Although
          millions of acres of south Florida have been placed in
          public ownership, the ecological condition of the Everglades
          watershed ecosystem continues to deteriorate. Increased
          concern and often conflicting expectations regarding flood
          control, environmental restoration, and competition for
          water resources have led to the"need for an in-depth
          comprehensive study of the multi-purpose C&SF Project.

          D. Me Ecosystem Today

             Though altered considerably from its pre-drainage
          condition, the south Florida ecosystem is vitally important
          to both the economy and the ecology of the nation. It is:

             0   the predominant source of fresh water for Florida's
                 most populous region
             0   home to 56 federally-listed threatened or endangered
                 species and 29 candidate species
             0   the principal nursery area (Florida Bay and adjacent
                 estuaries) for the largest commercial and sport
                 fisheries in Florida: This area is important to
                 bottlenosed dolphin and is an important
                 developmental and nesting habitat for nesting sea
                 turtles.
             0   home of the largest wilderness east of the
                 Mississippi River
             0   location of the only living continuous coral reef
                 system adjacent to the continental United States
                 (the third largest barrier reef community in the
                 world)
             0   site of the two federally-recognized nations of the
                 Seminole Tribe of Indians and the Miccosukee Tribe
                 of Indians of Florida
             0   an international commercial and tourist center
             0   primary domestic producer of the nation's sugar and

          working draft 8119194
                                       8
                                                                                   r
                                                                                   i









                    winter vegetables
               0    home of an expanding population exceeding 6 million
                    people
               0    the location of Lake Okeechobee and other world
                    class sport fishing areas
               0    the most significant breeding ground for wading
                    birds in North America; wintering grounds for more
                    than half the nation's wood stork population and
                    more than 100,000 white ibises; staging area for
                    glossy ibises, peregrine falcons, and swallow-tailed
                    kites migrating between breeding and wintering
                    grounds
               0    home of 3 national parks, 1 national preserve, 10
                    national wildlife refuges, 1 national marine
                    sanctuary, and numerous areas protected under state
                    or local ownership
               0    home of the Everglades, designated by the United
                    Nations as a World Heritage Site and a World
                    Biosphere Reserve, and by the International Union
                    for the Conservation of Nature as a Wetland of
                    International Significance
               0    the world's largest organic soil deposit

            .9. Restozation Xssues

               Although vast areas of south Florida have been set  aside
            as protected public areas, symptoms of ecological decline
            continue to increase. The region faces major environmental
            issues:
               0    planning for regional population growth (expected to
                    triple within So years)
               0    competition for a finite water supply among an
                    expanding urban population and agricultural
                    interests and remnant natural resources
               0    identification and implementation of the structural
                    and operational modifications to the C&SF Project
                    needed to restore the ecosystem
               0    nutrient enrichment of the Everglades and coastal
                    marine ecosystem by agricultural drainage or urban
                    waste water
               0    declining health of the coral reef system
               0    permitting and mitigation programs ineffective in
                    preventing loss of remaining natural uplands and
                    wetlands
               0    purchase and public ownership of critical
                    unprotected lands in south Florida's watershed
               0    extensive mercury contamination of freshwater fish
                    and other bioia
               0    increase in introduced (exotic) plants and animals
                    and decline in native species
               0    incomplete understanding of what constitutes a
                    functioning system for the area, as well as
                    conflicting views on restoring the water system

            woz-king draft 8129194
                                          9








             0    lack of public understanding of ecosystem values and
                  the human environment
             0    natural resource compatible recreational access
             0    lack of consensus on the causes of and solutions for
                  ecosystem degradation
             0    adequate financial commitment to ecosystem
                  restoration
             0    organic soil subsidence
             0    minimization of water quality degradation and
                  maximization of water conservation through
                  structural and agronomic management practices    in
                  urban and agricultural areas
             0    sustainable economic development
             0    ecological degradation of Florida Bay including
                  extensive algal blooms and seagrass die-off

          F. Sustainability.- Balancing Environment And Use

             Growth in south Florida has followed a cyclical pattern:
          increasing population has required increasing commercial
          development, which in turn has paved the way for new
          population growth. This cycle of change has placed intense
          demands on the area's water supply, flood control, shelter
          and service as public systems continually have adjusted to
          meet demand.
             This is south Florida today, possessed of a wealth of
          resources diminishing in the face of increased demand. The
          challenge is to balance environmental and urban landscapes,
          preserving the one and satisfying the resource needs of the
          other. One potential answer to this dilemma is the emerging
          concept of sustainable development, which seeks to achieve
          balance between environment and use. Defined as
          "development that meets the needs of the present without
          compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
          own needs," (needs citation) it has four dimensions:
          economic, human, environmental and technological.
          Integrating these components into policy, planning and
          design should allow industry and a healthy ecosystem to
          coexist.
          . For the purposes of the present federal planning effort,
          sustainability is being defined as "the wise, appropriate
          and efficient use of resources, so that population and
          demand do not outrun or damage the environment's long-term
          life-supporting ability" (Frank and Brownstone, The Green
          Encyclopedia, 1992 Prentice Hall). In south Florida, this
          means that ecosystem restoration and maintenance must be
          accomplished within the context of a healthy economy.
             How does one accommodate continued growth in south
          Florida while simultaneously halting or at least reducing
          symptoms of ecosystem decline? While the need to grow in
          order to maintain economic health is apparent, managers are
          recognizing the need for potential trade-offs to maintain
          environmental integrity. Industrial growth that once

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            transformed "useless" swamps and flatwoods into developed
            land is being reevaluated as beneficial wetlands functions
            become better understood. In south Florida now, the public
            places increased importance on preserving undeveloped lands
            and regaining lost wetland benefits by restoring high-value
            natural areas such as the Kissimmee River.
              However, the current philosophy of sustainability
            cautions managers against halting management practices until
            scientific consensus can be reached, and encourages them to
            recognize the impossibility of managing for the sustained
            use of non-renewable resources. The challenge, of course,
            is to find a way to apply sustainable development theory to
            the specific problems in south Florida. Ludwig et. al
            (1993) recommend five principles relevant to this
            restoration effort.
              0     Include human motivation and responses as part of
                    the system to be studied and managed.
              0     Act before scientific consensus is achieved.
              0     Rely on scientists to recognize problems, but not to
                    remedy them.
              0     Distrust claims of sustainability.
              0     Confront uncertainty and allow for decision making
                    in the face of uncertainty, building flexibility
                    into a long-range process so as to respond to
                    changing conditions.

              The Interagency Working Group has adapted these
            principlesto guide its interagency efforts and establish
            its strategies for Everglades restoration.

            G. Ecosystem Management objectives

              The Interagency Working Group recommends that all Tas  k
            Force management coordination and restoration activities be
            conducted consistent with the following broad objectives:

              2.    Florida Bay, Estuaries, and Near Coastal Waters
              0     Restore and sustain healthy ecosystem conditions in
                    these waters, which allow natural processes,
                    functions, and cycles to continue or be re-
                    established.
              0     Manage use of natural resources (commercial, sport
                    fisheries, and others) to maintain sustainable
                    populations.
              0     Maintain the health and biodiversity of the coral
                    reef ecosystem.component.

              2.    Fresh Water
              0     Manage the hydrological conditions in the remaining
                    undeveloped and potentially restorable lands in a
                    way that maximizes natural processes characteristic
                    of the historic south Florida ecosystem (including
                    water quality, quantity, distribution, timing, and

            working draft 8129194








                  biological integrity). Restoration of the natural
                  system will be evaluated and implemented to maximize
                  benefits to the overall ecosystem.
            0     Develop and manage the total hydrologic system to
                  maximize ecosystem restoration while providing
                  appropriate consideration to meet the needs of
                  urban, agricultural, and man-made components.  The
                  Working Group recognizes that future management of
                  the system will require shared adversity where the
                  full range of hydrologic needs cannot be fully met.

            3.    Development
            ï¿½     Ensure that any development plans or permits for
                  development are fully coordinated among affected
                  governmental agencies and are compatible with
                  restoration of the south Florida ecosystem.
            ï¿½     Ensure that existing development that has an adverse
                  impact reduces or eliminates degradation and that
                  new development does not contribute to degradation.
            ï¿½     Develop and use a system-wide integrated mitigation
                  plan, coordinating all levels of government, which
                  contributes to overall restoration.
            0     Ensure that regardless of any future development
                  there is a sufficient land, water, and resource base
                  to conduct the required natural resource restoration
                  .ef f orts..

            4.    Research
            0     Implement a coordinated research program to develop
                  an understanding of the physical, chemical, and
                  biological processes essential to achieving
                  restoration of the south Florida ecosystem.

            S.    Plants and Animals
            0     Restore and maintain the biodiversity of native
                  plants and animals in the upland, wetland, marine,
                  and estuarine communities of the south Florida
                  ecosystem.
            0     Eradicate or control invasive exotic plants and
                  animals.
            0     Provide for adequate natural habitats for native
                  plants and animals.
                  Recover species that are threatened or endangered.

            6.    Education
            0     Coordinate a multi-cultural information and
                  education program to ensure thatIthe public  is
                  informed of the unique values of the south Florida
                  ecosystem and that they are regularly apprised of
                  the environmental, social, and economic benefits of
                  restoration.


            7.    Indian Nations
          working draft 8129194        12








               0     Provide for the implementation of Tribal resource
                     development consistent with sound water management
                     and environmental principles, and as compatible as
                     possible with restoration.
               0     Provide protection of the reservations from adverse
                     water quality and quantity impacts, either through
                     upstream controls for other use impacts or funded on
                     reservation mitigation for impacts.
               0     Provide for timely restoration of the ecosystem in
                     WCA-3A to protect tribal rights.

            III.     BUILDING BLOCKS OF RESTORATION: DEF INI NG ECOSYSTEM
                     RESTORATION, PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE

               Water created the south Florida ecosystem, and water
            management practices have critically altered it. This makes
            hydrologic restoration--the natural distribution of quality
            water in space and time--a necessary starting point for
            ecological restoration. How the hydrologic system is
            managed affects land use, a critical factor in planning for
            restoration. In recognition of the role supportive land use
            planning and permitting can play in restoration success, the
            Interagency Task Force follows three objectives:
               ï¿½     Support development of a comprehensive wetland
                     permit mitigation strategy for south Florida that
                     furthers ecosystem restoration.
               0     Reduce constraints on economic expansion by
                     increasing the overall water supply and improving
                     quality of life.
               ï¿½     Address south Florida's water quality and supply, as
                     well as subsidence of organic soils so as to provide
                     @or more sustainable economic opportunities while
                     improving natural ecosystem sustainability,
                     recognizing that current urban, economic, and
                     agricultural growth rates are not sustainable.

            A. The   A2tered System

                 Changes in the hydrologic structure of south Florida,
            which began before the turn of the century when Hamilton
            Disston connected the Caloosahatchee River with Lake
            Okeechobee in 1683 and culminated with the 1948
            implementation of the Central and Southern Florida Project,
            created an intricate network of levees, canals, and pumping
            stations for flood control, drainage, and water supply.
            Flood control made possible massive land-use changes that
            decreased the availability of land for water storage and
            recharge. The current hydrology of south Florida functions
            not at all as it did prior to the 1800s.

               I. Soil Subsidence: Extensive drainage for agricultural
            purposes south of Lake Okeechobee caused tremendous organic
            soil losses. Without water, the soil became denser and

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           drier--one of the first environmentally destructive effects
           of drainage--resulting in losses of 5 or more feet of soil
           by 1984 (Stephens 1984) and now calculated at 3 cm per year,
           a substantial loss when the maximum thickness was only 12 to
           14 feet initially. Although soil loss still continues, the
           process has been slowed by reflooding fallow fields and
           maintaining a high water table.
             Soil loss of such magnitude has heavily impacted
           Everglades hydrology and ecology, especially the elevation
           gradient from the upper to the central Everglades. Soil
           loss has meant elevation loss, which has meant loss of the
           hydraulic head that once naturally drove water south.
           Moving water from north to south now requires pumping, an
           effort that grows more extensive as soils continue to
           subside. In addition to impacting elevation, soil loss has
           also meant reduction in water storage capacity--the area's
           ability to absorb water, thus balancing seasonal and long-
           term variations in rainfall.
             Add to the problems associated with soil loss the
           enormous spatial extent over which the loss has occurred and
           the restoration issues are magnified. In fact, the loss
           extends beyond the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) into
           the Everglades.

             2. water Quality implications of Soil Loss: The
           combination of 1) soil loss in EAA, 2) routing water around
           EAA, 3) EAA's water demands, and 4) materials leaching out
           of the area have caused significant downstream impacts.
           Soil loss may have concentrated compounds and minerals such
           as phosphorus in the remaining soil. As soil loss
           continues, the binding capacity of remaining soil is likely
           to become so saturated it will be unable to retain minerals,
           which will be released'into downstream waters. The problem
           also is magnified by pesticides and other chemical
           applications accumulating in the environment for at least 50
           years:
             ï¿½    High mercury concentrations found in large-mouth
                  bass, alligators, panthers, and other top predators
                  demonstrate the existence of contaminants in aquatic
                  food chains, even though the sources and movement
                  through the ecosystem remain uncertain.
             ï¿½    Water discoloration indicates dissolved organic
                  carbons, precursors to trihalomethanes (a known
                  cancer causing agent) formed as a result of the
                  chlorination treatment process for drinking water;
                  drinking water supplied by Lake Okeechobee and the
                  Everglades to east coast cities first passes through
                  .major canals traversing the EAA; an'EPA study found
                  the Miami Preston-Hialeah well field to contain one
                  of the highest concentrations of trihalomethanes in
                  drinking water supplies; Dade County water treatment
                  plants have switched to a chloramine-based purifying
                  process, though public health concerns may exist
           working draft 8129194        14
                                                                                    T








                   with this product also.
              0    organic soils oxidizing due to drainage in the EAA
                   and elsewhere appear to be the source of the
                   dissolved compounds, which decrease in canal water
                   with distance south from the EAA (EPA, provisional
                   data).

              3. Nutrient Enrichment and Contamination: Eutrophication
           and water quality degradation are growing concerns in south
           Florida. Nutrient-laden agricultural runoff has altered
           marsh macrophyte and algal communities, diminishing their
           supporting role as food chain bases and habitats. Extensive
           eutrophic zones have been found in the public Everglades
           marshes. Elevated concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbon
           pesticides or their derivatives have been found in great
           egrets and other wading birds from Water Conservation Area I
            (Winger 1987) .
              4. Mercury Contamination: A human health fish
           consumption advisory due to mercury contamination either
           bans or restricts the consumption of freshwater fish from
           two millio-n acres encompassing the Everglades and Big
           Cypress National Preserve, and there is extensive mercury
           contamination of other biota associated with aquatic food
           webs. Since 1989 mercury has been found at elevated
           concentration in varied Everglades biota, including
           freshwater fish, raccoons, wading birds, and alligators. A
           Florida panther (an endangered species) found dead in
           Everglades NP in 1989 had a liver mercury concentration of
           110 ppm. The maximum concentrations found in bass (4.4 ppm)
           and bowfin (over 7 ppm) collected from a WCA-3A canal are
           the highest concentrations found in the state of Florida,
           and are higher than concentrations found at Superfund sites
           in the Southeast that are contaminated with mercury. The
           source(s) of mercury, and the mechanism(s) and environmental
           conditions resulting in the bioaccumulation of toxic methyl
           mercury in the Everglades remain unknown.

              5. Uncoupling WetlandslEstuaries From Rainfall: Water
           impoundment in the Water Conservation Areas and surface
           water diversion to the Atlantic coast, as well as ground
           water and levee seepage losses eastward in the modified
           system have reduced flows to the southern Everglades,
           shortening hydroperiods. Not only have these changes meant
           larger intra-annual flow variations but also large volumes
           of rainwater drained to sea annually that did not occur
           historically. This eastward water diversion occasions a
           several hundred-thousand-acre-foot loss per year to the sea.
              Reduction in flow from upstream also has reduced flood
           duration as well as the maximum area annually inundated.
           Peak flows are higher after major rains and flow rates drop
           off more abruptly at the end of the wet season than they
           would have in pre-drainage days. Channelization and

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           impoundment also.have disrupted the annual pattern of rising
           and falling water depths in remnant wetlands.
             6. Altered Hydroperiods: The accelerated runoff rates
           that have accompanied increased development have meant
           increased wetland drying over vaster areas. Land is
           saturated with water for shorter periods of time, resulting
           in lower aquatic production at all levels of the food chain.
           Surface water refugia supporting aquatic fauna and their
           predators during drought are smaller and fewer in number,
           having been relocated and subdivided as part of the
           currently-managed system.
             In a few areas, such as the southern parts of the water
           Conservation Areas, channelization, coupled with
           impoundment, have increased depth and hydroperiods.
           Resulting regulation water releases have caused unseasonable
           flooding of alligator nesting sites in Everglades National
           Park and disrupted wading bird nesting, which depends on
           concentrated food supplies.

             7. Invasive Introduced Species: The canal networks have
           provided a kind of deep-water refugia for introduced
           (exotic) plants and animals, encouraging communities
           substantially different than the natural ones, particularly
           where predatory fish are concerned. Furthermore, the water
           conveyance system may be a conduit for the dispersal of
           invasive species. it also may foster introduced species by
           creating conditions favoring exotics above natives.

             8. Loss of Hydraulic Head and Recharge: Artificial
           drainage drastically lowered the water table and increased
           water table-recession rates on the east coast ridge. This
           impacted water flow to both interior wetlands and estuaries.
           it also affected ridge plant communities, the salt/fresh
           interface, and water supply.

             9. Fire Regime Changes: Fragmentation has interfered
           with the ability of fire to maintain natural mosaics. In
           the natural system, fire increased habitat diversity; in the
           current managed system, it reduces diversity due to altered
           seasonal burning accompanied by over drying of wetlands.
           Human tendency to replace natural variations and extremes in
           disturbances like fire with regular schedules can lead to
           the loss of biological diversity because species tend to
           adapt to natural variations in environmental conditions.
           Regularizing physical driving forces may favor some species
           over others and affect species composition.

             10. Lost Wetland Function Greater Than Lost Wetland
           Area: South Florida wetlands have been reduced by half, but
           breeding wading bird populations have been reduced to less
           than 10% of their former number. This suggests either: (1)
           that the particular wetlands that were lost played an

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            especially critical role in wading bird feeding and nesting
            success, and/or (2) that the remaining wetlands are so
            degraded that their carrying capacity for wading birds is
            only 20k of the former capacity. The estuarine system
            serves as a foraging ground for wading birds, and loss of
            estuarine feeding opportunities may also have decreased the-
            wading bird carrying capacity of the ecosystem.
              al. Estuarine Impacts: Water management has resulted in:
              0    more short duration, high volume water flow to
                   estuaries and less base flow;
              0    regulatory releases to control lake and ground water
                   levels according to prescribed flood-preventive
                   formulae, which have produced pulses of fresh water
                   entering estuaries, causing rapid, drastic decreases
                   in salinity that stress estuarine organisms;
              0    water flows diverted from one receiving basin to
                   another, changing long-term salinity regimes;
              0    water diversion and increased runoff rate, providing
                   Florida Bay with less water flow than it received
                   historically and creating salinities exceeding
                   oceanic concentrations (Florida Bay salinities have
                   reached 70 ppt during severe drought; Biscayne Bay
                   may exhibit abnormal negative or reverse salinity
                   gradients, with hypersaline conditions inshore; and
                   salinities in Manatee Bay have dropped from 36 ppt
                   to 0 ppt in a matter of hours due to abrupt
                   regulatory releases from the South Dade Conveyance
                   System-especially disruptive to Manatee Bay, which
                   ordinarily experiences extremely high salinities due
                   to natural freshwater inflow loss);
              0    long-term changes in freshwater inflow rates to
                   estuaries, which have shifted salinity,zones
                   upstream or downstream, resulting in areas within
                   species, optimum salinity ranges that no longer
                   coincide with the estuary features supporting
                   species, growth and survival;
                   spatially compressed (steeper) salinity gradients
                   providing less overall area within some salinity
                   zones and less opportunity to overlap with favorable
                   structural habitat--estuary salinity zone shifts and
                   area changes within various salinity ranges may have
                   reduced species, optimum habitat and even eliminated
                   some species, habitat all together.

              22. Estuarine and Reef Resources Declines: Fisheries
            productivity depends on habitat quality and quantity. One
            measure of habitat carrying capacity is the abundance of
            fish age 0 to 1 (known as recruitment). Decreased fisheries
            productivity may be reflected in catch rate declines.
            (deletion) Landings in the valuable Tortugas pink shrimp
            fishery, dependent upon Florida Bay nursery grounds, have
            declined sharply since the mid 1980s. Long-term catch
            working draf t 8119194       17








          rates, standardized for vessel power increases, declined
          from the 1960s through the 1970s. Unstandardized catch
          rates declined precipitously beginning in the mid 1980s
          (Browder 1985).
            in addition to declining catches, fish displaying
          abnormal dorsal fins and misaligned scales are common in
          North Biscayne Bay (Browder et al. 1993), and present in the
          St. Lucie Inlet and the lower Indian River (Kandrashoff
          pers. comm.). The same abnormalities have been seen in at
          least 10 species, suggesting a cause common to the
          environment of these species. On the reef tract, a
          declining community is also evident, exemplified by coral
          bleaching, coral diseases (including black band disease),
          and a decline in coral cover and recruitment. Recently, DDE
          and other chlorinated hydrocarbons have been found in coral
          reef tissue (Skinner and Japp 1986). Extensive seagrass
          loss has occurred due to poor water quality (increased
          nutrients and turbidity, decreased light penetration),
          alteration of the natural freshwater inflow pattern, dredge
          and fill activities, and boating activities (Kenworthy and
          Haunert 1990).

          B. ne Process of Restoration


            I. What Restoration Means: In the context of south
          Florida, restoration means a return to pre-existing
          ecological conditions. The conceptual target for south
          Florida's wetlands and estuaries is pre-drainage topography
          and hydrology evidenced by the 1858 military map, and for
          vegetative cover the 1943 natural vegetation map prepared by
          Davis, expanded to include southwest Florida and the
          Kissimmee River Valley (Fig 1). In reality, the
          irreversible loss of significant wetland areas (the large
          spatial scale was key to long-term ecosystem maintenance),
          as well as the almost complete urbanization of the east
          coast ridge (a major ground water recharge area) and the
          need to accommodate agriculture make the restoration target
          only approachable. What we can hope to recapture are the
          essential hydrologic and landscape characteristics critical
          to a sustained, healthy south Florida ecosystem.

            2. Rationale For Hydrologic Restoration: Hydrologic
          restoration is a necessary beginning to ecological
          restoration. However, encouraging habitat heterogeneity may
          require additional restoration efforts, among them:
            0    reduction in water and airborne nutrients and
                 contaminants
            0    ending soil subsidence
            0    control of invasive exotics
            0    re-establishment of natural corridors in uplands and
                 wetlands for native biotic dispersal and diversity

            The restoration approach has three overlapping
          workin_q draft 8129194       18








            components, discussed in terms of alternative minimum,
            incremental, and'maximum (unconstrained) restoration areas:
               0    Restore the areal extent of the system, as well as
                    its hydrological integrity to recover sustainable
                    biotic populations.
               0    Adjust hydrological restoration plans to maximize
                    ecological restoration.
               0    Establish a comprehensive, regional monitoring
                    program to measure hydrological and ecological
                    responses (referred to as success criteria) to the
                    hydrologic restoration programs.

               Certainly, the identity of the resulting landscape will
            emerge from the identity of the re-established system.
            Management's challenge is understanding these new system
            trajectories and guiding them toward ecosystem health and
            sustainability, possibly supporting the design of
            enhancement projects.

               3. Models, Rain-driven Formulae, and Adaptive
            Management: Linking current hydrologic models and future
            models of water quality, ecology, and plant and animal
            populations should help determine differences between pre-
            drainage and present-day conditions. Developed at scales
            ranging from regional landscapes to constituent communities
            (Appendix M), these models must have scientific credibility
            to guide restoration.
               Since quantitative measures of hydrological and
            ecological changes from pre-drainage times to the present
            are lacking, the best guide is the family of natural system
            models (NSMs), coupled with spatially explicit simulation
            models of species at the landscape level. Existent models
            of natural system hydrology have been calibrated based on
            present system hydrologic models, but with canals, levees,
            and control structures removed.
               Assuming identical rainfall, comparisons of NSM with
            present model results allow changes in flood stages,
            duration of flooding, spatial extent of flooding, and other
            related information to be assessed. For instance, they show
            the spatial distribution of hydroperiods under pre-drainage
            and present conditions (Fig. 4), indicating that
            hydroperiods in pre-drainage times were longer. How to
            translate NSM output into a water delivery schedule adjusted
            for rainfall at various landscape locations has yet to be
            determined. However, a rain-driven formula (based on a
            regression of water flow rates on rainfall, paced to reflect
            natural system delays from storage) currently is being used
            by SFWMD to schedule more natural volume and timing for
            Everglades water deliveries from the upstream Water
            Conservation Area. Similar formulas based on NSM (Fennema
            et al. 1994) output could provide improved water deliveries
            system wide. Also the NSMs can provide perspective on how
            to restore more natural water flow volume and timing to
            working draft 8119194        19










          estuaries.
            To understand the role of water among biotic communities,
          ecosystem-level modeling needs to be coupled with NSMs and
          the various hydrological alternatives. Currently, several
          ecological models are being developed, among them an
          innovative approach to be used by the Park Service,
          Biological Survey and the University of Tennessee/Oak Ridge
          National Laboratory. Designed to accept calibrated input,
          suggest monitoring strategies, and evaluate management
          alternatives, this approach uses integrated simulation
          models of major trophic groups along with monitoring
          programs that include broad-scale landscape
          characterization, water quality and quantity measures, and
          natural resources (e.g., wading bird populations, fisheries,
          snail kites, vegetation communities, and contaminants in
          air, water, sediments, and biota).
            Modeling and monitoring, along with research, are part of
          the adaptive management process--the repeated use of models,
          research, and monitoring to revise, improve, and fine tune
          management procedures.

            4. Structures V. No Structures: Potential hydrologic
          solutions to south Florida's ecosystem dilemma lie within
          two restoration extremes: 1) remove all water control
          structures, including canals and levees, or 2) add more
          structures/modify existing structures to approximate natural
          hydrologic conditions despite constraints imposed by wetland
          and upland losses.
            Removing structures would reestablish natural patterns of
          wetland continuity, sheet flow, and animal movements, as
          well as reduce conduits for introduced species and
          pollutants. However, current reduced water storage capacity
          and recharge may make restoration to pre-drainage flow
          rates, timing, and spatial patterns impossible.
            Option 2-modifying and/or adding to existing water
          control structures-provides the flexibility with which to
          adjust water management operations in response to system
          needs (adaptive management). However, adding structures
          also may have undesirable effects, unless innovative designs
          reduce negative long-term impacts on the restoration
          process. Determining the most appropriate approach will
          have to be on a case-by-case basis, taking into account
          ecological costs and benefits.

          C. Establishing A Restoration Direction
            As previously stated, the over-arching intent is                      r
          restoration of pre-drainage, landscape-scale hydrology and
          ecology re-establishing ecosystem integrity and sustainable
          biodiversity: a healthy, sustainable ecosystem that has room
          for human activities.

          D. Achieving Restoration
          working draf t 8129194       20









              0     maximize the system's spatial extent and landscape
                    heterogeneity to recover ecological structure and
                    function. Prevent further wetland loss, recover
                    undeveloped degraded wetlands, and restore landscape
                    elements lost to development.
              0     Re-establish natural hydrologic structure and
                    function through the restoration of: 1) sheet flow;
                    2) strong.hydrologic linkages between areas; 3)
                    natural dynamic water storage capacity; 4) natural
                    relationship of ground and surface water levels, as
                    well as water flow with rainfall; 5) natural
                    quantity, timing, location, and quality of
                    freshwater flow throughout the system and into
              0     estuaries. decompartmentalize the Water Conservati
                    Gradually                                          on
                    Areas (WCA) to reinstate sheet flow from WCA1
                    through WCA3, perhaps making water movement from
                    Lake Okeechobee to the WCAs easier.
              0     Recover threatened and endangered species.
              0     Restore natural biological diversity.
              0     Re-establish natural vegetation and periphyton
                    communities spatially and compositionally.
              0     Strive to evolve an EAA agriculture allowing EAA to
                    function hydrologically as the area did in the pre-
                    drainage system, providing delayed release of wet
                    season rainfall from Lake Okeechobee to downstream
                    natural areas.
              0     Promote water conservation and water reuse in urban
                    and agricultural areas.
              0     Restore natural rates of ecosystem productivity.
              0     Re-establish sustainable breeding wading bird
                    populations and colonies.
              0     Halt and reverse the invasion of exotic plants and
                    animals.
              0     Prevent point and non-point airborne or waterborne
                    pollution (contaminants, excessive nutrients, and
                    thermal pollutants).
              0     Re-establish the corridors for movement, dispersion,
                    and interactions among vegetation and animals.
              0     Increase the hard coral cover on Florida Keys reefs.
              0     Restore natural estuarine and coastal productivity
                    and fisheries, and natural seagrass communities.
              0     Link agricultural and urban growth management with
                    ecosystem management.
              0     Restore a natural system that is self-maintaining
                    with little human intervention.
              0     Implement best urban and agricultural management to
                    improve water quality and reduce water consumption.
              0     Restore the sustainability of human and natural
                    systems supporting cities, farms, and industries in
                    an environment characterized by clean air, clean
                    water and abundant natural resources.


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          3. Conceptua2 Foundation of Restoration
              Drawing on a variety of information and views, many
          represented in the recently published book, Everglades: The
          Ecosystem and Its Restoration (Jan. 1994, Davis & Ogden,
          ed.), the conceptual foundation of the restoration effort
          should be as follows:

                  0    The fact  that spatial extent is a critical
                       aspect of the south Florida ecosystem indicates
                       the need to reverse the trend toward
                       incremental loss of natural areas and
                       compartmentalization of the remaining    systems.
                       Fragmentation results in erosion of
                       biodiversity and must be corrected by    restoring
                       connections between biotic communities.
                  0    Water is life. Without it, the ecosystem fails
                       to function. The importance of hydrology to
                       the annual pulse of wet and dry cycles as well
                       as to random disturbances of those cycles
                       mandates the development of rainfall-based
                       water delivery plans with built-in dynamic
                       storage and delays. The plans should provide
                       formulas derived from present and future NSMs
                       that will: 1) restore pre-drainage sheet flow
                       volumes and distributions in time and space; 2)
                       restore pre-drainage depth patterns, and 3)
                       mimic pre-drainage hydroperiods, including
                       extended periods of flooding.
                  0    The role of drought and fire in maintaining
                       ecosystem heterogeneity suggests the importance
                       of allowing environmental fluctuations and
                       extremes to occur as they would have naturally.
                  0    Recognition of the damage caused by nutrients,
                       contaminants, and other materials introduced
                       into this fragile ecosystem demands their
                       significant reduction or elimination from the
                       airsheds and watersheds of the ecosystem to
                       below-detrimental levels.
                  0    The role of spatial salinity gradients in
                       sustaining nursery and other supportive habitat
                       in coastal wetlands and estuaries requires
                       creation of more natural volume, timing, and
                       locations of freshwater inflows to restore the
                       historic salinity structure.
                  0    Altered water depths and hydroperiods have
                       given the edge to introduced species; natural
                       hydroperiods and water depths need to be
                       reestablished to control such species.
                  0    The relationship between ground and surface
                       water necessitates that water table levels be
                       raised to restore more natural flows to
                       wetlands and estuaries.
          working draft: 8129194         22








                   0     The pre-drainage role of sheet flows in
                         structuring and integrating the physical and
                         biotic landscape makes it imperative to
                         reestablish sheet flow conveyance on the
                         system's historic north-south gradient. This
                         must emanate from the top down and be massive
                         enough to restore historic water volume
                         transport in time and space.
                   0     Soil subsidence has diminished the natural
                         hydrologic system, including the dynamic
                         storage and hydraulic head provided by the
                         former soils and their associated marshes.
                         This function needs to be engineered in the
                         short term, but in the long term may be
                         reinstated as conditions are created to promote
                         the accretion of organic soils.
                   0     Agriculture in the Everglades Agriculture Area
                         (EAA) is not sustainable as currently practiced
                         due to organic soil oxidation (Snyder and
                         Davidson 1994). However, urban development
                         would be a poor alternative land use, as well
                         as a poor use of resources required to maintain
                         drainage in what is, in effect, the middle of
                         the basin. Restoration efforts must strive to
                         develop a productive EAA agriculture that halts
                         soil subsidence and contributes to ecological
                         restoration.
                   0     Agricultural practices decreasing airborne and
                         waterborne export of nutrients and contaminants
                         need to be encouraged (e.g., use of native
                         rangeland instead of improved pasture, water
                         tolerant strains of sugar cane, organic
                         farming, and sterile cultivars of ornamental
                         non-native species).
                   0     Urban water consumption and contamination of
                         ground and surface waters diminishes available
                         clean water. Water conservation and improved
                         techniques for treating and reusing urban waste
                         water and storm water runoff need to be
                         encouraged.
                   0     Areas serving the ecosystem need to be retained
                         in setting boundaries influencing restoration.
                         Rather than degrade functioning systems,
                         degraded ones need to be improved.

           F. Regional   Restoration Success Criteria

               The challenge of restoration is the reestablishment of a
           healthy, functioning ecosystem, rather than increasing
           production of any one species. However, certain species,
           such as fishery species and wading birds, are used as
           success criteria because holistic indices are more difficult
           to acquire.

           working draft 8119194
                                         23









            ï¿½   Reinstatement of natural hydroperiods and sheet flow,
                as approximated by natural system models
            ï¿½   Re-establishment of pre-drainage wading bird nesting
                colony locations and timing of nesting
            ï¿½   No further wetland losses
            ï¿½   Restoration of degraded wetlands
            ï¿½   Wetland use permits require enhanced hydrologic
                connectivity, water quality, and water storage
            ï¿½   Improved recruitment of fishery and non-fishery
                species in estuaries
            ï¿½   increased fish abundance and species recovery in pre-
                disturbance locations
            ï¿½   Reduction in body burdens of mercury large-mouth bass,
                alligators, panthers, and other top carnivores
                Elimination of organic soils subsidence
            ï¿½   Contaminant reduction in canal surface sediments at
                locations monitored by SFWMD
            ï¿½   increased native landscape diversity and faunal
                diversity
            ï¿½   Reestablisment of lost vegetative landscapes
            ï¿½   Reduced numbers of deformed fish in estuaries
            ï¿½   Nutrient-tolerant plants reduced or eliminated
            ï¿½   Exotic plants or animals reduced or eliminated
            ï¿½   Periphyton community taxonomic composition
                characteristic of oligotrophic, natural hydroperiods
            ï¿½   increased populations of threatened and endangered
                species
            ï¿½   Increased seagrass cover

          G.  Goals of Zva2uation Process for Successful Restoration

                Restoring south Florida's ecosystem depends on
          agencies, ability to sustain long-term, effective,
         'coordinated actions. Success needs to be evaluated in terms
          of the entire ecosystem. The evaluation process needs to:
            ï¿½   Assess Task Force effectiveness and individual agency
                actions in restoring the south Florida ecosystem.
            ï¿½   Provide information that is suitable and sufficient
                for making management decisions about future actions.
            ï¿½   Provide information that enables the public to judge
                ecosystem restoration success.

          H. Requirements For Annual Zva2uatlon Process

                To meet these objectives, the Task Force will
          establish an annual evaluation process:
            ï¿½   providing a reliable basis for federal managers to
                assess accomplishments and prepare, revise, and
                execute management plans;
            ï¿½   having consistent format and standards;
            ï¿½   addressing the Regional Restoration Success criteria
                in the November 15, 1993, Science Subgroup Report;
            ï¿½   addressing agency-appropriate Sub-Region Success

          working draft 8119194
                                        24









                  Criteria identified in the Science Subgroup Report;
              0   coinciding with annual agency budget preparation;
              0   resulting in agency reports to the Task Force that
                  precisely identify the extent of success and describe
                  planned corrective actions coordinated among Task
                  Force agencies;
              0   resulting in an annual report, with executive summary,
                  at the Task Force level, describing agency efforts,
                  accomplishments, and adjustments in management actions
                  necessary to restore and maintain the south Florida
                  ecosystem.

            IV.   WORKING GROUP ACTIVITIES

                  During the past year, the Interagency Working Group
            has been actively engaged in identifying, coordinating, and
            accelerating implementation of south Florida ecosystem-
            related projects that were already in progress at the
            inception of the group. It has accomplished this through
            numerous public meetings bringing people together both
            formally and informally. Working Group members have been
            tasked with and accomplished activities ranging from
            research to report writing. Among the projects the group
            has helped expedite are:
              0   the Army Corps of Engineers Central and South Florida
                  Restudy, which defines problems and opportunities.
                  connected with south Florida's interconnected water
                  system
              0   the C-111 Project, which addresses modifications of
                  the South Dade County Conveyance Canal System intended
                  to restore more natural hydrologic conditions in
                  Taylor Slough
              0   the Kissimmee ground breaking that should lead to
                  restoration of natural wetland habitat in a large part
                  of the floodplain
              0   L-67 degrading, intended to restore more natural
                  hydrologic conditions in Shark River Slough
              0   the Florida Bay Science Plan, a comprehensive state-
                  federal research and monitoring strategy for Florida
                  Bay.

            V. WORKING GROUP RECOMMMATIONS

                  The Working Group also has completed this draft of the
            report it was tasked to provide to the Task Force.
            Expanding of the priorities approved by the Task Force at
            its inception in September 1993, the Working Group makes the
            following individual recommendations that it strongly feels
            must be addressed in order to approach ecosystem restoration
            for south Florida. We intend to proceed with those the
            working group has tasked itself to carry out. We are
            recommending the Interagency Task Force follow through with
            those it is tasked with and establish priorities among them.
            working draft 81.19194        25








           Also, we are recommending similar action with those
           recommendations tasked to specific agencies. (Note: The
           letters [A. etc.) do not correlate to the lettering of the
           appendices since many recommendations are referenced in more
           than one appenAix, as noted in each recommendation.)

           A. Sustainable Deve2o;ment

                 The following recommendations focus on the goal of
           suztainable development, which is the primary aim of
           ecosystem restoration-the establishment of a sustainable
           system that balances biodiversity and human activities. To
           accomplish sustainability, the Working Group recommends
           actions that will draw together the major participants in
           united action. For additional background on these issues,
           see Appendices,B and M.

           2. Establish 2) a multi-agency federal initiative to assist
           and complement state or regional sustainable development
           studies; and 2) an XWG federal advisory group composed of
           industry, municipalities, agencies, environmental
           organizations, and others. (Lead--Office of Coastal Zone
           Minagement, NOAA; XTF Executive Director)
                   To encourage a basis for common understanding among
           federal, state and local policy makers, the initiative would
           include:
                 ï¿½ projections of future land, water and resource
                   bases, as well as land uses (urban, residential, and
                   agricultural) as these pertain to population growth
                   projected for 2010, 2030, and 2050;
                 ï¿½ a comprehensive inventory of economic development
                   (residential and industrial) in south Florida,
                   resulting in a list of industries, with their
                   financial contribution, their environmental impacts,
                   and their societal importance;
                 ï¿½ a method whereby federal, state and local agencies
                   may assess the economic, social, and environmental
                   consequences of proposals to restore the Everglades,
                   as well as the consequences of not adopting them.
                 ï¿½ identification of possible policy or legislative
                   options (e.g., tax incentives, regulatory program
                   changes) encouraging sustainable development.

                 To carry out the second part of this recommendation,
           the establishment of the IWG advisory group, the Interagency
           Task Force executive director would need to acquire the
           necessary approvals pursuant to the Federal Advisory
           Committee Act (FACA) .

           2'_ Engage state agencies (FG&Fh7C, sFwmD, FDEP) in
           -restoration efforts. (Lead--XTF)
                 An enormous base of expertise exists within
           institutions engaged in south Florida research modeling and
           working draft 8119194         26







            monitoring, expertise that needs to be recognized,
            coordinated, and integrated into federal efforts. The Task
            Force should embark immediately upon engaging these agencies
            as partners in south Florida's ecosystem restoration.

            2. Agency Coordination
                 To implement ecosystem restoration, federal agencies
            not only have to work together with partners but also to
            direct their united efforts beyond their own boundaries to
            keep the public fully informed of developments as they
            occur. This group of recommendations aims to increase
            communication among federal and non-federal groups as well
            as the public. For additional background on these issues
            see Appendices C, E and L.
            2. Assign responsibility for interagency coordination to
            several groups, including Management, Science, and Projects
            sub-groups, also adding an informationleducation sub-group.
            (Lead--IWG)
                 IWG members will work together to resolve
            communication, coordination, or differing agency positions
            at their level, bringing issues that require higher level.
            policy review to the attention of agency superiors.

            2. Actively participate in Florida Commission on
            Sustainable Development to ensure compatibility of water
            supply issues with development and growth management; and
            coordinate with the South Florida Water Management District
            (SFWAM) to ensure compatibility of Lower East Coast Water
            Supply Plan with restoration efforts, as well as to adopt
            more efficient municipal and industrial water use. (Lead--
            ZWG, Corps)

            3. Establish a public involvement sub-group, which would:
            2) establish a mechanism to provide timely information via
            media and others to south Florida cultural groups; 2)
            inventory and coordinate existing educational activities and
            sponsor new outreach efforts; and 3) adopt standard
            operating procedures for public meetings. (Lead--IWG,
            Public involvement Sub-group)
                 Yhe Public Involvement Sub-group, comprised of member
            agencies, public involvement specialists, would meet
            periodically with their counterparts in other agencies to
            coordinate activities on specific restoration endeavors.
            The mechanism they develop to provide the public with
            information would include:
                 0 a list of interested parties and media through which
                   to communicate, such as public notices, special
                   mailings, newsletters, and electronic bulletin
                   boards with access to documents under consideration
                   by IWG
                 0 information presented in various languages and
            working draft 8129194        27









                  disseminated in various ways (speeches, exhibits,
                  brochures)
                0 research on public perceptions of restoration,
                  environmental activities, and possible support of
                  these activities
                Public education with an ecosystem focus includes
          information on ecosystem structure, wetlands, water quality,
          water supply conservation measures, and ground water
          protection. The IWG, through the Public Involvement Sub-
          group, would 1) conduct and maintain an inventory of     on-
          going federal, state and local educational activities; 2)
          help increase coordination in the content, presentation and
          distribution of educational efforts; 3) suggest modification
          of existing efforts-to include restoration-related
          information; 4) identify and sponsor new educational
          efforts; and 5) help incorporate the education program into
          local efforts, which might require establishing a speakers
          bureau within the IWG.
                Adopting standard operating procedures for public
          meetings and document publication would provide the public
          with a reliable process for their involvement. Such
          considerations might include: minimum amount of notice time
          prior to meetings; method of notii:;e distribution; meeting
          agenda/format; publication of results; and provisions for
          reaching various cultural groups. The procedures would be
          drafted by representatives from federal, state and local
          agencies, various interest groups and the general public.

          C. Expediting Restoration

                This category includes research and data collection
          approaches to expediting restoration. For additional
          background on these issues see Appendices D and M.

          2. Implement a research program defining the correlation
          between water management and ecosystem health, and including
          a detailed description of the science required to support
          .restoration. Workshops would be conducted to assess
          monitoring needs and capabilities; adopt quality control
          procedures; and coordinate efforts. (Lead--Science Sub-
          Group)
                The South Florida Task Force, through its Science Sub-
          group, in conjunction with state and regional agencies, will
          oversee and coordinate the south Florida ecosystem's
          restoration research, avoiding duplication and identifying
          areas needing additional investigation.
          2. Identify ongoing data collection efforts and gaps, and*'
          recommend data format and exchange methods. (Lead--Science
          Sub-group)

          3. Establish interagency project teams for each of the
          major Corps environmental restoration projects. Mead--Corps
          working draft 8129194          28






            of Engineers)                    will provide the Corps with
                  Interagency project teams
            input regarding project objectives, alternative plan
            formulation and evaluation, and project design and
            construction. Periodic team meetings and updates should be
            held throughout project planning, design, and construction,
            with participation, when appropriate, of Department of
            Agriculture and D epartment of Transportation agencies.

            D. Water Quality and Supply
                  one of the keys to ecosystem restoration is water
            quality and supply. These recommendations focus on water
            management from this perspective, emphasizing new ways to
            re-use water, encourage its conservation, and move it
            effectively from one part of the system to another. For
            additional background on these issues, see Appendices E, F,
            and M.

            2. Restore more historic volume, timing, and location of
            freshwater flow to Everglades, Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay,
            and other bodies. (Lead--Cozpa, with coordination and
            cooperation of all federal agencies and SFWMD)

            2. Encourage water conservation and re-use. (Lead--SFWMD)
                  SFWMD, with the cooperation of all federal agencies,
            will encourage such approaches as use of nutrient-enriched
            waters for golf courses and agricultural lands; bricks or
            other devices in toilets; and more efficient, water-saving
            shower heads; plus establishment of water supply reserves.

            3. Perform studies to reclaim waste water, and to redirect
            stormwater from western Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach
            Counties inland rather than toward the coast. (Lead--USGS)
                  Using GIS and other tools, prepare countywide
            comprehensive plans for the reuse of treated wastewater in
            such areas as golf courses, county parks and the lands
            around public buildings. Conduct waste water reuse pilot
            studies on different substrate, including rockland of south
            Dade County, and examine the effects of waste water reuse on
            water quality in associated ground and surface waters. Also
            determine the economic and ecological impacts/costs of
            redirecting some stormwater runoff inland to proposed
            catchment areas.

            4. Use hydrologic models to test various landscape
            scenarios on undeveloped lands for their effect on supply
            and management flexibility. (Lead--USGS)

            5. Study feasibility of reducing trihalomethane formation
            in drinking water through water management to reduce organic
            carbon content of surface and seepage water recharging the-
            Biscayne aquifer. (Lead--?)
            working draft BIJ9194          29








            6. Develop a water budget for south Florida. (Lead--Corps,
            wi th USGS and SFMO)
                 Accomplish this through authorization for a
            feasibility study.

            7. Determine water quality status throughout the system and
            use a monitoring program to determine constituent loads.
            (Lead--USGS, NBS, NPS, Corps, NOAA, EPA)

            B. Seek authority under Clean Water Act to regulate all
            nonpoint sources of pollution in south Florida, and to
            provide up-front matching funds to local governments for
            nonpoint pollution abatement, including authority to recover
            costs from polluters. (Lead--EPA)

            9. Determine critical pollutant numeric threshold levels
            adequate for native flora and fauna preservation. (Lead--
            1VPS, IMS, FWS, EPA)

            20. Determine sources, mechanisms, and environmental
            conditions resulting in biological accumulation of mercury
            and take appropriate remedial action. (Lead--EPA, 1VPS,
            USGS, NBS, FW5, NOOA, State of Florida)

            21. Investigate the biological hazards posed by other
            contaninants routinely applied in south Florida and take
            remedial actions as warranted.  (Lead--EPA)
                 Florida's sandy soils and highly permeable substrate
            make pesticide contamination aparticular concern with
            regard to protection of aquatic life and drinking water
            quality. Several massive mortalities of fish and other
            aquatic life have been reported in association with heavy
            rains shortly after the application of Nemacur (active
            ingredient fenamiphos) to golf courses.

            -12. Identify and ensure numeric standards are in place for
            key pollutants in ecosystem waterbodies. (Lead--EPA)

            Z. Wetland Permitting and Mitigation Strategy

            The way wetland permitting and mitigation are carried out
            will have a significant impact on ecosystem restoration in
            south Florida. The following recommendations should help
            ensure wetland protection as part of the restoration effort.
            For additional background on this issue, see Appendix G.

            2. Develop a South Florida Ecosystem Wetland Conservation
            Planby September 1996, including completion of the 5 tasks
            identified under section G.XV.3. (Lead--Corps, EPA, FWS)

            2. Require an annual report to be submitted by the
            Interagency Working Group to the Task Force that summarizes
            the effect of the federal 404 wetland fill permitting
            working draft 8119194        30







            program on the south Florida environment. This report will
            contain information by county for the number of permit
            applications received (for individual and general permits,
            including nationwide permits), number of permits modified
            prior to approval, number of permits approved, number of
            permits denied, number of veto actions, wetland acreage
            filled in original application and in approved permit, and
            mitigation requir ed. (Lead--Corps, FWS, EPA)
            3. Develop and maintain a wetland permitting information
            database that facilitates completion of these reports as
            well as ongoing efforts to assess the cumulative effects of
            the wetland permitting program on the goal of south Florida
            ecosystem restoration and the region's remaining natural
            resource base. (Lead--Cozps, EPA, FWS)
            4. Integrate the federal wetland permitting program with
            ongoing federal planning activities and ongoing county
            comprehensive planning programs. (Lead--Cozps, EPA, FWS)

            5. Form a Wetland Interagency Coordination Group (WICG)
            that meets regularly to ensure that wetland regulatory,
            permitting and planning activities are proceeding on a
            timely basis; discuss and resolve emerging permitting and
            ecosystem restoration issues; and discuss pending permit
            applications. This would cut review time, reduce
            correspondence, and lead to increased uniformity and
            consensus. (Lead--Coxps, EPA, FWS, NMFS)

            6. Identify wetlands of particular ecological significance
            (critical areas). Their functionality should be assessed in
            a manner that incorporates a holistic consideration of the
            functions that the particular wetland (and upland) provides
            to the greater ecosystem. These assessments and
            identification of critical areas must be performed in a
            coordinated manner by the federal agencies involved in
            permitting processes. (Lead--Cozps, EPA, FWS)

            7. Increase emphasis on wetland enforcement and on permit
            compliance to ensure that the wetland regulatozy program and
            mitigation requirements are providing projected benefits.
            Expand funding of contracts for monitoring and compliance to
            ensure that mitigation is providing projected benefits.
            (Lead--Cozps, EPA,'FwS)

            S. If appropriate, Corps may deny a permit or EPA initiate
            a 404(c) action to avoid wetland loss or irrevocable changes
            to a particular area so that restoration initiatives are not
            precluded.  (Lead--Cozps, EPA)

            9. Invite local governments to evaluate  anyprograms they
            have that match the current federal ones and invite them to
            submit delegation ideas. (Lead--Corps)

            working draft 8129194
                                         31









           10. Increase the south Florida presence of agencies with
           limited or no local satellite offices by increasing travel
           funds, co-location of offices, or relocating personnel to
           south Florida. (Lead--XWG)

           .12. Develop a uniform wetland assessment approach that
           produces consistent assessments of wetland functions and
           filling impacts. (Lead--W:rCG)

           12. identify specific critical areas that require watershed
           management plans and recommend priorities. (Lead--WICG)

           13. Prepare and update master map of activity along urban-
           natural edge, including permits, restoration projects, and
           planning efforts.   (Lead--FWS)

           14. Evaluate potential conflicts between proposed
           development projects and the recommended restoration
           projects contained within this plan. if appropriate,
           initiate an EIS if there is a conflict in an identified
           critical area.   (Lead--WICG)

           25. Expedite completion of Advanced identification of
           Disposal Area projects (ADIDs).'- (Lead--EPA)

           16. Invite state and local agencies to present their
           comprehensive plans to the group and provide a formal
           opportunity to comment (or provide information on federal
           efforts) on the plans. These comments would be coordinated
           with the other entities of the Interagency Working Group.
           (Lead--WXCG)

           27. Encourage establishment of mitigation banks through new
           legislative authority to provide seed money or loan
           guarantees and through expedited review of bank
                          (Lead--ITF)
           appl i ca ti ons.

           IS. Seek legislative authority to return fines and  fees
           collected during the regulatory process back to the
           .restoration effort. Ensure that these funds are used to
           achieve wetland conservation or preservation goals. (Lead--
           ITF, Corps)

           F. Habitat  Restoration--Exotic Plants and Animals

                The introduction of exotic-flora and fauna have
           contributed to the decrease of native communities. The
           following recommendations are aimed at'controlling exotics
           in the south Florida ecosystem.' For additional background
           an this issue, see Appendices H and M.-

           2. Assign a representative(s) of the.Working Group or
           Science sub-Group to the-Federal Interdepartmental Committee
           working draft .6129194       32








           for the Management of Noxious Exotic Weeds; help organize a
           similar interagency group to coordinate and integrate
           research and management of non-indigenous animals.
           Integrate efforts with state, local and non-government
           entities.

           2.   Establish separate working groups for plants and
           animals to develop comprehensive multi-species management
           plans for control of invasive or otherwise har:mful
           nonindigenous species. (Lead--Departments of Interior and
           Agriculture)                    ies and assign
             Include state and county entit
           responsibilities to specific agencies and individuals at all
           government levels. Adopt the Exotic Pest Plant Council's
           current list to identify invasive plant species recognized
           as problems. Determine the magnitude of infestation and the
           relative threat to natural areas to help prioritize critical
           target areas and species for eradication efforts. Encourage
           and assist the coordination of programs and management
           efforts, as well as the sharing of information on
           eradication techniques. Provide regionwide perspective for
           addressing issues. Assist with funding and incentive
           programs.

           3 -  Provide funding for increased research to prevent,
           halt, or reverse invasions by nonnative species. (coxps,
           NBSI NPS)
             With respect to plants, more work is needed on (1)
           biological control agents, (2) factors that affect the
           invasibility of natural areas, (3) environmental
           requirements and phenology of particular problem species as
           these relate to-their vulnerability to specific controlled
           burning or water management regimes, and (4) habitat
           restoration strategies to control reinvasion by non-
           indigenous species after their removal,   With respect to
           animals, research is needed an how non-indigenous species
           reproducing in the wild have impacted food webs, community
           structure, and populations of species in natural areas in
           which they have become established.
             For both animals and plants, research is needed to develop
           methods of screening and risk assessment to prioritize
           efforts at all stages of control (importation, distribution,
           eradication). Developing effective criteria for identifying
           and screening potentially invasive exotics before they
           become well established will help to focus preventive
           efforts.
             Coordinate through the Science Sub-group to use research
           findings to support management and operational procedures.

           4.   Fully fund the Melaleuca Biological Control Quarantine
           Facility and biological control investigations and continued
           eradication efforts by federal, state, and local agencies
           for melaleuca, brazilian pepper, and other high priority
           working draf t .8119194      33








            problem species.  (Lead--Cozps, DOAIARS)
             Funds could be raised through user and recreational fees.


            S.   Promote development of organized, holistic control
            strategies to protect natural areas that emphasize
            prevention of invasions by non-indigenous species. (Lead--
            FWS, ARS)
             Target the three stages of introduction: importation,
            propagation, and distribution. Preventive efforts might
            include import restrictions, local planting ordinances, and
            public education. Implement the recommendations in OTA
            (1593) that address the problem of potentially invasive new
            imports of both plants and animals. Consider proposing  new
            legislation and/or lengthening the list of species
            prohibited from importation under the Lacey Act (Lead--FWS).


            6.   Require the use of native species for all landscaping
            of federal property, including federal buildings, prohibit
            t:he planting of invasive non-indigenous species on public
            laads, and institute vigorous control actions against
            existing stands.  (Lead--XTF)
             Adopt the Exotic Pest Plant Council's list for prohibition
            and eradication. Develop policy requirements prohibiting
            the use of invasive non-indigenous species for landscaping
            federally funded projects such as highways and greenbelts.
            Urge that state and local governments act similarly. urge
            state, local, and non-government groups to use native
            vegetation, rather than drought- tolerant non-native
            species, in xeriscape programs.

            7.   Identify existing monitoring programs and ensure they
            are complementary, not duplicative. (Lead--FWS, IMS, NPS)
             Ensure that basic variables are defined and measured the
            same way so that data can be analyzed across areas, not just
            locally. Support the activities of the COVER Group
            (Colloqui of Vegetation Everglades Research). Develop a
            computerized atlas of ongoing monitoring programs.

            a.   Reallocate existing funding or testify for
            appropriation of additional funding to support a multi-
            pronged approach to controlling harmful non-indigenous
            species.  (Lead--FWS)
             Emphasize non-aquatic species to close the gap in control
            efforts between aquatic and non-aquatic species.

            1.   Document the present nature and extent of invasion of
            -south Florida's natural areas by non-native plant: species
            and prepare a summary report. (Lead--NBS)
             Quantify and map invasions of selected areas, prioritized
            according to representativeness, sensitivity, or special
            concerns. Use the resulting report to prepare brochures and

            working draft 8119194
                                        34







            to prioritize critical target areas. Coordinate with the
            Florida DEP effort and the COVER group.
            20.   Design and implement public education and training
            Programs. (Lead--FWS)
              Raising public awareness of the role of invasive non-
            indigenous species in south Florida's ecosystem degradation
            is integral to effective solutions. Certification training
            classes should be developed.for workers involved with
            screening imports or enforcing ordinances. Landowners
            should be encouraged to remove exotic pest plants and
            replant with natives.

            21.   Establish a horticultural program to develop sterile
            cultivars of popular and widely used but invasive non-native
            ornamental plants, such as certain flowering trees and Ficus
            species. (Lead--Department of Agriculture)

            12.   Encourage and support the inclusion of non-indigenous
            specaes eradication efforts in mitigation and compensation
            plans.   (Lead--FWS)


            G. Habitat Restoration and Recovery Plan---
            Native F2ora and Fauna

                  Controlling or eradicating exotic plants and animals
            are not enough. Protection of native flora and fauna also
            requires strong directive actions. Many species within the
            region are declining in abundance: 54 plant and 51 animal
            species are listed, or candidates for listing, under the
            Endangered Species Act. Because of the importance of
            habitat to survival, a major focus should be protection andi
            enhancement. Emphasis on habitat dictates a multi-species
            approach, that will not only be more effective, but will
            provide better orientation toward whole ecosystem
            restoration than single-species management. For additional
            background on these issues, see Appendices I, J, and M.

            1. Identify all federally listed threatened and endangered
            species; then refine the list to exclude those with limited
            distribution in south Florida. (Zead--FWS)
                  Review the project boundaries established by the Task
            Force and list threatened and endangered species within
            those boundaries.

            2. A@fap species distribution and key habitat associations,
            as well as land use classification, master plan
            designa-t-ionsi, and land ownerships. (Lead--USFWS, NBS)
                  Co mpare species, spatial distribution with public land
            use maps, integrating species information with land use
            classification, master plan designations, and ownership.
            Identify gaps.in habitat protected under public ownership or

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           restricted land use categories. Develop strategies to
           protect poorly covered species.
           3. Develop a team of individuals representing Involved
           agencies and land managers to help develop a multi-species
           recovery report. (Lead--FWS)
           4-.- Establish a south Florida ecosystem endangered species
           coordina tor. (Lead--.FWS)
                The coordinator will serve as the central contact for
           endangered species recovery issues of the ecosystem.
           S. Develop multi-species strategies and long-term goals,
           including analysis of ongoing recovexy efforts. (Lead--FWS)
                Review on-going actions to determine if they can be
           combined to benefit multiple species (e.g. combining snail
           kite and wood stork surveys with annual surveys for wading
           birds). Develop recovery goals that identify essential
           research and management actions, focusing an improving
           coordination among managers. Identify specific lands
           important to recovery efforts and take actions toward land
           protection and/or land management (e.g., prescribed burning
           or water management for improved hydroperiods or improved
           water quality).

           6. Conduct research aimed at restoring the structure of
           native floral and faunal communities. (Lead--FWS, MBS)
                Research must: 1) assess status and trends of wildlife
           populations and habitat resources such as vegetative
           communities, periphyton, and coral reefs, and 2) identify
           and understand effects on natural community structure and
           productivity of major influencing factors (e.g., nutrients,
           mercury, pesticides, habitat alteration, hydrologic
           alterations, and global change). Research on threatened and
           endangered species must: 1) identify species "on the brink"
           of listed species status; 2) determine the ecological
           requirements for species recovery, especially considering
           interaction with other native flora and fauna (using GIS-
           based, integrated, multi-species approach); 3) assess status
           and trends of all threatened and endangered species, and
           ongoing interactions with other native flora and fauna (also
           using GIS-based, integrated, multi-species approach).

           7. Initiate projects to improve habitat. (Lead--FWS)
                These may include: 1) adding or removing water control
           structures; 2) changing hydrologic operational criteria; or
           3) implementing management actions involving control of
           exotic plants, fire, or grazing, as well as establishment of
           sanctuary areas. Highest priority should be given to
           increasing spatial extent of wetlands or sheet flow, or
           returning the natural habitat heterogeneity of wetlands.

           B. Predict and assess various water management alternatives

           working draft sl19194
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            using adaptive management processes. Develop models to
            assess restoration alternatives. (Lead--NBS)

            9. Research and identify spatial thresholds that relate
            wildlife population dynamics to conditions of water and
            vegetation patterns. Detexmine the response of vegetative
            habitats to improved spatial and temporal water conditions.
            (Lead--NBS)
                 Support research: 1) relating forage fish and
            invertebrate population dynamics to conditions of water
            depth, timing, and duration over the habitat mosaics of
            south Florida's ecosystem; 2) relating habitat conditions
            (hydroperiods, hydropatterns, water depth, forage base
            dynamics, and vegetation patterns) to wading bird abundance,
            distribution, and reproductive success; and 3) relating
            spatial extent of the ecosystem to the sustainability of
            viable populations of wading birds and their forage base
            (including relationship of spatial thresholds and water
            condition constraints to sustained reproductive success of
            the wading birds and their associated prey).

            10. Determine recovezy potential of habitats impacted by
            excessive nutrients, and determine thresholds for
            undesirable conversions. (Lead--NBS)

            21. Initiate and sustain routine system-wide monitoring of
            wading bird populations, as well as incoxporate critical
            needs criteria for wading birds into permitting process.
            (Lead--FWS, NBS)
                 Integrate systematic reconnaissance flights (SRF) and
            SFWMD efforts and expand to cover entire ecosystem. (Lead--
            NBS)

            22. Establish ecosystem-wide databases of contacts,
            jurisdiction and authorities, and GIS-based spatial data.
            (Lead--USGS)
                 These data bases will include: 1) a list of contact
            points, agencies, and organizations involved in habitat
            management throughout the ecosystem; 2) a summary of agency
            jurisdiction and authorities over large tracts of natural
            areas; and 3) a GIS-based system for compiling, organizing,
            and managing spatial data.

            23. Restore the Richmond federal pineland and adjacent
            properties. (Lead--FWS)
                 Support the Dade County Park and Recreation Department
            in their FEMA funding request to restore the Richmond
            federal pineland properties, as well as adjacent county- and
            University of Miami-owned pineland and Navy Wells
            properties.

            14. Restore natural fire regimes (including prescribed
            burns) and develop educational material on the role of fire.
            working draft 8119194        37










           (Lead--IVBS)

           2.5. Use disturbed sites (levees, abandoned railroad right-
           of-ways, and power line right-of-ways) to develop wildlife
           corridors; and require use of native plant species in
           greenways.   (Lead--?)
                Encourage, plant, and maintain native vegetation
           appropriate to the soil, microclimate, hydrologic
           conditions, and nearby native plant communities. Also,
           require that projects qualify for federal funding only  if
           landscaped with native plant species and/or if existing
           native vegetation is not destroyed.

           .16. Enforce laws and develop educational materials to
           prevent human disturbance of rookeries, nesting areas, and
           den sites. (Lead--FWS)

           H. Habitat Restoration--Near Coastal Waters

                To be successful, habitat restoration and recovery
           must include provisions to restore the effectiveness of near
           coastal waters. These suggested provisions follow. For
           additional background on these issues, see Appendix K.

           2. Zdentify gaps in existing programs consistent with
           objectives identified for ecosystem restoration. (Lead--?)
            The first step to habitat restoration and recovery is
           identifying federal, state and local programs consistent
           with south Florida's ecosystem restoration strategy. The
           next step is identifying the gaps as they apply to the
           following areas:

           Habitat Restoration: The following projects will help
           restore and sustain healthy ecosystem conditions encouraging
           natural processes, functions, and cycles to continue or be
           .re-established:
                ï¿½ Initiate the Central and Southern Florida (C&SF)
                  Project Restudy feasibility phase to aid in long-
                  term strategic identification of portions of the
                  ecosystem where hydrological restoration can occur,
                  taking into consideration potential adverse impacts
                  to all coastal ecosystems from manipulating the
                  flood control system.
                ï¿½ Initiate construction on the C-111 environmental
                  restoration project to provide more freshwater into
                  Taylor Slough.
                ï¿½ Purchase lands identified in the Everglades Forever
                  Bill and expedite restoration necessary to prepare
                  the land for hydrological use.
                ï¿½ Implement the Lower East Coast Water Supply Plan.
                ï¿½ Maximize restoration of water flow under US 1 along
                  the 18 mile stretch proposed for widening, including
                  mitigation projects proposed by the Florida

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                   Department of Transportation (e.g. filling in
                   canals, restoring habitats, and installing
                   culverts).
                 ï¿½ Remove the old US I bridges in the Keys that impede
                   water circulation between Florida Bay, the Gulf, and
                   the Atlantic Ocean (the new replacement bridges,
                   built after DOT widened US 1, are supported by
                   smaller pilings that don't impede ebb and flood
                   tidal cycles like the older bridges).
                 ï¿½ Continue Coastal America projects such as those used
                   to install mooring buoys to protect critical
                   habitats.
                 ï¿½ Implement NOAA's damage restoration plan for coral
                   reefs impacted by ship and small vessel groundings.
                 0 Expand NOAA1s seagrass restoration project at a site
                   damaged by prop-wash deflectors.
                 ï¿½ Remove old fill areas that impede water circulation
                   along shorelines and between embayments.
           Water Quality Management: At a minimum, several Keys
           projects addressing water quality must be implemented:
                 0 the Water Quality Protection Program (WQPP) for the
                   FKNMS, with implementation to address deterioration
                   of water quality in Florida Bay; eutrophication of
                   near-shore waters; sources of nutrients entering the
                   near-shore waters of the Keys; and stormwater run-
                   off
                 0 point source discharge permit programs
                 0 identification of non-point discharge sources, along
                   with implementation of management/grant programs
                 0 stormwater treatment programs
                 0 enforcement of@septic tank regulations
                 0 identification and removal of illegal cess pits
                 0 installation of marina pump-out facilities
                 0 on-site Sewage Disposal System Demonstration
                   projects
                 0 Alternative Waste Water Treatment demonstration
                   projects
                 0 study of the Key West Sewage outfall plume
                 0 local existing water quality management plans for
                   specific water bodies

           species/Habitat Management: Managing use of natural
           resources (commercial, sport fisheries, and others) to
           maintain sustainable populations depends on coordination
           among involved stateand federal agencies, as well as
           increased focus on such permit programs as point source
           discharge and dredge/fill. What follows is a partial list
           of habitat management plans and actions for the Florida Keys
           and the coral reef community that must be implemented to
           ensure management of natural resources for sustainable
           populations:
                 0 Monroe County's land use plan
           wcrkingr draf t 8129194       39








                 ï¿½ proposed marine zoning plan (FKMS)
                 ï¿½ protection of significant habitats  (e.g.,
                   seagrasses, hard bottoms, coral reefs) from direct
                   impacts (FKNMS DEIS/MP)
                 ï¿½ management action plans contained in the DEIS/MP for
                   the FKNMS (e.g., channel marking plan, mooring buoy
                   plan, regulatory plan, etc.)
                 ï¿½ USFWS Backcountry management Plan and other refuge
                   management plans
                 ï¿½ dredge and fill permitting program(s)
                 ï¿½ endangered species recovery plans in Keys
                 ï¿½ agencies' management plans

           Public Education: The education staff of the FKNMS has
           prepared a directory of the Florida Keys, environmental
           education  programs. The programs that need support are:
               0      Florida Bay Watch Program, using citizens and
                      various user-groups to monitor water quality in
                      and around the Florida Bay
               0      Coral Watch Program, using interested individuals
                      to monitor Florida Keys corals
               0      FKNMS1 Education Action Plan
               0      on-going NPS educational programs
               0      on-going USFWS education program used on refuges
               0      environmental education plans developed by grass
                      roots, local, state, and federal organizations,
                      using FKNMS1 Education Action Plan as a mechanism
                      for coordination
               0      NGOs capable of getting information to the public

           2. Develop programs to expand existing programs and fill in
           the gaps. (Lead--?)
               After existing programs have been integrated and
           research ascertains specific impacts to the coastal areas,
           additional management measures will likely be necessary,
           among them:
               0      Use acquired land in the proposed buffer zone for
                      treating upland runoff.
               0      Expand legislative authority to include non-point
                      source discharges and require specified treatment.
               0      Identify and prioritize sites suitable for habitat
                      restoration/improvement activities and pursue this
                      under existing programs such as Coastal America or
                      the dredge and fill permitting program
                      (mitigation).
                      Enhance enforcement of existing regulations (e.g.
                      septic tank operation, dredge and fill, NPDES,
                      bilge dumping, prop dredging).
               0      Implement public education efforts through
                      radio/tv public service announcements, brochures,
                      school curriculum supplements, and speaker's
                     'bureau.


           working draft 8129194         40








            2. identify sources of-coastal system degradation through
            research efforts coordinated with the Science sub-group.
            (Lead--?)

            1. Land-Based Protection

                Restoring the mosaic of land and water also requires
            land acquisition. The importance of land-based protection
            is reflected in the following recommendations. For
            additional background on these issues, see Appendix L.

            2. Establish an ad hoc interagency team. (Lead--?)
                A land acquisition strategy would be developed by an ad
            hoc interagency team made up of agencies with land
            purchasing authority and those interested in preserving
            natural resources impacted by land use (e.g. Corps, NPS,
            USFWS, SFWMD, NOAA, EPA, local county agencies).

            2. Develop a land acquisition strategy (including the
            feasibility of a Restoration Land Trust) and prioritization
            criteria. (Lead--ad hoc interagency team)
                Tentative elements of the land acquisition strategy
            include: 1) addressing relevant issues identified above; 2)
            exploring establishment of a South Florida Restoration Land
            Trust with the following capabilities and benefits:
                0     obtaining and holding land acquisition funds
                0     anticipating opportunities and needs for specific
                      land parcels
                0     streamlining the land acquisition process using
                      avenues available to private developers
            3) developing criteria with which to establish priorities:
                0     natural resource value of the land
                0     regional water table sensitivity to land
                      development (based an elevation, permeability,
                      etc.)
                0     potential usefulness of land to south Florida's
                      overall restoration
                0     as abuffer between areas of differently managed
                      water levels
                0     as a flowway for water conveyance
                0     along canals to create littoral zones (on gradual
                      inclined banks)
                0     predict relevant land use changes
                0     map organic soil thickness
                0     analyze master plan alterations/zoning changes
                0     analyze permit applications.,

            J.  Science Program

                A strong science program is integral to ecosystem
            -restoration. Without it effective decisions could not be
            made on hydrology, flora and fauna, and all the other
            aspects critical to restoration that have been expressed in

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            the previous recommendations. A strong science program is
            recommended here as a critical tool for carrying out all
            aspects of ecosystem restoration. For additional background
            on these issues, see Appendix M, as well as other related
            appendices indicated above.
            2. Develop an assessment protocol that helps focus modeling
            and monitoring activities on predicting and measuring
            restoration success indicators. In workshop settings in
            interaction with model and monitoring planning, define
            .practical and sensitive indicators, starting with the
            .restoration success criteria recommended in the Science Sub-
            group Report. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
                First, select a set of indicators for which sufficient
            baseline information and understanding is available to
            support their immediate use. Then propose a second set of
            potential indicators for which baseline information should
            be developed to allow their eventual use.

            2. Develop a monitoring plan, bringing together in workshop
            settings the major participants in present and proposed
            moni toring efforts. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
               Conduct special topic workshops, as for instance, the
            geospatial workshop of September, 1994.

            3- Establish groups to model the hydrologic, hydrodynamic,
            landscape, meteorologic, and ecologic processes of the south
            Florida restoration area, taking into account existing
            models. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
               The first step will be development of a hydrologic model
            for the south Florida land base. Existing models will be
            upgraded and new ones developed for areas not yet covered by
            hydrologic models. Hydrologic models will provide input for
            hydro-dynamic models being developed to predict circulation,
            mixing, and salinity patterns in Florida Bay as a function
            of freshwater inflow and other variable factors. The set of
            models will consist of a 3-dimensional model for Florida
            Bay, quantified for operating in 2 dimensions until
            sufficient data to support 37D runs can be obtained, and 2)
            a regional numerical ocean circulation modeling system that
            can provide boundary conditions for the Florida Bay model.
            Ecological models that relate species, populations,
            communities, and landscapes to the simulation outputs of
            hydrologic or hydrodynamic models will provide an objective
            aprior way to evaluate alternative water management
            strategies for their influence on the ecosystem.

            4. Provide an institutional framework, including a home and
            consistent funding, for each of the major types of modeling.
            (Lead--ITF, with advice from Science Sub-group)    Support
            model development, maintenance, upgrading, and application
            to assessment and other restoration needs.



            working draf t 8119194
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            5. Upgrade the hydrologic monitoring network to improve
            present flow estimates and to cover areas presently not
            covered. (Lead--Science Sub-group, USGS, NPS)
                 An expansion of the hydrologic monitoring network is
            needed to provide more complete and accurate data on surface
            and groundwater flows to estuaries. This information is
            critical to hydrologic model testing and refinement and to
            restoration planning and assessment. It will enable more
            accurate water budgets to be constructed and will provide
            baseline data from which to evaluate operational changes
            that affect surface and groundwater flows to Biscayne Bay,
            Florida Bay, and west coast estuaries.
            6. Develop the information base for application of the
            adaptive management approach, emphasizing the building of
            understanding and assessment capability. (Lead--Science
            Sub-group)
                Promote research integrated with modeling and
  PRI       monitoring. Emphasize the acquisition of information that
            can be used in assessment to support the adaptive management
            strategy.

            7. Encourage the developing landscape studies program
            consisting of modeling, retrospective paleontological
            studies, trend and gradient analyses, and monitoring.
            (Science Sub-group, NBS)
                Landscape models are needed that simulate vegetation
            succession as a function of the hydrologic regime and
            aperiodic events, incorporate land shaping processes such as
            sail accretion and soil subsidence, can interact with
            hydrologic models to affect hydrologic processes, and can
            provide the explicit spatial framework necessary for models
            of species and communities that are influenced by landscape
            patterns.
                A landscape studies program that includes landscape
            modeling is underway and needs further support and some
            reorientation to meet the modeling needs described above.
            Complementary projects are being carried out at the South
            Florida Water Management District (ELM) and in a cooperative
            project by ENP/NBS/ORNL (ATLSS).
                Paleontological studies provide retrospective
            perspectives and complement models that hindcast previously
            existing conditions.

            S. Perform research  to develop technology for maintaining
            current agricultural harvest levels with zero soil
            subsidence in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA).
            (Lead--Department of AgriculturelARS)
                Such research would help determine: 1) required annual
            period for maintaining saturated soils; 2) required maximum
            water table depth during other times; and 3) most water
            tolerant cultivars of existing crops. Plant breeding and
            biotechnology would be used to encourage this trait.

            working draft 8129194
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               Supporting work should evaluate the present C&SF Project
           for its capability to support on-farm water management for
           zero-subsidence agriculture, and design modifications to
           provide this support. Hydrologic models should be used to
           evaluate the effect of a summer-flooding-based, zero-
           subsidence agriculture in the EAA and a supportive
           redesigned C&SF Project on 1) the timing and volume of water
           released from the EAA to the Water Conservation Areas and 2)
           seasonal conveyance capacity from Lake Okeechobee through
           the EAA.

           9. Use hydrologic models to test, for their effect on water
           supply and water management flexibility, various land use
           scenarios for the undeveloped lands in western Dade,
           Broward, and Palm Beach Counties east of the water
           Conservation Area levees. (Cozps, USGS)
               Both local governments and permitting agencies have
           little perspective on the cumulative effects of land use
           decisions, particularly as they relate to water.
           Evaluations of cumulative effects of potential land use
           changes on water supplies and water management flexibility
           is needed.

           10. Ensure agencies have the authority to address ecosystem-
           wide issues. (Lead--XTF)

           21. Provide continuous funding as an integral part of
           restoration operations budgets for this multi-year adaptive
           management effort. (Lead--?)
              Adaptive management for ecosystem restoration requires
           continual predictions and feedback from the interactive
           modeling, monitoring, and research efforts--and thus,
           continuous funding.

           22. Ensure resources to support the planning, coordination,
           and oversight activities of the Science Sub-group. (Lead--
           ZTF)












           working draf t 8119194      44











                                      APPENDIX A
                          PROGRESS IN TASK FORCE INITIATIVES



            I.BACKGROUND

            The Interagency Agreement on South Florida Ecosystem
            Restoration instructs the Interagency Working Group to
            "implement Task Force initiatives concerning South Florida
            Ecosystem restoration and maintenance." One task was to
            assist the Corps of Engineers in their reconnaissance study
            of the Central and Southern Florida Project.

            II. PLANNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS RESTUDY
                OF THE C&SF PROJECT

            The Interagency Working Group was asked by the Corps to
            provide consolidated federal objectives of ecosystem
            restoration to the Corps' restudy team. Objectives were
            provided to the Corps and were presented at public workshops
            conducted by the Corps. Based on additional scientific
            information and public comments, they were refined by the
            Corps' Study Team into a set of planning objectives. An
            abbreviated version of the Study Team's presentation of the
            planning objectives follows.

                Each objective is discussed below in the context of
            public comments, as well as supporting information provided
            by the Working Group and scientific publications. Three
            publications in particular supplied scientific support to
            the first four planning objectives. These publications were
            The Science Sub-Group Report: Federal Objectives for the
            South Florida Restoration (Science Sub-Group, 1993),
            Everglades, The Ecosystem and Zts Restoration (Davis and
            Ogden, 1994), and Ecosystems of Florida (Myers and Ewel,
            1990).   Direct quotations are from those documents unless
            otherwise noted. The first objective deals with spatial
            extent.
            The Corps' Study Team said that, although acquisition of
            some type of real estate interest is an obvious response to
            @his objective, it is not necessarily the only way to
            increase spatial extent of wetlands. The study team does
            not consider this to be a mandate for purchase of additional
            public lands for ecosystem restoration, but rather intends
            that a full range of alternative methods will be considered.
            The second objective deals with habitat.heterogeneity.

            The Interagency Working Group suggests that every regulatory
            and planning project developing actions should incorporate
            the noted views of the Science Sub-Group (1993), Davis and
            Ogden (1994), and Myers and Ewel (1990) concerning the
            importance of habitat heterogeneity in achieving habitat
            restoration.
            working draft 8129194          45











                      Reconnaissance Study Planning-Oblectives

            Objective #2 - Increase the total spatial extent of wetlands.
                Wetland area has been reducid to roughly So percent of its
            former size.

            What scientists have said:

                Extensive areas     "provide enough space to support
                genetically viable numbers of individuals and sub-
                populations for those species with large home ranges.
                .or with narrow habitat requirements."

                "Protection of representative examples of each of
                Florida's ecosystems does not ensure sufficient habitat
                for all of their characteristic species.       Wide-ranging
                species . . . have little future in Florida unless large
                blocks of their habitats are set aside.11

                Extensive areas "increase the solar collector area that
                becomes transformed into aquatic productivity" and thus
                enable "the system-wide aquatic production in a nutrient-
                poor system necessary to support large populations of
                wading birds, snail kites, and other consumers dependent
                upon aquatic food webs."

                Extensi ve areas allow "for the perpetuation of habitat
                diversity through the processes of natural disturbances. 11

                Extensive areas serve "as a buf fer to prevent patchwise
                population changes f rom creating species or population
                extinctions -in the area as a whole" since "population
                resiliency is proportion to the area of these wetlands
                because habitat diversity, the amount of seasonal refugia,
                and the number of dispersal options are proportional to
                wetland area."

            What the public said:

                South Florida's ecosystem, particularly changes in the
                Everglades, was one of the most important concerns
                expressed by the public.     While there were only a f ew
                comments from the public that explicitly addressed spatial
                extent, many people observed that the size of the
                ecosystem had been reduced as part of human development.
                Many also stated they did not believe the 'natural area of
                the ecosystem should be enlarged at. the expense of
                communities, jobs, and businesses.

            Objective #2 - increase habitat heterogeneity: (a) reestablish
            at: least the minimum threshold size of historic community
            working draf t .91.19194      46








              types,(b)     reestablish relative balance among historic
              community types, (c) reduce fragmentation within and among
              community types, (d) and reduce the extent of non-native
              plants and animals.
                  Natural habitats are now fragmented and several landscapes
              have been reduced to remnants.

              What scientists have said:

                  "Functional losses of the ecosystem that have accompanied
                  landscape and plant community change. . Anclude reduction
                  in spatial extent of system aquatic productivity,
                  reduction in aquatic productivity of the southern
                  Everglades due to shortened hydro-periods and interrupted
                  flows as a result of development of marshes upstream,
                  reduction in cover of wet prairie and slough and related
                  aquatic productivity in the remaining system, loss of
                  habitat diversity at the landscape and community level,
                  and reduction in early dry season feeding habitat of
                  wading birds."

                  "The Everglades and Florida Bay are unique in the northern
                  hemisphere.    The mangrove forests of south Florida,
                  together with the wetlands systems of Florida's northern
                  river estuaries, represent important habitats in terms of
                  biological activity and diversity" for both commercially
                  and non-commercially important species (Livingston in
                  Myers and Ewel, 1990).

                  "Historically, most of the large, traditional wading bird
                  colonies were located close to the lower Shark River
                  Slough/mangrove ecotone because of the more dependable
                  foraging conditions created by the juxtaposition of a long
                  hydro-period freshwater pool next to a highly productive
                  estuarine region."

                  "The size of the area is not the only important
                  consideration.    A small fragment, if connected by a
                  corridor of habitat to a larger one, will typically
                  support more interior species [although possibly at lower
                  densities] than will a similar-sized fragment without a
                  corridor. The value of such corridors has been clearly
                  demonstrated. . . 11 (Shaw, 1985).

                  "Fragmentation results in erosion of biodiversity and must
                  be corrected by restoring connections between biotic
                  communities."

                   . . .  invasion of melaleuca . . . drastically changes
                  ecosystem structure and dynamids:-        Melaleuca forest
                  replaces marsh, thus changing animal use; leaf litter and
                  woody debris change relative soil elevation and hence

              working draft 8119194
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                hydrology; tree weight can compress underlying peat
                depots; organic matter results in heavy fuel loads of very
                combustible materials, leading to very hot fires.
                (White 1994).

           What the public said:
                The public noted adverse changes in habitats, such as the
                sawgrass, mangrovest seagrass beds, and other native
                wetland habitats. They also commented on adverse changes
                in fish and wildlife species, such as wading birds,
                alligators, shrimp, and lobsters, that depend on the
                native habitats for survival.     The adverse effects of
                invasive non-native species, such as melaleuca, Brazilian
                pepper, and Australian pine, concerned many.
           Objective #3 - Restore hydrologic structure and function: (a)
           restore sheet flow, (b) increase dynamic storage capacity, (c)
           .restore hydrologic linkages,      (d) restore more natural
           hydroperiods, and (3) restoze inore natural water delivery
           characteristics to estuaries and bays.

           What scientists have said:

                "An essential defining characteristic of the pre-drainage
                Everglades was its regionally dynamic patterns of water
                storage and sheet flow." Although 80 percent of annual
                rainfall fell between June and October (Gunderson and
                Loftus, 1993; Duever et al., 1994), the system's large
                spatial extent and broad sawgrass plains stored wet season
                rainfall and released it with a delay that maintained
                flows throughout much of the dry season. This produced a
                much wetter system that exists under managed conditions
                (Fennema et al., 1994)       and was essential to the
                production and survival of aquatic animals (Loftus et al.,
                1986; Davis and Ogden, 1994) and the higher trophic-level
                organisms dependent on the small aquatic animals for food.

                "Past water management practices and the construction of
                related works have resulted in: (1) loss of transitional
                wetlands, which provided an early-season feeding habitat
                for wading birds; (2) modification of flow pattern (from
                attenuated to pulBed), which reduced hydro-periods; (3)
                unnatural pooling and over-drainage as a result of canals
                and levees; (4) reversal from muck building to rapid
                oxidation of soils; and (5) abandonment of wading bird
                nesting areas in Everglades National- Park due to change in
                hydro-period."

                Longer hydroperiods characteristic* of   the pre-drainage
                Everglades were necessary to the reestablishment of macro-
                invertebrate and fish populations after the dry season
                (Loftus et al., 1986 and Loftus and Eklund, 1994). Higher

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                groundwater levels may have allowed solution and alligator
                holes to maimtain remnant populations (Loftus et al.,
                1992).

                Ogden (1994) hypothesized that abandonment of traditional
                colonial wading bird nesting sites and reductions in
                regional breeding populations was caused in part by
                greater dry-down frequency and extent in deeper areas of
                southern Shark Slough and by reduced flows into mainland
                estuaries and flanking freshwater prairies.

            What the public said:

                Speakers and writers noted many changes in the historic
                hydrologic regime and other physical characteristics of
                south Florida. Many people believe that changes in sheet
                flow and hydro-patterns brought about by man's water
                management activities, including the C&SF Project, are
                important causes of ecosystem decline.

            Objective #4 - Restore water quality conditions: (a) restore
            more natural salinity characteristics in estuaries and bays,
            (b) restore more natural quality characteristics.

                Water quality problems in south Florida are complex and
            varied and fall into three categories:         eutrophication,
            contaminants, and salinity changes.

            What scientists have said:

                Eutrophication, caused by watershed activities that have
                increased nutrient loads, is represented by dramatic
                increases in algal growth within Lake Okeechobee and
                shifts from sawgrass to cattails within the Everglades.
                These.changes affect ecosystem functioning.

                Contamination problems are characterized by pesticide and
                herbicide residues and bio-accumulation of mercury within
                the system. The cause of mercury contamination remains
                uncertain because little is known about the mercury
                sources or factors influencing transformation and
                mobilization.

                Changes   in   salinity   characteristics   of    estuaries
                throughout south Florida have resulted from the alteration
                of freshwater inflow.    Estuarine ecosystems have been
                disrupted by both too much and too little fresh water.
                St. Lucie and Caloosahatdhee estuaries * and Manatee Bay-
                Barnes Sound have been damaged by -sporadic high volume
                freshwater releases.   Florida Bay has-been affected by
                diminished freshwater inflow..   Salinities greater than
                seawater strength are thought to have become more
                persistent and widespread over Florida Bay and may have
            working draft 8129194         49









               contributed to the observed reduced recruitment of pink
               shrimp, snook, and redfish; lowered reproductive success
               of ospreys and great white herons; distribution shifts in
               manatees, crocodiles, and many wading birds; and mass
               mortality of seagrasses.

           What the public said:

               Concerns focused on six major topics: pollution of Lake
               Okeechobee, regulatory releases from the lake, outflow
               from the Everglades Agricultural Area, salinities in
               Florida Bay, urban water quality, and system-wide mercury
               pollution.
           objective #5 - improve the availability of water: (a) improve
           efficiency in water use, @b) improve water supply.

           What scientists have said:

               The 1990 base case developed by the South Florida Water
               Management District (SFWMD) indicates numerous water
               supply shortfalls. Modeling suggests that, by 2010, the
               supply shortages will be severe and unacceptable to the
               public. The modeling for the 2010 planning horizon did
               not include environmental demands that may be identified
               by'SFWMD and the interagency restoration effort.

           What the public said:

               The public recognized three main water users:           the
               environment, the urban areas, and agriculture. Problems
               identified included conflicting demands among users, water
               waste, an inadequate water management system, the need to
               increase the supply of water, and the need for water
               conservation to reduce demand.

           Objective #6 - Reduce flood damages on Seminole and Miccosukee
           tribal lands.

               The Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of
           Indians of Florida have reservations in south Florida that are
           affected by the structures and operations of the C&SF Project.

           The Seminole Tribe's Brighton Reservation is in Glades County
           southeast of Lake Istopoga and northwest of Lake Okeechobee
           and is protected by the Herbert Hoover Dike.        Their Big
           Cypress Reservation  *is in Hendry County in the L-28 basin
           adjacent to WCA 3A.     The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of
           Florida . Reservation is,- adjacent to the Big Cypress
           Reservation. The latter two reservations have surface water
           management systems that discharge into the L-28 canal. The S-
           140 pump station, which discharges from the L-28 canal into
           Water Conservation Area 3A, is designed to discharge 7/16
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             inches of water per day from the L-28 basin.
             Both Tribes expressed a need f or improved f lood protection in
             their Reservations near the L-28 canal.

             What Tribe representatives said:
                 The Tribes and other land owners in the L-28 basin have
                 improved their lands since completion of the L-28 basin
                 works, and they continue to intensify these uses.        The
                 capacity of the L-140 pump station may be inadequate,
                 particularly in the triangle area formed by the L-28 canal
                 on the east, the L-28 interceptor canal on the west, and
                 1-75 on the north. A significant portion of flood waters
                 from the C-139 and L-28 basins are routed through the L-28
                 borrow canal across the Big Cypress Reservation. Current
                 project works are inadequate to handle this volume of
                 water; flooding on the reservation often occurs during
                 heavy storms. In addition, there is no protective levee
                 in the Big Cypress Reservation to prevent the L-28 borrow
                 canal from overflowing onto the Reservation. An existing
                 protective levee within the Miccosukee Reservation ends at
                 the Miccosukee Reservation boundary. Water ponds in the
                 eastern portion of the Big Cypress Reservation.






























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                                    APPENDIX B
                              SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPM ENT


           I. MAJOR ISSUE

               Fundamental to ecosystem restoration and management is
           the concept of sustainable development. It must be the
           foundation of any successful restoration effort. The
           concept recognizes that lasting solutions require a balance
           between resolving urgent environmental concerns while
           providing for the essential needs of development and
           industry-meeting the needs of the present without
           compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
           own needs. More specifically, development and economic
           activity in south Florida must be compatible with attainment
           of the over-arching goal of south Florida ecosystem
           restoration and maintenance and the ecosystem must support a
           healthy south Florida economy. Restoration must proceed
           within the context of a healthy economic setting.


           11. BACKGROUND

               People are attracted to south Florida for many reasons.
           Some are very conscious of the vast natural, undeveloped
           areas and routinely enjoy the recreational opportunities
           they afford. Others choose to live in south Florida because
           of the mild climate or for family or business interests.
           Many own undeveloped land which they plan to develop in the
           future as retirement homes. All are part of a regional
           economy that is fundamentally based on how the land is used
           or preserved. In general, economic growth in Florida is
           synonymous with conversion of undeveloped "useless" land to
           another use. There is a growing recognition that this
           "useless" land provides essential benefits to the general
           public. The challenge is to describe these benefits in
           relevant terms and then determine the value of those
           benefits to the general public.

               In the past 90 years, the population of Florida has
           grown dramatically. The advent of the railroad, modern
           conveniences such as air conditioning, channelization of
           water flow, and subsequent drainage of wetlands have
           rendered once uninhabitable areas not only inhabitable but,
           in concert with the mild climate of south Florida, most
           desirable.

               The setting established by modernization created the
           nearly ideal conditions for the state's two most significant
           industries, agriculture and tourism. A third key group of
           regional industries is residential and light commercial
           development. Many commercial enterprises and retirees are
           moving to Florida for its quality of life. Florida,

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            particularly in the south, continues to experience rapid
            growth. In 1945 the population of the 18 counties that
            encompass the south Florida watershed was about 730,000. 'In
            1990 the population in these same counties was 6.3 million.
            Concurrent with this population growth has been the
            conversion of natural lands (uplands and wetlands) within
            the region to urban, residential, and agricultural land
            uses. Present estimates of population growth indicate an
            additional tripling of the human population in south Florida
            within the next 50 years. The cycle of increasing
            population requiring increasing commercial development
            paving the way for new population increases will repeat and
            will result in increased demands within the region for water
            supply, flood control, shelter, transportation, and service
            needs.

                The pressures of this growth on the ecosystem is
            producing clear signs of severe stress. Loss of wetlands,
            invasions of non-native species, declines in water quality,
            increases in the occurrence of ecological events such as
            marine-based algal blooms, seagrass die-offs, mangrove
            decline, and coral diseases are a few of the manifestations
            of ecosystem stress and if not corrected, threaten
            the economic vitality of key regional economies. The
            ecosystem cannot sustain current pressures.

                Recognition that humans are a part of the south Florida
            ecosystem is necessary to ecosystem restoration planning.
            The restored south Florida ecosystem cannot and should not
            be exactly the same as the system that existed prior to
            human intervention, because the basic needs of human
            communities for flood control and water supply must be
            accommodated.

                Managers should not wait until scientific consensus is
            reached before taking action. Ludwig et al. (1993) cite the
            California sardine fishery as an example of this danger.
            The Pacific anchovy harvest plunged from 10 million metric
            tons per year to near zero following a decision allowing
            liberal fishing limits and a series of El Nino events.
            There is still scientific debate over the influence of
            exploitation versus El Nino events. Throughout south
            Florida, and particularly in Florida Bay, this same dilemma
            appears. There are conflicting opinions on the causes of
            the problems. Managers cannot wait for a complete
            scientific understanding before taking prudent action. They
            must instead use the best available information and be
            willing to accept reasonable risk in their actions.

                In south Florida, the challenge is to restore the health
            and defining characteristics of the regional ecosystem
            within the context of a vibrant economy. A healthy
            ecosyste'm.is an essential prerequisite to long-term
            working draf t 81.29194      53









          sustainability of human communities and economic endeavors.
          Water purification, clean air, and safe edible natural
          resources such as fish and shellfish are provided by healthy
          ecosystems. We must develop and apply ecologically friendly
          methods in agriculture, industry, and other human pursuits
          so that the health and defining characteristics of the
          ecosystem are restored and its support functions for human
          communities are operational. The future growth in south
          Florida must facilitate the halting and eventual reversal of
          the varied and widespread symptoms of ecosystem decline.
          Public and industry officials must embrace a sustainable
          development approach if the economy and natural resources of
          south Florida are to thrive over the long term.


          III. OBJECTIVES

              The Interagency Working Group proposes four management
          objectives for sustainable development:

              0 Ensure that any development plans or permits for
          development are fully coordinated among affected
          governmental agencies and are compatible with restoration of
          the south Florida ecosystem.

              0 Ensure that existing development which has an adverse
          impact reduces or eliminates degradation and that new
          development does not contribute to degradation.

              0 Develop and utilize a system-wide integrated
          mitigation plan, coordinating all levels of government,
          which contributes to overall -restoration.

              0 Ensure that regardless'of any future development
         .there is a sufficient land, water and resource base to
          conduct the required natural resource restoration efforts.

              Attaining the goal of sustainable development in south
          Florida will require an adaptive, multi-faceted approach
          which focuses on assessments, creative business
          alternatives, incentives and education. Enduring solutions
          to economic and environmental problems are only as effective
          as the commitment of the citizens who are part of that
          economy and environment. Therefore, public officials should
          have a long-range view which provides the basis for the
          pragmatic, sequential actions necessary for success.







          workingq draf t BIJ9194
                                        54










                                    APPENDIX C
                     COORDINATING AGENCY POSITIONS AND ACTIONS



           I. MAJOR ISSUES
               Ecosystem restoration activities are being undertaken by
           eleven agencies within six federal departments. Numerous
           other federal agencies are engaged in significant programs
           or projects in south Florida that have major effects on the
           success of restoration efforts including: the widening of
           U.S. Rte. #1 to the Florida Keys, funded by the Federal
           Highway Administration, and oil and gas permitting on
           federal lands and offshore waters by the Bureau of Land
           Management. In addition, a wide variety of state and local
           government agencies are actively involved in planning,
           regulatory activities, and projects that target restoration
           goals or significantly affect ecosystem conditions. There
           is a continuous need for the communication and coordination
           of strategies, plans, funding proposals, project schedules,
           permit requirements, and program/project evaluations among
           this array of agencies, activities to assure a comprehensive
           effort, avoid duplication, maintain linkage of funding and
           schedules, resolve differing agency positions, and compare
           results against overall objectives.


           II. BACKGROUND

               There are currently more than 14 different working
           groups, committees, advisory councils and commissions at
           work in south Florida trying to address or coordinate some
           aspect of agency restoration effort. Agencies' personnel
           regularly coordinate, consult, and resolve differences on
           specific projects and programs.

               While these extensive advisory and agency efforts
           accomplish a great deal, the total number and compartmented
           nature of the efforts have substantial drawbacks.
           Typically, these individual efforts can overlook some
           interested or affected party. Often they leave agency
           differences unresolved, or without necessary approvals or
           realistic commitments. This contributes to delays and
           misunderstandings until agency managers or higher
           authorities are consulted.

               The public and agency officials are often confused over
           which agency or advisory/coordinating group is charged with,
           or can impact, a given restoration activity. Frustration
           resulting from these circumstances often lead to
           misunderstanding, confrontation, and/or unilateral action to
           obtain decisions or move a project forward. The Interagency
           Working Group (IWG) has the charge and the opportunity to

           working draf t 8119194
                                        55








           integrate the federal side of the restoration effort and to
           create a strong link with state and local activities.

           111. OBJECTIVE

               Develop and implement a clear, unified process to:
           communicate status of restoration plans and activities;
           coordinate priorities, funding, and implementation schedules
           among all agencies; and quickly identify, confront, and
           resolve agency differences.


           IV. APPROACH

               The Interagency Working Group will assign areas of
           coordination responsibility to several sub-groups, including
           the existing Management, Science, and Projects Sub-groups
           and add at least an information/education sub-group. Each
           will be required to routinely meet and review all federal
           agency activity in the assigned area. The IWG will
           identify, discuss, and work to informally coordinate and
           resolve matters of concern. It will provide periodic
           opportunities for state and local agency presentations and
           public comment to identify the full range of coordination
           issues and opportunities appropriate for consideration.
           (Sub-group membership would be altered as appropriate to
           include state and local government representatives and
           citizen advisors upon implementation of the recommendations
           in Appendix M.) Each Sub-group will immediately bring items
           to the attention of individual affected members, or to the
           full IWG if management action is needed to expedite an
           effort or resolve an issue.

               Each participating agency manager will dedicate the
           necessary personal time and staff support to support this
           process on a continuing basis.

















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                                     APPENDIX D
                       EXPEDITING CORPS RESTORATION PROJECTS



           1. BACKGROUND

               The Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project was
           designed and constructed by the Corps of Engineers with the
           South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) and the St.
           Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) acting as the
           local sponsors. The project serves the congressionally
           authorized purposes of flood control, urban and agricultural
           water supply, prevention of salt water intrusion,
           recreation, navigation, protection of.fish and wildlife
           resources, water supply for Everglades National Park (ENP),
           and environmental restoration. The project area includes
           the Upper St. Johns River Basin, the Kissimmee River, Lake
           Okeechobee, the Everglades Agricultural Area, the Water
           Conservation Areas (WCA), and the lower east coast. In
           recent years, the dominant theme of Corps studies and
           projects has been to develop and implement modifications to
           the water management system that restore and enhance the
           region's natural resources while still maintaining other
           authorized project purposes.


           11. ISSUES/PROBLEMS

               Congressional appropriations to the Corps for these
           projects have been adequate. Yet, the rate of actual
           progress has often been disappointing, creating important
           problems in expediting Corps restoration projects.

               a. Environmental Evaluations The single most difficult
           task in the design of any environmental restoration project
           is predicting the potential benefits. Environmental
           benefits must be described in a way that supports
           optimization of the project design and justification of
           federal expenditures. This requires prediction of
           environmental impacts in quantifiable terms. Unfortunately,
           in most cases, it is not possible to make quantifiable
           predictions that are scientifically valid. This has
           necessitated the use of expert opinion and has made
           documentation of project justification particularly
           difficult.

               The lack of,predictive ability has hampered design of
           restoration projects. For example, both the Modified Water
           Deliveries to ENP and the C-111 projects were designed
           without the benefit of a final operating plan. Necessary
           environmental data collection, evaluation, and model
           development for use in developing an operating plan have not
           been completed. This work will continue through

           working draft 8129194
                                         57









            construction of-the project features. The structural
            systems were designed to provide maximum operational
            flexibility.

                b. Plan Formulation The development of environmental
            restoration objectives and the formulation of alternative
            plans to address those objectives have caused project
            delays. Criticism of the Corps, plan formulation by other
            federal agencies has typically occurred as a part of the
            final coordination of a plan formulation report and/or NEPA
            document. It is very inefficient to attempt to modify
            project objectives or reformulate alternatives at this stage
            of the process.

                C. Environmental Monitoring A lack of adequate
            environmental data has been a consistent problem in
            environmental restoration projects. There is a lack of data
            that relates ecologic and hydrologic parameters. Hydrologic
            data collection is generally adequate; however, the
           ;available processes for sharing and transferring data need
            improvement. There is generally a shortage of associated
            environmental data and a comprehensive program to coordinate
            environmental monitoring studies is needed.


            III. SCOPE

                The Corps of Engineers is implementing a number of
            environmental restoration projects in south Florida within
            the boundaries of the South Florida Water Management
            District. The projects can be separated into four
            categories: operational modifications, projects in the
            design and construction phase, plan formulation for
            authorized projects, and plan formulation for projects to be
            recommended for authorization. These categories encompass
            the full range of action from immediate improvements through
            operational changes limited by the capability of the
            existing water management system to long-term planning
            efforts addressing fundamental changes to the structural and
            operational system.

                a.   Or)erationa.1-modific_ations Operational
            modifications are changes to the operating criteria of
            various features of the C&SF.Project to restore more natural
            water conditions. Operational modifications are constrained
           .by the capabilities of the physical project features and the
            need to protect the authorized project purposes.

                 (1) Lake Okeechobee Regulation Schedule Review: At the
                 request of the SFWMD, the regulation schedule is being
                 reviewed to consider possible operational modifications.
                 High water levels associated with the current Lake
                 Okeechobee Regulation Schedule have altered the vegetative
            working draf t 81291-94           58








                communities within the lake that developed during years of
                lower lake schedules. A review of the regulation schedule
                is being conducted to determine whether alterations should
                be made to correct this problem. All associated impacts are
                being evaluated including water supply, discharges to the
                estuaries, water quality, etc. Recommendations will be made
               /in the summer of 1994.

                (2) WCA No. 1 Regulation Schedule Review: At the request
                of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), the regulation
                schedule for WCA No. I is being modified to restore more
                natural water conditions for the benefit of nesting wading
                birds and snail kites. The revised schedule will be
                implemented in the summer of 1994.

               b. Desicm/Construction of Approved Projects The basic
           designs of these projects have been approved and detailed design
           and construction are proceeding, although some modification of
           the design details may be appropriate as detailed design
           proceeds. NEPA documentation for these projects is complete.

                (1) Kissimmee River Restoration: The project consists of
                the revitalization of the headwaters and restoration of the
                historic floodplain wetlands in the lower basin. In the
                upper basin, Lakes Kissimmee, Cypress, and Hatchineha will
                be operated to achieve-more natural water level fluctuations
                with respect to historic elevations and seasonality. This
                will revitalize the peripheral marshes around the three
                lakes and will reestablish historic flows to the lower
                basin. In the lower basin, about 25 miles of the existing
                flood control canal will be filled and flow will be restored
                to about 50 miles of the natural river channel. In so
                doing, about 29,000 acres of the historic wetland habitat
                will be restored. Land acquisition is required in both
                basins for areas that will be subjected to more flooding.
                The test fill construction contract has been awarded and a
                ground-breaking ceremony was held in April 1994.
                Construction is scheduled to take approximately 15 years.

                (2) Modified water Deliveries to ENP: The purpose of this
                project is to modify the C&SF Project to restore more
                natural hydrologic conditions in Shark River Slough, ENP's
                largest slough system. The project is being implemented in
                conjunction with Department of Interior's acquisition of
                about 107,600 acres in the East Everglades for incorporation
                into ENP. It includes the construction of water control
                structures, canals, and levees in WCA No. 3 and the removal
                of a 10-mile-long canal and levee to restore water flows
                through the historic flow-way. It also includes the
                construction of two pump stations, a seepage levee, and a
                seepage collection canal to avoid adverse impacts to
                adjacent developed areas. The first of five Feature Des*ign
                Memorandums for the project was approved in December 1993.
           working draft 8129194             59









                Construction is scheduled to be initiated in FY 1994.

                (3) C-111: The purpose of the C-111 project is to modify
                the water management system to restore more natural
                hydrologic conditions in Taylor Slough in ENP while
                maintaining flood protection for the adjacent agricultural
                areas. The draft General Reevaluation Report (GRR)
                recommends the acquisition of agricultural lands that lie
                between the ENP boundary and L-31N and C-111. A system of
                canals, levees, and pumps will create a buffer zone and a
                floodwater detention/retention area between the park and
                agricultural lands. This will enable the restoration of
                large areas of short hydroperiod wetlands in the upper zone
                and headwaters of Taylor Slough. The recommended plan also
                incll;des a pump and spreader canal to restore overland sheet
                flow over an existing wetland north of the lower section of
                C-111. This project will produce more natural flows to
                Florida Bay and a reduction in damaging freshwater
                discharges to Manatee Bay/Barnes Sound. The GRR is
                undergoing final public and agency review. If approved in
                June 1994, as scheduled, detailed design will be initiated.
                Construction is scheduled to be initiated in FY 1996.


              C. Plan Formulation of Authorized Projects Only about 70
          percent of the authorized C&SF Project features have been
          constructed. For some of the authorized but unconstructed
          projects, studies have been requested by SFWMD to determine
          whether construction is still justified. Plan formulation and
          NEPA  documentation for projects in this category is under way.

                (1) C-51 West: The original design for the C-51 project
                provided flood control benefits to the eastern and western
                C-51 basins. Project features for the eastern basin were
                completed in 1991. A Detailed Design Memorandum for the C-
                51 West project features was under review in 1991. The
                report was withdrawn when negotiations related to the
                resolution of the Everglades litigation led to
                recommendations for implementation of a modified C-51 plan.
                It was included in the Technical Mediated Plan (TMP) that
                resulted from mediation discussions. Even though the
                mediation reached an impasse, the federal government is
                still committed to implementing the TMP, including the
                modified C-51 plan. The new plan would provide flood
                control benefits, but it would also provide water quality
                enhancement and water supply benefits. The physical
                features of the plan would be substantially altered. The
                original 1,600 acre flood detention area would be expanded
                to form a larger shallower Stormwater Treatment Area 1 East.

                (2) Operational Studies for Shark Slough and Taylor Slough
                Water Deliveries: Preliminary operating plans were
                developed for Modified Water Deliveries to ENP and the C-111
          workin_q draf C 8129194            60








                  Projects as a part of the general design phase. However,
                  reports for both projects recognized the need for additional
                  data collection and analysis and recommended additional
                  studies to develop operational strategies to optimize
                  environmental benefits. The Experimental Program of
                  Modified Water Deliveries to ENP has been underway since
                  1985. The testing program allows restoration of more
                  natural hydrologic conditions to the extent possible within
                  the constraints of the existing structural system. It is
                  also enabling the collection of hydrologic and ecologic data
                  that can be used to develop an optimum operating plan.
                  Although the testing program initially only addressed Shark
                  River Slough, it was expanded in July 1993 to include Taylor
                  Slough. The testing program will continue through
                  completion of construction of the Modified Water Deliveries
                  to ENP and C-111 Projects. An adaptive management strategy
                  is being used to enable the evolution of the operational
                  strategy as data is collected and analyzed, as the required
                  hydrologic and ecologic models are improved, and as other
                  modifications are made to the water management system (i.e.,
                  construction of Stormwater Treatment Areas, implementation
                  of the Lower East Coast Regional Planning Project
                  recommendations, construction of the West Dade well field,
                  etc).

                  (3) Melaleuca Quarantine Facility: Federal and state
                  agency efforts have been underway to identify a biological
                  control of Melaleuca infestation. To date, the research has
                  been performed in Australia, the native home of the trees.
                  Congress has authorized the Corps, in consultation with the
                  U.S. Department of Agriculture, to design and construct a
                  quarantine facility required to complete the process of
                  safely identifying and introducing insects to south Florida.
                  Once constructed, the facility will be operated by the USDA.

                  (4) Manatee Protection: Manatees are a federally listed
                  endangered species native to Florida. The operation of
                  certain C&SF Project water control structures and locks has
                  resulted in the death of manatees through crushing or
                  drowning. A study is underway to design modifications to
                  the structures to prevent injury to manatees.

                  (5) Homestead and Cape Sable Canals: These canals are
                  located at the southern end of mainland Florida and are
                  within ENP. They were constructed in the early 1900s by
                  local interests to drain wetlands. When ENP was -
                  established, the canals were plugged with earthen dams.
                  Extreme wind tides, waves, and water velocities that
                  occurred as a result of Hurricane Andrew substantially
                  damaged these plugs. Both plugs leak badly and are in
                  danger of total failure. If the plugs failed, fresh water'
                  would drain from upstream shallow lakes and salt water would
                  be allowed to intrude freshwater areas. The Corps is
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                  designing.,a plan for permanent' repair of these plugs.


                 d. Plan Formulation for vrolects to be recommended for
            authorization Congress authorizes the Corps to study water
            resources problems to determine whether there is a federal
            interest in implementing a solution. Currently, there are two
            pre-authorization studies under way addressing environmental
            restoration in south Florida.

                  (1) C&SF Comprehensive Restudy: This study is reviewing
                  the existing C&SF Project with a view towards determining
                  whether it should be modified to benefit the environment.
                  Flood control and water supply will also be evaluated. A
                  reconnaissance study will be submitted in November 1994.       It
                  is anticipated that SFWMD will be the local sponsor. The
                  Federal Interagency Task Force has played a major role
                  throughout the study process.

                  (2) Coast of Florida Erosion and Storm Effects Study: This
                  study is a multi-year, phased   regional feasibility study
                  exaM4 ning the entire developed east coast ocean shoreline
                  and west coast gulf shoreline. The objective is to develop
                  a comprehensive understanding of the coastal processes and
                  associated environmental resources to help in the
                  development of enhanced shore protection projects while
                  reducing negative project impacts. Geographic information
                  system technology is being used in developing the associated
                  databases which will provide comprehensive information on
                  all associated natural and physical resources and processes
                  in the region.

                  To he-1p efficiently manage this study, the coastline has
                  been sub-divided into five separate regions, based on
                  distinctive characteristics. The first region of study,
                  presently nearing completion, includes the Dade, Broward and
                  Palm Beach County coastlines (Region III). Two of the
                  primary environmental databases include identification and
                  quantification of offshore hard grounds and sea turtle
                  nesting information. Close to 1,000 new line miles of side
                  scan sonargrams were used to complete the hard ground
                  database. Sand bypassing and nearshore disposal/berm
                  placement are two key alternatives under development in this
                  region. Over 20 such potential projects are being assessed
                  in Region III. Field investigation of the four central east
                  county coastlines will be initiated during,FY 95. The
                  southwest coastline investigation is scheduled for
                  initiation during FY 96.


            IV. OBJECTIVES

                The Florida working Group is expediting Corps projects that

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           benefit the region's natural resources by insuring that necessary
           information has been developed, creating interagency project
           teams, and by installing and maintaining a hydrologic and
           ecologic monitoring system.

               No changes in the respective interagency roles are necessary
           in expediting Corps restoration projects. The Corps of Engineers
           should continue to have the lead on these projects with support
           provided from other agencies as appropriate. There should be a
           greater emphasis on interagency partnering continuously
           throughout the process. Of particular note is the need for
           greater involvement of U.S. Department of Highway Transportation
           in the execution of several restoration projects.

























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                                      APPENDIX 9
                                 WATER SUPPLY ISSUES:
                       AGRICULTURAL, URBAN AND ECOSYSTEM NEEDS



           I. BACKGROUND

              Historically, the Kissimmee-Lake Okeechobee-Everglades
           watershed was part of one large, hydrological and ecologically
           connected system. The watershed was a subtropical landscape
           featuring shallow lakes, meandering river channels, sloughs,
           floodplains, wetlands, and a gradual hydrologic gradient that
           moved water slowly from central Florida to Lake Okeechobee
           through the Everglades, and ultimately discharging to Florida
           Bay, Whitewater Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico.
              The late 1800s brought the manipulation of the system to
           provide drainage, flood protection, and water supply needs. The
           most extensive changes to the system are the result of
           construction of the Central & South Florida (C&SF) Project
           authorized by Congress in 1948, designed and largely constructed
           by the Corps of Engineers. As a result of the project, the
           existing hydrologic unit is a highly managed system of canals and
           levees, and six major impoundment areas including Lake
           Okeechobee, a large (about 740 square miles), shallow,
           subtropical lake with a marsh area of about 25 percent of the
           lake's surface. At the southern end of the watershed lie the
           components of the historic Everglades including the Everglades
           Agricultural Area (FAA), the Water Conservation Areas (WCAs) and
           Everglades National Park (ENP). This highly managed hydrologic
           system has been referred to as the lifeblood of south Florida.

              Prior to drainage, the Everglades was up to 60 miles wide and
           stretched from Lake Okeechobee southward to the southern tip of
           the state between Florida Bay and the Ten Thousand Islands area.
           The FAA is a large (about 1100 square miles), highly productive
           agricultural area of organic peat or muck soils south of Lake
           Okeechobee. The three WCAs (located south and east of the EAA
           and west of the urbanized East Coast) make up an area of about
           1350 square miles: a large segment of the original Everglades.
           The Everglades is an ecosystem that evolved under very limited
           nutrient supplies where minor increases in nutrient supply have
           been attributed to have major ecosystem impacts.

              Immediately west of the Everglades is the 2,400-square-mile
           Big Cypress Swamp region. The Big Cypress National Preserve was
           established in 1974 and encompasses 574,000 acres (with an
           additional 146,000 acres authorized for acquisition).

              The Florida Keys is a unique system composed of a string of
           islands 100 miles long that extends from Key Largo in Biscayne
           Bay southwesterly to Key West. The Keys are situated  on the edge
           of an ocean shelf that separates the deep water of the Atlantic

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            ocean from the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Biscayne
            Bay, a shallow, subtropical ecosystem provides beauty,
            -recreation, economic, and environmental benefits for south
            Florida.


            II. ISSUES/PROBLEMS
                The increasing consumption of water by urban and agricultural
            areas and the resulting competition for available water resources
            with the natural system may be the most serious issue facing the
            south Florida ecosystem. The tremendous population growth in
            south Florida during the last century and the urban growth and
            agricultural activities have placed increasing demands on the
            region's water supply during the dry season. Dade County has
            historically had the most rapid population growth; other counties
            within the region are expected to experience greater future
            growth than Dade County, increasing fresh water demands.

                A critical issue is providing an adequate fresh water
            resource base for restoration of wetlands and freshwater flow to
            Florida Bay and other estuarine areas, while accommodating water
            needs of agriculture and urban interests. Compounding the
            problem is the fact that pumps in agricultural areas are not
            metered. Therefore, valid data regarding actual volumes of water
            moving into and out of agricultural fields does not exist.

                Ground water is the predominant source for public water
            supply in south Florida. Ground water resources are utilized for
            potable, municipal, industrial, and agricultural supplies
            virtually throughout the area. Surface waters are used for
            agricultural supply in the EAA and for potable supply in a few
            communities bordering Lake Okeechobee. The aquifers used for
            water supply are the Biscayne Aquifer in the southeast and
            surficial and/or intermediate aquifers elsewhere.

                Freshwater resources have been viewed as being abundant
            within south Florida. Competition for the fresh water resources
            is of particular concern in those areas served by the Biscayne
            Aquifer and the C&SF Project. The primary competitive.demand is
            the need for sufficient flow of water into the Everglades to
            support the unique wetland and aquatic habitats that exist in the
            WCAs, ENP, Big Cypress National Preserve and other natural
            resource assets. In the past, water supply was made a higher
            priority in decisions regarding allocation of fresh water
            resources in the study area. Rainfall,. the primary" source of all
            fresh water in the south Florida hydrologic-system, is
            concentrated in May-October..and November-April is relatively dry.

                Intensified withdrawals have stressed the aquifers used for
            -@ater supply. one result of these increased demands was an
            increase in salt water intrusion into fresh'water aquifers. In
            the Biscayne aquifer, the C&SF system of canals and control

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            structures was effectively used to minimize salt water intrusion
            from the ocean. Upward migration of mineralized waters from
            deeper formations has not had a significant impact on water
            quality in the Biscayne. In other areas, the surficial and
            intermediate aquifers have been affected both by landward
            migration of seawater in coastal areas and the upward migration
            of mineralized waters from deeper formations in the interior.
            This trend will continue as these aquifers are more intensively
            used as a result of growth.

               A major issue regarding water resource management practices
            in south Florida is conservation of the fresh water resource.
            Once conservation measures are in place, more effective
            management practices, especially for the purpose of environmental
            protection and/or enhancement, will be more easily implemented.

               Water resources management activities have largely
            concentrated in the past on flood control and water supply.
            Management activities are much more intense and well-developed in
            the highly urbanized southeast coastline, the EAA, the WCAs, and
            the agricultural areas in the vicinity of Homestead and Florida
            City, including the lands managed by federal and state
            governments for their natural resource value, such as ENP.

               Water supply practices in south Florida have the overall
            effect of diverting large volumes of fresh water from natural
            system demands. Historically, this diversion has been primarily
            from resources that might otherwise support hydrologic
            maintenance of wetland and aquatic habitats in the Everglades.
            The periods of the greatest diversion occur in the dry season
            when water resources are generally scarce and, therefore, when
            the potential for adverse impacts to wetlands and aquatic
            habitats are greatest. This trend is likely to increase in the
            foreseeable future, as major withdrawal points for water supply
            are moved farther inland, closer to the recharge areas in the
            Everglades, and farther away from the effects of salt water
            intrusion at the coastline, as in the Northwest well field,
            operational since 1984, and the proposed West Dade well field,
            both owned and operated by the Metro-Dade Water and Sewer
            Authority (MDWASA). These well fields are located immediately
            adjacent to the WCAs in the western part of Dade County.
            Increased agricultural pumpage in the East Everglades area will
            have a similar effect on the overall availability of water for
            maintenance of natural resources in the overall Everglades
            system. The Everglades Forever Act requires a 28 percent
            Increase in the volume of water delivered to the Everglades as
            compared to the annual volume delivered from 1979 to 1988. In
            addition, Florida law requires the establishment of minimum flows
            and levels for the Everglades.

               Flood control practices-in the study area have had the effect
            of reducing the volume of fresh water storage in the overall
            system and of accelerating the movement and discharge of excess

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            wet season flows. In some areas, storage has been reduced
            through lowering of the water table due to pumpage. In the EAA,
            subsidence of the land surface has occurred due to oxidation of
            organic soils when exposed to unsaturated conditions. Greater
            volumes of excess flow must therefore be routed to other storage
            points (the WCAs) or to discharge points into estuarine or marine
            environments. This effect, coupled with expanding urban and
            agricultural areas for which flood control must be provided, may
            necessitate the movement of increasing volumes (estimated to be
            up to 25 percent) into storage or discharge. This could
            accelerate the loss of fresh water resources from the system.
            Loss also occurs from evapotranspiration in the open WCAs and
            from the large volumes discharged to the marine environments.

                South Florida's rich deposits of organic soils are subsiding
            at a rate that suggests that agriculture, as currently practiced
            in the EAA, is not sustainable. Maintenance of a low water table
            as part of farming operations results in oxidation of the soil,
            which is underlain by dense limestone rock. A review of research
            already conducted suggests it may be feasible to grow
            conventional crops profitably practicing a zero subsidence
            agriculture. A water management regime in phase with the
            seasonality of rainfall and more water-tolerant cultivars could
            be the key. Such a management regime, while extending the
            lifetime of agriculture in the area, could also be more
            hydrologically compatible with natural systems downstream and
            could improve water quality.

                The eff ects of the C&SF Project are in essence no different
            from those associated with other flood control projects, and for
            that purpose the C&SF Project has functioned effectively.
            Additional purposes to which the C&SF system have been put, such
            as enhancing water supply and prevention of salt water intrusion,
            demonstrate the flexibility of the system in responding to
            emerging water resource issues within the southeast portion of
            the study area. The Modified Water Delivery Plan (MWDP), a
            proposed alteration of the C&SF system of canals and control
            structures, has environmental enhancement as the main purpose.
            This will be achieved by facilitating the delivery of fresh-water
            flow into Shark River Slough, the major drainage feature of ENP.
            This is also a demonstration of the inherent flexibility of the
            C&SF project, in that system modifications are proposed for a
            purpose other than water supply or flood control.

               Estuarine areas are impacted by freshwater releases from the
            C&SF Project. Large regulatory releases adversely affect the
            salinity regime in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee Estuaries.
            Estuarine areas, such as Florida Bay, have also been impacted by
            reductions of freshwater flow. The Modified Water Deliveries to
            Everglades National Park Project, Canal Ill General Revaluation
            Report, and Taylor Slough Demonstration Project are examples of
            projects that could help improve freshwater flows.


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               Big Cypress Basin obtains ground water from unnamed surficial
           and intermediate depth aquifers. The surficial aquifers are
           unconfined and The interm diate aquifers are semi-confined to
           well-confined and all are vulnerable to contamination from
           surface sources. 'These aquifers are generally more susceptible
           to saltwater intrusion both from a landward migration of seawater
           and from up-welling of more mineralized waters from underlying
           geologic formations.


           111. OBJECTIVES

           Manage the hydrological conditions in the remaining undeveloped
           and potentially restorable lands in a way that maximizes natural
           processes characteristic of the historic south Florida ecosystem
           (including water quality, quantity, distribution, timing, and
           biological integrity). Restoration of the natural system will be
           evaluated and implemented to maximize the benefits to the overall
           ecosystem.

               Develop and manage the total hydrologic system to maximize
           ecosystem restoration while providing appropriate consideration
           to meeting the needs of urban, agricultural, and man-made
           components. It is recognized that future management of the
           system will require shared adversity where the full range of
           hydrologic needs cannot be fully met.

              The Task Force, through the Interagency Working Group, needs
           to be an active participant with the Florida Commission on
           Sustainable Development to assure that water supply issues are
           compatible with development and growth management in south
           Florida.
























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                                        APPENDIX F
                           WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES



            I. MAJOR ISSUES

                Water quality throughout the south Florida ecosystem has been
            a major issue for many years. Nutrient enrichment has been
            identified as a concern for Lake Okeechobee, the Everglades, the
            Indian River Estuary, and the Caloosahatchee River.
            Anthropogenic nutrients or perturbations to nutrient cycling
            processes have been suggested by some as a possible cause for
            symptoms of ecological degradation observed in Florida Bay
            (seagrass die-off, algal blooms), the Florida Keys National
            Marine Sanctuary, and the coral reef system. Other water quality
            related issues include the widespread contamination of biota
            throughout the Everglades region with mercury of unknown
            source(s), the contamination of public drinking water supplies
            along the lower east coast with synthetic organic chemicals,
            contamination of the Miami River, concern about the integrity of
            the Dade County Water and Sewer Authority's Cross Biscayne Bay
            municipal sewer line, and seagrass loss due to poor water
            quality. Toxicological contaminants of concern in the system
            have included metals, organic compounds and pesticides.


            Ii. BACKGROUND

                The south Florida ecosystem contains varied aquatic natural
            resources, habitats, and biological communities. Each of these
            aquatic systems developed under specific water quality and
            hydrologic conditions. As Puch, the quality of the water in
            t@ese aquatic systems is an important driving force in defining
            habitats and determining the suitability of a water for specific
            organisms.

                The rapid and extensive urban and agricultural development in
            south Florida has had negative impacts on system water quality.
            Urban and agricultural activities in the watershed have affected
            the quality of water delivered to the natural resources of the
            downstream water receivers.   Some of the potential contaminant
            sources include marinas, marine sewage, sanitary sewers,
            stormwater sewers, industrial effluents, and agricultural runoff.
            The Central and Southern Florida Flood Control Project (C&FS) has
            affected water movement and hydroperiod throughout much of the
            system. This in turn has affected water quality. The canal
            system also has the potential to serve as a conduit for the
            conveyance of pollutants to' other portions of the system.

                Any successful program to restore the south Florida ecosystem
            must view the system holistically. water quality conditions and
            processes throughout the system have been greatly affected by
            modifications to the natural system over the past century
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           resulting in loss of wetlands, loss of mangroves, loss of grass
           beds, loss of coastal upland communities, altered hydrology, and
           altered circulation in bays. Water quality conditions influence
           ecological integrity and have a direct bearing on the ability to
           achieve various objectives identified in the ecosystem
           restoration: habitat restoration strategy to address the
           ecological degradation of Florida Bay and the coral reef system,
           and strategies intended to provide adequate habitat for native
           species of fauna such as wading birds. In addition, actions
           undertaken to address water supply concerns and structural or
           operational modifications to the C&SF Project may influence water
           quality.

               Ground water contamination has impacted water supply
           activities in south Florida urban areas. Plumes of ground water
           contamination from old landfills, Superfund sites, leaking
           underground storage tanks and industrial activities have caused
           localized degradation in the Biscayne Aquifer (a federally
           designated Sole Source Aquifer under the Safe Drinking Water
           Act). Two major water supply well fields operated by the
           Metropolitan Dade Water and Sewer Authority were contaminated
           with volatile organic chemicals, presumably originating at nearby
           superfund sites. Numerous private wells were contaminated by a
           plume emanating from the old 58th Street Landfill in Dade County.
           Regional aquifers are highly vulnerable to contamination because
           of the lack of soil, high transmissivities, and the nearness of
           the water table to the ground surface. Because of widespread and
           increasing urbanization of the area, the incidence of ground
           water contamination is likely to increase.


           111. OBJECTIVE

               The objective is to assure that the quality of water found
           throughout the south Florida ecosystem is adequate for attaining
           ecosystem restoration, protection and maintenance.


           IV.   APPROACH

               A complex set of laws and institutions are in place to
           protect or restore the chemical integrity of surface water and
           _ground water'. The federal strategy relies heavily on state
           implementation and leadership. A suite of federal, state and
           local laws and regulations disperse implementation responsibility
           among various federal, state, and local agencies. Two concepts
           fundamental to any successful strategy are contaminant cleanup
           and pollution preVention. A number of significant state or
           federal efforts are underway to address water quality concerns
           throughout the south Florida ecosystem.

               In general terms, components of an effective water quality
           management strategy must include:

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                  * appropriate water body classification
                  e development and adoption of water quality standards and
            criteria that are adequate for resource protection
                  * adequate regulatory and permitting programs including
            compliance determination and enforcement
                  * monitoring and research to define appropriate standards,
            identify status and trends, and determine compliance
                  * public education and awareness

                Federal Activities   Federal agencies have various programs
            in place to address water quality issues. The objective of the
            Clean Water Act is "to restore and maintain the chemical,
            physical, and biological integrity of the Nation's waters.,,
            Among federal agencies EPA has assumed the dominant role in
            directing and defining water pollution control programs.
                The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary requires EPA and
            Florida, in consultation with NOAA, to develop a Water Quality
            Protection Program for the Sanctuary that addresses point and
            nonpoint sources of pollution to restore and maintain the
            chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the sanctuary,
            including restoration and maintenance of corals, shellfish, and
            fish and wildlife.

                Monitoring and Research Programs    Federal agencies have
            invested much in water quality monitoring and research efforts
            throughout the ecosystem. Ongoing efforts include those of the
            USGS, NOAA, NBS, NPS and EPA. In addition Florida agencies such
            as SFWMD have significant monitoring efforts in place throughout
            the Ecosystem.

                State Activities   The state of Florida plays a critical role
            in water quality issues in south Florida. The Clean Water Act
            authorizes the states to establish ambient water quality
            standards and water quality management plans. Two Florida
            agencies that have a major influence on water quality in the
            south Florida ecosystem are the South Florida Water Management
            District and Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

                Out of concern for the declining quality of Florida's surface
            waters, the Florida Legislature passed the Surface Water
            improvement and Management (SWIM) Act of 1987. This act required
            SFWMD to prepare SWIM Plans for Lake Okeechobee, Biscayne Bay,
            and the Indian River Lagoon. Plans for these water bodies have
            been adopted. Nutrient enrichment problems in the Kissimmee
            River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades have been difficult to
            resolve. For example, the issue of nutrient levels in the
            Everglades Agricultural Area and the eutrophication of the
            Everglades has been a focus of many state activities, including
            the Lake Okeechobee Technical Advisory Council (LOTAC) 1 (1985-
            1986), LOTAC 11 (1987-1990), The SWIM Act of 1987, the Marjory
            St-oneman Douglas Everglades Protection Act of 1991, and the SWIM
            planning process (1988-present). A SWIM Plan for the Everglades

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            adopted by the SFWMD Governing Board in 1992 has been superseded
            by the Everglades Forever Act enacted in April 1994.    The act
            requires BMP based reductions in phosphorus released from the
            EAA, wetlands constructed for phosphorus removal, and attempts to
            establish a method of payment.

                A variety of water quality issues must be addressed by
            managers involved with south Florida ecosystem restoration. Some
            of these issues and approaches for addressing them include:
                  ï¿½ the need to control urban stormwater runoff
                  ï¿½ the adequacy or inadequacy of voluntary BMPs in meeting
            water quality standards throughout the south Florida region
            (Should voluntary BMPs not result in attainment of water quality
            standards then appropriate regulation will be required.)
                  e the lack of authority to regulate nonpoint sources of
            pollution (The authority to regulate these sources must be
            sought.)
                  e the application of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs,
            section 303d of the Clean Water Act) for water bodies that are
            not in compliance with water quality standards
                  e numeric interpretation of the Class III narrative water
            quality standard for nutrients and the need for appropriate
            research to determine a numeric standard that is adequate for
            preservation intact of native flora and fauna
                  .e determining sources of and appropriate and effective
            remediation strategies for the contamination of biota throughout
            the Everglades region with mercury
                  9 addressing the pumping of untreated urban water pumped
            directly into the Everglades through S-9 and untreated
            urban/agricultural drainage water pumped through S-332 and the C-
            ill basin
                  e the.rapid growth along the west coast of south Florida
            and water quality impacts on wetlands or coastal resources in
            this region
                  0 agricultural expansion in the Big Cypress Watershed and
            potential water quality impacts on downstream water receivers
                  * effectively dealing with nutrient problems in the S-4
            basin and the region immediately west of the EAA
                  9 effective remediation of Superfund sites throughout the
            south Florida region
                  * the potential problem of wading birds being adversely
            affected by parasites and the role nutrient enrichment may play
                  0 the cause of deformities found in fish in Biscayne Bay
            and other estuaries
                  0 estrogen mimicking compounds and the effect that they
            .may be having South Florida faunal populations
                  0 the cumulative effects of pesticides on the environment,
            given the heavy use of a large number of pesticides for a variety
            of purposes, including agriculture, golf courses, mosquito
            control, aquatic plant control, right of ways and lawns
                  e the contamination of drinking water supplies with
          -trihalomethanes


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                                       APPENDIX G
                 COMPREHENSIVE WETLAND PERMITTING AND MITIGATION STRATEGY



            1. ISSUES

                  During the last century, about 50 percent of the wetland
            area within the south Florida ecosystem has been drained or
            filled and converted to agricultural, residential or industrial
            development. Critical peripheral short hydroperiod wetlands have
            been and continue to be diminished in spatial extent by
            development. This overall loss of wetland area has reduced the
            habitat options for the region's fauna and incrementally removed
            or diminished the functions that these natural areas performed,
            such as water quality filtration, flood control, aquifer
            recharge, and habitat.

                  The Clean Water Act requires a specific permit to dispose
            of dredge or fill material in the nation's waters, including
            wetlands. This permit program is administered by the Corps of
            Engineers (Corps), subject to and using the Environmental
            Protection Agency's (EPA) Section 404(b) environmental
            guidelines. The Clean Water Act Section 404 wetland fill
            permitting is an ongoing federal program that has a major impact
            on the south Florida environment, and probably has as much of a
            cumulative impact as any ongoing federal program. it affects the
            ability to attain many ecosystem restoration objectives-maximize
            spatial extent to recover ecological function and structure,
            prevent further wetland loss, recover undeveloped degraded
            wetlands, restore linkages, restoxe sheet flow, reestablish
            biological corridors, halt exotic species spread, etc. It
            affects the ability to attain restoration success criteria (no
            further wetland losses, degraded wetlands restored, reinstatement
            of natural hydroperiods, wetland use permits stipulate
            requirements for enhanced hydrologic connectivity, water quality,
            and water storage, etc. Wetland permitting and subsequent
            filling incrementally, and often irrevocably, reduces the land
            and natural resource bases available for ecological restoration.
            viewing a 1970-era and a 1990-era satellite image of south
            Florida is illustrative. Resulting development often requires
            further infrastructure demands, results in increased water supply
            and flood control demands, and complicates water management
            decisions and ecological restoration alternatives.

            1.    Development Development is proceeding faster than
            restoration planning and faster than the current ability of the
            federal agencies to assess the cumulative impact. The regulatory
            response has been to look at individual permit requests without a
            broader watershed or ecosystem view. The regulatory process is
            also reactive in that it comes after land-use plans are written
            and landowners make development decisions guided, in part, by
            those plans. There is pressure for continued development caused
            by the climate, natural and cultural amenities, and quality of
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           life offered by south Florida. Development started on the coasts
           and has moved inland into wilderness areas, remnant natural
           habitats and wetlands. A significant and growing portion of the
           natural south Florida landscape has been developed. Development
           is not the concentric expansion of cities with the creation of
           urban metropolitan areas, but the march of large planned
           communities into undeveloped or agricultural tracts remaining
           under single ownership. There is a unique clash of urbanization
           and relict wildlife populations.

           2.     Mitigation The regulatory program currently requires
           mitigation to offset unavoidable functional loss, but that
           requirement is largely dependent on the circumstances of the
           individual permit. In the past, the ratios of impact area to
           mitigation area have varied widely over time and throughout the
           region, especially when compared with other parts of Florida. in
           a number of cases, past mitigation did not compensate for the
           loss of wetland functions. often, there is an ongoing lack of a
           large strategic view for appropriate mitigation. There continues
           to be fragmentation of the ecosystem by the way the mitigation is
           established and by development patterns. Disagreement among
           agencies on the amount of mitigation necessary for a project, the
           value of on-site versus off-site mitigation and the appropriate
           type of mitigation (preservation, restoration, enhancement,
           and/or creation) continues. Fragmentation occurs when a wetland
           on a particular site is preserved or enhanced, but then is later
           disconnected from the overall fabric of the ecosystem by
           subsequent permit decisions.

            3.    Coordination Federal level coordination has improved but
           needs further coordination, especially with Water Management
           Districts and counties. Coordination involves not only sharing
           of knowledge of the ecological resource but also of knowledge of
           transportation and other social or econ@mic needs. Building a
           consensus at the local or staff level on approaches to regulatory
           decisions is difficult due to different and, at times,
           conflicting regulations, policies, and implementation strategies.
           Wetland regulatory programs are fragmented, overlapping, and have
           duplicate authorities and responsibilities.


           11.    BACKGROUM


           1.     Regulatory Program   Section 404 of the Clean Water Act
           regulates the discharge of dredge and fill material into waters
           of the United States that include wetlands, lakes, estuaries,
           rivers, canals and borrow pits. The Jacksonville District of the
           Corps through its regulatory offices in Jacksonville and
           satellite offices in Miami, Fort Myers, Vero Beach, and the Keys,
           reviews and issues permits authorizing the fill. The EPA
           provides guidelines for discharge of fill and, through its Region
           IV office in Atlanta comments on the application of these
           guidelines for pending applications. The National Marine

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           Fisheries Service (NMFS) Panama City office and.satellite office
           in Miami, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Vero
           Beach office, and their satellite office in Naples, comment on
           pending applications under the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act
           and the Endangered Species Act. These agencies also have
           separate responsibilities under these acts. The EPA and the
           Corps cooperate in monitoring compliance with issued permits and
           enforcement of unauthorized discharges. The Corps also regulates
           any activity (fill, excavation, and structures) in navigable
           waters, including ocean areas to the limits of the territorial
           sea, Florida Bay, rivers, and canals to the limit of navigation.
           The scope of jurisdiction over the south Florida ecosystem has
           been refined over the years to now include land clearing, rock
           mining, rock plowing, isolated waters, and drainage projects.
                 For the purpose of this plan, permit is defined to include
           Individual Permits and General Permits (including Nationwide
           Permits).

                 The federal agencies involved in the wetland permitting
           program have yet to provide detailed summaries of the cumulative
           effect of the ongoing permitting activities on the south Florida
           environment. It is imperative that a database is developed that
           will allow these summaries to be prepared.

                 Permitting program decisions often are relevant to ongoing
           planning activities. South Florida wetland regulatory programs
           should be integrated with pertinent planning activities, such as
           the Corps ongoing C&SF Project reformulation study. Specific
           permitting actions may have direct bearing on reformulation study
           considerations, such as the buffer concept or water supply
           preserves.

           2.     Prolects   Major types of projects include large
           residential developments that can encompass several thousand
           homes and often incorporate light commercial areas in a planned
           community concept, rock mining, and recreational complexes.
           Some areas where the land ownership was subdivided in the past
           are now experiencing the cumulative impacts of many small
           projects.

           3.    Ecosystem impacts. The regulatory program has not entirely
           addressed or documented the loss of ecosystem wetland habitat
           caused by development or alleviated the pressure on the
           ecosystem. But in recent years the program has slowed the rate
           of habitat destruction and has increased mitigation requirements,
           an improvement based on the refinement of the regulatory
           jurisdiction.   However, documenting these improvements is
           currently difficult. One of the greatest difficulties in
           determining the effectiveness of the south Florida wetland
           regulatory program is the lack of a comprehensive understanding
           9f the system and the inability to assess the impacts from
           individual decisions. Geographic information System (GIS)

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           technology and data must be developed to accomplish this.

           4. Data Management one of the difficulties associated with
           coor7d-inating and evaluating the various wetland regulatory
           programs, is that data, maps and other wetland information are
           fragmented, duplicative and inaccessible to the various
           regulatory agency personnel. This leads to case-by-case
           decisions with limited ability to address issues such as
           cumulative effects, loss of important corridors, and other
           ecosystem-level impacts. A tremendous amount of information,
           including GIS data, is available on the south Florida wetland
           communities. However, this information is located in a variety
           of federall, state, and local agencies with limited coordination
           and no overall plan for assessing and managing the ecosystem or
           improving information exchange. The goal must be to ultimately
           put a system in place where the best available information (i.e.
           via GIS and improved wetland assessment methods) would be at the
           fingertips of those reviewing and deciding on individual permit.
           applications.

           S.    Trends There are several important trends that need to be
           recognized. In some areas, almost all the uplands are in some
           sort of use or developed condition. Development is'encroaching
           inland from both coasts and south from Orlando. The rate of
           wetland loss related to individual permits has been reduced but
           there is increasingly more fragmentation of remaining wetlands.
           Because of the regulatory authority on wetlands, the regulatory
           program has pushed development into uplands. Some of these
           uplands are of very high quality and are a limited resource in
           some areas, such as the Florida Keys. The only time the
           regulatory program has been able to recognize and preserve
           uplands is when they are an exceptional habitat (such as for
           endangered species) and where the wetland loss was of lesser
           environmental impact than the loss of the uplands. There
           continues to be a time lag, or at least a difficulty in assessing
           the impact of the time lag, between the occurrence of impact and
           the point when mitigation reaches full functionality. There are
           also problems with some mitigation actions-reaching full success
           or., in some cases, even being implemented as required by permit.
           'Up-front mitigation by developers has not been regularly required
           by the permitting agencies.


           111. OBJECTIVES

                The overall objective.is to develop a system-wide integrated
           wetland permitting, preservation and mitigation strategy,
           including coordination among all levels of government which
           furthers south Florida ecosystem restoration.    The following
           elements have been identified as necessary:

           1.    Develop a pro-active regulatorly approach.

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           2.    Develop a South Florida Wetland Conservation Plan that
                 coordinates and prioritizes all regulatory and non-
                 regulatory programs affecting wetlands at all level's of
                 government, the private sector, conservation groups and the
                 general public.
           3.    Increase the speed of the planning process (shorten the
                 time between recognition of a critical concern and
                 implementation of a regulatory reaction).
           4.    Promote greater involvement in the development and
                 implementation of plans by agencies, the public, and by the
                 regulated community.
           5.  Conduct planning that spans all government levels that have
               an interest in, the resource to address, or the authority to
               act on a concern (horizontal coordination with federal and
               vertical coordination with state and local agencies).

           6.  Promote mitigation strategies that work toward the overall
               goal of ecosystem restoration.

           7.  Develop uniform functional assessment methodologies.

           B.  Recognize when regulatory actions make an irreversible
               commitment that would preclude future options for ecosystem
               restoration.

           9.  Elimina te fragmented or duplicative authorities and
               processes.

           10. Engender feedback that brings all viewpoints into the
               regulatory decision processes.

           11. Reduce the confrontational aspects of the program by
               emphasizing team building based on a uniform view of what
               south Florida should look like now and in the future.

           12. Identify research and monitoring needs.


           IV. APPROACHES

                 Development and implementation of a South Florida
           Comprehensive Wetland Permitting and Mitigation Strategy (SFCWPM
           Strategy) will require improved coordination between federal
           resource agencies involved in the Section 404 program and
           increased interaction between the federal agencies and
           state/local planning and regulatory agencies involved with
           wetlands. Reliable and scientifically valid wetland quality data
           bases must be developed to guide the wetland permitting and
           planning process. Ecosystem-level wetland quality/restoration
           needs information within given watersheds is currently not
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           available to enable analysis of cumulative impact assessments of
           individual wetland permit decisions. Currently individual
           wetland permit decisions are made with little or no data
           available to assess ecosystem impacts or the short- or long-term
           impacts of permit decisions on the larger south Florida ecosystem
           restoration goals.

                  It is imperative to develop the SFCWPM Strategy
           expeditiously. The administration's initiative on permitting is
           that decisions must be made in a timely manner upon receipt of an
           application. The best decision must be made using available
           information. Increased staffing and funding resources must be
           directed at the south Florida ecosystem area by the involved
           federal wetland regulatory agencies in order to accomplish SFCWPM
           Strategy objectives. Agencies must target resources based on   the
           assumption that there are limits to the resources that can be
           devoted to south Florida. These resources need to be applied
           where the greatest need or benefit to the overall restoration
           plan will be realized. This means that (1) resources must be
           targeted where needed to provide intensive review on critical
           projects, (2) consensus must be reached quickly to free and
           direct some of the attention to (3) increase pro-active planning-
           The plan for permitting and mitigation must and will adapt as
           information and experience is gained.

                  The following approaches would facilitate development and
           implementation of a SFCWPM Strategy that furthers ecosystem
           restoration. Much of the following will require additional
           resources or significant reprogramming of existing resources.

           1.     Wetland permitting program-summaries.   Beginning in 1994,
           the Interagency Working Group will submit to the Task Force an
           annual summary of the federal wetland permitting program in south
           'Florida. This summary will include information by county for the
           number of permit applications received (includes individual,
           general and nationwide permits), number of permits denied, number
           of permits vetoed, number of permits approved, number of permits
           modified prior to approval, acreage of wetland to be filled in
           permit application, acreage of wetland filled in approved permit,
           and mitigation required. The development of these annual reports
           should be a high priority of the permitting program. The Corps,
           EPA and FWS will develop and maintain the wetland permitting
           information database that makes this possible. This will require
           additional resources or reprogramming existing resources.

           2.     Interagency Coordination    A Wetland Interagency
           Coordination Group (WICG) will be formed.

           3.     South Florida Wetland Conservation Plan   This is a major
           element of the wetland permitting and mitigation strategy. A
           South Florida Wetland Conservation Plan (SFWCP) should be
           developed that coordinates and prioritizes all regulatory and
           non-regulatory activities affecting wetlands at all levels of
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           government, private interests, conservation groups and the
           general public. Initial SFWCP tasks to be completed by September
           1996 include:
                  a. identify and map all wetlands within the SFWMD on
           public and private lands.
                  b. Designate the relative ecological functional value of
           all identified wetlands in high/medium/low functional quality
           categories.     Landscape ecology concepts and GIS analysis will
           be used to perform the wetland functional assessments.
                  C. Identify and prioritize wetland restoration/enhancement
           sites SFWMD-wide.

                  d. Identify and prioritize wetland acquisition or
           preservation lands based on an ecological needs basis,
           independent of present Florida CARL and Save Our Rivers program
           lists. Acquisition or preservation could be through public or
           private means.

                  e. Identify critical areas, wetlands where intense
           development pressures require further detailed wetland
           assessments to be performed as quickly as possible in order to
           assist the wetland regulatory program decision making process.

                 (Resources: The Corps and EPA intend to equally dedicate
           resources to accomplish this, however, additional resources will
           be required.)

           4.     Identify critical areas. These are wetlands of particular
           ecological significance. Their function should be assessed by
           the federal agencies involved in permitting processes.

                  a. FWS contract for reports on changes in natural cover
           types over the years.

                  b. FWS assess whether the total area any one or more cover
           type that is at the point where any further reduction would
           impact the species mix now found in the area.

                  c. FWS identify cover types or topographic features that
           are remnant. That is, no longer provide full function and not
           part of the restoration plan.

                  d. FWS prepare a document mapping these critical areas
           with an assessment that will be used in permitting decisions,
           including denial or determining mitigation requirements.

           S.      Increase emphasis-on wetland enforcement and permit
           compliance by EPA and Corps. EPA should increase emphasis on
           wetland enforcement and the Corps should increase emphasis on
           permit compliance to ensure that the wetland regulatory program
           and mitigation requirements are providing projected benefits.
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                a. Corps expand funding of contracts now in use for
           monitoring compliance with issued permits and for surveillance
           for unauthorized activities.

                b. Corps distribute a synopsis document to the IWG
           describing techniques that have worked or failed.

           6.     Wetlands-to be iprotected.     The Clean Water Act Section
           404(c) can be used to stop projects with unacceptable impacts or
           to protect areas in advance of development. Projects that have
           unacceptable impacts can also be denied a permit. Both denial
           and 404(c) actions can be very labor intensive, are very project
           specific, and in the case of 404(c), is limited to the five
           factors in the law. Some permit denials could result in takings
           claims by applicants.
                a. Corps and EPA prioritize the importance that various
           geographical areas remain available and unchanged in order that
           restoration initiatives are not precluded. Priority may be.based
           on their potential as a critical link in the ecosystem or their
           critical role or location as defined by planning activities. if
           appropriate, Corps deny a permit or EPA initiate a 404(c) to
         .prevent irrevocable changes.

           7. Watershed ManacTement Plans and Advanced Identification.
           Watershed management plans and advanced identification of
           wetlands will encourage local government sponsorship and/or
           implementation through grants or contracts from EPA or Corps.
           Local governments will be involved with project planning, data
           gathering and analysis, and public outreach.

                 Prepare Watershed Management Plans (WMPs). WMPs would have
           the advantage of addressing cumulative impacts to wetland
           ecosystems, having a unified ecosystem approach that can across
           watersheds, can be used to locate mitigation banks, and can
           result in a high level of predictability for the regulated
           community. However, they can be time and resource intensive,
           need to have the buy-in to avoid controversy, could cause the
           focus on some critical issues or portion of the watershed to be
           diffused, and is a relatively new approach so regulatory programs
           do not have experience in conducting them.

                 Expedite completion of Advanced Identification of Disposal
           Area projects (ADIDs). An ADID produce good resource information
           and simple, easily understood maps for public use. An ADID is
           flexible in the level of detail that is used to make the
           identifications, ranging from heavy reliance on aerial geographic
           information system (GIS) data for a large geographic area to a
           more site specific studies. While this flexibility is an
           advantage, the result is that there is no overall clear statement
           of purpose for ADIDs in general, and therefore the purpose or
           goal must be defined individually at the start of each ADID.
           However, performing ADIDS can be a slow process due to the need

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           for consensus building, the need to ground truth information, and
           ADIDs have been perceived by some as only a planning tool with
           little or no regulatory teeth. The time required for completion
           of some ADIDs is a concern. it is crucial that the completion of
           an ADID be expedited in order to increase its usefulness and
           timely application to the permitting process.
                a. EPA send representatives to expedite the interagency
           team to finish the ground truthing for the Florida Keys ADID.
                b. EPA expedite the preparation of the functional
           assessment for the Rookery Bay ADID.

                C. The Wetland Interagency Coordination Group will identify
           specific critical areas that require watershed management plans
           and recommend priorities. This will include identification of
           local players or sponsors.
                d. EPA provide grant money for gathering and interpretation
           of data.

                 e. FWS and NMFS support habitat evaluations.

           8.     .Delegation of administration of General Permits.
           Delegation of some role in the regulatory process to non-federal
           agencies offers ways to increase efficiency of the program, has
           more local site specific input, reduces duplicative efforts, and
           generates cooperation among federal and other agencies. The
           potential exists for delegation of the administration of any
           General Permit. Federal oversight is important to ensure the
           achievement of preservation or restoration goals. Delegation
           will only be to entities that have demonstrated an interest in
           and commitment to ecosystem restoration.

           9.    Increase local presence in South Florida. Increasing the
           federal agencies presence in South Florida would facilitate
           development of the wetland permitting and mitigation strategy,
           expedite permitting decisions, and facilitate coordination.

           10.   Wetland assessment methods. Wetland assessment approaches
           must be developed at two scales: landscape level and site-
           specific level. The landscape level wetland assessment method
           will be developed for all wetlands within the SFWMD boundary
           during the development of the South Florida Wetland Conservation
           Plan, which is to be completed by September 1996. This landscape
           level wetland assessment method will employ GIS analysis and
           landscape ecology concepts to evaluate the functionality of
           wetland areas into general high/medium/low functional categories.
           This information will be used in all future 404 wetland
           permitting decisions in the south Florida ecosystem.

                 With the site specific wetland functional assessment
           methodology, presently there are a number of different approaches
           working draft 8119194           81









            to assessing developm ent impacts and determining required
            mitigation. These include analyses based on ratios, by relative
            scoring values, or by an integrated matrix. There frequently is
            no continuity of assessment techniques among projects and
            difficulty in comparing results. There can be a wide disparity
            in the how a particular method is applied for the same project by
            dLfferent participants in the process, as well as among projects
            in the same area. There is a need to come up with a consensus on
            a scientifically based approach and uniform set of assumptions
            for one or more assessment methodologies. The methodology should
            be relatively easy and rapid to employ by professionals in the
            geographic area of application and must produce consistent
            assessments of wetland impacts as well as uniform determinations
            of mitigation requirements.

                 a. WICG decide the scope of the assessment methodology.
            This could be (1) uniform approach for the entire ecosystem, (2.)
            develop sub-regional methodologies, or (3) continue to create
            tailored made protocols for each project.

                 b. Corps prepare a report to summarize current practices of
            assessment.

                 C. EPA in cooperation with the WICG will assist in the
            development of the chosen assessment model to adapt it to the
            scope decided on.

            11.    National Environmental-Policy Act compliance.    A Generic
            Environmental Impact Statement (GEIS) or other types of EIS,
            environmental assessments, or other National Environmental Policy
            Act (NEPA) documents that encompass a geographic or industry
            scope is a proven process that has the benefit of being
            proactive, very broad in scope, very flexible in the issues
            addressed, and encompass the participation of a wide variety.of
            concerns including the regulated community, resource agencies,
            conservation groups, and the general public. However, the scope
            of a GEIS can be hard to define or limit and can be perceived as
            potentially slowing development in an area. It may be possible
            under NEPA to delay the processing of permit applications that
            are pertinent to a specific EIS.

            3.2.   State and local coMRrehensive rlannincz_   Increased
            involvement in state and local comprehensive planning can lead to
            good information exchange, avoid conflicts between state plans
            and federal regulation, engender federal support for local plans,
            and lends support to the Local planning process. The FWS has
            already been involved in local planning efforts related to '
            endangered species at the invitation of the local governments.
            However, there is some concern regarding the appropriate level of
            federal involvement in local planning.

            13.   Establishing mitigation banks. Mitigation banking has the
            advantage of a high level of predictability and quicker permit

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           issuance and review, can set aside large blocks of land in
           advance of ecosystem impacts that include both wetlands and
           uplands, and can incorporate connectivity needs. Mitigation
           banks have a greater probability of success due to management
           expertise (can be placed in the hands of an ecosystem manager
           rather than a developer), but there have not been many banks in
           existence for an extended period of time so there is a concern
           about the long term success of biological maintenance and
           protection from development or development encroachment.
           mitigation banking is a new industry ripe for entrepreneurial
           efforts. The potential for establishing a bank can add value to
           a property by providing another economic use for the land.
           However, mitigation banking can result in off-site or out-of kind
           mitigation, but this can be used to restore the balance of
           vegetative communities or habitat lost in the ecosystem by
           previous development. Mitigation banking can give the perception
           that the regulated community is buying a permit but also could be
           viewed as a mechanism to better use the dollars committed to
           mitigation.

                a. The ITF could seek legislative authority to provide seed
           money or loan guaranty for the. establishment of mitigation banks
           through a revolving fund or outright grants. This would be
           available to the private entrepreneur as well as to conservation
           organizations, such as The Nature Conservancy, who have
           considerable volunteer and other expertise to implement a Bank
           but not the capital. The Department of Agriculture may be an
           appropriate entity to administer this new program since it
           already administers banking type programs for wetlands and soil
           conservation.

           14.    Return user recrulato'ry fees and fines to the regulatory
           program or the restoration effort.













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                                      APPENDIX 3
                       HARMFUL NON`INDIGENOUS PLANTS AND ANIMALS



           I.    BACKGROUND

                 Nonindigenous species are those not native to a specific
           area but introduced anthropogenically. They are sometimes
           referred to as nonnative species or exotic species. Some of
           these species are also referred to as pest, nuisance, harmful, or
           invasive species.

                 Many such plant and animal species have escaped cultivation
           and become established in south Florida. Some have not only
           colonized disturbed sites, but also invaded natural lands that
           have been set aside for preservation of natural communities and
           landscapes. South Florida probably has more problems with
           aggressive nonindigenous species than any other state. The state
           as a whole has approximately 925 established nonindigenous plant
           species growing outside of cultivation (OTA 1993). Over 100 of
           these are listed as invasive in Florida by the Exotic Pest Plant
           Council (1993). At least 23 nonindigenous plants now are found
           in Florida's waters (McCann et al. 1994). Nonindigenous plants
           and land animals constitute about 25 percent of all species in
           the state (OTA 1993).

                 Many noninidigenous animal sp ecies have become established
           in Florida's aquatic systems: 83 fish, at least 26 insects since
           1970, 2 amphibians, 3 birds, 1 mammal, 1 reptile, 5 mollusks, 1
           crustacea and an unknown number of pathogens (McCann et al.
           1994). Many nonindigenous terrestrial animals, particularly
           birds, reptiles, and amphibians, have escaped captivity and are
           reproducing in south Florida; 63 percent of the introduced
           nonindigenous bird species in the continental U.S. are found in
           Florida, which also has the largest number of established
           nonindigenous amphibians and reptile species in the U.S. (OTA


                 Not all nonindigenous species are harmful. Many exotic
           plant species never escape cultivation. Nor are all those that
           spread beyond their planting site are invasive. In south
           Florida, however, the potential for harm to natural areas from
           even one invasive plant species is enormous. The magnitude of
           the present and potential damage to south Florida's remaining
           natural areas from invasive nonindigenous species and the urgency
           for resolution are greatly under-recognized.

           Problems Caused by Invasive Nonindigenous Species

                 Nonindigenous plant species cause severe ecologic,
           economic, and resource management problems in the state. Aquatic
           plants such as hydrilla, water lettuce and water hyacinth clog
           streams, canals, rivers and lakes. Aquatic weeds create a
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            continual problem by obstructing navigable waterways throughout
            the Kissimmee-Okeechobee-Everglades system. Nonindigenous
            aquatic plants also interfere with recreation, natural
            vegetation, water flow, water quality and natural wildlife. By
            requiring control, they have been responsible for the release of
            tons of herbicides into south Florida canals and estuaries.

                 Invasive nonindigenous plants negatively impact natural
            areas by out-competing and replacing native species, decreasing
            natural diversity, decreasing local species richness, and
            altering topography and soils. Melaleuca quinquenex-via is one of
            the key problems for the natural environment. Introduced in the
            early 1900s, melaleuca trees have rapidly expanded, in recent
            times showing a 50-fold increase; some 450,000 acres of south
            Florida are now infested to some degree (OTA 1993). Fire and
            water management have enhanced its spread. Melaleuca
            monocultures have replaced sawgrass marshes, sloughs, cypress
            stands, and other natural plant communities. By replacing native
            vegetation, dense melaleuca monocultures can decrease the
            availability of nesting and foraging habitat for endangered
            species such as the Snail Kite and Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow
            (OTA 1993).

                  Disturbed sites such as canal banks and fallow fields may
            be the first sites colonized by nonindigenous plant species
            escaping cultivation because the typical cover of such sites is
            nonnative species. The urban and agricultural development of
            south Florida has created many such sites where these species can
            become established. Water management practices that alter
            hydroperiods and water tables have created disturbed conditions
            that make natural areas vulnerable to invasions by nonindigenous
            plants. Catastrophic events such as hurricanes and fires
            increase the vulnerability of natural areas. Colonization of
            disturbed sites allows the nonindigenous species to develop the
            reproductive power with which to invade natural areas when
            disturbances make these areas more vulnerable. Nonindigenous
            species that escape cultivation can spread rapidly because the
            predators, parasites, or diseases that naturally control their
            growth and reproduction were left behind in their country of
            origin. Consequently, a virtually uncontrolled expansion of
            harmful nonindigenous plants is altering the south Florida
            landscape and natural biological integrity.

                 The potential threat of nonindigenous plant species to
            Florida's remaining natural areas has increased in the decades
            since melaleuca, Australian pine, and Brazilian pepper trees were
            introduced. Ornamental plants from around the world are
            distributed in the nursery trade and used intensively in
            landscaping. Development has caused the acreage planted in
            nonindigenous species to greatly expand, while at the same time
            decreasing the acreage of native vegetation. Because of relative
            seed supply alone, the potential for nonindigenous species to
            colonize newly available sites in both disturbed and natural
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           areas is much greater now than it was 40 or 50 years ago.

                 Some non-native plant species with invasive tendencies
           currently have larger populations in south Florida than many
           native plant species. For instance, while there now remains only
           about 8,000 to 10,000 acres of rock-ridge pine savanna community
           in south Florida (Doren et al. 1993), there currently exists over
           700,000 acres of Brazilian pepper in nondeveloped areas and at
           least 50,000 to 60,000 acres of melaleuca growing as a
           monoculture (R. Doren, pers. comm.).

                 Several hundred species of nonnative animals are
           established in developed areas of south Florida (Robertson and
           Frederick 1994). Birds, herpitifauna, and fish are the most
           noticeable of these. The aquatic species appear to pose the most
           serious threat to natural areas. Many aquatic nonindigenous fish
           and invertebrate species are imported for sport, aquarium, or
           aquaculture purposes. Most are imported from tropical climates
           and are well adapted to the South Florida region. Accidental or
           intentional releases into canals, lakes, and other water bodies
           have resulted in the establishment of reproducing populations of
           a number of these species. The blue tilapia, walking catfish,
           black acara, oscar, Mayan cichlid, and the blackchin tilapia are
           the most problematic and widespread of nonindigenous tropical
           fishes.. Almost nothing is known about the ecological effects of
           these nonindigenous fish and invertebrates on native populations.
           Prolific nonindigenous aquatic species may degrade the quality of
           habitat for native species, introduce diseases or pathogens, or
           out-compete or prey on native species. Nonnative herpetifauna
           such as Anoles segrii have displaced native congenitors such as
           Anoles carolinensis. Wild hogs are problems in some natural
           areas, causing extensive damage and disturbance in pinelands and
           hammocks, creating sites that are vulnerable to colonization by
           invasive nonnative plants.

           Economic Consequences of Exotica

                 The economic costs of control of nonindigenous plants, once
           established in the ecosystem, are enormous. In 1992, almost $1
           million was spent by three agencies to control melaleuca (OTA
           1993). The cost to eradicate melaleuca from Water Conservation
           Area A alone is estimated at $12.9 million over 5 years, based on
           current rates of expansion (OTA 1993). Roughly $14 million and
           extensive labor are spent in Florida each year to reduce the
           impediment caused by aquatic weeds; $11 million alone is spent on
           hydrilla, water hyacinth, and water lettuce control (McCann et
           al. 1994).

                 On the other hand, the economic costs of NOT controlling
           the harmful nonindigenous plants in south Florida are
           substantial. The estimated benefits of melaleuca removal, $168.6
           million (OTA 1993), provide one estimate of the cost associated
           with melaleuca dominated landscapes. A study of Orange Lake in
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            north central Florida indicated that tourism and recreational
            fishing amounting to $11 million annually is. all but lost in
            years when hydrilla covers the lake (OTA 1993). Brazilian pepper
            growing in proximity to croplands is believed to support large
            populations of vegetable damaging insects (OTA 1993).
            Existing Control Efforts and Their Limitations

                The extensive effort to control harmful nonindigenous species
            extends far beyond the federal realm to encompass state, local,
            private, and university initiatives.

                  The Exotic Pest Plant Council (EPPC) is a nongovernmental
            group formed in 1982 to address the dilemma of invasive
            nonindigenous plants in Florida. One major activity of this
            group has been to develop an extensive, prioritized list of
            harmful non-indigenous plants. The list is updated every other
            year. Four nonindigenous plant species were suggested as the
            most significant concerns when the group was first formed:
            Melaleuca (Melaleuca quinquenervia), Giant Sensitive Catsclaw
            (Mimosa pigra), Australian Pine (Casurina equisetifolia) and
            Brazilian Pepper (Schinus terebinchifolius). The present list
            includes 126 problematic nonindigenous species.

                  The Melaleuca Task Force is composed of several concerned
            entitiesthat have joined together to systematically eradicate
            melaleuca. Several control operations and methods are currently
            being researched and implemented. A complete explanation of
            these management programs and techniques is found in Melaleuca
            Task Force (1994).

                The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the
            Corps of Engineers contribute to and support numerous exotic
            removal programs. The South Florida Water Management District
            leads several exotic eradication efforts. The Florida Department
            of Transportation continually reduces and maintains'invasive
            nonindigenous plants on right-of-ways. National Wildlife
            Refuges, such as Ding Darling NWR, Florida Panther NWR, and
            Loxahatachee NWR and National Parks and Preserves, such as Big
            Cypress Preserve, Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, have
            implemented ongoing exotic elimination projects within their
            boundaries. on the local level, a persistent concern for the
            spread of the exotic Cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica), led to a
            campaign that it as a Noxious Weed in July 1993. Local county
            park and recreation departments' efforts have concentrated on
            removing invasive nonnative plants from natural areas throughout
            the south Florida region. The Dade County Park and Recreation
            Department has a multi-million dollar exotic control program
            under way in tropical hammock areas to help the park natural
            areas recover from invasions of nonindigenous plants and some
            prolific native vines after Hurricane Andrew.

                The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of
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           Florida are investigating various biological control organisms on
           several nonindigenous.plants. Host-specific organisms are tested
           for their effectiveness as control agents and evidence for
           general safety. The introduction of host-specific insects, such
           as seed and sapling eaters, can safely and economically decrease
           the spreading-.of-pest plants. Considerable progress has been
           made on the identification and testing of a biological control
           agent for melaleuca. At a proposed quarantine facility in Ft.
           Lauderdale, USDA plans to investigate the possibilities of using
           insects or plant pathogens to control or reverse the expansion of
           invasive nonindigenous plants such as melaleuca, but the
           quarantine facility is not fully funded.

                 Several federal laws deal with the importation of
           nonindigenous species. The Non-indigenous Aquatic Nuisance
           Prevention and Control Act of 1990 and the Lacey Act authorize
           the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to issue regulations on
           aquatic and other nuisance species and restrict importations of
           exotic species. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (APHIS) also
           has responsibilities under the Lacey Act and administers the
           Federal Noxious Weed Act of 1974 and the Federal Plant Pest Act.
           U.S.D.A. responsibility includes the identification of actual or
           potential noxious weeds and preventing their entry into the
           United States (OTA 1993). Neither the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
           Service nor the Department of Agriculture have'been effective in
           preventing the importation of nonindigenous species potentially
           harmful to natural ecosystems. Under the Lacey Act, only a small
           number of organisms are considered nuisances: 2 families, 13
           genera, and 6 species. The USDA/APHIS only inspects imported
           species that are risks to agricultural activities and does not
           screen for nonindigenous species that may be detrimental to
           natural communities (OTA 1993)..

                 Recentl3r_a federal interagency-group was formed entitled
           the Federal Interdepartmental-Committee for Management of Noxious
           Weeds. Seventeen or 18 agencies within The Departments of
           Interior, Transportation, Energy, and Agriculture are involved.
           They are responsible for coordinating noxious weed management.
           They are attempting to reorient the emphasis of control efforts
           toward protecting natural lands and rangelands, not just
           croplands.

                 The Office of Technology Assessment report on harmful
           nonindigenous species (OTA 1993) is a major step forward because
           it provides an overview of the problem and the present
           institutional framework for addressing,the problem and an
           evaluation of the current way the problem is--or is not-- being
           addressed. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is
           planning to write a similar document specific to the state. The
           National Park Service is planning a similar report for the Park
           Service.


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            11.   MAJOR ISSUES/PROBLEMS
                  Invasive plants and animals from other parts of the'world
            are becoming established in south Florida's natural areas,
            altering landscapes, community structure, and food webs; and too
            little is being done in defense of the south Florida ecosysteml
            considering the magnitude and seriousness of the threat.
            Although a concerted effort is being made at manual, mechanical,
            and chemical control of melaleuca, biological control, an
            essential element in control of widespread, prolific pest plants
            such as melaleuca, is seriously under-funded. As a result,
            although promising control organisms have been found,
            implementation of biological controls for melaleuca and Brazilian
            pepper has been delayed. Although much attention is being given
            to the control of well established pests such as melaleuca, many
            other plants are invading natural areas with little or no human
            resistance.

                  Of possibly ev en greater concern is the lack of attention
            given to prevention. Virtually nothing is being done by any
            federal, state, or local agency to prevent the propagation and
            distribution of the 126 plant species listed as invasive,
            problematic species in Florida by the Exotic Pest Plant Council
            (1993). It is possible to appraise the potential invasiveness of
            new species being imported (EPPC 1993, OTA 1993) and to use this
            information to establish appropriate regulations, however neither
            the screening nor the regulation are presently being performed
            (OTA 1993). Meanwhile, new species with invasive potential
            continue to be imported, propagated, and distributed.

                  Within the state of Florida, some local, state, and federal
            agencies are actually encouraging the use of EPPC-listed species
            for landscaping. Agencies sometimes distribute, at no cost to
            homeowners, nonindigenous plants listed by EPPC as invasive
            (e.g., carrotwood). This practice is quite widespread and occurs
            in the face of the tremendous economic costs some of these same
            agencies are incurring in controlling species such as melaleuca.

                  In the name of water conservation, some agencies currently
            are promoting xeriscape programs in which many of the recommended
            species are nonindigenous and may compound the problem.
            Xeriscape species, because they tolerate extended periods of
            drought, may be more likely to escape cultivation in south
            'Florida than landscape plants that require irrigation, so
            xeriscape programs should emphasize the planting of native
            species, many of which are adapted to periods of sustained
            drought and are not a threat to the ecosystem.

                  Some of the listed species are used in landscaping on
            government lands, including highway rights of way. In addition,
            there are few control programs for removal of invasive
            nonindigenous plants from government lands, except parks.

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                 Laws controlling imports of harmful nonindigenous species,
           as administered, are ineffective in preventing the entry-to this
           country of plants and animals potentially damaging to natural
           ecosystems. No screening mechanism and protocol exists for
           identifying imports not already present in this country that are
           potential threats to natural areas.

                 At the heart of the issue is the lack of awareness and
           knowledge of the potential damage that these species can cause.
           Education can be a means of reducing the threat from invasive
           nonindigenous species. People who are concerned about
           environmental degradation often will change their habits if they
           realize that what they are doing is having a negative
           environmental impact. But educational programs are not well
           organized and are poorly funded. An intensive effort is needed
           to reach the influx of newcomers to the state, including people
           from many different cultures.
                 The poor defense on all fronts against invasive
           nonindigenous species is partly a reflection of the lack of
           recognition by the public and government policy makers of the
           magnitude and seriousness of this problem. The insufficient
           education effort is part of the reason why the public is not more
           concerned.

                 One might say that the greatest obstacle in combating
           nonindigenous species is lack of funding and human resources to
           stay ahead of problems. But solutions are made more costly by
           failure to act promptly and effectively, once problems are
           recognized, and the lack of emphasis on preventive programs.


           OBJECTIVES

                 The objectives of the South Florida Restoration effort,
           with respect to harmful nonindigenous species are to:

           0     Halt or reverse the spread of invasive species already
                 widespread in the environment.

           0     Eradicate invasive species that are still locally
                 contained.

           0     Prevent the introduction of new invasive species to the
                 south Florida environment, including both those now present
                 in cultivation in south Florida and those that would be
                 imported.







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                                        APPENDIX I
                       MALBITAT RESTORATION AND MAXAGEMMT STRATEGY
                              THAT ADDRESSES THE DECLINE OF
                                  "NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA
                                   SUCH AS WADING BIRDS



            1.    BACKGROURD

                  The vast and heterogeneous wetland landscape that
            characterized the pre-drainage south Florida ecosystem supported
            enormous numbers of water birds, particularly wading birds. The
            whole system was a complex heterogenous mix of various extents of
            water depths and vegetative types. It was this vast heterogenous
            mix, maintained be fire, freezes, and rainfall extremes, that
            provided the habitat support for the production and survival of
            the diverse, yet immense populations of wading birds. The
            productivity, dispersal, and survival of these wildlife-the birds
            and their forage fish base-were regulated by the annual
            periodicity of the wet-dry cycles and rates of drying and
            flooding that concentrated the dispersed-nutrient base of the
            system.

                  These wading birds represent a critical component in the
            traphic structure of the wetland landscapes that comprise the
            south Florida ecosystem. Because of their wide foraging range
            and their narrow foraging requirements in terms of water depth
            and concentrated prey, they reflect the health 'of the ecosystem,
            particularly in their ability to reproduce successfully.

                  Wading birds numbers have seriously declined concurrent
            with the drainage and development associated with the C&SF
            Project. The number of successful wading birds nesting
            throughout the s-Istem. has declined more than 90 percent according
            to historical records. The wood stork, on the Federal Endangered
            Species list, is closely identified with the Everglades and its
            current status indicates the serious problems inherent in the
            entire Everglades system.


            11.   ISSUES

                  The problems for wading birds and other natural flora and
            fauna are related to the diminishing size of the ecosystem
            itself. much of the area eliminated was prime short-hydroperiod
            habitat critically important to wading.birds. The remaining
            wetlands are seriously degraded. The hydrologic character of the
            entire Everglades has been altered, consequently reducing habitat
            capacity and refugia. The distribution, timing, and quantity of
            water throughout the system have been disrupted, seriously
            constraining wading bird reproduction to narrow time frames
            subject to numerous drastic and catastrophic disruptive
            conditions.
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                 In addition, excessive nutrient loading from agriculture
           has resulted in major vegetative conversions to both the
           macrophyte and periphyton communities in vast areas of the
           remaining Everglades: enormous areas in the Water Conservation
           Areas and the littoral system of Lake Okeechobee have been
           converted to monotypic stands of cattail and periphyton
           communities.

                   Although declining wading birds are indicators of system
           function, there is at present no dependable funding source for
           monitoring of animal groups including wading birds. A
           coordinated aerial wading bird census (systematic reconnaissance
           flights) has been underway in portions of south Florida for
           several years. Rookery counts and some nesting success
           information are collected in some areas by some agencies. Except
           for current small scale projects underway in the Everglades
           National Park and Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, there has
           been only minimal effort to study the distribution, abundance,
           and trophic relations of forage fish and invertebrates that are
           important prey for wading birds and other vertebrate predators.
           virtually nothing is known of the life history and requisite
           requirements of the apple snail that could be considered a
           keystone species to the system.

                 Upland habitats have been reduced to remnant areas, but
           still support a high diversity of native plants and animals,
           :Lncluding several listed threatened or endangered species.
           Rockland pinelands in southern Dade County were heavily damaged
           by Hurricane Andrew and recovery has been impeded by invasion by
           non-native plants and a post hurricane invasion by pine bark
           beetles, which killed many pines. Only Longpine Key within
           Everglades National Park survived relatively intact. The next
           largest stands are on publicly owned land (including federal
           property) for which the Dade County Park and Recreation
          .Department has unsuccessfully sought funding from FEMA and the
           state. FEMA's unwritten policy is not to fund restoration of
           natural areas. The state did not appropriate requested funds in
           the recently passed budget. The opportunity to recover these
           pinelands may be lost. Loss of these pinelands could affect
           pineland dependent species in Everglades National Park.


           111. OBJECTIVE

                 In 1993 the federal interagency Task Force on the South
           'Florida Ecosystem adopted several management objectives. These
           included:

                 0 Restore and maintain the biodiversity of native plants
           and animals in the upland, wetland, estuarine and marine
           communities of the South Florida ecosystem.

                 0 Provide for adequate natural habitats for native plants

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  I 
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                   Recover species that are threatened or endangered.
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                                       APPENDIX J
                              MULTI-SPECIES RECOVERY PLAN



           1. BACKGROUND

               A large number of federally listed threatened or endangered
           species occur within the south Florida ecosystem. One of the
           purposes of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 is.to provide a
           mechanism to protect threatened and endangered species and
           pravide a program for their conservation. Conservation is
           defined as bringing a species to the point where the measures
           outlined in the law are no longer necessary. The process of
           taking the species from its listed status to full conservation,
           that is reversing the decline and neutralizing the threats, is
           ca:lled recovery. A species restored to a healthy condition no
           longer needing the protection of the act is considered recovered.
           Our goal will be to recover all listed species in the south
           FIorida ecosystem.

               Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act requires that the
           Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries
           Service develop recovery plans for all listed species. These
           plans are an integral part of the overall recovery program whose
           primary goals are:

                 1.  Identification of those ecosystems and organisms that
                 face.the highest degree of threat.

                 2. Determination of the tasks necessary to reduce or
                 eliminate the threats.

                 3. Application of the resources available to the highest
                 priority recovery tasks.

               The first step in the recovery process is the development of
           a recovery plan that delineates, justifies, and schedules the
           re arch and management actions necessary to recover a species.
           The plans are comprehensive documents that identify all known
           recovery actions and anticipated costs. These plans serve as
           blueprints for private, federal and state interagency cooperation
           because they identify specific actions and the appropriate
           xesponsible agency.

               Recovery plans serve as a catalyst to encourage all
           participants to work toward species recovery. They have been
           very effectively used as an impetus for budget formulation,
           agency policy review and development of agency management plans.


           3:1. ISSUES

               The south Florida ecosystem contains numerous listed species,
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            many of which already have approved recovery plans. Each plan
            addresses only one species. A review of the plans indicates that
            depending on the ecological status of the species and the type of
            habitat they occupy, some plans are complementary and some may be
            at odds with one another. Thus, it may be possible to conduct an
            action that benefits one species while creating problems for
            another. The development of a comprehensive plan that looks at
            the ecosystem as a whole, rather than it's parts, is needed. The
            importance of each part must be considered, but efforts need to
            be made to put all the parts together as a whole. Furthermore,
            there needs to be close coordination between the National Marine
            Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure
            that the federal agencies assigned the responsibilities are
            working together.
               Recovery plan development and implementation is further
            compounded because of the wide variety of land ownership and land
            uses. The variety of uses, management and owner expectations is
            even evident on public land. With a host of agencies charged
            with a multitude of purposes, it is difficult to arrive at
            mutually acceptable goals.

               The problem is further compounded because of the degraded
            nature of many of the habitats. Large and expanding human
            populations, intensive agriculture, complex water control
            structures and invasion by a host of exotic species have made
            management of remnant natural systems extremely difficult.

               Recovery can be a slow and difficult process where results
            are costly and sometimes not immediately obvious. Some of the
            problems associated with recovery are:

                  1. The lack of funds available to conduct the most
                  critical recovery actions.

                  2. Lack of information on a species makes it difficult to
                  design an effective recovery plan. Research is necessary
                  to answer some of the questions.

                  3. Often, research will produce unanticipated results and
                  a new approach must be developed.

                  4. Recovery is a very gradual process. Several
                  generations of success may be needed before the Service  is
                  confident that a species can be de-listed.

                  S. Just as it took many years for a particular species   to
                  decline, it may take many years to reverse the decline.


            111. OBJECTIVE

               The management objective is to recover species that are
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          threatened or endangered. This recovery will involve restoring
          health to the entire ecosystem. Such an approach will prove
          benefiizial to many other organisms in the ecosystem. Efforts
          will bi focused on ensuring the protection of biodiversity
          emphasIzing the importance of community associations and habitat
          protection and enhancement.


          Mr. CURRENT ACTIVITIES AND APPROACH

              The Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine
          Fisheries Service have developed individual recovery plans for
          most of the species in the south Florida ecosystem. These plans
          vary greatly in quality and some are in need of revision.    Some
          species are receiving funding attention and some are not.    There
          are active recovery programs under way for a number of the   more
          visible species.

              The state of Florida is also actively involved in recovery
          efforts for many listed species. Through Section 6 of the
          Endangered Species Act (ESA), the Fish and Wildlife Service can
         .provide funding on a three-to-one ratio to states that have a
          cooperative agreement. In Florida, the Florida Game and Fresh
          Water Fish Commission, the Florida Department of Environmental
          Protection (for marine species) and the Division of Forestry
          (jaart of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer
          Services) have agreements with the Fish and Wildlife Service.
          These three.agencies cover all listed species from marine mammals
          to plants. All three agencies are actively involved in recovery
          of listed species in south Florida and work closely with the
          services in accomplishing actions identified in approved recovery
          plans.

              The services also use recovery plans and the actions they
          corLtain to make specific recommendations to federal agencies and
          applicants who are required to enter into consultation under
          Section 7 of the ESA. Through the Section 7 program federal
          agencies are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife
          Service (and the National Marine Fisheries Service) on actions
          they authorize, fund, or carry out that "may affect" listed
          species or "destroy or adversely modify" critical habitat. The
          services conduct hundreds of consultations each year on federal
          agency acticns which range from permits for wetland fill
          authorized by the Corps of Engineers to road and runway projects
          funded by the Federal Highway Administration and the Federal
          Avlation Administration. During these consultations the services
          make recommendations on how project impacts can be reduced or
          encourages actions to be taken to improve the status of listed
          spec:ies. The basis for most of these recommendations is approved
          recavery plans.

              The vast array of recovery efforts and the development and
          ï¿½mplementation of recovery plans need to be coordinated in a
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             cohesive manner. The goal is to develop a comprehensive,
             ecosystem wide-recovery/management plan that recognizes the needs
             of each species' and is responsive to the varying objectives of
             the agencies charged with managing the land. It is hoped that we
             can develop a consolidated and unified strategy that, within the
             objectives of the Endangered Species Act, would look at all
             endangered species and their habitats in the system and deal with
             them holistically rather than focusing on individuals. only a
             system-wide approach will ensure that all species are protected
             and none are protected at the expense of others. It must be
             recognized that actions to protect listed species associations
             will benefit many other life forms that occur in the same area.
             Threatened and endangered species do not exist as independent
             species, they are active components of the.larger system.
             Responsible management actions that benefit listed species will
             in most cases benefit the overall ecosystem.


             V. F = ING AND LEAD AGENCY

                 The Fish and Wildlife Service, in close coordination with the
             National Marine Fisheries Service, will lead this effort. staff
             of each agency will work together in a complimentary fashion.
             Funding may be supplied to the State agencies, universities or
             private consulting firms to carry out individual tasks. The goal
             is to have a comprehensive plan that embraces all agencies and
             interest groups and solicits support from agriculture and
             business to federal, state, regional, county and city government.

                 It is estimated that the development and approval of a Multi-
             species Recovery Plan will take two years; one year to prepare a
             draft and one year of review and refinement. In order to meet
             the two year date it will require three full-time staff
             biologists with appropriate clerical support. These individuals
             will need to be experienced in the Recovery Program of the Fish
             and Wildlife Service and will be assigned this responsibility as
             their full-time job.

                 There will be additional costs associated with reproduction
             of plans, public meetings, etc. A comprehensive plan will be of
             _great value to land owners and managers alike.








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                                       APPENDIX X
                    E"ITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN STRATEGY
                     FOR NEAR COASTAL WATERS INCLUDING FLORIDA BAY,
                       THE FLORIDA KEYS AND THE CORAL REEF SYSTEM



            1. MAJOR ISSUES

                Much of the interest in south Florida ecosystem restoration
            has.focused on the Everglades National Park and the historic
            Everglades terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. While
            restoration efforts directed at the Everglades ecosystem may
            benefit the coastal, nearshore and offshore systems of south
            Florida, additional efforts will be necessary to restore these
            areas. Chronic losses in near-coastal waters have been amplified
            by-recent dramatic events such as massive seagrass, mangrove, and
            faunal die-offs as well as other symptoms such as increased algal
            blooms, reduced fish landings, overall deterioration of fringe
            reef systems, and decreased species diversity in flora and fauna
            (aquatic and terrestrial).

            A. Alteration of Freshwater Flow to Estuaries    The C&SF Project
            altered the quantity, timing and distribution of freshwater
            entering the estuaries. Hyperialinity in the bays, presumably
            resulting from the freshwater flow alterations, has been
            suggested as one causative factor in the seagrass and mangrove
            die-offs. Channelized freshwater flow, chronic, and episodic
            voluminous-releases from control structures have caused marine
            faunal and floral mass mortalities and habitat loss.

            B. Water Ouality Degradation Pollutant input, particularly
            excess nutrients, has contributed to the observed loss and
            degradation of nearshore and offshore habitats such as seagrass
            and coral reefs. Likely primary sources of pollutants include
            urban runoff within the Florida Keys and upstream, agricultural
            runoff and industrial runoff. other possible sources include
            recreational and commercial boating activity and point/nonpoint
            source discharges from other countries which end up in ocean
            currents moving along the south Florida coastline.

            C. Loss of Habitats t2 Development    Aquatic and terrestrial
            habitats have been affected directly and indirectly by the
            development boom. The resulting methods of sewage disposal (e.g.
            septic systems, shallow well injection, cess pits), lawn care,
            traffic, etc., also contribute as nonpoint sources of pollution,
            resulting in the degradation of local water quality and loss of
            habitat (seagrass, mangrove, "live" hard bottom) from dredge and
            fill activities.

            D. Impacts to Habitats From Recreation & Commercial Activities
            Boating impacts have caused significant damage to both seagrass
            and coral reefs. over 10,000 acres of seagrasses have been
            destroyed by propeller scarring in the Florida Keys. An average

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            of over 40 small vessel groundings occur each month in the FKWS;
            many result in direct impact to coral reefs. Additional impacts
            occur from boats anchoring on corals, or improperly moored live-
            aboards that directly impact seagrasses and other important
            marine habitats. Hard bottom habitats, coral rubble, and coral
            reef substrate that support a wide diversity of reef organisms
            are under increasing pressure from harvest as the demand for live
            rock in the aquarium industry increases. An increase in
            commercial sponging in the Keys has added additional pressure on
            the sponge community, another important component of the
            ecosystem. The cumulative impact of a wide range of commercial
            and recreational activities contributes to habitat and water
            quality degradation.


            11. BACKGROUND

                Coastal and nearshore communities are highly productive
            ecosystems that support a wide variety of species and provide
            economic and social benefits. Commercial and recreational
            fisheries, diving and snorkeling, wildlife observation, boating
            and swimming are just a few of the activities that contribute to
            the economic and social well being of south Florida. The
            continued health and productivity of these natural systems depend
            on maintaining a viable balance among their various components
            and the pressure of the human activities.

                Local fishers and divers have noted subtle changes in south
            Florida's nearshore and offshore habitats for the past decade:
            changes in water color and transparency, reduced fisheries
            landings, and a general decline in the coral reef habitats.
            Symptoms of these ecological changes began in the early 1980s
            with fish die-offs, coral disease outbreaks, coral bleaching, and
            other changes -in the health of the natural resources. This
            general degradation was dramatically illustrated in 1987 when
            Florida Bay began experiencing a sudden, massive die-off of
            seagrass. Around the same time, and in many of the same general
            areas, mangroves on wash-over islands also experienced die-offs.
            In addition, a coral bleaching event occurred along the length of
            the coral reef tract that parallels the Florida Keys. Some of
            the causes of degradation are obvious: increased development,
            boating activities, a proliferation of septic tanks and
            artificial canals, etc. However, there are disparate theories
            within the scientific community regarding the specific causes of
            many of these occurrences. Theories include reduced freshwater
            inflow to the es*tuaries due to the C&SF Project, excess nutrients
            from upland runoff and contaminants from upland runoff. Until
            specific causes of the degradation are identified, management of
            these habitats must depend on existing knowledge and best
            professional judgment.


            111. OBJECTIVES
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                a. Restore natural or near natural freshwater distribution to
                south Florida bays and estuaries, including Florida Bay.
                b. Provide adequate treatment of runoff from urban,
                agricultural and industrial areas to remove contaminants and
                excess nutrients (primarily nitrogen and phosphorua).
                Treatment activities should include Florida Keys upland areas
                as well as upstream areas on the mainland.

                c. Identify, reduce and eliminate pollution from septic
                systems, bilge pumps, "heads", foreign sources, etc.

                d. Achieve a no-net habitat loss due to development.

                e. Produce a net increase in value and function of existing
                habitats through restoration, enhancement and management.

                f. Restore historic fisheries productivity.

                g. Eliminate adverse impacts of recreational and commercial
                activities on existing habitats.

                h. Identify additional causes of ecosystem degradation.


           IV.  GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE

                For consistency, the geographic scope of this habitat
           restoration and management plan is the same as Subregion 8 for
           the Science Subgroup. It encompasses the coastal, nearshore and
           offshore areas from Biscayne Bay on the Atlantic Ocean, around
           the Florida Keys, and up to Rookery Bay on the Gulf of Mexico.
           Consideration may be given to expanding the scope at a later date
           to include all of the three focus areas identified in the U.S.
           Fish and Wildlife Service's South Florida Coastal Ecosystem
           Restoration Initiative (FWS Coastal Initiative). The three focus
           areas include Florida Bay/Florida Keys, Indian River Lagoon/Lake
           Worth and Charlotte Harbor.



















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                                       APPENDIX L
                         SUPPORT LAND BASED PROTECTION STRATEGY



           I. BACKGROUND

                The general trend of water resource development in south
           Florida during the 100 years before the Central and Southern
           Florida Project had been more or less defined before Florida
           became a state. Leaders of the day had grand visions of
           extensive agricultural development of the muck lands around the
           Kissimmee Valley lakes and Lake Okeechobee. On admission into
           the Union in 1845, the Florida Legislature instructed the
           senators and representative from the state to press upon the
           Congress the importance of reclaiming the Everglades.

               in connection with all the activities revolving around the
           Everglades, one of the state's first two U. S. Senators, J. D.
           Westcott, proposed to the Congress that the United States grant
           to the state those lands lying south of a line from Sarasota on
           the west coast to Walton on the east coast (with certain
           exceptions) provided the state would undertake the reclamation of
           the lands. Senator Westcott introduced a bill making specific
           provision for the grant. The bill was referred to the Committee
           on Public Lands, which considered it in connection with other
           available information.

               Largely as a result of Senator-Westcott's activities, and
           that of other states, Congress, in 1850, passed what is generally
           referred to as the Swamp and Overflowed Lands Grant Act. The act
           granted to Florida those swamp and overflowed lands which
           remained unsold at the time of the passage of the act, with the
           stated purpose to enable the state to reclaim the swamp and
           overflowed lands. This donation included the major part of the
           peninsula, large areas of which were not wetlands or identified
           swamp and overflowed lands. At the time it was thought to be
           about 12 million acres, but was later discovered to be over 20
           million acres, including the Everglades. An important
           stipulation in the act was that the sale of the lands to private
           interests should finance the necessary work of reclamation.
           The fate of the lands in the Everglades then went through a
           series of events punctuated by the state's creation of the
           Trustees of the Internal Improvement Fund to sell the donated
           land; the Civil War; the era of Hamilton Disston, hired by the
           state to drain the Everglades; the Everglades Drainage District,
           created to take up where Disston left off; the opening of the
           area south of Lake Okeechobee to farming; the Florida land boom;
           the major hurricanes of 1926 and 1928 which led to the levees
           around Lake Okeechobee; the Great Depression; the creation of the
           Everglades National Park; and the Central and Southern Florida
           Flood Control Project in 1948.

                The cumulative effect of these actions including the

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          features of the Central & South Florida Project has succeeded in
          accommodating and supporting a 5.5 million population along with
          a large and diverse economy.

              The state and the federal governments now find themselves in
          the position of having to repurchase or provide regulatory
          protection to large tracts of land included in the original land
          grant to preserve and restore critical hydrological and
          biological functions of the same Everglades considered 150 years
          ago to be "utterly worthless to the United States for any purpose
          whatever."

               other lands are being identified by state, county, and local
          governments for repurchase or zoning protection to ensure a clean
          and sufficient supply of water for a growing population and
          economy.
               Significant contributions to these purposes are also being
          made voluntarily by some private landowners and non-governmental
          organizations.
               The result is a mosaic of land uses, protection activities,
          and strategies across the south Florida ecosystem.


          11. ISSUES

               Public protection of land values critical to sustainable
          environment and development in south Florida, is based in local,
          county, and regional land use plans and zoning. Compliance is
          achieved through information and education or through regulatory
          enforcement. While these plans usually reflect a good sense of
          community needs and interests, they often do not reflect clearly
          how to integrate into broader ecosystem based strategies of
          environmental restoration and sustainable economic development.
          Significant efforts must be undertaken by federal agencies,
          coordinated through the ITF and its Florida-based IWG to offer
          and provide scientific and technical planning assistance to
          state, regional, county, and local comprehensive land-use
          planning efforts to fully integrate ecosystem-based
          sustainability objectives and conforming solutions. Successfully
          conforming a plan with provisions to assure its implementation
          should be met with authority for expedited clearance of required
          federal permits and approval necessary for implementation.
                  As effective as these efforts can be to accomplishing
          environmental protection and sustainable development strategies,
          public acquisition and direct management of critical land remains
          an important component of restoring environmental values and
          sustaining development and the population of the south Florida
          ecosystem. It is not the p@irpose of this appendix to propose
          specific lands for acguisition. This is being accomplished by
          several ongoing activities interwoven into the restoration
          effort. We have included a list identifying existing approved
          public acquisition activities pertinent to sustainable ecosystem
          goals. We endorse the coTpletion of these actions. Further,
          there are several strategies that pertain to land acquisition
          that need to be more fully developed. Among these are:
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                  a. A methodology or evaluation criteria for identifying and
             prioritizing specific types of lands that must be publicly
             acquired and directly managed to accoTplish and sustain ecosystem
             restoration; some are critical, some important, others marginal.
                  b. Responsibilities (who), scheduling and funding for land
             acquisition will need to be clarified.
                  c. Strategies for land acquisition.


             III. OBJECTIVES
                  Probably the best vehicle to tackle these issues would be
             the development of a multi-agency land protection strategy. it
             would outline the land protection process from identification
             through management of acquired land. An outline for the multi-
             agency land acquisition strategy would be:
                  a. Development of evaluation criteria for the specific
             types of lands required for ecosystem restoration.
                  b. Identification and inventory of all lands currently in
             public ownership, lands being and to be acquired by public
             entities, and lands identified in current reports which may be
             acm1ired by public entities. This would include lands owned by,
             to be acquired by, or identified by various federal, state, or
             local government agencies; including any lands identified by the
             Interagency Task Force and Working Group and sub-groups; by the
             Corps restudy; and any other source interested in Everglades
             restoration. This would be an iterative process, and would be
             included in the land protection strategy.

                  c. Prioritization of identified lands. Determine which are
             the most important lands and types of lands with respect to
             restoration/availability; which are the least important.

                  d. Determination of levels of title needed for various
             lands or types of lands identified for acquisition. Where would
             fee acquisition be needed, where would easements be adequate,
             where would zoning be appropriate, etc.
                  e. Availability of land use mapping Using on-line GIS
             systems, county master plans, wetland mapping, etc.
                  f. Existing mechanisms for land protection by responsible
             agencies, i.e.,:
                       0 neqotiated free market acquisition
                       0 eminent domain and/or necessary legislative
                         authority
                       * funding sources (input from another sub-sub-group)
                       * land swap potential
                       0 zoning ordinances
                       0 tax incentives in return for land donations
                       0 mitigation banking
                       0 private initiatives, such as the Trust for Public
                         Lands
                       0 establishment of real estate arrangements to
                         facilitate donation of private lands or private funds
             working draft 811.9194          103











                       for restoration
                     e any other initiatives available to acquire interest
                       in land
               .g. Development of a land management strategy for all lands
           acquired by federal,*state, and local government agencies for
           ecosystem restoration to provide for consistency.
                h. Obstacles to land protection initiatives including
           mineral rights, tax losses, infrastructure changes, community
           acceptance, relocation services, ad infinitum.

                The charge for the group would be to deliver a report that
           addresses all the issues identified herein, and all others that
           are determined at a later date. The end product would be a stand
           alone document that could be used by the task force, the Corps
           study team, and all other interested parties to understand the
           land acquisition ramifications of the restoration efforts.



































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                                       APPENDIX M
                       COORDINATED ECOSYSTEM BASED SCIENCE PROGRAM



            1.   INTRODUCTION

                 This Science Plan and its extended version is designed to
            provide scientific information to help guide the restoration.
            The Science Plan outlined here is directed at the following
            themes:
                 characterizing the pre-drainage system
                 determining the key characteristics of the natural
            hydrologic system that supported the rich diversity and abundance
            of wildlife that has been lost
                 predicting effects of alternative structural modifications
            and operational changes
                 assessing the hydrologic and ecological results of these
            changes
                 evaluating the impact of present and alternative urban and
            agricultural practices
                 recommending modifications of design and urban and
            agricultural practices


            II. PROJECT MANAGEMENT

                 The Science Sub-group is developing a detailed description
            of the scientific support required for the south Florida
            ecosystem restoration effort. The objective is to formulate an
            overall research plan, describe relevant ongoing efforts that
            will be integrated into the overall plan, and identify gaps.
            Interagency planning efforts are being initiated to ensure
            efficiency and integration of efforts. This approach involves
            broad involvement of the scientific community and appropriate
            peer review. Regular communication of progress will be scheduled
            to obtain essential feedback from primary constituents:
            restoration managers, environmental and economic interest groups,
            and the general public. Data management requirements for all
            projects follow the policies agreed to by the interagency U.S.
            Global Climate Change program to ensure data compatibility. A
            difficulty in achieving these goals is that management
            responsibilities for south Florida ecosystem restoration are
            currently fragmented. Ludwig et al. (1993) in the third
            principle of effective management states that scientists  should
            be relied on to recognize problems, but not to remedy them,
            noting that individual scientists are heavily influenced by their
            discipline training and that interactions involving many
            disciplines are critical to solving ecosystem management
            problems. Ludwig also notes that individual scientists in
            management situations have often been subject to intense
            political pressure that influences their decisions, but without a
            broader community aware of the impact of such pressures. The
            Science Subgroup has attempted to deal with these issues by being

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           a collective body with a significant mix of disciplines and
           interacting directly through the Interagency Working Group made
           up of agency managers with responsibilities for decision making.

                The Florida Bay Science Plan has already been developed.
           Its management structure involves an interagency program
           management committee, an interagency technical advisory group,
           and a scientific panel of nationally recognized scientists.


           111. COOPERATION

                Research currently underway or planned at the South Florida
           Water Management District(SFWMD), Florida Department of
           Environmental Protection, the University of Florida, and the
           Florida Game and Fish Commission is a vital component of this
           Science Plan. For example, the existing hydrologic models (the
           South Florida Water Management Model [SFWMMI and its natural
           system corollary [NSMI) that will be the core of the proposed
           hydrologic modeling system were developed by SFWMD and already
           are undergoing considerable upgrading that will make them even
           more useful in restoration modeling. SFWMD also is developing   a
           landscape model (Everglades Landscape Model (ELM].) that could be
           expanded in scope to be extremely useful to the restoration
           effort. SFWMD is engaged in other modeling, monitoring, and
           process-oriented studies in support of the Surface Water
           Improvement Act, the Everglades Forever Act, and the Settlement
           Agreement. These efforts are focused primarily on resolution of
           water quality problems, particularly phosphorus. Integration of
           all public and private activities with federal efforts into a
           South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Plan is essential  to
           a successful restoration.



           IV. MONITORING

               Monitoring  is essential to the restoration process. It will
           provide necessary information for fine tuning the predictive
           models and ultimately evaluating the degree to which the
           restoration is successfully meeting its stated goals and
           objectives. Therefore, development and implementation of a
           comprehensive system-wide monitoring plan is a critical first
           step in the restoration process. Numerous on-going and planned
           monitoring programs exist throughout the region. The need to
           assess, coordinate, and integrate these programs into the South
           Florida Ecosystem Restoration Science Plan is absolutely
           imperative.

               As a first step at integration and coordination of
           monitoring activities among the various interested agencies,
           representatives from the Science Sub-group, the Federal
           Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the Florida Department of
           Environmental Protection, and the SFWMD have jointly arranged

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            workshops to encourage the coordination, sharing, and mutual
            archival of all geo-spatial information regarding the Kissimmee-
            Okeechobee-Everglades watershed. The workshops are preliminary
            to establishing a joint federal, state, and local geo-spatial
            data agreement that insures format QA/QCs, metadata protocols,
            and electronic retrieval-archival capabilities for coordination
            and data sharing. The workshops will be useful in identifying
            data gaps in terms of geographic areas and types of information
            not covered. They will highlight opportunities for further
            coordination and resource sharing (e.g., NBS GAP, NOAA C-CAP,
            USGS NAWQA, NWI Wetlands, and GFC Integrated Habitat Plan).


            V.   MODELING

                 Modeling activities-include the design or adaptation of
            several categories of models: models of physical processes
            (hydrologic, hydrodynamic, transport, and meteorological models),
            ecosystem models (landscape and ecological models), and water
            quality models (models of nutrient uptake and cycling in waters,
            soils, and the biota-and models of the movements, chemical
            transformations, and bioaccumulation of contaminants such as
            mercury). one important task will be to integrate the models
            into an interactive capability.

                 An integrated hydrologic modeling system covering the entire
            south Florida ecosystem@, developed from existing sub-regional
            models, is.the critical first need of the restoration effort.
            The output of hydrologic models will drive all the other types of
            models. The hydrologic models will support model-based research
            related to natural resource rehabilitation, as well as
            agricultural and urban sustainability. Critical components of
            the hydrologic modeling system will be natural systems model
            versions in which all canals and other control structures have
            been removed and the pre-drainage topography has been
            reconstituted. Their output will provide the most objective view
            of the structure and function of the pre-drainage hydrologic
            system.

                 A present impediment to the development of system-wide
            modeling capability is that there is no mandate for any state or
            federal entity to model the entire south Florida restoration
            region. It is imperative that a group dedicated to this task be
            established.

                 Landscape and ecological models involving populations  and
            communities will enable hydrologic.information to be evaluated in
            terms of ecological effects.   Since the landscape influences
            water flow and is subsequently shaped by it, hydrologic and
            landscape models eventually will be linked to allow two-way
            interactions so that the effect on water flow of long-term
            processes such as soil building.and landscape pattern formation
            can be followed. Individual-based species models will assess the

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           effect of changes in hydroperiods and hydro-patterns on the
           reproduction responses of populations such as colonial nesting
           wading birds. Because the foraging area of such species is so
           broad and foraging success is closely coupled with hydrologic
           patterns, modeled trends in abundance and recruitment in these
           populations will reflect trends in ecosystem function. in a
           parallel effort, statistically based habitat association models
           will be used to evaluate potential species responses to various
           conditions of changing hydropatterns, hydroperiods, and
           vegetation types.
                Ecological model development will start at the beginning of
           the restoration effort. only the development and application of
           ecological models, even with cursory data, can reveal the type of
           information that'is necessary from hydrologic and hydrodynamic
           models and demonstrate why it is needed. Research and monitoring
           will be fully integrated with the modeling.

                Estuarine hydrodynamic models will allow the output of
           hydrologic models to be translated into salinity and circulation
           patterns in estuaries. This information will help determine how
           proposed modifications in the C&SF Project will affect the
           estuarine resources in Florida Bay and, eventually, other
           estuaries. Fine-scale  hydrodynamic and transport models will
           enable the movement of nutrients and contaminants such as mercury
           in freshwater wetlands to be followed.

                Meteorological modeling will be used to improve the grid of
           rainfall estimates needed as input to hydrologic models. South
           Florida's rainfall is so spatially variable that the current
           monitoring network may not adequately reflect the spatial
           pattern. Surface water and soil moisture influence rainfall and
           are required inputs to the meteorological model. Therefore, the
           meteorological model will eventually be used to determine the
           extent to which the C&SF Project and its predecessors may have
           affected south Florida's rainfall and evaluate restoration
           alternatives for their potential effect on rainfall. This will
           require linking the meteorological and hydrologic models so that
           two-way interactions can occur.


           VI. MODELING, MONITORING, AND RESEARCH

                Hypothesis testing research must be closely linked to the
           modeling and monit"oring effort (Fig. 1). By conducting research,
           we can develop an understanding of the-physical and ecological
           processes regulating the.south Florida ecosystem status, test
           model predictions,.and evaluate cause and effect relationships.


           VII. HYDROLOGIC PROCESSES

                The hydrologic modeling effort has three parallel tracks:

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            model improvement, model development, and model application.
            Models are used in conjunction with process studies and
            monitoring. Both water quantity and water quality issues can be
            addressed with hydrologic research because water movement
            influences water quality.

                 The first step in the hydrologic modeling effort will be to
            develop a hydrologic modeling system that covers the entire south
            Florida ecosystem land base. In the immediate term, existing
            models will be upgraded, models will be developed for areas not
            yet covered by appropriate hydrologic models, and the models will
            be integrated with one another.

                 Several areas of south Florida have no adequate existing
            models to assist restoration efforts. Spatially explicit models
            that include both surface and ground water do not presently exist
            for southwest Florida. Existing models do not have the
            topographic detail needed to adequately model freshwater flows to
            estuaries. Therefore, more detailed models for the coastal areas
            are needed. Such a model is particularly important to
            determining how to establish a more natural timing and volume of
            freshwater inflow to Florida Bay.

                 At the same time existing models are being improved, a more
            advanced and comprehensive modeling system will be developed.
            New models will take advantage of more powerful programming
            languages and support systems.

                 These are the fundamental steps of the hydrologic research
            plan for the entire south Florida ecosystem:
                 ï¿½ Characterize natural hydrologic structure and function.
                 0 Assess present-day conditions.
                 ï¿½ Formulate specific restoration objectives that consider
                 natural system requirements and societal demands.
                 0 Develop and evaluate alternative strategies for achieving
                 the objectives.
                 ï¿½ Define success criteria.
                 ï¿½ Implement the above through the structure and operation
                 of the C&SF Project system.
                 0 Evaluate implementation consequences using success
                 criteria.

                 Process studies and measurements are needed to improve
            algorithms and parameters such as evapotranspiration, flow
            resistance, levee leakage, and seepage in the hydrologic models.
            With respect to associated water quality modeling, process
            studies will examine geochemical processes, nutrient cycling, and
            biological activity in the water column and sediments.
                 Hydrodynamic and transport models for wetlands may be needed
            to provide input to water quality models concerning nutrients and
            contaminants. These have not yet been defined. A meteorological
            model to provide improved rainfall estimates and interact with
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          the hydrologic models is another model of physical processes to
          be used in the restoration effort.



          VIII.HYDRODYNAMIC PROCESSES

               Many of the major issues concerning Florida Bay could be
          better addressed by the use of a hydrodynamic model that
          simulates salinity patterns and circulation processes with the
          bay as a function of freshwater inflow, local precipitation,
          wind, and regional circulation processes. These regional
          processes need to be defined by regional circulation models of
          the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Straits. Therefore,
          the scope of the hydrodynamic modeling program must of necessity
          extend beyond the boundaries of Florida Bay to the processes
          influencing conditions along the boundaries of the bay.

               A workshop sponsored by Everglades National Park and
          organized by the Florida Institute of oceanography, in
          cooperation with NOAA, was held October 13-14, 1993.


          IX. LANDSCAPE PROCESSES

               The tools to address landscape issues are landscape models,
          trend and gradient analyses, and paleo-ecological investigations.
          Some major questions of restoration can only be answered with
          landscape models. For instance, what processes shape landscape
          structure? How are these processes and landscape structure
          affected by barriers such as roads, levees, and canals? What are
          the landscape-scale ecosystem functions in this system? How are
          landscape-scale ecosystem functions affected by barriers? How
          are these functions affected by water management?

               Landscape modeling is dependent upon hydrologic modeling and
          needs to be fully integrated with hydrologic modeling studies.
          Landscape models, in combination with hydrologic models, are
          needed to address ecosystem-level questions concerning wildlife.
          Models and paleo-ecological results can be mutually supportive.

               The landscape model can be verified by imposing the C&SF
          Project on the pre-drainage landscape and simulating the
          landscape change over time; the resulting landscape can then be
          compared to the present landscape.

               A seascape model-for example, Florida Bay estuarine and Keys
          models that includes bottom topography and the overseas
          highway-is required to adequately model salinity and circulation
          patterns and nutrient/biota dynamics in Florida Bay and the
          Florida Reef Tract.

               In addition to models, trend and gradient analyses in both a
          monitoring and research mode and retrospective paleo-ecological
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            studies are required to support the modeling and to generate
            additional information.


            X.   ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES

                 Ecological models are an essential component of the South
            Florida Ecosystem Restoration Program. Ecological models that
            relate species, communities, and landscapes to the simulation
            outputs of hydrologic models are the only objective way to
            evaluate alternative water management strategies for their
            influence on landscapes, plant communities, and wildlife. These
            models must demonstrate how certain key features of the pre-
            drainage Everglades-large spatial extent, spatial heterogeneity,
            sheet flow, and dynamic storage-supported a healthy ecosystem. A
            quantitative explanation of the connections is needed to
            strengthen understanding about why these system attributes must
            be reinstated and to communicate this understanding to others.

                 Comparison of population trends, plant community succession,
            and various ecological processes simulated under present and pre-
            drainage conditions, given the same time series of rainfall, can
            be used to gain perspective on how the system has been changed,
            an understanding of the natural relationship of spatial and
            temporal patterns of hydrologic conditions with species,
            communities, and landscapes characteristic of South Florida, and
            an ecologically supportable, objectively determined, and
            relatively unbiased target for restoration efforts.

                 Models are needed for key categories of species. For
            example, Wood Storks and snail kites, which, because of their
            wide foraging area and specific foraging requirements, reflect
            ecosystem functioning at the landscape level in their
            recruitment. Pink shrimp, which, because of their position at
            the lower end of the food chain, represent the overall
            productivity of the ecosystem with their recruitment.

                 The capability to predict community-level responses to water
            management changes is needed. Important communities to examine
            include periphyton communities in the freshwater Everglades,
            nuisance algal blooms in Florida Bay, freshwater macrophyte
            communities experiencing a change in species dominance, wading
            bird communities, and the fish communities supporting the birds.
            The need to control the spread of invasive non-native species
            into native plant communities is another community-level concern
            that will be addressed by modeling.

                 Understanding the entry of mercury into the ecosystem, its
            transport, transformations, and accumulation in food chains
            requires models capable of integrating across several scales.


            XI. URBAN AND AGRICULTURE


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                The management goal is to recreate the overall hydrologic
           support functions for our remaining natural areas that, prior.to
           drainage, were provided by the lands now occupied by urban and
           agricultural areas-while, at the same time, improving quality of
           life for human populations. Working to achieve this and related
           goals is a major scientific challenge.
                The increased human population and human activity in south
           Florida have brought with them not only an increased need for
           water but also a decrease in water supply and deterioration in
           water quality. Issues of land use, routing of stormwater runoff,
           and disposition of treated waste water all relate to concerns for
           human water supply. Loads of nutrients, various contaminants,
           and total organic carbons associated with human alterations of
           the systems affect the quality of water vital to both human and
           natural systems. Several proposed science plan topics address
           these problems.

                South Florida has productive agricultural systems that could
           contribute to-and benefit from-ecosystem restoration. The EAA
           now contains a productive agriculture of major economic
           importance to the region. However, this agriculture is on
           organic soils that are losing depth, primarily due to microbial
           oxidation resulting from drainage. This continued loss of soil
           depth is a severe concern. The release of phosphorus and
           dissolved organic carbons into drainage waters are environmental
           concerns associated with soil subsidence. Previous studies
           suggest that a zero subsidence agriculture producing present
           crops and maintaining current harvest levels is an achievable
           goal through research. A research program is proposed with the
           objective of developing the technology for this zero subsidence
           system. It is possible that successful research would help
           modify the hydrologic function of the EAA, with respect to
           downstream natural ecosystems, to more closely resemble the
           hydrologic function of the area prior to drainage (i.e.,
           providing dynamic storage and allowing conveyance of water from
           Lake Okeechobee). One of the  following science plan initiatives
           relates to this topic.

                In general, studies must address these questions: What are
           the critical feedbacks of the natural system to urban and
           agricultural systems and vice versa? How will the natural system
           and its support functions for humans be affected by different
           population levels and land-use configurations? What landscape
           combination will allow healthy natural systems and urban and
           agricultural systems to coexist?.








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                                        APPENDIX N
                         PUBLIC INFORMAT:rON/EDUCATION/INVOLVM4ENT



            I. BACKGROUND

                 There are numerous stakeholders in restoration efforts in
            south Florida. These stakeholders have competing goals and
            expectations. Federal agencies' ongoing activities include the
            Central and Southern Florida (C&SF) Project restudy, the
            restoration of the Kissimmee River, and the Everglades Expansion
            Act land purchases. State agencies' plans and activities include
            the South Florida Water Management District's Save Our Rivers
            program which has acquired over 150,000 acres of land for public
            ownership, the Save our Everglades plan which has acquired over
            326,000 acres of land, and the South Florida Water Management
            District Lower East Coast Water Supply Study. The Everglades
            Construction Project under the state's Everglades Forever Act,
            will involve a massive construction effort. Special interest
            groups have also joined in the restoration efforts: the
            Everglades Coalition has published a Greater Everglades Ecosystem
            Restoration Plan. While restoration proceeds, development and
            water supply must keep pace for the rapidly expanding population
            of south Florida. The state provides 25 percent of the sugar
            grown in the United States (all'from the south Florida ecosystem)
            and its citrus crops and winter vegetables contribute jobs and
            millions of dollars to the economy. The tourism industry which
            is in part dependent on fishing, beaches, and diving contributes
            enormously to the economy and creates a wide variety of
            employment. The Miccosukee and Seminole Indian Tribes make their
            home in South Florida and have an historical and legal interest
            in restoration.

                 Many Federal agencies have ongoing public information,
            education, and involvement activities that vary from minimal to
            very extensive. In many instances, they are project or issue
            specific, but are not usually multi-agency in their approach.
            Recently, there have been some efforts to develop more
            comprehensive public involvement strategies: The Corps of
            Engineers C&SF Project Comprehensive Review Study has attempted
            to involve a large segment of the public through the use of
            workshops.


            11. ISSUES/PROBLEMS

                 While the public often recognizes the importance of the
            ecosystem and, according to a recent study, supports the clean-up
            of the Everglades, there are "strong doubts over government's
            ability to use the money for its intended purpose."   The survey
            also reported that the public did not differentiate clean-up of
            the Everglades from restoration. During December 1993 public
            workshops for the C&SF restudy, opposition was expressed by many

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           to restoration which meant loss of homes and businesses while
           others expressed opposition to a continuing degradation of the
           ecosystem to support the economy. This points out the need to
           present information and educate the public about restoration and
           sustainable development.

                Litigation further complicateB the scenario with parties
           filing suit over enforcement of water quality standards, payment
           for damages and clean-up, and to stop proposed restoration
           projects. ongoing litigation and the threat of further
           litigation has fostered polarization of the stakeholders as well
           as a climate of distrust in south Florida.

                The objective of the restoration effort is to develop and
           foster a coordinated, well-supported, balance among the federal
           agencies, state agencies, interest groups, and the public. This
           plan will be doomed to failure if the state agencies are not
           seated as full partners on the Interagency Working Group or the
           Task Force. Therefore, fulfilling the requirements of the
           Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) is necessary.


           III. SCOPE

                Restoration activities of the Interagency Task Force and the
           Interagency Working Group will take place in the south Florida
           area and possibly impact natural resources and activities of
           local residents. Because the Everglades ecosystem is a resource
           that can positively impact the entire state, there is a need for
           the activities to be understood not only in south Florida, but in
           the entire state.   Additionally, agencies will propose
           activities whose benefits will need to be communicated to
           Congress and national interest groups.


           IV. OBJECTIVES

                The ultimate objective of public information, education, and
           involvement is to develop and foster a coordinated, well-.
           supported, balanced restoration effort among the federal, state
           and local agencies; interest groups; and the public. The
           activities proposed will:

               a. Provide stakeholders and the public facts on the
           purposes, costs, and benefits of the activities of the
           Interagency Task Force and the Interagency Working Group so that
           informed decisions can be made.

               b. Increase public awareness of the importance of ecosystem
           -restoration and actions that can possibly contribute to the
           restoration.

               c. Provide a mechanism for input from stakeholdersto    the

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            Interagency Task Force and the Interagency Working Group on
            proposed activities.

                These activities should be coordinated by a Public
            Involvement Working Sub-Group, made up of public involvement
            specialists at the member agencies.

                The Public Involvement Sub-group would be responsible for
            implementing the activities outlined.in this public information,
            education, and involvement plan. In addition, each agency should
            ensure that its public involvement specialists coordinate
            activities with the Interagency Working Sub-group. The lead
            agency should be the Everglades National Park. As such, it
            should ensure that all provisions of FACA and NEPA are met
            insofar as public coordination of Working Group activities and
            reports are concerned.
























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                                     APPENDIX 0
                        STATE, LOCAL, AND TRIBAL PARTNERSUIPS



          I.   BACKGROUND

               There are myriad public agencies and private organizations
          working on various aspects of the restoration of the south
          Florida ecosystem. In the past year this altogether confusing
          array has distilled into major groups. The federal effort, made
          up of the Interagency Task Force and the Interagency Working
          Group and sub-groups, is only one focal point; others include:

               0 on the state level, the Florida Department of
               Environmental Protection Ecosystem Initiative

               0 on a regional level, the South Florida Water
               Management District

               0 the academic effort chartered as a case study
               through the Man and the Biosphere program

                  the Governor's Commission for a Sustainable South
               Florida that pulls together, in an advisory capacity,
               people representing all levels of the private
               sector-from agribusiness to the conservation community

               0 other organizations of government including the
               Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes as sovereign governments
               and the county land-use planning departments

               0 a wide range of private interests and concerns such
               as the Everglades Coalition

               All of these entities have significant interests and
          responsibilities that can feed into one of the processes
          discussed in the report of the Interagency Working Group.

               We feel that the myriad efforts and integrated systems
          associated with ecosystem management and sustainability need to
          work together toward unifying their visions for restoration in
          south Florida. The best mechanism for accomplishing ecosystem
          restoration seems to be a synthesis of all of these efforts. The
          federal Interagency Task Force is only one of a number'of
          essential participants. Our mutual vision cannot be fully
          articulated or accomplished until all the participants are fully
          integrated.


          .11. PROPOSED ACTIONS


               To date, while there has been communication and some effort
          at coordination among these groups, this in no way represents the

          working draft 8129194
                                         116









           development of an integrated process that must be'the objective
           for the coming year. Further steps must be taken to:

                e Schedule coordinated public meetings by the
                interagency working Group that provide regular
                opportunities for the major groups involved at the
                federal, state, and regional level in ecosystem
                management to communicate and coordinate with the
                Interagency working Group. (This has been started with
                the Governor's Commission on a sustainable South
                Florida.)

                0 Seek an amendment to the Federal Advisory Committees
                Act (F.A.C.A.) to categorically exempt employees of
                other government agencies with responsibilities so
                they can work together on ecosystem strategies.

                * Recommend the establishment of a federal advisory
                committee under F.A.C.A. to provide a forum for other
                knowledgeable and interested individuals and organizations
                to provide expert opinion and recommendations to the Task
                Force and.Working Group.

                0 Support efforts to establish and maintain a publicly
                accessible electronic directory of all projects,
                organizations, and meetings related to ecosystem
                     management and restoration.

















           working draf t 81191-94        117












                                       APPENDIX P
                          BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS PERSPECTIVE
                                           on
                         1994   M72AGENCY WORKMG GROUP REPORT

           Areas Having the Potential to Impact Both the Trust Resources and
                    the Rights of the Se=:Lnole and Miccosukee Tribes


                                WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT

           Malor Issues

           ï¿½ Surface water quality entering and leaving the Indian lands

           ï¿½ Heavy metals (especially methylated mercury) in the surface
           water

           0 Establishment of tribal water quality standards - impacts on
           the restoration efforts

           ï¿½ Sludge disposal on nearby lands

           ï¿½ Enforcement of current State and Federal Water Quality
           Standards

           ï¿½ Pollution fror, the West Basin

           ï¿½ Full tribal participation in all federal water quality
           management planning activities

           0 Federal government's trust responsibility to protect tribal
           trust resources i.e., water and tribal rights to clean water

           0 Protect-ion needed for WCA-3A water quality at the same level as
           Everglades National Park and the Loxahatchee NWR

           0 Establishment and enforcement of final numerical water quality
           standards necessary to save and restore the Everglades

           ï¿½ Protection from sediment nutrient loading

           ï¿½ Coordinated research and real time monitoring

           ï¿½ Protection from eutrophication and resulting imbalance in flora
           and fauna


           Background

           The Seminole and Miccosukee Indian Tribes are federally
           recognized tribes and the federal government is the trustee of
           their lands and resources and the protector of their rights.
           Indian lands of the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes are subjected

           working draft: 8119194
                                           118









            to run-on of water from upstream sources of surface water
            contaminated with high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, heavy
            metals and other pollutants.

            These pollutants are generally attributed to intensive upstream
            agricultural development and recently, possibly to the spreading
            of sludge from municipal waste treatment plants. This pollution
            has, over the years, resulted ln contaminated fish and wildlife
            which tribal members consume as part of their traditional
            subsistence hunting and fishing lifestyle. Additionally, tribal
            lands have not been offered the trust resource protection that is
            required of the federal government, resulting in the lands being
            used as filters and treatment areas for polluted waters. This
            has resulted ln the conversion of a large part of the wetlands to
            areas lacking natural floral and faunal diversity of the past.

            Indian lands which are adversely impacted total approximately
            462,000 acres including much of WCA-3A which is perpetually
            leased by the state of Florida to the Miccosukee Tribe. The
            traditional and modern lifestyles of approximately 2,500 tribal
            members are also adversely impacted.

            Oblectives

            0 Restoration of floral and faunal diversity in WCA-3A

            0 Establishment and protection of the tribal rights to clean
            water

            0 Elimination of heavy metal pollution.

            0 Reduction of phosphorous pollution to natural background levels

            0 Restoration of dissolved oxygen levels (approx. Smq/1)

            Ar)T)roach

            0 Development, implementation and enforcement of tribal water
            quality standards

            0 Full tribal participation tn all federal water quality
            management planning activities

            0 Conducting of essential research (coordinated) and development
            of real-time systems for the reservations which will be capable
            of monitoring both water quality and quantity

            COMPREHENSIVE WETLAND PERMITTING AND MITIGATION STRATEGY

            Maior Issues

            0 NPDES permitting of STAS with nondegradation standards

            working draf t 8119194        119









          0 Moratorium on permitting within the Everglades buffer strip
          pending analysis of cumulative impacts on restoration efforts
          0 Establishment of minimum flows and levels
          Background

          The Seminole and Miccosukee tribal lands have been adversely
          impacted by both reduced quantity and quality of available
          surface water. The degradation of these trust resources is
          principally due to non-tribal agricultural/commercial/
          residential and infrastructure development within the historic
          boundaries of tho Everglades Ecosystem. No one knows how much
          more development can be sustained without (if it already has not
          happened) rendering the Everglades completely dysfunctional and
          beyond feasible restoration.

          Obiectives

          Protection of the Everglades and tribal lands from further and
          possibly irrevocable degradation caused by further development  of
          wetlands in the buffer zone.

          Approach

          0 Require that significant development be permitted in areas on
          the eastern coast buffer strip to the Everglades ecosystem, only
          after an Environmental Impact Statement is prepared in accordance
          with the National Environmental Policy Act.

          0 Provide Bureau support for maintaining the requirement that
          STAs must have NSDES permits that contain non-degradation
          standards and feasible compliance schedules.


                               SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT


          Maior Issues

          0 Continued development, without enforcement of numerical non-
          degradation water quality standards, will continue to further
          degrade tribal trust water resources.

          0 Tribal economic and social needs (especially the Miccosukee
          Tribe) are tied directly to and are dependent upon the quality of
          the Everglades environment much more so than the average citizen
          of Florida.

          0 The federal government is obligated to support the development
          of tribal lands as long as there are no significant adverse
          environmental impacts. There is concern that as more'development
          occurs outside of Indian lands, the probability of significant
          impacts is increased i. e., the tribes will not be able.to
          rightfully develop their land because it is needed for resource
          protection

          working draft 8129194
                                          120









            0 No one knows how much development can be sustained without a
            complete and irreparable breakdown of the Everglades ecosystem,

            Background

            There will be continued pressure to develop the remaining areas
            of tho Everglades buffer zone etc. Without proper assessmentl
            the cumulative impact of development and the breaking point of
            the system are not known. Current trends ln the Everglades
            ecosystem indicate that environmental quality continues to
            decline. Additional development around the fringes will further
            restrict the opportunities for system restoration and make it
            more difficult to reverse the negative trend. Serious
            restoration efforts to reverse the trend may not work with the
            limited area currently available - the trend should become
            positive before more Everglades area is lost to developffient.

            Additionally, the long term problem of restricting tribal
            development rights because of the cumulative impacts of
            surrounding development, must be addressed. The federal
            government, unlike the State of Florida, has an obligation to
            protect these rights.

            Tribal populations can be expected to increase with time as will
            the need for housing, infrastructure, and economic development.
            Tribal population growth is slow and from within. Tribal members
            live on the reservation because it is their traditional homeland
            and their sovereign nation as established by Congress. There are
            no options for them to move elsewhere. Their right to grow and
            prosper and utilize their resources for the benefit of their
            people must be protected and be a high priority when limitations
            on sustainable development are addressed.

            Oblectives

            0 Protection of the Everglades ecosystem from the negative
            impacts of excessive further development

            0 Protection,of tribal development rights

            Alor)roach

            Assure that tribal development rights are a key component of any
            federally approved sustainable development plans or
            recommendations






            HABITAT RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT PLAN ADDRESSING THE  DECLINE
            OF NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA


            working draf t 81191-94        121












          Malor Issues

          0 Polluted surface water entering Indian lands has caused areas
          to become cattail monocultures.
          0 Indian lands viich are subject to 'a flowage easement in the
          Everglades and WCA-3A should receive the same consideration for
          protection and restoration as parks and preserves.

          0 Protection of tribal hunting and fishing rights ln WCA-3A.

          Background
           As stated in Water Quality Management and additionally that
          approximately 353,000 acres of tribal land, including all of WCA-
          3A, should receive environmental equity with the parks and
          preserves. Existing cattail monoculture occupies portions of
          Indian lands.


          A,oT)roach

          0 Restoration of cattail areas to traditional floral and faunal
          diversity after phosphorous levels are reduced to normal

                                         a
          0 Environmental equity for Indi'n lands and WCA-3A

          Stratecry

          0 Full tribal participation in the planning and restoration
          process

          0 Assertion of federal trust responsibility by all federal
          agencies to protect tribal trust resources from degradation


                      COORDINATING AGENCY POSITIONS AND ACTIONS


          Malor Issues

          0 Are any of the currently implemented activities designed to
          improve the ecosystem showing success as measured by success
          criteria?

          0 The Indian tribes are only seeing continued system degradation
          with resultant adverse impacts to trust resources.

          0 Individual uncoordinated agendas are the rule for restoration
          efforts without conducting a complete cumulative impact.analysis.

          0 How are we going to know when the feasible restoration efforts
          have been completed?

          Background



          working draf t 81.19194
                                         122










           As stated by the Miccosukee Tribal Elders "The snakes are dead;
           the turtles are dying; we cannot eat the frogs and the fish. Are
           we Indians next to perish in the Everglades? You (BIA) do
           something about i$t." From the Native American perspective the
           visible degradation of the Everglades and its wildlife resources
           is adequate measure that nothing is yet working. A statement by
           a tribal elder fifty, one-hundred or two-hundred years from now
           reflecting worse or hopefully better conditions will still be an
           accurate reflection of the condition of the Everglades. To go
           beyond a personal reflection will require a coordinated eEfort by
           federal, tribal state and local agencies; industry; agricultural
           interests; and environmental groups to monitor the health of the
           entire Everglades ecosystem. The problem is less one of
           determining indicators than it is of coordination.

           Oblectives

           0 To establish, on a real-time basis, changes in the health of
           the Everglades ecosystem.

           0 To know, from a management standpoint, when enough is enough be
           it restorative action or development that degrades the ecosystem.

           kpiproach

           0 To develop a real-time remote sensing system for the tribal
           lands which will monitor environmental conditions as restoration
           efforts progress.

           0 To be part of a coordinated effort to determine the overall
           health of the ecosystem.

           0 To be a full partner ln the ongoing restoration planning and
           implementation process.



















           working draft: 8119194
                                          123










                                          APPENDIX Q
                                  INTEGRATED FIN"CIAL PLAN



            I.   BACKGROUND
                 Agencies signatory to the Interagency Agreement on South
            Florida Ecosystem Restoration are funded through five separate
            federal appropriations bills. In addition, funds, lands, work-'
            in-kind, etc., may be received/required by the state of Florida,
            the South Florida Water Management District, and numerous private
            corporations, trusts, and concerns. Signatory agencies and their
            respective appropriation bills are shown in the following table
            along with other possible non-federal    sources of funding:

                     AGENCY                          APPROPRIATION BILL

            U.S. Department of Agriculture           Agriculture
            U.S. Department of the Army              Energy - Water Development
            U.S  Department of Commerce              Commerce-Justice-State
            U.S. Department of the Interior          interior
            U.S. Department of Justice               Commerce-Justice-State
            Environmental Protection Agency          VA-HUD-Independent Agencies

            State                                    State of Florida
            Local                                    South Florida Water
                                                       Management District
            Private                                  Private Corporations,
                                                       Trusts, Concerns

                At present, each agency requests    its own funding through its
            own standard procedures.


            11. ISSUES/PROBLEMS

                a. Multiple Possible Fundincr Source        It is possible that,
            upon an individual agency's budget request reaching the office of
            Management and Budget (OMB), the level of priority for funding of
            that individual agency's efforts towards the restoration
            initiative may or may not be the same priority accorded other
            involved agencies. If all the involved OMB examiners consider
            the restoration initiative efforts of the agency under their
            review to be a high priority for that agency it would reduce the
            possibility of individual agency funding gaps that could delay
            the project. Obviously, if one or more agencies having
            responsibility for work products that are on the overall critical
            path should not receive sufficient funding for their required
            effort, the entire restoration initiative could be delayed.
                 In p repar-ing individual agency budget requests for the
            initiative, a high degree of coordination and cooperation from
            all involved.agencies will be necessary. This will be required
            not only to ensure that there is not an overlap in work to be
            working draf t 81-29194           124








            performed, thereby increasing costs, but to be sure that funds
            will be available for a particular agency's individual efforts at
            the time they are required. Proper coordination may result in
            the individual agency requests being adequate for the proposed
            future work, however this is by far no solid indication that the
            budget request will be approved, either in its entirety or
            partially. once an individual agency's budget come before its
            appropriation subcommittees and/or committees, funding for the
            South Florida Ecosystem Restoration may not be viewed with the
            same priority. For this reason, it would be beneficial to have
            each agency's budget request for the South Florida Ecosystem
            Restoration initiative be reviewed by a single examiner at OMB.


            III. OBJECTIVES/APPROACH

                a. Budgeting Options There are three budgeting alternatives
            that could be used to obtain necessary federal funding for the
            south Florida ecosystem restoration initiative. The first is to
            maintain the status quo and let each department/agency compete
            for funding independently. The second alternative would be to
            proceed with a cross-cut approach whereby each agency attempts to
            receive its own funding through their respective appropriation
            process after coordinating requirements within the Task Force.
            The third alternative would be-to-have all required funding
            requested by a-single lead agency.

               b. Status Ouo     Each agency would be responsible for
            requesting and obtaining the funds required for its particular
            items of work. This option does not allow for any synergistic
            savings and runs the risk of dealing with various OME examiners.

                 C. Cross-Qat    A high level of cooperation and coordination
            would be needed to ensure that agencies know what work items
            would be required of their agency, when the particular work would
            be taking place, and an accurate estimate of the cost of the work
            to be performed. Lead time for a budget request would normally
            be about 18 months prior to actually receiving funding.

                 Intense coordination at the working group level would be
            required to the maximum extent practicable in order to ensure
            adequate funding requests without duplication of work by two or
            more involved agencies. The agencies would then submit their
            budgets through normal channels. Once budgets had reached the
            departmental level, a meeting of Task Force members would be held
            to review the requests bf-the separate agencies portion related
            to the South Florida Ecasyste%.Restaration efforts. After any
            changes, the budgetwoul.d.t.hen be submitted individually to OMB.
                With numerous federalagencies involved, the South Florida
            Ecosystem Restoration initiative should be reviewed by a single
            examiner at OMB. In this way, it may be possible to prevent
            funding delays by any particular agency whose work efforts may be

            working draft 8119194
                                           125









          on the critical path for the restoration effort. With all the
          various agency requirements looked at by the same examiner, the
          funding stream could be more fluid and prevent delays in desired
          efforts.

                Each participating agency should use a common accounting
          system for the funds provided for and used on the South Florida
          Ecosystem Restoration initiative. A standard system that all
          agencies could readily understand should be used to provide an
          accurate accounting of all initiative expenditures. A single
          agency should be appointed as the lead for financial reporting of
          ecosystem efforts. All involved agencies would submit monthly
          financial information to the lead financial agency for
          consolidation and compilation of data and statistics.

              d. Lead*Aaency Budgeting A possible benefit of having one
          agency budget for necessary funding would be to help reduce the
          possibility of any particular agency not receiving necessary
          funding for the initiative, thereby possibly delaying the entire
          effort.

                Additionally, If one agency, as the lead, were to request
          funding for all the major agencies involved in the initiative, it
          would be necessary that the budget ceilings for the affected
          agencies be adjusted downward accordingly. It should be obvious
          that the other programs of the budgeting lead agency should not
          be penalized by the fact that the agency is requesting funding
          that will be sent to other agencies, thereby effectively reducing
          the lead agency's other programs, ability to receive adequate
          funding because part of its budget authority was used for funding
          that is for the other agencies. It also stands to reason that
          the agencies receiving the funding from the lead agency should
          have their budget ceiling reduced by the amount of funding they
          receive from the lead agency.

               In most agencies, the lead time for submitting an initial
          budget request and receiving actual funding is between 16 and 18
          months. During this time many unforeseen problems and/or
          circumstances can arise which provides either a surplus of
          required funds or a need for additional funds in the budgeted
          fiscal year. It is possible that this scenario could happen for
          the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Initiative. A particular
          agency may experience a delay creating a funding surplus or
          encounter some unforeseen circumstances that would require
          funding beyond the level available to them.    Some agencies may
          have authorities which permits the reprogramming of funds from
          one project or study.to another, thereby offsetting or even
          reducing the shortfall. These authorities in and of themselves
          may not prevent'a: shortfall from delaying work as there can be no
          assurance that surplus funds would be found from another project..
          In more likelihood, in this ever competitive environment for .
          federal funding, it.will be more and more difficult to make up
          for funding shortfalls in this manner. Another possible solution

          working draf t 8129194
                                         126








            may be a cooperative effort among participating agencies.
            Coordination among these agencies may help to alleviate such a
            funding problem by having agencies experiencing a funding surplus
            do additional work that would have been done by an agency
            experiencing a funding shortfall.


            IV. TRANSFERS
                 Currently, the Jacksonville District requests additional
            Department of the Interior funds for the Modified Water
            Deliveries Project from their Washington headquarters.
            Additional approval is required through the Department of the
            Interior chain of command beginning in Atlanta. The ability to
            transfer the required funding from the one agency to another
            should reside at the lowest level possible. This would help to
            ensure that there would be no unnecessary delays in an agency
            receiving necessary funds.


            V.   DISCRETIONARY FUNDING
                 Authority and appropriation for the expenditure of $5
            million per annum by the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Task
            Force would be requested. These funds would only be used on the
            initiative and could help fill funding gaps for unseen work or
            unexpected situations that might develop. Monies could be
            appropriated piecemeal to each agency or in a lump sum to a lead
            agency and distributed as needed.


            VI. FUNDING LEVELS
                 it is our intention to list an integrated system of
            financial requirements characterizing the level of activities
            occurring and the efforts to undertake the recommendations in
            this report. From the statement of needs, individual agencies
            can make decisions for the future funding on an agency-by-agency
            basis along programmatic categories. Attached is a sample
            matrix.


            VII. RECOMMENDATION
                 It is recommended that individual agencies continue to
            budget for the ecosystem restoration effort through their normal
            budgeting procedures using the cross-cut approach. Coordination,
            as discussed above, would be required at the Working Group and
            Task Force level to ensure adequate funding for individual
            agencies needs.






            working draft 8119194         127















                                                FEDERAL NON-FEDERAL THROUGH
                  AGENC)e                          COST     COST      PY 1994 FY 1995      B

             DEPARTMENT OF INTERIOR                   0          0          0         0


             DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE                   0          0          0         0


             DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE                0          0          0         0


             U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 1,218,000         665,000    404,468  24,747 787,

             DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE                    0          0          0         0


             E.P.A.                                   0          0          0         0

                    TOTAL                     1,218,000     665,006    404,468   24,747 787,
















        working draft 8119194
                                                       128



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                                                                                             FROM IVES, U. S. WAR DEPARTMENT, 1856.





           SOUTH FLORIDA POPULATION 1890m2010
                 10,000


                                 NORTH                                                                          8,939
                 8.000           EAST: DADE, BROWARDI                                                    7,712
                                 PALM BEACH COUNTIES
                                 WEST: LEE, HENDRY, COLLIER
                                 MONROECOUNTIES                                                   6.345
                 6.000



                                                                                           4,750
          D
          0

                 4,000

                                                                                    3,219
                                                                                                  'ms
                                                                                                     v
                                                                                                   Mr
                                                                            2,220
                 2,000
                                                                                           ii'.@i Mall
                                                                                                         :A1
                                                                     1,077
                                                        426    647
                                                187
                           53     Be     114
                     0

                          lego 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940               1950   1960   1970   1980   1990   2000    2010
                                                                     YEAR
                                                                                      (U.S. CENSUS; STATE OF FLORIDA)

























                BOUTH FLORIDA POPULATION 1890-2010.


                 Coco..            IM          1960        Me             1930          lose            life              IM                lode              1910             some              1990               3499 last)         340 41101



                 :
                    &D8                       -4.qS%       11.931         42.1s)        IMOSS            1&1.139          4111.964

                  BOMA"                          a            it            S.116        30.004

                 VAL" BRACM
                                                 a                                                        '19.969         114.608                                J48.753           S71.11S          66I.Sis


                      But                                                               314.110
                        "T AL


                 "OWN*$                        19.844      2I.S61         Mile           11.434                            39.SSI


                 COLLIKA               a                                    x              3.943           S.tal             6.486             MIS)               38.040            45.791          is  3.099

                 MENDOT                I                                    x               1.491          S.111             6.0sk                                11.6st            lo.sis            IS.173            33.83?             36.396
                                    1.414        1.011      6.  Ist         S.S40        14.990           11.409           33.404                                10S.314          las.269,,-        11S.-Ill

                      9911         30.300      31.911      21.651         29.990         14.089           41.90S           65.966             136.312
                       TOTAL                                                                                                                                     361,701           372.754          1191.909         164.141              MAO&

                      a"310        21.141      316.6111    45,841         MM            341.619          439.431          IS9.60S           1.431.411          2.444.344         1.015.991
                      MAL       I            .                                                                                                                                                                    I
               X - County did noj exist        populstiom for that Area is Includ%d in snal%low vepolt*4 county
                source;                U. a.  Census. Me - ISS63
                                       University at r1offida Bureau of econmic AM Business Ikeso&'ch. 1000                  2010.













                                                TASK FORCE
                                          ASSISTANT SECRETARIES
                                  USEPA, DEPARTMENTS OF INTERIOR, ARMY,
                                      COMMERCE, JUSTICE, AGRICULTURE







                                       MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION
                                               WORKING GROUP
                                              SENIOR MANAGERS
                                           EPA, NPS, USFWS, USGS. N13S
                                            BIA. COE. SCS, DOJ, NOAA






                                                                                         UCTURE
                   SCIENCEIRESEARCH                MANAGEMENT            PROJECTS/INFRASTRUCTURE
                   WORKING SUB-GROUP           WORKING SUB-GROUP            WORKING SUB-GROUP

                  12 FEDERAL SCIENTISTS






                      SOUTH FLORIDA ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION FEDERAL TASK FORCE ORGANIZATION





                                                                                         115194













                                                    99
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                                Figure 1.       Distribuden of predrainege wettands
                                                (adapted from Davis (1943).

























                  Ecological        Systems
                     of South      Florida

                          Twpical Hx&mx)ds



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                                    SOUTH FLORIDA
                          ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION:
                     SCIENTIF         C MORMATION NEEDS


                                  DRAFT SUMMARY



                                         September 9, 1994


                                     Science Sub-Group



                              Bradford Brown, Co-chair, NOAA/NMFS*
                                   James Weaver, Co-chair, NBS*
                                    Joan Browder, NOAA/NMFS*
                                        Wiley Kitchens, NBS*
                                       Barry Glaz, DOA/ARS*
                                     Tom Armentano, NPS/ENP*
                                   Carole Goodyear, NOAA/NMFS
                                       Lawrence Burns, EPA*
                                     Douglas Morrison, USFWS*
                                   Nancy Thompson, NOAA/NMFS
                                      Patricia Richards, USFWS.
                                      John C. Ogden, NPS/ENP
                                       Ronald Hilton, USACE
                                       Hanley Smith, USACE*
                                     Peter Ortner, NOAA/ORA*

           Other contributors: William B. Robertson, NBS; Nicholas T. Loux,  EPA; Robert
           Fennema, NPS; Michael Soukup, NBS; James Snyder, NBS; Aaron Higer, USGS;
           William Loftus, NBS; John Klein, NOAA/NOS/ORCA

             Science Sub-Group members.

           Other Scien ce Sub-Group members:     Robert Halley, USGS; Michael Crosby,
           NOAA/NOS; Dan Scheidt, EPA; Gary Buckingham, DOA/ARS; James Harriman, BIA












                                                                WMODUCTION



                           This document is a summary of a much more extensive report on scientific information needs. That
                 document is a beginning toward developing an organizing framework for collecting the information required for the
                 ecosystem approach ,, a South Florida Comprehensive Science Plan mandated by the Interagency Task Force in
                 its September 23, 1993, agreement concerning the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration effort. Ile document is
                 multiauthored and multidisciplined and has already been reviewed by many experts. Monitoring is to be a major
                 component of the Science Plan. The Science Sub-Group decided that organizing the information needs to support
                 regionwide restoration into a document that could be reviewed and circulated was a necessary preamble to the
                 development of a coordinated, comprehensive monitoring plan. This is yet to come, although this draft contains
                 many elements of monitoring.

                           This statement of scientific information needs is a precursor to a Science Plan to develop the knowledge
                 to support planning and implementation of restoration strategies and the tools for incorporating the knowledge into
                 the decision making process. The modeling, monitoring, and special studies called for in this plan will provide the
                 information basis for ecosystem management.

                           The report that follows is subdivided into sections that detail the research needs of each of the subregions
                 identified in the Science Sub-Group Report, as modified to include a Subregion 10 (Fig. 1). Subsections also were
                 developed for the following special topics: mercury, endangered species, exotic species, and modeling (hydrologic,
                 hydrodynanlic, meteorologic, and ecologic). These are preceded by 1) a description of South Florida that addresses
                 issues of sustainability and 2) a description of the approach to obtaining the scientific basis for restoration, as well
                 as the issues involved in applying this approach.

                           Development. of.mnny of the sections involved bringing teams of experts together and gaining consensus
                 regarding information needs. Other sections were developed through interviews with knowledgeable experts on the
                 area or the topic. Since Subregions 3, 9, and 10 involved lands and waters controlled by local governments, local
                 government representatives contributed substantially to the development of these sections. Background or initial
                 organizing issues were those provided by the Science Sub-Group Report.

                           The subregion sections are uneven in format and detail, although all started with the same basic format:
                 a) Major Issues, b) Background, c) Scope, d) Objectives, and e) Approach. Each group worked independently, and.
                 the format was more applicable to some topics than others. Therefore, the outline was modified to accommodate
                 the sepa  rate needs. Science Plans were already in place for Sub-fegions I and 8 at the time the Interagency Task
                 Force Science Plan Draft was prepared. These two sections of this plan simply expand upon or integrate the
                 existing plans into the region-wide restoration initiative.

                           The sections of this report are as follows:


                           Overview
                           Modeling
                                     Modeling hydrologic processes
                                     Modeling hydrodynamic processes
                                     Modeling meteorologic processes
                                     Modeling ecological processes
                           Mercury
                           Protected species
                           Harmful non-indigenous species















                                                K'ssirmee River
                                       1        bolsm

                                                Lake Okeechobee.
                                       2        Feskeofing Creek

                                                Sl@pier East Coast.
                                       3             'Cie River             "I(m

                                                                                                                           Atlantic
                                       4        Everglades
                                                t%griciuiturol                                                                Ocean
                                                ;@eo
                                       ,jM Water Conservation
                                                Areas


                                                 9 Cypress
                                                Basin                                                      2
                                       6
                                       r07 tioi'ond       orflo   f                         10
                                       7        Everglodeps Nainooool
                                                Park
                                                                                                               4

                                                Ror& Bo /Florida    Keys/                                                  9
                                       8@=Biscoyne oy                                                             5
                                                Adjacent Coosivoters                               6
                                       9        Lower Eosi'Coost
                                                Urban Area (Meiro-
                                                politon Ridge)                                                0           XxK
                                                Cdoosohoichee R'ver Bcisii/         Gulf          x     0  0  0 0         x
                                       I0L::E__-J Southwest Florida                                     0       0
                                                                                         of                7    0

                                                                                                                    x
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                                                                                    Mexic   0
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                                    F6 6,, F. W..If. I WFVS W. 49"



                                                            SUB-REGIONS FOR REVIEW OF


                                       ACTIONS TO            RESTORE ECOSYSTEMS IN SOUTH FLORIDA



                               Figure 1.


                                                                                2











                            Subregions
                                      I       Kissimmee River Basin
                                      2       Lake Okeechobee
                                      3       Upper East Coast-St. Lucie River Area
                                      4       Everglades Agricultural Area
                                      5       Water Conservation Areas 1, 2, and 3
                                      6       Big Cypress Basin
                                      7       Everglades National Park (mainland portion)
                                      8       Florida Bay[Florida. Keys[Biscayne Bay/Florida Keys Reef Tract
                                      9       Lower East Coast Area
                                      10      Caloosahatch.ee River Basin/Southwest Florida



                   THE REGIONAL ECOSYSTEM

                            The South Florida Ecosystem encompasses     . an area of approximately 28,000 km2 comprising at least 11
                   major physiographic. provinces, including the Kissimmee River Valley, Lake Okeechobee, the Immokalee Rise, the
                   Big Cypress, the Everglades, Florida Bay, the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, Biscayne Bay, the Florida Keys, the Florida
                   Reef Tract, and nearshore coastal waters, arranged along a topographic gradient of 2.8 centimeters per kilometer,
                   with elevations ranging from about 6 m at Lake Okeechobee to below sea level at Florida Bay.

                            South Florida is a heterogeneous system of wetlands, uplands, coastal areas_ ana marine areas, dominated
                   by the watersheds of the Kissimmee River, Lake Okeechobee, and the Everglades. Prior to drainage, wetlands
                   dominated the ecosystem, covering most of central and southern Florida.

                            The wildlife abundance of predrainage South Florida was maintained by the complex annual and long-term
                   hydrologic patterns of the natural system, as expressed in wet-dry cycles, drying and flooding rates, surface water
                   and water depth patterns, annual hydroperiods, flow volumes, and, at the coast, -salinity and mixing patterns.
                   Superimposed over the periodic changes were sporadic events such as stomis, fires, and freezes, which helped to
                   establish and maintain habitat heterogeneity. Wetland productivity was dependent on dynamic storage and sheetflow,
                   large spatial scale, and habitat heterogeneity.

                            Humin alterations in the hydrologic system beginning in the late 1800s have created water quality and water
                   quantity problems for South Florida's natural systems, including the Everglades and the estuaries. Hydroperiods
                   and hydropatterns, which relate to the duration, timing, and extent that wetlands are wet, have been greatly
                   distorted. The quantity, timing, and location of freshwater flow to estuaries have been greatly modified. Excess
                   nutrients and contaminants add to the problems experienced by living organisms in both the wetlands and estuaries.
                   The pace of deterioration seems to be increasing. Known wildlife populations are now a fraction of their size of
                   even 30 ago. Florida Bay is experiencing obvious catastrophic change manifested in ma sive seagrass dieoffs and
                   noxious algal blooms. Even the reef tract is not immune to probable landbased detrimental influences.

                            Ile regional hurnan population currently exceeds 5 million and is expanding rapidly. To      urism is a major
                   industry, much of the area's attraction being due to remaining natural areas and their living resources. Agriculture,
                   consisting primarily of sugarcane, winter vegetables, and citrus, forms another significant industry, which also is
                   growing. Most of the population of South Florida is concentrated along the Lower East Coast in Palm Beach,
                   Broward, and Dade counties. This is the most heavily urbanized area of not only South Florida, but the entire state.
                   The west coast, pri the other hand, is the fastest growing urban area.

                            This expanding human presence has dramatically changed the South Florida Ecosystem              In addition to
                   hydrologic alterations, the changes include an increasing water demand by agricultural and urban uses, while, at
                   the same time, the water supply has actually been decreased by the conversion of land to agricultural and urban uses
                   and by the shunting to the coast of freshwater that previously was stored in the wetlands, the soils, and the aquifers.

                                                                              3











                 Other changes are water quality and treatment problems, soil subsidence in the Everglades AgriLultural Area,
                 nutrient enrichment, pollution by contaminants, introduction of invasive non-native plants and animals, fragmentation
                 of habitats and landscapes, loss of wetland areas and functions, altered fire regimes, and declines in reef and
                 estuarine resources. By addressing these problems, -the restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem will provide for
                 more. sustainable economic opportunities while at the same time improving the sustainability of natural ecosystems.




















































                                                                            4











                                             SYSTEM-WEDE SCEENTUIC APPROACH


                         This section of the Information Needs report addresses the entire ecosystem, cutting across the artificial
                boundaries of designated subregions, as well as geopolitical and geomorphological boundaries, to present the broader
                issues of developing an interagency and interdisciplinary ecosystem-based science program to support South Fiori da
                restoration. Here we discuss the general premise and the general approach, with brief discussions on monitoring,
                modeling, and special studies. The latter two topics are covered in greater detail in other sections.

                         Quality of life in South Florida is strongly affected by the condition of its natural systems, which provide
                many benefits to agriculture and urban communities. These benefits include adequate supplies of clean water, clean
                air, aesthetically pleasing natural landscapes, and an interesting diversity of wildlife and fishery resources. If the
                natural systems are destroyed or reduced, the free services they contributed are then attainable only at much higher
                cost, if at all.

                         Scientific investigations to support the restoration, as described throughout the Science Plan, are directed
                at (1) characterizing the predrainage system and comparing it to the present system, particularly hydrologically, (2)
                determining the key characteristics of the former, natural hydrologic system that supported the rich diversity and
                abundance of wildlife that have been lost, (3) designing structural and operational modifications of the Central and
                Southern Florida (C&SF) Project that wou    'Id recreate the key characteristics of the natural hydrologic system, (4)
                assessing the hydrologic and ecological results of these modifications, through pre- and post-modification
                monitoring, and (5) modifying the design to make improvements.

                         Adaptive management is a structured, iterative approach that faces the fact that the information used in
                making decisions is imperfect and that, as decisions are implemented, a structure must be in place to gain better
                information and adjust the implemented action accordingly. This structure consists of models, special studies, and
                monitoring, used as coordinated, supportive tools. Models provide a framework for special studies that lead to the
                development of better information, which then used to propose alternative actions. Once an alternative is selected
                and implemented, motiftoring is used to evaluate the consequences. Models help interpret monitoring data, and this
                information can be used to design better management strategies, as well as better models. Feedback to both
                scientists and managers will be a key component of the adaptive management strategy, as applied in South Florida.
                All three elements--monitoring, modeling, and special studies-are critical to successful restoration.

                         Periodic assessment -is the operational foundation of the adaptive management strategy. In adaptive
                management, models and monitoring are applied within the framework of an assessment protocol. The protocol
                helps focus monitoring efforts and define how models will be applied at various stages in management.
                Developmentof an assessment protocol for the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort will be an evolving process.

                         In adaptive management, ecological indicators simulated by models are used to evaluate and help select
                among management alternatives. A baseline condition is determined for the same indicators, using monitoring
                before restorative changes are made. 'Men the same indicators, which continue to be measured with monitoring
                after the changes are in place, are used to assess the effect of a management action. Ecological indicators, to be
                effective, must be practical and sensitive and capable of being both monitored and modeled.


                NIAJOR ISSUES


                0        Existing or planned monitoring activities are not completely coordinated and integrated into the South
                         Florida Ecosystem restoration effort. Gaps in coverage exist.

                0        The piecemeal approach to solving environmental p      roblems associated,with the Central and Southem


                                                                          5

















                                              as
                            Florida Project h    led to ser;ousIy deteriorating state of the ecosystem. A holistic, regionwide ecosystem
                            approach is needed by requires special effort, personnel, and supporting resources to achieve.

                                                                                                           gh in geographic scope to meet
                    0       Models currently existing or under development are not broad enou
                            regionwide ecosystem management needs. This is true of the water management model, the natural
                            systems model, the landscape model, and the wading bird models, all of which need to be expanded to
                            provide regionwide perspective.

                    0       Restoration management using the adaptive management approach will be heavily dependent upon
                            simulations from models, particularly hydrologic models; yet no one experienced with the most suitable
                            current hydrologic models (SFWMM and NSM) has been assigned to make simulations specifically for the
                            interagency restoration effort.

                    0       Systems of nested models are needed in which finer resolution can be provided to address some questions
                            and coarser resolutions can be provided to address others.

                    9       Modeling and special studies are most effective when used compleme             ritarily, but modeling is not well
                            integrated with present research, and funds for modeling do not usually include sufficient funds for special
                            supporting studies, including verifications.
                    0       Use of models as technical tools in the restoration effort requires buy-in by all t*he parties. An objective
                            process is needed for evaluating existing models and ensuring that necessary improvements are made, while
                            at the same time protecting useful models against possibly one-sided attacks on their credibility. The fact
                            that useful, credible models are available should not preclude the development of new models that can
                            address problems of resolution, scope, and flexibility.

                    0       Certa 'in key species or communities that might be suitable ecological indicators because of their important
                            roles in the ecosystem or their sensitivity to anthropogenic changes are so poorly studied that they cannot
                            be used as indicators. Furthermore, lack of knowledge about the response of these species or communities
                            to hydrologic variables may seriously handicap the restoration effort.

                    0       Flexible and sustained resources are essential to an effective, comprehensive restoration effort. The various
                            involved agencies have unique and complex funding strategies. There is no South Florida Ecosystem
                            Restoration funding source. Critical activities needed at early stages in the restoration process are being
                            neglected for lack of directed resources.

                            Issues of agency authority are at times a barrier to focusing efforts at problem sources.               Control of
                            harmful non-indigenous plant species is an arena where there are jurisdictional gaps. Ilemany            aggressive
                            upland species invading publicly owned natural areas are not included in major control and research
                            initiatives, which appear confined primarily to control of aquatic weeds, Melaleuca, and agricultural pests.
                            Soil subsidence is another arena where there may be ju       risdictional gaps.

                    0       Critical linkages between subregions are not being adequately addressed within agencies. For instance,
                            Florida Bay is perceived as being in a crisis state, demanding immediate attention, and alteration in
                            freshwater flow is thought to be a major contributor to the decline in.this system. Yet the models and
                            supporting measurements and special studies to estimate freshwater inflow to Florida Bay are not being
                            given high priority relative to other issues.

                    0       Information exchange is a     problem, because there is so much information in the hands of myriad sources,
                            including local governments.

                    0       Many who live in South Florida do not realize the benefits they receive, continuously from a funct            ioning

                                                                                 6











                           natural ecosystem and what ecosystem collapse would mean to them. Both tangible and                   intangible
                           connections between natural and human systems need to be quantified and widely communicated while
                           reinstatement of a sustainable system is still possible.

                  0        Potential opportunities need to be explored for configurations of land and water that lead toecosystem
                           restoration and enhanced quality of life and economic sustainability in human communities.

                  0        Decision makers and the general public appear not to understand the potential consequences of developing
                           in wetlands. A scientifically based analysis is needed to demonstrate alternative futures under various land
                           and water configurations.

                  RECOMNENDED APPROACH


                           Projects specifically organized around modeling should be funded sufficiently to allow these projects
                           to finance related special studies involving field and/or laboratory work.
                           The best results are achieved if the modeling is initiated at the beginning of the project rather than at the
                  end and if special studies are included with modeling.

                           Establish groups to model the hydrologic, hydrodynamic, landscape, meteorologic, and ecologic
                           processes of the South Florida restoration area, taking into account existing models. (Lead--Science
                           Sub-group)
                           The first step will be development of a hydrologic model for the South Florida land base. Existing models
                  will be upgraded and new ones developed for areas not yet covered by hydrologic models. Hydrologic models will
                  provide input for hydrodynamic models being developed to predict circulation, mixing, and salinity patterns in
                  Florida Bay as a function of freshwater inflow and other variable factors. A hydrodynamic model for Florida Bay
                  (with 3-D capability, but initially nin in 2-D mode because of data limitations) will besupported by a regional
                  numerical ocean circulation model to provide boundary conditions. Ecological models that relate species,
                  populations, commun ties, and landscapes to the simulation outputs of hydrologic or hydrodynamic models will
                  provide an objective way to evaluate alternative water management strategies for their potential effects on the
                  ecosystem.

                  0        Establish a set of ecological indicators, starting with the assessment criter    ia recommended by Science
                           Sub-Group. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
                           Refine the original list of assessment criteria into a set of practical and sensitive indicators in coordination
                  with the, planning of modeling and monitoring activities. Select species and communities that play major roles in
                  ecosystem function. Give priority to species or communities that are indicators of regionwide ecosystem function
                  and those species and communities for which information and time series of data are available.

                           Propose potential eco!ogical indicators for which little information is av;ailable and target these species
                           or communities for special research attention.
                           Several key species and communities in the environment would be appropriate ecological indicators, except
                  that little is known about them. For instance, the apple snail is the critical prey of several species, including the
                  endangered snail kite, yet little is known about its population biology and ecology.

                           Develop an assessment protocol that helps focus modeling and monitoring activities on predicting and
                           measuring restoration success, indicators.' Identify core modeling and monitoring needs. (Lead--
                           Science Sub-Group)
                           An, assessment protocol is needed to help focus monitoring efforts and define how models will be applied
                  at various.stages of the restoration effort. The assessment protocol must be dev       'eloped concurrently with model
                  development and the preparation of a monitoring plan, and modelers and those involved in developing the
                  monitoring plan should take part in preparing the assessment protocol.


                                                                              7











                         Ensure the continued development and upgrading of natural system models as part of the hydrologic
                         modeling effort in order to provide input data for ecological models. (Lead--Science Sub-Group)
                         Comparison of the present system with the predrainage system is important to developing restoration
                targets. The best guide for understanding the ecological ramifications of the changes in spatial extent and hydrologic
                conditions that have occurred from predrainage days to present is the simulated output of spatially explicit "natural
                system" hydrologic models supporting a system of ecological simulation models that operate at several scales.
                Natural system hydrologic modAs are versions of water management models in which the control structures have
                been removed and he topography restored to approximate the predrainage system,

                         Wtiate ecological model development at the beginning of the restoration effort and integrate it with
                         the development of hydrologic and hydrodynamic models.
                         By developing ecological models concurrently with the hydrologic and hydrodynamic models to support
                them, scientists can ensure that the hydrologic and hydrodynamic models will provide suitable support for addressing
                ecological questions.

                0        Integrate modeling with monitoring and             research planning and         use models to help organize
                         information, communicate concepts and ideas, design research, and identify critical information
                         needs.
                         Initiate modeling at the beginning of scientific studies rather than at the end to help insure that the studies
                are complementary and gaps in information are minimized. Models should be an essential component of
                investigations that include field studies, experiments, laboratory analyses, and other means of obtaining information.
                Models can be used to integrate results from several studies into a higher order of information.

                0        Develop a monitoring plan, bringing together in workshop settings the major participants in present
                         and proposed monitoring efforts. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
                         Conduct special monitoring-related topic workshops, such as the geospatial workshop of September, 1994,
                to (1) consider restoration assessment needs from monitoring, (2) explore current capabilities, (3) discuss existing
                monitoring activities and monitoring plans, (4) adopt cornrnon quality control procedures, (5) coordinate efforts,
                and (6) share resources and information. Prepare a comprehensive, integrated monitoring plan from results of these
                workshops.

                         Provide continuous support as an integral part of restoration operations budgets for this multi-year
                         adaptive management effort.
                         Adaptive management for ecosystem restoration requires continual predictions and feedback from the
                interactive modeling, monitoring, and research efforts--and thus, continuous funding.

                0        Ensure resources to support the planning, coordination, and oversight activities of the Science Sub-
                         Group. (Lead--ITF)
                         A special annualiy replenished fund should be made available for Science Sub-Group activities relating to
                planning, coordination, peer review, and other oversight activities needed to expand and strengthen the scientific
                basis for ecosystem restoration.

                         Conduct special studies, integrated vvith modeling and monitoring, to develop the information base
                         for application of the adaptive management approach, emphasizing the building of understanding and
                         assessment capability. (Lead--Science Sub-group)
                         .Promote research integrated with modeling and monitoring and acquire information that can be used in
                assessment to support the adaptive management strategy. Strengthen the scientific understanding that will enable
                effective management actions to be proposed and implemented. Emphasize improved understanding of how
                         ion communities and wildlife are affected by hydrologic regime, anthropogenic nutrients, and c
                vegetall                                                                                                         ontaminants.
                Focus on ecological indicators to be used in making assessments.

                0        Support scientific studies that will lead to productive, supportive interactions between natural and

                                                                              9











                           human systems.
                           In general, studies must address these questions: What are the critical feedbacks of the natural system to
 14               urban and agricultural systems and vice versa? How will the natural system and its support functions for hu
                  be affected by different population levels and landuse configurations? What landscape combination will allow
                  healthy natural systems and urban and agricultural systems to coexist?
 14               0        Prepare flow charts showing critical nodes and
                                                                                . pathways in the development of information for
                           ecological restoration, including building knowledge and providing assessment tools. (Science Sub-
                           Group)
                           Such a diagram can help prioritize restoration activities for initial emphasis to ensure that the restoration
                  is not delayed. For instance, a hydrodynamic model for Florida Bay will require -input from a hydrologic model;
                  therefore, considerable attention should be given to ensuring that a hydrologic model capable of providing the
                  information is available when it is needed.





















































                                                                             9













                                                                  MODELING


                          Models are critical component of the South Florida Ecosystem restoration process. Models must be used
                 to establish targets, select among alternatives, and interpret monitoring information to assess progress toward the
                 targets. Modeling activities will involve the design of new models or adaptation of existing models in the following
                 categories: 1) models of physical processes (hydrologic, hydrodynamic, transport, and meteorological models), 2)
                 ecosystem models (landscape and ecological models), 3) nutrient models, and 4) models of the movements, chemical
                 transformations, and bioaccumulation of contaminants such as mercury. One important task will be to integrate the
                 models into an interactive modeling capability.

                 MODELING HYDROLOGIC PROCESSES


                          Wues:


                          South Florida has experienced unprecedented econo       mic growth in recent decades with subsequent
                 development and alterations of natural systems. This rapidly growing population and associated economic activities
                 are placing progressively increased demands upon the limited water resources of the Everglades.

                          Land use changes being allowed by governments are causing development to encroach into wetlands,
                 diminishing both ground and surface water storage, thereby reducing the water supply. Shallow aquifer systems
                 provide major water supplies. Anything adversely affecting these aquifers has far-reaching effects.

                          Management to control flooding of low-lying area    s in wet years has had a devastating effect on water
                 supplies, wetland systems, and estuaries during dry years.

                      Saltwater intrusion, the inland shift of the fresh/salt interface, has been caused by a general lowering of the
                 water table. Several of the municipal water supply wells located along the coast have been abandoned and many
                 others are threatened by salt water contamination, Saltwater intrusion is not only an urban problem, but also a
                 problem for natural ecosystems. The landward spread of mangroves at the northern end of Florida Bay was caused
                 by saltwater intrusion and has been accompanied -by a loss of freshwater marsh.

                          Because the location of the fresh/salt boundary is a function of the difference between the water table and
                 sea level, sea level rise, a continuing phenomena that has been proceeding at a rate of about. 3 cm every 10 years
                 in South Florida, exacerbates the problem of salt water intrusion and may someday threaten freshwater wetlands
                 as well as aquifer water supplies,

                     Wellfields to supply increasing urban ddeemandd 'are drawing down the aquifer, affecting water supply and
                 decreasing the hydroperiods in nearby wetlands. New wellfields continue to be constructed, especially in the lower
                 east coast areas.

                          Declines of as much as 35 ft since the 19SO's have occurred in the potentiometric surface of the Florida
                 aquifer between Orlando and Lake Okeechobee. 'Me lowering of the potentiometric surface has reduced the
                 groundwater seepage that previously reemerged as surface water contributions to the upper Kissirrunee River basin
                 chain of lakes, the Kissimmee River, and Lake Okeechobee.

                          Drainage, impoundment, and diversion of water has changed the quantity, timing, and distribution of
                 freshwater flow to estuaries. As a result, some estuaries often receive too much fresh water too quickly during the
                 wet season and too little fresh water for too long during the dry season. Others, such as Florida Bay, probabl"
                 receive considerably less freshwater throughout the year than they did under predrainage conditions and now
                 expenence severe hypersaline conditions.




                                                                          10













                          Questions:

                          How will restoration changes made in the Kissimmee River affec   t water levels in Lake Okeechobee and
                 the need for regulatory releases to the St. Lucie and Caloosahatcbee Rivers?

                          How will proposed changes in the regulation schedule of Lake Okeechobee affect Lower East Coast water
                 supplies and water flow to Florida Bay?

                          How has the C&SF Project changed the spatial and temporal pattern of surface water coverage, water
                 depth, and water movement in wetlands?

                          How would hydroperiods and hydropatterns in natural areas be affected by various proposed changes in
                 structures or operating procedures?

                          How has the C&SF Project changed the volume, timing, and location of freshwater inflow to estuaries?

                          How would the quantity and timing of freshwater flow to estuaries be affected by various proposed changes
                 in structures or operating procedures?

                          How might planned or anticivated land use changes impact water supply and the ability to rna age water
                 for ecosystem restoration?

                          How might changes in on-farm water management practices and changes in the structure and operation of
                 the C&SF system to control subsidence in the Everglades Agricultural Area affect the volume and timing of water
                 flow to downstream areas-. from Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades Agricultural Area?

                          How does undeveloped wetland modulate hydrologic exchanges between protected wetlands in the
                 Everglades and the developed east coast?

                          How do undeveloped interior wetlands modulate hydrologic exchanges between estuaries and the developed
                 east coast?


                          Recommendations:


                          Modify, enhance, and apply the South Florida Water Management Model (SFWMAIM) and the
                          corollary Natural Systems Model (NSM).
                          Several modifications and enhancements should be made to the SFWMM to improve and extend its
                 performance and utility. A 2-step approach is recommended. The existing SFWMM should be improved to allow
                 for its relatively immediate use in water quantity decision-making. Concurrently, major enhancements to the
                 SFWMM are proposed.. Once completed, most of the water, quantity issues for the freshwater system could be
                 answered within a single modeling framework.

                          Improve the information used in SFWMM and NSM.
                          Some of the more important information needs are 1) seepage losses from the salinity control structures
                 from project storage areas along the coast, 2) evaporation as a function of vegetation and microclimate, 3)
                 groundwater flow and levee seepage losses, 4) surface freshwater discharge to the East Coast via canals is poorly
                 estimated for 19 of the 25 canals discharging to the East Coast, 5) estimates of both surface and groundwater flows
                 to Florida, Bay are needed, and 6) many of the canals discharging fresh water to the lower southwest coast are not
                 calibrated or monitored.


                          Develop and apply groundwater-wetland models.











                            Development of fine resolution groundwater/.vetland models is needed to address site-specific questions
                  in several sub-regions whose hydrologic regimes are dominated by wetland/groundwater interchanges (such as the
                  WCA's, the EAA, or the Lower East Coastwell fields). These models will answer local questions, such as the
                  effects of large-scale groundwater pumping or lowered within Dade County on the hydrology of the C-1 I I basin,
                  detailed distribution of flows delivered to the Loxahatchee Wildlife Refuge and ENP, as well as the distribution of
                  flows within the EAA. 'Me need to evaluate salinity intrusion within the Biscayne Aquifer will also-require more
                  detailed groundwater modeling capabilities than those proposed for the SFWMM.

                            Groundwater model development will require extensive field data collection to establish a more
                            definitive database on subsurface stratigraphy and transmissivities, particularly in the vicinity of
                            canals.
                            Applications of the models developed will center on evaluation of the effects of operational water delivery
                  changes   on coastal salinity intrusion, the effects of the large well fields being implemented in Dade county, and
                  connections between ground water and major wetlands.

                            Develop software for routine calculation of water budgets from model input and output.
                            A water budget for the South Florida hydrologic system is essential to identify the major sources and sinks
                  of water, determine locations where inadequate data exist, and provide a fairly concise estimate of the actual
                  magnitude of water available in the system. The modeling system should be capable of generating a water budget
                  that quantifies inflows and o u-tflows for the. region as a whole as well as subregions.

                            Develop interfaces to link hydrologic models to other models.
                            Hydrologic models must support other types of models to support ecosystem restoration. These include
                  hydrodynamic, meteorological, landscape, ecological, and water quality models. One of the most important needs
                  from a hydrologic modeling system is simulated freshwater flows to estuaries for use as input to hydrodynamic
                  models. The hydrodynamic models can then demonstrate how various water management scenarios would be
                  expected to affect estuarine salinity and circulation patterns. Since both the landscape and rainfall patterns affect
                  the hydrologic regime and are affected by it, two-way linkages should be developed between hydrologic models and
                  the landscape and meteorological models.

                            Develop, and apply dynamic routing and watershed runoff models for inflows to Lake Okeechobee.
                            Dynamic river routing and field-level watershed runoff modeling capabilities are needed within and along
                  the Kissimmee River System (KRS), Fisheating Creek, Taylor Creek, and Nubbins Slough. A Kissimmee River
                  model is particularly needed because the restoration project in progress in the Kissimmee basin may affect water
                  levels in Lake Okeechobee.


                  0         Develop interfaces for technology integration, maintenance, application, and distribution.
                            The hydrologic models must be integrated in a manner that minimizes the effort required for application
                  and interpretation. This integration requires the development and coupling of four types of interfaces: 1) model-
                  user interface; 2) model-model interface; 3) input data-model interface; and 4) output data-graphical /visualization
                  interface.


                            Designate a group or organization, located in Florida, to act as a support center for hydrologic
                            modeling in support of the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort.
                            A single group or organization should be responsible for the Federal role in planning and execution of the
                  four tasks described below, which should be the primary mission of this group or organization. This group should
                  be responsive to the Federal Task Force through the Science Su       b-group and its technical designees.

                  0         Integrate Modeling Components.
                            Integration of models and tools will require the development of four basic types of interfaces: (a) model-
                  user interface; (b) model-model interface; (c) input data-model interface; and, (d) output data-graphical/visualizat ion



                                                                              12











                  interface. 'Me model-user interface is the actual environment through which the user accesses various programs,
                  selects program attributes, inputs data, simulates various conditions, and evaluates model output. The model-model
                  interface, includes the essential linkages between various models and their outputs. The input data-model interface
                  couples large databases with models and allow's efficient retrieval of data based on u"ser-selected conditions. Finally,
                  Ahe output interface is critical to presentation of simulations results in a form interpretable by decision makers,
                  scientists, and engineers.

                  0        Compile and integrate databases relevant to hydrologi          c modeling and place them in a single
                           repository for common use.
                           Compile and integrate through the above system the models developed or adapted as part of the restoration
                  effort.


                           Maintain system components.
                           Maintenance is much more than providing for locations for data and models to reside. The term includes
                  modification in the event of error identification, the opportunity to benefit from improved technology, or to fulfill
                  -additional requirements as they arise, including adaptations to address management questions. Furthermore,
                  hardware and communications systems must be maintained to allow users to access models and data from remote
                  entry locations.

                           transfer technological products.
                           Distribute reports, users manuals, model user support, etc. Publish periodic newsletters or information
                  bulletins delineating available new technologies, updates to existing models, errors found in existing models, etc.,
                  and respond to requests for various models an   d data bases.

                  0        Apply models.
                           Support the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort by applying the models to address management
                  questions, test alternatives, or provide input to other models, as required. Provide access to other agencies and
                  groups having either in-house or contractor expertise with model application. A hardware and software base must
                  be nurtured for this purpose.

                  0        Reorient the C  orps of Engineers toward addressing hydrologic issues from a system-wide approach,
                           rather than on a project by project basis.
                           Traditionally the Corps of Engineers has studied and built projects to solve specific problems. In large
                  basins with several watersheds, changing one of the sub-watersheds for flood control can impact functions in other
                  sub-watersheds; i.e. groundwater flow, water supply or even the timing of natural runoff. A Hydrologic Modeling
                  Section in the Hydrology and Hydraulics Branch is needed, independent of project oriented operations, that would
                  build and/or maintain large basin hydrologic models.

                           Apply U.S. Geological Survey knowledge and exper6se to improving algorithms and parameters for
                           major now pathways in hydrologic models, making measurements to supply gaps in needed data for
                           model calibration and validation, and-dereloping spatial data bases and digital maps to support
                           modeling.
                           USGS hydrologic modeling objectives are, to (1) review and evaluate the algorithms that comprise the
                  existing regional model and perform error and sensitivity analyses, (2) improve parameters concerning aquifer
                  characterization, evapotranspiration, vegetative resistance to flow, and land elevation, and (3) construct and test a
                  framework of computer codes for integrating numerical models of hydrologic and hydrodynamic processes such as
                  overland, channel, and groundwater flows and transport (also improve methods for simulating the nonlinear
                  dynamics of fluid-driven mass and constituents in connected canal/wetland systems [develop a coupled
                  mathematical/numerical model]), and (4) measure and model the groundwater flow from Water Conservation Area
                  IB under he protective levee. Measurement efforts will cover surface freshwater discharge to the East Coast,
                  surface and groundwater discharge to Florida Bay, and surface freshwater discharge to the southwest coast.



                                                                             13











                               Provide increased support forEverglades National Park's numerical modeling program, which applies
                       the South Florida Water Management Model (SFVRvM and Natural System Model (NSM) to help evaluate
                       proposed structural and operational changes in the C&SF system.
                               Model output produced by simulating proposed alterriative strategies are processed, evaluated, and
                       documented with regard to their effects on hydroperiods and hydropatterns in the natural areas of Everglades
                       National Park. Ecologists use these interpretations to evaluate impacts on the ecosystem. Improved Tainfall/runoff
                       formulas to return the wetlands to a more natural con@ition and revised operational schemes to improve freshwater
                       deliveries to Florida Bay have been prepared by the Park's cooperators and will require extensive evaluation before
                       implementation. In order to enhance the reliability of the current models, particularly in the wetlands, the Park's
                       hydrologist and modeler are evaluating the models' algorithms and data sets. A higher level of effort by the Park
                       hydrology staff will be needed to evaluate impacts of alternative strategies on wetlands for the restoration effort and
                       to analyze wetland-related algorithms and data sets.

                               Support improved capability for evaluating the effect of structural and operational modifications in
                               the C&SF System on Florida Bay in NOAA and other agencies
                               Analyze outputs from the existing SFWMM and NSM. NOAA/NMFS proposes to work with other Federal
                       agencies and the South Florida Water Management District to develop and implement analyses and environmental
                       assessment procedures for simulation data that can be used as an index of freshwater flow to Florida Bay and
                       Biscayne Day. Results can be used develop operational guidelines and to evaluate alternative strategies proposed
                       to improve estuarine conditions.

                       0       Encourage SFWMD's current          activities related to developing a new South Florida             Regional
                               Simulation Model.
                               The South Florida Regional Simulation Model (SFRSM) will be a completely redesigned version of the
                       existing South Florida Water Management Model with extensions to simulate the natural system (without water
                       minagement facilities). It will not be a modified or enhanced version of the existing codes of the SFWMM and
                       NSM, but a completely new model designed to analyze future regional water management alternatives efficiently
                       using the best available techniques, computer technology, and data. This new SFRSM will take advantage of recent
                       advances in computer technology, in particular, GIS, Databases, and Object Oriented Model Development. It will
                       use the more realistic, accurate, and efficient numerical algorithms that were not implemented during the original
                       development of the SFWMM due to resource limitations and lack of data.



                       MODELING HYDRODYNAWC PROCESSES


                               Major issues:

                       0       Lack of a hydrodynamic model that can relate circulation and salinity in the bay to freshwater inflow.

                       0       Lack of hydrographic data with which to create boundary conditions and obtain other parameters for a
                               hydrody namic model.

                       0       Unknown influence of circulation patterns in adjacent waters.

                       0       Lack of measurements of freshwater inflows to Florida Bay.

                       0       Lack of models to adequately model freshwater inflows to Florida Bay as a function of rainfall.

                               Questions:

                               What are the patterns of salinity and circulation in Florida Bay in relation to freshwater inflow?



                                                                                14











                            How does water from Shark Slo    ugh affect salinity patterns, circulation, and nutrient dynamics in Florida
                   Bay?

                            What are the major factors influencing circulation in Florida Bay?

                            What are the oceanic contributions of nutrients to Florida Bay relative to the terrestrial contributions?

                            How are algal blooms in Florida Bay influenced by circulation?

                            What is the turnover time o  f water in Florida Bay and how does it differ by region of the bay?

                            How has the Overseas lEghway affected the circulation of Florida Bay?

                            Planned approach:

                   0        Develop a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model capable of resolving thetidal, density driven, and wind
                            driven components of the Florida Bay circulation.

                            To initiate studies before adequate data for 3-D are available, quantify the model for 2-D execution.

                   0        Through modeling activities, address first order questions of mass balance and help determine the most
                            critical data needs for higher resolution and higher dimension modeling.


                   0        Collect data.


                                     Boundary conditions (i.e., current velocities and directions, salinities) along the western margin
                                     of the Bay and in the Keys channels.

                                     Elevation data for existing ENP continuous monitoring stations.

                            0        Ground and surface water flows into the northern part of the Bay (both measured and provided
                                     by hydrologic models).

                            0        Direct precipitation on the Bay (from Radar estimates).

                                     Salinity patterns over the entire bay under a range of conditions of freshwater inflow, winds, and
                                     influencing factors.

                                     Updated topography of Florida Bay.


                   0        Use existing models of the offshore circulation to provide the external forcing for the Florida Bay models
                            (adapt regional circulation models for this use).

                   MODELING METE0           ROLOGIC PROCESSES


                            Major issues:

                            Rainfall over south Florida is highly variable in both space and time, causing errors in estimates of total
                            rainfall from spot measurements. These errors can affect the accuracy of hydrologic models and their
                            ability to predict stream flows. High resolution quantitative precipitation predictions for south Florida
                            are not currently available.


                                                                              15











                  0       Changes in land surface influence rainfall. The area of moist surface or surface water influences
                          evapotranspiration, which feeds convective rainfall. Ile replacement of forested surfaces With paved
                          surfaces affects albedo and the vertical temperature gradient. There have been many changes of this type
                          in South Florida in the pa@st century, suggesting that rainfall could have changed as a result.

                  0       Surface wind stress is a dominant force determining circulation in Florida. Bay, and surface wind
                          predictions are needed for input to hydrodynamic models of Florida Bay.

                  0       Direct precipitation is a major source of freshwater to Florida Bay, and is        poorly measured. High
                          resolution spatial rainfall predictions for Florida Bay are not currently available.

                  0       Improved accuracy and resolution of hydrologic models is important to the restoration effort and is also
                          important to water managers in hand   ling stormwater runoff follow  ing major rainfall ev ents.

                  0       Evaporation is another important influence on salinity patterns and circulation in Florida Bay, but
                          information on evaporation is lacking.

                  0       A regional meteorological model would be useful in improving rainfall, runoff, wind stress, and
                          evaporation estimates, but does not currently exist for South Florida.

                          Recommendations (Currently funded for FY-94 by NOAA):

                          ARPS (Advanced Regional Predictor System) is a high resolution (1-10 km grid), non-hydrostatic model
                  suited to simulating thunderstorm complexes that form due to the convergence of sea breezes from the east and west
                  Florida coasts. With proper boundary conditions, this model should be suitable for prediction of heavy rain episodes
                  associated with tropical disturbances and fronts. The model should be capable of supplying boundary conditions
                  to ocean and bay circulation models and hydrologic models.       Other advantages of this model are explicit cloud
                  microphysics (critical for resolving individual thunderstorm complexes), an adaptive grid in which grid points are
                  dynam@ically redistributed for increased resolution in high gradient regions, and ease of portability among different
                  computer architectures.
                          The model should be useful for evaluating the possible effect of drainage and land use changes in South
                  Florida on rainfall. The surface evaporation and radiation budgets of the model are highly dependent on landuse,
                  vegetation-, and soil specifications which help determine the soil moisture, surface albedo, roughness length, surface
                  heat capacity, the fraction of a grid cell covered by vegetation, the evapotranspiration, and the surface temperature.
                  The model should be able to accept initial input boundary conditions concerning soil moisture, vegetation, and
                  surface water area from the South Florida Water Management Model and the Natural System Model.

                          The adaptation of the ARPS model to the South Florida environment is a multi-year project that already
                  has been initiated by the Hurricane Research Division of NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological
                  Laboratory in cooperation with the Miami National Weather Service Forecast Office and the South Florida Water
                  Management District. The first year's work will pi.oceed in the following steps:

                  9       Download the version 4.1 of the ARPS model code and begin to set up model parameters appropriate for
                          the South Florida simulations.


                  0       Make arrangements for obtaining 300 h of CPU time and remote supercomputer access on the University
                          of Alaska Cray-2 for testing the model with high resolution.

                  0       Make necessary software adaptions for running the model on existing HP-755 workstations, supplementing
                          storage and memory capabilities as required.

                          Perform an inventory of available surface      observations (including anemometers and rain gages) to

                                                                           16











                            determine the optimal method of constructing fields for model evaluation.

                    0       Investigate options available for high resolution local databases of terrain, coastline bitmq k, land use, soil
                            type, and vegetative index required to adapt the model to south Florida.

                    0       Organize an informal workshop with local circulation and hydrology modelers and operational
                            meteorologists from the National Weather Service and SFWMD to encourage cooperation and interaction,
                            discuss overlapping boundary condition interests, grid geometries, simulation experiments and verification
                            data and address potential cross-discipline use of the ARPS model.

                            Obtain and deve  lop software for presenting and evaluating model results. Perform model tests using
                            idealized homogeneous sounding background state initial conditions. Arrange for acquisition of larger-scale
                            three-dimensional initial conditions from the operational National Meteorological Center Eta model for later
                            real data simulation@.


                    Continuation into subsequent years, if support allows, will proceed as follows:

                    0       Obtain data for model test cases, including WSR-57 or WSR-88D radar data for verification. Initialize the
                            model with observed data and evaluate the ability to predict the organization of precipitation by comparison
                            with radar data and rain gage data where available. NEXRAD WSR-88D radars will be operational near
                            the four comers of the model domain at Miami, Tampa, Melbourne and eventually Key West.

                    0       Perform a natural system sensitivity test to estimate the impact of changing land use and soil conditions
                            on the typical summer-time sea breeze thunderstorm development cycle and subsequent rainfall distribution.

                    0       If appropriate, conduct a field experiment using the sophisticated suite of atmospheric and oceanographic
                            sensing equipment aboard the NOAA P3 aircraft to better define initial conditions for a real time model
                            test and document thunderstorm evolution.


                    0       Evaluate the prediction of surface wind fields by comparison with all available wind observations. Develop
                            and apply techniques for generating detailed surface wind analyses for input into ocean and bay circulation
                            models. Investigate the possibility of using WSR-88D wind and reflectivity data to initialize and verify the
                            model.


                            'Me eventual goal of this work is to provide the atmospheric component of a comprehensive coupled
                            bydrologic-hydrodynamic-meteorologic model containing the Everglades, Florida Keys, Florida Bay,
                            Biscayne Bay and portions of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico basins.

                    MODELING ECOLOGICAL PROCESSES


                            Afajor issues:

                    0       Ecological models are critical to application of the adaptive management methodolog         y adopted by The
                            Working Group, and an adequately and continuously funded, concerted model development pro              gram is
                            needed.


                    0       Landscape models are needed that simulate vegetation succession as a function of the hydrologic regime
                            and aperiodic events, incorporate land shaping processes such as soil accretion and soil subsidence, can
                            interact with hydrologic models to affect hydrologic' processes, and can provide the explicit spatial
                            framework necessary for models of species and communities that are influenced by landscape patterns.
                            Landscape models in progress need to be reoriented to meet these needs.



                                                                              17










                                                                                                                                                      ir
                   0        Model development activities should involve South Florida experts concerning the species      or community
                            being modeled and should involve scientific oversight that helps focus the modeling effort on
                            implementation for ecological assessment.

                   0        The success criteria recommended by the Science Sub-Group need to be refined into a set of appropriate
                            and workable ecological assessment indicators for both immediate and longterm applications.

                   0        An ecological assessment protocol is needed to ensure that monitoring and modeling efforts are focused
                            on providing the ecological assessment indicators.

                   0        Model development should be supported by--and incorporated with--research to supply critical information
                            needs.


                   0        Information is limited for certain species and communities (i.e., apple snail, periphyton community,
                            mangrove fish community) that, otherwise, would make valuable indicators because they are so important
                            in the system. 'Me ecology of important potential indicators should be major research topics.

                            Questions:

                            What were the essential processes that created, shaped, and maintained the predrainag        e South Florida
                   landscape and how did that landscape support the rich wildlife once present?

                            What was the predrainage landscape mosaic and how did it influence hydrologic regime and ecosystem
                   function?


                            What were the plant community and wildlife responses to that mosaic and what are the minimum needs,
                   in terms of spatial extent, habitat heterogeneity, and sheet flow, in order to support healthy, viable plant and animal
                   populations?

                            How should the hydrologic regime be restored to best restore characteristic species and landscapes? What
                   other actions should be taken in conceri with hydrologic restoration?

                            Given the reduced spatial extent of the central Everglades, can ade-quate througliflows be restored to support
                   the freshwater inflow needs of Everglades National Park and Florida Bay without disruption to structure and
                   function in the central Everglades?

                            How has the general lowering of land elevations in the upper and central Everglades due to soil subsidence
                   affected the ability to move water south to Everglades National Park and Florida Bay?

                            Can soil rebuilding within the natural Everglades be accomplished by ecosystem restoration? What is the
                   maximum rate of elevation gain that can be expectM?

                            How do timing, frequency, intensity, spatial coverage, and duration of aperiodic events such as fire,
                   freezes, wind storms, and weather extremes (droughts and floods) affect landscape structure? What were the
                   characteristics of these events in the predrainage system?

                            How is landscape structure affected by barriers such as roads, levees, and canals,, which affect the
                   movement of water and the spread of fire?

                            What are the landscape-scale ecosystem functions in this system, and how are these functions affected by
                   barriers 'and by water management?











                             How are populations o   f animals of various sizes and types affected by fragmentation and decreased size
                    of habitat? How rr'llight the establishment of wildlife corridors affect their populations? Needed is the determination
                    of minimum size of available habitat required to support populations, as affected by its spatial distribution.

                             How much of each ecosystem type will result from a given restoration alternative (e.g., pocket wetlands,
                    hydric pine lands, tree islands), and how will each type be distributed across the South Florida landscape?

                             What were the wildlife patterns of the predrainage system and how did they conform to,the hydrologic and
                    landscape patterns?

                             What factors determine nesting site establishment and how are they related to the factors that determine
                    nesting success in various wading bird,species, alligators, crocodiles, etc.?

                                                                         e hydrologic requirements for feeding and reproduction? How
                             For a given long-lived species, what are th
                    frequently do conditions for successful nesting occur today and how frequently would they have occurred in an
                    undrained system? How frequently would favorable conditions have to occur for long-term population stability (i.e.,
                    2 out of 5 years?, 3 out of 5 years?)

                             What are the species' habitat requirements and the hydrologic requirements of the habitat, and how has
                    water management affected habitat quality?
  14                         What are the relative effects of hydrologic regime, nutrients, mercury contamination, and hydrologic regime
                    on species abundance and community structure, both taxonomic and trophic?

                             How will plant and animal com unities respond to landscape mosaics, reestablishment of natural hydrology
                    in various restoration scenarios? What is the natural species richness of bird communities, fish communities for
                    this area? How will restoration options affect species richness of selected taxa?

                             What were the predrainage spatial and temporal distributions of vegetation communities and periphyton
                    communities? What factors determined those distributions?


                             What is the relative importance of hydrology and nutrients in de           termining community structure,
                    macrophytes and periphyton?


                             What are the fundamental food webs and ma
                                                                          jor energy and material flows in Everglades wetlands, the Big
                    Cypress, and Florida Bay, and how are they affected by changes in hydrologic regime?

                             Why did South Flori6 lose 90 % of its wading birds when only 50 9o' of wetlands were lost? Can change         d
                    hydroperiods and hydropatterns explain the loss?

                             Why are wading birds no longer occupying the large nesting colonies in the coastal mangrove area of
                    Everglades National Park east of the Shark River?

                             What factors control the rate of inva]sion by exotics and what makes a given habitat or site more invasible
                    than others? What are the conditions that enhance invasibility?

                             Why are the spatial patterns of mercury in large mouth bass not correlated with the spatial patterns of
                    mercury concentrations in soils?

                             What is the long term effect on coral cover of changes in water quality affecting photosynthesis?

                             Does the dependency of reef tract biota on seagrasses and mangroves result in feedbacks that cause declines


                                                                              19











                     in seagrasses and mangroves to affect coral reproduction, growth, and survival?

                             Can spatial patterns of existing coral cover on the Florida reef tract be explained by differential influences
                     of Florida Bay water in different areas?

                             How much of an increase in estuarine production overall can be expected from a given increase in
                     freshwater flow to Florida Bay9

                             How much of an increase in seagrass coverage can be expected from a given increase in freshwater flow
                     or a given decrease in concentration of nutrients?

                             Could nutrients released from the death and decay of seagrasses alone be responsible for the observed
                     bluegreen algal blooms in Florida Bay?

                             What are the critical feedbacks  of the natural system to urban and agricultural systems and vice versaI7
                     How will the natural system and its support functions for humans be affected by different population levels and
                     landuse configurations?

                             What is the landscape configuration and water regime that will provide a high degree of restoration with
                     the lowest maintenance requirements?

                             Recommendations:


                     0       Design integrated modeling systems in which ecosystem models must accept the output of hydrologic
                             and landscape models and interpret these outputs in an ecosystem context.
                             "Me promising ecological modeling systems already underway for use in South Florida should be fully
                     supported and expanded in their application.

                             Encourage and nurture the promising modeling concepts of ATLSS by providing continuous funding
                             at an increased level, guidance to ensure the models will simulate ecological assessment measures, or
                             indicators, and access of modelers to a wider group of authorities on South Florida ecology.
                             ATLSS is a set of linkable landscape, aquatic primary production, fish community, and individual-based
                     higher trophic level models being developed in a cooperative ENP/NBS/University of Tennessee project. Because
                     of their ability to respond to hydropatterns and a heterogeneous landscape, these models are particularly suited for
                     use in the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort. Properly directed and given adequate development funding,
                     models developed within ATLSS can be extremely useful for evaluating alternative management options and
                     measuring restoration progress.

                     0       Support the Florida GAP initiative to help it meet objectives of the South Florida restoration effort.
                             Fill the "gaps" in GAP funding.
                             The NBS-GAP initiative is another appr;ach that has, many values to the Restoration Effort. GAP looks
                     at biodiversity, protected species, and exotic invasions from a habitat perspective and provides a multispecies
                     approach to optimizing native biodiversity, recovering threatened and endangered species, and controlling invasive
                     non-indigenous species. GAP addresses many needs implied by sub-region presentations. GAY is a cost-effective
                     means of region -wide analysis because it is based on remote sensing and compu      terized habitat classification and
                     mapping-

                                                                                                                                         'L
                     0       Support the independent landscape modeling initiatives started by the SFWNID and NBSIENP/ORN
                             and give the modelers more direction to enhance the usefulness of the models for ecosystern
                             restoration.
                             A vegetative landscape modeling capability is needed that will be responsive to the dynamics of
                     h,,d,opallern and water quality over time and space. Model responsiveness is needed to conditions that vary on

                                                                              20











                 seaso nal, annual, and decadinal time frames and involve changes in water management, climatic change, and events
                 including fire, rainfall extremes, freezes, and hurricanes. Models should simulate landscape development, including
                 vegetation succession, soil formation and dissolution, and change in elevations. This capability will fill many needs.
                 Landscape models will be most effective if used interactively with spatially explicit hydrologic models, providing
                 a dynamic landscape that influences water flow and surface water patterns.

                          Integrate landscape model development with developm       ent of a restoration assessment protocol. Some
                          guidance, as well as communication between modelers, should insure that the models serve
                          complementary needs.
                          ELM, because it is spatially explicit, could be useful for simulating soil building processes, land
                 recontouring, the formation of tree islands, sloughs, sawgrass; stands, batteries, etc., and the effect of vegetation
                 patterns on water flow, hydroperiods, and hydropatterns. The ATLSS landscape model will be most useful for
                 understanding animal responses to the current landscape and landscapes arising from alternative water ma agement
                 strategies proposed to support ecosystem restoration.

                 0        Support trend and gradient analyses and retrospective paleoecological studies as part of a landscape
                          studies 'program that includes landscape models.
                          These techniques are required to generate essential information that can be used most advantageously
                 through incorporation into landscape models.

                          Develop models that provide spatially explicit views of estuaries to deterFnine.ijow salinity patterns,
                          as established by freshwater inflow, overlap with habitat features important to estuarine dependent
                          species.
                          Initially, attention should be focused on Florida Bay. The model should include bottom topography and
                 the overseas highway. It should be capable of accepting spatial information on salinity, circulation patterns, and
                 nutrients from monitoring or other models.

                 0        Use conceptual models appropriately in the restoration effort.
                          Conceptual models, composed simply of diagrams and descriptions, are a good way to integrate
                 information, communicate ideas, and share understanding on a topic. They are effective organizing tools at the
                 beginning of a study and can provide the initial design basis for simulation models. They might be particularly
                 useful in the assessment protocol development process.

                          Encourage several ecological modeling approaches.            Consider, in the context of the suite of
                          capabilities that will be needed, the full range of potentially useful models that may be offered.
                          (Lead--Science Sub-Group)
                          Models that can integrate the ecological system across scales appear the most useful, but the door should
                 not be closed to other modeling approaches because modeling science, like the biological world, is evolving, and
                 diversity is the basis for success.

                 0        Provide an insti tutional framework, including a home and continuous funding at an increased level,
                          for ecological modeling. (Lead-ITF, with advice from Science Sub-group)
                          Models are critical to the application of adaptive management methodology. The Science Sub-Group should
                 propose  an institutional framework to support ecological modeling in order to ensure the model development,
                 maintenance, upgrading, and application of models to support assessment and other restoration needs.

                          Ask the right questions.
                          'Me right questions must be asked in order that models are developed that will provide meaningful
                 information for decision making. How the question is framed may make a difference in whether it can be answered
                 and, if answered, translated into effective management.




                                                                           21












                                                    MERCURY IN SOUTH FLORIDA


                     Many federal, state, and local organizations are engaged in in effort to assess mercury      probl ems in South
                   Florida. Upon completion of this work, a much improved understanding of environmental mercury cycling in South
                   Florida will be available. Because many of the abiotic processes regulating mercury bioavailability are poorly
                   understood one component of these efforts is to better characterize those key, abiotic processes significant to the
                   overall issue of mercury bioavailability. The remainder of this section will discuss selected aspects of the abiotic
                   chemistry of mercury in South Florida for the purpose of providing background documentation on current research
                   needs.


                   RECONUqENDED RESEARCH

                   0        Develop quantitative methods to assess div  alent and monomethylmercury binding with natural organic
                            carbon


                   0        Assess South Florida sediment porewater chemistry within the context of potential mercury migration

                   0        Develop analytical methods/protocols to assess potential multimedia mercury migration.

                            Inve stigate the environmental factors that influence the rates of microbial methylation and demethylation,
                            test hypotheses for sources and transport of mercury that are consistent with, conditions and historical
                            changes associated with the Everglades, and evaluate ameliorative strategies.
                            Identify the role of microbial activities in the fate, transport and biological uptake of mercury, and the
                            environmental constraints on those processes, in light of the unique attributes of the Everglades ecosystem
                            and the anthropogenic stresses to which it has been subjected. Investigation such factors as the influence
                            of nutrients, pH, oxygen, and organic carbon on the rates of microbial methylation/demethylation (M/D)
                            are critical to the development of mathematical expressions for microbial M/D that can be applied to fate
                            and transport modeling for mercury.

                            Characterize ecological zones and land uses, present and historical, within the Everglades with respect to
                            conditions that influence the rates of M/D, in order to integrate and analyze data on the forms and
                            concentrations of mercury.

                            Determine the nature of the organic matter (e.g. periphyton vs. detritus of emergent plants) that serves as
                            microbial substrate for methylation, as it is impacted by altered nutrient and aeration conditions,

                            Determine the effects of periodic inundation of agricultural lands

                            Determine the importance of organomercury species other than metbylmercury.

                   0        Determine the impo  rtance of demethylation pathways under altered aeration regimes.

                   0        Elaborate on linkages among the carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles as. they impact the
                            methylation of mercury.

                   0        Determine the relative rates of transport    and decomposition/transformation of particulate-associated
                            mercury.


                   0        Determine the ecological effects of mercury in the South Florida Ecosystem by developing a suite of
                            process-based models (with user oriented interfaces) that describe


                                                                           22












                             0        the nominal trophic dynamics and habitat utilization of vertebrate and
                                      invertebrate wildlife in wetland and estuarine ecosystems,
                             0        the effects of hydrology, water quality, and vegetative habitat structure
                                      alterations on these ecological processes,
                                      the bioaccumulation of mercury and other persistent organic chemicals and
                                      metals in wetland and estuarine biota, and
                                      the direct and indirect effects of chemical contamination on     the structure and
                                      function of wetland and estuarine ecosystems

                   0         Develop conceptual, models describing the foodwebs and habitat utilization of South Florida ecosystems to
                             delineate the principal ecological interactions and forcing functions needed to sustain viable populations of
                             the major vertebrate and macroinvertebrate wildlife.

                   0         Develop and quantify algorithms describing the effects of mercury and water quality (i.e., temperature,
                             dissolved oxygen, and mineral salts) on the bioenergetics and habitat selection of aquatic organisms.
                             Quantitative relationships between these variables and the mortality, feeding, assimilation, photosynthesis,
                   respiration, and growth of South Florida Ecosystem biota must be identified and incorporated into the wetland and
                   estuarine foodweb, models.


                             Existin- habitat based models for vertebrate wildlife species should be reviewed and used as an integral
                             part of this research. These models should be used was the initial, but not necessarily final, frameworks
                             to address the foraging, nesting/reproductive, and roosting habitat requirements of vertebrate wildlife
                             species of concern.
                             A realistic forest stand model (e.g., FORET, FOREST, JABOWA, KIAMBRAM, SILVA, SWAMP)
                   should be an integral part of the wetland foodweb model to simulate the structural characteristics of wetland
                   vegetation required by wetland vertebrates for food, shelter, and reproduction. This stand model should be
                   responsive to hydrologic alterations, fire, local and regional climatic factors, and episodic disturbances such was
                   hurricanes. This model should also facilitate direct calculation of evapotranspiration and impedance to hydrologic
                   flow to improve and be input to the suit hydrologic models being developed for the South Florida Ecosystem.

                             Wetland and estuarine community models sboul     d be validated piece-wise using literature data and field and
                             laboratory studies planned as part of the Everglades Restoration Project.
                             As various submodels are validated, databases of ecological, morphological, and physiological parameters
                   required by the submodels must be compiled to facilitate rapid and effective model parameterization. User interfaces
                   must be developed.

                             Conduct model sensitivity tests that address:
                             0        How does different assumed community structures affect model results? For
                                      example, how does including or excluding community components of minimal
                                      interest affect predications for components of immediate regulatory or decision-
                                      rnqki g concern?
                             0        How does aggregation of model components affect model predictions! For
                                      example, are model results significantly different when all salmonids are treated
                                      as a single component versus when they are treated as individual species?
                             0        How does different parameterization of components of interest affect model
                                      results? That is, how does parameterizing component of interest with specific or
                                      generic data affect model results?
                             0        How should model results that are simulated for a specific location or set of
                                      locations be combined and analyzed to assess watershed or regional effects?

                             Select and adapt environmental fate models to link, with a food web model.


                                                                              23









                              Examine the sensitivity of the model to information uncer   Itainty.

                              Acquire critical data for aquatic fate models. Likely to be important are hydrogeometry, advective flows,
                              dispersive transport, external loadings and boundary concentrations, and various chemical constants and
                              environmental parameters.
                              The chemical constants and environmental parameters required for mercur:, modeling will depend upon how
                     the speciation and transformation processes in the model are formulated. Some environmental parameters that are
                     expected to be important include pH, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon        sulfide, sulfate, and TDS.

                              Describe and test the form of the kinetic equations, the dependencies on environmental parameters, and
                              the rate constants in a variety of aquatic environments.
                              The methyl forms of mercury are known to bioaccumulate strongly and provide the most risk to human
                     and other predators. Most of the mercury delivered to the aquatic environment is inorganic. The internal production
                     of methyl mercury, then, is a crucial process in any mechanistic mercury fate model.

                              Describe the biogeocbemistry of DOC and fine organics in canals and wetlands. Quantify formation and
                              loss processes.
                              Those species of mercury that are complexed with dissolved or fine organic material are mobilized for
                     transport, but may be shielded from some loss processes. Good process models should be able to describe the
                     binding capacity and strength of this material for various species of mercury.

                     0        Develop or adapt process models that can describe the sorption process for the important species of
                              mercury. Collect data to characterize the sediments in South Florida so that their sorption capacity can be
                              modeled. Describe sediment transport processes through canals and wetlands, especially for silt and clay
                              fractions.
                              Those species of mercury that sorb onto suspended sediments can be deposited into the benthic environment
                     and transformed or buried.


                     0        Conduct research to examine uptake by aquatic plants and microalgae, particularly periphyton.
                              The amount of partitioning or uptake of mercury into the base of the aquatic food web drives the subsequent
                     bioaccumulation. Research is needed into how this can best be represented, the coefficients or rates for mercury,,
                     species onto various phytoplankton and plants, and what environmental parameters might affect the kinetics.

                              Develop a spatially distributed food web model to examine aquatic systems with gradients of exposure
                              concentrations, rather than concentrations in just one place. Conduct site descriptions to support the model.
                              Such a model would allow the user. to specify a range for each fish species and age class. Plankton would
                     be carried through the spatial network by advective currents. Overlapping ranges would be taken care of properly.
                     Modeling technology must be developed to facilitate the representatio         n of the biology and to perform the
                     bookkeeping properly.

                              Link aquatic fate and food web models to adequately represent bioaccumulation.
                              Aquatic fate and bioaccumulation cannot be treated separately for methylmercury. Traditional aquatic
                     chemical fate models do not include a food web internally. Bioaccumulation calculations are traditionally performed
                     following the aquatic fate calculations, as the aquatic concentrations are not usually affected significantly by the food
                     web.


                     0        Develop information on atmospheric emissions and depositions to support atmospheric environmental fate
                              models.


                     0        Develop methods to analyze species of mercury in ernissions.
                              Loadings of mercury introduced to he atmosphere from various sources           'including coal-fired utilities,
                     municipal waste incinerators, and medical waste incinerators must be quantified and characterized. Knowledge of

                                                                                24











                   the oxidative state and physical form of the emitted mercury is important because these properties can influence the
                   pattern of atmospheric dispersion and deposition. Loadings of elemental, mercuric, and methyl mercury are desired.
                   Current stack sampling methods do not adequately characterize the chemical and physical. form of mercury emissions
                   as they manifest themselves on the regional scale. Chemical and physical transformations that appear to be occurring
                   in the exhaust flue and/or the local plume create a discrepancy between the mercury constituents measured in the
                   stack and those measured in the atmosphere. .                                                                                    I
                            Describe, spatially and temporally, the depositional loadings of elemental, mercuric, and methyl mercury
                            is needed to drive the aquatic fate models.
                            WWle wet and dry fluxes may be measured at selected locations, a regional airshed model with local
                   sources should be used with the observed data to more precisely understand the loading patterns and to distinguish
                   between various local sources and regional and global background sources.

                            Measure mercury vapor concentrations and exchange rates at selected sites. Include mercury vapor
                            transport and reactions in a regional airshed model. Undertake experiments to quantify volatile exchange
                            rates.
                            Elemental mercury in the air may undergo volatile exchange with concentrations in soil and water. This
                   may provide a net source or sink to the watershed.

                            Describe physical and chemical reactions affecting mercury speciation in the plume.
  1A                        These reactions are expected to affect the amount of mercury that is deposited locally in wetfall, and the
                   concentration of elemental mercury vapor that may exchange with the watershed. They may also help to explain
                   the discrepancies in the chemical and physical form of mercury that often appear between stack gas measurements
                   and ambient atmospheric measurements.

                   0        Modify existing atmospheric mercury fate models to handle the special transfer and transformation reactions
                            that affect major mercury components.
                            Present atmospheric mercury fate models are built upon the framework of existing chemical transport and
                   fate models. Several existing chemical models handle environmental transport processes and chemical transformation
                   processes in a general manner that can be used for many organic and inorganic chemicals.

                            Link terrestrial and aquatic fate models to atmospher ic models.
                            Atmospheric models are generally used to estimate direct human exposure and to provide loadings to
                   surface water and soil. Volatile exchanges, however, could provide significant loadings from watersheds to the air.
                   The nature of mercury dynamics requires an interconnection between these models that is achieved only crudely at
                   present.






















                                                                            25











                              ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES FOR SUBREGIONS 4-9



                              The large number of endangered and threatened species within the south Florida ecosystem reflects the
                    substantial direct loss of habitat and the alteration of ecological, processes of the remaining system. Patterns and
                    quality of water flow through wetlands have been altered and water tables have been lowered under remaining
                    upland habitat. Fifty-four plant and 51 enimal species within the region are listed or candidates for listing under
                    the federal endangered species act. Additional species are listed by the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish
                    Commission, Florida Natural Areas Inventory, and Florida Committee on Rare and Endangered Biota, as rare,
                    threatened or endangered.

                              For wetland dependent endangered species, hydrologic restoration may be the best option for achieving
                    recovery of these species. Endangered and threatened species within the south Florida ecosystem can be classified
                    into two broad groups. Ile first are those wetland dependent species for which restoration of natural hydropatterns
                    and the quality of water within the system should improve the habitat for these species. The other group includes
                    terrestrial species which may or may not benefit from restoration of freshwater conditions. These include species
                    found in the uplands of the Florida Keys, pinelands and hardwood hammocks throughout the region, and the coastal
                    ridges. The status of these species is determined by the amount, fragmentation and isolation of the remaining
                    habitat.


                              The federal list of endangered and threatenedTeptiles, which are known to occur in one or more of the
                    central and southern subregions of the Everglades basin, consists of five species of sea turtles (green, leatherback,
                    loggerhead, hawksbill & Kemp's ridley), the American crocodile, and the Eastern indigo snake. Sea turtles once
                    were much more common in southern Florida estuaries, as is indicated by the prevalence of a commercial sea turtle
                    fishery in these waters between the 1850s and 1973. The impacts that degradation in sea grass beds and coral reef
                    communities have had on these turtles remains unknown, in large part because of difficulties in estimating current
                    populations and seasonal patterns from existing data. 'Me continuing importance of these habitats, however, is
                    suggested by a sample of sea turtles captured for tagging on banks in western Florida Bay in 1990 and 1991, which
                    consisted of 51 loggerheads, 23 greens and one hawksbill (mostly subadults). Hawksbills are more common around
                    reefs and ocean creeks in Biscayne and Fort Jefferson National Parks.

                              The American crocodile has disappeared from most of its former range in Biscayne Bay and the Florida
                    Keys, and has retained viable nesting sub-populations only in eastern and northern Florida Bay as far west as the
                    Cape Sable peninsula, on northern Key Largo, and in the Turkey Point cooling canals. Although the number of
                    nesting female crocodiles in Everglades National Park has been stable or slowing increasing during the past decade,
                    the number nesting in traditional creek habitats in northeastern Florida Bay has declined. Ile fact that a major
                    segment of the nesting population occurs downstream from the degraded Taylor Slough/C- I I I basins -and
                    relationships between crocodile distribution and salinity remain poorly known demands that close attention be given
                    to this species during the restoration process.

                              Except for sea turtle nest monitoring projects on several public beaches in south Florida, conducted largely
                    by volunteers, no organized research or monitoring for sea turtles is presently in place. Most known crocodile nests
                    at Turkey Point, northern Key Largo, and in     Everglades National Park, are monitored annually for measures of
                    activity and success. Although the indigo snake remains widespread in pinelands and hammocks throughout
                    southern FloridA, little is known of population trends. Subpopulations are expected to remain secure on well
                    protected, public lands, but may decline where habitat alteration and collecting can occur.

                                                                                              lant species occur or once occurred within
                              Roughly 55 percent of the combined state- and federal-listed p
                    the South Florida Ecosystem. Nine plant species, 7 endangered and 2 threatened, have been listed or proposed for
                    listing by the USFWS within the restoration area. The endangered Okeechobee gourd (Cucurbit okeechobeensis
                    and the threatened climbing dayflower (Commelina gLgaJs are plants of wetlands of Lake Okeechobee and the


                                                                              26











                      northern Everglade s. Ile remaining federally-listed plants are upland species, mainly from pine roc@lands and
                      beaches: Miami lead plant, AmoMha crenulata; Small's milkpea, Galactia aMgW; tiny'milkwort, Polyeal smallii-
                      the threatened Garber's spurge, Chamaesy jearberi; tree cactus, CereusEghiad;pineland clustervine, Jacquernontia
                      curtisii; and, beach clustervine, JMuemontia reclinata. Ile major enclave of rare wetland plants (but no current
                      federally-listed species) within the restoration area is the Fakahatchee Strand in southern Collier County. Ponds
                      and swamp forests in this area harbor about 25 species of epiphytic ferns, orchids, and bromeliads not found
                      elsewhere m' the U.S.


                              Ile federal list of birds includes seven endangered species, two threatened and five candidate species.
                      Restoration of pre-drainage patterns of freshwater flow from Lake Okeechobee south through the Everglades to the
                      estuaries should benefit two endangered species (woodstork, snail kite), but will have uncertain affects on two other
                      endangered species (Cape Sable sparrow, and bald eagle), and on two candidate species (mangrove clapper rail,
                      reddish egret). Proper management of old growth pine forests within the region probably will have the greatest
                      benefit for the red-cockaded woodpecker (Endangered) and Southeastern kestrel (candidate). Conversion of wetlands
                      into citrus groves represent a serious threat to all freshwater, endangered species. Southeastern snowy plovers
                      (candidate) winter along sandy beaches within the region, and peregrine falcon (Endangered) migrate through the
                      entire region and winter in coastal areas. Protection of tropical upland forests on the mainland and in the Florida
                      Keys is the largest factor influencing the staup of white-crovmed pigeon (candidate).

                              Seven species of mammals that are federally listed as endangered or threatened occur in the central/southern
                      subregions of the Everglades basin (Florida panther, key deer, Key Largo cotton nouse, Key Largo woodrat, lower
                      keys marsh rabbit, silver rice rat, and West Indian manatee).

                      RECOMNENDATIONS


                              Conduct censuses of breeding and wintering populations of all endangered and threatened species at regular
                              intervals throughout the Everglades basin. Censusing protocols must be repeatable, statistically sound, and
                              standardized across the region. New census protocols must be developed for some species.

                              Develop ecological studies that address critical management questions for each of the species. These data
                              will be essential for the development of restoration.plans in a manner that insures the improvement of the
                              status of the species within the system.

                              Undertake a population viability analysis for each species to help identify bottlenecks in the life cycle of
                              each species which must be addressed during restoration planning.

                              Evaluate the status of state-listed species, and other species or populations not currently federally listed,
                              but which may be@threatened with extirpation in the Everglades basin.- Develop priorities for research and
                              monitoring from this expanded list of species of.regional concern.

                      0       Append to restoration plans a multi-s@ecies    recovery plan, which identifies potential conflicts    between
                              species recovery plans and restoration plans, and describes protocols for addressing these conflicts.

                      0       Monitor the status of endangered and threatened species throughout the entire restoration effort and, in
                              certain cases where concerns are raised, conduct special studies or reviews to estimate potential impacts
                              of specific actions on these species.

                      0       Approach restoration objectives with incremental actions and follow the adaptive management process to
                              insure the protection. of certain species as the system moves through changed states in response to
                              restoration actions..

                      0       Determine relationships   between crocodile distribution, nesting patterns and success, survival of age

                                                                               27












                             classes, and salinity.

                             Continue and expand long-term monitoring program for crocodile nesting in South Florida.

                             Implement nesting censuses for sea turtles using standard sea turtle nest census protocols, on beaches in
                             Everglades and Ft. Jefferson National Parks and elsewhere as required, to compare with earlier nesting
                             studies.


                   0         Determine condition and relative importance of sea turtle feeding habitats in Florida Bay and in waters
                             ad acent to the upper Florida Keys, and develop a GIS model of juvenile habitats.

                   0         A better definition of the habitat requirements of Cape Sable Seaside Sparrows in terms of fire frequency
                             and hydrology needs to be developed for this species in both the Taylor Slough and southern Big Cypress
                             basin. Annual censuses of the distribution and density of the sparrows, relative to fire and water
                             conditions, are required.

                   0         It is critical that the dispersal and colonization ability of both adult and young sparrows be well understood.
                             Radio-telemetry studies of adults and young should be undertaken to determine movement patterns of
                             individual birds.


                   9         Improvement in    the understanding of habitat requirements and the reasons for        patchy distribution is
                             necessary for the development of restoration plans that will maintain the Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow as
                             hydrological conditions are changing during the restoration process.

                   0         Detailed dolor-marking study of one Cape Sable Seaside Sparrow colony needs to be undertaken to
                             determine aspects of demography such as dispersal patterns relative to age and sex, survivorship, and
                             effects of fire on distribution.


                   0         Continue detailed ecological studies of the response of kites to changing water conditions within south
                             Florida, to take advantage of the large number of birds currently carrying functional radio transmitters.
                             Maintain monitoring and reproductive studies. of breeding populations of snail kites throughout t heir Florida
                             range.


                   0         Develop an study of the ecology of apple snails and what conditions make them available to snail kites.
                             Although snail kites feed almost exclusively on apple snails, the environmental dynamics of snail
                             populations are only poorly understood, in large part because of difficulties in measuring snail numbers,
                             densities, and survival patterns.

                             Implement an improved kite censusing program that more accurately estimates kite populations.

                             A detailed demographic   study of storks nesting in the Everglades basin needs to be undertaken with the aim
                             of better quantifying aspects of recruitment, and adult and juvenile survivorship related to late nesting.

                             A detailed study of the effects of mercury, other toxins, and parasites on the survivorsh  ip and reproductive
                             success of wood storks.

                             Analyze the factors that determine when and where Wood Storks forage and nest. the Systematic
                             Reconnaissance Study data set in combination with colony and historical survey data should be used to took
                             at the relationships between timing and location of colonies and regional hydrological patterns. Document
                             what appear to be changing relationships between stork nesting patterns and regional hydropattems which
                             presumably reflect fundamental changes in the way the Everglades system operates at primary and
                             secondary production levels.


                                                                               28











                     6      A detailed monitoring and research program    is required to look at the distribution and possible impacts of
                            mercury on bald eagles.

                     0      Radio-tracking and/or satellite tracking of juvenile and adult ea gles nesting in Everglades National Park
                            and the Florida Keys needs to be undertaken to determine annual movement patterns related to habitat
                            requirements, especially during non-breeding periods.

                     0      Continue, and expand as needed, monitoring of nesting bald eagles throughout Everglades Natioual Park,
                            the Big Cypress region and the Florida Keys.

                            An expanded ecological and distributional survey of the Big Cypress red cockaded population is required.
                            Distributional surveys of clans within Big Cypress Pre-serve and the addition area needs to be completed
                            and maintained. Survey area should be expanded to include surrounding pinelands not in federal ownership
                            that may contain woodpeckers or could have them reintroduced.

                            Ecological studies of the Big Cypress population to better measure habitat requirements, survivorship,.
                            dispersal capabilities, movement patterns and population viability.

                     0      Survey areas where red-cockaded woodpeckers may be able to be reintroduced, including Long Pine Key,
                            Everglades National Park.

                     0      Purchase and protect all remaining tropical forest parcels larger than 5 ha from Key Largo south to Key
                            West. Complete North        Key Largo, Tropical Flyways, Big Pine/Coupon Bight, and Lower Keys
                            Ham ocks project on the Conservation and Recreational Lands Program. Finish federal acquisition of
                            lands in Crocodile Lakes and Key Deer National Wildlife Refuges.

                     0      Conduct comprehensive censuses of pigeon nesting and feeding       habitats in the lower Florida keys.

                     0      Continue long-term censuses of manatee, to measure distribution and abundance.

                     0      Develop benthic vegetation maps for Everglades National Park, for the interpretation of manatee
                            movement/distribution patterns.

                     0      Determine the ecological and physiological freshwater requirements o       f the manatee. Use telemetry to
                            address movement patterns related to hydrological parameters.

                     9      Analyze existing food habits data for the panther, relative to the effects that hydrological patterns have on
                            the distribution and abundance of prey species.

















                                                                              29












                                                HARNUUL INON-INDIGENOUS SPECEES


                           Invasion by non-indigenous plant species originating from throughout the tropical-subtropical world is a
                  major factor threatenisig south Florida natural areas. Many nonindigenous plant and animal species have escaped
                  cultivation and become established in south Florida. Some have not only colonized disturbed sites, but also invaded
                  natural lands that have been set aside for preservation of natural communities and landscapes. South elorida
                  probably has more problems with aggressive non-indigenous species than any other stale. Ile stale as a whole has
                  approximately 925 established non-indigenous plant species growing outside of cultivation. Over 100 of these are
                  listed as invasive in Florida by the Exotic Pest Plant Council. Melaleuca and Brazilian pepper are better known
                  examples of harmful non-indigenous trees that are widespread and increasing in South Florida. At least 23 non-
                  indigenous plants now are found in Florida's waters. Non-indigenous plants and land animals constitute about 25
                  percent of all species in the state.

                           Many non-indigenous animal species have become established in Florida's aquatic systems: 83 fish, at least
                  26 insects since 1970, 2 amphibians, 3 birds, 1 mammal, I reptile, 5 mollusks, I crustacea and an unknown number
                  of pathogens. Many non-indigenous terrestrial animals, particularly birds, reptiles, and amphibians, have escaped
                  captivity and are reproducing in south Florida. Sixty-three percent of the introduced non-indigenous bird species
                  in the continental U.S. are found in Florida, which also has the largest number of established non-indigenous
                  amphibians and reptile species in the U.S.

                  ISSUES


                  0        Scientific research on exotic species  in Florida has been underfunded, considering the magnitude of the
                           problem and the potential for further damage to the ecosystem. Most resources have been focused on
                           agricultural pests and aquatic weeds. Little has been spent on research concerning exotic species that are
                           a threat to natural areas. Two types of research are needed: (1) research to develop technology and (2)
                           basic biological and ecological research to improve understanding of invasive exotic species.

                  0        Biological control research, although it has made promising progress, is inadequately funded, and other
                           eradi cation methods alone cannot control regionwide invasions.

                           Scientifically based screening and risk assessment methods ire lacking, but are needed to prioritize species
                           so that the greatest threats receive the most attention.

                  0        Habitat restoration strategies are needed to prevent invasive non-indigenous plants from returning, once
                           they are removed from heavily infested areas. One general strategy is to replant native vegetation, but
                           scientifically supported guidelines on how to reestablish native plant communities most effectively are
                           limited for south Florida.


                  0        The limited'amount of biological and ecological information concerning invasive species affects the ability
                           to generate public understanding and support of the public and decision makers. This lack of information
                           also limits the ability t6devise effective control strategies.


                           What affects will water management alterations for purposes of ecologic restoration have on non-indigenous
                  plants and animals?

                           What are the impacts on native species and natural areas of infestation with non-native species?

                           What ecological roles do non-native animals play in the natural habitats in which they are found?


                                                                            30












                              What are the major factors influencing expansion rates of specific problem species in south Florida?

                              What factors make a natural area    site susceptible to invasi on by non-natives?

                              What are autecologica   I aspects of various problem species, including phenology and response to
                   environmental variables, that might allow them to be controlled by management measures such as adoption of new
                   water rnnnagement or control burning practices?

                              How do non-indigenous plant species that establish monocultures affect the water budget? For instance,
                   does melaleuca consume more water, particularly during the dry season, than the native species it replaces?

                   RECOAMENDATIONS


                   0          Prepare co ordinated research programs on invasive or otherwise harmful non-indigenous species for
                              inclusion in separate multi-species management plans for plants and animals.

                   0          Provide a comprehensive review of recent and ongoing research, utilizing the planning and
                              coordinating work of the Exotic Pest Plant Council.
                              Research should not be restricted to only studies of individual species, but     rather should attempt to build
                   a set of principles that helps support a holistic, ecosystem approach to exotics control. The questions listed in the
                   major issues section above should be addressed.

                   0          Continue and expand biological control research. (Suggested lead--USDA/ARS, ACE)
                              This research must include:
                              a.       foreign exploration - searching for most effective control speciesin the species' native land
                              b.       overseas screening process - determine most effective and safest species before importing tho the
                                       u. S.
                              c        quarantine follow-up - clearance for field release
                              d.       on-site field sites - colonization in areas affected
                              e.       assess the success and performance of introduced species
                              f.       technology transfer - distribute organism throughout range of species

                   0          Provide  support for the quarantine facility at Ft. Lauderdale and necessary personnel; this is a
                              critical component of the biological control research program.

                   0          Conduct research to develop an ecological understanding of invasive non-indigenous species.
                              (Suggested lead NIBS)
                              With respect to plants, more work is needed on determining (1) factors that affect the invasibility of natural
                   areas, (2) environmental requirements and phenology of particular problem species as these relate to their
                   vulnerability to specific controlled burning or water management regimes, (3) common characteristics of invasive
                   non-native species in Florida, (4) effects of non-iAgenous plant infestations on native      .species and the environment,
                   and (5) effective habitat restoration strategies to prevent reinvasion by non-indigenous species after their removal.
                              With respect to animals, research is needed on how non-indigenous species reproducing in the wild have
                   impacted food webs, community structure, and populations of species in natural areas in which they have become
                   established.


                   0          Develop scientifically. based methods for screening and risk assessment to prioritize efforts for
                              controlling invasions at relatively early in the process (importation, distribution, colonization).
                              (Suggested leads-USDA/ARS, NBS)
                              Effective criteria for identifying and screening potentially invasive or otherwise harmful non-indigenous
                   plants and animals before they enter the country or before they become well established will help to focus preventive
                   efforts.


                                                                                 31









                             Develop a multi-species monitoring plan. (Suggested Leads--NBS, FWS, NPS)
                             As part of plan development, existing monitoring programs should be inventoried, and an analysis should
                    be made to determine overlaps and gaps in coverage. The plan should ensure that basic variables are defined and
                    measured the same way so that data ran be analyzed across areas, not just locally. Prepare a computerized atlas of
                    ongoing monitoring programs should be prepared.

                    0        Document the present nature and extent of invasion of south Florida's natural areas by non-native
                             plant species and prepare a summary report.' (Suggested Lead--NES)
                             Ile survey might be approached through interviews with land managers, field biologists, and naturalists.
                    In addition, limited areas should be selected, based on representativeness, sensitivity, or special concerns, for a
                    quantitative analysis of plant invasions, including mapping. This activity should be coordinated with Florida DEPs
                    current activities and with the COVER group.

                             Prepare a prioritized list of non-indigenous plant species that are currently and potentially the
                             greatest threat   *to natural areas. Suggest target areas and species for expanded control efforts.
                             Start with the list prepared by the Exotic Pest Plant Council. Use information from the recommended
                    survey and available monitoring results. Develop information on a plant community basis.

                    0        Based on information from the above studies, generate brochures and news releases that describe the
                             problem with non-indigenous species in South Florida to land managers, decision makers, and the
                             public.
                             A public information effort based on scientific information will help develop a greater awareness of the
                    problem and its present and potential impacts on natural areas. Once informed of their contributions to such
                    problems, a concerned public often will change its habits.

                             Conduct horticultural research to develop sterile cultivars of popular and widely used but invasive
                             non-native ornamental plants, such as certain flowering trees and Ficus species. (Suggested Lead--
                             Department of Agriculture)
                             This technology is being used elsewhere for esthetic reasons. Fruitless mulberry trees and podless locust
                    trees are very popular nursery items in the Southwestern United States. Developing sterile cultivars of non-natives
                    with invasive tendencies should be an intensive activity that leads to quick results. Species such as royal poinciana,
                    the orchid tree, Surinam cherry, the exotic Scaevola, and the many ornamental ficus trees would be good candidates
                    for this treatment. Use the EPPC list to select non-native trees and shrubs whose propagation outside of cultivation
                    should be controlled.



























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                                             SUBREGION 1: KISSEMNME RIVER LASIN



                           Restoration of the Kissimmee River Basin is several years ahead of the restoration of the rest of the South
                  Florida Ecosystem. A plan was developed out of state and federal effort to evaluate the effectiveness of the
                  restoration program already in progress. The program involves structural modifications to backfill parts of the canal
                  and reestablish flows through the natural channel. The assessment plan in its entirety forms the Sub-region I section
                  of this report. The four goals of the assessment plan are as follows:

                  0        Provide thorough understanding of ecosystem structure and function befo    re and after restoration,

                  0        Show direct cause-effect relationships between restoration efforts and ecological responses,

                  0        Include quantifiable biological responses and hypothesis-driven experimental approaches,

                  0        Document changes of social and scientific importance.
                           The plan calls 'for establishing a set of pre-restoration reference conditions and designing a suit     e of
                  conceptual models that describe ecological relationships and influences of hydrologic factors on selected ecologic
                  communities and functions. the models will facilitate understanding effects of restoration on the ecosystem       I and
                  provide a conceptual framework for the evaluation prcram. T`be models will help set expectations concerning
                  responses to hydrologic modification of wading birds, water fowl, fish, invertebrates, floodplain vegetation
                  communities, littoral vegetation communities, hydrologic c  onditions, and water quality.

                           Expectations will be compared to reference conditions, which are based on historic reports and published
                  literature. Assessment will be made on population densities of selected species or guilds, establishment of rookeries,
                  and habitat-based projections. Quantitative historical data on wintering water fowl are available for 1949 through
                  1957 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission. Targets are
                  increased usage of reestablished wet prairie habitat on the floodplain by resident mottled ducks and migratory
                  dabbling ducks, with full recognition that extraneous factors have had on both regional and migratory waterfowl
                  populations. Through a combination of historical data, published literature, and samples collected from relatively
                  pristine sites both within and outside the basin, a set of expectation metrics for fish and invertebrate communities
                  will be obtained. Macrophytic and littoral vegetation will be compared to interpreted prechannelization historic
                  photography, which will set the reference conditions against which the restoration expectations will be measured.
                  A historic data base on stages and discharges will provide expectations concerning hydrologic conditions after
                  modifications are made. No prechannelization water quality data are available. A model for d         issolved ox ygen
                  regimes is being developed that will provide expectations for this parameter. Other parameters--nutrients and
                  carbon--will be compared against published data for similar river systems.
















                                                                            33










                                                    SUBREGION 2: LAKE OKEECHOBEE


                            The Lake Okeechobee section represents the consensus of a convened panel of experts. A workshop format
                  was used to develop the strategic questions, approach, and research tasks that comprised the report. It focused on
                  the hydrologic and ecologic issues stated in the Science Sub-Group Report. The report details the major issues
                  impinging on Lake Okeechobee as they relate to the restoration of the South Florida Ecosystem. Primary among
                  these were, the use of the LAke as a regional water storage and supply system, excessive nutrient loading from
                  agricultural activities in the basin, concern for exotic invasion of the wetland systems, and concern for the ecological
                  integrity of the littoral system of the Lake. Ile report summarizes plans by the South Florida Water Management
                  District to deal with the above issues. These include the Lake Okeechobee Technical Advisory Council reports,
                  the Lake Okeechobee Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan (SWIM), and the Lake Okeechobee
                  Research Plan. Next, the report details the restoration objectives in the Science Sub-Group Report, followed by
                  research questions formulated to address information needs relative to the objectives.

                            Following are the questions that were raised and associated tasks that are recommended. Moving a portion
                  of the northwest part of the Hoover Dike around Lake Okeechobee is under consideration as a means of restoring
                  Lake littoral zone if Lake regulation stages are raised to accommodate possible water supply needs for South Florida
                  Ecosystem restoration.and expected urban expansion. The first question was formulated to explore the potential
                  value of moving the dike in terms of replacing existing littoral zone that probably would be lost at higher Lake
                  Stages.

                  Research question: What will be the spatial extent and hydrologic character of the expanded littoral zone along
                  the northwest shoreline?


                  0         Conduct a grid based topographic survey of NW area behind the Herbert Hoover Dike.

                  0         Incorporate this area into grid based spatial hydrologic models.

                  0         Integrate output from the hydrologic models into GIS databases.

                  Research question: What are the water quality impacts associated with changes lake stage and littoral zone
                  configurations?

                  0         Develop models of phosphorus transport from sediments in the open water to the littoral zone.

                  0         Develop hydrologic models to investigate the potential for nutrient input via lake water to areas in the
                            existing littoral zone that are isolated from eutrophic water.

                  Research question: How will vegetative and animal communities respond in the expanded littoral zone?

                            Develop models of vegetative community response to hydrologic conditions in littoral zone.

                            Develop models of the responses of fish, wading birds, and snail kites to predicted hydrologic and
                            vegetative conditions in the littoral zone.

                  0         Develop and implement long-term monitoring programs at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales for
                            vegetation, fish, wading birds, and snail kites in the littoral zone.

                  Research question: What will be the impacts to the southern islands under different regulation schedules?



                                                                                34












                     0       Conduct a grid based topographic survey of island  s in SW.

                     0       Incorporate these islands into based spatial hydrologic and nutrient transport models.

                     0       Integrate output from the hydrologic models into GIS databases.

                     Research question: What are the impacts of exotic plants on the Lake Okeechobee system and how can these
                     impacts be mitigated.

                     0       Map the distribution of exotic plant species.

                     0       Perform gradient analysis to determine controlling factors in the distribution and spread of exotics.

                     0       Develop a priority list of exotics to control.

                     0       Develop biologic control mechanisms for all exotic species.

                     Research question: Are exotic and native fish competing for resources?

                             Conduct census surveys and feeding studies as necessary to assess resource partitioning between native and
                             exotic fish.


                     Research question: What is the relative role of internal recycling vs. external loading in the development of
                     phytoplankton blooms?

                     9       Collect data and analyze trends (spatial and temporal) in nutrient concentration, nutrient loading, and bloom
                             development, composition, and magnitude. (17his question is being addressed comprehensively in the
                             SFWMD Lake Okeechobee Research Plan. This task is intended to reaffirm the need for this information.


                     Research question: What is the response of the aquatic invertebrate community to the changes in water/sediment
                     quality?

                     0       Collect data and perform gradient analysis on benthic invertebrate communities over the range of sediment
                             type/quality.

                     Research question: What contaminants are likely to be impacting fish and wildlife communities?

                     0       Acquire data on local, regional, and global sources, transport mechanisms, fate, and effects and develop
                             list of contaminants that warrant investigation.

                     0       Design appropriate monitoring programs to       assess the extent and   magnitude of impacts due to the
                             contaminants of concern.


                     Research question: What is the system wide water budget on a yearly basis since levee construction?

                     0       Acquire the necessary data to develop a system wide water budget.

                     Research question: What dynamic regulation schedule.will better mimic natural hydrologic variability?

                     0       Develop a "base" hydrologic model of lake stage that is coupled with inputs from the Kissimmee basin and
                             rainfall.




                                                                              35












                           Use the "base" model to investigate changes in lake stage associated with various restoration alternatives,
                           including but not limited to: reduced east-west discharges, changes in agricultural /urban water demands,
                           interbasin transfer of water from the Caloosahatchee urban areas into the lake, and changes levee
                           co rifiguration.

                  Research question: What are the potential impacts to the levee (structure, integrity, leakage) as a result of changes
                  in regulation schedule.

                  0        Perform engineering studies as required.

                  Research question: What will be the "ecological" consequences associated with changes in regulation schedule?
                  0        Prepare'a family of models to assess potential impacts to vegetation, fish, wading birds, and snail kit,es
                           resulting from changes in lake stage.

                  Research question: What are alternative water delivery mechanisms to create littoral zone on the NW end of Lake
                  Okeechobee? (e.g, reconfigure Paradise Run)

                  0        Develop models of various water deli   very scenarios.

                  Research question: What is the feasibility of restoring predrainage flows from Lake Okezchobee south to the
                  Everglades?

                  0        Investigate the use of both operational methods and structural modifications (i.e., enlargement of maximum
                           conveyance capacity in channels and pumps) to eliminate regulatory releases from Lake Okeechobee to *the
                           St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee canals and substantially increase the delivery of water from Lake Okeechobee
                           to the Water Conservation Areas.






























                                                                            36











                               SUBREGION 3: UPPER EAST COAST-ST. LUCIE RIVER AREA

                          Circulation and freshwater inflow patterns to the St. Lucie and Indian River estuaries have been greatly
                  modified through a combination of -inlet construction and 6hannelization of the watershed, including the interbasin
                  connection of Lake Okeechobee to the St. Lucie system. T'he North and South Forks of the St. Lucie River and
                  -the St. Lucie Estuary are particularly stressed. The North Fork receives sporadic stormwater runoff through Canals
                  C-23, C-24, and C-25. Ile South Fork receives sometimes massive regulatory releases from Lake Okeechobee
                  through the St. Lucie Canal (C-44). The estuaries are showing many signs of stress, including accumulation of
                  organic rich flocculant sediments, loss of seagrass beds, and declines in fish densities. Although re-storation of
                  predrainage conditions in these estuaries is out of the question, recovery. of healthy conditions in the estuaries
                  through mitigative measures, including landscape and water management redesign, is a reachable goal. Innovative
                  uses of regional and on-site detention areas is the best hope for recovery of the estuaries and also could provide
                  water supply and flood control benefits to agriculture in the area. The ecological future envisioned is one of more
                  stable estuarine systems rather than the historical pattern of alternating freshwater aquatic and maritime regimes.
                  Regional landscape and water management redesign is proposed based on a set of hydrologic, three-dimensional
                  hydrodynamic, landscape, and ecological models. Data needs associated with the modeling include particularly:

                          Complete, and accurate, regional water budgeting.

                  0       Accurate flood and discharge profiles for canals and structures -in the region, including a capability to
                          evaluate the consequences of structure modifications.

                  0       Capability to'evaluate impact of current and proposed secondary structures (e.g., weirs in feeder canals).

                  0       Ground water recharge and withdrawal scheduling.

                  0       Ability to accept weather service forecast and stage monitoring data, and respond with appropriate infra-
                          structure operations schedules.

                  0       Ability to track actual response (stage, discharge, water quality data) to contin Ily recalibrate empirical
                                                                                                          ua
                          and process-based response functions--for both quantity and quality parameters, including turbidity, dis-
                          S.olved oxygen, nutrient loads, and industrial, domestic, and agricultural toxic substances loadings.

                  0       Salinity and circulation patterns in relation to freshwater inflow.

                  9       Salinity requirements of major benthic organisms and fishes.



















                                                                          37











                                        SUBREGION 4: EVERGLADES AGIdCULTURAL AREA


                              Ile report summarizes scientific progress related to ecosystem restoration in the Everglades Agricultural
                     Area (EAA). Tle report discusses completed and ongoing work and identifies future scientific priorities for the
                     EAA. The report emphasizes approaches that could benefit both the natural ecosystem and agriculture of the EAA.

                              Several classes of organic, or muck soils exist in the EAA. However, about 87 % of these soils are
                     composed largely of decomposed sawgrass (CWium jamaicense Crantz) and may contain more than 85 % organic
                     matter. Soon after draining, scientists noted that these organic soils were subsiding, or decreasing in depth. This
                     report id entifies soil subsidence as the major ecological issue within the EAA, and as the major obstacle for
                     achieving a sustainable agriculture in the EAA.

                              Soil subsidence is caused by physical, chemical, and microbiological. processes. Although research is
                     needed to further clarify its contribution to subsidence, oxidation of soil organic matter probably causes most of the
                     subsidence now occurring in the EAA. This oxidation is caused primarily by microorganisms that thrive under
                     aerobic conditions. As a result of the oxidation process, insoluble carbon portions of the organic matter convert
                     to gaseous and water-soluble products. With this conversion of carbon comes the resulting loss of soil mass.

                              Scientists have advised EAA growers since at least the 1940's that to increase the longevity of their
                     agriculture, they must reduce the rate of z:.absidence. The most -practical means of reducing subsidence is to
                     maintain water tables as close to the soil surface as possible; the more soil within the profile that is inundated, the
                     less oxidation occurs. Historically, this water-table management strategy has not professed to control subsidence
                     completely with conventional agriculture of the EAA, only to reduce the rate of subsidence. Subsidence rates in
                     the EAA have averaged about 3 cm per year. However, due to changes in water-table management,.the annual
                     subsidence rate in the EAA now is probably less than 3 cm.

                              Scientists have experimented with alternate crops that could be gr       own under conditions that would
                     completely control subsidence. Although they present a biological solution, these crops would not be practical
                     because they do not have sufficient markets to warrant their commercial cultivation. Research attempting to improve
                     yields and expand markets of these crops should be encouraged.

                              Sugarcane (a complex hybrid of Saccharuni spp.) is the predominant crop in the EAA. A successful
                     sugarcane industry depends upon a large infrastructure. Factories to convert the juice of sugarcane to raw and
                     refined sugar; trucks, trains, railroad tracks, tractors, and wagons to transport the sugarcane from the fields to the
                     factories; and in uses of sugarcane by-products, such as to generate electricity for public utilities, form a portion
                     of this infrastructure.   South Florida faces severe economic consequences if ecological restoration means
                     fragmenting EAA agriculture or changing it from a predominantly sugarcane agriculture.

                              Much of this document describes approaches in agricultural management and research whose ultimate goal
                     -is to have no subsidence in the EAA. Improvements or changes in the hydrological system with changes in
                     priorities for its management may be necessary to reach this goal. Past strategies to control subsidence proposed
                     only partial control measures or use of crops not yet profitable. Tle research to control subsidence presented here
                     proposes to completely control subsidence while cultivating sugarcane and other crops now grown profitably in the
                     EAA.


                              Growers have already made important changes by including nice (Ory-za sativa L.) in their sugarcane
                     rotations, -increased use of surnmer floods, and growing all their crops at higher water tables. A scenario is
                     illustrated that in the short term would reduce subsidence rates from a theoretical 3.66 cm per year to 1.04 cm per
                     year. Ibis major improvement could be achieved by summer flooding about 77,000 ha, 37 % of the cropped EAA,
                     'and growing sugarcane with water tables at 30 cm from the soil surface. Research is needed to identify sugarcane

                                                                               38











                     cultivars adapted to a 30 cm water table. Past research presents an optimistic outlook for quickly identifying such
                     cultivars.


                              Further improvements would be more long term and gradual, but previous research suggests that chances
                     for success are good. The major needs for long-term rese        .arch are to breed and select sugarcane cultivars adapted
                     to water tables closer to the soil surface, determine stages of growth and height of water above ground at which
                     flooding does not harm sugarcane, determine duration 'of flood sugarcane can withstand without yield ioss, and
                     determine proper management of alternate flooding and moderate draining that would not harm sugarcane while not
                     permitting oxidation  -. Research on rice should aim to extend flood duration by planting and harvesting it under
                     flooded conditions. A standard condition of publicly supported genetic research on all EAA crops should be to
                     identify cultivars adapted to higher Water tables and less phosphorous fertilizer.

                              Since the South Florida Ecosystem is ma sive and contains diverse regions, it is generally agreed that the
                     restoration process must be holistic and adaptive. The approach identified here for the EAA meets both
                     requirements. It is holistic because it would benefit both the EAA subregion and the ecosystem. It does so by
                     proposing an agriculture that is managed to take advantage of natural weather patterns and hydrology. Doing so
                     would help control subsidence and permit more water storage in the EAA. Potential benefit to the natural system
                     would be the increased ability for water to flow south according to more natural hydroperiods, and decreased need
                     to release water in east or west outlets from Lake Okeechobee. The approach is more adaptive than other solutions
                     proposed for the EAA, such as publicly acquiring the EAA or constructing flowways within the EAA.
                     .*1      Phosphorous runoff from the EAA has received more attention than other EAA-related issues. Reviewing
                     published and ongoing projects on phosphorous runoff shows that much excellent and complex work has been
                     accomplished and major gains have been made. . A workshop was held on April 14, 1994 in Belle Glade, FL at
                     which participants identified key concerns related to the phosphorous issue.

                              The workshop summary in this report shows that the issue is complex and multidisciplinary. The work             shop
                     summary does not prioritize research strategies. Further attempts at summarizing progress related to phosphorous
                     should include teams of multidisciplinary scientists.

                              The final section of the report summarizes sources of scientists and funding to continue the South Florida
                     restoration process in the EAA. Three public sources with research scientists in place in or near the EAA are the
                     South Florida Water Management District, the University of Florida's Everglades Research and Education Center,
                     and the USDA-Agricultural Research Service's Sugarcane Field Station. Private agricultural enterprises already
                     have full-time scientists working on ecosystem-related issues and several scientists have worked as consultants on
                     these issues. In addition to these sources for scientists and funding, the Environmental Protection District and the
                     Florida Sugar Cane League, Inc. are possible sources of funding. Other important public sources of technical
                     support include the Cooperative Extension Service, the USDA-Soil Conservation Service, and the Palm Beach Soil
                     and Water Conservation District.





















                                                                                   39










                                SUBREGION 5: EVERGLADES WATER CONSERVATION AREAS


                             The Water Conservation'Areas represent a large portion of the Everglades that has been protected from
                    development, but greatly modified by channelization and diking. Tlese impoundments were constructed in phased
                    steps over a number of years, culminating in the current configuration in the early 1960's. 'Me principal function
                    of he units is water -control for economic development. 'Me system provides a compartmentalized detention
                    reservoir for excess water from the EAA and parts of the east coast region as well as accommodating flood
                    discharges form Lake Okeechobee. The levee system on the east prevents flood waters from inundating the
                    principally urban east coast while providing water supply for the east coast agricultural lands and the Everglades
                    National Park. 7be areas enhance the supply to the east coast by recharging the Biscayne Aquifer, the primary
                    drinking water source for the southern urban east coast, and retarding salt water intrusion. All these functions are
                    to be accomplished in a manner benefitting'the considerable wildlife resources dependant on the system.

                             The WCA's are precariously juxtaposed to the urban development on the east and agricultural development
                    to the north and west, concomitant with their ever increasing demands for flood protection and consumptive needs
                    for water supply. By virtue of their spatial placement in the center of the hydrologic gradient; the highly managed
                    nature of their input and output regimens; and the documented consequence of receiving the nutrient enriched
                    drainage of the surrounding agricultural and urban areas (SFWMD Everglades SWIM Plan), these areas are severely
                    impacted b- the current water management operations of the Central and South Florida Project and are integral to
                    he restoration effort. '17hese areas contain the last remnants of the tall-sawgrass landscape, as well as, the bulk of
                    deep marshes, wet prairies, and tree island hammocks outside the ENP. Additionally the WCA's provide habitat
                    for a diverse array of flora and faunae, including endangered species, particularly snail kites and wood storks. Since
                    a major portion of the Kissimmee/Okeechobee and East Coast Ridge drainage are diverted to sea for regulatory
                    flood control, the historic hydrologic throughput or volume through these units is severely reduced. The areas have
                    been virtually isolated from the Kissimmee/Okeechobee watershed and the resultant sheet flow with all its natural
                    variation that was a critical element in the formation.and the ecological structure and function of the Everglades
                    landscape.

                             The WCA's are critically important to the wildlife resources of the Everglades. The areas are rich in fish
                    and wildlife, particularly wading birds (including the Endangered wood stork), the American alligator, and the
                    Endangered snail kite. Grass shrimp, crayfish, and select fish species are well adapted to the periodic wet/dry
                    regimens that characterize the Everglades.

                             In its natural state the Everglades ecosystem was essentially  an oligotrophic system, deriving most of its
                    nutrient input through atmospheric deposition. Concomitant with the drainage and development of the EAA, the
                    WCA's have become retention/detention systems for storage and elimination of agricultural drainage. The chronic
                    introduction drainage waters with elevated concentrations of nutrients (10 to 20 times ba,.;!cground concentrations)
                    has resulted in ma sive conversions of sawgrass and wet prairie communities to stands of robust Typha and
                    Typhalsaw grass mixes along with a replacementof the typical periphyton mat communities to species mixes more
                    reflective of deteriorated water quality.

                             The impoundments replace the historic inclined hydrologic gradient, formerly subject to sheetflow, with
                    a series of stepped basins connected through control structures that localize and minimize the forces of the flow
                    that historically shaped and maintained the landscape structure of the system. In addition, by hydrologic regulation
                    schedules, these systems are practically decoupled from rainfall, becoming over inundated in response to flood
                    protection and overly de-watered in response to consumptive water supply demands in dry years. In addition there
                    have been major altered hydroperiod impacts resulting from the impoundment of these systems. Channelization
                    coupled with impoundment has increased depth and hydroperiods at the southern end of the systems, while over de-
                    watering and shortening hydroperiods in the northern ends. One result is extensive invasion by the exotic Melaleuca
                    as well as numerous exotic fish. Another is the shortening of hydroperiods and reduction in water coverage, vital


                                                                              40











                    to succ essful wadi ng bird reproduction. This is particularly critical since these units provide major rookery and
                    foraging habitat for wading birds in normal and dry years.

                    The following   list of research questions identi@ting information needs resulted from a process employing the
                    Adaptive Environmental Assessment Approach for identifying major issues and information needs. The process
                    began with stating the intended objectives of the restoration project (both hydrological and ecological) followed by
                    the development of frame strategic questions that address the information needs required to meet the objectives. This
                    assessment was conducted in a two day workshop format with invited participants with the necessary expertise to
                    address the multidisciplinary issues and scientific/technological approaches to resolving the issues.

                    Research Question 1.         What were the predrainage sheet flow and hydro-patterns over               the range of
                    rainfall/evapotranspiration conditions that occurred within annual to century time scales?
                             Approach:
                             Develop a series of spatially explicit grid-based hydrologic models (natural systems type) at various
                             spa tial/temporal scales to hindcast predrainage hydro-patterns at scales that match critical system features
                             (topographic gradients, waterway networks, flow ways, etc.) and processes (rainfall extremes, overflow
                             events, stage fluctuations, etc.).
                             Synthesize existing information on basement topography, historic topographic elevations, rainfall /climatic
                             cycles, vegetation, lake stage and overflow, soil types, and basement geology
                    9        Perform paleogeologic studies to fill information gaps for model input.

                    Research Question 2: What hydrologic and associated forcing functions (fire, etc.) maintain the structure, function,
                    and sustainability across spatial scales of kin to 100's kin of the South Florida ecosystem.
                             Approach:
                    0        Design a paleoecologic study based on stratigraphic analysis of cores strategically located throughout the
                             Everglades.
                    0        Through analysis of peat/marl structure and charcoal remnants determine extent, frequency, of drought,
                             fire, floods, hurricanes, etc.
                             Given the connection between basement topography and physiographic landscapes, determine relationship(s)
                             between finer scale landscape features (tree islands, sloughs etc.), hydrologic (and hydrologically
                             controlled) forcing functions, and basement topography.

                    Research Question 3: What is the nature, and degree of the flow / hydropatterns alterations due to
                    compartmentalization?
                             Approach: ,                                                                                                              I
                             Analyze existing hydrologic conditions utilizing the SFWMD's SWMM model to characterize the current
                             patterns in hydroperiod, flow, storage, and gradients in the WCA's.
                             Utilize the natural systems models (See Research Question 1) to characterize historic patterns of flow and
                             hydropatterns prior to compartmentalization.
                             Existing models (both SWMM and current version of natural systems -model, Fennema et al., 1994):
                             @equire considerable enhancement to aadress restoration questions at the scale required by the above
                             question.
                                                conduct extensive and comprehensive topographic surveys in the WCA s.
                                                determine specific manning's coefficients for various vegetative types          (particularly
                                                vegetative types that dominate landscape features).
                                                determine percolation within the various reaches of the WCA's.
                                                improve the resolution rainfall data and water delivery patterns
                                                validate model(s) with field measurements of water levels and flow.
                             Compare output from current and historic models.
                             Collect hydrologic data (flow, water level etc.) to supplement existing data and model output to document
                             the nature and extent of hydrologic alterations.



                                                                              41,












                     Research Question 4: How are these alterations expressed in the existing landscape?
                             Approach:
                             Conduct an extensive survey of peat bed depths across the WCA's and ENP.        Determine the relationship
                             between peat depths and current hyd  rologic conditions on the affected areas.
                     0       Determine at various scales which patterns (elevation, vegetation etc.) in the contemporary landscape are
                             the result changes in hydrologically controlled forcing functions as reflected in trend- analysis and
                             modelling.
                     0       Perform gradient analysis to determine the relationships between hydrologic parameters and composition,
                             abundance and distribution of periphyton and macrophytes.
                     0       Utilizing the above information and the SWMM model determine relationships between recent vegetative
                             patterns and dynamics with hydrologic (and associated) forcing functions spatially across the WCA's.
                     0       Integrate information obtained above with the output of SWMM and natural systems models into a spatially
                             explicit landscape modelling capability as per the Everglades Landscape Model of the SFWMD and
                             compare the results for resolving the impacts of compartmentalization.

                     Research Question 5: Is there adequate water available to support the desired system structure and functions? Is
                     removal of the inter-unit dike and canal works of the WCA's feasible in terms of the current or projected demands
                     for water in the South Florida Ecosystem?
                             Approach:
                     0       Develop system wide (Kissimmee/Okeechobee/Everglades Watershed) water budget and projections of
                             future water demands by consumptive users in the landscape (urban, agriculture etc).
                     0       Develop a range of water requirements (volume, timing, placement, and conveyance requirements) to
                             support critical natural system structure and functions.
                     0       Determine the capacity of a restored system (an Everglades minus the water control structures that currently
                             comprise the WCA's) to accommodate rainfall extremes while providing a significant capacity to absorb
                             storm water run-off from the developed adjacent areas.

                     Research Question   6: Given the reduced spatial extent of the system, can adequate gradients and throughput be
                     restored to support the freshwater inflow requirements of the downslope systems (i.e. estuarine and ENP) without
                     sacrificing critical system structure and functions.
                             Approach:
                     16      Based or, critical water needs (amount, timing etc.) of South Florida system components (estuary, urban,
                             ag, northern Everglades, southern Everglades) investigate (feasibility, impacts etc.) various means for
                             moving water from Lake Okeechobee to estuaries and southern Everglades.
                     0       Enhance the landscape level modelling capability (ELM, as per SFWMD) to interact with both S"M
                             and ."natural systems" hydrologic models.

                     Research Question 7: What water quality is necessary to remove inorganic stressors on the system? What level
                     of nutrients/contaminants trigger ecological impairment?
                             Approach:
                     0       Conduct threshold studies for critical system components (periphyton, macrophytes, etc.).
                     0       Perform gradient analysis of relationships between nutrients in walerlsoil and composition, abundance and
                             distribution of periphyton and macrophytes.
                     0       Determine peat accumulation and nutrient sequestering capacity of vegetative communities along gradients
                             of nutrient inputs.

                     Research Question 8: What is the relative, importance of hydrology and nutrients in modifying critical system
                     components?
                             Approach:
                             Perform multivariate analyses on the combined data sets of hydrology, nutrients, and composition,
                             abundance and distribution of vegetation/peri phy ton generated in the gradient analysis described above.



                                                                              42










                        Research Question 9: What forcing *functions, operating on scales from patches to landscape, control the
                        distribution, abundance, and dynamics of the following: periphyton, plant com unities (emergent-cypress), aquatic
                        inverts, fish, amphibians, reptiles, wading birds, snail kites,.small mammals, and large.mammals (deer, panthers).
                                Approach:
                                Synthesize existing information,. identify gaps, and design status and trend studies to determine the
                                distribution, abundance, and population dynamics of the above groups.
                                Determine the relationships (gradient analysis) between environmental factors (nutrients, contaminants,
                                hydrology) and the distribution, abundance, and population dynamics of the above groups (gradient studies,
                                impacted vs. unimpacted areas).
                                Develop trophic relationshipsin the system. (stable isotope ratios?, prey base studies etc).
                                Develop a family o f models to investigate relationships between controlli  ng variables and flora and fauna
                                components.
                                Conduct studies to determine if fauna movements are altered due to compartmentalization (fish, amphibians
                                herps)

                        Research question 10: How ran the predrainage vegetative landscape patterns be recreated within the context of
                        existing spatial and hydrologic limitations?
                                Approach:
                        0       Develop a set (hierarchical) of landscape succession models to examine restoration scenarios. (Based on
                                analysis of water requirements for system components - see hydrology objectives).
                        .0      Develop indices of 'ecological integrity" at scales app ropriate to the individual target groups (periphyton -
                                landscape)
                        0       Conduct status and trend analyses of biodiversity as measured by vertebrate species richness (minimum).
                        0       Combine information from natural system models with paleoecological data to determine correlations
                                between hydrologic forcing functions and vegetative patterns and dynamics.
                        0       Conduct time series analyses on from hydrologic models and relate to patterns in vegetation data.

                        Research Question 11: What constitutes impairment of ecological integrity?
                                Approach:
                        0       Develop a suite of indices to evaluate ecological integrity.
                        0       Conduct studies to compare faunal differences along gradients and extremes of water/sediment quality.

                        Research Question 12: What nutrients and contaminants are of concern?
                                Approach:
                                Using information on local, regional, global sources and transport mechanisms develop a list of nutrients
                                and contaminants that warrant investigation.

                        Research Question 13: What levels of nutrients and contaminants trigger impairment of ecological integrity?
                                Approach:
                        0       Based on existing information on sources, transport, fate, and effect determine measurement endpoints for
                                the nutrients and contaminants *of concern.
                        0       Conduct a system wide survey of nutrient and contaminant presence and/or effect using the appropriate
                                endpoints.
                        0       -Develop threshold values for selected nutrients and contarninants via existing information, gradient analysis,
                                or dosing studies.

                        Research question   14: What are the effects of exotics on system components and processes?
                                Approach:
                                Map distribution and abundance of exotic species.
                                Determine the linkages between the spread of exotics and alterations in critical ecosystem components and
                                processes.




                                                                                  43











                           Develop a procedure for prioritizing exolics for control,

                  Research question 15: What are the best methods to control exotics?
                           Approach: -
                  0        Investigate the use of biological controls for exotics.
                  0        Determine which exotics may be controlled (or spread) by disturbances and changes in the forcing functions
                           as a result of compartmentalization or restoration.

                  Research Question 16: What was predrainage fire frequency and aerial extent of fire?
                           Approach:
                           Conduct coring studies to determine the extent and, frequency of fire.

                  Research Question 17: Given the reduced spatial extent of the system, can patterns of fire frequency and extent
                  be restored?
                           Approach:
                           Integrate fire ecology into hydrologic models.








































                                                                         44












                                        SUBREGION 6: EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK AND
                                                        THE BIG CYPRESS PRESERVE



                             Subregion 6 comprises the Big Cypress watershed north to the Caloosahatchee River watershed including
                    the Panther National Wildlife Refuge and the Fakahatchee Strand. Subregion 7 consists of the non-marine southern
                    Everglades region and is coincident with the freshwater and terrestrial portions of Everglades National Park and the
                    adjacent authorized East Everglades acquisition lands. Ile writing team addressed research needs in the context
                    of major ecological issues. Ile most fundamental concerns in these subregions, particularly as they relate to the
                    concept of restoration of the regional ecosystem can be articulated as the need to understand the nature and
                    implications of ecological change within subregions 6 and 7 The changes include all those kido'wn or suspected to
                    have occurred in the subregions since the period prior to the earliest organized drainage enterprises of the late 19th
                    century.

                    MAJOR ISSUE: Ground and surface water patterns have been changed.

                    Backeround


                             Current flow patterns in the Everglades National Park are strongly influenced by management of the
                    impoundments to the north, extensive agricultural and urban pumping, and the drainage canals to the north and east.
                    Water level declines have occurred throughout the Park, the major declines occurring along the eastern Park
                    boundary in Northeast Shark Slough, Rocky Glades and northern Taylor Slough. At times, western Shark Slough
                    receives large regulatory releases, substantially altering natural water patterns, transforming what were originally
                    peripheral wetlands into a main flow way. Abnormally steep seasonal recessions of water levels and large discharges
                    for flood control purposes result in unnatural hydroperiods and hydropatterns.

                             Recent urban and agricultural expansion have caused the lowering of the water tables north of the Big
                    Cypress Preserve. Water level declines in Big Cypress originate along the northern boundary and extend southward.

                             Hydrological restoration efforts in the remaining wetlands are based on the reestablishment of natural
d                   hydroperiods and hydropatterns. In order to define what the natural water levels should be, information is needed
                    concerning pre-drainage and historical hydrology. Development of this fundamental knowledge depends upon
                    research on many hydrologic processes.
d                   Current Research

                             Several aspects of the hydrology of subregions 6 and 7 are under current investigation by the Park and
d                   Preserve research staff. In addition, extensive monitoring of stage levels is ongoing. Fifty stations are active
                    throughout the freshwater Everglades and 12 in the Big Cypress National Preserve. The investigations include:
                    Shark Slough Experimental Water Delivery Evaluation, An Assessment of Changes in Discharges and Resulting
d                   Marsh Water Levels in the Lower C-1 I I Basin'in response to the C-1 I I Interim Project, Management of Water".
                    Levels in the C-1 I I Basin, and Urban Runoff Retention, Taylor Slough Demonstration Project Assessment, Taylor
                    Slough Delivery Formula Testing, Shark Slough Delivery Formula Development/Testing, Shark Slough Modified
                    Water Deliveries FDM Assessments, Natural System Model Improvements, Regional Hydrologic
                    Assessments/Restoration Modeling in the Everglades, Operational Studies - Modified Water Deliveries and Canal
                    I I I GRR, and C&SF Restudy/South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Support.
Id                  Critical Ouestions and Research A12vroach

                    1. How does evapotranspiration rate vary across vegetation type and soil type and depths?
d                            Approach:

                                                                              45
d











                                Evaporation is a large, but little known, component of the water budget that must be better defined for
                      calibration and verification of models and water budgets. Set up field measurement stations at six different
                      communities -within the freshwater Everglades and Big Cypress basin for long-term monitoring.

                      2. What are the spatial characteristics of the shallow aquifer below the freshwater Everglades and Big Cypress
                      basin?
                                Approach:
                                Very little subsurface information exists on the shallow aquifer's depths, transmissivities and storage
                      coefficients. A field program is needed to better define these parameters. Test wells and core analysis coupled with
                      surface geophysics wiH be included for a comprehensive analysis of the subsurface.

                      3. What are the land elevations in the western sections of the freshwater Everglades and the entire Big Cypress
                      basin?
                                Approach:
                                Approximately 50 percent of the freshwater Everglades has not been surveyed and none exists in the Big
                      Cypress   basin. This is a fundamental data set and is needed for all hydrological and ecological modeling and
                      analysis. Conventional surveying coupled with testing of remote techniques will be used.

                      4. What   are the overland flow characteristics in the wetlands of the freshwater Everglades and the Big Cypress
                      basin?    Approach:
                                In order to quantify wetland flows and freshwater releases to the estuaries the basic parameters relating to
                      flow resistance are needed. Parameter determination using both laboratory and field experiments will be conducted.

                      5. What are the infiltration rates in different soil and vegetation communities of the freshwater Everglades and Big
                      Cypress basin?
                                Approach:
                                This parameter is used in water budget calculations and hydrologic modeling and quantifies seepage
                      between the surface water and ground water. Field studies will be conducted in areas with different soil
                      characteristics.


                      6. What are the ground water seepage rates to the canals and estuaries?
                                Approach:
                                Large seepage flows are known to or-cur from the natural areas to the canals along ENP's eastern boundary
                      and from the canal to the natural areas along the northern boundaries of BC and ENP. Also, both surface and
                      ground water flows to the lower estuaries have not been quantified. Using both test wells and flow meters these
                      flows will be better defined during a long term field study.

                      7. What are the rainfaIl/runoff relationships and the natural variability of water levels within the freshwater
                      Everglades and Big Cypress basin?
                                Approach:
                                To determine the operational schemes that promote EC and ENP restoration; relationships between stages,
                      flows and rainfall need to be established to guide water managers. Using physically based and statistical models,
                      formulas will be refined, developed and evaluated to guide water deliveries to the natural areas.

                      8. What are the pre-drainage hydroperiods and hydropatterns within the freshwater Everglades and Big Cypress
                      basin?
                                Approach:
                                This information is needed to guide the restoration effort. Comparisons can be made between the
                      pre-drainage and drainage periods to evaluate natural spatial and temporal water distributions withim a reduced
                      Everglades. Using historical information and models these relationships will be developed and analyzed.



                                                                                 46











                   MAJOR ISSUE: Significance of Soil Changes i           n Sub-regio.Ls 6 & 7 for Hydrological and Biological
                   Restoration of the Everglades

                   Background

                   Drainage has caused a loss of surficial organic soils throughout much of the Everglades as, a result of accelerated
                   oxidation and wildfires, which have been enhanced by drainage.

                            Soil formation rates are little known for the marl and peat types in the region, but are relatively high for
                   the latter and low for the former. The qualitative role of vegetation in the form of arboreal, macrophyte or
                   periphyton in forming the broad soil types is generally known, but how and why the rates differ is not. In coastal
                   areas, strong hurricanes move large quantities of sediments around, reshaping ground elevations, creating or
                   destroying natural levees and otherwise modifying topography. Such episodic processes influence vegetation
                   development and local hydrology and therefore animal habitat over extensive coastal areas that extend into the
                   freshwater Everglades.

                            The overall soil mass influences the hydrologic dynamics of the Everglades in several ways. By mantling
                   the limestone substrate with varying depths of sediment accumulation, local topography is modified. This influences
                   sheet flow dynamics, ground water recharge, and seasonality of flows and hydroperiods thus helping to define
                   wetland hydrological characteristics. Soils also contribute to the timing and storage components of the water budget
                   by influencing such properties as hydrauli; conductivity rate and water retention capacity. Deep peat deposits, for
                   example, store water long after precipitation events, thus mediating a gradual, lagged release of water long after
                   the cessation of the wet season.
                            The distribution and depth of peat and marl soils and associated characteristic vegetation types (including
                   periphyton) structure habitat for terrestrial and aquatic animals. 'Changes in soils, whether natural or man-caused,
                   alter this function, creating new vegetation types and related animal communities.

                            Most of the known or suspected soil changes have occurred within Subregion 7, particularly in the
                   Northeast Shark Slough area, Rocky Glades and adjacent Taylor Slough. Reduction in peat depths also seems likely
                   in Shark Slough proper, but little evidence is available for drawing conclusions. Alteration of deposits related to
                   hurricanes are to be expected in the southwest area, on the mainland north of Florida Bay, Cape Sable and along
                   the Gulf Coast. Changes in soils that have occurred in the adjacent Water Conservation Areas have affected the
                   hydrologic regime and habitat in Subregions 6 and 7.


                   Current Research


                            Little research on soils is being conducted in the sub-regions, except that incidental to other topics such
                   as mercury accumulation in sediments. Ile Center for Climate Research of the University of Wisconsin is,
                   however, engaged in an analysis of sediment cores taken from a wide area including Water Conservation Area 3,
                   the Everglades,and the Florida Keys. 'Me study's purpose is to reconstruct historic vegetation patterns and infer
                   hydrologic conditions from paleoecological materials. Results are expected in late 1995.

                   Critical Ouestions and Research A12vroaches

                   1. What are the formation rates of the major soil types and what are the critical hydrologic and vegetation factors
                   determining the rates?
                            Approach:
                            Estimate past formation rates from isotope activity profiles. Estimate present and future rates by creating
                   marker horizons or other procedures for measuring accretion of soil materials in major ecosystem types in sub-
                   regions 6 and 7.

                   2. Over what area have soils been altered as a direct and indirect result of overdrainage?

                                                                            47












                             Approach:
                             Complete modem soil survey across sub-regions 6 and 7. Compare results with past surveys. Combine with
                    survey data from adjacent areas. Include estimates of hydraulic properties, total ma s and volume, state of
                    decorn position and related characteristics in relation to spatial pattern.

                    3. Within the major basins that have experienced alterations, what are the estimated volumes (area and depth) of
                    soil losses and how has the local topography been affected?
                             Approach:
                             Use historical dating of sediments in areas to reconstruct soil depth profiles and determine age of surficial
                    layers. Compare present soil composition and depth to predicted soil composition as inferred from vegetation
                    pattern..

                    4. How have the relationships between vegetation and soil types changed since pre-drainage times?
                             Approach:
                             Develop a model of landscape vegetation-soil dynamics that allows for hindcasting of soil formation'
                    dynamics from historic vegetation data. Include treatment of periphyton calcite formation and marl soil formation
                    and how these processes vary with changes in periphyton composition and mass.

                    5. What is the significance of the soil changes for sheet flow and ground water recharge?
                             Approach:
                             Simulate hydrol- gy of selected sub-basins within the region incorporating explicit simulation of soils based
                                              0                                                                                                       1
                    on measurements of soil physical and chemical properties.

                    6. What is the role of the major organic soil and marl soil types for aquatic food chain support?
                             Approach:
                             Conduct field, laboratory and mesocosin studies of mineralization and uptake of nutrients from common
                    organic and marl soil types in natural systems. Note that some of this work is proposed below under aquatic
                    invertebrates.
                             In related work, investigate transfer of soil generated nutrients into aquatic food chains. Determine, through
                    field and mesocosm studies how uptake and food chain transfers vary with habitat, soil type and hydrology. Note
                    that some of this work is proposed below in the water quality section.


                    NLAJOR ISSUE: Changes in water quality in the Everglades.

                    Background


                       Ile historic Everglades was a hardwater, oligotrophic system depending primarily upon rainfall for nutrients.
                    Flows from LAke Okeechobee periodically augmented the northern Everglades's supply of nutrients, suspended
                    organic particles, dissolved organic, and other materials. Now the Everglades is subject to intense disruptions of
                    geocliemical processes due to human activities. along its margins, and to some extent from atmospheric transport
                    processes. With the advent of many intense land use changes, notably he drainage and cultivation within he
                    Everglades Agricultural Area, development of the eastern coastal ridge, phosphorus and other materials are delivered
                    to the Everglades in quantities significantly above historic levels. The consequences of such enrichment can be
                    understood from the extensive development of cattail stands in phosphorus enriched areas formally dominated by
                    sawgrass.


                    The Everglades is protected by, among other standards (including nondegradation standards), Florida's Class III
                    narrative nutrient stan dard. This standard requires hat nutrient additions shall not be permitted at levels which
                    cause an imbalance in fauna or flora.
                    Present technology to treat agricultural runoff, the primary source of excess phosphorus currently reaching the
                    Everglades in large amounts, is expensive and untried in the oligotrophic range for phosphorus. Thus there is great


                                                                              48










                    interest in determini--ig the "threshold" number which when adopted will represent a maximum concentration which
                    can be delivered without harm to natural communities of the Everglades.

                    Ile agricultural industry has spent several million dollars -in determining that level by fie Id dosing studies in WCA-
                    2B. The state is embarking upon a $6.6 million effort, based upon transect and field mesocosm res-earch, but
                    believes controlled dosing in channels is not feasible or necessary. However many scientists feel that direct
                    application of nutrients under controlled hydroperiod will be necessary to determine a protective phosphorus
                    standard, as outlined in the TOC's 1992 report. The federial members of the TOC have recommended that sucif
                    studies be implemented immediately.

                    The Department of Environmental Protection will make the final determination of the standard through their
                    administrative procedures to report a number by 2001.

                    Current Research


                    Ile sole research activity in the two sub-regions at present is an field-intensive, multi-channel dosing study being
                    planned for the freshwater Everglades in Shark Slough-within ENP. The project is presently undergoing research
                    design refinement and peer review and will begin in next fiscal year. Results are expected to satisfy administrative
                    needs to determine a field threshold for phosphorus effects in the freshwater Everglades and provide much basic
                    data on n utrient dynan3dcs and ecological effects.

                    Critical Ouestions and Research Annroaches


                    '
                    1. What levels of biogeochemical disturbance are compatible with the restoration and preservation of a viable
                    Everilades system?
                              Approach:
                              a) Estimates of rates of influx, storage, recycling, and loss to the Everglades system are fundamentally
                    important. Mass balance models are a first step and can be constructed from available information. More refined
                    models requiring new data gathering efforts can then be prescribed and assembled.
                              b) finer scale models of process dynamics for phosphorus, -nitrogen, selected ions (including mercury)
                    should simultaneously b@ initiated to refine internal cycling relationships, including the dynamics of movement and
                    accumulation in the food web.
                              c) Special emphasis in both large scale mass-balance models and fine internal process investigations should
                    be dedicated to the role of organics, both dissolved and particulate, in the evaluation of the natural and culturally
                    impacted biogeochemicals of the modem Everglades.
                    2. What threshold value for total phosphorus can be released to the Everglades system from the Everglades
                    Agricultural Area, eastern ridge urban development, and the southeastern catchment basin?
                              Approach:
                              Develop an experimental design with adequate statistical power ard reliable technology to provide accurate
                    concentrations and flow measurements under rigorous field conditions. Implement the design in appropriate areas
                    of the Everglades system; collect a minimum of @ years of field data.

                    3. What sources, modes of transport, interaction with organic matter, and sinks exist for pesticides used on the
                    periphery of the Everglades? What are the pathways for bioaccumulation into the food web of the Everglades?
                    What additional monitoring of these phenomena is necessary?
                              Approach:
                              Much of the current monitoring for pesticides may detect some of the compounds because they are bound
                    to the high organic content of the i6flows to the Everglades. Additional research to determine the compounds
                    currently in use, the timing of usage, the interactions likely to occur within the water column and within sediments
                    is necessary. Small scale field and laboratory projects are required.

                    4. What are the full effects of water quality decline on the plant and animal communities of the Everglades?


                                                                                49












                             Approach:
                             A great deal of new research and monitoring has been initiated by the recent litigation. Follow-up studies
                   which replicate sampling of water quality and plant responses along transects in the WCA's and Everglades National
                   Park are needed to document future trends. Particularly needed are replicated field studies of comwunity and
                   species functions and properties from sites located along transects that are accurately characterized as to sediment,
                   water column, detritus and biomass content of N and P. Related work should include mesocosm and laboratory
                   studies of the effects of nutrient. additions and changing ratio- upon periphyton, macrophytes, decomposers and
                   short-lived consumers.



                   MAJOR ISSUE: Vegetation Changes

                   Background


                   Ile vegetation of the two sub-regions is controlled to a large degree by a few interrelated facto         rs, including
                   elevation,, substrate characteristics, hydroperiod, water depths, and several aspects of fire. Disturbances such as
                   freezes, hurricanes, droughts, and nutrient enrichment also play a role in determini g vegetation structure and
                   function. Human-induced changes such as modification of hydrology, altered fire regime, loss of organic soils and
                   the introduction of exotic pest plants have caused both obvious and subtle changes in vegetation. Distinguishing
                   natural from anthropogenic sources of vegetation change is important for evaluating restoration success. Although
                   vegetation in sub-regions 6 and 7 for the most part is relatively little altered compared to other sub-regions, evidence
                   suggests that important components of the freshwater and terrestrial vegetation of the region (especially sub-region
                   7 but also to some extent sub-region 6) are in disequilibriurn with respect to present hydrology, soils and fire
                   regime.

                   Numerous general descriptions of vegetation in ENP and BC exist. Currently the University of Georgia is
                   developing a before- and after-Hurricane Andrew vegetation map. of ENP, BC, and Biscayne National Park that
                   would represent the first detailed map of the combined area. Several relatively small scale vegetation maps have
                   already been completed for selected areas of ENP and BC. Unfortunately, there is no systematic program to
                   monitor vegetation in ENP and BC. Those permanent plots that exist are neither well documented nor routinely
                   sampled. However a series of aerial photographs exists for most of the area dating back 30 years or more. Changes
                   in physiognomy over the last few decades can be detected by comparing remote imagery, but more subtle changes
                   in species composition cannot.


                   Current Research


                   Most of the previous vegetation research in subunits 6 and 7 is related to exotic plants or fire. Current studies
                   concentrate on the impacts of Hurricane Andrew on the structure of forested communities: mangroves', hammocks
                   and pinelands.

                   Critical Ouestions and Research Approaches


                   1. What changes have occurred in the south Florida vegetation pattern since the pre-drainage era?          How can we
                   detect future changes?
                             Approach:
                             a. Conduct paleolimnological studies of Deep LAke and other similar features to document changes over
                   the last few thousand years.
                             b. Using available imagery and field data, document changes that have occurred over the last several
                   decades.
                             c. Develop a comprehensive vegetation monito.ring program using a combination of remotely sensed
                   imagery and permanent plots.



                                                                              50










                   2. What environmental factors have been responsible for the observed changes in vegetation structure? What is
                   their relative importance?
                             Approach:
                             a. Conduct field experiments which include manipulation of suspected factors, including hydroperiod, water
                   depth, water quality, substrate, and fire.
                             b. Develop a process model of vegetation development for selected major vegetation types based on results
                   of field experiments and on relationships 3f vegetation pattern to site characte ristics at a large number of sites.

                   3. Where a given vegetation cover type has persisted since the pre-drainage era, what changes have occurred in
                   composition and productivity?
                             Approach:
                             Within major ve getation types, measure accumulated standing crops and estimate present rates of primary
                   production using standard harvest methods and repeated sampling appropriate to habitat and vegetation type.
                   Compare areas differing in present condition and recent history. Develop a stand development or growth model that
                   takes into account influences of hydrologic regime and sporadic events such as fires and freezes.

                   4. To what extent is plant succession a factor in determining vegetation composition and development?
                             Approach:
                             Reconstruct historical patterns based on archival information. Determine fire, hurricane and freeze
                   cb-ronologies for documented sites. Review botanical literature from other hurricane-prone regions. Establish
                   temporal trends for selected sites using earlier studies (including Hurricane Andrew plots) and archived information.
                   Continue plot analysis where plot locations from past studies can be determined. Establish a permanent plot network
                   with standardized sampling to evaluate future trends.

                   5. What is the status of special (rare or listed) plant populations? How can the long-term survival of these
                   populations be assured?
                             Approach:
                             a. Design and implement a monitoring program for populations of special plant species.
                             b. For species suspected to be in decline, conduct detailed studies of population dynamics, including
                   manipulative experiments, if necessary.

                   6. To what extent have ex   otic species disrupted natural community function and what needs to be done to minimize
                   these effects? What exotic species may pose problems in the future?
                             Approach:
                             a. For the area as a whole and for sites differing in extent of invasion, determine through field studies how
                   community characteristics have been altered.
                             b. Improve control strategies for known problem species through integrated use of herbicides, biological
                   control, and mechanical control including fire.
                             c. Develop autecological profiles for anticipated problem species. e.g., Neyraudia and Rhodomy?ius.


                   AIAJOR ISSUE: Declines infreshwater fish, aquatic invertebrates, and aquatic herpetofauna.

                   Background


                             Natural environmental conditions in the Everglades and Big Cypress vary seasonally, annually, and from
                   ye.ar to year. The effects of periodic environmental variability on aquatic animals are compounded by -sporadic
                   events like hurricanes and severe fires. Ile aquatic animals have a variety of means to cope with environmental
                   variability: movements among habitats to find breeding sites or refuge from drying, resting stages to survive
                   drought, reproductive adaptations, etc. Human-induced 'changes have affected natural variability by altering the
                   seasonality and areal extent of flooding in the wetlands, drainage or impoundment of neighboring marsh systems,



                                                                             51











                       and addition of excess chemicals from urban and agricultural areas. Aquatic communities respond to human-induced
                       changes through loss of diversity, changes in composition and abundance, and probably through alterations in
                       energy-flow pathways. Some changes are subtle and difficult to detect until they are manifested in obvious collapses
                       of native communities and natural processes. As human population pressures increase on the wetland systems, it
                       is crucial to have adequate information to distinguish natural variations in environmental factors and community
                       responses from those produced by human interference. Changes that reduce the population sizes, community
                       composition, or availability of aquatic animals will affect all facets of the ecology of these wetlands.

                               To insure healthy aquatic ecosystems and to be able to detect natural or huma -induced changes in those
                       systems, -baseline data on the constituent aquatic communities and their ecology are needed.            Because the
                       Everglades/Big Cypress system is composed mainly of aquatic habitats, knowledge about fishes is especially
                       important, but fish populations of the area have been understudied.
                       Because of the hydrological changes wrought by drainage and impoundment and, the loss of spatial extent and
                       functioning of former wetlands to development, there can be little doubt that fish standing crops and overall numbers
                       have declined. Those changes to the original system have also altered the timing and the -areas of fish availability
                       to predators, Fish are an important food source for wading birds, alligators, otter, and other higher organisms of
                       the area, some of which are, known to have seriously declined.

                                Freshwater invertebrates are abundant throughout the Everglades/Big Cypress system and important in the
                       transfer of energy through the system, but particularly in the shorter hydroperiod wetlands. These animals operate
                       at several trophic levels: as primary consumers of plant material and detritus to carnivores a nd scavengers. oome
                       species, such as the crayfish and the apple snail, are major prey for fishes and other predatory species, including
                       characteristic or endangered animals like the Snail Kite, Wh@ite Ibis, and American Alligator. Factors that influence
                       invertebrate numbers, biomass, and composition therefore affect energy flow through the wetlands. The ecology
                       and life histories of the invertebrates are intimately tied to the hydrology of the marsh, which is determined. mainly
                       by rainfall, but increasingly by water-management practices.

                                Aquatic berpetofauna such as frogs, toads, salamanders, snakes, and freshwater turtles are often abundant
                       components of the ecosystems in this subregion, serving as both predators and prey. In particular, the amphibians
                       may be found over the widest range of habitats, from temporary pools formed in the wet season to the deepest, most
                       permanent sloughs and strands. Frogs and toads appear to be particularly abundant in short-hydroperiod wetlands.
                       Several species, especially the pig frog, alligator, and Florida softshell turtle, are harvested for food by humans.
                       Those species and others collected for the pet trade provide some economic return in the ecosystem.

                                Anecdotal information from Native Americans and others suggests serious declines in some of the
                       berpetofauna. Despite their importance in the system and concern about their suspected declines, basic
                       biological/ecological data on si-ze-frequericy, food habits, and reproduction for the marsh herpetofauna have not been
                       produced.


                       Current Research


                                Recent investigations include a study of the effects of hydroperiod alteration on marsh food webs, and the
                       study of the effects of Hurricane Andrew on the fish community. A long-term study of the effects of natural and
                       altered hydropattem on aquatic animal community structure and standing stocks in several Everglades marshes is
                       continuing and has been expanded. Since 1990, the Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission has sampled
                       game fishes in this sub-region for mercury concentrations.

                                Freshwater fish and aquatic invertebrates are sampled regularly in Shark River Slough. continuing a data
                       base begun in 1977. Electrofishing in five alligator ponds is done twice a year and, for qualitative purposes, pull
                       traps continue to be employed to sample aquatic animals in the slough.

                       Critical Data Needs and APP   roaches


                                                                                 52










                    1. Within the subregion, collect data on rish, invertebrate, and herpetofauna conununity composition and
                    dynamics on a multi-year basis to understand the functioning and the organization of communities. Undersampled
                    habitats and landscape areas such as the Big Cypress Swamp, the freshwater-mangrove interface, and short-
                    hydroperiod peripheral wetlands should receive emphasis. Ile current sampling program in Shark Slough should
                    be expanded to include aquatic berpetofauna. The data should be related to seasonal and annual environmental
                    variation in. subregion habitats through collections across several years. Methods and sampling frequency should
                    confoim to the current fish and invertebrate sampling program in Everglades National Park and should be
                    coordinated with a regionwide sampling program, if one is developed, so that comparisons can be made among parts
                    of the Everglades subjected to different hydrologic management.

                    2. Life-history parameters and construction of life tables of important fish and invertebrate species remain to
                    be studied at sites that represent a range of sub-region environments. Little work of this kind have been done on
                    the regional aquatic herpetofauna. Methods for accomplishing this work on fish include a study of fish otoliths; for
                    daily growth increments to calculate age at size as well as to estimate growth rates under different seasons and
                    habitats. Studies of fecundity and related parameters are needed to estimate reproductive potential. These studies,
                    in combination with the data from #1 above, would provide the information needed to construct life tables for the
                    major species of aquatic communities living under different conditions within the Everglades.

                    3. Food webs involving the fishes, invertebrates, and aquatic berpetofauna of the subregion are poorly understood,
                    but determining the connections and calculating the flow networks will be valuable. These data are obtained by
                    direct observations of fish gut contents and feeding behaviors, and by stable isotope anal,,sis of fish tissues to
                    determine which plant groups are the primary carbon sources for fishes in different habitats. The data are also
                    useful in predicting the passage of biocontaminants through the system.

                    4. Sampling of aquatic habitats in the subregion is needed to assess ranges, composition, and abundance of non-
                    native fishes, invertebrates, and aquatic herpetofauna. Periodic and well-planned monitoring of habitats not
                    covered by the fish sampling study, in addition to interaction studies discussed under Mesocosm Studies, will be
                    required to fully understand the non-native problem. Possible control strategies will be explored in view of life-
                    history research to identify vulnerable life stages or behaviors that can be targeted.

                    5. Biocontaminant studies have not been done in a systematic manner for fishes and are even more limited for
                    aquatic invertebrates and herpetofauna. Screening for contaminants should be funded on a periodic basis to detect
                    potential problems. Fishes and snakes, in particular, are integrators of contaminants in their environment, so are
                    effective, early-warning animals for contaminant detection. Studies of mercury mobilization, transfer, and direct
                    effects on fish health and behavior are needed.


                    6. Attempts to build credible and useful simulation models for the fishes and invertebrates in this subregion are
                    underway, but are limited by the lack of important data. Ile studies needed to provide those data include those
                    mentioned above (reproduction, recruitment, age, growth, and mortality). There are several landscape-based studies
                    also required to build these models. One would involve the dynamics of fish movements related to the seasonal
                    fluctuations in water level, including composition and numbers in refugia during the dry season, the distances and
                    rates of seasonal dispersal movements, etc. An effective indirect, way to investigate these questions is by using
                    genetic markers to identify population structure in the fish populations, which may provide a gauge of the' degree
                    of mixing of populat ions via dispersal movements.

                    7. Trophic-network modeling of the aquatic community provides a 'circuit diagram," of the pathways and amounts
                    of energy flow and compartmentalization. This modeling approach is a useful diagnostic tool in systems studies.
                    It also has value in tracking the movement of contaminants through the food web. There is a possibility of
                    integrating this kind of model with the simulation models to have a dynamic picture of how changes in the
                    environment translate into community changes and thence into food web shifts. Construction of a trophic network
                    requires better data for the fish-prey population biomass and cycling.


                                                                             53











                       8. An experimental mesocosm has been proposed for construction in Everglades National Park to meet the needs
                       of certain kinds of investigations. If funded, this facility will be useful in answering questions about predator-prey,
                       competitive, and indirect interactions in fish, invertebrate, and herpetofaunal communities. The mesocosm is suited
                       to address questions about the influence of nutrient inputs on marsh food webs. The mesocosm will provide the
                       opportunity to examine introduced/native fish interactions, and to test potential control methods.,


                       MAJOR ISSUE: Declines in mammals dependent on freshwater marsh habitat.

                       Backjzround


                                Although no empirical data exist that would document population trends by most species of mammals
                       occurring in the Everglades/Big Cypress basins, and which are not listed as endangered or threatened, it is widely
                       speculated that several species which are dependent on freshwater marsh habitats have substantially declined due
                       to water management practices. Two species of principal concern are the round-tailed muskrat and the river otter.
                       Other, more upland species such as, the three native squirrels (Gray, Fox, and Southern flying) and the Black Bear
                       have become greatly reduced in numbers and range. In addition, the ecological consequences of an expanding
                       population of introduced feral pigs have not been measured.

                                With the exception of the well-studied panther and deer, we have only limited information on population
                       trends, regional distribution patterns, or on the biology or population ec-logy of most Everglades/Big Cypress
                          mm Is. The basic need is for the development of census protocols for a number of these species, the initiation
                       of censuses based on these protocols, and for a series of field ecology studies for species suspected of having
                       declined and/or been adversely affected by management practices. Recently initiated efforts to design models for
                       predicting population responses by panther and deer to management alternatives must receive a high priority.


                       Current Research


                       Florida Panther and White-tailed Deer continue to be studied and monitored in the Big Cypress region, through
                       projects coordinated by the Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission and Fish and Wildlife Service for the panther,
                       and Dr. Ron Labisky (University of Florida) and the National Park Service for the deer.               'The Systematic
                       Reconnaissance Flights at Everglades National Park include a dry season and wet season census of deer in Shark
                       Slough. A very small study of food habits by feral pigs is being coordinated through Everglades National Park.
                       Development of ATLSS models for panther and deer is continuing, under the direction of Dr. Lou Gross, University
                       of Tennessee, and Dr. Michael Huston, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, respectively. No other mammal projects
                       are, currently active for these sub-regions,

                       Critical Ouestions and Research ApProaches

                       1. Develop and implement long-term census program for Marsh Rabbit, Round-tailed muskrat, River Otter (and
                       others?).

                       2. Conduct base-line censuses for other species suspected of having declined in numbers or had a reduction in range
                       (squirrel species, etc.).

                       3. Establish a study to determine the impacts of the increase and range expansion by feral pigs.

                       4. Continue the development and evaluation of panther and deer models for the freshwater basins of the southem
                       Everglades/Big Cypress.





                                                                                  54





                     NLAJOR ISSUE: Massive declinesin wading birds throughout the region.

                     Background

                             The total number of wading birds nesting in these two sub-regions, for the five species that numerically
                     dominated the traditional, Everglades colonies (Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Tricolored Heron, White Ibis, Wood
                     Stork), has declined by more than 95% from the peak estimates of nesting birds during the 1930s. Peak annual
                     estimates of nesting waders in the region of these traditional colonies was '180,000-245,000 birds during the 1930s
                     compared to peak numbers of 5,700-7,500 nesting birds in the decade between 1984-1993.

                             Wading birds are among the most important       'vertebrate indicators of ecological trends in the Everglades
                     basin. The current wading bird database for the southern Everglades contains considerable information on colony
                     locations, numbers and species of nesting birds, timing and success of colonies, basic reproductive biology and food
                     habits for the principal species, foraging patterns around colonies, regional foraging patterns of total wader
                     populations (Systematic Reconnaissance Flights), long-term population trends. Wading birds have responded to
                     unnatural alterations in hydropatterris by (1) reducing the number of birds attempting to nest, (2) relocating colonies,
                     (3) changing the timing of nesting, and (4) having fewer years of successful nesting. Relocation of nesting has
                     or-cuffed primarily by birds moving away from the traditional colony sites to the Water Conservation Areas.
                     Changes in location and timing of nesting may be the major causes for the great reductions in nesting effort and
                     colony success rates among all species.

                             Substantial improvement in our understanding of the relationships between the decline in wading birds and
                     the changes in hydropatterns in the southern Everglades that have resulted from water management practices will
                     require increased research efforts into (1) the dynamics of the birds' prey populations, and (2) the specific foraging
                     strategies and patterns of the birds that are associated with successful nesting. Wading birds feed primarily on small
                     fishes and the larger aquatic invertebrates, whose production and survival in each of the major habitats/com unities
                     of the Everglades, " affected by water quantity and quality parameters, are poorly measured on a regional basis.
                     The water management strategies that will recover these prey populations, and the ecological processes that must
                     be understood as a framework for designing these management strategies, are yet to be determined.


                     Cur rent Research


                     Wading bird nesting colonies continue to be minimally censused in subregion 6, but not in 7. Total wading bird
                     numbers are measured annually, primarily during 6 dry season months and a single wet season month, by the
                     Systematic Reconnaissance Flights. Dr. Peter Frederick is continuing a study of wading bird foraging behavior
                     related to colony dynamics, in the Water Conservation Areas and in the Shark Slough of subregion 6. Development
                     of the ATLSS wading bird models is being coordinated by Dr. W. F. Wolff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and
                     University of Tennessee.

                     Critical Ouestions and Research Approaches
                     1. Determine the relationships between the chara"cteristics of small fish'/aquatic macroinvertebrate populations and
                     water quantity and quality patterns (including salinity), for major wading bird foraging habitats. Priority study sites
                     should include most mainland, estuarine habitats (tidal and non-tidal creeks, brackish marshes, marl flats, etc.),
                     shorter hydroperiod, freshwater marl prairies, and pond cypressIbald cypress mosaics. Specific questions that
                     should be answered include: Are mainland estuarine habitats potentially more productive of these prey species, and
                     capable of creating higher concentrations, than freshwater habitats, and if so, how and by what processes? Has
                     substantial reductions of freshwater flow into the mainland estuaries resulted in a degraded prey base for wading
                     birds?


                     2. Expand and standardize wading bird colony censuses, to include all of subregions 6 and 7 and integrate with a



                                                                               55











                     regionwide censusing effort. Regional response patterns by wading birds to hydrological conditions will not be fully
                     known until a comprehensive wading bird colony census is employed. The wading bird colony record is the
                     strongest vertebrate database from the Everglades basin, and its value for showing temporal and spatial responses
                     to management practices, is increasingly appreciated.

                     3. Examine the Systematic Reconnaissance Flight database (1985-1994) to determine whether regional foraging
                     patterns by wading birds provide insights into the dynamics of colony patterns, specifically the species composition,
                     number of nesting birds, and the location and timing of nesting. If linkages can be shown between regional
                     hydropatterns, wading bird foraging patterns and colony patterns, these relationships can have strong management
                     applications during the implementation and refinement of experimental programs for Everglades restoration.

                     4. Determine the ecology of the avian nematode parasite, Eustrongylides ignotus. Key questions pertain to possible
                     relationships between this nematode and waters with high nutrient loads, and to the potential for this nematode to
                     cause high rates of mortality among nestling wading birds. One colony in Everglades National Park in 1988
                     (Rodgers River Bay) bad an 80% infestation rate among nestling herons and egrets.

                     5. Continue on-the-ground studies of colony nesting success patterns, particularly to measure relationships between
                     hydrological/climatological parameters and reproductive performance.

                     6. Determine relationships between mercury contamination in the freshwater Everglades/Big Cypress and wading
                     bird reproductive dynamics.

                     7. Continue development and refinement of regional, inter-active wading bird models; evaluate our needs for an
                     array of wading bird models, for dealing with future restoration projects which are expected to occur at a range of
                     spatial scales.


                     MAJOR ISSUE: Decline's in water birds (all species other than wading birds)

                     Background


                              Long-term, qualitative observations in the southern Everglades suggests that most of the formerly common
                     water birds (Pied-billed Grebe, Anhinga, Mottled Duck and wintering waterfowl in general, Coot, Limpkin, etc.)
                     have substantially declined in numbers in the southern Everglades during the past several decades. Relatively little
                     quantitative information exists for these species.

                              Ile common perception is that all species of waterbirds that were once commonly associated with the
                     freshwater Everglades communities have become numerically much less common and less widely distributed in the
                     system. A limited amount of quantitative data exists that supports the perceptions for a few species. The declines
                     are likely due to (1) loss of wetlands, (2) reductions in food availability in remaining wetlands having altered
                     hydropatterns, (3) reductions in food caused by increases in salinity in mainland estuarine lakes, and (4) problems
                     for raigratory species occurring outside of the Everglades.

                              Tle population trends and baseline population measures need to be determined for these species by means
                     of systematic reviews of historical data and the implementation of censuses for select species and habitats.

                     Current Research


                              Except for 4 single, mid-winter census of waterfowl in sub-region 6, and on-going research on the
                     endangered Snail Kite (see Endangered species), no studies of these species are currently active.

                     Critical Ouestions and Research Approaches


                                                                              56










                            lie priority is to develop and A'mplement census protocols for those species not previously censused (grebe,
                    sinhinaa, limpkin), and to review established census protocols for other species (waterfowl, coot). Censusing of
                    several of these species should become, a part of a much more comprehensive, regional census program for the
                    Everglades/Big Cypress basins, designed to measure species responses across a wide range of habitats and for
                    representative species from the full spectrum of food habits guilds.


                    MWOR ISSUE: Decline in numbers and shift in center of distribution of the American alligator

                    Background


                            Ile American Alligator is one of the most ecologically significant of the larger vertebrates in the
                    Everglades and Big Cypress basins. A properly designed monitoring program for this animal can serve both to
                    define the nature of ecological problems in these systems, and as a measure of progress towards achievement of
                    restoration goals. Ecological studies of the alligator in Everglades National. Park have shown that recent water
                    management strategies have caused reduced reproductive effort, increased frequencies of nest flooding, and
                    increased rates of juvenile mortality. While these recent studies have produced valuable information on southern
                    Everglades alligators, considerable additional data is required for improving alligator population models and for
                    .strengthening the utility of this species as an indicator of ecosystem conditions.

                            Amer-an Alligators in the southern Everglades have shown large changes in numbers and distribution in
                    response to the shifting influences of over-harvesting, protection and'habitat alterations. Perhaps the most important
                    ecological change has been the substantial reduction of the population in the higher elevation, freshwater marshes@
                    flanking the deeper sloughs, and in the inner, more freshwater portions of the mainland mangrove regions.
                    Conversely, numbers of alligators have increased in the deeper, central sloughs, in areas that apparently were too
                    deeply flooded in the pre-drainage Everglades to support a large nesting population.

                            The number of adult female alligators that initiated nesting in Shark Slough has been shown to be inversely
                    related to the areal extent of surface water remaining in the study area at the end of each dry season. Thus, the
                    increased frequency of major drydown events in Shark Slough, as a consequence of recent water             management
                    practices, has become the single most important factor respo     risible for reduced production by alligators in the
                    primary habitat for this population.

                            Ile importance of the alligator as an indicator of ecosystem conditions requires that additional research
                    and monitoring be conducted, and that one or more models of alligator population dynamics related to hydrological
                    patterns be developed and evaluated. An improved monitoring capability will require the development of refined
                    census protocols, most importantly for cypress and mangrove communities.

                    Current Research


                    The program of Systematic Reconnaissance Flights to measure alligator nesting effort and success was expanded
                    in 1994 to cover both Shark and Taylor sloughs in sub-region 6. Development of an ATLSS model for the alligator
                    is being 6oordinated by Dr. W.F. Wolff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and University of Tennessee.
                    Critical Ouestions and Research Approaches


                    I - Develop protocols and implement long-term monitoring for measuring alligator nesting patterns related to
                    hydrological conditions, for cypress, mangrove, and marl soil Everglades communities,

                    2. Develop protocol and implement monitoring of seasonal and annual alligator population structure (age and sex
                    classes) related to community types.

                    3. Determine daily and seasonal activity patterns, movements, activity ranges, and habitat preferences by sex and

                                                                              57











                    age classes; seasonal food habits by sex and age classes; and sex and age specific growth and survival rates.

                    4. Continue the development, evaluation and refinement of alligator population model(s).


                    MAJOR ISSUE: The continuing, possibly accelerating, loss of species from the upland communities of sub-
                    regions 6/7 and the Florida Keys.

                    Backeround

                    The initial thinking and planning about restoration of the Everglades focused on the expansive wetlands. The fact
                    that upland biotic communities are an integral part of the Southern Everglades ecosystem has often been entirely
                    overlooked or dismissed with token comment. It is not well recognized that: 1) The fragmented uplands at the
                    southern extremities of the coast ridges in sub-regions 6/7 and the Florida Keys harbor most of the biological
                    endemism that exists in the region's terrestrial communities as well as a large proportion of regional biotic diversity;
                    2) Within sub-regions 6/7, economic development has eliminated 65 to 80 percent of the original upland habitats
                    (pine forest, tropical/subtropical hardwood forest, short-bypdroperiod prairie); 3) Reduced habitat area and
                    deteriorated habitat quality have apparently resulted in an on-going loss of plant and animal species, including
                    endemics, from the upland communities of sub-regions 6/7; 4) Although issues of bio-diversity are frequently
                    discussed in relation to Everglades wetlands, all of the known and imminently threatened losses of species in ..the
                    present sub egions appear to be associated with uplands.

                    Current Research


                              Surveys of upland bird communities of Long Pine Key are being conducted. Results are being interpreted
                    in relation to hurrican6 damage and potential for restoration. The work is funded out of the Hurricane Andrew
                    research program. Similar work is focused on red-cockaded woodpeckers. Breeding colonies are under intensive
                    observation over several or more years. Both projects are noted in the Hurricane Research Program table.

                    Critical Ouestigns and ReseaLch Approaches:

                              The objective of this study is to understand the widespread loss of bio-diversity from upland commu       nities
                    in southern Florida and determine whether feasible corrective measures exist.

                              'ne principal research tasks are: 1) Characterize the temporal and spatial patterns of all documentable loss
                    or decline of species in the uplands of sub-regions 6nand the Florida Keys; 2) Determine in detail how these
                    patterns relate to the direct and indirect effects of upland development and to possible non-anthropogenic forces;
                    and 3) Investigate the feasibility of available means to correct, mitigate, or restore biotic losses in upland
                    communiti   es,


                              Ile study would look intensively at past'and present biotas and land-use history of upland communities in
                    the Big Cypress are, southeastern nmialand Florida, and the Florida Keys. This work probably would involve travel
                    to major mu eums in the eastern and central U.S. where biological collections from relevant areas are deposited.
                    As the research develops, it may be advisable to examine specific aspects of upland communities farther north in
                    the Everglades system or comparable habitats south of Florida (northern Bahamas, Cuba).


                                                                                                                                                        k


                                                                                                                                                        k

                                                                                                                                                        1b












                            SUBREGION 8: FLORIDA BAY-FLORIEDA KEYS-FLORIDA REEF TRACT-
                                     SOUTH BISCAYNE BAY-AND ADJACENT COASTAL AREAS


                               Subregion 8 includes a diversity of marine, estuarine, fringing, and terrestrial habitats. It consists of the
                      Atlantic coast estuaries from Biscayne Bay to Barnes Sound, the Florida K,@ys, the Florida reef tract, Florida Bay,
                      and west coast estuaries from Ponce de Leon Sound to Charlotte Harbor. This area is characterized as shallow
                      water of natural salinities with extensive seagrass habitat which is important nursery areas for reef species. Florida
                      Bay proper is included with the fringing mangrove habitat. Ile Florida Keys include hardwood hammocks, coastal
                      strand communities, and fringing mangrove, beach or rocky habitat. The reef tract is characterized by a rich
                      biodiversity which requires clear, naturally oligotrophic ocean water. This report presents a plan for research for
                      this subregion with the purpose of promoting recovery as defined by the Science Sub Group Report on the Federal
                      Objectives for the Restoration of South Florida. The major issue for this area is the alteration in quantity, timing,
                      location, and quality of freshwater inflow to estuaries that is associated with drainage and flood control practices.

                               The diversity of this subregion is such that while there is much information available on each area there
                      is no information on how these areas are linked either physically or biologically. In particular, the imp act of waters
                      adjacent to the subregion including, fresh, estuarine, and oceanic on the hydrography is not well described nor are
                      the impact of these processes on the ecology of the area. Specifically the following questions have been developed
                      which need to be addressed: 1) how will hydrological changes, both in the quality and quantity of fresh, estuarine,
                      and oceanic waters from all boundaries impact the coastal waters and associated habitats from Barnes Sound to
                      Charlotte Harbor; 2) how will sealevel rise impact the area and interact with anthropogenic changes; 3) how does
                      water quality impact subregions upstream from subregion 8; 4) how will the hydrolgic regime be further altered by
                      continued development in   Monroe, Dade and Collier countie    s; 5) what are the main land-sea-human interactions
                      within the area?


                               Many plans have been developed or are already in place that address the management of specific areas
                      within the subregion. To determine the extent to which these plans address the above critical questions, all these
                      plans were reviewed. These plans also were reviewed to determine the extent to which they covered the sub-region.
                      Research recommendations are designed to fill information gaps that were identified.   'Me plans that were reviewed
                      include the Interagency Science Plan for Florida Bay, Water quality Protection Plan for the Florida Keys National
                      Marine Sanctuary, Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) Plan for Biscayne Bay, the FKNMS
                      Draft Environmental Impact Statement and Management Plan, the West Florida Shelf- Past, Present, and Future,
                      Surface Water Improvement and Management Plan for the Everglades (which includes consideration of freshwater
                      flow to Eame's Sound, Manatee Bay, and Florida Bay and its associated estuaries, through Whitewater Bay), An
                      Environmental Characterization' of the Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve: Phase 1, NOA.Ats
                      Florida Bay Implementation Plan, Management Agreement for Backcountry Portions of Key West National Wildlife
                      Refuge, Great VUte Heron National Wildlife Refuge, and National Key Deer Refuge. Two plans which are in the
                      process of implementation are included with this report because they represent most of the total area within the
                      subregion. These two plans are the Science Plan for Florida Bay; and the Water Quality Plan for the Florida Keys
                      National Marine Sanctuary.

                      RECOW11ENDATIONS


                               A comprehensive strategic plan that includes all the wildlife refuges within the subregion and perhaps.the
                               state should be developed by the Fish and Wildlife Service. A research implementation plan must be
                               developed which includes impacts of continued development on habitat, especially as related to endangered
                               species. Research priorities include: a) determining the ecology and status of the Key deer and impacts
                               of habitat loss or change on population status and condition; b) impact of prescribed burning on habitat and
                               guidelines concerning frequency, timing, usefulness; c) a species inventory emphasizing endangered species
                               an d determination of candidate species for listing under the ESA.


                                                                                59











                             The only coastal areas not included under an existing plan, are a) a small area of the bay adjacent to both
                             the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Everglades National Park and b) the northern and
                             southeastern parts of Biscayne Bay. This area needs to be included within under an existing plan,. Both
                             DOI/NPS (including the Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park), the DOC/NOAA and the
                             state of Florida/DEP need to determine how to best include these waters in their areas to insure proper
                             management and protection.

                             Each agency needs to develop an implementation plan relative to their jurisdictional responsibilities. Plans
                             need to be complementary and supplementary in scope and all attempts to minimize overlap must be made.

                    0        A complete biological inventory of the sub-region must be completed by the agency with primary
                             jurisdictional responsibility for each area within the subregion. Monitoring of all endangered and
                             threatened species must be continued to insure recovery.

                    0        Linkages between upland influences relative to coastal habitat need to be better defined and identified in
                             all existing plans.







































                                                                            .60










                                         SUBREGION 9: LOWER EAST COAST URBAN AREA


                             Subregion 9, the Lower East Coast, extends just over 100 miles from West Palm Beach to Florida C         ity.
                     it encompasses those portions of Dade, Broward, and south-central Palm Beach County that lie east of Everglades
                     National Park and the Water Conservation Areas. Ile area is primarily urban, forming a megalopolis that stretches
                     almost the entire extent of the Subiegion, but it also contains substantial agricultural acreage, particularly in the
                     southwestern part of Dade County.

                             The Lower Fast Coast's demands        for water,  energy; recreation, housing, and other services have
                     considerable impact on the other subregions of South     Florida. The Lower East Coast is tied to these other
                     subregions principally by water. Groundwater, dependent partly on recharge by the canals extending from Lake
                     Okeechobee, is the major water source for the urban areas. Releases from the regional system help prevent
                     saltwater intrusion along the coast. Tlese dernands affect the water needs of the lake and those areas connected
                     to the lake by the St. Lucie Canal and the Caloosahatchee River. Water needs and drainage demands of the
                     agricultural area in extreme western Dade Co. impact the water supply to Everglades National Park and Florida
                     Bay. Dade County groundwater is the primary source of drinking water for the Florida Keys. Subregion 9 is on
                     the downstream receiving end of many surface water discharges from other subregions. Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay,
                     and the north Florida Keys receive discharges from the Lower East Coast. Residents of Subregion 9 and tourists
                     benefit from the wildlife resources and recreational values of surrounding subregions, especially those near the
                     metropolitan area, such as Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, Florida Bay and the Florida Keys,
                     and the Water Conservation Areas. Tle recognized tourism values of these nearby areas enhance the image and
                     economy of the Lower East Coast and are a primary reason many people travel to or through Subregion 9. In
                     addifion, the fishery resources of these areas and the products of the agricultural areas provide food for the Lower
  d                  East Coast.
  d                  OBJECTIVES

                     The primary goal of proposed research in Subregion 9 is to determine ways to reduce or reverse the impacts of the
                     area's population growth and continuing land development on the natural systems of South Florida and to enhance
                     the expected benefits of the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration to the quality of life in the metropolitan and rural
                     areas.
  id                 BACKGROUND
  d                           The Lower East Coast has many types of topographic features that provide many habitats. natural tributary
                     drainage. The outstanding topographic feature region is the Atlantic Coastal Ridge, a narrow limestone ridge (2-10
                     miles wide) that borders the Atlantic Ocean and forms a barrier between it and the Everglades basin. The cities
                     of the Lower East Coast initially developed alorig the ridge; now they extend far beyond it.
  d
                              The Coastal Ridge was historically covered with pines and palmetto, interspersed with hardwood
                     hammocks. Even with intensive urban development, the Lower East Coast still contains many representatives of
  d                  most natural plant communities characteristic of South Florida, although these are now reduced, fragmented and
                     stressed. 'Mese include beach and dune; mangrove swamp; coastal saltwater marsh; freshwater marsh; maritime
                     hammock; coastal strand; rockland hammock; pine rocklands; scrub; sandy pine flatwoods; and short-hydroperiod
  d                  wet prairie. Some of these vegetation communities, as well as many individual plant species within them, are
                     endemic only to South Florida and areprotected in parks in the three counties.
  d                           The Lower East Coast is the most heavily urbanized part of Florida. With a combined population of more

                                                                              61
  d












                     than 4 million people, the three counties of Subregion 9 are home to more than-30% of the residents of the state
                     of Florida. Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach counties are 1, 2, and 3 respectively in the state's population rankings.
                     Dade County contains almost 15 % of the state's population.

                              Water availability in the region depends on rainfall and storage capacity in the surface and groundwater
                     systems. 'Me Lower East Coast is a producer, as well as South Florida's largest consumer, of fresh water. The
                     state's heaviest rainfall occurs along the Fast Coast ridge between West Palm Beach and Miami, where the annual
                     average is as high as 64 inches (1975 data), compared to on   ly 52 inches over Lake Okeecho   bee.

                              'Me Lower Ea,  '_ st Coast is dependent on shallow, unconfined aquifers for its potable water. Ile Biscayne
                     Aquifer is the largest and most productive unit of the surficial system. It extends northward from Dade County,
                     where its permeability is highest, into Broward and the southern and central parts of Palm Beach County. The
                     USGS considers the Biscayne Aquifer one of the most permeable aquifers ever investigated, and it is probably the
                     most permeable water-table aquifer in the world. Aquifer recharge is mainly by direct infiltration from rainfall.
                     This is supplemented by water carried into the area by canals to supply well fields and prevent coastal saltwater
                     intrusion during the dry season.

                              Drainage of interior wetlands has lowered the water table, altered the natural groundwater flow, eliminated
                     coastal springs and artesian wells, and increased the amplitude of seasonal hydrological fluctuation along the Lower
                     East Coast. Saltwater intrusion has been a concern since coastal well fields showed evidence of increasing splinity
                     more than 40 years ago. Because of the threat of saltwater intrusion, levels of fresh water near the saltwater
                     interface must be maintained higher than the sea level.

                              The Lower East Coast's natural drainage pattern of streams and transverse glades has been almost totally
                     altered and replaced by a marimade system of canals. Roughly 3.2 million acre ft per year of freshwater empty to
                     coastal estuaries in Subregion 9 through 28 main canals of the Central and Southern Florida Project. Half of these
                     are in Dade County and discharge into Biscayne Bay. T'he discharges include stormwater, drainage water from
                     agricultural and urban land, excess water from the water conservation areas, and water released to the Lower East
                     Coast to recharge the groundwater and prevent saltwater intrusion.

                              The Lower East Coast is the center of distribution of non-native plant and animal species introduced into
                     the South Florida environment. Over 300 species of exotic plants are known to be naturalized in natural community
                     fragments in Dade County south of the Miami River. 77he Dade County Park and Recreation Department is
                     involved in intensive exotic removal and maintenance of its natural areas to prevent permanent damage to these areas
                     from invasive non-nati  -ve plants following Hurricane Andrew. A draft U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report
                     identifies 82 nonindigenous fish species, many of which occur in South Florida. Cichlids, such as the oscar and
                     the spotted tilapia, have been extremely successful in establishing populations throughout the Lower East Coast.
                     South Florida has more introduced and established reptiles and amphibians than any other area in the U.S.; many
                     of these species were first observed in the urban areas of Dade County and were introduced as stowaways or as
                     releases by animal dealers or pet owners.

                              In Subregion 9, 19 animal species and 8 plant species might be found that are federally listed as threatened
                     or endangered.



                     NMJOR ISSUES

                     Human Population Growth: Between 1970 and 1990, the population of the three counties of Subregion 9
                     increased by 81 Vo overall.

                     Land Development: The westward expansion of development in Subregion 9 continues to convert wetlands and



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                     agricultural fields to housing subdivisions, shopping centers, roads, office complexes, and, potentially, commercial
                     theme parks. Both urban and agricultural developments are expanding westward into the buffer wetlands just east
                     of the Wqer Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park. Some of the most rapid development, or proposed
                     development, is now occurring in southwest Broward County, much of which is flood-prone wetlands.

                              Land development in wetlands impacts water supply because it reduces areas of standing water      and often
                     leads to a lowering of the water table, which means that less water is stored in the aquifer. Because of the highly
                     permeable surficial aquifer in south Florida, a lowering of the water table in one area affects the water table for
                     miles around. Stormwater discharge increases after land is developed, not only because of additional drainage
                     works to provide flood control, but also because creation of impervious surfaces such as parking lots, roads,
                     foundations, and patios. This loss of open space results in reduced infiltration into soils and groundwater and
                     reduced aquifer recharge potential.

                              Land development also affects water quality through chemical contamination and saltwater intrusion.
                     Contributing to contaminant loads, principally by stormwater runoff, are lawn fertilizers, pesticides, and pet wastes
                     from residential areas; metals and solvents from industry; fuel, grease, and oils from highways, parking lots, and
                     airports; leachates from landfills, and pesticides from golf courses.

                     Water Conservation for Wildlife and Human Populations: Demand for water by the Lower East Coast is out-of-
                     phase with the natural seasonal hydrologic cycle; it is highest during the dry season (November through May) when
                     only 35 % of the rainfall occurs Dernand is expected to increase enormously. The projected demand on the public
                     water supply for the year 2010 is estimated to be an increase over 1990 demand of 43 % in Dade County, 68 % in
                     Broward County, and 115% in Palm Beach County. Excessive withdrawals from the surficial aquifer can cause
                     environmental problems such as shortening of the hydroperiod in nearby wetlands.

                     Quantity and Quality of Freshwater Flow to Estuaries: Estuaries, particularly Biscayne Bay,               are being
                     detrimentally affected by the impact of sporadic, short-term, extraordinarily high-volume canal discharges. The
                     occasional releases from the C-111 canal into Manatee Bay, which opens into Barnes Sound in the southern part
                     of the Biscayne Bay system, are an extreme example. Lake Worth is also subject to extremes of freshwater
                     discharge. Other receiving areas for canal discharges are detrimentally impacted repeatedly, though not so severely,
                     each year. Ile estuaries are also stressed by long periods with little or no freshwater inflow. Lack of flow during
                     dry periods is caused by draining rainwater to the coast as soon as it falls. The naturally occurring slow seepage
                     of groundwater into estuaries from the coastal ridge during the dry season has- been eliminated by the lowering of
                     the water table.


                              Most surface runoff of nutrients and contaminants from agriculture and urban land uses is discharged to
                     the estuaries. 17hese contaminant loads are not being adequately regulated to prevent damage to coastal ecosystems.
                     Existing laws, standards, regulations, and enforcement may all be insufficient.

                     Quality of Groundwater and Inland Surface Water: Because of the shallow depth of the aquifer, groundwater
                     contamination is a constant threat. Numerous o3atsmination sites have been identified in Dade, Broward, and Palm
                     Beach counties; some of these are close to active public water supply wellfields. Over the last 2 years, levels of
                     lead that exceed federal standards have been found in nine Broward County communities and seven Dade County
                     communities.


                              Tribalomethane formation, caused by an interaction of dissolved organic carbons in raw water supplies with
                     the chlorine used in. water treatment, is a problem in some southeast Florida water treatment plants.
                     Tribalomethanes have been associated with human cancer and genetic defects. Dade. County recently installed air
                     strippers, spending $30-$40 million in funds provided by EPA, to solve the problem. 17he Biscayne Aquifer is
                     recharged not only by rainfall but also by canal flow from Lake Okeechobee and the Everglades. Without
                     disturbance, Everglades waters are naturally clear. 'Me main source of the trihalomethane problem may be the



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                       drainage of organic soils, which is causing subsidence and the release of dissolved organic carbons.

                       Preservation and Restoration of Natural Areas: The natural habitats of the Lower East Coast, now scattered
                       in fragments within the urban/agricultural landscape, are so reduced in      extent that examples of any natural
                       community in good. condition are considered environmentally sensitive areas. All three counties and the state have
                       recognized the loss of natural areas as a critical issue and have programs to purchase sensitive lands for
                       preservation. Many of these lands protect populations of endangered plants; other lands, such as those in mitigation
                       land banks, are restored to native vegetation.

                               Hurricane Andrew devastated areas of native plant communities in southern Dade County, exposing them
                       to unprecedented invasion by non-native plants and disease. Several county, state, and cooperative efforts have been
                       initiated in hurricane-damaged areas of Dade County and also in areas that serve as mitigation banks. State and
                       county governments have undertaken a number of natural community restoration projects, many of which were
                       drastically altered or accelerated in Dade County by Hurricane Andrew. These efforts include intensive removal
                       of invasive non-native species; fostering remnant mangrove, coastal strand, wetland, and hammock communities;
                       and extensive planting of native vegetation. However, well documented restoration methodologies are lacking for
                       South Florida vegetation communities. Planting experiments and adequate monitoring and documentation from
                       which to develop better methodologies for future projects may not be conducted for lack of funds and in some cases
                       lack of understanding of the need by decision makers in the agencies involved.

                       Remnants of natural communities, even though preserved or restored, are ubject to continued stress because of fire
                       suppression, alteration of natural hydrology, invasion by aggressive n@:-native plants, and other factors. For
                       instance, eradication of exotics will be a constant task because of persistent invasion from surrounding areas.
                       Natural areas require management in perpetuity-

                       Invasive Nonindigenous Species: Aggressive non-native plant species such as melaleuca, Brazilian pepper, and
                       Australian pine have spread beyond any possibility of mechanical control. Invasiye non-native plants are of much
                       ecological concern because they have undergone large population explosions and formed monocultures that out-
                       compete native species. Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge has one of the most severe infestations of melaleuca.
                       because of its proximity to numerous urban plantings made in the Palm Beaches. Biological controls under
                       development are the only real hope of halting the destruction of native landscapes and plant communities by
                       melaleuca encroachment. Meanwhile, other species have escaped into the environment and already are posing
                       threats to natural areas. Additional species continue to be introduced into the environment of the Lower East Coast
                       by the nursery, pet, and. aquarium trades.

                       Loss of Habitat for Protected and Other Native Specie      s: Ile protected habitat for threatened and endang   ered
                       species is so small that their future is not guaranteed. Losses of coastal scrub, pineland, and hammock are of
                       particular concern. Both scrub and pineland contain a high proportion of endemic plants. Hammocks contain
                       tropical hardwood trees that are found nowhere else in the continental United States. Coastal regions are especially
                       important habitat for reptiles, birds, and mammals. , Coastal uplands (beach strands and maritime hammocks),
                       habitats now almost totally lost in Subregion 9, are important habitat for large numbers of vulnerable taxa.

                       Limited Federal Responsibility: Ile federal government has limited jurisdiction over factors relevant to South
                       Florida Ecosystem Restoration in the urban and agricultural areas of the Lower East Coast. A serious obstacle to
                       solving growth. problems is the absence of formal political institutions or a coordinated approach to address the
                       entire range of issues and their cumulative impacts. The federal government does not always know what state and
                       local govern ents are planning that could affect the restoration effort. Perhaps even more importantly, there is no
                       central knowledge of ways that the federal government, itself, through laws and policies in many agencies, may be
                       affecting the restoration of South Florida Ecosystems, either positively or negatively.

                       Lack of Understanding About the Environment by Urban Residents: 71e great diversity of the Subregion 9


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                   population (e.g., many different races and income levels, large number of non-native residents, ma y different
                   tourist groups) makes it difficult for scientists or managers to use only one message to promote environmental
                   protection, wildlife preservation, or water conservation. Many residents have lived in South Florida for such a short
                   time that they do not understand its environment or its problems.


                   RECOMNENDED APPROACH


                   Municipal and county governments carry out many activities related to these issues and to the restoration interests
                   of the Federal Task Force, and there is an outstanding base of expertise in the these agencies that is crucial to the
                   implementation of federal restoration plans. Because of the strong local efforts, federal plans concerning research
                   to support the above objectives must be coordinated with local governments, as well as environmental groups, to
                   ensure that: (1) the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort contributes to planned or ongoing restoration efforts
                   by these groups, (2) the South Florida Ecosystem restoration effort results in direct environmental benefits to the
                   Lower East Coast, and (3) planned or ongoing activities by these groups contribute to and enhance the South Florida
                   Ecosystem restoration effort. Following are research recommendations for Subregion 9:

                   Comprehensive Program Planning Evaluations. (These could be initiated by conducting workshops.)

                   0        Determine and catalogue research being done or planned that relates to and supports the South Florida
                            Ecosystem Restoration effort.
                                      Identify lead agencies and individuals.
                                      Identify research needed to support the efforts or to make the efforts more beneficial to the overall
                                      South Florida Ecosystem Restoration effort.

                   0        Conduct a "Federal Consistency Study" to determine present or potential influences of federal government
                            activities on the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration.
                                      Compile an annotated list of the federal government agencies, programs, and laws that, through
                                      regulations, grants, tax incentives, or otherwise, undermine federal efforts to restore the South
                                      Florida Ecosystem.
                                      Identify federal programs that might potentially be used to enhance the South Florida Ecosystem
                                      Restoration effort.
                                      Give particular emphasis to factors that influence land use planning, zoning, and development
                                      decisions that result in encroachment of urban or agricultural development into wetlands and urban
                                      development into agricultural lands.

                   0        Develop the same information 'as above for regional, state, and local agencies,     programs, and laws.

                   Critical Lands.


                            Conduct a short interagency study, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service having the lead, to identify critical
                            lands that should be preserved to suppoh Ecosystem Restoration.
                                      Develop a digitized map with information layers in a GIS framework for use in establishing
                                      mitigation banks and investigating the feasibility of land acquisition or other habitat protection
                                      measures. Criteria that should be used include: habitat' value for federally listed threatened and
                                      endangered species and state species of special concern (particularly replacement of short-
                                      hydroperiod wetlands needed by wading birds), present value of the land for aquifer recharge, and
                                      potential usefulness of the land for water reserves.
                                      Consider the potential effect on water supplies if the land were developed and development
                                      resulted in a general lowering of the water table.




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                         0       To aid the above study, conduct a short term, quantitative analysis to determine, from a water supply and
                                 South Florida Ecosystem Restoration perspective, how various alternative scenarios o@ future land use and
                                 associated local water management in the presently undeveloped wetlands between the urban east coast and
                                 the Water Conservation Areas and Everglades National Park (hereafter referred to as 'The Buffer Lands')
                                 would affect water supply and water management in support of ecosystem restorationo
                                          Determine the impacts of Ul or partial development of these lands. Include testing of the 'worst
                                          case" scenario of full residential and/or commercial development.
                                          Evaluate the potential use of the subject lands for stormwater treatment, aquifer recharge, wildlife
                                          support, and compatible outdoor, nonstructured, low-impact recreational activities.
                                          Use the latest version of the South Florida Water Management Model, the Natural System
                                          corollary of that model, and other quantitative analytical tools.
                                               I

                         0       Using the above information, evaluate the interaction between natural, urban, and agricultural systems.
                                          Determine the critical feedback linkages of the natural system to urban and agricultural systems
                                          and vice versa.
                                          Determine the landscape configuration that will allow healthy natural systems and urban and
                                          agricultural systems to coexist.
                                          Determine how the natural system and its benefits to humans will be impacted by different
                                          population levels and landuse configurations.

                         0       To further aid the selection of critical lands, condu,'. a GAP study for the Lower East Coast.
                                          In a GIS framework, overlay spatial data on coverage of various plant communities, habitat of
                                          endangered and threatened species and other species of special interest, public lands, and lands
                                          covered by covenants. '
                                          Determine the gaps in species protection.

                         Quantity and Timing of Freshwater Flow to Estuaries.

                                 Model the effect of various proposed Canal C-111 redesign alternatives (in the GRR) on water flow to
                                 Manatee Day and Barnes Sound.

                         0       Model the effect of various proposed Canal C-111 redesign alternatives (in      the GRR) on water flow to
                                 northeastern Florida Bay across Canal C-1 11.

                         0       Estimate the predrainage salinity patterns in Biscayne Bay by retrospective analyses of bottom sediments
                                 (i.e. foraminifera shells or diatom tests) and application of a natural system hydrologic model, refined and
                                 specially adapted to this use.

                         0       Collect the required field data to    calibrate the relationship between stage and discharge in canals
                                 discharging to Biscayne Bay and other coastal waters of the Lower East Coast.
                                          Recalcula@t historic flows based on the new calibration and existing time series of stage data.
                                          Install continuous stage recording instruments in canals lacking this instrumentation.

                         0       Map the salinity patterns in Biscayne Bay under a range of freshwater inflow rates, and use this information
                                 to develop and calibrate a hydrodynamic model to relate freshwater discharges to salinity patterns in
                                 Biscayne Bay.

                         0       Develop and apply a methodology to test various scenarios of use of the Buffer Lands discussed above and
                                 associated canal operations for their effect on the quantity, timing, and quality of freshwater discharges to
                                 Biscayne Bay (adapt the South Florida Water Management Model to this use).
                                          Use this information to design a structural configuration and operational strategy that would
                                          reestablish a more natural seasonal pattern of freshwater flow to Biscayne Bay.

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                                       Use output from the Natural System Model and any available information relating freshwater flows
                                       to salinities for general guidelines concerning the natural seasonal pattern in relation to rainfall.
                    0         Determine the ecological, hydrologic, and economic impacts of redirecting a portion of stormwater runoff
                              to proposed catchment areas of western Subregion 9 rather than to the coast.

                    Surface Water and Sediment Quality.

                              Compile and synthesize the information necessary to reevaluate, update, and customize existing.water
                              quality standards and monitoring activities from the standpoint of the unique chemistry of South Florida
                              soils and waters and from the standpoint of current local practices associated with agricultural activities,
                              lawn care and maintenance, aquatic weed control, golf course maintenance, local manufacturing, etc.
                              Determine the answers to such questions as:
                                       Are the right contaminants being measured, given current South Florida application practices?
                                       For some pollutants, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, are the thresholds for environmental
                                       damage appropriate, given the natural concentrations of these constituents in South Florida's fresh
                                       waters and coastal waters?
                                       For contaminants such as heavy metals, PAHs, and synthetic organic chemicals, are the thresholds
                                       for environmental damage appropriate, given the relative low adsorbance characteristics of
                                       constituents of South Florida fresh and coastal waters (i.e., low concentrations of clay particles
                                       and organics that bind '"eavy metals and organic chemicals and make them less available)?
                                       Finally, should water quality monitoring include biological indicators, since living organisms
                                       integrate the biological effects of all stressors? Could a suite of biological indicators be developed
                                       for routine use? How can biomonitoring be best integrated with chemical analyses to determine
                                       ecological health?

                              Quantify the applications of pesticides, herbicides, and other xenobiotic materials on residential and
                              agricultural areas, golf courses, and public lands.

                              Investigate methods of reducing pesticide and herbicide applications to golf        courses and other urban
                              landscapes, including use of alternative landscape materials and designs.

                              Determine the concentration and loading of various pollutants, including nutrients and contaminants, in
                              canal discharges and direct (pipe) discharges to Biscayne Bay and other coastal water bodies.
                                       Identify hot spots, in terms of point source or nonpoint discharges of pollutants, including sewage.
                                       Compare the quality (pollutant concentrations) of water entering the developed part of each county
                                       at the boundary of the Water Conservation Areas and water exiting the county into coastal waters
                                       through the major canals (Miami; North New River; Hillsboro; West Palm Beach; and L-31N,
                                       which exits through C-1 11).
                                       Use the above information to help determine total maximum daily loads (TMDLs) and establish
                                       pollution load reduction goals (PLRGs) in compliance with federal (EPA) and state (FDEP) water
                                       quality standards.
                                       Recommend that the State design its non-point source program toward staying within the
                                       established TMDLs. (See Section 303D of the Clean Water Act.)
                                       Determine the significance of seasonal runoff and storms in controlling rates of production in
                                       coastal waters.


                              Determine the ecological impacts on     surface water and biota of pesticides and fertilizers used on golf
                              courses.


                              Conduct research on biological effects of pollutants in subtropical estuaries (e.g., examine    the increase in
                              occurrence of cellular mi'cronuclei observed with pollutant exposure).


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                       0       Support continued research to Support develupment of a water quality criterion for transparency to protect
                               benthic communities, such as seagrass.

                       0       Support.cooperative surveys of sediment toxicity in Biscayne Bay.

                       0       Support continued development of toxicity and mutagenicity screening techniques to reduce expenses of
                               sampling and chemical analyses.

                       0       Investigate use of an alternative (e.g., coliphage) to fecal coliform bacteria as an indicator of sewage-
                               associated pathogens, given the  rapid destruction of fecal coliforms; in subtropical marine waters, and
                               evaluate the appropriateness of sewage contamination standards for the coastal waters of Subregion 9.

                               Organize a contaminants committee that would work to help focus research and monitoring relative to
                               contaminants, reduce redundancy in monitoring programs, achieve consistency in data collection protocols,
                               and reduce pollutant loads at the local community level.

                       0       Determine the water quality impacts of redirecting urban stormwater runoff into natural areas..

                               Evaluate the use of the Buffer Lands in Palm Beach, Broward, and Dade County for the treatment of storm
                               water runoff to improve water quality of future discharges to the EvergLides, Florida Bay, and Biscayne
                               Bay.
                                        Evaluate the effect of this usage on the Biscayne Aquifer from the standpoint of both water
                                        quantity and quality.
                                        View the concept in terms of water supply, wetlands, wildlife, and human health.

                       Drinking Water Quality.

                               Determine the feasibility of using a water m    anagement approach compatible with the South Florida
                               Ecosystem Restoration Program to reduce trihalomethane formation in treatment of drinking water supplies
                               by lowering the concentration of precursors in raw water supplies.
                                        Estimate the potential cost savings of implementing,such an approach.
                                        Conduct additional investigations, possibly including field studies and experiments, to better
                                        quantify the potential improvements and savings.

                       Water Consumption.

                       0       Investigate the attitudes of homeowners, professional landscapers, and nurserymen to deterr ='e the most
                               effective methods of promoting use of xeriscape landscaping with native plants. Non-native species suitzble
                               for xeriscape landscaping are the same species that are most likely to become invasive in South Florida
                               disturbed sites and natural areas. The promotion of xeniscape landscaping with these plants will exacerbate
                               the problem of invasive non-natives.     %                                                                             I
                               Investigate how local government ordinances influence (promote/hinder) use of native xeriscaping.

                               Prepare countywide comprehensive plans for reuse of treated wastewater.
                                        Develop pilot programs to investigate and demonstrate wastewater reuse on different substrates,
                                        including rockland sites, and particularly on golf courses, parks, and public facility grounds.
                                        Quantify the potential benefits of water reuse to the future water supply of Subregion 9.
                                        Using GIS techniques, locate and quantify suitable lands and wastewater treatment facilities.
                                        Determine the influence of environmental and health regulations on water reuse.
                                        Examine the effects of wastewater reuse on groundwater and surface water quality.



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                             Investigate less inter-sive water use for golfcourse grass and other landscaping.

                    Preservation and Restoration of Natural Areas, Wildlife Corridors, and Other Areas of Connectivity.

                    0        Support research to guide state and local efforts to identify and purchase or otherwise preserve ecologically
                             endangered lands.

                    0        Support easements for private lands by providing funds and incentives to counties for acquisition of titles
                             or permanent development rights to preserve natural areas presently in private ownership. Emphasize
                             acquisition of pineland, with or without pine stands, as well as wetlands.

                    0        Compi  le a comprehensive list of public lands in Subregion 9 in need of restoration,     Iincluding what is
                             required to restore and maintain each tract.

                             Support research needed to   develop standard procedures for successful restoration of natural areas.
                                       Methods to determine appropriate siting conditions (e.g., soil contours, depth of salt/freshwater
                                       lens interface) for restoration/creation of wetlands.
                                       Efficient propagation techniques for native plants; e.g., seed germination.
                                       Establishment/maintenance nurseries to provide plants for restoration.
                                       Optimum reforestAtion/revegetation strategies (e.g., to achieve uneven age structure in pinelands).
                                       Urban fire techniques appropriate for use in S ubregion 9.

                             Support monitoring and research in conjunction with the restoration of parks and private lands (hammocks,
                             pineland, mangroves).
                                       Life history and reproduction of endemic plants of pine rocklands and scrub habitat.
                                       Comparative, quantitative vegetation analyses of remaining hammocks to characterize and
                                       catalogue them by species composition, species dominants, and spatial patterns of species
                                       distributions to provide information needed to guide management activities (e.g., to prevent
                                       degradation from nearby inappropriate landscape plantings).
                                       Restoration of the hydric components of pine rocklands and hammocks (e.g., pineland/prairie
                                       ecotones).
                                       Impact of fragmentation on restored areas and of potential benefits of connectivity among restored
                                       areas and between them and proposed Buffer Lands.

                    0        Conduct a GIS analysis of the urban Lower East Coast in the context of surrounding natural areas and
                             endangered species populations.
                                       Identify potential pathways for connecting all or many of the remaining natural areas into a
                                       greenbelt/wildlife corridor and linking these to the proposed buffer areas, using opportunities such
                                       as existing canal banks and railroad rights of way or undeveloped property in critical locations,
                                       even if disturbed.
                                       Identify wetland sites and. theip soils and history of land use (i.e., whether farmed or not).

                             Support   the development of comprehensive greenway plans and demonstration projects currently being
                             organized in all three counties.
                                       Provide federal funding for broad-scope greenbelt projects in each county.
                                       Require that native species appropriate to the local natural areas are used for all plantings along
                                       federally financed trails.
                                       Emphasize use of the trails as wildlife corridors.

                             Support   research on wildlife and human ecology effects    of existing and future wildlife corridors; e.g.,
                             effect of corridor size on wildlife movements.



                                                                              69











                                Conduct an urban wildlife survey to compare the wildlife support values of various existing landscapes
                                within the urban setting, including resident, migrant, and wintering birds; herpetofauna such as lizards; and
                                insects such as butterflies.


                      Protected Species.

                      0         Support research to collect the information needed on species that are candidates for federal listing as
                                threatened or endangered, especially those threatened by imminent habitat loss in rapidly developing areas.

                      0         Assist Dade County with the development and implementation of a restoration plan for the Richmond
                                Pineland Preserve, which includes federally owned land (U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs, and U.S.
                                Navy) in addition to land owned by the Dade County Park and Recreation Department and the University
                                of Miami.


                                Assist Dade County with development and implementation of restoration plans for other natural areas.

                                Support continued study of manatee behavior and migration patterns in the Biscayne Bay system.

                      0         Support quantitative studies of wildlife use in the remaining wetlands of southeast Dade County and the
                                interior western portions of all three counties.

                      0         Develop a curriculum for training courses for certification of contractors bidding on Army Corps of
                                Engineers construction projects that could affect species of environmental concern, such as plants and
                                animals on federal and state listings of endangered and threatened species.

                      Invasive Non-native Species.

                                Conduct horticultural research to develop sterile cultivars of the more popular landscape plants, such as
                                poinciana and the many ornamental Ficus species, that are showing tendencies of becoming invasive as
                                landscape plantings increase and the acreage--and resultant seed bank--of native species decreases.

                                Starting with the EPPC list, develop a consistent, effective methodology for ranking non-native plant
                                species for their invasive tendencies in the South Florida environment.    '
                                         Identify the greatest immediate threats ascandidates for (1) major short-term, intensive, localized
                                         mechanical control efforts and (2) longer term biological control efforts. This will provide more
                                         lead time for developing environmentally safe, effective biological controls before each invasive
                                         species, by its spread, causes major damage to natural areas and wildlife habitat.

                                Develop an effective,- scientifically based approach to screening, for potential invasive tendencies in South
                                Florida, (1) plant materials entering the country and (2) plant materials already in the landscape trade, but
                                not yet observed outside of cultivatiort.

                                Design an approach to preventing future invasions by the above species, considering a mix of regulatory,
                                incentive, and public education options.

                      Education and Sociology.

                                Conduct and/or support outreach programs to educate urban residents and tourists about methods to reduce
                                heir impact or, the South Florida ecosystem. An example is SFWMD            s program on wa,er use    for  'he
                                Hispanic community.                              -




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                   0        Conduct and/or support research on the attitudes of the region's diverse groups of urban residents, private
                            landowners, and tourists about wildlife, habitat, environmental protection, and water conservation and
                            methods to influence those attitudes.

                            Conduct and/or support programs to teach citizens how they can influenc e government actions on land use
                            and environmental issues related to South Florida.






























































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                              SUBREGION 10: CALOOSAHATCHEE RIVER BASIN AND SOUTHWEST
                                                                              FLORIDA


                                 This subregion encompasses the Caloosahatchee River watershed; lower Charlotte Harbor estuarine
                       ecosystem, and the coastal system suuth to Naples Bay; and the Corkscrew regional ecosystem watershed, including
                       the Immokalee agricultural area. Ile subregion includes Lee, County, western Collier and Hendry Counties,
                       southern Glades County, and southeastern Charlotte County.

                                 The human population is concentrated along the coast, which is rapidly becoming highly urbanized. This
                       coastal zone has the highest growth rate in Florida in the last ten years and the highest projected growth rate from
                       now to 2010. The Cape Coral - Ft. Myers and Naples metropolitan areas are among the seven fastest growing in
                       the United States.


                                 This subregion has many large scale "planned" residential development projects, which were ini              tiated in
                       the late  1950s to the early 1970s. Cape Coral, Leigh Acres, and Golden Gates are the largest of these. Massive
                       land clearing, road construction, canalization, and filling were characteristic of these large developments, which
                       destroyed vast areas of natural habitat (over 90% destroyed by Cape Coral alone).

                                 Agriculture is a major land use in the interior, which is rapidly converting to agriculture, primarily citrus.
                       From 1985 to 1990, citrus acreage in Collier, Hendry and Lee Counties increased 134%, 83% and 46%,
                       respectively. This boom is the result of movement of citrus from central to southwest Florida following several
                       severe freezes in the mid-1980's. The movement is expected to continue.


                       MAJOR ISSUES

                                 As elsewhere in South Florida, the natural pattern (quantity and timing) of freshwater inflow to estuarine
                       ecosystems in this subregion has been altered by anthropogenic activities. These activities include channelization,
                       dredging, and filling for flood control, navigation, wetland drainage, and urban and agricultural land development.


                                 Periodic regulatory releases from Lake Okeechobee are made to the estuary via the Caloosabatchee River,
                       which was connected to the Lake by dredging in the late 1800s. During such releases the volume of freshwater
                       entering the estuary can be > 10,000 efs. Conversely, when regulatory discharges are not occurring, unnaturally
                       low freshwater inflow can occur during the dry season due to high water demand for agricultural and urban uses.

                                 Discharges > 6000 cfs from Franklin Lock cause the entire estuary to become oligohaline and can decrease
                       salinity in the outer embayments, San Carlos Bay and Matlacha Pass. Submerged vegetation in the estuary has
                       decreased significantly since the installation of the Franklin Lock. Impacts on water quality, benthic fauna, and
                       fisheries are suggested.

                                 The concept of "spreader waterway" was a mitigation technique developed to reestablish sheet flow of water
                       in wetlands that are anthropogenically altered. Spreader systems are common in southwest Florida. A spreader
                       waterway was added when construction of the 650 km Cape Coral residential canal system altered the natural
                       freshwater sheet flow pattern into Matlacha Pass (Charlotte Harbor), but it is not functioning properly. Many
                       breaches result in channelized freshwater flow into Matlacha, which has eliminated or degraded seagrass and
                       mangrove habitat and reduced seagrass productivity.

                                 The Faka Union and Golden Gates Estates canal systems altered the natural freshwater sheet flow into Fak-a
                       Union Bay and adjacent estuarine areas. Ile canal system increased the rate of surface water runoff, resulting in


                                                                                      72










                    substantial point loads of freshwater into the estuaries. This has altered salinity patterns, caused spomdic freshwater
                    shocks, decreased the nursery value f6r fish and shellfish by reducing area with salinity ranges favorable for
                    planktonic and juvenile forms, reduced abundances of subadult and adult fish, increased nutrient loading, and had
                    long term negative effects on habitat quantity and quality, including a likely decline in seagrass coverage.



                    RESEARCH NEEDS


                    Alteration of Freshwater Inflow to Estuaries


                    0         Freshwater flow pattern into the tidal Caloosahatchee: The indicator species approach proposed by
                              SFWMD should be independently evaluated. SFWMD should immediately establish a comprehensive water
                              quality monitoring program in the Caloosahatchee estuary.

                    0         Research is needed on spreader waterways to     determine best design to perform intended ecological and
                              hydrological functions.

                    Charlotte Harbor Estuarine Ecosystem

                    0         A comprehensive, integrated SWIM plan must be developed        for the entire system. Major research and
                              monitoring projects should also be system-wide. Two water       management districts share iurisdiction for
                              the Charlotte Harbor system (like Indian River Lagoon), but, unlike Indian River, there is no joint system-
                              wide SWIM plan.

                    0         GIS based habitat and land use trend analyses for the entire system should be conducted every 3 to 4 years.

                    0         Water qual'ity monitoring program for the SFWMD portion, including tidal Caloosahatchee, to compliment
                              SWFVrMD part.

                    0'        System-wide nutrient and other pollutant loading study (including septic tanks).

                    0         System-wide hydrologic and circulation model (current USGS study may meet this need).

                    0         Diagnostic watershed assessment for SFW`MD part to compliment that being done in SWFWMD portion.

                    0         Nutrient limitation and dosing experiments on seagrass - seagrass epiphyte - fleshy macroalgae
                              phytoplankton complex. Ideally in several areas of estuary.

                    0         Irradiance limitation and sedimentation experiments on seagrass. Closely coupled with nutrient limitation
                              study.

                    0         Develop predictive model of benthic vegetation change related to pollutant loading.

                    0         Freshwater inflow studies: see that section.


                    0         Field and laboratory studies of chronic and sublethal effects of mosquito pesticides to non-targets species
                              (various life stages), especially repeated applications and extended exposure.

                    0         Mosquito adulticide drift studies and ecological effects.

                    0         Continued research into alternative (non-pesticide) mosquito control methods.


                                                                              73











                        Freshwater Caloosahatchee River

                        0       Basin wide nutrient and other pollutant loading study.

                        0       Basin wide GIS-based habitat trend analysis every 3-4 years.

                        0       Assessment of biological resources in river.

                        Estero Bay Estuary and Watershed

                                There is little information on the ecology and hydrology of        Estero Bay. Th    e followi@ng studies are
                                recommended:


                        0       Assessment of biological resources in bay, especially seagrass beds.

                        0       Basin wide nutrient and other pollutant loading study.

                        0       System wide water quality monitoring.

                        0       Bay circulation and flushing model.

                        0       Watershed hydrologic study, particularly addressing altered freshwater flow into Estero Bay.

                        0       Nutrient limitation and dosing experiments on seagrass - seagrass epiphyte - fleshy macroalgae
                                phytoplan kton complex.
                        0       Irradiance limitation and sedimentation experiments on seagrass. Closely coupled with nutrient limitation
                                study.

                        0       Develop predictive model of benthic vegetation change related to pollutant loading.

                        Citrus Development and Other Agricultural Issues

                        0       Develop techniques to improve irrigation efficiency and water conservation (surface and groundwater).
                                Agriculture so dominates water use in the interior that even small improvements in efficiency would result/
                                in considerable water conservation.


                        0       Investigate potential ecological effects of agriculture on surface and groundwater quality; ecological effects
                                of surface water runoff from agricultural lands.

                        0       Investigate potential ecological and hydrological effects of lowered water table, particularly in wetlands,
                                from agricultural activities.

                        o       More information is needed on the potential effects of envir6nmental contaminants (pesticides, nutrients,
                                metals) on wildlife in citrus groves.

                        0       Develop a system for evaluating ecological and hydrological functions that can be used to better assess
                                predevelopment environmental conditions and the success of mitigation.

                        Corkscrew Regional Ecosystem Watershed

                        0       System wide habitat trend analysis every 3 or 4 years (GIS based).


                                                                                 74










                    o       System wile surface and groundwater quality assessment 101S basedl,

                    0       Investigate ecological and hydrological effects of agriculture adjacent to CREW, especially potential
                            nutrient and other contaminant loading from agriculture runoff.

                    0       Examine possible hydrological and ecological impacts of oil exploration.

                    0       Investigate ecological and hydrological effects of residential development adjacent to CREW.

                    0       Investigate ecological and hydrological effects of municipal wellfields adjacent to CREW.

                    0       Flintpen Strand subbasin hydrologic and hydraulic study to assess the impac     t of new and proposed
                            controlling structures in Kehl canal system.

                    Hydric Pinenatwoods

                    0       Recognition of hydric pine flatwoods as a separate biological community type. Landscape scale inventory
                            and monitoring, including historical distribution and aerial coverage, temporal changes.

                    0       Floral and faunal inventory and monitoring, including protected species. Examine wildlife habitat value
                            of hydric pine flatwoods.

                    o       Ecological and hydrological effects of invasive exotics

                    0       Hydrologic studies including surface water hydrologic conditions need to maintain system and groundwater
                            recharge potential.

                    0       Influence of fire regimes in maintaining natural plant species composition and diversity.

                    Naples Bay Ecosystem

                    0       Assessment of biological resources in bay.

                    0       Basin wide nutrient and other pollutant loading study.

                    0       System wide water quality monitoring.



















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