Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan
Underscoring the State's commitment to greater Everglades ecosystem restoration, the Florida Legislature in 2007 expanded the Lake Okeechobee Protection Act to include protection and restoration of the Lake Okeechobee watershed and the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie estuaries. Accordingly, the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan was developed by the South Florida Water Management District, in coordination with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The Plan was submitted to the Governor and Legislature on Feb. 1, 2008.
The following links allow on-line viewing or downloading of the technical plan and its appendices:
The coordinating agencies evaluated various alternatives using best available technology and scientific information. The development and comparisons of the alternatives along with extensive input from the public ultimately identified the best science-based and technologically-feasible options for improving lake and estuary health.
The technical plan identifies construction projects, along with agricultural and urban practices, needed to achieve water quality targets for the lake. In addition, it includes other projects for increasing water storage north of Lake Okeechobee to achieve healthier lake levels and reduce harmful discharges to the Caloosahatchee and St Lucie estuaries.
The Plan includes short-term measures for implementation during the first three years of the plan and longer-term measures that will be put into operation post-2010. The plan represents the best blueprint for achieving water quality standards while better managing lake levels.
Components of the multi-phase plan include:
Implementing agricultural management practices on more than 1.7 million acres of farmland;
Adopting new regulations that will reduce the impacts of development on water quality and flow;
Building treatment wetlands to clean water flowing into the lake;
Using other innovative green nutrient control technologies to reduce phosphorus loads from the watershed; and
Creating between 900,000 and 1.3 million acre-feet of water storage north of the lake through a combination of above-ground reservoirs, underground storage and alternative water storage projects on public and private lands.
Subject to ratification by the Florida Legislature, the Plan builds upon and dovetails with on-going restoration activities and successfully consolidates many previous Lake Okeechobee restoration efforts into a broader, Northern Everglades-focused approach.
The Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan which calls for an iterative, adaptive and phased implementation process was submitted to the Florida Legislature in early 2008. The Plan recommended that feasibility studies be conducted at the sub-watershed level to further define the best mix of surface storage and water quality improvement features that are most suitable in a given sub-watershed; to identify locations for siting these features; and to develop preliminary engineering design and cost estimates for the identified features.
Following the recommendations, the South Florida Water Management District hosted the kickoff meeting for the development of the Fisheating Creek Sub-watershed Feasibility Report on December 8th, 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to establish a working team which will provide technical support for Feasibility Report development.
The following links allow on-line viewing or downloading of the working team meetings presentations, summaries, and any relevant information:
Fisheating Creek Feasibility Report Working Team Meetings
Northern Everglades
