WATER

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Water

Flood control Activities

Include the construction, rehabilitation, and operation of dams, levees, and other facilities for flood control.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Florida’s Nutrient Criteria Development Process

Florida has initiated rulemaking to adopt quantitative nutrient water quality standards to facilitate the assessment of designated use attainment for its waters and to provide a better means to protect state waters from the adverse effects of nutrient over enrichment. FDEP plans to develop numeric criteria for causal variables (phosphorus and nitrogen) and/or response variables (potentially chlorophyll a and transparency), recognizing the hydrologic variability (waterbody type) and spatial variability (location within Florida) of the nutrient levels of the state’s waters, and the variability in ecosystem response to nutrient concentrations. FDEP’s preferred approach is to develop cause/effect relationships between nutrients and valued ecological attributes, and to establish nutrient criteria that ensure that the designated uses of Florida’s waters are maintained. Florida currently uses a narrative nutrient standard to guide the management and protection of its waters. Chapter 62-302.530, Florida Administrative Code, states that “in no case shall nutrient concentrations of body of water be altered so as to cause an imbalance in natural populations of flora or fauna.” The narrative criteria also states that (for all waters of the state) "the discharge of nutrients shall continue to be limited as needed to prevent violations of other standards contained in this chapter [Chapter 62-302, FAC]. Man-induced nutrient enrichment (total nitrogen or total phosphorus) shall be considered degradation in relation to the provisions of Sections 62-302.300, 62-302.700, and 62-4.242, F.A.C.” FDEP has been actively working with EPA on the development of numeric nutrient criteria for several years. To limit nutrient enrichment, Florida will develop nutrient criteria for all waters, guided by recommendations from a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) composed of technical experts from throughout the state. The TAC will review all available technical information to ensure that the resulting criteria reflect the characteristics and aquatic life use of Florida’s diverse water bodies.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Florida’s Nutrient TMDL for Jackson Blue Spring and Merritts Mill Pond

The report presents the TMDL for nitrate nitrogen, which was determined to cause the impairment of Jackson Blue Spring and its receiving water, Merritts Mill Pond. These waterbodies are located in the Chipola River Planning Unit of the Apalachicola–Chipola Basin. Jackson Blue Spring and Merritts Mill Pond were verified by the FDEP as impaired by nutrients and were included on the Verified List of impaired waters for the Apalachicola–Chipola Basin that was adopted by Secretarial Order in May 2009. The TMDL establishes the allowable level of nutrient loadings to Jackson Blue Spring and Merritts Mill Pond that would restore these waterbodies so that they meet their applicable water quality criterion for nutrients. This report will be used as the basis for discussions during the development of the Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP).

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Florida’s Pollutant Trading Program

2008 Revisions to Florida Watershed Restoration Act focused on water quality credit trading. Authorized trading, but limited to pilot project in Lower St. Johns River Basin (LSJR); Authorizes trading in the LSJR pilot program under process established in adopted Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). Required FDEP to initiate rulemaking by September 1, 2008. FDEP issued Notice of Rule Development in August 2008 and held first public workshop on November 21, 2008. 2008 Legislation provides authority for Pilot Trading Program under process established in adopted BMAP, but, OGC recommended FDEP adopt rule for Pilot. Longer term, will also need to revise rule for any expansion of program. The rule will be done in “phases” with initial rulemaking focused on pilot program. Generally speaking, FDEP has translated BMAP text into rule language to support pilot. BMAP authorizes “Formal” Trading that occurs AFTER adoption of BMAP with detailed allocations to individual sources. Trading must be implemented via permits. One of the trading parties must have an individual permit.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Forestry Best Management Practices (BMPs)

This manual is written to be a practical field guide for forest landowners, logging contractors and the forest industry to ensure water quality during forestry operations. It sets forth the voluntary guidelines and procedures to be followed for each operation and describes the federally mandated Best Management Practices (BMPs) for forestry operations in wetlands. Each chapter is written as a stand-alone guide. BMPs common to several operations will appear with each.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
FY 2012 Conservation Innovation Grant Awardees

List of the fiscal 2012 Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) awardees. The information includes the project location, the amount of funding, the project title and a brief description.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
GOMA Nutrients Reduction Decision Support Toolbox

The Nutrient Reduction Decision Support Toolbox is intended for use by state and local agencies and other organizations interested in reducing nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and other pollutants to our waterbodies. The toolbox originated from the Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA) Nutrient Reduction Priority Issue Team (PIT) and its initiatives to reduce the size of the hypoxic zone in the Gulf of Mexico as well as occurrences of hypoxic events across Gulf of Mexico coastal and estuarine waters. Nutrient reduction efforts must be made throughout the five Gulf states, as well as the states within the upper and lower Mississippi and Ohio River Basins to be successful at reducing Gulf hypoxia. The toolbox is based on a comprehensive and holistic framework for nutrient reduction developed through the collaborative interaction of local, state, and federal agencies; non-governmental organizations; agricultural producers; private businesses; and academic institutions. Each of the drawers in the toolbox represents one of the 10 key decision elements that are essential to reducing nutrients and their impacts within our waters.

FILE TYPE: .HTML
DATE:02/08/2017
Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)

The Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) is a national and state driven effort led by a coalition of producer and resource management organizations. The purpose of GLCI is to get more trained NRCS personnel to deliver the best, applied grazing land science to producers and managers on private grazing lands. The use of this technical assistance is voluntary and at the request of private grazing-land owners and managers. On the national level, the GLCI steering committee is a confederation of national organizations focused on carrying out actions needed to increase NRCS technical assistance on privately owned grazing lands. This also includes those operations where private lands are commingled with federal, state, and tribal lands. The original founding organizations include: American Farm Bureau Federation, American Forage and Grassland Council, American Sheep Industry, Dairy Industry, National Association of Conservation Districts, National Cattlemen's Beef Association, National Farmer's Union, Society for Range Management, and Soil and Water Conservation Society. The GLCI through national and state steering committees seeks to: Increase the number of trained grazing land conservationists in NRCS, Strengthen partnerships at national and state levels, Promote voluntary actions for resource management, Encourage diversification to achieve multiple benefits through a sound grazing land management planning process, Emphasize training and education, and Increase public awareness on the societal benefits of well-managed private grazing lands.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Green Infrastructure

Green infrastructure uses vegetation and soil to manage rainwater where it falls. By weaving natural processes into the built environment, green infrastructure provides not only stormwater management, but also flood mitigation, air quality management, and much more. Resources related to green infrastructure basics, tools, case studies, research, and library.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017
Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force (GCERTF)

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force was created by President Obama through an Executive Order (PDF) on October 5, 2010, and is the result of a recommendation made in Secretary Mabus' report on long term recovery following the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. By October 5, 2011, the Task Force is charged with development of a restoration strategy that proposes a Gulf Coast ecosystem restoration agenda.

FILE TYPE: link
DATE:02/07/2017