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



                       swim
                Environmental
                          Pro ress
                          Throu h
                                                             ft     -,AMR&-
                     Partnershi
                                        P           . .... ..





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                                                 A Publication by the five
                                                ter Management Districts
                        77ASK 3. 1.09              and the Department of
                                                Environmental Protection






                                                        TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                                                        Introduction
                                                                                        3
                                                                Southwest Florida
                                                  Water Management District
                                                                                        9
                                                             South Florida Water
                                                           Management District
                                                                                       15
                                                                     St. Johns River
                                                   Water Management District
                                                                                       21
                                                                Northwest Florida
                                                   Water Management District
                                                                                       27
                                                          Suwannee River Water
                                                           Management District
                                                                                       33


                                                                         ',h,- .A)
                                                                                        je LFLO@t

                               This publication was made possible by a subgrant from the Florida Department of Community Affairs, in cooperation with the
                        U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, under Cooperative Agreement Award No. NA37OZO427.
                               The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies.
                                                                     The Nature Conservancy oversaw production.
                The Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the water management districts' SWM coordinators were instrumental in completion of the project.
                                                                                   September 1994











                        Dea
                                                                     I
                        Whe                                                 0 min ? If you're like most of us, the Florida you treasure is a
                        wate                                                 Mexico .... . crystal clear springs in the panhandle.... the tea-
                        dark    p        he                                 surf off the Atlantic coast.... the rippling grasses that make up
                        the ER            Water                            'what brought many of us to this southern paradise in the first
                        place.

                        But Florida's bountiful waters       its lakes, rivers, and estuaries - were among the first resources to suffer
                        from the massive population influx of the middle part of this century. By the 1960s, many of our state's most
                        precious waterways were in jeopardy. The effort to clean up Florida's surface waters began with the passage
                        in 1972 of the federal Clean Water Act. That legislation focused on removing the greatest sources of pollution
                        fouling our nation's waters - sewage and industrial waste.

                        But by the late 1980s, it was clear broader restoration and protection was needed. In 1987, the Florida Legisla-
                        ture enacted the Surface Water Improv     'ement and Management program, or SVWM. SVWM's premise was new
                        - water bodies should be looked, at as systems, not isolated wetlands or water bodies. Their salvation was not
                        as simple as buying land or stopping major sources of pollution - a whole array of partners and actions was
                        envisioned. Water management districts and the Department of Environmental Protection would work with
                        federal, state and local governments and the private sector to create and carry out plans for priority water
                        bodies - plans that spoke to restoring habitats, stopping or slowing down sources of pollution, and preserving
                        the natural systems that support valuable living resources.

                        The projects funded through S VWM are targeting clean up some of our state's most troubled water bodies, like
                        Tampa Bay, Lake Okeechobee, Lake Apopka, and Lake Jackson. S MM is also working to preserve and protect
                        systems in good condition, like the Suwannee River, for future generations. You'll read about them in this
                        report. Perhaps most significant, SWIM funding does not stand alone, In many areas, SVWM dollars bring in
                        additional funding -from federal and local governments, regional agencies, and even the private sector.


                        Improving the quality of Florida waters is an ongoing process that requires dependable funding, and S VWM
                        still has no dedicated funding source, Each year, it must compete with other issues for its share of funding.
                        And each year, that share is increasingly unreliable.

                        Restoring Florida's waters deserves a long-term investment. I hope you will support the SMM program and
                        its priceless legacy.

                        Sincerely,




                        Virginia Wetherell, Secretary                                 Jerry . Scarborough, Executive Director
                        Department of Environmental Protection                        Suwannee River Water Management District
                                       RR-75-1
                      I'S'amuel E. Poole 111, Executive Director                      Douglas E. Barr, Executive Director
                        South Florida Water Management District                       Northwest Florid   a Water Management District
                        Peter G. Hubbell, Executive Director                          Henry DT)e Zaecutive Director
                        Southwest Florida Water Management District                   St. Johns     'er Water Management District







































































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                                                                  ater is the essence of Florida. With nearly
                                                                  11,000 miles of coastline, Florida's very
                                                                  geography is defined by water. The state
                                                                  contains thousands of lakes, and hundreds
                                              of rivers measuring more than 10,000 linear miles. Our state
                                              owns more offshore land than any other state - 6.4 million
                                              acres - and 3 million acres of estuaries, open water and
                                              wetlands.


                                              Americans love water, and Florida is the most water-loving
                                              state of ail. More than 76 percent of our population lives in
                                              coastal counties. Tourists list our coasts as the state's num-
                                              ber one attraction. Recreational and commercial fishing
                                              revenues come.to more than $7 billion each year, making
                                              Florida's one of the most valuable fisheries in the nation.


                                              When people began flocking to Florida in the 1940s and 50s,
                                              they gravitated toward water, settling along rivers, estuaries,
                                              and lakes. Farmers and developers thrived -on the abundance
                                              of water they found in south Florida, enough for drinking,
                                              irrigation, fishing and swimming. It seemed the state's water
                                              resources were inexhaustible.


                                              By the 1960s, it was clear they were not. Some of our state's
                                              most precious resources - Tampa Bay, Biscayne Bay, Lake
                                              Apopka - no longer functioned as natural systems. Fish
                                              died, birds and other wildlife disappeared, and the smell was
                                              enough to drive people away.

                                              The first push for clean water came from our national leaders,
                                                  Ti




























                                              with the passage in 1972 of the Clean Water Act. The



                                                                            3










                       nation's waters, Congress said, should be fishable and swim-
                       mable. The Act focused on removing the primary source of
                       pollution - raw sewage and industrial waste, which had been
                       dumped into rivers, bays and estuaries. The Clean Water Act
                       resulted in many successes. Lakes, rivers and estuaries
                       began to regain their health and birds and other wildlife began
                       to return.


                       By the 1980s, it was apparent that cleaning up sewage was
                       not enough to return our surface waters to complete health.
                       Ironically, when that major source of pollution was being
                       controlled, other sources became more evident. The rainwa-
                       ter running off our increasingly urban lands contained great
                       amounts of sediments and pollutants - fertilizers, yard
                       wastes, pesticides, herbicides, metals, oil, and gasoline. The
                       result: sediments began filling in lakes, water clarity was
                       reduced, excess nutrients made aquatic plants grow faster,
                       affecting the levels of oxygen and sunlight. Fish and other
                       animals died, fisheries were destroyed, birds could not feed
                       their young. In other areas, farms and dairies added pollut-
                       ants like pesticides, fertilizers and animal waste. Both
                       fertilizers and animal waste are high in nitrogen and phospho-
                       rus, which led to excess plant growth - in lakes and rivers as
                       easily as on the farm. At the same time, wetlands and open
                       lands - the natural purifiers of surface waters - were disap-
                       pearing at an alarming rate. When state legislators took a
                       serious look at our state's water bodies in the mid-1980s, they
                       saw major problems remaining:

                           E5@@  While Tampa Bay had come a long way under the
                                 Clean Water Act and other federal programs, it was
                                 still struggling.
                                 Phosphorus levels in Lake Okeechobee had doubled
                                 since the beginning of the decade, causing an algae
                                 bloom that covered a quarter of the lake's surface.
                                 Lake Apopka no longer functioned as a natural
                                 system. The number of viable recreational fish
                                 camps surrounding the lake had dropped from 21        in
                                 1956 to only one in 1987. While practices such as
                                 release of sewage, cirtrus packing wastes, and
                                 muck farming had caused the lake's original prob-
                                 lems, stopping the flow of waste was not enough to
                                 reverse them. Something more had to be done.
                                 More than 900 pipes over 12 inches in diameter
                                 were draining millions of gallons of untreated
                                 stormwater directly into Biscayne Bay.
                                 The lower St. Johns River was contaminated with
                                 coliform bacteria and heavy metals from faulty
                                 septic tanks and stormwater runoff.







                                                     A New Approach to
                                                     Water Management

                                                     In the late 1980s, it was determined the state had to do more
                                                     to protect and restore its priceless surface waters. While
                                                     "point" sources - sewage and industrial wastes - were being
                                                     controlled, "non-point" sources - pollutants that enter water
                                                     bodies in less direct ways - were still a major concern. In
                                                     1987, the Florida Legislature created the Surface Water
                                                     improvement and Management program, or SWIM, to deal
          If there Is one                            with the problems remaining in the state's surface waters.
                                                     The thinking behind SWIM was clear. "it is the duty of the
                                                     state," the Legislature said, "to enhance the environmental
          word that                                  and scenic value of surface waters."
          describes,SWIM                             SWIM is different from other natural resource protection
                                                     programs. It is a program that uses public participation to
                                                     identify priority water bodies of statewide concern. It is the
          best, 10 t 10S                             only program that addresses a waterbody's needs as a system
                                                     of connected resources, rather than isolated wetlands or water
                                                     bodies. To accomplish this, SWIM meshes across govern-
          partnersh'                                 mental responsibilities, forging important partnerships in
                                                     water resource management.

                                                     If there is one word that describes'SWIM best, it is partner-
                                                     ship.  While the state's five water management districts and
                                                                     the Department of Environmental Protection
                                                                     are directly responsible for the SWIM program,
                                                                          w
                                                                     they ork in concert with federal, state, and
                                      z,-
                                                                     local governments and the private sector. All
                                                                                                 with funding or in-
                                                                     the partners contribute
                                                                     kind services. In fact, in many areas, state-
                                                                     appropriated SWIM dollars are not the biggest
                                                                     part of program funding. Several water man-
                                                                     agement districts have put more resources in
                                                                     SWIM than they receive from the state, and
                                                                     SWIM dollars have been used as match to
                                                                     secure federal grants.

                                                                     SWIM develops carefully crafted plans for at-
                                                                     risk water bodies, and directs the work needed
                                                                     to restore damaged ecosystems, prevent
                                                                     pollution from, runoff and other sources, and
                                                                     educate the public. SWIM plans are used by
                                                     other state programs, like Save Our Rivers, to help make
                                                     land-buying decisions, and by local governments to help
                                                     -make land-use management decisions.

                                                     Since its inception, SWIM has made great strides toward
                                                     improving the quality of a number of troubled water bodies
                                                     and increasing our understanding of healthy water bodies.
                                                     The initial legislation identified specific water bodies that
                                                     would fall under SWIM - Lake Apopka, Tampa Bay, the









                                                                                                                      '7




                  J@;
                    V I dj n River Lagoon System, Biscayne Bay, the St. Johns
                        n jp
                             and Lake Okeechobee. Subsequently, the legislatur
                                                                                   e
                  @--:I_,stat6iorily established the Everglades as another SWIM
                                 Today, through public comment and professional                                  YA",
                        ev   ition, water management districts identify the water
                              they believe need special protection. Twenty-seven
                        wa er o  ies now are rece
                             6 di                 iving attention from SWIM.


                           @4
                                 ing SWN

                             I money for SWIM came from state general revenues
              Al              e   y U                                               S.
                               d b f nds raised by the water management district
                        110t,'Ahe Legislature's original commitment of $15 million a
                                   to erode by 1990. In 1993, a new source of
                            nue,,            - the Advance Disposal Fee (ADF)
                                  as adopted
                                       -recycled food containers. As companies
                            je,e dn non
                            1114 1@v V
                            qecycling goals, the ADF will not be an adequate or
                              source of revenue, and SWIM funding is in question
                        'gain.

                        In many cases, SWIM's shrinking funding has meant that
                        water management districts have had to increase their share
                        of dollars to continue successful protection and restoration
                        programs. In the St. Johns River Water Management District
                        alone, the state's share of SWIM funding fell from 80 percent
                        in 1987/88 to less than 50 percent by 1992.



              Non-po@nt Pofludanol
              While some sources of pollutants are easy to pinpoint - the release of sewage and industrial
              wastes, for instance - others are more subtle. These "non-point" sources of pollution sometimes
              do not flow through a pipe. Instead, they flow over the ground into rivers or lakes, or seep into the
              aquifer. The more land that is covered with paved and other impervious materials - such as
              roads, parking lots and buildings - the greater the amount and speed of runoff. Clearing land -
              and thus increasing the amount of erosion - also can increase runoff filled with pollutants and
              sediments that reaches surface water bodies.


              The most common sources of "non-point" pollutants are:

              Urban runoff, which contains:      Agricultural runoff, which contains:     Other non-point sources:
                  Fertilizers                        Fertilizers                              Leaky underground
                  Pesticides                         Pesticides                                 storage tanks
                  Herbicides                         Herbicides                               Leaky septic tanks
                  Oil and gasoline                   Animal waste                             Landfills
                   off roadways                      Sediment
                  Yard and animal wastes
                  Heavy metals
                        I ,

























































                  Sediments from road
                   and other construction





                                                      (05







                                                          The Emerging Role of Florida's
                                                          Water Management Districts

                                                          The creation of Florida's water management districts was the
                                                          result of more than 40 years of evolution in the practice and
           The     Four Goals                             philosophy of managing water and related natural resources.
                                                          One of the first efforts of the state in the area of water man-
           of the                                         agement was creation in the late 1940s of the Central and
           SWIM         Program                           South Florida Flood Control District in an attempt to mitigate
                                                          the effects of a series of crises: hurricanes that had swept
           1 . Water quality protection.                  through the region in the 1920s and 40s, flooding local
               SWIM's primary goal is to                  communities, followed by years of drought and groundwater
               ensure that surface waters are             withdrawals which left coastal wellfields contaminated by
               clean enough to support
                                                          saltwater. Another hurricane, this time on the west coast, led
               wildlife and recreation. SWIM              to the establishment of a second type of water management
               plans focus on not just prevent-           district in the Tampa Bay region in the 1960s.
               ing water quality problems,        but
               repairing damage caused by
               pollution and development.                 By the 1970s, it had become clear that the management of
                                                          water resources would have profound effects on the state's
           2.  Natural systems protection.
               Natural systems associated             i   ability to support its rapidly expanding population. The Water
               with many surface waters are               Resource Act, passed by the Legislature in 1972, created a
               altered so that these water                total of five "water management districts," the original two
               bodies cannot perform their                flood control districts and an additional three agencies in the
               functions. SWIM plans focus                northern part of the state. The districts were given the re-
               on managing and protecting
                                                      i   sponsibility of dealing with regional water quantity issues, like
               the natural systems that
                                                          managing surface water and issuing permits for wells. While
               maintain clean water, and
                                                          the state set their general direction, each district also had a
               healthy plants and animals.
           3.  Cooperative activities. Devel-             governing board, appointed by the governor, to make deci-
               oping and addressing broad                 sions based on the needs of the area. Over time, the districts'
               goals for natural system                   responsibilities grew. Managing stormwater runoff and
               protection requires participa-             protecting isolated wetlands were added to some of the
               tion of local, state, and federal          districts' duties in the early 1980s, and today the emphasis is
               agencies, and private parties.             on planning all aspects of water resource management -
               SWIM works through partner-                from flood control to maintaining water quality (both surface
               ships between all levels of
               government as well as business         1   and ground water) and managing natural systems. With the
                                                      i   passage of the SWIM program, the water management dis-
               and environmental interests.
           4.  Watershed management.                      tricts began to plan for the protection, restoration, and man-
               Land, water, air, and living               agement of the state's wetlands, springs, rivers, lakes and
               resources are linked and                   estuaries.
               cannot be effectively managed
               in isolation from one another.
                                                          As we move toward the 21st century, water resource manage-
               SWIM uses watershed manage-
                                                          ment is driven by the need to protect functioning natural
               ment approaches to consider                systems, restore degraded systems, and integrate urban and
               linkages between resources in
               protecting and restoring water             agricultural landscapes into their surrounding natural environ-
                                                          ments. Modern water. management means preserving, as
               bodies. Also, SWIM provides
               information to local govern-               much as possible, the connections within and throughout eco-
               ments to help them make land               systems and between people and the environment.
               use decisions to protect
               surface waters.







                                                                                                                                              -its







          The communities surrounding
          Tampa Bay have long been
                          a destination for
                          toudsts and new

                 - - - - - - - - - - - -
                          residents, and
                          years of abuse
                          have taken their
                          toll on this
                               precious
                               resource.
                               Restorin
                               the Bay
                                              k
                               fu n c t i o n-,,,,, w,

                               an on
          p
           dorit  of the Soa@@hwest
                y
          Water Manageme
                                     AN









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                                                   V


                                                                   uthwest Florida
                                                                 Water Management,,,,,,.,,,,
                                                                 District
                                                 The Southwest Florida Water Management District covers just
                                                 over 10,000 square miles of Florida's southwest coast.
                                                 Bounded by the floodplain of the Withlacoochee River on the
                                                 north and Charlotte Harbor on the south, the district includes
                                                 all or part of 16 counties. The district's SWIM priority list
                                                 includes nine water bodies with approved plans. They are a
                                                 diverse group, ranging from extensive estuarine systems to
                                                 fresh water lakes and springs. By far the largest - and the
                                                 most endangered - is Tampa Bay, the district's first restora-
                                                 tion priority. Other restoration projects include Lake
                                                 Thonotosassa, the site of the one of the largest fish kills in
                                                 Florida, and Banana Lake, once identified as the most pol-
                                                 luted lake in Florida. Today, thanks to the SWIM program,
                                                 these lakes are on the way back to health. SWIM plans also
                                                 cover Rainbow River, Crystal River/Kings Bay, and Charlotte
                                                 Harbor. Many, of the projects are cooperative ventures with
                                                 other agencies, local governments, and private industry.









                           P V11








                        The Comeback of Tampa Bay

                        
				When legislators began to consider water quality issues in the
				1970's Tampa Bay was one of their primary concerns.  Since
				that time, the bay has become the focus of national, state,
				and local programs aimed at reducing pollution and restoring
				natural habitat.  The bay's restoration was a first priority of
				the SWIM program.

				With a 398-square-mile surface area and a drainage basin
				covering 2,200 square miles, Tampa Bay is Florida's largest
				open-water estuary.  It is also one of the most heavily used
				Port facilities, commercial fishing, shrimping, recreation and
				tourism all play vital roles in the west central Florida
				econony.

				Since the beginning of the century, the aquamarine waters of
				the Gulf of Mexico have drawn people from all over the world.	A 1990 clean up
				In many cases, these tourists later became residents.  Be-		attracted 4,000
				tween 1940 and 1970, the population of the Tampa Bay			volunteers from
				region more than doubled.  The St. Petersburg-Tampa area		Hillsborough and
				was one of the state's first true urban areas, with all the		Pinellas Counties.
				opportunities and challenges that designation implies.  De-		They collected
				cades of shoreline development, pollution from stormwater		more than 83 tons
				runoff and urban and industrial discharges, took their toll on	of plastic, glass,
				marsh habitat was gone, along withmore than 80 percent of		paper, and other
				its seagrasses.  Fisheries had declined and shellfish harvest-	marine debris!
				ing had virtually ended.




									10










                                                                                               Many agencies and
                                                                                         ,Ll*l citizens have been
                                                                                               working to identify the
                                                                                               Bay's problems and
                                                                                               solutions for its restora-
                                                                                Jr,'           tion. The City of
                                                                                               Tampa's Bay Study
                                                                                               Group began studying
                                                                                               the Bay's plant and
                                                                                               animal life in the 1970s.
                                                                                               The National Oceanic
    4@                                                                                         and Atmospheric
                                                                                               Administration Status
                                                                                               and Trends program, in
                                                                In-
                                                                                               conjunction with the
                                                                                               Department of Environ-
                                                                                               mental Protection,
                                                                                               analyzes bay sediments
                                                                                               for toxicity. The Tampa
                                                     Bay National Estuary Program works with state, regional, and
                                                     local governments on long-term environmental monitoring
                                                     and management projects. The Tampa Bay Regional Plan-
                                                     n.ing Council's Agency on Bay Management brings together
                                                     more than 50 public and private groups and individuals to
                                                     work on bay management activities.

                                                     SWIM activities in Tampa Bay focus on restoring habitat,
                                                     reducing the effects of stormwater runoff, and working with
                                                     local governments to acquire land. Since the program began
                                                     in 1987, SWIM has created more than 40 treatment areas for
                                                     stormwater runoff, replacing lost shoreline habitat and restor-
                                                     ing coastal areas damaged by development. Local govern-
                                                     ments have worked in concert with SWIM on nearly all of
                                                     these projects, particularly on innovative combined
                                                     stormwater/habitat enhancement projects.
                                   -0-
                                                     Cleanup of the Bay will be a lengthy process that requires the
                                                     efforts of a host of agencies, programs, and people. But
                                                     results are already being seen. Water quality is improving and
                                                     seagrasses are making a comeback. In 1990, studies showed
                                                     500 acres more seagrasses than in previous years. An
                                                     additional 730 came back by 1992.

                                                     SWIM has also concentrated on restoring habitat in the bay.
                                                     Working together, SWIM, local governments, and state agen
                                                     cies have undertaken 25 habitat restoration projects. All have
                                                     been constructed on public land and involved reestablishing
                                                     a habitat mosaic of wetland vegetation and uplands. Ex-
                                                     amples include E.G. Simmons Park, Mangrove Bay, Cock
                                                     roach Bay, and many others.

                                                     Public education has been a key ingredient in the SWIM plan
                                                     for Tampa Bay. Bay cleanups, publications, conferences, and
                                                     television programs have raised awareness about the Bay's































                                                     low










                                     A0


                   tAo


                       problems - and solutions.  A 1990 cleanup attracted 4,000
                       volunteers from Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. They
                       collected more than 83 tons of plastic, glass, paper, and
                       other marine debris!


                       The "SWIM team" concept of public participation has contin-
                       ued to grow. An all-volunteer Citizens Water Quality Monitor-
                       ing program conducts weekly water quality sampling in and
                       around Tampa Bay and its tributaries. Other "citizen scien-
                       tists" measure the success of individual habitat restoration
                       projects. The Southwest Florida Water Management District's
                       SWIM program has been so successful in generating citizen
                       support that it earned a Davis Productivity Award from
                       Florida TaxWatch in 1990.




                                                                                                                   6:;






















                                                                                                             V










                                                    0
                                                      U     _W
                                                         thw    est Eodda Water
                                                      n-agern
                                                     -a             ent D@strjct-o Pr@orky
                                                 M
                                                     ater Bod@*es and SWR Ooa@s
                                                 @ WE

                                                    The Southwest Florida Water Management
                                                    District's SWIM program has developed plans
                                                    for nine water bodies. Here's some of what
                                                    the program is doing:

                                                    Tampa Bay
                                                         Restoring wetlands and seagrass habitat
                                                         Removing sources of non-point pollution
                                                    @5_- Protecting freshwater flow to the bay
                                                         Coordinating bay management with other
                                                         agencies

                                                    Rainbow River/Blue Run
                                                    E@@ Managing public use
                                                         Controlling aquatic plants
                                                         Controlling sources of excess nutrients

                                                    Banana Lake
                                                         Providing follow-up protection for previous
                                                         restoration efforts

                                                    Crystal River/Kings Bay
                                                         Controlling sources of excess nutrients
                                                         Improving stormwater controls
                                                         Identifying sources of septic tank pollution

                                                    Lake Panasoffkee
                                                         Analyzing and mapping sediment accumulation
                                                         Controlling sources of excess nutrients

                                                    Charlotte Harbor
                                                         Removing sources of non-point pollution
                                                         Protecting freshwater flow to the harbor
                                                         Monitoring water quality
                                                         Coordinating harbor management with local
                                                         governments

                                                    Lake Tarpon
                                                         Controlling aquatic plants
                                                         Controlling sources of excess nutrients

                                                    Lake Thonotosassa
                                                    @5@  Controlling point and non-point sources of
                                                         excess nutrients
                                                    z,=- Restoring wetland habitat
                                                         Enhancing recreational fishing

                                                    Winter Haven Chain of Lakes
                                                         Controlling stormwater runoff
                                                 FTn,


The Everglades System, which
includes the Kissimmee River and
Lake Okeechobee, is the key to
			South Florida's
			water supply.
			From Miami to the
			Keys and through-
			out South Florida,
the Everglades
keeps the salt of
seawater from
intruding into
the freshwater drinking supply.
Maintaining the system's delicate
balance is the job of the South
Florida Water Management District.
































                                            >
                                                                                                   00
                                  j





                                               J



                                                                  outh Florida Water
                                                                  Mana ement
                                                                  Distric                                  iz@ es@@

                                                 Covering more than 17,000 square miles at Florida's southern
                                                 -tip, the South Florida Water Management District manages
                                                 and operates 1,400 miles of canals, levees and water control
                                                 structures, stretching from the Kissimmee River basin to the
                                                 Florida Keys. The district's SWIM priority list includes some
                                                 of the state's largest and most famous water bodies - Lake
                                                 Okeechobee, Biscayne Bay, the Indian River Lagoon System
                                                 and the Everglades. The SWIM program will play a key role
                                                 in implementing the Everglades Forever Act passed by the
                                                 Florida Legislature in 1994. The challenges that face South
                                                 Florida are complex, and water lies at the heart of many of
                                                 them - water is needed for the area's massive population, for
                                                 agriculture, for wildlife, and for recreation. Finding a bal-
                                                 ance among these often competing interests is daunting,
                                                 but the balance must be achieved. In many ways, the
                                                 issues facing South Florida today will be faced by
                                                 many areas of the state - and the country - in
                                                 the years ahead.











                                                                              15








                       Lake Okeechobee:
                       Seeking a Natural Balance

                       Agriculture and development, two of the strongest industries
                       in Florida, are also the two largest users of fresh water. In
                       South Florida - for decades, the state's most populated
                       region - maintaining the quality and quan-
                       tity of water needed for agriculture and
                       .communities is a constant challenge. The        . I rly
                       South Florida Water Management District's
                       SWIM program is an active player in the
                       area's water issues.
                                                                                                                       #A6-

                       Possibly its "biggest" challenge is Lake
                       Okeechobee. Lake Okeechobee lies at the
                       heart of water circulation in South Florida.
                       Given that position, it's not surprising that
                       the big lake also has been at the center of
                       controversy and conflict. More than any
                       other body of water in the region, Lake
                       Okeechobee is expected to be all things to                                        -7.
                       all people.

                       This 730-square-mile lake is the largest
                       freshwater lake located wholly within Florida. Even though
                       the lake is shallow - averaging only about nine feet deep -
                       it ca
                           n hold more than one trillion gallons of water. This
                       storage capacity is used to supply drinking water to lakeside                   Of
                       communities, irrigation water for agriculture, and a water
                       source for South Florida's ecosystems. The lake has been
                       regulated to supplement and protect coastal water supplies in
                       times of drought and is used as a receptacle for floodwater
                       from surrounding farm fields and rural communities.

                       Unfortunately, its holding capacity means that Lake
                       Okeechobee has been managed as a reservoir for maximum
                       water storage, rather than as a natural lake with natural
                       seasonal fluctuation and a broader shoreline community.
                       Changes that made it a better storage facility - such as the
                       construction of dikes to control flooding from its rim -
                       eliminated much of the lake's marshy shoreline and took
                       away its ability to cleanse itself, contributing to serious water
                       quality problems. Beginning in the 1970s, a number of
                       government and water conservation programs - including
                       SWIM - have sought to ease the problems caused by rigid
                       water control measures.


                       Lake Okeechobee's primary problems are caused by dt6jq@_
                       age from the agriculture that surrounds the lake. Rdnoff fr@b'
                       agriculture contains high levels of phosphorus, a nutrient1haii
                       may cause the lake's aquatic plants to grow too quickly. In
                       addition, torpedo grass and
                                                    melaleuca, both exotic species,
                       have taken hold on the lake's south and west rims. These
                                                     261










                                                   exotic species are threatening to displace native plant com-
                                                   munities, which may affect the balance in the lake's plant and
                                                   animal communities.


                                                   Since adoption of Lake Okeechobee's SWIM plan in the late
                                                   1980s, a great deal of progr ss has been made, including the
                                                                                e
                                                   reduction of phosphorus from agriculture as required. A
                                                   Department of Environmental Protection dairy rule, focusing
                                                   on best management practices, took effect in 1988. Many
                                                   dairies now channel their wastewater into specially con-
                                                   structed lagoons filled with vegetation to remove phosphorus.
                                                   Dairy operators confine operations with barns, fences and
                                                   other structures that shelter and control the herds' movement,
                                                   keeping livestock away from waterways. They also have
                                                   reduced the amount of fertilizer used on pastures and reduced
                                                   phosphorus in dairy feed.

                                                   The Okeechobee SWIM program developed a program to
                                                   regulate nutrients from all other agricultural uses in the basin.
                                                   Phosphorus is carefully monitored at the point of discharge
                                                   from a farmer's land. If the discharge does not meet an
                                                   acceptable nutrient level, the district and DEP can advise
                                                   better corrective measures. The trend for nutrients in surface

                                                   w
                                                    ater in the Okeechobee basin is improving. The ongoing
                                                   programs and continued research will help surpass any
                                                   further actions needed to maintain a decline in nutrients to the
                                                   lake.


                                                   SWIM has participated in efforts to control melaleuca, a
                                                   species of exotic tree around the lake. Contol programs
                                                   began in August 1993, with a three-year project to cut mature
                                                   trees, spray the stumps with herbicide, and root out seedlings.
                                                   The district hopes to increase cost-sharing on this project with
                                                   the Department of Environmental Protection and the U.S.
                                                   Army Corps of Engineers.




                                                                                                                                 I V














                                                                                                                               A It








                                                                                                     fj-

                                                                                                                        4,
                                                                               1171







                      South F@on*da Water
                      Management Distn*ct.o Pr@onty
                      Water Bod@*es and SWN

                         The South Florida Water Management
                         District's SWIM program has developed plans
                         for four water bodies. Here's some of what
                         the program is doing:

                         Lake Okeechobee
                              Identifying the effects of nutrient input
                              Controlling exotic plants, especially melaleu6al
                              and torpedo grass
                              Investigating and reporting on state water
                              quality standards throughout the lake, and at
                              inflow structures and other tributaries
                              Monitoring nutrient discharges from agriculture

                         Florida Everglades
                         z-=  Monitoring water quality and water levels to
                              protect native vegetative communities and
                              controlling exotic plants
                              Addressing mercury contamination
                              Controlling stormwater runoff
                              Improving fresh water flow
                              Educating the public to increase support for
                              protecting the Everglades

                         Indian River Lagoon System
                              Upgrading inadequate stormwater systems to
                              improve water quality
                              Reconnecting mosquito control impoundments
                              to the Indian River Lagoon to restore biological
                                                                                                           A
                              function and productivity of fisheries
                              Restoring biological productivity to the St. Lucie
                              Estuary by better managing freshwater inflows
                              from contributing basins
                              Assessing the effects of septic tanks on the
                              lagoon system

                         Biscayne Bay
                              Restoring sheetflow to mangrove wetlands
                              Eliminating sewage contamination from storm
                              drains
                              Improving stormwater treatment systems
                              Protecting seagrasses and other submerged
                              habitat
                              Identifying priority stormwater discharge
                              sources







                                                   
The Indian River Lagoon System:
Protection through Local, State
and Federal Collaboration
	A broad-ranging partnership in the Indian
	River Lagoon initiated by the SWIM programs
	of the St. Johns Water Management District
	and the South Florida Water Management
	District is working to protect this water body--
	an estuary of state and national significance.

	The 156-mile-long Indian River Lagoon makes
	up 40 percent of Florida's east coast.  It isn't a
	river, but an estuary where freshwater from the
	land and salt water from the ocean mix,
	creating an environment which serves as a
	nursery for a wide varietyof marine life.  The
	Lagoon is a national treasure, home to more
	than 4,300 different species of plants and
	animals, including snok, redfish, tarpon, and
	nearly one-third of the manatees in the United
	States.  The lagoon accounts for $300 million
	in commercial fishing revenues, a $400 million
	annual sportfishery, and provides half of the
	east Florida fish catch, and 90 percent of the
	Florida clam harvest.

	










                                       
         The fourth largest and most
         severely polluted lake in Florida
         Lake Apopka has accumalated
         muck as deep as 49 inches in some
         areas. Today, the lake is the focus
         of an intensive clean up program
                             by  the
                              
                             St. Johns
                             River Water
                             Management
                             District.
    


























                                          v









                                                                    Johns River
                                                                Water Mana--yement
                                                                 DROstrict

                                                 The St. Johns River Water Management District manages
                                                 ground and surface water in a 19-county area of northeast
                                                 and east central Florida. While the 3 1 0-mile long St. Johns
                                                 River is the core of the district's major drainage basin, the
                                                 area also encompasses five other rivers, 56 spr 'ings, and
                                                 about 3,500 lakes. An estimated 3.3 million people live
                                                 within the district's boundaries, an area of 12,400 square
                                                 miles. Its SWIM program focuses on four water bodies -
                                                 Lake Apopka, the Upper Oklawaha River, the lower St. Johns
                                                 River, and the Indian River Lagoon System (in a cooperative
                                                 effort with the South Florida Water Management District).
                                                                       One of the program's first efforts was
                                                                                   ting septic tank problems
                                                                              along the lower St. Johns River.
                                                                                A septic tank inspection and
                                                                                enforcement program con-
                                                                                ducted by Clay County, and
                                                                                partially funded by SWIM, was
                                                                                so succ
                                                                                        essful that Doctor's
                                                                                Lake - a large lake connected
                                                                                to the river - has been re-
                                                                                opened for swimming.






                                                                              21







                        Lake Apopka:
                        The Lon Road Back

                        Until the mid- 1950s, Lake Apopka was a major destination
                        for fishermen seeking trophy-sized game fish. Today, it is
                        drawing scientists and environmentalists from around the
                        world who are eager to see how Florida's fourth-largest lake
                        is being restored through the efforts of the St. Johns River
                        Water Management District's SWIM program.

                        Located 15 miles
                        northwest of Orlando,'
                        Lake Apopka was
                        long renowned as a
                        largemouth bass
                        fishing lake. Today,
                        after years of pollution
                        from agricultural
                        activities, only one of
                        the 21 fish camps that
                        dotted the lake in
                        1956 remains open
                        today, and recre-
                        ational activity on the
                        lake is all but non-
                        existent. The reasons
                        - the sportfish are
                        gone and pollution
                        has turned the lake a
                        sickly green color.

                        The centerpiece of
                        Lake Apopka's SWIM                                                                 t
                        restoration will be a
                        5,000-acre, Marsh Flow-way System being developed from
                        former agricultural lands. An overabundance of phosphorous
                        and nitrogen, elements common in fertilizer and animal
                        waste, is the principal cause of the lake's degraded condition.
                        These nutrients feed blue-green algae, which give the lake its
                        color. Functioning much like a swimming pool filter, the flow-
                        way removes suspended sediments that are rich in phospho-
                        rous and nitrogen from the lake as water passes through the
                        grassy marsh in a shallow sheet flow.

                        An 1,850-acre demonstration project constructed to test the
                        feasibility of the larger system already has had a promising
                        effect on water quality and clarity. Initial tests show the
                        marsh is removing nearly half of the phosphorus and nitrogen
                        from the water - exceeding designers' projections. Almost
                        all suspended solids are removed.





                                                     F
                                                       22
                                                           I


Lake Apopka's			SWIM is pilot-testing two other projects designed to supple-
Marsh Flow-way			ment the marsh flow-way's restoration of the lake. The first
project's natural			involves planting aquatic shoreline plants that help filter the
filtering process is		water and provide food and shelter for small game fish.
having a visible			Native plant species, including giant and softstemmed
effect on water			bullrush, fragrant water lily, southern naiad, spatterdock,
quality and clarity.		knotgrass, eel grass, and pondweed, are being planted at 25
Initial tests showed		sites totalling 15 acres around the lake.
the marsh is
removing nearly 
half of the				The second project involves removing the millions of gizzard
phoshorus and			shad (a so-called "rough" fish, not a game fish) from the lake
nitrogen from the			and finding a market for them. If successful, this method
water - exceeding			could provide an annual economic boon of about $1 million.
designers'				Harvesting the fish would also cut 10 metric tons of phospho-
profjections.			rus and 35 metric tons of nitrogen from the lake each year,
					lowering the amount of nutrients available for the problem
					algae. The key is finding a consumer market fot the fish, so
					district staff are working with the Department of Agriculture
					and Consumer Serivces to find a way to move shad from the
					bait bucket to the dinner table.



							23
                                                                 







                                                                                           fill























           f4j























                                                                                                                  24







                                               St. Johns Water Mana ement
                                               D@stkt: Nority Water odies
                              "')J
                                               and SWN Goals

                                                 The St. Johns River Water Management
                                                 District's SWIM program has developed plans
                                 f
                                                 for four water bodies. Here's some of what
                                                 the program is doing:

                                                 Lake Apopka
                                                       Fully implementing a large-scale marsh
                                                       restoration project
                                                       Restoring vegetation near the shoreline
                                                       Removing gizzard shad from the lake
  2                                                    Increasing public awareness to support
                                                       restoration efforts

                                                 Indian River Lagoon System
                                                       Restoring wetland and seagrass habitats
                                                       Removing nonpoint sources of pollution
                                                       Managing freshwater flows to the lagoon
                                                       Maintaining intergovernmental working
                                                       relationships

                                                 Lower St. Johns River
                                                       Working with farmers and local officials to
                                                       reduce agricultural and stormwater runoff
                                                       Increasing public awareness and participation
                                                       Monitoring water quality and analyzing trends
                                                       Analyzing fish for toxic chemicals
                                                       Mapping and analyzing contaminated
                                                       sediments
  r1J 10 C11 0
                                                 Upper Oklawaha River Basin
                                                       Helping local governments develop
                                                       environmental protection ordinances and
                                                       comprehensive plan review
                                                       Coordinating activities with local governments
                                                       through the Upper Oklawaha Basin Board
                                                       Educating the public to increase awareness and
                                                       support of protection efforts
                                                       Conver  'ting approximately 16,000 acres back to
                                                       native wetlands and marshes
                                                       Controlling nutrient levels by:
                                                             Reducing agricultural discharges
                                                         1@@ Adopting nutrient loading limits
                                                             Controlling septic systems
                                                             Developing marsh flow-ways to filter
                                                             lake waters
                                                       Adopting more natural schedules for
                                                       fluctuation and discharge from the headwater
                                                       chain of lakes



                                                                           1225






       From the seafood industry of
       Apalachicola Bay to sport fishing
                          on Leon
                          County's Lake
                          Jackson, the
                      -057
                          surface
                          waters of


       Florida 's
       panhandle are an
       important source
       of many
       residents' livelihoods.
       Protecting these waters from the
       effects of develop
       of the Northwest F1
       Management District.


                                    W
                                    I


















                                                     x

                                                                                             00




                             fI



              N,
             ,NA

                                                            z
                                                           Ag'
                                                                orthwest Foi@da
                                                                Water Management


                                             The Northwest Florida Water Management District manages
                                             water resources in an 11,200 square-mile area that covers 16
                                             counties, from the St. Marks River Basin in Jefferson County
                                             to the Perdido River Basin in Escambia County. The district's
                                             SWIM program already has helped a variety of surface waters
                                             in the Panhandle, including Leon
                                             County's Lake Jackson, the
                                             Apalachicola River and Bay,
                                             Deer Point Lake near
                                             Panama City, and
                                             Pensacola Bay.


















                                                                         27








                       Lake Jackson:
                       WeatheFing the StoFm(wateF)

                       Just north of Tallahassee, SWIM funds are being used to
                       protect one of the state's best known recreational fishing
                       spots, Lake Jackson, from the effects of stormwater runoff.

                       Lake Jackson, designated a State Aquatic Preserve and
                       Outstanding Florida Water, is well known to fishermen for its
                       largemouth bass and to local residents for boating and
                       watersports. The lake's watershed provides habitat for many
                       species of wildlife, including bald eagles, ospreys, ducks,
                       great blue herons, foxes, alligators, and turtles.

                       Water comes in to the lake from rainfall, stormwater runoff,
                       and several creeks, including Megginnis Arm, Timberlane
                       Creek and Ox Bottom Creek. But, because Lake Jackson is a
                        closed basin," water leaves the basin in only two ways -
                       through evaporation and slow seepage into the ground. This
                       means that contaminants that find their way into Lake Jack-
                       son stay there. The lake's bottom has a system of sinkholes
                       that are connected to the Floridan Aquifer through a network
                       of spaces in the
                       underground rock.
                       These sinkholes
                       periodically open up,
                       draining most
                       of the water from the
                       lake. The sinkholes
                       have naturally
                       plugged themselves
                       after each natural       Ut
                       drawdown, allowing
                       the lake to refill.


                       Lake Jackson faces
                       a serious threat from
                       extensive urban and
                       residential develop-
                       ment in the southern
                       portion of its water-    F".
                       shed. Shopping
                       malls, an Interstate
                       interchange, and a
                       vast array of busi-                          V"I"'
                       nesses and residen-
                       tial areas all have
                       sprung up around the lake during the past two decades. This
                       rapid rate of development has led to increased stormwater
                       runoff, resulting in contamination of the lake by fertilizers,
                       sediments, pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, oil, gasoline,
                       and wastes from malfunctioning septic tanks.



                                                     286)












                                                                                   4r   The Northwest Florida
                                                                                        Water Management
                                                                                   71
                                                                                        District's SWIM program, in
                                                                                        cooperation with federal,
                                                                                        state, and local government
                                                                                        agencies, has undertaken
                                                                                        several projects aimed at
                                                                                        improving water quality in
                                                 C
                                                                                        Lake Jackson. Most focus
                                                           V
                                                                                        directly on- treating
                                                                                        stormwater, the single
                                                                                        greatest threat to the lake's
                                                          Al
                                                                                        health. The District's
                                                                                        Megginnis Arm Stormwater
                                                                                        Treatment Facility uses a
                                                                                        large detention pond, a
                                                                                        sand filter, and manmade
                                                                                        marshes to clean up the
                                                                                        stormwater flowing into the
                                                   lake. The SWIM program recently expanded this facility to
                                                   increase its stormwater storage capacity. SWIM funds also
                                                   were used to construct the new 1- 1 O/Megginnis Creek Pond
                                                   Facility, completed in 1993, as a cooperative project of Leon
                                                   County, the Department of Transportation, and the SWIM
                                                   program. SWIM plans call for construction of three more
                                                   regional stormwater treatment facilities over the next few
                                                   years, and correction of a number of smaller problems in the
                                                   drainage network.

                                                   Other District activities include dredging approximately
                                                   112,000 cubic yards of degraded sediments from Megginnis
                                                   Arm. This effort substantially increased water quality and
                                                   clarity in this portion of Lake Jackson. An initial cooperative
                                                   SWIM effort involving federal, state, and local agencies
                                                   planted 12 acres of wetlands around the lake and provided
                                                   several thousand elementary, middle, and high school
                                                   students with an opportunity to learn about surface water
                                                   treatment and protection of natural systems.

                                                   Saving Lake Jackson - and the largemouth bass and other
                                                   wildlife that call it home - is a cooperative effort of the SWIM
                                                         am, the Lake Jackson Action Team (a citizen group),
                                                   progr
                                                   the City of Tallahassee, Leon County, and a number of state
                                                   and federal agencies. Though the lake has been harmed by
                                                   development, SWIM is helping it "weather the storm."





                                                                                1,291







                                              Av




                                                                       4!F









                                                                   10 @
                                                                                                                                          do
                                                            @ T'i



                                                                                                                             :MAI











                             'g          Nw







                                          Northwest F@ori'da Water
                                          Management Di*strict: Priority
                                          Water Bodies and SW@M Goa@s

                                            The Northwest Florida Water Management
                                            District's SWIM program has developed plans
                                            for four water bodies. Here's some of what
                                            the program is doing:

                                            Lake Jackson
    The SWIMprogram                              Preserving undisturbed portions of the lake
                                                 Restoring polluted portions of the lake by
    has undertaken                               expanding the Megginnis Arm stormwater
    several projects                             treatment facility
                                                 Constructing additional stormwater
    aimedat improving                            treatment facilities
    water quali,@y...,in                         Removing degraded sediments
                                            Apalachicola River and Bay System
    Lake., J@,                     t
                                                 Ensuring Florida's interests are addressed
                                                 in this river system, which descends to
    /6cL&@,dih,eq-,',,'
                                                 the Gulf through Georgia, Alabama,
                                                 and Florida
                                                 Evaluating the effects of proposed
                                                 alterations to freshwater flow
     /h, rp;@3                                   Rejuvenating old spoil sites and planning
                                                 for the proper disposal of dredged material
                                                 Maintaining buffer zones throughout the
                                                 watershed to prevent degradation through
                                                 intensive land use


                                            Deer Point Lake
                                                 Controlling stormwater pollution
                 N
                                                                                   w
                                                 Preserving critical areas such as etlands,
                                                 floodplains, and springs
                                                 Providing baseline data for future water
                                                 quality, biological, and land-use/land cover
                                                 assessments


                                            Pensacola Bay
                                                 Controlling stormwater discharge
                                                                                         -a
                                                 Restoring wetlands, including seagrass nd
                                                 saltmarsh planting, and refurbishing-
                                                 oyster bars
                                                 Accelerating shoreline acquisition






         The tranquil Suwannee River
         wends its way from the black
         waters of the Okefenokee Swamp
         through
              
         the vast





                       pine and hardwood
                       forests of north
                       central Florida, 245
                       miles south to the
         Gulf of Mexico. Its relatively
         unspoiled beauty is protected
         by the Suwannee River Water
                                  
         Management District.
                                        












































                           
 


























                                          ;A,






                                                                                               00





                                    X
                                                                  J


                              V





                    A
                                                             Ulwannee miver
                                                            'Water Mana,-7ement
                                                             District

                                              The Suwannee River Water Management District covers 7,640
                                              square miles in north central Florida, an area that includes all
                                              or part of 15 counties and a total population of about 250,000
                                              people. The district's low population means that its surface
                                              waters are relatively unspoiled, and SWIM program funds are
                                              spent primarily on prevention programs, like water quality
                                              monitoring and public education.













                                                                                       AF
                                                                        5


                                                          PF







                            The Unspoiled Suwannee River

                            Most Floridians are familiar with the setting of their state song,
                            at least by name. What many don't know is that the
                            Suwannee is one of Florida's most unspoiled rivers. As one
                            SWIM educational exercise for children puts it, "If Seminole
                                                                  Indians returned today and                 The SWIM program,
                                                                  walked along the Suwannee                  
                                                                  River, they would recognize               Is the main source,
                                                                  many of the places where they
                                                                 used to hunt and fish"' That
                                                                                                             of water quality
                                                                  claim would not be true for
                                                                  many other Florida rivers. The      and biological monitoring in the region.
                                                                 relative health of the areas      
                                                                  surface waters means that the            
                                                                                                        
                                                                  Suwannee, River Water Man-
                                                                  agement District's SWIM!'                 
                                                                  money is used primarily for
                                                                  prevention programs rather,
                                                                                   
                                                                  than restoration.

                                                                  The source of the Suwannee is
                                                                  the Okefenokee Swamp. Two
                                                                  major tributaries; the Alapaha
                                                                                                        
                                                                  and Withlacoochee Rivers,
                                                                                             
                                                                  drain south 'Georgia and join 
                                                                  the Suwannee in Florida'.
                                                                  From its headwaters in the
                                                                                           
                                                                  Okefenokee, the Suwannee
                                                                  descends 245 miles ,mostly
                                                                  through hardwood hammocks, pine flatwoods, and bottom-
                                                                  
                                                                  land hardwood swamps to the,
                                                                  Gulf of Mexico,at the small,
                                                                  fishing town of Suwannee.
                                                                  Above White Springs,the
                                                                  Suwannee begins to cut
                                                                  through the underlying clays
                                                                  and limestones, most notably
                                                                  at Big Shoals, Forida's largest
                                                                                                        
                            rapids. As the river cuts deeper into the limestone of the Floridan Aquifer, numerous springs add clear,ground water to                 
                            the tannin-stained river.


                                                                                                        
                            The Suwannee's current good health does not mean it is
                            immune to contamination. The very things that make the
                            Suwannee so beautiful also make it vulnerable. Agricultural
                            and forestry practices in the Suwannee basin can Cause
                            erosion as well as pollution from fertilizers and pesticide,
                            Animal wastes may also cause pollution. Many -of the
                            streams that feed into the Suwannee are easily,damaged by,
                                                                                
                                                                                

                                                                              










                            heavy use. The area's tranquility has attracted new residents 
                            in recent years, raising concerns about septic tanks and'
                            fertilizer runoff. Over 40,000 platted lots now exist in and
 








                                                     near the I 00-year floodplain of the Suwannee and its tributaries, but
                                                     only about 25 percent are developed. If the remaining lots are
                                                     dev.elbO@A there may be adverse water quality impacts.
                                           -,,44
                                                             ctivities along the Suwannee focus on monitoring
                                                             water quality, developing a geographic information
                                                             data base, educating the public about the river, and
                                           A,
                                                          cting information about the plants and animals found
                                                      it in the river system. The SWIM program also provides the
                                                           s to begin establishing of minimum flows and levels for
                                       Yy            mean
                                                     the Suwannee. Looking ahead to insuring proper develop-
                                                     ment, the program has developed specific rules for develop
                                                     rnent within the 1 00-year floodplain. It has put together
                                                     geographic information system (GIS) data on soils, land
                                                     cover, to ography, floodplain boundaries, and land ownership
                                                              P
                mï¿½r,                                 in the Suwannee River System floodplain and assisted local
                                                     governments on their comprehensive plan elements that
                                                     affect the river system. The District's SWIM program has
                                                     worked with the Department of Health and Rehabilitative
                                                     Services to assess whether septic tanks in the town and the
                                                     10-year floodplain of the Lower Suwannee and Santa Fe
                                                     Rivers are operating as permitted. The program has also
                                                                               helped to coordinate the successful effort
                                                                               to bring a sewage treatment plant to
                                                                               Suwannee. Concerns about the ftiture
                                                                               health of the Suwannee River led, in 1988,
                                                                               to the formation of the Suwannee River
                                                                               Task Force. This group, made up of
                                                                               representatives from state agencies,
                                                                               industry, environmental groups, and local
                                                                               government, developed 44 recorrimenda-
                                                                               tions, and is now called the Suwannee
                                                                               River Coordination Committee. Besides
                                                                               admonitions against discharging wastewa-
                                                                                                             -year
                                                                               ter within the river's hundred
                                                                               floodplain and encouragement to acquire
                                                                               more riverfront land for conservation and
                                                                               public recreation, the Task Force com-
                                                                               mended that the SWIM program should
                                                                               receive continued financial support.







                        Suwannee River Water
                        Management Distri*ct-. ?rlority
                        Water Bodies and SW@M Cjoa@s

                           The Suwannee River Water Management
                           District's SWIM program has developed plans
                           for six water bodies. Here's some of what
                           the program is doing:

                           Suwannee River System
                                 Monitoring 24 stations in the only regional surface
                                 water quality and aquatic biological monitoring
                                 network in North Central Florida
                                 Establishing limits for the pollution load the river
                                 can tolerate without losing water quality
                                 Helping local governments protect the river basin
                                 through their comprehensive plans                                                           V.,
                                 Determining minimum flows and levels needed to
                                 maintain water quality and eco-integrity
                                 Developing a GIS database for mapping purposes

                           Santa Fe River System
                                 Monitoring surface water quality and aquatic
                                 biology at ten sites
                                 Determining minimum flows and levels needed to
                                 maintain water quality and eco-integrity
                                 Developing a GIS database for mapping purposes

                           Coastal Rivers System
                           E@@ Monitoring surface water quality and aquatic
                                 biology at eleven sites
                                 Developing a GIS database for mapping purposes
                                 Monitoring timber industry activities in the basin

                           Alligator Lake
                           REza Helping local governments acquire the land
                                 needed to create a stormwater control system for
                                 lake restoration


                           Aucilla River System
                           E@ Monitoring surface water quality and
                                 collecting biological data at two sites
                           R@@R Developing a GIS database for mapping purposes J,

                           Waccasassa River System                                     T
                                 Monitoring surface water quality and aquatic
                                 biology at one site
                                 Developing a GIS database for mapping purposes






                                                     36










                     The Future of SWIM

                     The 1987 Florida Legislature created the Surface Water Improvement and Manage-
                     ment Program to fill a serious gap in the state's environmental protection programs.
                     It was not enough, legislators knew, to buy land. It was not enough to stop sewage
                     and industrial wastes from flowing into our surface waters. We needed to take the
                     next step - to reduce the pollutants entering our waters in more subtle ways. To help
                     farmers to limit pollution caused by fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. To control
                     stormwater more effectively. To work with local governments to ensure developments
                     that protect these resources. To educate people about how their actions - the use of
                     fertilizers, pesticides, and other toxic compounds - affect our lakes, rivers, and
                     estuaries. To restore already polluted waters.

                                                      SWIM does all these things and more. Its emphasis
                                                      on partnerships means that federal, state, and local
                                                      programs are working together to protect and restore
                                                      our surface waters. Its creative use of state funds
                                                      means that many more dollars -from local govern-
                                                      ments, federal programs, and even private sources
                                                      are available to help reduce the pollution of our
                                                                ters and to restore those water bodies that
                                                         te'
                                                      sta s wa
                                                      need serious help.

                                                      As Florida looks to the future of its environmental
                                                      programs, SWIM has an integral role to play. Its
                                                      continued funding is essential to the health of all
                                                      Florida's surface waters.


                                      M








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                                                      nformation on the Surface Water
                                                      ent an   anagement (SWIM) Program
                                                      e SWIM program in efforts to clean up
                                                     waters, contact:


                                                Office of Water Policy
                                            Florida Department of Environme 'ntal Protection
                                            3900 Commonwealth Boulevard
                                            Mail Station #46
                                            Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000
                                            (904) 488-0784


                                            or your water management district:

                                            Northwest Florida Water Management District
                                            Route 1, Box 3100
                                            Havana, Florida 32333-9700
                                            (904) 539-5999


                                            Suwannee River Water Management District
                                            Route 3, Box 64
                                            Live Oak, Florida 32060
                                            (904) 362-1001

                                            St. Johns River Water Management District
                                            Post Office Box 1429
                                            Palatka, Florida 32178-1429
                                            (90-4) 329-4500


                                            Southwest Florida Water Management District
                                            2379 Broad Street
                                            Brooksville, Florida 34609-6899
                                            (813) 985-7481

                                            South Florida Water Management District Post
                                            Office Box 24680
                                            West Palm Beach, Florida 33416-4680
                                            (407) 686-8800










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