Rainbow River Surface Water Improvement and Management

Rainbow River Surface Water Improvement and

Management (SWIM) Plan

A Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plan

November 2015

Springs Coast Steering Committee Members

Each spring system in the Springs Coast region is a unique, complex system with different

sets of challenges. To address these issues, the Springs Coast Steering Committee (SCSC)

was formed of local, regional and state agencies. The first goal of the SCSC is to develop

management plans tailored for each spring system to identify issues, objectives, projects and

responsibilities. This document serves as satisfaction of that first goal for Rainbow River.

The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) does not discriminate on the basis of disability. This nondiscrimination

policy involves every aspect of the District’s functions, including access to and participation in the District’s programs and activities.

Anyone requiring reasonable accommodation as provided for in the Americans with Disabilities Act should contact the District’s Human

Resources Bureau Chief, 2379 Broad Street, Brooksville, FL 34604-6899; telephone (352) 796-7211 or 1-800-423-1476 (FL only),

ext. 4703; or email ADACoordinator@WaterMatters.org

. If you are hearing or speech impaired, please contact the agency using the

Florida Relay Service, 1-800-955-8771 (TDD) or 1-800-955-8770 (Voice).

Table of Contents

List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. v

List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. vi

Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1

The Springs Coast ..................................................................................................................... 1

Springs Coast Steering and Management Committees ............................................................. 2

Springs Coast Technical Working Group ................................................................................. 4

The SWIM Act & SWIM Priority Water Bodies...................................................................... 4

What Makes a Healthy Spring? ................................................................................................ 5

Rainbow River System Description .......................................................................................... 6

Geology ............................................................................................................................... 6

Hydrology ........................................................................................................................... 7

Ecology ............................................................................................................................... 9

Historical Context ................................................................................................................... 11

Land Use ................................................................................................................................. 12

Issues and Drivers ......................................................................................................................... 14

Water Quality .......................................................................................................................... 14

Water Quantity ........................................................................................................................ 20

Natural Systems ...................................................................................................................... 25

Management Actions .................................................................................................................... 27

Quantifiable Objectives .......................................................................................................... 27

Water Quality .......................................................................................................................... 28

Water Quantity ........................................................................................................................ 30

Natural Systems ...................................................................................................................... 31

Projects and Initiatives .................................................................................................................. 34

Ongoing Projects and Initiatives ............................................................................................. 34

III

Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 34

Water Quantity .................................................................................................................. 44

Natural Systems ................................................................................................................ 52

Proposed Priority Projects and Initiatives ............................................................................... 55

Water Quality .................................................................................................................... 55

Water Quantity .................................................................................................................. 58

Natural Systems ................................................................................................................ 59

References ..................................................................................................................................... 60

Appendix A: Technical Working Group Membership List ....................................................... A-1

Appendix B: Permitted Point Sources within Rainbow River Springshed ................................ B-1

Appendix C: Jurisdictional Authority within the Rainbow River Springshed .......................... C-1

Appendix D: List of Acronyms.................................................................................................. D-1

Appendix E: Partners and Programs ........................................................................................... E-1

Appendix F: Draft Potential Projects and Initiatives .................................................................. F-1

Appendix G: Results of Project Identification Exercises .......................................................... G-1

List of Figures

Figure 1: Water Quality Projects per Management Action Category ...................................... ES-4

Figure 2: Water Quantity Projects per Management Action Category .................................... ES-5

Figure 3: Natural Systems Projects per Management Action Category .................................. ES-6

Figure 4: SWFWMD Major Springsheds ...................................................................................... 1

Figure 5: Rainbow River Watershed and Springshed Boundaries................................................. 2

Figure 6: Rainbow River Watershed and Springshed Boundaries................................................. 8

Figure 7: Phosphate Mining Operations (Florida State Library) ................................................. 11

Figure 8: Principal Land Uses in Rainbow Springshed ............................................................... 13

Figure 9: Selected SWFWMD Sampling Locations in the Upper Rainbow River ...................... 15

Figure 10: Nitrate Concentrations in the Headspring Area of the Rainbow River. ..................... 15

Figure 11: Relative Nitrogen Inputs to Groundwater in the Rainbow BMAP Area by Source

Category ........................................................................................................................................ 17

Figure 12: Horizontal Secchi disk measurement at fixed stations along the river....................... 19

Figure 13: Rainbow River Optical Model - Horizontal Secchi Disk vs. Chlorophyll

Concentration ................................................................................................................................ 19

Figure 14: Spatial Distribution of Water Transparency (Secchi Disk) and Chlorophyll

Concentration ................................................................................................................................ 20

Figure 15: Regional Rainfall versus Rainbow River Flow .......................................................... 21

Figure 16: Groundwater Withdrawals within the Rainbow Springs Springshed from 1992-2012

....................................................................................................................................................... 22

Figure 17: Groundwater Withdrawals by Category within the Rainbow Springs Springshed .... 22

Figure 18: Rainbow River Flow in Relation to a Nearby Groundwater Well ............................. 24

List of Tables

Table 1: Quantifiable Objectives ............................................................................................. ES-3

Table 2: Members of the Springs Coast Steering Committee........................................................ 3

Table 3: Members of the Springs Coast Management Committee ................................................ 3

Table 4: Water Clarity from 2006-2014 in Rainbow River (horizontal Secchi distance in feet;

WMIS) .......................................................................................................................................... 18

Table 5: Changes in SAV Acreage in the Rainbow River (modified from Atkins and DCWI

2012) ............................................................................................................................................. 26

Table 6: Quantifiable Objectives ................................................................................................. 28

Table 7: Water Quality Management Actions ............................................................................. 29

Table 8: Water Quantity Management Actions ........................................................................... 30

Table 9: Natural Systems Management Actions .......................................................................... 32

Table 10: Ongoing Water Quality Projects and Initiatives .......................................................... 34

Table 11: Ongoing Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives ........................................................ 44

Table 12: Ongoing Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives ...................................................... 52

Table 13: Proposed Priority Water Quality Projects and Initiatives ............................................ 55

Table 14: Proposed Priority Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives .......................................... 58

Table 15: Proposed Priority Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives ........................................ 59

Table 16: Wastewater Permits as of 04/29/2015 ....................................................................... B-1

Table 17: Petroleum Sites as of 04/29/2015 .............................................................................. B-2

Table 18: Solid Waste Facilities as of 5/7/2015 ........................................................................ B-5

Table 19: Water Use Permits as of 05/15/2015 ......................................................................... B-6

Table 20: Draft Potential Water Quality Projects and Initiatives ............................................... F-1

Table 21: Draft Potential Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives ............................................. F-3

Table 22: Draft Potential Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives ............................................ F-3

Executive Summary

The Rainbow River in southwestern Marion County is a first-magnitude spring system with clear waters

and an abundance of fish and wildlife. The river contains numerous spring vents and represents the

fourth largest spring system in Florida. Because of its natural beauty and aesthetics, the Rainbow River

was designated an Aquatic Preserve in 1986 and an Outstanding Florida Waterway in 1987.

In recognition of the need to place additional emphasis on restoration, protection, and management of

the surface water resources of the State, the Florida Legislature, through the Surface Water

Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act of 1987, directed the State's water management districts to

"design and implement plans and programs for the improvement and management of surface water"

(Section 373.451 F.S.). SWIM Plans are generally limited in scope to the areas of responsibility of the

Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). While this plan is considered an update of

the 2004 Rainbow River SWIM plan, it is much more than that. Within the framework of the Springs Coast

Steering Committee (SCSC), Springs Coast Management Committee (SCMC), and Technical Working

Group (TWG), this plan takes a much broader approach by identifying management actions and

projects from a wide variety of stakeholders. It is only through this consensus-building approach that

the Rainbow River can adequately be protected and restored for generations to come. Recognizing that

one entity alone cannot do it all, the most important element of this plan is the consensus and

partnerships that came together and made this plan a reality.

ES-1

This plan is a living document with adaptive management at its core. As such, this plan will be revised

periodically to assess overall progress in meeting the quantifiable objectives. The primary goal of this

SWIM plan is to identify and implement management actions and projects that will address the major

issues the system faces and that will restore, maintain, and preserve the ecological balance of the

Rainbow River. The primary issues are:

• Elevated nitrate concentrations

• Reduced water clarity

• Long-term stream flow reduction

• Altered aquatic vegetation community

To address these issues and their respective drivers, this plan presents several management actions

and specific projects and initiatives supporting those management actions that fall within one of three

focus areas:

• Water Quality

• Water Quantity

• Natural Systems (Habitat)

ES-2

The Rainbow River SWIM plan includes numeric targets called quantifiable objectives. If these

objectives are achieved, the expected result is a healthy spring ecosystem. These are long term goals

and may require considerable time and effort to achieve. Quantifiable objectives can be used to

develop and prioritize management actions and projects, thus promoting effective and efficient

resource management. Table 1 describes the quantifiable objectives for each of the three focus areas:

water quality, water quantity, and natural systems.

Table 1: Quantifiable Objectives

Water Quality

Target

Water clarity in the river

>100 feet

Nitrate concentration in the springs and river

<0.35 mg/L

Water Quantity

Minimum flows for the springs and river system

TBD in 2016

Natural Systems

Coverage of desirable submerged aquatic vegetation in the river

>65%

Coverage of invasive aquatic vegetation (hydrilla/filamentous algae) in the

river

<10%

Based on Anastasiou 2006 and average river-wide data presented in Table 3

FDEP 2013 – Nutrient TMDL for Rainbow Springs Group and Rainbow Springs Group Run

SWFWMD 2015 Minimum Flows and Levels Priority List and Schedule

Based on data presented in Table 4 from the 2011 Rainbow River vegetation evaluation (Atkins and

DCWI 2012)

ES-3

The water quality management actions and projects are focused primarily on reducing nitrogen from

the sources identified by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) during the Basin

Management Action Plan (BMAP) process. The SCSC recognizes that agricultural operations and septic

tanks are the priority water quality management action categories for the Rainbow River. This SWIM

plan includes 26 ongoing projects and 7 proposed priority projects to address water quality issues

(Figure 1).

Figure 1: Water Quality Projects per Management Action Category

ES-4

The water quantity management actions and projects are intended to protect and maintain flows in the

Rainbow River. The SCSC recognizes that water conservation and Minimum Flows and Levels (MFL)

adoption are the priority water quantity management action categories for the Rainbow River. The

SWIM plan includes 19 ongoing projects and 2 proposed priority projects to address water quantity

issues (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Water Quantity Projects per Management Action Category

ES-5

The natural systems management actions and projects are designed to directly restore and maintain

fish and wildlife habitat both within and along the Rainbow River. The SCSC recognizes that invasive

species management and recreation management are the priority natural systems management action

categories for the Rainbow River. The SWIM plan includes 8 ongoing projects and 2 proposed priority

projects to address natural systems issues (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Natural Systems Projects per Management Action Category

ES-6

Introduction

Among our most precious water resources along the West-Central Florida Gulf Coast are the more than

200 documented springs and the rivers, bays, and estuaries that are fed by them. Over the past half

century many of these spring-fed systems have experienced significant ecological changes caused by

both natural variability and human activities. This SWIM plan is created to identify actions needed to

improve and protect the Rainbow River. Goals and objectives were developed and are used to guide

programs and projects for maintaining or improving water quantity, water quality, natural systems, and

other functions consistent with the SWIM Act. This plan is a living document with adaptive management

at its core. As such, this plan will be revised periodically to assess overall progress in meeting the

quantifiable objectives.

The Springs Coast

While recognizing the need to manage all springs,

priority is placed on the five first-magnitude spring

groups: Rainbow, Crystal River/Kings Bay, Homosassa,

Chassahowitzka, and Weeki Wachee (Figure 4). These

spring groups, located in or discharging to an area

known as the Springs Coast, collectively discharge

more than one billion gallons per day

The source of spring discharge is groundwater from the

aquifer, which is replenished by seasonal rainfall that

soaks into the ground. Another source of water to these

spring systems is surface water runoff within the area

known as the watershed. The area of land contributes

Figure 4: SWFWMD Major Springsheds

rainfall to a spring is referred to as a springshed. This

area extends much farther than just the land

immediately surrounding a spring (Figure 5). For

example, the Rainbow Springs springshed covers

approximately 735 square miles and includes parts of

three counties. Unlike

watershed boundaries,

springshed boundaries are not easily defined and often

move in response to rainfall patterns and aquifer levels.

The planning boundary for Rainbow Springs and River

encompasses both the surface watershed and the much

larger springshed as defined by the SWFWMD. Both

areas must be considered when evaluating an effective

plan for impacts to the system since both areas have

direct impacts to the spring system.

Springs Coast Steering and Management Committees

The Springs Coast Steering and Management Committee’s mission is to build consensus and

partnerships to restore and protect our Springs Coast through effective implementation of system-

specific, scientifically sound, and community-based management plans. Modeled after the National

Estuary Programs (NEP), like the Tampa Bay Estuary Program, the first goal of the SCSC is to develop

plans tailored for each of the five first-magnitude spring systems (Rainbow River, Crystal River/Kings

Bay, Homosassa River, Chassahowitzka River, and Weeki Wachee River), beginning with Rainbow

River and Kings Bay. These plans will be living documents identifying issues, solutions, costs and

responsibilities to ensure the region’s long-term sustainability. These plans will build upon previous

and existing efforts such as the Kings Bay and Rainbow River SWIM Plans, The Nature Conservancy’s

Springs Coast Watershed Plan, and the Rainbow Springs Restoration Plan (Florida Springs Institute

2013).

In August 2014, the SWFWMD along with local, regional and state agencies, formed the Springs Coast

Steering Committee (SCSC). The members of this committee are listed in Table 2.

Figure 5: Rainbow River Watershed and

Springshed Boundaries

Table 2: Members of the Springs Coast Steering Committee

Organization

Representative

Title

City of Crystal River

Robert Holmes

City Council Member

Citrus County

Dennis Damato

County Commissioner

Hernando County

Nick Nicholson

County Commissioner

Marion County

Stan McClain

County Commissioner

FDEP

Tom Frick

Environmental Assessment and Restoration Division,

Director

FFWCC

Shannon Wright

Northeast Regional Director

FDACS

Darrell Smith

Office of Ag Water Policy, Assistant Director

SWFWMD

Michael Babb

Governing Board Member, Chair

* Hernando County Commissioner Diane Rowden contributed to the development of this plan

To assist in the effort, the SCSC created the Springs Coast Management Committee (SCMC) to review

technical data and make recommendations to the SCSC. The SCMC is composed of representatives

from the founding organizations of the SCSC, along with other involved stakeholder groups. The

members of this committee are listed in Table 3.

Table 3: Members of the Springs Coast Management Committee

Organization/Interest

Representative

Title

City of Crystal River

Dave Burnell

City Manager

Citrus County

Ken Cheek

Director of Water Resources

Hernando County

Alys Brockway

Water Resource Manager

Marion County

Flip Mellinger

Utilities Director

FDEP

Rick Hicks

Administrator

FFWCC

Kevin Kemp

Biologist

FDACS

Jessica Stempien

Environmental Manager

SWFWMD

Michael Molligan

Public Affairs Assistant Bureau Chief

Agriculture Curt Williams

Florida Farm Bureau, Assistant Director of

Government Affairs

Public Supply Richard Owen

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority

(WRWSA), Executive Director

Environmental

Charles Lee

Audubon Society, Director of Advocacy

Regional Planning Council Maya Burke

Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council, Senior

Environmental Planner

Industry

David Bruzek

Duke Energy, Lead Environmental Specialist

Academia Mahmoud Nachabe

Professor, Department of Civil and

Environmental Engineering, USF

State Parks

Rick Owen

Biologist, Florida Park Service

* Former Management Committee Members who contributed to the development of this plan

include:

Doug Yowell, Duke Energy

Bruce Day, Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council

Tom Frazer, University of Florida

Kim Tennille, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

Springs Coast Technical Working Group

To further assist the SCSC, the Technical Working Group (TWG) was assembled, and is an informal

group of stakeholders whose primary charge is to engage at the technical level to develop the

management plans, beginning with Rainbow River. The TWG consists of members from federal, state,

regional, and local governments, private industry, academia, and non-governmental organizations

(see Appendix A for membership list).

The SCSC and SCMC requested the TWG focus on three key elements: Water Quality, Water Quantity,

and Natural Systems. While these are interdependent, for the purpose of writing the management

plans, each of these elements was considered individually.

The SWIM Act & SWIM Priority Water Bodies

In recognition of the need to place additional emphasis on restoration, protection, and management of

the surface water resources of the State, the Florida Legislature, through the Surface Water

Improvement and Management (SWIM) Act of 1987, directed the State's water management districts to

"design and implement plans and programs for the improvement and management of surface water"

(Section 373.451 F.S.). The SWIM legislation requires the water management districts to protect the

ecological, aesthetic, recreational, and economic value of the State’s surface water bodies, keeping in

mind that water quality degradation is frequently caused by point and non-point source pollution, and

that degraded water quality can cause both direct and indirect losses of habitats.

Under the act, water management districts identify water bodies for inclusion into the program based

on their regional significance and their need for protection and/or restoration. This process is carried

out in cooperation with the FDEP, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC),

the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS), and local governments.

In accordance with the SWIM Act, once a water body is selected, a SWIM plan must be adopted by the

water management district's governing board and approved by the FDEP. Before the SWIM plan can

be adopted, it must undergo a review process involving the required state agencies. The purpose of

this updated Rainbow River SWIM plan is to set forth a course of action by identifying the quantity,

scope, and required effort of projects appropriate for the system, while considering the levels of

funding. In 1989, the SWFWMD adopted the Rainbow River as a SWIM water body and developed the

first Rainbow River SWIM plan. The 1989 SWIM plan identified a variety of projects that included public

education, habitat restoration, baseline vegetation and wildlife surveys, and sediment analysis. These

projects were diagnostic in nature with a focus on obtaining an initial understanding of the system. As

projects were completed and the SWFWMD staff's understanding of the system increased, SWIM plans

were periodically updated. The Rainbow River SWIM plan was updated in 1995 and again in 2004 to

evaluate management issues and to determine which areas to focus management strategies in the

future. As each SWIM plan was updated, management issues shifted from the area immediately

surrounding the river in the watershed to more regional issues within the springshed. This current

SWIM plan will adopt the springshed and watershed as the management boundary area.

What Makes a Healthy Spring?

There are three attributes that are common to healthy springs and can be used to assess their condition:

water quality, flow and discharge (water quantity), and fish and wildlife habitat (natural systems).

The quality of water is a key attribute of the ecology and

aesthetics of a spring, especially with regard to clarity,

nutrients, and salinity. A defining characteristic of many

Florida springs is exceptionally clear water, which is a

primary driver of the productive aquatic vegetation that

supports spring ecosystems. Nutrients control many

ecological processes and may lead to imbalances of flora

and fauna at elevated levels relative to background

concentrations. For the coastal spring systems, salinity

variation has a major influence on the type and abundance

of organisms that live in these historically freshwater

ecosystems.

The amount of water that discharges from a spring vent, or in most

cases a collection of spring vents, is the primary feature of a

spring system. Spring discharge is the main source of flow that

creates and maintains the riverine portion of spring systems.

Adequate flow influences springs ecology by maintaining water

temperature, inhibiting algal blooms, reducing detrital buildup,

and stimulating productivity. Without adequate flow the ecology

and human use potential of a spring diminishes.

Florida spring ecosystems are known for their abundance and

diversity of aquatic vegetation, invertebrates, fish, and wildlife,

including birds, turtles, alligators and otters. Native aquatic

vegetation is the foundation of spring ecosystems by providing

habitat for many organisms, removing nutrients from the water,

stabilizing sediments, and improving water clarity by filtering

particles.

Rainbow River System Description

Numerous springs form the Rainbow Springs Group and the resulting Rainbow River. Located in the

southwestern part of Marion County, adjacent to the City of Dunnellon, the river flows nearly 6 miles

before joining the lower Withlacoochee River and which ultimately discharges into the Gulf of Mexico

near Yankeetown north of Crystal River. Water flowing down the Rainbow River is an aggregation of

discharge from numerous spring vents and represents the fourth largest spring group in Florida.

Rainbow River was designated as both an Aquatic Preserve in 1986 and an Outstanding Florida

Waterway in 1987 due to the natural beauty and aesthetics of the springs and river. In 1989 the river

was designated as a SWIM waterbody.

Geology

The Florida peninsula is formed on top of thick sedimentary rocks. Extensive marine carbonate

deposits have turned into alternating layers of limestone and dolostone rock formations that

collectively are several thousand feet thick. Subsequent sediment

deposition and geologic processes

have created a mantle of overlying sand and clay deposits that, along with dissolution of the underlying

rock formations, have formed the karst landscape surrounding Rainbow Springs and the Rainbow River.

The saturated carbonate rocks beneath the land surface form the Floridan aquifer system, one of the

most productive aquifers on earth and the source of groundwater discharging from Rainbow Springs

and most of the other springs in the state.

Understanding the dominant role of karst processes on groundwater flow is prerequisite to

characterizing the hydrology of the aquifers in the region. The topography and internal drainage in the

Rainbow Springs groundwater basin, or springshed area, has been formed by karst processes, and

contains numerous sinkholes, sinking streams, and springs. In karst areas, the dissolution of limestone

by slightly acidic rainfall water acts to dissolve the limestone bedrock, enlarging fractures in the rock

and forming cavities which may eventually collapse to form sinkholes. Sinkholes capture surface water

drainage and funnel it underground which further promotes dissolution of the limestone. This leads to

progressive integration of voids beneath the surface, and allows larger and larger amounts of water to

be funneled into the underground drainage system.

Hydrology

The ultimate source of water flowing through the aquifer and discharging from Rainbow Springs is

rainfall. Rainfall across the Florida peninsula is the result of three types of systems: frontal, convective,

and tropical or cyclonic. Although most of the rainfall is associated with summer convective storms, the

region has two distinct peak rainfall periods: June through September and February through April.

Average rainfall in the Rainbow Springs springshed is 54 inches per year with the highest monthly

rainfall in August.

Topographic elevation differences direct rainfall runoff from higher to lower elevations across the land.

The resulting surface water catchment area for a receiving waterbody forms a watershed. The

watershed for Rainbow River is approximately 73 square miles (Florida Geological Survey 2007).

However, much of the watershed is internally-drained with little to no runoff. The majority of water

flowing down the Rainbow River is derived from a much larger groundwater basin called the

springshed.

Springsheds are catchment areas that contribute groundwater to a spring vent or spring group. The

boundaries of a springshed are mostly defined by groundwater potentiometric surface elevations as

measured by water levels in monitoring wells. Similar to topographic drainage, groundwater elevation

differences and other aquifer properties cause groundwater movement through the springshed to the

springs. Springshed boundaries are dynamic and can move slightly seasonally, based on variations in

rainfall and groundwater recharge. The Rainbow Springs springshed covers a significant land area and

includes large portions of Alachua, Levy, and Marion counties. The FGS estimated springshed for

Rainbow Springs is approximately 735 square miles (471,700 acres, Figure 6).

Figure 6: Rainbow River Watershed and Springshed Boundaries

The hydrogeology in the Rainbow Springs springshed includes a surficial aquifer, a discontinuous

intermediate confining unit, and a thick carbonate Upper Floridan aquifer. In general, a regionally

extensive surficial aquifer is not present because the clay confining unit is thin, discontinuous, and

breeched by numerous karst features. Because of this geology, the Upper Floridan aquifer is

unconfined over most of the western Marion County area. In this unconfined setting, high infiltration

soils and generally deep water table conditions exist. Within the Rainbow Springs springshed, the

Upper Floridan aquifer is the primary source of water for the springs and withdrawals for public supply,

agricultural, recreational, and industrial/commercial uses.

The Upper Floridan aquifer within the Rainbow Springs springshed is recharged from local rainfall. Net

recharge values are determined by rainfall inputs minus evapotranspiration loss. The highest recharge

rates to the aquifer occur in west-central Marion County with values ranging between 10 and 25 inches

per year (Sepulveda, 2002). According to Faulkner (1970) most of the flow to Rainbow Springs is

concentrated within the upper 100 feet of the Upper Floridan aquifer. This uppermost portion of the

aquifer is characterized by rapid recharge and flow, with shorter groundwater residence and travel

times to the point of discharge at the springs. The vulnerability of the aquifer in the Rainbow Springs

springshed was evaluated based on county-specific aquifer and soil data and found that the majority of

the springshed is “more vulnerable” or “most vulnerable” to contamination (Baker et al. 2007).

Ecology

The diverse ecology of Rainbow River and the surrounding lands provide opportunity to observe

numerous life forms and visitors will be presented with an array of aquatic plants, invertebrates, fish,

reptiles, and birds. The plant and animal life found in the Rainbow River and the surrounding lands of

the watershed have been characterized by a variety of efforts.

An early effort by FFWCC characterized the terrestrial habitats of the Rainbow River watershed and the

occurrence of amphibian, reptile, avian, and mammal species found therein (Joiner et al. 1992). The

three major habitat types at that time were hydric hammocks, flatwoods, and sandhills. Combining field

observations made during 1990-91 and reviews of available wildlife data (1985-91), there were 23

species of amphibians, 42 species of reptiles, 132 bird species, and 26 mammal species documented

to occur in the watershed. Animal usage by habitat type revealed that the sandhills supported the

widest variety of species and greatest number of individuals for both reptile and bird species.

Amphibian abundance was greatest in hydric hammocks but species diversity was consistent between

habitat types. Mammal diversity was greatest in flatwoods habitat whereas mammal abundance was

greatest in sandhills.

Species lists for flora and fauna found within the Rainbow Springs State Park boundaries have been

published as part of the park unit management plan (FDEP 2002). The park management plan lists 273

plant species (59 non-native), 27 fish species, 23 amphibian species, 40 reptile species (1 non-native),

125 bird species (2 non-native), and 24 mammal species (2 non-native).

Aquatic insects (especially in the Diptera, Trichoptera, and Ephemeroptera orders) utilizing Rainbow

River were quantified as part of a synoptic study (WSI 2010). A total of 21 different insect families were

documented, however the non-biting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae), made up the majority of

observations. These aquatic insects were observed to emerge from the water in densities ranging from

10’s to 100’s per square meter and collectively represent an important component of the spring food

web. Multiple stream condition indices (SCI) utilizing aquatic macroinvertebrates have been made by

FDEP. The FDEP SCI assessments collected up to 34 different taxa, with the number of sensitive taxa

ranging up to 5 and overall SCI values typically resulted in a healthy rating (FDEP 2008). Only 2 species

of native mussels have been documented in Rainbow River and thus far the non-native Asian clam

(Corbicula fluminea) has not been observed (Walsh and Williams 2003).

A variety of aquatic turtle studies have been conducted in Rainbow River beginning in the 1940’s

(Marchand 1942). Huestis and Meylan (2004) documented 8 species of aquatic turtles utilizing the river

and a trend towards smaller species in comparison to historical surveys which was attributed to harvest

of large species.

Multiple fish surveys have been conducted within Rainbow River (Walsh and Williams 2003, WSI 2010,

Simcox et al. 2015). Up to 27 fish species have been collected, such as largemouth bass (Micropterus

salmoides), several species of sunfish (Lepomis sp.), lake chubsucker (Erimyzon sucetta), long nose gar

(Lepisosteus ossesus), and Atlantic Needlefish (Strongylura marina). According to the Rainbow Springs

Aquatic Preserve and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission there were no

documented exotic fish species in the Rainbow River in 2015. Historically, there have been exotic fish

species present, for example, the Sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus) which was first

documented in December 2002 but has been absent from the river for the past six years due in large

part to the Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve’s eradication program to rid the Rainbow River of this

species (Hill and Sowards 2015). Absent from the Rainbow River fish community are estuarine species

that travel between coastal rivers and the Gulf of Mexico, due to blockage by downstream structures.

Aquatic vegetation has been mapped in the Rainbow River beginning in 1991 and continuing at

approximate 5 year intervals (Atkins and DCWI 2012). During the 2011 mapping effort, 13 submersed

plant species (1 non-native) were documented, with strap-leaf Sagittaria (Sagittaria kurziana), hydrilla

(Hydrilla verticillata), eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), and southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis) being

the most common river wide species, although the filamentous algae Lyngbya (Lyngbya wollei) was

abundant in portions of the middle and lower river (Atkins and DCWI 2012). Emergent aquatic plants

are common, with 22 documented species (4 non-native) and most abundantly Egyptian paspalidium

(Paspalidium geminatum). Floating aquatic plants are limited to minor duckweeds (Lemna sp.) and

water lettuce (Pistia stratiotes), the latter being controlled as needed by aquatic herbicides.

Aquatic mammal utilization of Rainbow River is primarily confined to both river otter (Lutra canadensis)

and raccoon (Procyon lotor). Manatee utilization of Rainbow River has been prevented by the lock and

dam structures on the lower Withlacoochee River. When the Cross Florida Barge Canal locks ceased

operation in 1999 the last remaining access point for manatees was removed.

Historical Context

Past human activities over the last 150 years have altered the character of the river, especially in the

lower reaches. By the 1880's, much of the land surrounding the river had been logged and converted

to citrus (Dinkins 1984). In 1890, the discovery of hard rock phosphate deposits near Dunnellon

triggered a mining boom (Dinkins 1984). Dozens of mines operated along the banks of the

Withlacoochee River and the lower reaches of the Rainbow River (Figure 7). Most of these mines were

dug by hand, some of which are over 40 feet deep. For example, Blue Cove, on the west bank of the

lower Rainbow River, is an old mine quarry that is directly connected to the Rainbow River. In addition

to the old mine pits, other artifacts of the area's mining days can still be seen. The pilings that supported

cable-driven mine cars are still standing in many of the now submerged mine pits. World War I and

the discovery of pebble rock phosphate in Hillsborough and Polk Counties officially ended the

Dunnellon mining boom, although some phosphate mining continued until 1966 (Dinkins 1984).

Figure 7: Phosphate Mining Operations (Florida State

Library)

In 1909, the Inglis Dam, located about 4 miles upstream of the town of Inglis, was constructed across

the lower Withlacoochee River, forming Lake Rousseau, a 4,163 acre impoundment of the river

(Downing et al. 1989). A hydroelectric power facility operated at the dam until 1965. The Inglis Lock,

located next to the dam, was completed in 1969 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part

of the Cross Florida Barge Canal project. Although it is unknown if the dam changed water levels in the

upper reaches of the Rainbow River, the water levels in the lower reaches of the river could have been

significantly elevated (Downing et al. 1989). Unfortunately, there is no documentation of water levels

prior to the installation of the dam.

Results from a modeled simulation of river levels indicated that drawing Lake Rousseau water levels

down from the present elevation of about 27 feet to 18 feet would lower the water elevation in the lower

Rainbow River by as much as 8 feet. The simulation predicted that lower surface water elevations would

extend 2 miles upstream of the river's mouth (Downing et al. 1989). It is possible that water level

changes caused by the dam have increased water residence times within the lower reaches of the river,

resulting in a decline in water clarity and changes in the plant and animal communities in the Rainbow

River. The dam and remnant barge canal have also created barriers for migratory aquatic fauna such

as estuarine fish and manatees that commonly inhabit coastal spring ecosystems.

The lands surrounding the headsprings were a privately owned tourist attraction from the 1930s

through the 1970s. The private park closed due to a decline in tourism business and the lands were

unmanaged until the Florida Park Service purchased the property in 1990. The Florida Park Service

continues to manage the property as a popular state park.

Land Use

Agriculture in the form of horse, cattle, row crops, and nursery operations comprise the dominant land

use category, making up about 38% of the springshed (Figure 8). Upland forest lands make up about

29% of modern land use and residential areas comprise about 14% of land use within the springshed.

Large tracts of land which have been zoned for residential development have not yet been developed.

Figure 8: Principal Land Uses in Rainbow Springshed (FDEP 2013)

Because the Rainbow River is almost entirely groundwater supplied, land use activities in the

springshed affect the quality and quantity of groundwater entering the river. Large expanses of natural

riparian zones and floodplain wetlands adjacent to the river and within the watershed have been lost

to residential development. In aggregate, both local and springshed scale changes to land use have

negatively impacted water quality, flow and discharge, and fish and wildlife habitat in the Rainbow

River, and therefore the overall health of the spring ecosystem.

Issues and Drivers

The primary issues affecting the ecology of the Rainbow River are elevated nitrate concentrations,

reduced water clarity, long-term stream flow reduction, and an altered aquatic vegetation community.

To address these issues and their drivers, the SWIM plan is organized into the following three focus

areas: water quality, water quantity, and natural systems (habitat).

Water Quality

Current management related to water quality in the Rainbow River focuses largely on identifying and

quantifying sources of nitrogen as well as reducing the nitrogen load delivered to the springshed (FDEP

2013, FDEP 2015, Eller and Katz 2015). Research is also ongoing to quantify sediment nutrient

characteristics and their bioavailability, nutrient cycling, and the potential impact that adjoining

historic phosphate mine pits have on water quality in the lower river. Water clarity is an important water

quality attribute that is extremely high in the upper river, but decreases in the lower river due to

increased chlorophyll concentrations.

The primary nutrients of concern are nitrogen and phosphorus, given their ability to stimulate aquatic

plant abundance. Although these nutrients occur naturally in low concentrations and support natural

processes associated with aquatic ecosystems, current concentrations far exceed historic

concentrations. Given that increased nutrient supply in spring ecosystems has been observed to

stimulate the growth of phytoplankton (Frazer et al. 2002), epiphytic algae (Notestein et al. 2003) and

nuisance filamentous algae (Cowell and Dawes 2004) a great deal of concern exists. Additionally,

studies have suggested that there could be toxic effects of elevated nitrogen concentrations on aquatic

fauna (Mattson et al. 2007).

Nitrogen concentrations, particularly in the inorganic form nitrate, are extremely elevated in Rainbow

River. Nitrate enrichment is currently an issue in the majority of springs in Florida because nitrogen

applied to the land surface typically converts into nitrate which readily infiltrates into the groundwater.

The SWFWMD currently monitors four of the main spring vents and eight fixed stations around the river

(Figure 9). Nitrate concentrations at the Rainbow Spring 1 station (SID 23319) began exceeding 1 mg/L

in 1995 and reached 2 mg/L in 2009 (Figure 10). The historical background nitrate concentration for

springs is considered to be 0.1 mg/L or less.

Figure 9: Selected SWFWMD Sampling Locations in the Upper Rainbow River

Figure 10: Nitrate Concentrations in the Headspring Area of the Rainbow River (SID 23319).

In 2010, the FDEP placed two segments of the Rainbow River, Rainbow Springs Group (WBID 1320A)

and Rainbow Springs Group Run (WBID 1320B), on the Verified List of impaired waters for the

Withlacoochee Basin (Section 303(d) of the Clean Water Act.)

because of ecological imbalances caused

by excessive nitrate. The FDEP used a methodology (per Rule 62-303, F.A.C.) for listing nutrient

impaired surface waters based on documentation of an imbalance of flora and fauna. Due to elevated

nitrate concentrations that were approaching 2 mg/L in these two segments, along with corresponding

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

1993 1995 1997 1999 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015

NOx-N (mg/L)

evidence of algal mats, a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) was established in 2013 that set the

allowable nitrate concentration threshold for these segments to meet their applicable water quality

criterion for nutrients (FDEP 2013).

As part of the TMDL, the FDEP attributed the excessive algal growth strictly to nitrate concentration due

to an increasing temporal trend, whereas phosphorus did not appear to have an increasing trend

during the period of record thus it was not included as a target nutrient for the TMDL. Using various

lines of evidence such as laboratory studies, biological surveys and periphyton-nitrate relationships,

the FDEP established the target monthly average TMDL nitrate concentration for both segments at 0.35

mg/L. The earliest documentation of filamentous algal mats, specifically Lyngbya sp., in the Rainbow

River was in 1991 (Water and Air Research 1991); however, it is likely that filamentous algal mats were

present prior to 1991 due to the high abundance of algae that was documented in the lower river.

The FDEP TMDL target will require an 82% reduction in nitrate concentration in both WBID segments

to meet the TMDL. FDEP developed a draft Nitrogen Source Inventory Loading Tool (NSILT) to identify

major sources of nitrogen for the Rainbow Springs Group and estimate their loads to groundwater in

the Basin Management Action Plan area (Eller and Katz 2015). The NSILT is a geographic information

system and spreadsheet-based tool that provides estimates of the relative contribution of nitrogen from

major sources, while taking into consideration the processes affecting the various forms of nitrogen as

they move from the land surface through soil and geologic strata overlying the upper Floridan aquifer.

As a planning tool, the NSILT can identify areas where nitrogen load reduction efforts could be directed.

The NSILT identified agriculture (cattle farms/horse farms/crop fertilizer and miscellaneous livestock)

and septic tanks as the primary sources of nitrogen loading to groundwater within the Rainbow Springs

BMAP area, accounting for 66% and 19% of the loading respectively (Figure 11). The remaining

sources identified were atmospheric deposition, urban fertilizer, and wastewater treatment facilities.

The resulting estimates of nitrogen loading to groundwater took into account environmental processes

that attenuate nitrogen and the rate of recharge to the upper Floridan aquifer using information from

published studies. To account for recharge rates to the aquifer, non-attenuated nitrogen inputs in high

recharge areas (>10 in/yr) were multiplied by a weighting factor of 0.9, while nitrogen inputs were

multiplied by a weighting factor of 0.5 for medium recharge areas (4 to 10 in/yr). The NSILT findings

estimated an annual load of nitrogen of 1.34 million pounds to groundwater in the Rainbow Springs

BMAP area, approximately 11% of the estimated nitrogen loading to the land surface (Eller and Katz

2015).

Figure 11: Relative Nitrogen Inputs to Groundwater in the Rainbow BMAP Area by Source.

Adopted from Eller and Katz 2015.

Phosphorus, specifically in the biologically available form orthophosphate, is also a nutrient of concern

although there is not a TMDL because an increase in phosphorus loads have not been observed in the

Rainbow River. Phosphorus can reach the river from surface runoff from the watershed or from

groundwater moving through areas with phosphatic deposits in the overlying geologic formation

(Harrington et al. 2010). Measured orthophosphate concentrations from the upper Rainbow River do

not show an increasing trend over time. Orthophosphate concentration from Rainbow Spring 1 in

February 2015 was 0.024 mg/L.

The sediment that makes up the bottom of the Rainbow River is important both as a substrate for

vegetation and as a potential source for nutrients. There is a shift in sediment type from mostly sand in

the upper river to a mixture of sand, silt, and clay in the lower river (Water and Air Research 1991).

Sediments in the lower portion of the river are nutrient enriched by phosphatic soils and the settling of

organic debris. This sediment type is more favorable to rapidly growing nuisance vegetation (Ellis et

al. 2007). An anecdotal account in the report associated the exotic invasive SAV, Hydrilla verticillata

with more nutrient-rich sediments that dominated the sediment regime in the downstream portions of

the Rainbow River.

The springs of Florida are known for their exceptional water clarity (Duarte and Canfield 1990). In

contrast to the tea colored tannic waters of the Withlacoochee River, the waters of the upper Rainbow

River are very clear. High water clarity is important because it is a primary driver of the productive

aquatic vegetation and beneficial algal communities which support spring ecosystems. Water clarity is

most often measured using a small black and white disk known as a Secchi disk. Typically the disk is

lowered from the surface until it can no longer be seen. The point at which the disk disappears is the

Secchi distance. Because the waters of the Rainbow River are so clear, a modified technique is used in

which the Secchi disk is pointed perpendicular to the bottom and an in-water observer with a tape

measure snorkels away from the disk until it disappears. This estimate of clarity is called a horizontal

Secchi disk. For the purpose of this plan, the term Secchi disk implies horizontal Secchi as opposed to

vertical Secchi.

In spite of the remarkably clear water in the upper portion of the Rainbow River, it has been perceived

by many that water clarity along the river has been decreasing over time. As described earlier, current

management issues related to water quality on the Rainbow River focus mostly on internal and external

nutrient loading. In conjunction with a reduction in rainfall and a subsequent decline in spring

discharge, excess nutrients discharging from the spring vents and also diffusing from the river

sediments may be stimulating the growth of chlorophyll-producing organisms in Rainbow River and in

downstream receiving rivers and estuaries. The abundance of algal cells and other organic and

inorganic particles in the water column contribute to decreased water clarity. From 2006 to 2014 the

average water clarity in Rainbow River ranged from 79 to 92 feet, with over 200 feet of visibility at the

headsprings and less than 60 feet of visibility in the lower river (Table 4; Figure 12).

Table 4: Water Clarity from 2006-2014 in Rainbow River (horizontal Secchi distance in feet; WMIS)

Station

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

River

Mile

RR1

203

215

210

217

242

219

234

211

240

0.04

RR2

118

116

128

114

119

117

124

0.45

RR3

0.91

RR4

2.80

RR5

4.56

RR7

5.06

RR8

5.60

Average

Figure 12: Horizontal Secchi disk measurement at fixed stations along the river (Anastasiou 2006)

There is little historical information available to relate present water clarity conditions with past

conditions. Because water clarity is such an important issue in this system, the factors that control water

clarity needed to be better understood, which provided the impetus for the development of a

preliminary optical model that explained both spatial and temporal variability in water clarity through

chlorophyll concentrations (Anastasiou 2006). Figure 13 shows the exponential relationship between

water clarity and chlorophyll concentration for the entire river reach. Over 80% of the variability in

water clarity can be explained by chlorophyll concentrations. This inverse relationship between

chlorophyll concentration and water clarity is evident, where water clarity decreases as chlorophyll

concentrations increase with distance downstream (Figure 14).

Figure 13: Rainbow River Optical Model - Horizontal Secchi Disk vs. Chlorophyll Concentration

(Anastasiou 2006)

Figure 14: Spatial Distribution of Water Transparency (Secchi Disk) and Chlorophyll Concentration

Water Quantity

Rainbow River is one of the largest spring-fed rivers in Florida with a median flow of 678 cubic feet per

second or cfs (based on 691 flow measurements between 1917 and 2015). While flow changes relatively

little in spring-fed rivers as compared to typical river systems, flow can vary considerably over longer

time periods. For the Rainbow River, the minimum flow measured was 436 cfs (March 27, 2012) and the

maximum flow was 1,230 cfs (October 12, 1964). Rainbow River flow is almost entirely derived from

spring discharge from the aquifer, and is therefore affected by rainfall patterns and to a lesser extent

by groundwater withdrawals. Downstream factors may also affect Rainbow River flow, such as the stage

of the Withlacoochee River, operation of the Inglis Dam, and the amount of vegetation in the river.

Rainbow River flow is strongly influenced by rainfall patterns. Since around 1970, there has been a

long-term declining trend in rainfall and a corresponding decrease in spring discharge (Kelly and

Gore 2008). Largely due to a deficit in rainfall over the last several decades, Rainbow River flow had

declined by 19 percent as of 2010 compared to the historical average prior to 1970. Based on computer

flow modeling and water budget results from the SWFWMD, the cumulative impact of groundwater

withdrawals on Rainbow Springs flow has resulted in a relatively small impact on flow compared to

rainfall changes – about a two percent reduction in the long-term average discharge. Figure 15 shows

a comparison of Rainbow River average annual flow and 20-year average rainfall at the Ocala,

Inverness, and Brooksville stations from 1930-2010. Similar long-term decreasing flow trends have

been observed for the other first-magnitude springs systems in the region. However, based on data

analyses by the SWFWMD, above-average rainfall during the last three years has returned Rainbow

River flow to above-average conditions in 2014. Rainbow River flows increased from an average of 520

cfs in 2012 to 687 cfs in 2014. In 2014, flow was about 10 cfs higher than the median flow based on

historic measurements.

Groundwater withdrawals are low in magnitude and dispersed within the Rainbow Springs springshed.

In 2012, groundwater withdrawals in the springshed were equivalent to 0.7 inches per year. Using an

average recharge rate of 15.2 inches per year, they made up just 4.6 percent of recharge in the basin.

If 50 to 60 percent of water withdrawn is returned to the aquifer in the springshed through septic tank

leakage, wastewater treatment facilities, and irrigation, then consumptively-used quantities would

account for a little over two percent of average recharge.

The SWFWMD maintains a metered and estimated water use database from 1992 through 2012. In the

Rainbow Springs springshed, groundwater withdrawals have declined since reaching their peak of 28

mgd in 2006 (Figure 16). In 2012, groundwater withdrawals based on estimated and metered use were

19.6 mgd. Since the year 2000, groundwater use within the springshed has essentially remained flat

with a growth rate of only 0.03 mgd per year. Figure 17 shows public supply, domestic self-supply, and

agriculture account for the majority of groundwater use in the Rainbow Springs springshed, with lesser

amounts used for recreation (e.g. golf courses).

Figure 15: Regional Rainfall versus Rainbow River Flow

Figure 16: Groundwater Withdrawals within the Rainbow Springs Springshed from 1992-2012

Figure 17: Groundwater Withdrawals by Category within the Rainbow Springs Springshed. AG –

Agriculture, IC – Industrial/Commercial, PS – Public Supply, REC – Recreation, DSS – Domestic

Self-Supply

While groundwater withdrawals currently have minimal impact on Rainbow River flow, the expected

increase in demand for water over the coming decades is being addressed through the development

of Minimum Flows and Levels (MFLs) and Regional Water Supply Plans. Both the SWFWMD and the

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (WRWSA) periodically publish water supply plans to

address current and future demands on water resources. In accordance with Florida Statutes, the

SWFWMD published its most recent water supply plan in 2010 which made an assessment of projected

water demands and potential sources of water to meet these demands for the period 2005-2030. The

WRWSA published a Regional Water Supply Plan Update in 2014. The Rainbow River lies within the

Northern Planning Region where the 2005-2030 increase in demand is projected to be 90.4 million

gallons per day (mgd).

The SWFWMD has been directed to establish MFLs for priority surface watercourses (e.g. streams and

rivers) and aquifer systems within its boundaries (Section 373.042, F.S.). As defined by statute, “the

minimum flow for a given watercourse shall be the limit at which further withdrawals would be

significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area.” In scheduling the development

and adoption of MFLs, State Law further directs the SWFWMD to prioritize all first-magnitude springs,

and second-magnitude springs within state or federally owned lands purchased for conservation

purposes. MFLs serve as a protective metric for making permitting and planning decisions regarding

water withdrawals, either surface or groundwater. If it is determined that water levels or flows in a

waterbody are either below or projected to fall below the applicable MFLs during the next 20 years as

a result of water withdrawals, then a recovery or prevention strategy must be developed and

implemented as part of a regional water supply plan. The MFL for Rainbow River is scheduled to be

adopted in 2016.

While reduced flow has been observed in Rainbow River over the past few decades, the effects of

reduced flow on the ecosystem have not been well documented. During especially low flows in 2012,

filamentous algae was anecdotally observed to move farther upstream into the middle portions of the

Rainbow River. In a nearby spring-fed river, lower flow was found to contribute to increased

filamentous algae abundance by reducing drag and downstream export (King 2014). Higher flows

since 2013 appear to have halted the movement of filamentous algae upstream, but algae mats persist

in the lower river.

The hydrology of the lower Rainbow River is influenced by the Withlacoochee River and the

downstream Inglis Dam (Downing et al 1989), which can lead to reduced flows and increased residence

times in this portion of the river. Decreased water clarity and increased invasive species abundance

(Hydrilla and Lyngbya) may be related to lower flows and higher residence times in this area as

compared to the upper river. Longer residence times typically lead to higher amounts of phytoplankton

in the water column, especially where nutrient enrichment has occurred (Hilton et al. 2006), which

reduces water clarity. Lower flow also promotes accumulation of organic sediments and epiphytic

algae which could lead to shifts from desirable native plants to invasive species. Additionally, the lower

river is directly connected to several remnant phosphate mining pits, forming river coves that have

higher residence times and may be a source of phytoplankton to the river.

Another factor that may affect flow in the Rainbow River is the amount of aquatic vegetation. Vegetation

is well known to affect the hydraulics of flow through channels by increasing roughness, and thus

reducing flow rates. The Rainbow River contains substantial amounts of aquatic vegetation, which is

generally considered to be indicative of a healthy spring ecosystem, but could potentially reduce flow

in the river. During low flow periods, the effect of vegetation on flow may increase because the

vegetation could fill more of the water column causing increased roughness. This effect of vegetation

on flow has been called “vegetative damming” and is currently being studied in several spring-fed

rivers in Florida. The relationship between measured Rainbow River flows and measured groundwater

levels in a nearby well has changed since about 2000, which could be related to vegetative damming

(Figure 18).

Figure 18: Rainbow River Flow in Relation to a Nearby Groundwater Well

Natural Systems

The Rainbow River contains abundant fish and wildlife habitat, primarily in the form of aquatic

vegetation. A wide variety of native emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) form diverse

communities in the river (Water and Air Research 1991, PBS&J 2000, PBS&J 2007, Atkins and DCWI

2012). The vegetation communities provide habitat (Joiner et al. 1992), help maintain water clarity

(LeConte 1861), support primary productivity and nutrient processing (Odum 1957a), aid in sediment

stabilization, and provide an aesthetically pleasing environment for people who visit and live on the

river.

The first effort to map SAV along the Rainbow River was in 1991 (Water and Air Research 1991) with

subsequent mapping occurring approximately every five years (1996, 2000, 2005, 2011). These

mapping efforts have found that four SAV species are typically dominant: Sagittaria kurziana, Hydrilla

verticillata, Vallisneria americana, and Najas guadalupensis (Table 5). All species except for Hydrilla

are native and considered desirable.

Table 5: Changes in SAV Acreage in the Rainbow River (modified from Atkins and DCWI 2012)

SAV Species

1996

Estimated

Acreage

2000

Estimated

Acreage

2005

Estimated

Acreage

2011

Estimated

Acreage

Sagittaria

kurziana

50.4 49.2 48.7 38.5

Hydrilla

verticillata

24.0 25.7 26.9 10.1

Vallisneria

americana

6.2 5.7 8.2 7.7

Najas

quadalupensis

2.5 1.0 4.7 5.7

Chara sp. 1.5 2.0 1.0 3.0

Ceratophyllum

demersum

2.7 1.5 2.7 1.7

Other SAV 1.5 1.0 2.2 4.2

Total 88.5 86.2 94.1 71.2

Native Species

64.5

(43.5%)

60.5

(40.7%)

67.2

(45.3%)

61.3

(41.2%)

Invasive

Species

1,2

24.0

(16.1%)

25.7

(17.4%)

26.9

(18.2%)

10.1

(6.7%)

1 Percentages represent SAV coverage of the entire Rainbow River excluding areas with

emergent and forested vegetation

2 Invasive Species includes Hydrilla only; filamentous algae acreage will be estimated in the 2015

vegetation evaluation

Although submerged and emergent aquatic vegetation communities are currently healthy in the upper

reaches of the river, there are concerns that the future of these communities may be at risk. While native

SAV, such as Sagittaria and Vallisneria form extensive meadows in the upper river, they are less

abundant in the middle reaches of the river and greatly reduced in the lower river. In the lower river,

where native grasses are scarce, Hydrilla and Lyngbya, a filamentous algae, are more common.

Hydrilla is an exotic invasive aquatic plant found in the Rainbow River since the 1970s. Lyngbya is a

filamentous type of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) that has become prevalent in many springs

throughout the state. Hydrilla and Lyngbya can grow rapidly and have the ability to out-compete native

submerged aquatic plant communities.

Heavy recreation has caused noticeable damage to aquatic vegetation communities in the Rainbow

River. Between 2010 and 2011, the Rainbow River attracted over 262,000 visitors with the majority of

people visiting during the summer months. Motor boats have been shown to cause the greatest impact

to SAV, with some impact from other recreational user groups such as tubers and kayakers (Mumma et

al. 1996, Cichra and Holland 2012). Motor boats have also caused propeller scars in SAV beds (Cichra

and Holland 2012). Recreation along the river contributes to loss of habitat, specifically loss of desirable

SAV.

Sections of the Rainbow River shoreline have been developed and hardened, leading to loss of the

water quality and fish and wildlife habitat benefits that the natural riparian areas provide. The 2011

vegetation evaluation found that 19% of the shoreline was hardened (2.6 miles) and the remainder was

in natural condition (11 miles) (Atkins and DCWI 2012). Additionally, the overall number of docks on

the river increased from 241 in 2005 to 251 in 2011.

Management Actions

Since its inclusion as a SWIM priority water body in 1989, the SWFWMD, with a variety of state and local

government partners, have worked together to identify issues and develop strategies to protect and

improve conditions in this unique first magnitude spring system. Information from several diagnostic

studies and pilot restoration activities, some of which were the result of the 1989, 1995, and 2004 SWIM

plans, and stakeholder knowledge were used to develop the management actions outlined in this plan.

One of the goals of this SWIM plan is to implement these management actions to address the major

issues and drivers and ultimately restore, maintain, and preserve the ecological balance of the Rainbow

River.

Quantifiable Objectives

The Rainbow River SWIM plan includes numeric targets called quantifiable objectives. If these

objectives are achieved, the expected result is a healthy spring ecosystem (Table 6). These are long

term goals and may require considerable time and effort to achieve. Quantifiable objectives can be

used to develop and prioritize management actions and projects, thus promoting effective and efficient

resource management. The following section describes the quantifiable objectives for each of the three

strategic management areas: water quality, water quantity, and natural systems.

Table 6: Quantifiable Objectives

Water Quality

Target

Water clarity in the river >100 feet

Nitrate concentration in the springs and river

<0.35 mg/L

Water Quantity

Minimum flows for the springs and river system

TBD in 2016

Natural Systems

Coverage of desirable submerged aquatic vegetation in the river >65%

Coverage of invasive aquatic vegetation (hydrilla/filamentous algae) in the

river

<10%

Based on Anastasiou 2006 and average river-wide data presented in Table 3

FDEP 2013 – Nutrient TMDL for Rainbow Springs Group and Rainbow Springs Group Run

SWFWMD 2015 Minimum Flows and Levels Priority List and Schedule

Based on data presented in Table 4 from the 2011 Rainbow River vegetation evaluation (Atkins and

DCWI 2012)

Water Quality

The water quality management actions for the Rainbow River SWIM plan are primarily focused on

reducing nitrogen loads in accordance with the adopted TMDL and the BMAP being developed by

FDEP. The TMDL for Rainbow Springs and River sets a target nitrate-nitrogen concentration of 0.35

mg/L, which would require an 82% decrease in concentration in the surface waters (FDEP 2013). The

SCSC recognizes that agricultural operations and septic tanks are the priority water quality

management action categories for the Rainbow River. While nitrogen has been identified as the

primary nutrient causing impairment, phosphorus is another important nutrient that will continue to be

evaluated. Table 7 lists all of the management actions that have been identified by the SCSC to address

water quality issues, primarily focused on reducing nitrogen loading, categorized according to the

source type. These management actions are types of potential actions that would reduce nitrogen

loading to springs if implemented. The lead entity (or entities) that could be primarily responsible for

each action have also been identified.

Table 7: Water Quality Management Actions

Management Action

Lead Entity

Monitoring & Research

Improve our understanding of the ecological responses

to nutrient enrichment and reductions

FDEP/SWFWMD/Universities

Maintain and expand water quality monitoring programs

SWFWMD/FDEP

Report annual status and trends

SWFWMD

Evaluate new and emerging technologies

SWFWMD

Agricultural Operations (Cattle Farms, Horse Farms, Row Crops)

Outreach and coordination

FDACS/UF-IFAS

Implement available BMPs

FDACS/SWFWMD/USDA

Evaluate available BMPs

FDACS/UF-IFAS

Research and develop advanced BMPs

FDACS/UF-IFAS/SWFWMD

Evaluate land development code regulations Local/FDACS/FDEP/UF-IFAS

Septic Tanks

Improve existing septic tank performance

FDOH/FDEP/Local where applicable

Conversion from septic tanks to sewer systems where

practical

FDOH/FDEP/SWFWMD/Local

Limit new septic tank installations

Local

Research and develop advanced septic tank systems

FDOH/FDEP/UF-IFAS

Education campaign

FDOH/FDEP/Local

Urban/Residential Fertilizer (includes Golf Courses)

Evaluate fertilizer application strategies

Local/FDEP/UF-IFAS

Implement fertilizer ordinances

Local/FDEP

Implement Florida Friendly Landscaping practices and

golf course/green industry BMPs

Local/UF-IFAS/FDEP/SWFWMD

Expand re-use water for landscape irrigation

FDEP/SWFWMD/Local

Education campaign

Local/UF-IFAS/FDEP/SWFWMD

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Upgrade WWTFs to advanced treatment

Local/FDEP

Implement post-treatment nutrient removal systems

Local/FDEP/SWFWMD

Stormwater

Develop stormwater master plans as needed

Local/SWFWMD

Implement stormwater ordinances

Local

Implement stormwater treatment systems

Local/SWFWMD/FDEP/FDOT

Evaluate performance of stormwater treatment systems

Local/Universities/SWFWMD

Implement advanced stormwater treatment systems

Local/SWFWMD

Develop new advanced stormwater treatment systems

Universities/SWFWMD

Develop a standard design manual for advanced

stormwater treatment systems

Local/SWFWMD/FDEP

Septage

Improve regulatory oversight of land disposal activities

and siting

FDEP/FDOH

Establish capacity for land disposal activities

FDEP/FDOH/Local

Atmospheric Deposition

Evaluate potential sources

FDEP

Water Quantity

The water quantity management actions for Rainbow River are intended to maintain spring flows for

future generations. The SCSC recognizes that water conservation and MFL adoption are the priority

water quantity management action categories for the Rainbow River. Table 8 lists all of the management

actions that have been identified by the SCSC to address water quantity issues. These are types of

potential actions that would maintain flow in the springs and river if implemented. The lead entity (or

entities) that could be primarily responsible for each action have also been identified.

Table 8: Water Quantity Management Actions

Management Action

Lead Entity

Monitoring & Research

Improve understanding of how rainfall patterns, climate drivers,

and sea-level rise affect spring flow

SWFWMD/NOAA/

Universities

Maintain and expand as needed spring flow and aquifer level

monitoring programs

SWFWMD/FDEP

Evaluate the influence of hydrologic alterations and their

operation on spring flow

SWFWMD/USACE

Better quantify the impacts of land use and resource

management activities on recharge rates

SWFWMD/FDACS/

Universities

Continue refinement of surface and groundwater modeling to

evaluate water withdrawals and their effects on the springs

SWFWMD/FDEP/USGS/

Universities

Conservation - Public & Self Supply

Facilitate the retrofit of inefficient water devices in pre-1994

structures

SWFWMD/Local

Promote low-water use landscaping

SWFWMD/UF-IFAS/Local

Promote cost-share programs

SWFWMD/WRWSA/Local

Utilize appropriate guidance documents to promote water

conservation

SWFWMD/WRWSA/

Utilities/

Universities

Improve infrastructure efficiency

SWFWMD/WRWSA/

Utilities

Utilize conservation rate structures

Utilities

Conservation - Agriculture

Implement water quantity based BMPs

FDACS/SWFWMD/NRCS

Promote cost-share programs

SWFWMD/FDACS/NRCS

Promote agriculture water conservation based research

Universities/

UF-IFAS

Conservation - Industry/Commercial

Improve infrastructure to reduce water loss and increase

efficiency

Private

Technology and engineering improvements

Private/

Universities

Promote cost-share programs

SWFWMD/Private

Conservation - Golf Courses

Implement water quantity based BMPs

FDACS/UF-IFAS/

Private/USGA

Promote and incentivize low-water use landscaping

SWFWMD/UF-IFAS/USGA

Promote cost-share programs

SWFWMD/Private

Management Action

Lead Entity

Alternative Water Supply - Reclaimed Water

Evaluate areas where the use of reclaimed water could be used

to offset groundwater withdrawals

SWFWMD/FDEP/WRWSA/

Utilities

Promote permit incentives SWFWMD/FDEP/WRWSA/

Utilities

Evaluate and promote where feasible indirect and direct potable

reuse

SWFWMD/FDEP

Expand education campaign SWFWMD/FDEP/WRWSA/

Utilities

Promote cost-share programs SWFWMD/FDEP/WRWSA/

Utilities

Alternative Water Supply - Surface Water/Desalination

Continue to evaluate sources and project options

SWFWMD/WRWSA

Continue to evaluate storage & recovery options and

desalination

SWFWMD/WRWSA

Alternative Water Supply - Lower Floridan Aquifer

Determine feasibility, impacts, benefit and cost estimates

SWFWMD/WRWSA

Alternative Water Supply - Stormwater

Utilize for local and regional storage and reuse

SWFWMD/FDEP/Local

Increase utilization of permeable surfaces

SWFWMD/FDEP/Local

Install rain gardens and other LID components to capture and

store stormwater for reuse

SWFWMD/FDEP/Local

Promote cost-share programs

SWFWMD/FDEP/Local

Regional Water Supply Planning

Support the implementation of the WRWSA’s 2014 Regional

Water Supply Plan Update where determined to be consistent

with the SCSC goals

All

Explore the need to adopt a multi-stakeholder approach

All

Regulatory

Evaluate springs-specific Water Use Permitting criteria

SWFWMD

Evaluate the need for Water Use Caution Areas

SWFWMD

Develop and utilize inter-District planning and permitting

WMDs/FDEP

Evaluate potential local ordinances

Local

Consider water use when developing comprehensive plans

Local

Minimum Flows and Levels

Develop and adopt Minimum Flows and Levels

SWFWMD

Continue to explore new approaches for establishing Minimum

Flows and Levels

SWFWMD

Natural Systems

The natural systems management actions for Rainbow River directly address fish and wildlife habitat.

Habitats include those within a spring system itself (e.g. submerged aquatic vegetation) and those

adjacent to a spring system (e.g. wetlands and uplands). The SCSC recognizes that invasive species

management and recreation management are the priority natural systems management action

categories for the Rainbow River. Table 9 lists all of the management actions that have been identified

by the SCSC to address natural systems issues. These are types of potential actions that would improve

and maintain fish and wildlife habitat in and along the springs and river if implemented. The lead entity

(or entities) that could be primarily responsible for each action have also been identified.

Table 9: Natural Systems Management Actions

Management Action

Lead Entity

Monitoring & Research

Continue to develop and test restoration techniques for

improving fish and wildlife habitat in spring systems

SWFWMD/FFWCC/

Universities

Continue and refine efforts to monitor aquatic plant and animal

communities

SWFWMD/FFWCC/FDEP/

Universities

Improve understanding of trophic dynamics (i.e. food webs) and

nutrient cycling in spring systems

FFWCC/Universities/SWFWMD

Improve understanding of the effects of sediment

characteristics, flow velocities, and other factors on aquatic

plants and algae

SWFWMD/FFWCC/

Universities

Habitat Conservation

Maintain and expand land acquisition programs to purchase

land along spring systems and throughout springsheds

SWFWMD/FDEP/Local/

NGO

Develop management and use plans for acquired lands SWFWMD/FDEP/Local/

NGO

Develop management standards for shoreline disturbance

FDEP/SWFWMD/Local

Improve education and outreach to riparian homeowners and

boat/tube rental companies

SWFWMD/Local/

Universities/NGO/

FFWCC/USFWS

Habitat Restoration - Revegetation

Install and maintain desirable submerged aquatic vegetation

where appropriate

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local/

Residents/NGO

Install and maintain emergent aquatic vegetation where

appropriate

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local/

Residents/NGO

Investigate ways for permit exemptions and for streamlined

permitting pathways for appropriate revegetation projects

SWFWMD/FFWCC/FDEP/

USACE

Habitat Restoration - Living Shorelines

Install living shorelines where appropriate

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local/

Residents

Install and properly maintain floating wetland systems where

appropriate

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local/

Residents

Develop a homeowners guide to living shorelines

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local

Investigate ways for permit exemptions and for streamlined

permitting pathways for appropriate living shoreline projects

SWFWMD/FFWCC/FDEP/

USACE

Habitat Restoration - Woody Material

Install woody material where appropriate

SWFWMD/FFWCC

Habitat Restoration - Sediment/Muck Management

Remove undesirable benthic sediments where appropriate

SWFWMD/Local/FFWCC/NGO

Management Action

Lead Entity

Habitat Restoration - Reforestation

Install and maintain trees and shrubs along the shoreline where

appropriate

SWFWMD/FDACS/FFWCC/

USDA-NRCS/Local/

NGO/Residents

Install and maintain native communities in upland areas within

springsheds

SWFWMD/FDACS/FFWCC/

USDA-NRCS/Local/

NGO/Residents

Invasive Species Management

Manage invasive aquatic plants based on sound scientific

research and stakeholder input

SWFWMD/FFWCC/FDEP/

Local/NGO/

Universities

Implement initiatives with local residents to participate in

proper invasive plant management

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local

Implement initiatives with local residents that demonstrate how

proper invasive plant management benefits the system

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local

Encourage new and innovative techniques for invasive plant

management through scientifically sound research

SWFWMD/FFWCC/Local/

Universities

Manage invasive animals as necessary

FFWCC/Local

Recreation Management

Increase the presence of law enforcement to enforce existing

ordinances/rules

USFWS/FFWCC/Local

Establish and implement comprehensive recreation

management plans

USFWS/FDEP/FFWCC/

Local/NGO

Promote low impact ecotourism activities

Local/FFWCC/FDEP/USFWS

Projects and Initiatives

Projects and initiatives for Rainbow River identified in this plan address specific management actions

as outlined in the previous section. Not every management action has a specific project associated with

it. The TWG provided ongoing and proposed projects to the SCMC and SCSC for review and approval.

All ongoing projects were included within the plan. The proposed projects were reviewed and some

were recommended as priority projects by the SCMC and SCSC.

Ongoing Projects and Initiatives

Ongoing projects and initiatives currently exist and have funding secured (if applicable). Tables 10, 11

and 12 list the projects and initiatives that are considered ongoing and will support the overall objective

of improving the water quality, water quantity, and natural systems aspects of the Rainbow River

Water Quality

Table 10: Ongoing Water Quality Projects and Initiatives

Monitoring & Research

Quarterly Springs Water Quality Monitoring

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

Quarterly to yearly water sample collection and analyses from 70 springs across the

District including Rainbow Springs.

Springs monitoring tracks and assesses trends in dissolved nitrate and 27 other water

quality parameters. Monitoring water quality of spring discharge is critical in

evaluating the environmental and ecologic conditions of these rivers. Water-quality

monitoring of springs is also the principle means of assessing the overall groundwater

quality in the spring basins that recharge the Upper Floridan aquifer and deliver water

to the springs. Ongoing monitoring and trend analyses of water quality characteristics

at springs are critical to effective management and protection of this vital resource.

Springs water quality is directly associated with groundwater resources assessment,

including Minimum Flows and Levels, and evaluation of potential impacts from

permitted water uses in the District. Long term monitoring of springs will be

instrumental in determining effectiveness of BMPs applied to both urban and rural land

uses.

Annual cost (recurring): $180,000 (cost includes springs outside of Rainbow Group)

Status: Ongoing

Stream Water Quality Monitoring

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

District-wide monitoring network including eight surface water stations spread

throughout the Rainbow River from the headsprings to the mouth.

This project supports key areas including:

• Establishment of baseline water quality conditions

• Biological and water quality studies and evaluation

• Determining loading estimates for basins with available discharge data

• MFL development, evaluation and compliance

• Project planning and performance monitoring

• SWIM plan management strategies

• SWIM recommendations for action and restoration

• Establishment and re-evaluation of Total Maximum Daily Loads

• Environmental Resource permitting and compliance

Annual Cost (Recurring): $365,000 (cost includes streams other than Rainbow River)

Status: Ongoing

Upper Floridan Aquifer Nutrient Monitoring

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The Upper Floridan Aquifer Nutrient Monitoring Network (UFANMN) currently consists

of approximately 100 wells covering springs-groundwater basins across Levy, Marion,

Citrus, Hernando and Pasco counties. This project involves yearly water sample

collection and analyses from these wells.

Data collected through the UFANMN are instrumental in evaluating groundwater-

quality BMPs for dominant land uses in the spring basins. Current strategies for

maintaining and improving groundwater quality, and reducing nitrate levels at springs,

depends on implementing and assessing effectiveness of BMPs in the basins. The

UFANMN data can be used in this process as a means to evaluate changes in

groundwater quality where BMP programs are established. Current understanding of

groundwater movement from the basins to the springs requires effective monitoring in

the basin, as well as monitoring of the springs. Since groundwater moves relatively

slow, and can take years to eventually move from sources of nitrate loading to the

springs, BMP assessments must include groundwater monitoring near the potential

sources.

Annual Cost (Recurring): $120,000

Status: Ongoing

Springs Initiative Monitoring

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project is for the collection of water quality and quantity data in our five first-

magnitude springs systems, including Rainbow River. This project aims to determine

the relationships between nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) and chlorophyll

concentrations in these spring-fed systems and understand the role that salinity,

springs discharge, and velocity are having on their ecology.

Mapping stream velocities will be integral to better understanding nutrient cycling and

the distribution of submerged aquatic vegetation. This will provide critical information

to drive management actions to address nutrient sources for the springshed.

Cost: $360,000 (FDEP providing full amount through Legislative Appropriation to

SWFWMD)

Status: Ongoing

Evaluation of Nitrogen Leaching from Reclaimed Water Applied to Lawns, Spray

Fields, and RIBs

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This multi-year funded project will assess nitrogen leaching from reclaimed water

application to lawns, spray fields, and rapid infiltration basins (RIBs). Several different

types of soil amendments such as sawdust, tire crumbs, and limestone will also be

evaluated to determine their ability to reduce nitrogen leaching from reclaimed water

applied to RIBs.

This project will determine typical nitrogen leaching rates from reclaimed water

application to lawns, spray fields, and RIBs. This information can be used to refine

estimates of nitrogen loading to the aquifer and springs, and identify the best

reclaimed water disposal methods to minimize nitrogen loading to groundwater. The

nitrogen reduction capabilities of several soil amendments will also be assessed to

develop new best management practices (BMPs) to reduced nitrogen loading from RIBs

to the groundwater. Implementation of these BMPs has the potential to improve water

quality in the aquifer and springs.

Cost: $294,000

Status: Ongoing

Agricultural Operations

Clean Farms Initiative

Lead Entity: Marion County

The Clean Farms Initiative is designed to assist Marion County farm owners and

managers with implementation of BMPs for animal waste and nutrient management and

to recognize them for their cooperative efforts. The Initiative was begun by passage of

Resolution 04-R-384, by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners, which

recognizes the importance of agriculture to the county’s history and economy, while

also recognizing the need to protect water resources.

The Farm Outreach Coordinator educates on water quality, targeting practices such as

manure management and fertilization. Education is provided on Best Management

Practices (BMPs), science-based and field-tested techniques meant to help protect and

preserve the integrity of the ground and surface waters. Events and programs, ranging

in size from a few to over a thousand, are developed and produced; tabling/networking

at equine events is done regularly. Talks and presentations to various groups are also

produced and given. Monthly articles written for trade journals, such as The Florida

Horse, further enhance one-on-one farm consultations. Partnerships with government,

NGO's and community agencies that share common goals are developed and

sustained. The Marion County Soil & Water Commission has also established a program

to recognize Farms of Environmental Distinction.

The benefits of continuing this project is to promote the protection of groundwater,

surface water, and wetlands from runoff from equine activities.

Cost: $30,000 annually

Status: Ongoing

Central Florida Springs Region Agricultural BMP Cost Share Program

Implementation and Expansion

Lead Entity: Marion Soil & Water Conservation District / FDACS

The Central Florida Springs Region FDACS water quality and water quantity BMP Cost

Share Program was established to promote water quality and water quantity BMPs that

provide overall water resource benefits to commercial agricultural producers. Through

this program, FDACS will reimburse eligible producers, through the Marion Soil and

Water Conservation District, for selected agricultural practices that have potential

sediment control, water conservation and/or water quality improvement benefits. It is

anticipated the program will provide farm managers and owners with economic

incentives to facilitate implementation of FDACS-adopted BMPs. FDACS funding levels

vary year-to-year dependent upon the State of Florida program allocations and are not

currently adequate to keep up with demand. As of February 2015 eight commercial

producers were on a waiting list due to a budget shortfall of $51,498.

This is a major program already in place that can significantly benefit the Rainbow

River by incentivizing the implementation of BMPs for commercial producers.

Annual Cost (recurring): $350,000

Status: Ongoing

Silviculture BMP Implementation and Compliance

Lead Entity: FDACS Florida Forest Service

This project continues and expands biennial BMP surveys, targeted training, and

technical assistance for landowners and forestry professionals engaged in silviculture

operations in the Rainbow Springs BMAP area.

BMPs for silviculture are applicable to public and private industrial and non-industrial

forest-lands. Silviculture BMPs were first developed in the mid-1970's in response to the

Federal Clean Water Act. The first Silviculture BMP Manual was published in 1979; it

was most recently revised in 2008. Silviculture BMPs are the minimum standards for

protecting and maintaining water quality during ongoing silviculture activities,

including forest fertilization.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

FDACS-adopted Water Quality/Quantity BMP Implementation and Compliance

Lead Entity: Marion County SWCD / FDACS Office of Agricultural Water Policy

Agricultural nonpoint sources in a BMAP area are required by state law (Subsection

403.067[7], F.S.) either to implement FDACS-adopted BMPs or to conduct water quality

monitoring prescribed by FDEP or water management district, to demonstrate

compliance with water quality standards. Failure either to implement BMPs or conduct

monitoring may bring enforcement action by the FDEP or water management district.

The implementation of FDACS-adopted, Department-verified BMPs in accordance with

FDACS rule provides a presumption of compliance with state water quality standards.

FDACS field staff and technicians (either through Soil and Water Conservation Districts

or the University of Florida/IFAS) are continually working to reach agricultural

operations to enroll in our FDACS-adopted BMPs Program. Our office is authorized to

continually update, develop, adopt, and assists producers in implementing agricultural

BMPs to improve water quality and water conservation. Currently there are eight BMP

Manuals adopted. These include manuals for cow/calf, citrus, vegetable and agronomic

crops, nurseries, equine, specialty fruit and nut, sod, and wildlife. Our office is working

to update the vegetable and agronomic crop manual and is developing dairy and

poultry manuals to be adopted in the near future. Our office contracts with the Marion

SWCD to employee a technician to assist producers/land owners with implementing

BMPs and enrolling in our FDACS-adopted BMP Program.

Cost: $80,000

Status: Ongoing

Septic Tanks

Florida Onsite Sewage Nitrogen Reduction

Lead Entity: FDOH

The objectives of this study are to:

Develop cost-effective, passive strategies for nitrogen reduction from onsite sewage

Characterize nitrogen removal in the soil and shallow groundwater

Develop simple models on fate and transport of nitrogen in soil and groundwater

Cost: $4,700,000

Status: Ongoing

Marion County Transfer of Vested Rights

Lead Entity: Marion County

Transfer of Vested Rights (TVR) Program is designed to minimize dense development

of vested properties without central water, and sewer systems, and/or other supporting

infrastructure, and thereby protect natural resources, encourage and enhance the

development of larger parcels, reduce the County's inventory of vested properties, and

permit the County to better plan for future growth. The land from which vested rights

are transferred is subject to a conservation easement. Article 3 of the Land

Development Code defines the TVR program and eligible sending and receiving areas.

Cost: N/A

Status: Ongoing

Urban/Residential Fertilizer

Development of Landscape Fertilizer BMPs

Lead Entity: UF-IFAS / SWFWMD

The objective of this project is to verify the accuracy of the Florida Yards and

Neighborhoods (FYN) and Florida Green Industries best management practices (BMPs)

fertilizer recommendations across a wide range of common landscape plants. Plant

growth, biomass allocation, shoot nutrient status, foliar characteristics and aesthetic

quality will be evaluated.

This project represents a significant step to develop and implement accurate, science-

based fertilizer BMPs for urban (residential and commercial) landscapes. This study

aims to improve the quality of stormwater that leaves an urban landscape by

influencing the amount of fertilizer that is applied to these landscapes. The results of the

project will be applicable to ornamental plants grown in residential and commercial

landscapes. This research will provide scientific data on the fertilizer needs of

landscape plants and will improve the accuracy, credibility and long-term viability of

statewide BMP programs, such as the FYN program.

Cost: $274,429

Status: Ongoing

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Developing Tools for Surface Nutrient Loading Attributable to Reclaimed Water

Lead Entity: WateReuse / WMDs / FDEP

The project involves a coordinated study (WateReuse, FDEP, SJRWMD, SFWMD,

SWFWMD and other entities) to develop additional indicators to determine the nutrient

loading attributable to reclaimed water versus septic tank effluent. The project is the

next phase of a prior project which enabled researchers to utilize Sucralose (Splenda

sweetener) levels to determine wastewater inputs to water sources.

The project will assist in obtaining a greater understanding of the nutrient sources and

impacts from wastewater and reuse related activities. The study will research tools to

use other trace compounds as a means to further distinguish between septic tank and

reuse nutrient loading to water bodies.

Cost: $379,666

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow Springs Infrastructure Development – Phase 1

Lead Entity: Marion County

This project is a comprehensive effort to eliminate existing and future poor quality

wastewater discharges into the Rainbow Springs area surrounding the City of

Dunnellon. The project components include construction of a new, expandable

wastewater treatment plant and wastewater collection system. Wastewater will be

collected from eight existing secondary level package wastewater treatment plants.

This project reduces nutrient loading to Rainbow River and Springs and will also make

additional reclaimed water available for agricultural irrigation needs.

Cost: $42,000,000

Status: Ongoing

Juliette Falls WWTP to San Jose WWTP Force Main Connection

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

Proposed project to connect the Juliet falls and San Jose WWTPs. The Juliet Falls plant is

currently offline due to lack of demand. Wastewater is periodically collected and

trucked to San Jose WWTP. The force main will run along SW 180th Avenue Road and

allow three package plants to be taken offline. The septic tank at the State Park tuber

exit may also be taken offline. The connection will also allow for the Juliet falls plant to

be brought back online for production of reuse water for the Juliet Falls golf course.

This project has multiple benefits include an estimated total nitrogen load reduction of

approximately 5,000 lbs/yr. This project also has the benefit of providing reuse water

to a nearby golf course.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Stormwater

City of Williston Watershed Management Plan

Lead Entity: City of Williston / SWFWMD

This watershed management plan will analyze flooding and water quality issues that

exist in the City of Williston watershed, which is contained within the Rainbow Springs

springshed. Currently, flood analysis models are not available and the watershed

includes regional or intermediate stormwater systems.

The LiDAR data and Watershed Evaluation are necessary to produce the watershed

model, floodplain analysis, and alternatives analysis; information that is critical to

better identify risk of flood damage, water quality issues, and cost effective

alternatives.

Cost: $350,000

Status: Ongoing

Watershed Management Plan for the West Ocala, Lake Stafford East, Priest

Prairie Drain and West Marion Watersheds

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

This is a multi-year funded project to analyze flooding and water quality issued in the

West Ocala, Lake Stafford East, Priest Prairie Drain and the West Marion Watersheds,

which include Turner Creek, Lake Stafford South, Bell Branch, and East Bronson

watersheds.

Completing elements of the District's Watershed Management Program is one of the

District's Strategic Priorities for managing the water resource, and provides information

to local governments to manage stormwater quality and flooding within a specific

watershed. The information developed provides the science for the District's resource

management and Environmental Resource Permitting (ERP) responsibilities.

Cost: $210,974.54

Status: Ongoing

Street Sweeping of Marion County Roads

Lead Entity: Marion County

Sweeping of Marion County–maintained roads. Sweeping of roads with curb and gutter

is completed 9 times per year.

This project helps remove debris, sediment, and potential pollutants from streets and

prevent entry into storm sewer system. The benefits to the river and springs is that an

estimated total nitrogen load reduction of 194 lbs/yr is achieved county wide.

Note: The County recently added all subdivisions with Miami-curb into the street

sweeping contract. This has increased the annual mileage swept from 1,375 miles to

1,858 miles (an increase of 483 miles).

Cost: $51,110 per year

Status: Ongoing

Sinkhole Repair Program in County Drainage Retention Areas

Lead Entity: Marion County

This is part of an ongoing stormwater system maintenance program. Performed as

needed by County crews or contractors depending on size and scope of repair.

Annual Cost (recurring): $150,000

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow River NW 119 Ave Stormwater Retrofit Project

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

The Rainbow River NW 119 Ave Stormwater Retrofit Project consists of construction of a

0.40 acre wet detention system and conveyance system improvements at the

intersection of West HWY 316 and NW 119th Avenue on the south side of West HWY

316. The project is located in northwestern Marion County within the Rainbow Springs

springshed. The stormwater retrofit project will treat stormwater captured from a 55.6

acre contributing area, made up of suburban residential land use.

Based on modeling performed under the Watershed Management Plan, runoff from the

drainage basin crosses West HWY 316 and flows north to a small wetland with

associated floodplain. The only water quality treatment currently provided is infiltration

within the grassed swales prior to discharge into the small wetland. The proposed wet

retention system will reduce total nitrogen (TN) by an estimated 28% (28.5 lbs/yr) and

nitrate-nitrogen (NOx) by an estimated 74% (6.5 lbs/yr) prior to discharge to the

existing small wetland.

The Resource Benefit of the Water Quality project is the reduction of pollutant loads to

Rainbow Springs, a SWIM priority water body, by an estimated 28.5 lbs/ yr TN. The

Measurable Benefit is the construction and maintenance of stormwater BMP's to treat

approximately 55.6 acres of suburban residential stormwater runoff.

Cost: $54,000

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow River NW Hwy 225 Stormwater Retrofit Project

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

The Rainbow River NW Hwy 225 Stormwater Retrofit Project consists of construction of a

1.50 acre wet detention system and conveyance system improvements at the

intersection of NW HWY 225 and HWY 316. The project is located in northwestern

Marion County within the Rainbow Springs springshed. The stormwater retrofit project

will treat a total 31.4 acre contributing area, made up of suburban residential land use.

Based on modeling performed under the Watershed Management Plan, runoff from the

drainage basin crosses HWY 225 and flows southwest to a wetland with associated

floodplain. The only water quality treatment currently provided is infiltration within the

grassed swales prior to discharge into the wetland area. The proposed wet detention

system will reduce total nitrogen (TN) by an estimated 33% (67.5 lbs/yr) and nitrate-

nitrogen (NOx) by an estimated 80% (19.3 lbs/yr) prior to discharge to the existing

wetland.

The Resource Benefit of the Water Quality project is the reduction of pollutant loads to

Rainbow Springs, a SWIM priority water body, by an estimated 67.5 lbs/ yr TN. The

Measurable Benefit is the construction and maintenance of stormwater BMP's to treat

approximately 31.4 acres of suburban residential stormwater runoff.

Cost: $182,000

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow Springshed Stormwater Retrofits Project

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

The Rainbow Springshed Stormwater Retrofits Project involves three dry retention

areas (DRA 2165, DRA 2167, and DRA 3166) located in southwestern Marion County

within the Rainbow Springs springshed and within two miles of Rainbow Springs. The

three DRAs have a total 136.7 acre contributing area, made up of medium density

residential land use, which drain to existing dry retention ponds. Dry retention ponds

provide approximately 5% removal of nitrogen from stormwater runoff as it is being

infiltrated. Infiltrated stormwater is a source of nitrogen, in the form of nitrate, to

Rainbow Springs.

This project will improve the ability of the existing retention pond to remove nitrogen

from stormwater by removing approximately 2 feet of soil from the pond bottom and

replacing it with the Bold and Gold soil amendment developed by the University of

Central Florida Stormwater Academy. The project is a continuation of implementation

of Bold and Gold retrofits to County owned retention ponds in the vicinity of Rainbow

Springs. The application of Bold and Gold proposed for this project is the same as in the

first full scale pilot application at the SW 85th Street and SW 40th Avenue Stormwater

Retrofit. Monitoring of the pilot project has shown that the Bold and Gold has resulted in

a treatment efficiency of 70% of total nitrogen from the stormwater infiltrated.

The Resource Benefit of the Water Quality project is the reduction of pollutant loads to

Rainbow Springs, a SWIM priority water body, by an estimated 250 lbs/ yr TN. The

Measurable Benefit is the construction and maintenance of stormwater BMP's to treat

approximately 137 acres of low density residential stormwater runoff.

Cost: $931,510

Status: Ongoing

Other

Springs Protection Outreach

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project is designed to increase the awareness of efforts to restore springs in

Marion, Citrus, and Hernando Counties.

Annual Cost: $60,000 (recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Comprehensive Plan and Land Development Regulations

Lead Entity: Marion County

Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Element, Objective 2.2 establishes specific

limited density and specialized design standards for wetland and flood plain areas

slated for development. Articles 5 & 6 of the Land Development Code sets forth the

specific design and development criteria related to the applicable areas.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Marion County Springs Protection Zones

Lead Entity: Marion County

Comprehensive Plan, Future Land Use Element, Objective 7.4 establishes the Springs

Protection Overlay Zones (SPOZ) and identifies the extent of the Primary and

Secondary Zones along with other design and development standards. Articles 5 & 6 of

the Land Development Code sets forth the specific design and development criteria

related to the applicable SPOZ. SPOZ and LDC criteria are the result of Springs

Protection Resolution 05-R-106.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

FDOT Public Education

Lead Entity: FDOT

FDOT conducts inspections and provides annual illicit discharge, spill prevention and

erosion & sediment control training to staff and contractors.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Water Quantity

Table 11: Ongoing Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives

Monitoring & Research

USGS MFL Surface Water Data Collection Sites

Lead: USGS / SWFWMD

This project is to keep in operation hydrologic gages that are necessary to establish

minimum flows in the District. This initiative is to establish and maintain the District's gaging

network needed to establish/re-evaluate minimum flows and levels (MFLs) on priority

waterbodies throughout the District. Beginning in FY2004, data collection associated with

MFLs was funded under a separate agreement with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While

the USGS (with cooperative funding from the District in recent years) has long maintained a

stream gaging network in the state, coverage is not adequate for establishing the most

defensible MFLs. It is envisioned that gage sites will routinely be established along rivers to

estimate flow at various distances along the river's length. Coupled with information from

long-term gage sites, a few years' records at these short-term gages can be used to establish

more accurate flows in the vicinity of biological monitoring sites used to evaluate and

establish MFLs. Based on empirical relationships to be established with long-term gages and

using hydraulic modeling results, flow records can be re-created at short-term sites using

flow records at long-term sites. In addition, while the flow regimes of many of the District's

rivers have been historically monitored along their freshwater reaches, flow data for rivers

where they enter their respective estuarine areas is often lacking or has not adequately been

monitored. The influence of tide and the braided nature of some of the rivers in their

estuarine reaches make discharge measurements difficult and costly. In addition to stage and

flow data, monitoring in tidal areas involves increased instrumentation to allow for salinity

and sometimes dissolved oxygen measurements to be made. Flows can greatly affect the

distribution of salinity and low dissolved oxygen zones in estuarine river reaches.

Annual Cost: $491,950 (Recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Managing Forests for Increased Regional Water Supply

Lead Entity: FDACS / SWFWMD

This four-year University of Florida research project, with funding support provided by the

five water management districts and FDACS, will measure forest water use via groundwater

and soil moisture monitoring in differently managed stands (e.g., thinning, understory

management, typical silviculture). This information will be used to develop relationships

between forest management techniques and water supply benefits, with broad application to

regional water availability.

This project will quantify the water supply benefits of several forest management practices

that could be implemented on District lands and other public and private lands within the

District.

Cost: $637,725

Status: Ongoing

USGS Evapotranspiration Data Collection

Lead: USGS / SWFWMD

This project allows for the operation of one mixed-forest wetland evapotranspiration (ET)

station that directly measures actual ET. Funding also provides for District participation in a

cooperative effort between the USGS and all five Florida Water Management Districts to map

state-wide potential and reference ET using data measured from the Geostationary

Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES). Data are available back to 1995 and are

provided on the same grid system as the RADAR rainfall data, making them suitable to

calibrate District groundwater and surface water models and improve permitting efforts.

The cooperative data program between the District and the United States Geological Survey

(USGS) provides data collection to support District regulatory and resource management

initiatives. The costs for this data collection program are split between the District and the

USGS. The data collected by the USGS complement the data from the District's data collection

program, and provide independent verification of District data collection efforts. USGS data

site locations are coordinated with District data site locations to ensure optimum data

coverage. These USGS data are being made available to District staff through the Water

Management Information System (WMIS), and to the public through the USGS Hydrologic

Data Web Portal.

ET constitutes the largest water loss component in most water budgets for Florida

watersheds. In Florida, approximately 50 percent of mean annual precipitation is returned to

the atmosphere as ET. Lakes have been measured to return up to 110 percent of mean annual

precipitation. The statewide ET project was initiated to quantify actual, not potential, ET to

improve the accuracy of a wide range of hydrologic analyses. The intention of this project

was to install eddy-correlation equipment in a variety of settings to develop reasonable

estimations of ET that can be tied to land use/land cover information, thereby increasing the

detailed input for watershed modeling purposes. Equipment would remain on-site for a few

seasons to ensure the ET is quantified sufficiently, and then the equipment would be moved

to another location to obtain information from a different land use. In this fashion, a dataset

could be developed to improve model results.

The GOES ET program was initiated to develop a better tool for watershed modeling by

developing a dataset of ET estimates using the same grid system utilized by the RADAR

rainfall project. This provides both an estimated monthly rainfall value and estimated monthly

ET value for every 2-kilometer-by-2-kilometer grid cell in the state. Datasets for the period

1995-2012 have been compiled and processed into computed values of evapotranspiration.

They are available through WMIS.

ET data support integrated surface water and groundwater modeling, water use and

environmental resource permitting and compliance, Minimum Flows and Levels

development, evaluation and compliance, the Southern Water Use Caution Area recovery

plan, and water shortage implementation and evaluation.

Annual Cost: $50,700 (Recurring)

Status: Ongoing

USGS Groundwater Data Collection

Lead: USGS / SWFWMD

This agreement includes data collection at 16 groundwater monitor wells, which

complements the data from the District's 1,553 groundwater level monitor wells. The

cooperative data program between the District and the United States Geological Survey

(USGS) provides data collection to support District regulatory and resource management

initiatives. Costs are split between the District and the USGS. The USGS data are available to

District staff through the Water Management Information System (WMIS), and to the public

through the USGS Florida Water Science Center Web Portal. USGS data site locations are

coordinated with District data site locations to ensure optimum data coverage and prevent

redundancy.

Groundwater level data provide critical support for integrated surface water and

groundwater modeling, water use and environmental resource permitting and compliance,

Minimum Flows and Levels development, evaluation, and compliance, the Southern Water

Use Caution Area recovery plan, water shortage implementation and evaluation, and many

resource evaluations and reports, including the Hydrologic Conditions Report. Most of these

groundwater monitoring sites have extensive historical records, with some dating back to the

1930's. The length and completeness of the data records provide a necessary regional

framework for scientifically evaluating impacts to water supplies in response to changes in

climate and development.

Annual Cost: $100,000

Status: Ongoing

USGS Surface Water Data Collection

Lead: USGS / SWFWMD

This agreement includes continuous and periodic discharge and water-level data collection

at 126 river, stream and canal sites, which complements the data from the District's 776

surface water level gauging sites. The cooperative data program between the District and the

United States Geological Survey (USGS) provides data collection to support District

regulatory and resource management initiatives. Costs are split between the District and the

USGS. The USGS data are available to District staff through the Water Management

Information System (WMIS), and to the public through the USGS Florida Water Science

Center Web Portal. USGS data site locations are coordinated with District data site locations

to ensure optimum data coverage and prevent redundancy.

The USGS is the recognized international expert on streamflow gauging and monitoring, a

complicated and labor-intensive process. Surface water flow data provide critical support for

watershed studies for proper drainage and water control, integrated surface water and

groundwater modeling, biological monitoring, water use and environmental resource

permitting and compliance, operations of the District's water conservation and control

structures, Minimum Flows and Levels development, evaluation and compliance, water

shortage implementation and evaluation, the Southern Water Use Caution Area recovery plan

and many resource evaluations and reports, including the Hydrologic Conditions Report.

Most of these groundwater monitoring sites have extensive historical records, with some

dating back to the 1930's. The length and completeness of the data records provide a

necessary regional framework for scientifically evaluating impacts to water supplies in

response to changes in climate and development.

Annual Cost (Recurring): $1,089,400 (District-wide)

Status: Ongoing

RADAR Rainfall Data Services

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project provides high-resolution rainfall data for modeling purposes. This is a

cooperative effort between the five Water Management Districts. The RADAR rainfall estimate

dataset is derived from the National Weather Service's NexRad RADAR imagery calibrated by

point rainfall data. A contractor uses 15-minute rainfall data collected by the District to

calibrate the mathematical model used to translate RADAR images to 15-minute estimates of

rainfall accumulation for each 2-kilometer x 2-kilometer grid cell across the entire District.

Data are available through the Water Management Information System back to February 1994

in 15-minute, hourly, daily and monthly total estimates for each 2 km x 2 km grid cell across

the entire District.

Annual Cost: $40,000 (SWFWMD Portion Only)

Status: Ongoing

Conservation

Analysis of Utility Water Rates for Planning & Regulatory Support and Water Rate

Model Workshops

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project explores the use of rate structures through research and a series of rate

workshops.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

District Utility Services Program

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The District's Utility Outreach Program involves proactively coordinating with the public

water supply utilities throughout the District's boundaries in a systematic manner to achieve

the water supply planning and water conservation goals; this would be in addition to the

ongoing support provided to Regulation as part of the Water Use Permitting process (see

IOP/WUP- 053.00, dated October 19, 2009). This activity was designed to account for general

work that is not assigned to any specific project. As such, there are no critical project

milestones and staff time is budgeted each year.

The District's Utility Outreach Program (UOP) is intended to improve water supply planning,

water conservation, and relations with the 170 public water supply utilities within the District.

The key program goals are to: reach agreement with utilities on population and demand

projections; achieve a Districtwide goal of 150 gallons per capita per day (gpcd) or less of

water use; enhance support to the District's Division of Regulation to accomplish District

goals; improve communication and coordination with utilities; achieve 75% utilization of

reclaimed water and 75% offset efficiency of traditional water supply; and better align

District resources to achieve water supply planning and water conservation goals.

Annual Cost: $134,016 (District-wide)

Status: Ongoing

Hotel/Motel/Restaurant Water Conservation Education

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project reduces water use in the lodging industry. The District provides free educational

materials for Water CHAMP properties that agree to implement a towel and linen reuse

program. Based on prior audit results and average occupancy rates, this project will save an

estimated 149 million gallons of water per year at a cost benefit of $0.47 per thousand gallons

of water using the total cost amortized over five years. Currently, Water CHAMP has 365

participants.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Water Loss Reduction Program

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The Water Loss Reduction Program is an ongoing program which provides assistance to

public supply water utilities and water use permit holders in conserving water and in

documenting and reducing water loss. Among the services provided upon request are

comprehensive leak detection surveys (systematic or point), meter accuracy testing (source

and service), and water audit guidance and evaluation. The ongoing program (formerly

referred to as the Leak Detection Program and historically known as the Urban Mobile Lab)

has been very successful since it was started in the early 1990s, completing 103 leak surveys

that has helped to prevent the unnecessary real water loss of an estimated 5.8 million gallons

per day throughout the District. It has been calculated that the project and resulting water

savings is one of the most cost-effective methods of water conservation currently employed

by the District.

During recent years, and especially since the inception of the Utility Services program, there

has been a significant increase in requests for leak detection as well as meter accuracy

testing activities. The ten leak detection surveys conducted in 2013 resulted in a total of 101

leaks located/repaired that equated to an estimated 172,440 gallons per day of water saved

(62,940,600 gallons/year). Considering the cost of staff time and equipment to perform

services during 2013, the estimated cost to realize the conserved water is $0.15 per thousand

gallons (using a three-year District budget average of $39,952 amortized at 8% over five

years and not including the costs by the utility to repair the leak). This is a very cost-effective

water conservation method considering the cost of alternative water supplies which, per

thousand gallons, are in the $10.00 to $15.00 range.

Annual Cost: $39,901 (recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Center Pivot Mobile Irrigation Lab (CPMIL)

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The predominant type of irrigation in the Rainbow Springshed is center pivot. This project

provides a mobile irrigation lab that specializes in center pivot irrigation systems to service

the northern District.

MILs are highly regarded tools for improving water use efficiency on agricultural lands. The

water savings generated by implementing efficiency improvements identified by the MILs

are substantial and represent one of the best methods of water conservation. Additionally,

these savings are tracked in the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

(FDACS) MIL web portal thus allowing the water savings to be quantified on an annual basis.

There are approximately 65 center pivot systems permitted in the SWFWMD. The budgeted

amount of $25,000 per year will allow a continual rotation of about 12 system evaluations per

year (pre and post evaluations) to cover all systems once every 5 years which is the industry

recommendation to maintain optimal efficiency.

Annual Cost: $25,000 (recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Florida Water Star Certification and Builder Education

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project reduces water use and helps to improve water quality by reduced stormwater

runoff in the building industry. Florida Water Star

(FWS) is a statewide water conservation

certification program for new and existing homes and commercial developments. The

program educates the building industry about water efficient building practices and

provides incentives to make these practices common to the marketplace.

Based on estimates, a home meeting Florida Water Star indoor and outdoor criteria uses

approximately 54,287 gallons of water less per year compared to a home with non-Energy

Star rated appliances indoors and 100 percent high-volume irrigation outdoors, which is

traditionally seen in Florida homes.

Quantified results illustrate program benefits includes On Top of the World Communities in

Marion County where a FWS certified home uses about one-third the amount of water as a

comparable property in the same community.

Annual Cost: $65,169 (District-wide)

Status: Ongoing

FARMS Program: Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems

Lead Entity: SWFWMD / FDACS

Agricultural BMPs provide important water resource benefits, and the District’s FARMS

Program, as an agricultural BMP cost-share reimbursement program, provides incentives to

the agricultural community for implementation of approved water quantity and water quality

BMPs. BMPs can promote improved water quality in spring systems through reduction of

nutrients. BMPs can also impact groundwater resources by reducing groundwater

withdrawals from the Floridan aquifer through conservation measures. While FARMS has

largely focused on reducing groundwater withdrawals in the District’s southern region, the

program is expanding its role in the northern region to include a focus on reducing nutrient

loading to groundwater. FARMS can cost-share proposals from 50 percent up to 75 percent of

total project costs, and can partner with other federal, state and local agencies such as the

U.S. Department of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS)

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), FDACS, and FDEP. Total annual fiscal year

funding available for these projects is upwards of approximately $6.0 million. Potential

projects may include approved precision nutrient application technologies or conservation

practices. The agricultural community is highly encouraged to contact FARMS staff to discuss

and develop potential projects. The SWFWMD and FDACS have worked cooperatively to

help fund FARMS projects and are looking to expand their partnership within the Springs

Coast area.

The SWFWMD and FDACS also work cooperatively with the Mini-FARMS Program, which is a

scaled down version of the FARMS Program for growers that are 100 irrigated acres or less to

implement water quantity BMPs. The program cost shares at a rate of 75% up to a maximum

reimbursement of $5,000. Examples of projects include irrigation conversions and soil

moisture probes.

Annual Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

My Florida Farm Weather Program

Lead Entity: FDACS / University of Florida IFAS – FAWN

This Program was developed by FDACS in partnership with the University of Florida

Automated Weather Network (FAWN) to assist producers on when to irrigate during frost-

freeze conditions or when to apply nutrients or pesticides during wet months. This program

reimburses producers for implementing an on-farm weather station. Information from these

on-farm weather stations is displayed on FAWN’s website to create a weather station network

for producers looking to be more accurate on irrigating for freeze protection or timing of

fertilizer or pesticides, which includes graphical information that allows users to view real-

time data. The FDACS is currently trying to expand the program more into the Springs Coast

areas, such as Marion County.

Cost: $500,000 (statewide)

Status: Ongoing

WRWSA Regional Landscape and Irrigation Evaluation Program: Phase 3

Lead Entity: WRWSA / SWFWMD

This conservation project will provide approximately 140 irrigation system evaluations to

high-water use, single family residential customers. These evaluations will come with

recommendations for optimizing the use of water outdoors through Florida-Friendly

Landscaping TM practices and other efficient irrigation best management practices. Rain

sensor devices will be provided and installed for project participants who do not have a

functioning device.

This project aims to conserve approximately 58,800 gallons per day.

Cost: $71,000

Status: Ongoing

Marion County Toilet Rebate Program: Phase 3

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

This is the continuation of a project started in 2011 offering financial incentives to water

customers within the Marion County Utilities' service area for replacement of existing high-

volume toilets (3.5 gallons per flush (gpf) or greater with 1.28 gpf or lower). Approximately

6,140 of Marion County Utilities' 14,000 accounts within SWFWMD were built or improved

before 1995, making them eligible for the toilet rebate retrofit incentive. In FY2014/15,

Marion County Utilities expects to distribute 400 rebates to qualified homes and commercial

facilities through an outside contracted consultant. Single-family residences will be offered

up to two toilet rebates per home while multi-family and commercial dwellings will be

encouraged to replace all devices at one time. The contracted consultant will ensure 90

percent inspection of retrofitted toilets. Educational information about water conservation will

also be distributed to rebate participants and a follow-up survey will be used to assess

customer satisfaction and water savings. This program will be marketed through billing

inserts, direct mailing and fliers that will be posted at the utility office. The program will also

be promoted at water conservation workshops and events that the Water Resource

Coordinator attends. Special attention will be given to buildings improved after 1980, to

focus on retrofits that would not otherwise be reaching the endpoint of the expected life of

the toilet. This program aligns itself with the Southwest Florida Water Management District's

strategic initiative of water conservation. This program will show an estimated savings of

5,095 gallons per day. The cost per 1,000 gallons is $1.64, well under the estimated costs of

alternative water supply.

Cost: $30,000

Status: Ongoing

Regional Water Supply Planning

Development of 2015 to 2035 Districtwide Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP)

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The Regional Water Supply Plan (RWSP) assesses the projected water demands and potential

sources of water to meet the demands in the Southwest Florida Water Management District

(District) for the 20 year period from 2015 through 2035. The Plan is updated every five years,

in accordance with Section 373.709, Florida Statutes. The RWSP consists of an executive

summary and four geographically-based volumes that correspond to the District’s four

designated water supply planning regions (Northern, Tampa Bay, Heartland and Southern).

The RWSP provides a framework for future water management decisions in the District and

demonstrates how water demands can be met through a combination of alternative water

sources, fresh groundwater and water conservation measures. The District’s first RWSP was

published in 2001 and is updated every five years. The District updates the RWSP with

significant public comment to ensure all stakeholders with the opportunity for input. For the

2015 RWSP, the District will hold public workshops, with live webcasting, to provide status

updates, answer questions and solicit public comment. The District has also developed this

webpage to provide public drafts of the documents, advertise public workshops, and solicit

comments from all interested stakeholders including the public. This process will help shape

the final draft of the RWSP, scheduled to be completed in December 2015.

Cost: $150,000

Status: Ongoing

Regulatory / Minimum Flows and Levels

Water Use Permitting Program

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

The purpose of this program is to implement the provisions of Part II of Chapter 373, F.S., and

the Water Resource Implementation Rule set forth in Chapter 62-40, F.A.C. Additional rules

relating to water use are found in Chapter 40D-3, F.A.C., entitled Regulation of Wells,

Chapter 40D-8, F.A.C., entitled Water Levels and Rates of Flow, Chapter 40D-80, F.A.C.,

entitled Prevention and Recovery Strategies For Minimum Flows and Levels, Chapter 40D-21,

F.A.C., entitled Water Shortage Plan, and Chapter 40D-22, F.A.C., entitled Year-Round Water

Conservation Measures. In addition to permitting, the Water Use Program engages in a

comprehensive compliance program that checks and verifies critical information such as

monthly pumpage quantities and over pumpage.

Annual Cost: $3,208,319 (District-wide)

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow River MFL Establishment

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

Florida statute 373.042 requires that the District establish minimum flows and levels (MFLs)

for water bodies on a priority list. The Rainbow River Freshwater system is a designated

priority water body and this project is to provide technical information to support the

adoption of MFLs for the system. The establishment of minimum flows for rivers requires the

collection of extensive physical, chemical, and biological data to evaluate potential impacts

to the ecological characteristics of the resource. This project provides funding for the

collection and evaluation of this information.

Cost: $224,692

Status: Ongoing

Natural Systems

Table 12: Ongoing Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives

Monitoring & Research

Rainbow River Aquatic Vegetation Coverage

Lead: SWFWMD

This project involves mapping, monitoring, and evaluating submerged aquatic vegetation

(SAV), studying sources of chlorophyll and how nutrients influence chlorophyll production in

the Rainbow River. Collection of this information is necessary to evaluate the success of

applied management strategies within Rainbow River.

Mapping of submerged aquatic vegetation is conducted every four to five years in order to

detect changes in the health of these vital resources and to act as an indicator for overall

ecological health. Also, knowing the types of plants and/or algae responsible for chlorophyll

production, in addition to knowing how nutrients influence algae will greatly enhance the

effectiveness of management strategies targeted at maintaining and improving current water

clarity levels.

Cost: $98,000

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow River Algae and Sediment Assessment Project

Lead: SWFWMD / University of Florida

In the Rainbow River various types of algae (filamentous macroalgae, epiphytes, and

phytoplankton) are increasing in abundance and causing ecological degradation. Algal

overgrowth is most evident in the lower portions of the river, where physical alterations have

affected hydrology and water quality. Algal overgrowth can alter sediment characteristics

and biogeochemical cycling, leading to reductions in native aquatic plant abundance,

wildlife habitat, nutrient attenuation, and aesthetic value. Information is needed to

understand the factors that lead to algal overgrowth. This information will support

management decisions regarding control of algae and restoration of the aquatic plant

community.

The Rainbow River Algae and Sediment Assessment Project will determine the factors

leading to ecological instability in the Rainbow River. The District is the lead entity on this

three year research project to be conducted by the University of Florida. The University of

Florida will measure algae and plant communities, sediment characteristics, and

biogeochemical cycling rates throughout the river. The University of Florida will also

evaluate the influence of historic phosphate mining pits and their hydraulic exchange with

the river. This information will support management decisions regarding control of algae and

restoration of aquatic plant communities, with application to the Rainbow River and other

spring systems in the region.

This is a multi-year project spanning 2014 to 2016. A final report summarizing the project will

be delivered no later than August 1, 2017. The final report will contain an executive summary

as well as an overview and synthesis of key findings as they relate to the management of

Rainbow River and other spring-fed systems in the area. All data generated as a result of this

project will be included in the appendices to the report.

Cost: $375,000

Status: Ongoing

Springs Coast Fish Community Assessment

Lead Entity: FFWCC

The FFWCC is conducting a series of fish sampling events to document fish abundance,

diversity, richness, and fish species composition in portions of the Rainbow, Weeki Wachee,

Homosassa, and Chassahowitzka rivers and Kings Bay. The project will also evaluate fish

species associated with quantified habitats and flows within in these spring systems. A total of

40 sampling events will be completed with the findings and data collected included the final

report.

Cost: $185,620 (SWFWMD funded)

Status: Ongoing

Habitat Conservation

River Protection Corridors

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

The City of Dunnellon River Protection Corridor Areas for both the Rainbow and

Withlacoochee River extends 150 feet from the ordinary high water line and implements

specific development standards for new development and for construction on existing lots

with vested development rights.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Rainbow River Corridors

Lead Entity: FDEP Division of Lands

The Rainbow River Corridor project is designed to protect most of the undeveloped or

minimally developed private land remaining along the Rainbow River. The southern parcels

(ex. Rainbow River Ranch) would bring a remaining large portion of undeveloped shoreline

along the eastern side of the river into state ownership, and provide a connection to the

southern end of the Rainbow Springs State Park. Several parcels above the headwaters and

below State Road 40 would provide a significant connection on the north side of the state

park. Other potential properties include the Cool Springs Ranch and various identified

wildlife corridor gaps.

Public acquisition of these lands will prevent further development and conflicting land uses

that could further degrade the ecological value of this area. In addition, the potential

restoration of altered habitats would help restore and maintain water quality and habitat

along one of Florida’s largest spring-run streams. 1,140 acres still remain for acquisition and

will continue as funds and sales agreements allow. 32.44 acres were acquired for Blue Run of

Dunnellon Park (R013) in 2008.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Implementation of the District’s Land Acquisition Play Book

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

Section 373.139, Florida Statutes, authorizes the Governing Boards of the water management

districts to acquire lands necessary for conservation and protection of water resources. The

District’s Land Acquisition Playbook represents a list of lands the District is or will be actively

attempting to acquire. For Rainbow Springs, three tracts totaling 390 acres have been

identified. This playbook is updated annually and other properties can be added as

identified.

Cost: TBD

Status: Ongoing

Invasive Species Management

Cooperative Aquatic Plant Control Program

Lead Entity: FFWCC / SWFWMD

The District cooperates with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

(FFWCC) pursuant to an existing ten-year agreement to manage troublesome aquatic plant

populations on twenty-five public waters (lakes and rivers) within the District.

Annual Cost: $9,000 (recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Recreation Management

Rainbow River Recreation Brochures

Lead Entity: Rainbow River Conservation (RRC)

Recognizing that recreation on the Rainbow River has become very intense and is not

restricted, RRC developed a Rainbow River Recreational Guidelines brochure to educate

river users in safe and enjoyable practices while avoiding harm to the natural systems of the

river. This 17 x 22 inch multi-fold brochure is of souvenir quality made of biodegradable

paper. RRC has distributed approximately 20,000 copies of the brochure. RRC is seeking

funding for a second printing of 25,000 brochures.

Annual Cost: $15,000 (recurring)

Status: Ongoing

Proposed Priority Projects and Initiatives

Proposed priority projects and initiatives have been reviewed and approved by the SCMC and SCSC.

Shown below in Tables 13, 14 and 15 are the projects and initiatives that, if implemented, will support

the overall objective of improving the water quality, water quantity, and natural systems aspects of the

Rainbow River.

Water Quality

Table 13: Proposed Priority Water Quality Projects and Initiatives

Agricultural Operations

Implementation of the Small Equine BMP Manual in Areas of the Rainbow

Springshed where not already Ongoing

Lead Entity: UF-IFAS Extension Service / FDEP

This project will develop a plan to implement the various Best Management Practices for

small equine operations where not already being implemented. This will be

accomplished through the promotion of (1) education, (2) outreach, and (3) cost-share

programs. In October 2013, the FDEP published a manual intended for use by horse and

pony owners who do not typically operate as a business and are characterized as “non-

commercial.” It is an educational tool to provide guidance to small-scale, noncommercial

horse owners on equine management practices that will help minimize nonpoint source

pollution and protect Florida’s water resources. Part of the implementation of BMPs will

be to establish a monitoring plan to quantify benefits of the various BMPs to water quality.

The implementation program will consist of identification of key agencies with existing

public education activities where the BMP manual can be incorporated, development or

modification of existing recognition programs to provide measureable goals for both

participants and also types of BMPs implemented, and identification of existing cost share

programs that may assist non-commercial operations in BMP implementation including,

but not limited to (a) manure storage, (b) manure composting, (c) pasture management,

and (d) erosion control.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Septic Tanks

Onsite Sewage Treatment and Disposal Systems (OSTDS) Initiative: Demonstration

Sites and Trade-Off with Sewerage

Lead Entity: FDOH / FDEP

OSTDS are one of the more difficult sources of nitrogen loading to the Upper Florida

Aquifer to address. The FDEP, with representation from FDOH, private and public

utilities, local governments, community development districts, homeowners, businesses,

and other vested interests will develop a comprehensive and sustainable plan with

nitrogen reducing projects that focus on OSTDS sources.

Specific goals of this project include:

Identify spatially in the Rainbow Springshed the tradeoffs between conventional

sewerage and OSTDS including cost/benefit analysis for each option. In addition

to capital and operation and maintenance costs, effort will be placed at capturing

intangible benefits for each option (e.g. groundwater recharge, economic

opportunity).

2. Test water quality effluent from three OSTDS sites with passive biological nitrogen

removal to demonstrate (a) effectiveness for different loading rates, and (b)

scalability to the unique soil and hydrologic conditions in Marion and Levy

Counties.

3. Develop public outreach activities to promote OSTDS through the EPA-funded USF

National Research Center for Reinventing Infrastructure for Nutrient Management.

The overall objective of the OSTDS Initiative is to identify effective, financially feasible

strategies to reduce existing, and prevent future, nutrient loads from OSTDS sources. The

plan will identify options for addressing OSTDS loading, identify effective management

and engineering strategies to reduce loading from OSTDS for the Rainbow River system,

establish education and outreach programs that provide area residents with information

about OSTDS systems and their effect on the system, determine responsibilities, and

identify funding sources and an implementation schedule for the management strategies

and facility construction.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Rainbow Springs Infrastructure Development: Subsequent Phases

Lead Entity: Marion County

This project is a comprehensive effort to eliminate existing and future poor quality

wastewater discharges into the Rainbow Springs area surrounding the City of Dunnellon.

The project components include construction of a new, expandable wastewater treatment

plant and wastewater collection system. Wastewater will be collected from eight existing

secondary level package wastewater treatment plants.

This project reduces nutrient loading to Rainbow River and Springs and will also make

additional reclaimed water available for agricultural irrigation needs.

Cost: $110,000,000-$120,000,000

Status: Proposed

Stormwater

Rainbow River Acres Stormwater Retrofit

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

This project is near the corner of Oak Street and Palmetto Way in the Rainbow River

Acres subdivision and will construct a stormwater pond to address flooding and improve

water quality for stormwater runoff that currently sheet flows untreated into the Rainbow

River.

This project will benefit the river by treating stormwater that currently discharges

directly into the river from only 250 feet away.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Bold and Gold Stormwater Retrofits in Rainbow Springs BMAP Area

Lead Entity: Marion County

This project proposes $2,800,000 through Fiscal Year 2019 for the retrofit of County

owned drainage retention areas (DRAs) in both the Rainbow and Silver Springs BMAP

areas. The number and location of DRAs retrofitted will depend on several factors

including potential load reductions, land availability and location in priority focus areas

identified in the BMAP. In general the funding will be evenly split, but may vary slightly

from year to year depending on the aforementioned factors. A project, Rainbow

Springshed Stormwater Retrofits ($932K total) is currently in the design phase and is

identified in the adopted 2014 Stormwater Implementation Plan.

Stormwater retrofit projects are measurable actions that can be taken to help reduce

nutrient loading, either as direct inputs to the river or indirectly through infiltration in the

springshed.

Cost: $2,800,000 through 2019

Status: Proposed

Other

Blue Run Park Restroom Facility and the Evaluation of Additional Restroom

Facilities Along the Rainbow River

Lead: Marion County / City of Dunnellon

There is a significant need for public restroom facilities along the lower Rainbow River

and especially at Blue Run Park. Portable facilities are no longer sufficient to

accommodate the large numbers of visitors that frequent this park. The number of visitors

continues to increase including a growing number of large groups. The Blue Run of

Dunnellon Management Plan approved by FCT, Marion County, and Dunnellon includes a

requirement to provide a public facility within five years. The estimated cost of this

project would include installation of a flush toilet facility connected to sanitary sewer with

electric service, permits, design, ADA accessibility and site work.

Additionally this project will evaluate other potential locations along the publically

owned reaches of the river for additional restroom facilities which could further reduce a

direct source of pollution to the river.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Creation of Public Education Coordination Team

Lead Entity: Marion County / SWFWMD

Formation of a public education coordination team consisting of representatives from

local government, state agencies, water management districts and local interest groups.

The purpose of the groups would be to ensure consistent and accurate information on

pollution prevention is provided to citizens and to maximize efforts among coordination

team members. This proposed initiative covers all three focus areas of Water Quality,

Water Quantity, and Natural Systems.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Water Quantity

Table 14: Proposed Priority Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives

Monitoring & Research

Evaluate Effects of the Inglis Lock and Dam System on Flows and Levels in the Lower

Rainbow River

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project will determine the effects of operating the Inglis lock and dam system on the

flows and levels in the lower Rainbow River and will investigate the feasibility of utilizing the

system to increase water velocities during certain times of year as a means to reduce the

amount of filamentous algal growth and water column residence times in the lower Rainbow

River.

The lower Rainbow River is in a degraded state and this project could have a significant

beneficial effect on the lower Rainbow River.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Evaluate Effect of Aquatic Vegetation on Flows and Levels

in the Rainbow River

Lead Entity: SWFWMD

This project will assess the effects of aquatic vegetation on stage and flow in the Rainbow

River. Changes in stage/flow relationships in the Rainbow River have occurred since 2000,

which may be due to effects of vegetation on the hydrology of the river as hypothesized in

other spring-fed rivers in Florida. The study will measure SAV biomass, flow velocities, and

other parameters to assess how vegetation influences the hydrology of Rainbow River.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Natural Systems

Table 15: Proposed Priority Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives

Habitat Conservation

Rainbow River Ranch Acquisition Project

Lead Entities: FDEP / SWFWMD

This is a subset of the Rainbow River Corridor Project. The Rainbow River Ranch consists of

258 acres of undeveloped land on the east shore of the Rainbow River with 1.3 miles of river

frontage which is approximately 23% of the whole eastern river frontage. This land, which is

sandwiched between the river on the north and west sides, the Rainbow Springs State Park

on the east side, and CR 484 on the south side, is planned for development including 311

residential units, a clubhouse, a boat storage site, and 100,000 square feet of commercial

space.

The land is largely upland pasture with heavily foliated wetlands adjacent to the river where

many listed species of birds and freshwater turtles nest and forage. This land is connected to

the Florida National Scenic Trail, the Withlacoochee State Trail, the Dunnellon Trail, the Blue

Run Park Trails, the Gum Slough Canoe Trail, and the Great Florida Birding Trail. A trail on

this land along the old Seaboard Railway bed adjacent to the river could connect the Blue Run

Park to the State Park and the existing Office of Greenways and Trails easement across the

river, through Cool Springs and the Goethe Forest, to the Gulf Coast.

Instead of being developed this land should be kept in its natural state for the benefit of

protecting the Rainbow River and its wildlife. The uplands should be planted in long leaf

pine. Because of its river related natural features and its connection to several trails the

Rainbow River Ranch property can serve as an integral part of a tourist driven economic

engine for the local community. Every effort should be made for state acquisition of this

property.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Recreation Management

Rainbow River Carrying Capacity Study and Visitor Survey

Lead Entities: FDEP / Marion County / City of Dunnellon

This proposed project will define the carrying capacity of Rainbow River with respect to

recreation by establishing an appropriate balance between recreation and resource

protection and determining ways management agencies, together with commercial and other

interests, can meet that balance. The study will require a visitor survey, analysis of vegetation

and wildlife impacts, analysis of techniques utilized in other similar locations, and discussion

of the legal, cultural, and resource issues in determining the appropriate balance between

public use and resource protection.

The visitor survey is an important component of this project and is a tool to be used by

professional managers and elected officials to make difficult decisions involving a variety of

stakeholders, often with conflicting interests. Visitors’ responses are often surprising when

they are asked questions that deal with vegetation impacts, wildlife impacts, user conflicts,

and visitor experience. This project will design, implement, collate, and interpret a visitor

survey that will include many areas of policy dealing with management of the Rainbow River.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

References

Anastasiou, C. 2006. An investigation of the spatial and temporal trends in water clarity: Rainbow

River, Florida. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 63 pp.

Atkins North America, Inc. (Atkins) and Debra Childs Woithe, Inc. (DCWI). 2012. 2011 Rainbow

River Vegetation Evaluation. Prepared for the Southwest Florida Water Management District

(SWFWMD). 62 pp. plus appendices.

Baker, A.E., A.R. Wood, and J.R. Cichon. 2007. The Marion County aquifer vulnerability assessment.

The Marion County Board of County Commissioners, Project No. SS06-01.

Cichra, C.E. and S.M. Holland. 2012. Rainbow River Environmental Study. University of Florida,

Gainesville, FL. Prepared for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Division of

Recreation and Parks. Tallahassee, FL. 67 pp.

Cowell, B.C. and C.J. Dawes. 2004. Growth and nitrate-nitrogen uptake by the freshwater

cyanobacterium Lyngbya wollei Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 42: 69-71.

Dinkins, J.L. 1984. Dunnellon: boomtown of the 1890's: the story of Rainbow Springs and Dunnellon.

Great Outdoors Publishing Co. St. Petersburg, FL. 215 pp.

Downing, Jr., H.C., M.S. Flannery, M.J. Buikerood, J.A. Mann, and W.M. Matheison. 1989. Lake

Rousseau operations and management study. Southwest Florida Water Management District,

Brooksville, FL.

Duarte, C.M. and D.E. Canfield, Jr. 1990. Light absorption in Florida springs. Florida Scientist. 53(2):

118-122.

Eller, K.T. and B.G. Katz. 2015. Nitrogen Source Inventory and Loading Tool for the Rainbow Springs

BMAP Contributing Area. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Tallahassee, FL.

Ellis, G.D., K. Nash, J. Dean, and R. Martin. 2007. Rainbow River Sediment Study. Gulf Archaeology

Research Institute (GARI). Crystal River, FL. Prepared for Southwest Florida Water

Management District. Brooksville, FL. 335 pp.

Faulkner, G.L. 1970. Geohydrology of the cross-Florida barge canal with special reference to the

Ocala vicinity. U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Investigations 1-73, 117p.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 2002. Rainbow Springs State Park Unit

Management Plan. State of Florida, Department of Environmental Protection, Division of

Recreation and Parks. December 5, 2002. 135 pp.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 2008. Monitoring Report for Eighteen State

and Federally Managed Spring Systems in Florida- Year 2000 to 2007. Florida Department of

Environmental Protection, Environmental Assessment Section. Tallahassee, FL. 158 pp.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 2013. Nutrient TMDL for Rainbow Springs

Group and Rainbow Springs Group Run (WBIDs 1320A and 1320B). Final Report by Kathryn

Holland and Richard Hicks. Ground Water Management Section, Bureau of Watershed

Restoration, Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP). 2015. Final Basin Management Action Plan

for the Implementation of Total Maximum Daily Loads adopted by the Florida Department of

Environmental Protection in the Rainbow Springs Basin Management Area for Rainbow

Springs Group and Group Run. Division of Environmental Assessment and Restoration, Water

Quality Restoration Program. Tallahassee, Florida. November 2015. 96 pp.

Florida Geological Survey (FGS). 2007. Florida Springshed. Geographic information system data

file. Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Geologic Survey. Tallahassee,

Florida.

Florida Springs Institute (FSI). 2013. Rainbow Springs Restoration Plan. Prepared for Rainbow River

Conservation, Inc. in cooperation with the Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute.

Gainesville, Florida. 87 pp.

Frazer, T.K., E.J. Phlips, S.K. Notestein and C. Jett. 2002. Nutrient limiting status of phytoplankton in

five Gulf Coast Rivers and their associated estuaries. Final Report. Southwest Florida Water

Management District, Surface Water Management Program, Tampa, Florida. 21 p.

Harrington, D., G. Maddox., and R. Hicks. 2010. Florida Springs Initiative Monitoring Network report

and recognized sources of nitrate. Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Tallahassee, FL.

Hill, J.E. and J. Sowards. 2015. Successful eradication of the no-native loricariid catfish

Pterygoplichthys disjunctivus from the Rainbow River, Florida. Management of Biological

Invasions. Volume 6 (in press). 7 pp.

Hilton, J., M. O’Hare, M.J. Bowes, and J.I. Jones. 2006. How green is my river? A new paradigm of

eutrophication in rivers. Science of the Total Environment. 365: 66-83.

Huestis, D.L. and P.A. Meylan. 2004. The Turtles of Rainbow Run (Marion County, Florida):

Observations on the Genus Pseudemys. Southeastern Naturalist. 3(4): 595–612.

Joiner, N.D., K.M. Enge, J.A. Feiertag, M.C. Godwin, G.E. Reynolds, and D.E. Runde. 1992. Aquatic

and Terrestrial Wildlife Surveys for the Rainbow River Watershed. Final Report. Florida

Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, Nongame Wildlife Program. Prepared for the

Southwest Florida Water Management District, SWIM Program. 50 pp.

Kelly, M.H. and J.A. Gore. 2008. Florida river flow patterns and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation.

River Research and Applications. 24: 598-616.

King, S.A. 2014. Hydrodynamic control of filamentous macroalgae in a sub-tropical spring-fed river

in Florida, USA. Hydrobiologia. 734: 27-37.

LeConte, J. 1861. On the optical phenomena presented by the Silver Spring in Marion County,

Florida. American Journal of Science. 31: 1-12.

Marchand, L.J. 1942. A contribution to the knowledge of the natural history of certain freshwater

turtles. M.S. thesis, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.

Mattson, R.A., M. Lehmensiek, and E.F. Lowe. 2007 Nitrate toxicity in Florida springs and spring-run

streams: A review of the literature and its implications. St. Johns River Water Management

District. Professional Paper SJ2007-PP1. Palatka, FL. 31 pp.

Mumma, M.T. 1996. Effects of Recreation on the Water Chemistry and Submersed Plant Community

of Rainbow River, Florida. Master of Science Thesis. University of Florida. Gainesville, FL. 73

pp.

Mumma, M.T., C.E. Cichra, and J.T. Sowards. 1996. Effects of recreation on the submerged aquatic

plant community of Rainbow River, Florida. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 34: 53-56.

Notestein, S.K., T.K. Frazer, M.V. Hoyer, and D.E. Canfield, Jr. 2003. Nutrient limitation of periphyton

in a spring-fed, coastal stream in Florida, USA. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 41: 57-

60.

Odum, H.T. 1957a. Trophic structure and productivity of Silver Springs, Florida. Ecological

Monographs. 27: 55-112.

PBS&J. 2000. Rainbow Springs Preserve 2000 Vegetation Mapping and Change Analysis Report.

Prepared for the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Coastal and

Aquatic Managed Areas, Tallahassee, FL.

PBS&J. 2007. Rainbow River 2005 Vegetation Mapping and Evaluation Report. Prepared for the

Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD). 117 pp.

Sepulveda, N. 2002. Simulation of ground-water flow in the intermediate and Floridan aquifer

systems in peninsular Florida. U.S. Geological Survey, Water-Resources Investigations

Report 02-4009.

Simcox, B., E. Johnson, A. Schworm, and B. Pounder. 2015. Fish Communities in Five West Coast

Spring-fed Rivers. Preliminary findings presentation. Made to the Springs Coast

Management Committee February 11, 2015.

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http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/projects/mfl/reports/

GovBoardApproved_2015-MFL-Priority-List-Schedule.pdf

Walsh, S.J. and J.D. Williams. 2003. Inventory of Fishes and Mussels in Springs and Spring Effluents

of North-Central Florida State parks. Final Report submitted to the Florida Park Service.

Prepared by the U.S. Geological Survey, Gainesville, Florida. 94 pp.

Water and Air Research, Inc. 1991. Diagnostic studies of the Rainbow River. Gainesville, FL.

Submitted to the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Surface Water Improvement

and Management Program, Tampa, FL.

Wetland Solutions, Inc. (WSI). 2010. An Ecosystem-Level Study of Florida’s Springs. Prepared for

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, St. Johns River Water Management

District, Southwest Florida Water Management District, Florida Park Service, Florida Springs

Initiative, and Three Rivers Trust, Inc. FFWCC Project Agreement No. 08010. 236 pp.

Appendix A: Technical Working Group Membership List

Name

Title

Organization

Andrew Gude

Refuge Manager, Lower Suwannee and Cedar

Keys

USFWS

Ana Gibbs

External Affairs Manager

FDEP, Southwest District

Anne Birch

Marine Conservation Director

The Nature Conservancy

Anthony Andrade

Reuse Coordinator

SWFWMD

Art Jones One Rake at a Time Rotary

Bill Vibbert

Board of Directors Member

Rainbow River Conservation, Inc.

BJ Jarvis

Citrus County Extension Agent

UF IFAS Citrus County Extension

Bob Bonde

Research Biologist

USGS

Bob Knight Director Florida Springs Institute

Bob Mercer

Board of Directors Member

Save Crystal River, Inc.

Bobby Lue Utility Services Program Manager SWFWMD

Brian Nelson

Vegetation Management Manager

SWFWMD

Burt Eno Board of Directors President Rainbow River Conservation, Inc.

Carter Henne

Project Scientist

Sea & Shoreline, Inc.

Chris Anastasiou

Chief Scientist

SWFWMD

Chris Zajac

Senior Government Affairs Program Manager

SWFWMD

Chuck Jacoby Supervising Environmental Scientist SJRWMD

Cliff Ondercin

Environmental Compliance Manager

SWFWMD

Colleen Kruk Lead Land Use Specialist SWFWMD

Dan Hilliard

President

W.A.R., Inc.

Danielle Rogers

Environmental Science Project Lead

SWFWMD

Dave DeWitt

Chief Professional Geologist

SWFWMD

Dawn Velsor

Lead Environmental Planner

Hernando County

Debra Burden

Dept. of Water Resources

Citrus County

Doug Leeper

Chief Advisory Environmental Scientist

SWFWMD

Earnie Olsen

Supervisor, Marine Science Station

Citrus County Schools

Eberhard Roeder Professional Engineer FDOH

Ed Call

Environmental Manager

Ash Group Inc.

Ed Jennings

Regional Specialized Agent - Livestock

UF IFAS - Central Florida

Livestock Agents' Group

Elke Ursin

Environmental Health Program Consultant,

Bureau of Onsite Sewage Programs

FDOH

Emma Lopez

Graduate Student

USF Civil & Environmental

Engineering

Eric Latimer

Duke Energy Mariculture Center Director

Duke Energy Corporation

Erin Rasnake

Program Administrator, Watershed Evaluation

and TMDL Section

FDEP

A-1

Name

Title

Organization

Harley Means Assistant State Geologist, Geologic

Investigations Section

Florida Geological Survey

Jackie Gorman

Director Planning & Community Development

City of Crystal River

Jamie Cohen Program Extension Agent I, Farm Management UF IFAS Marion County

Extension Office

Jamie Letendre

Environmental Specialist I

FDEP CAMA

Jason Mickel Water Supply Manager SWFWMD

Jeff Rogers

Citrus County Public Works Director

Citrus County

Jeff Sowards

Environmental Specialist III, Rainbow Springs

Aquatic Preserve

FDEP CAMA

John Emery

Regulation Program Manager

SWFWMD

John Kunzer

FWCC Aquatic Plant Management

FFWCC

John M. (Mark) Shuffitt

Extension Agent III, Livestock, Marion County

UF IFAS

Jon Brucker

Environmental Specialist, Office of Coastal and

Aquatic Managed Areas

FDEP, CAMA

Jonael H. Bosques

Small Farms Agent

Marion County

Josh Madden

Environmental Scientist

SWFWMD

Joyce Kleen

Wildlife Biologist

USFWS

Jewel Lamb

Board Member

Save Crystal River, Inc.

Katie Tripp

Director of Science and Conservation

Save the Manatee Club

Ken Nash

Director, Physical Sciences and Climatology

Gulf Archaeological Research

Institute

Kent Smith

Marine and Estuarine Habitat Leader, Habitat

Species Conservation

FFWCC

Kevin Grimsley

Supervisory Hydrologist

USGS

Kimberley Sykes

Deputy Manager

Crystal River NWR Complex

Laura Digruttolo

Fish and Wildlife Biologist, Office of

Conservation Planning Services

FFWCC

Laura Rankin

Graduate Student

USF

Laura Rodriguez-

Gonzalez

Graduate Student

USF Civil & Environmental

Engineering

Lauren Greenfield

Environmental Manager, ERP

FDEP

Lisa Moore

Marketing Manager

Gulf Atlantic Industrial

Equipment Inc.

Lou Kneip

Director Public Works

City of Crystal River

Maria Merrill Biological Scientist FWCC, Marine & Estuarine

Subsection

Mariben Anderson

Natural Resources Technical Manager

Michael Baker International

Mark Fulkerson Senior Professional Engineer SWFWMD

A-2

Name

Title

Organization

Matt Warren Environmental Scientist III, Cow/Calf BMP,

Office of Agricultural Water Policy

FDACS

Megan Keserauskis

Biological Scientist III, Aquatic Habitat

Restoration/Enhancement (AHRE) Subsection

FFWCC

Michael Birns

President

Manatee ECO-Tourism

Association, META

Michael Czerwinski

President

Michael G. Czerwinski

Environmental Consultants

Nick Makris

Water Supply Specialist

SWFWMD

Patricia Robertshaw

Environmental Scientist

SWFWMD

Phillis Rosetti-Mercer Board Member City of Crystal River, Waterfront

Advisory Board

Randal Ethridge Staff Engineer SWFWMD

Robbie Lovestrand

FFWCC Invasive Plant Manager, Southwest

Florida Field Office

FFWCC

Ron Basso Chief Hydrologist SWFWMD

Ron Mezich

Biologist, Habitat Species Conservation

FFWCC

Samantha Whitcraft

Biologist, Crystal River National Wildlife

Refuge

USFWS

Sarina Ergas

Professor and Graduate Student Coordinator

USF Civil & Environmental

Engineering

Scott McBride

Hydrologist

USGS

Sean King Staff Engineer SWFWMD

Siobhan Gorham

Research Associate, FWRI

FFWCC

Sky Notestein Senior Environmental Scientist SWFWMD

Steve Lamb

Board Member

Save Crystal River, Inc.

Steven Davis Citrus County Florida Yards and

Neighborhoods

Citrus County

Tammy Hinkle

Staff Environmental Scientist

SWFWMD

Tammy Plazak Staff Hydrologist SWFWMD

Terri Calleson

Co-Team leader, Project Consultations,

Coastal and Marine

USFWS

Terry Hanson Environmental Consultant FDEP

Thomas LaRoue

Staff II Engineer

HSW Engineering, Inc.

Tim Jones Environmental Specialist III, Office of Coastal

and Aquatic Managed Areas

FDEP CAMA

Tom Burke

Chief Professional Engineer

SWFWMD

Tom Lynn Graduate Student USF Civil & Environmental

Engineering

Tracy Straub Office of the County Engineer Marion County

Will Vangelder

Land Management Supervisor

SWFWMD

Yilin Zhuang Community Resource Efficiency Agent UF/IFAS Marion County

Yonas Ghile

Senior Environmental Scientist

SWFWMD

A-3

Appendix B: Permitted Point Sources within Rainbow River

Springshed

This appendix lists point sources and water use permits within the Rainbow River watershed and

springshed.

Point source permit information was obtained from the Northeast and Central District offices of the

FDEP. Based on correspondence received from the FDEP in May 2015, no facilities were operating

without a permit, with a temporary permit or known to be violating effluent limits or standards or data

was insufficient to make the determination, therefore, no timetable is provided to bring the facilities

into compliance with FDEP Regulations. There are no permitted power plants or dry cleaners listed on

the FDEP website within the Rainbow River watershed and springshed boundaries as of May 7, 2015.

Table 16: Wastewater Permits as of 04/29/2015

FACILITY

NAME

FACILITY TYPE

PERMITTED

CAPACITY

(MGD)

FLA010672

Reddick-Collier Elem School

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA010690

Sportsman Cove MHP

Domestic WWTP

0.015

FLA010737

Ocala Jai Alai WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA010770

Grand Lake RV Resort WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.065

FLA011317

The Welcome Inn WWTF (fka

Micanopy Inn WWTF)

Domestic WWTP

0.015

FLA012612

Williston WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.45

FLA012657

Romeo Elementary School

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012658

Dunnellon High School WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.036

FLA012660

Reddick RV WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.025

FLA012662

Crystal Springs MHP

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012674

Rio Vista WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012682

Sateke Village WWTP

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012683

On Top of The World South WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.75

FLA012686

Ocala Jockey Club WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012687

103rd Street Square Center WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.01

FLA012693

Rainbow Springs Fifth Replat WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.23

FLA012696

Golden Hills MHP WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.036

FLA012698

Falls of Ocala MHP WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.04

FLA012699

Marion Landing WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.11

FLA012707

Circle Square Shopping Center

WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.015

FLA012717

Rainbow Springs State Campground

WWTP

Domestic WWTP

0.015

B-1

FACILITY

NAME

FACILITY TYPE

PERMITTED

CAPACITY

(MGD)

FLA016154

Petro PSC Truck Stop WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.05

FLA126594

City of Dunnellon

Domestic WWTP

0.25

FLA180190

Williston Raf

Residuals Application

Facility

0.0139

FLA190268

Ocala WRF #3

Domestic WWTP

FLA272060

Marion County - Northwest Regional

WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.015

FLA330728

Circle Square Woods

Residuals Application

Facility

Not provided

by FDEP

FLA490415

Juliette Falls WWTF

Domestic WWTP

0.1

FLA012711

Palmer Resources Limerock Mine

Industrial Wastewater

Not provided

by FDEP

FLA687723

CIC Inc (328 Pit)

Industrial Wastewater

Not provided

by FDEP

FLG110088

Argos USA- Ocala Plant

Concrete Batch GP

Not provided

by FDEP

FLG110337

Argos Ready Mix - Williston CBP

Concrete Batch GP

Not provided

by FDEP

FLG110371

A Materials Group Inc. Plant #14

Concrete Batch GP

Not provided

by FDEP

FLG110475

Evans Septic Tank Airport Plant

Concrete Batch GP

Not provided

by FDEP

Table 17: Petroleum Sites as of 04/29/2015

FACILITY NAME

FACILITY ID

TEXACO #549-MICANOPY

8500028

DIXIE #515

8500036

MICANOPY GAS STATION

8500065

FASPAS INC

8500113

CROSS CREEK OUTPOST

8500155

MICANOPY COUNTRY STORE

8500163

MICANOPY CHEVRON

8500221

THE PANTRY #3914

8500246

FINA #6627

8500297

FRANKLIN CRATES INC

8518285

THRASHER BUILDING

8736416

CAMP FARM

8837365

SAVEWAY STATION

8839736

SCOTTISH INNS

8841699

HARE WELL DRILLING

8842536

TWIN LAKES FISH CAMP

8944834

CARLTONS DAIRY FARM

9045829

WEAVER PROPERTY

9600845

GROVE PARK SITE

9701135

B-2

FACILITY NAME

FACILITY ID

WILLISTONE ONE LLC

8510497

JOY FOOD STORE #424

8510521

BP STATION-BERRYS AUTO CARE

8510534

LIL CHAMP FOOD STORE #1182

8510557

LIL FOOD RANCH

8510559

CHEVRON-WILLISTON #171

8510574

SUWANNEE SWIFTY FOOD STORE #331

8510595

V E WHITEHURST & SON INC

8520387

QUICK KING #17

8520389

WILLSTON CO

8838475

WILLISTON CORNER MARKET

8839698

RADACKY PROPERTY

8841363

LEVY REALTY

9101021

CENTRAL MOTOR SUPPLY OF WILLISTON

9101701

GULF-W MAR

9201423

DOCTOR JAYS AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE

9202334

KNAUFF FUNERAL HOME

9800833

JOBE TRUCKING 03-4I-0214

9805996

AMOCO #86

8511015

CIRCLE K #00210

8511038

IRVINE SERVICE - FLORIDA CITRUS CTR 40

8511043

JOY FOOD STORE #432

8511076

BP ONE STOP (FORMER)

8511120

Y WAY #2318

8511139

CELEBRITY RESORTS INC

8511146

SHYAM GAS & FOOD

8511180

BP-ORANGE LAKE

8511220

CITGO-ORANGE LAKE #198

8511291

OLD TIME GARAGE

8511342

MAYNARDS SRVC

8511346

THE PANTRY #6177

8518683

ACTICARB TAILORED PRODUCTS

8518799

MARION CNTY SCHOOL BD-MIDDLE SCHOOL

8518837

BP-MCINTOSH

8622643

OCALA MANUFACTURING CO

8630349

SHELL-AVENUE

8630395

ALLSTAR SUPPLY

8630446

FOXMOOR ARABIANS INC

8630456

FORD EQUINE HOSPITAL INC

8630458

FARNSWORTH FARMS INC

8733965

LIN-DRAKE FARM

8735966

TRIPI PROPERTY

8839436

B-3

FACILITY NAME

FACILITY ID

QUICK KING #21

8840193

SUN 2 LLC

8840979

RIC-DEG FARM

8841925

SORTED OAKS FARM

9045813

JIMS BBQ INC

9046043

HUFF PROPERTIES

9046191

SUPER DUPER

9063905

SYLVAN CREST STUD

9100180

ORANGE HILL STATION

9100517

POSSE INC

9100615

SHEARER PROPERTY

9100987

HOBEAU FARMS

9101211

BERYLENES BEAUTY SALON

9101213

NEALS DRY CLEANING

9101215

FREEDOM HILLS FARM

9101585

MARY LOU FARMS

9101811

BAZEMORE PROPERTY

9102455

ZETROUERS CASH STORE

9103388

CLASSIC ACRES

9200449

FLAMINGO HILL FARM

9202328

HAYLO FARMS

9202333

ROMAC PAVING CO

9202398

SANDY ACRES FARM

9202428

RISING STAR FARM

9402045

OLD FLOWER SHOP

9502474

PALMOUR PROPERTY

9502718

MINIACI PROPERTY

9601359

MARION CNTY FIRE RESCUE STAT #12-MEADOWOOD

FARMS

9813260

B-4

Table 18: Solid Waste Facilities as of 5/7/2015

FACILITY NAME

FACILITY

FACILITY STATUS

MARTEL LANDFILL

20897

Inactive

DUNNELLON LANDFILL

20898

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

H & B EXCAVATING (C & D)

21490

Inactive

ORANGE LAKE LANDFILL

20903

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

DUNNELLON TRANSFER STATION

20907

Inactive

ALACHUA COUNTY SE

29654

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

PLANET EARTH RECYCLING (FMR ERI TIRE

PYROLYSIS)WTP

29968

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

WILLISTON LANDFILL

36905

Closed, With Gw Monitoring

INGLIS-YANKEETOWN LANDFILL

36906

Closed, With Gw Monitoring

BECKER ROAD DUMP (COUNTY DATA)

94268

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

DUNNELLON DUMP #1 (COUNTY DATA)

94272

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

DUNNELLON DUMP #2 (COUNTY DATA)

94273

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

FELLOWSHIP DUMP (COUNTY DATA)

94274

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

MCINTOSH DUMP (COUNTY DATA)

94279

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

ROMEO DUMP AND CARBON PILE (COUNTY DATA)

94286

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

OAK RIDGE EQUINE, INC.

94960

Nfa,No Further Action

FANT FARM

99082

Exempt From Sw

Permitting/Registration

LOVE FARMS, INC.

99083

Nfa,No Further Action

REDDICK PIT

99919

Inactive

NW 110TH AVE AND 120TH STREET-SW CORNER

DEBRIS STAGING AREA

98036

Inactive

ORANGE LAKE DEBRIS STAGING AREA

98215

Inactive

JUST FOR FUN STABLE

101524

Complaint Under Investigation

CHARLES W. EDWARDS PROPERTY

100669

Closed, No Gw Monitoring

WILLISTON ACRES

101831

Not Yet Determined

WILLISTON FARM SERVICES

101890

Not Yet Determined

B-5

Table 19: Water Use Permits as of 05/15/2015

Permit

Number

Permitted Quantity

(avg annual gpd)

Project Name

1156.12

2,555,000

Bay Laurel Center Public Water Supply System

2697.6

1,027,651

Charlotte Weber

2824.3

19,200

EDDIE WOODS STABLES

2999.5

126,000

Rainbow Lakes Estates

3580.5

1,200

Ocala Farm

3646.2

2,000

RAINBOW LAKES ESTATES MUNICIPAL

3753.3

125,700

BGH Farms

3957.3

24,300

BRIDLEWOOD FARM

4390.6

381,400

Barber Peanut Farm

4495.2

391,500

Annette G Barron

5095.9

2,057,000

Needmore Farms, LLC

5109.4

209,200

Sonja Brooks

5111.2

58,100

MILDRED B MIKELL & DIANE M PRICE

5115.5

299,000

Fugate Farm 1

5117.3

150,000

Woodroe Fugate and Sons Inc

5122.7

2,670,500

Whitehurst Cattle Company

5160.4

1,123,300

SANDLIN FARMS

5169.4

65,700

AEG Associates III, LLC

5424.10

1,225,900

Flying P Ranch

5550.2

93,090

DALE WRIGHT

5606.4

8,600

Glen Robinson

5607.2

58,000

JOHN M. DEAN

5619.4

7,400

Benton Murray

5640.6

827,000

City of Williston

5642.5

222,800

GOLDEN HILLS GOLF & TURF CLUB

5643.7

277,000

Utilities Inc of Florida - Golden Hills

6151.11

6,091,800

Marion County Utilities Consolidated WUP

6282.4

138,200

ROBERT KILLIAN

6405.1

81,700

RONALD C. GILLMAN

6423.4

335,400

Salmon's Wholesale Nursery

6585.2

39,100

Valhalla Estates dba Ocala Jockey Club

6586.6

653,800

B & G SEED PROCESSORS INC

6619.3

60,400

SUN COUNTRY ESTATES/PADDOCK DOWNS

6623.3

78,200

J C PENDRAY & SONS

6659.3

86,000

HELDON RANCH

6674.6

448,800

GOLDEN OCALA GC

6703.6

45,000

CECIL N AND JANE F BENTON

6760.6

404,000

Freddie Bell

6888.8

87,500

DUNNELLON HIGH SCHOOL & ELEM SCHOOL J

B-6

Permit

Number

Permitted Quantity

(avg annual gpd)

Project Name

6935.2

18,400

Niall Brennan Stables, Inc.

6989.2

68,100

Golden Cross Farm

7167.2

36,500

Rogers Ranch

7414.3

89,800

K5G, LLC

7445.3

79,600

SHARON MILLS

7487.3

19,000

Robert R. Hilger

7664.3

14,300

NEW EPISODE TRAINING CENTER

7709.1

4,400

JOSEPH B. GREELEY

7777.1

6,900

MARION CO SCHOOL BOARD

7825.1

5,300

OAK AVENUE WATER SYSTEM, INC.

7847.1

7,300

ELLIS M. & A.A. GILLUM (ALICE

8020.7

179,400

Marion Landing

8034.1

95,500

RAINBOW RIVER RANCH

8053.3

41,800

Red White and Blueberries LLC

8075.4

46,300

Classic Mile Park

8139.1

40,000

FALLS OF OCALA

8189.2

1,100

HAMIC ESTATES

8219.1

463,100

DAMON W SANDLIN

8255.2

314,200

JIMMIE E MARKHAM

8339.7

1,117,100

City Of Dunnellon

8828.1

55,400

DEWEY W BREWTON II

8992.3

61,400

FREDDY ARLENE & VIRGINIA BELL

9136.1

68,300

TAYLOR BRISTOW

9610.2

3,300

Solera Farms

10023.7

677,370

AEG Property-Levy County, Florida

10120.1

96,100

Thomas Overstreet, Jr

10148.1

8,700

Ernest and Colleen Guido

10266.3

369,000

STONE CREEK GOLF COURSE

10285.2

59,900

Roderick and Jennifer Cox

10419.1

16,800

JAJOLO (FKA OCALA MARKETING INC)

10502.2

29,100

Romeo Elementary School

10657.2

27,900

Williston Elementary School "B"

10685.2

29,600

Rainbow Springs State Park

10996.2

188,800

Edward F and Shirley A Williams

11002.2

68,100

Caldwell Property

11003.2

78,200

J C Pendray & Sons, Inc.

11005.2

148,700

Sampson Farm

11008.2

496,100

Twin Lakes

11009.3

407,700

Brown Farm

11026.3

1,484,800

#35 FARM

11084.0

58,300

PHYLLIS MCCOY

11088.0

54,600

RUBY NOBLES

11090.0

244,200

PHYLLIS V ALBRITTON

B-7

Permit

Number

Permitted Quantity

(avg annual gpd)

Project Name

11093.0

82,400

J.N. & ELVIRA HALE, JR.

11098.2

80,300

David Redeker

11211.2

141,900

Guest Place

11274.2

407,700

Bluebird Farm

11322.1

10,000

GEOFFREY P & PAMELA J BERNARD

11579.2

98,500

Cool Springs Ranch

11581.3

294,000

WILLISTON HIGHLANDS

11621.0

91,000

REUBEN & MARIA HERNANDEZ

11716.1

55,200

NEAL O & BILLIE JO SCHERER

11765.5

92,760

Hits Property

11783.1

17,300

GM-1 Partnership

11873.1

9,400

FARNSWORTH FARMS

11998.1

9,000

Penta B

12040.2

78,300

ROY R LANE SR & TODD LANE

12041.1

36,400

RONALD TABER

12090.1

240

ROBERT A BAKER

12159.1

323,740

KENNETH R & TERESA P CARROLL

12262.1

41,800

HARRELL H & DEBBIE K PHILLIPS JR

12263.2

97,500

Harrell H. and Debbie K. Phillips, Jr.

12303.1

83,000

James E & Terry Jean Hiers

12306.1

6,120

William J. and Colin D. Morrow

12380.1

86,000

SANDLIN FARMS

12420.1

97,600

Benton Farm

12549.3

85,800

Adena Springs South

12553.1

480,900

Williams 464 Property

12560.1

151,900

Robert J. Nealy Jr.

12573.2

62,300

John P. & Jennie C. Meade

12579.1

1,139,900

Thomas Farm

12583.1

116,800

Etheridge Sod Farm

12642.1

34,400

Adrienne Bell Agricultural Operation

12741.3

433,300

Northeast 20th to Northeast 30th Bell, BGH &

Barle

12774.1

91,000

Remeta Sky

12843.2

310,520

JULIETTE FALLS

12880.0

69,000

BEN F & ROSE M FANT

12910.0

71,000

ROSS HARDWARE

12930.0

55,200

RANDALL & REBECCA JONES

12966.1

205,300

Stone Creek Community Association

13001.0

68,200

DONNA C PHILLIPS

13030.0

336,070

RONALD D & SARAH F CANNON

13050.0

1,000

SCHOOL BOARD OF LEVY CO

13058.0

15,100

ALDEN & PATRICIA A POOLE

13083.2

119,100

Palmer Resources, LLC

13157.0

76,700

WC & BARBARA P WEEKS

13197.0

202,500

SHADE TREE FARM

13206.1

38,400

Jess S. Jackson

13261.2

58,900

Vince Dean

13339.1

2,436,000

Marshall Tree Farm

13364.0

498,180

JOHN RUDNIANYN ET AL

20049.1

105,200

Berry Blue Farm

20050.0

40,200

Kotrba Blueberry Farm

20080.0

62,900

Mills/Cooter Farm

20098.0

14,400

Sateke Village

B-8

Permit

Number

Permitted Quantity

(avg annual gpd)

Project Name

20120.0

192,440

Rainbow Springs Golf & Country Club

20121.0

108,140

Rainbow's End Golf Course

20152.0

217,800

HT Ranch LLC

20167.0

2,000

CCW of Marion County

20173.2

522,400

Candler Hills, North Course, and South Course

20174.0

663,640

Circle Square Ranch

20175.0

21,700

Master Homeowner Association

20176.0

12,800

Sholom Park

20210.0

426,380

Roberts Quarter Horse Farm

20213.0

17,000

Juliette Falls Public Water Supply

20217.0

39,300

Jackson Farm

20255.0

791,800

Hiers Farm

20267.0

60,300

Baxter Peanut Farm

20319.2

887,800

Sleepy Creek Lands, LLC

20355.0

54,400

J and J Farms

20356.0

76,200

Brewington Property Melon Field

20398.0

236,100

Uncle Buds Ranch

20400.0

318,700

Rivers Farm Property

20419.0

98,900

Stephens Farm

20420.0

82,500

Walsh Family Farm

B-9

Appendix C: Jurisdictional Authority within the Rainbow River

Springshed

FEDERAL

Federal jurisdiction in Rainbow River involves the regulatory responsibilities of the U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service. Their main regulatory functions include overseeing dredge and fill activities,

maintaining navigability of the waters of the U.S., overseeing cleanups following pollution spills,

protecting endangered species, and protecting overall environmental quality. These agencies, in

conjunction with the U.S. Geological Survey, also contribute to the collection of technical data

concerning the Rainbow River and its watershed. Land based conservation measures within the

springshed may be addressed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation

Service (USDA / NRCS) which provides farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to

voluntarily apply conservation measures which benefit the environment and agricultural operations.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) received jurisdiction over Inland Waters of the United

States, for navigation purposes, in Section 9 and 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899. A revision of

the Rivers and Harbors Act in 1968 extended USACE jurisdiction allowing them to consider the fish and

wildlife, conservation, pollution, aesthetics, ecology and other relevant factors of a project. The USACE

regulatory program was further expanded in 1972 with the passage of the Federal Water Pollution

Control Act Amendments, also known as the Clean Water Act (CWA). The discharge of dredge and fill

into United States waters is regulated by the USACE under Section 404 of this act. The USACE

jurisdiction was extended to wetlands due to a Supreme Court order in 1975 and Amendments to the

CWA in 1977. The USACE also contributes 50% of the funds reimbursed to SWFWMD by FDEP for exotic

aquatic plant control on Rainbow River.

Projects constructed by the USACE for local flood protection are subject to regulations prescribed to

cover operation and maintenance. These regulations are contained in Sections 208.10 and 208.11, Title

33 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

The Environmental Protection Agency (Southeast Regional Office, Region IV, Atlanta, Georgia) has

jurisdiction over surface waters in the state. Enforcement authority was given under the Clean Water

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Act of 1972 and broadened under its revision in 1977. Key activities include the issuance of National

Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permits and restoration of surface and groundwater.

The agency also reviews Corps of Engineers permit activities, sets minimum quality standards, and

sets guidelines for state environmental 64 programs. The EPA also funds sewerage facilities’ studies

through the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council (SWFRPC) and the Tampa Bay Regional

Planning Council (TBRPC), and system improvements through the Florida Department of

Environmental Protection. Authority regarding the discharge of oil or hazardous substances into

surface water is divided between the EPA and the U.S. Coast Guard.

U.S. Coast Guard

In inland waters the Coast Guard Auxiliary performs boating safety inspections and search and rescue

missions. The Auxiliary is a volunteer group reimbursed expenses when assigned missions by the U.S.

Coast Guard.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

The primary environmental related functions of the USDA are to preserve and conserve natural

resources through restored forests, improved watersheds, and healthy private working lands. These

broad objectives are facilitated by three USDA agencies: Farm Service Agency, the U.S. Forest Service,

and the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture

(USDA) which provides financial and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners.

The NRCS administers multiple programs: Farm Bill conservation programs, Landscape Conservation

Initiatives, small-scale farm fact sheets, and resources. All NRCS programs are voluntary science-based

solutions. The NRCS was established by Congress under Public Law 74-46 in 1935.

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)

The primary water-related functions performed by this agency involve the review of proposed

activities which may impact threatened or endangered species, review of U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers permits for potential effects on fish and wildlife, and management of all federally-owned

public lands. Within the DOI, the U.S. Geological Survey conducts investigations concerning

hydrology, hydrogeology, water use, and ground and surface water quality. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife

Service manages and restores fish and wildlife populations and conducts research on the effects of

pollution on those resources. The National Park Service maintains federal parks and sanctuaries,

regulating multiple uses on these lands to achieve a balance of benefits for both man and wildlife. The

C-2

DOI also oversees those requests and offshore activities associated with exploration and development

on the outer continental shelf.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is responsible for oversight of the federal program for fish

and wildlife as authorized in the Coastal Resources Barrier Act, National Environmental Protection Act,

Migratory Bird Act, Endangered Species Act, and Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. Under provisions

of the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act, the Fish and Wildlife Service must be consulted before the

Corps of Engineers can submit a plan for Congressional approval. The Fish and Wildlife Service

comments on the impacts of proposed projects on endangered species, migratory birds and other fish

and wildlife and their habitats. The USFWS is directed to prepare environmental impacts assessments

or statements for proposed Corps projects under provisions of the National Environmental Protection

Act, and the USFWS is authorized under the Endangered Species Act to issue “Jeopardy Opinion”

against any proposed project which will negatively affect an endangered species.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is the nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and

civilian mapping agency. The USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides scientific understanding

about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems. Of particular relevance are the surface and

ground water quality monitoring, stream flow measurements, water use reporting, and ground water

recharge and contamination research.

STATE AGENCIES

Many state agencies are involved in environmental regulation and resource management in the

Rainbow River watershed. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the lead agency in

the protection and management of Rainbow River. Other relevant entities include the Florida

Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the Florida Department of Health, and the Florida

Department of Transportation.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

The Department, through its Division of Agriculture Environmental Services (AES) regulates the

registration and use of pesticides, including the purchase of restricted pesticides, maintains

registration and quality control of fertilizers, regulates pest control operations, mosquito control, and

evaluates and manages environmental impacts associated with agrochemicals.

C-3

The Office of Agricultural Water Policy (OAWP) facilitates communications among federal, state and

local agencies and the agricultural industry on water quantity and water quality issues involving

agriculture. The OAWP has developed Best Management Practices (BMPs) addressing both water

quality and water conservation on a site-specific, regional and watershed basis for commercial

agricultural operations. The office is directly involved with statewide programs to implement the

Federal Clean Water Act's Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) requirements for agriculture. The OAWP

works cooperatively with agricultural producers and industry groups, the Florida Department of

Environmental Protection, the university system, the Water Management Districts, and other interested

parties to develop and implement BMP programs that are economically and technically feasible. The

office facilitates the participation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts in water-related issues at the

County or watershed level.

Through the Florida Forest Service (FFS), the FDACS is responsible for developing, implementing, and

monitoring BMP’s through the Silviculture BMP Program to control forestry-related non-point source

pollution. The FFS manages Florida’s 34 State Forests and several other parcels of public land. The

Division of Plant Industry is responsible for, among other duties, regulation of the movement of noxious

weeds, and, with input from the Endangered Plant Advisory Council, protecting endangered,

threatened or commercially exploited plant species.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

This agency has three management jurisdictions along the Rainbow River:

Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas

The entire length of the Rainbow River was designated an Aquatic Preserve in 1986 (FS 258.39(32)).

This management area represents all sovereign submerged state-owned lands along the river’s length.

The managerial intent of the designation is for these areas to be set aside and maintained in their natural

or existing condition. Management efforts by this office focus on resource management and study of

the ecological communities, and community environmental education.

Division of Recreation and Parks

Approximately 1000 acres of upland property adjacent to the river were purchased by the state in 1990,

and are now managed as Rainbow Springs State Park. The park is divided into three management units.

The headsprings are mainly managed for the swimming area, canoe dock, ornamental gardens and

picnicking pavilions. A second area, one mile downstream, has 60 camping sites. The third area, further

downstream, is a mixture of undeveloped sandhill and floodplain forest community and a new seasonal

float facility for tubing down the river.

C-4

Division of Water Resource Management

The Southwest District Office in Tampa has responsibility for proprietary and regulatory permitting

issues in the Rainbow River area.

Florida Department of Health (FDOH)

The primary environmental directive of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) is to prevent disease

of environmental origin. Environmental health activities focus on prevention, preparedness, and

education and are implemented through routine monitoring, education, surveillance and sampling of

facilities and conditions that may contribute to the occurrence or transmission of disease. Department

of Health responsibilities include the public health functions of water supplies (primarily small to

medium supplies), onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems permitting and inspection, septic

tank cleaning and waste disposal (in conjunction with FDEP), and solid waste control (secondary role).

The Onsite Sewage Program is administered by the Environmental Health Section of the FDOH office

in each county.

The primary statutes providing FDOH authority are to be found in Chapter 154, 381 and 386 of the

Florida Statutes and the 64E Series of the Florida Administrative Code, known as the “Sanitary Code”.

Each county has a FDOH Office responsible for jurisdiction within the county.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)

Florida voters elected in 1998 to replace The Florida Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission (GFC)

and the Marine Fisheries Commission (MFC) with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation

Commission (FFWCC) - effective July 1, 1999. The result is that Florida has placed responsibility for

conserving the state's freshwater aquatic life, marine life and wild animal life all under a single agency.

The new FFWCC basically encompasses all the programs of the old GFC and MFC, plus some

employees and programs from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. FDEP's Bureau of

Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas and some other elements stayed with FDEP's Division of Marine

Resources. The Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI), the Office of Fisheries Management and

Assistance Services (OFMAS) and the Bureau of Protected Species Management were transferred to the

new agency. OFMAS, with some MFC staff, will be the new agency's Division of Marine Fisheries.

All employees from FDEP's Division of Law Enforcement, except for the Park Patrol, the Bureau of

Emergency Response, the Office of Environmental and Resource Crimes Investigations and some field

investigators now are part of the FFWCC.

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Former Marine Patrol officers will continue to concentrate on enforcing saltwater laws, and former

wildlife officers will continue to focus on freshwater and wildlife laws. However, when there is a need

to reallocate law enforcement officers to deal with an emergency, the agency can do so. The Marine

Patrol serves as an enforcement agency for the Florida Endangered and Threatened Species Act and

the Oil Spill Prevention and Pollution Control Act. The Florida Marine Patrol also enforces state

motorboat laws and the saltwater fisheries regulations of the Commission.

The FDEP Bureau of Protected Species Management, with responsibility for managing imperiled

marine life, is now part of the FFWCC's Office of Environmental. The old GFC's Endangered Species

Section is part of the new agency's Division of Wildlife.

Meanwhile, the Bureau of Marine Resource Regulation and Development which has jurisdiction over

processing plants and shellfish management, is now part of the Florida Department of Agriculture and

Consumer Services.

The Commission’s efforts within the SWIM plan area primarily involve freshwater sport and commercial

fishing, fisheries and habitat management, fish stocking, fisheries research, wildlife monitoring,

enforcement of fisheries/wildlife regulations, listed species protection, wildlife research, development

review, and regional planning. The Commission is directed by law to review SWIM plans to determine

if the plan has adverse effects on wild animal life and fresh water aquatic life and their habitats

REGIONAL AGENCIES

Three sub-state agencies exist that would be involved in the implementation of the SWIM plan. These

are the Southwest Florida Water Management District, the North Central Florida Regional Planning

Council, and the Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority.

Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)

The Southwest Florida Water Management District is responsible for performing duties assigned under

Ch. 373, F.S., as well as duties delegated through FDEP for Ch. 253 and 403, F.S., and for local plan

review (Ch. 163, F.S.). It performs those duties for the entire Rainbow River watershed.

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North Central Florida Regional Planning Council

Historically, the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council (WRPC, encompassing Citrus, Hernando,

Levy, Marion, and Sumter counties) was the Regional Planning Agency representing Rainbow Springs

and River. State legislation in 2015 disbanded the WRPC and consolidated member counties into

surrounding Regional Planning Councils (Levy and Marion to North Central Florida RPC, Citrus and

Hernando to Tampa Bay RPC, and Sumter to East Central Florida RPC). The mission of the North Central

Florida Regional Planning Council is to improve the quality of life of the Region’s citizens, by

coordinating growth management, protecting regional resources, promoting economic development

and providing technical services to local governments. Regional planning council powers and duties

are designated in Section 186.505 of the Florida Statutes.

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority

The Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (WRWSA) is a multi-county (Marion, Citrus,

Hernando, and Sumter) special district of the State of Florida charged with planning for and developing

cost-efficient, high-quality water supplies for its member governments. The Authority promotes

environmental stewardship through its water conservation programs and will develop alternative water

sources when necessary to augment traditional water supplies to meet the region’s long-term needs.

The WRWSA was created in 1977 by interlocal agreement among its member counties and this

agreement was revised in 2014. The WRWSA operates under the authority of Florida Statute, Section

120.54 and Florida Administrative Code, Chapter 28-101.

LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

There are primarily two local governments within the Rainbow River watershed, the City of Dunnellon

and Marion County which play a role in management of Rainbow River through daily management of

their communities, the planning, zoning and other land use decisions, and the implementation and

enforcement of local codes.

Marion County

The following ordinances have been adopted by Marion County for the protection/ preservation of

Rainbow River:

(1) Ordinance No. 09-17 established Springs Protection Overlay Zones within the Land Development

Code. Various land use prohibitions were established, as well as implementation of best management

practices concerning karst feature protection and manure management; additional design

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requirements were put in place concerning landscaping, stormwater, and wastewater systems. In

2013, the design requirements were incorporated throughout the code, recognizing that wherever you

are in Marion County, the land use will impact groundwater and a springshed.

(2) Ordinance No. 73-4 - An emergency ordinance prohibiting dredging, filling, earth moving, and land

clearing ... for a distance of 500 feet from the water's edge upon either side of Rainbow River or Blue

Run in Marion County, Florida, between Rainbow Springs and the northern city limits of the City of

Dunnellon. (Adopted June 14, 1973).

(3) Ordinance No. 73-9 - An ordinance regulating development in the unincorporated area of Marion

County along and 500 ft upland of the Rainbow River. Establishes the need for a permit and the

conditions of a permit for land clearing between the ordinary high water line and the 25 year flood

plain; and for construction, land clearing, and septic tank placement between the 25 year flood plain

elevation and the 100 year flood plain elevation. (Adopted November 13, 1973).

(4) Ordinance No. 85-17 - Section III: Prohibits food and non-alcoholic beverages in disposable

containers on Rainbow River. Section IV: Makes possession of alcoholic beverages on Rainbow River

unlawful. Section V: Established a twenty (20) miles per hour speed limit between October 16 of each

year and April 14 of 69 the following year. Section VI: Establishes a no wake-idle zone on Rainbow River

from April 15 to October 15 of each calendar year. Section VII: Establishes a five miles per hour speed

limit and a no wake-idle speed only zone for motor boats upon the headwaters of the Rainbow River

and KP Hole at all times during the year. Section VIII: Prohibits the operation of motors on motorboats

and other craft in designated environmentally sensitive areas. Ordinance adopted October 22, 1985.

(5) Ordinance No. 86-10 - Prohibits SCUBA diving in the headwaters of Rainbow River.

(6) Resolution No. 85-R-279 - A resolution creating a Rainbow River Advisory Committee to make

recommendations to the Marion Board of County Commissioners on safety and environmental issues

relevant to the Rainbow River.

(7) Ordinance No. 88-4 - An ordinance amending the zoning code of Marion County affecting waterfront

properties along designated water bodies (including Rainbow River). The ordinance established the

waterfront side of the lot as the front yard. This in effect causes accessory structures with the exception

of swimming pools, septic drain-fields and wells to be placed in either the side or back yards.

(8) Ordinance No. 88-7 - Because of recent sightings of manatee in the Rainbow River, this ordinance

establishes a no wake-idle speed only limit on the Rainbow River for the entire year.

(9) Ordinance No. 08-35 - Florida Friendly Fertilizer Use on Urban Landscapes. This Ordinance

regulates the proper use of fertilizers by any applicator; requires proper training of commercial and

institutional fertilizer applicators; establishes training and licensing requirements; specifies allowable

fertilizer application rates and methods, fertilizer-free zones, low maintenance zones, and exemptions.

It requires the use of best management practices which provide specific management guidelines to

minimize negative secondary and cumulative environmental effects associated with the misuse of

fertilizers. 2008 ordinance has now been included in the latest Land Development Code.

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City of Dunnellon

(1) Ordinance 85-8 - Similar in part to County Ordinance 85-17. Makes possession and consumption of

alcohol illegal. This ordinance also prohibits food and non-alcoholic beverages in disposable

containers on Rainbow River.

(2) Ordinance 85-9 - Similar in part to County Ordinance 85-17, and establishes seasonal speed limits

identical to those for the unincorporated County.

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Appendix D: List of Acronyms

Abbreviation

Description

AES

Agriculture Environmental Services

BMAP

Best Management Action Plan

BMP

Best Management Practices

CAMA

Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas (of FDEP)

CWA Clean Water Act

DMR

Discharge Monitoring Reports

DOI

Department of Interior

EPA United States Environmental Protection Agency

FARMS

Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems

FAVA Florida Aquifer Vulnerability Assessment

FDACS

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

FDEP

Florida Department of Environmental Protection

FDOH Florida Department of Health

FDOT

Florida Department of Transportation

FFB Florida Farm Bureau

FFS

Florida Forest Service

FFWCC

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

FGTS Florida Greenways and Trails System

FMRI

Florida Marine Research Institute

FGS

Florida Geological Survey

FSI

Florida Springs Institute

GFC

Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission

HSC

Division of Habitat and Species Conservation

MFC

Marine Fisheries Commission

MFL

Minimum Flows and Levels

MOA Memorandum of Understanding

NEP

National Estuary Program

NGO

Non-Governmental Organization

NOAA

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

NPDES

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System

NRCS Natural Resources Conservation Service

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Abbreviation

Description

NSILT

Nitrogen Source Inventory and Loading Tool

OAWP

Office of Agricultural Water Policy

OFMAS

Office of Fisheries Management and Assistance Services

OCE

Office of the County Engineer

OSTDS onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems

SAV

Submerged Aquatic Vegetation

SCMC

Springs Coast Management Committee

SCSC

Springs Coast Steering Committee

SLER

Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources

SWCD Marion Soil and Water Conservation District

SWFRPC

Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council

SWFWMD

Southwest Florida Water Management District

SWIM Surface Water Improvement Management

TBRPC

Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council

TMDL

Total Maximum Daily Load

TWG

Technical Working Group

UF-IFAS

University of Florida - Institute of Food and Agriculture

Sciences

USACE

United States Army Corps of Engineers

USDA

United States Department of Agriculture

USDW underground sources of drinking water

USFWS

United States Fish and Wildlife Service

USGS United States Geological Survey

WBID

Water Body Identification

WCAP

Water Compliance Assurance Program

WMD Water Management District

WMIS

Water Management Information System

WRPC Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council

WRWSA

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority

WWTF

Waste Water Treatment Facility

WWTP Waste Water Treatment Plant

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Appendix E: Partners and Programs

A central focus of this plan, and of the Springs Coast Steering and Management Committees, is to bring

together the various public and private entities, and their respective programs, to achieve the common

goal of restoring, protecting, and managing our spring-fed systems. This section highlights some of the

programs and organizations that are key to the successful implementation of this plan.

Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD)

The mission of the Southwest Florida Water Management District is to manage water and related natural

resources to ensure their continued availability while maximizing the benefits to the public.

District Springs Team

The District put together a team of spring experts whose knowledge is based on decades of research,

pilot projects and complex groundwater models. Since each spring system is different, the team uses

a variety of techniques such as regulation, monitoring, research and development, restoration and

education to address each system’s individual challenges.

Surface Water Improvement and Monitoring Program (SWIM)

The District’s SWIM Program is responsible for many of the District’s water quality and natural systems

initiatives. With the help of state agencies, local governments and other organizations, the SWIM

Program focuses on water quality and habitat restoration projects to accomplish these department

initiatives.

Minimum Flows and Levels

Florida law (Chapter 373.042, Florida Statutes) requires the state water management districts or the

Department of Environmental Protection to establish minimum flows and levels (MFLs) for aquifers,

surface watercourses, and other surface water bodies to identify the limit at which further withdrawals

would be significantly harmful to the water resources or ecology of the area. Rivers, streams, estuaries

and springs require minimum flows, while minimum levels are developed for lakes, wetlands and

aquifers. Minimum flows and levels are adopted into Southwest Florida Water Management District

(District) rules (Chapter 40D-8, Florida Administrative Code) and used in the District’s water use

permitting program to ensure that withdrawals do not cause significant harm to water resources or the

environment. Minimum Flows and Levels for Rainbow River and Springs are scheduled for adoption in

late 2016.

Facilitating Agricultural Resource Management Systems (FARMS)

Implement agricultural BMPs in the Springs Coast springsheds—Weeki Wachee, Chassahowitzka,

Homosassa, Crystal River/Kings Bay and Rainbow—that will reduce groundwater withdrawals and/or

reduce nutrient impacts to groundwater and spring systems. BMP implementation within the Springs

Coast project area will focus on both a reduction in groundwater use and/or a reduction in nutrient

loadings to spring systems.

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Utility Services Program

The District’s Utility Services Program is a unique program that strengthens communication and

improves water use efficiency. The Utility Services Program enhances cooperation by communicating

key programs that the District offers to help utilities conserve water as well as allowing the District to

learn about specific challenges that utilities face in meeting their customers’ demand for potable water

supply. This manual identifies the key contacts, conservation program tools, resources and documents

that are available from the District, and provides links to additional information.

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS)

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services supports and promotes Florida

agriculture, protects the environment, safeguards consumers, and ensures the safety and

wholesomeness of food.

Division of Agricultural Environmental Services

The Division of Agricultural Environmental Services administers various state and federal regulatory

programs concerning environmental and consumer protection issues. These include state mosquito

control program coordination; agricultural pesticide registration, testing and regulation; pest control

regulation; and feed, seed and fertilizer production inspection and testing. The Division of Agricultural

Environmental Services, through its four bureaus, ensures that: pesticides are properly registered and

used in accordance with federal and state requirements; mosquito control programs are effectively

conducted; and feed, seed and fertilizer products are safe and effective. Estimates of the quantity of

agricultural fertilizer applied are collected by the Division.

Florida Forest Service

The Florida Forest Service has a mission to protect and manage the forest resources of Florida, ensuring

that they are available for future generations. The Florida Forest Service’s forestry programs are

implemented by its Field Operations staff within 15 field units across the state. Field personnel and

equipment provide a more responsive and comprehensive approach to land management and wildfire

control statewide. The Forest Hydrology Section provides specialized technical services and

information to Florida's private and public forest landowners and to other interested parties, for the

protection of the state's water resources in association with Silviculture activities. The core of this area

of service is Florida's Silviculture Best Management Practices (BMP) program, which originated in 1979.

Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP)

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), the lead agency for environmental

management and stewardship, is one of the more diverse agencies in state government - protecting

our air, water and land. FDEP is divided into three primary areas: Regulatory Programs, Land and

Recreation, and Water Policy and Ecosystem Restoration.

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Florida Green Lodging Program

The Florida Green Lodging Program is a voluntary initiative that designates and recognizes lodging

facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. The program’s

environmental guidelines allow the hospitality industry to evaluate its operations, set goals and take

specific actions to continuously improve environmental performance. Currently there are no Green

Lodges within the Rainbow River Springshed or Watershed areas.

Florida Forever

Florida’s premier conservation and recreation lands acquisition program, a blueprint for conserving

natural resources and renewing Florida’s commitment to conserve the state’s natural and cultural

heritage. Florida Forever replaces Preservation 2000 (P2000), the largest public land acquisition

program of its kind in the United States. With approximately 9.9 million acres managed for conservation

in Florida, more than 2.5 million acres were purchased under the Florida Forever and P2000 programs.

Office of Greenways & Trails

The Office of Greenways & Trails within the Division of Recreation & Parks provides statewide

leadership and coordination to establish, expand and promote the Florida Greenways and Trails

System (FGTS) pursuant to the Florida Greenways and Trails Act (Ch. 260, FS).

Bureau of Laboratories

The Department's Bureau of Laboratories specializes in providing scientific information to assess the

nature and extent of human disturbances on Florida's environment. The Bureau provides a full range of

environmental services, including a diverse array of chemical and biological laboratory analyses, field

sampling, technical review and interpretations of the data.

Office of Legislative Affairs

The legislative program includes developing legislation and support information, and finding sponsors

for legislation. The Office also serves as the central point of contact for legislators and their staffs for

information about the Department's programs.

Water Resource Management/Environmental Assessment & Restoration

The Department's Water Programs are responsible for protecting the quality of Florida’s drinking water

as well as its rivers, lakes and wetlands, and for reclaiming lands after they have been mined for

phosphate and other minerals. The Programs establish the technical basis for setting the State’s surface

water and ground water quality standards. They also implement a variety of programs to monitor the

quality of those water resources.

Division of Air Resource Management

The Division of Air Resource Management is charged with regulation of Florida’s air resource,

including air monitoring, permitting and compliance of emission sources, and implementing the Siting

Acts. Through a variety of services for our customers—the public and industry—the Division of Air

Resource Management regulates Florida’s air resource fairly, consistently, and efficiently to enable

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economic opportunities for the state, while implementing state, federal Clean Air Act, and U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency requirements.

Division of State Lands

The Division of State Lands acquires and manages lands as directed by the Board of Trustees of the

Internal Improvement Trust Fund. The Division provides oversight for approximately 12 million acres

of public lands, including islands and 700 freshwater springs. The Division also provides upland leases

for state parks, forests, wildlife management areas, historic sites, educational facilities, vegetable

farming, and mineral, oil and gas exploration.

Division of Recreation and Parks

Florida’s 171 award-winning state park and trail properties, including Rainbow Springs State Park, have

inspired residents and visitors with recreation opportunities and scenic beauty that helps to strengthen

families, educate children, expand local economies and foster community pride. With 161 parks, 10

state trails, nearly 800,000 acres, 100 miles of beaches and more than 1,500 miles of multi-use trails,

visit soon and often to enjoy Florida’s natural treasures.

Aquifer Protection Program

The Aquifer Protection program consists of a team of geologists and engineers dedicated to protecting

Florida's underground sources of drinking water (USDW) while maintaining the lawful option of

disposal of appropriately treated fluids via underground injection wells.

Wastewater Management Program

The Wastewater Program is divided into three areas:

• The Water Compliance Assurance Program (WCAP)

The Water Compliance Assurance Program in Tallahassee serves to facilitate statewide coordination of

compliance and enforcement activities relating to the development of policy, guidance and training

materials to ensure consistency among the six District Offices for the state’s Industrial and Domestic

Wastewater Programs. WCAP administers the compliance and enforcement components of the

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Stormwater program; which includes

conducting inspections, handling compliance and enforcement activities and processing stormwater

Discharge Monitoring Reports (DMRs).

• Domestic Wastewater Program

The Domestic Wastewater Section in Tallahassee is responsible for the development and administration

of rules and policy for proper treatment of wastewater from domestic facilities. Other responsibilities

include such activities as industrial pretreatment, biosolids management, reuse of reclaimed water,

wastewater to wetlands and coordination of on-site sewage treatment and disposal activities with the

Department of Health.

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• Industrial Wastewater Program

The Industrial Wastewater Program issues permits to facilities and activities that discharge to surface

waters and ground waters of the state. Industrial wastewater that discharges to domestic wastewater

treatment facilities, however, is regulated under the Industrial Pretreatment component of the

Department’s Domestic Wastewater Program.

Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources (SLER)

The Office of Submerged Lands and Environmental Resources addresses the dredging, filling and

construction in wetlands. The Office also ensures that activities in uplands, wetlands or other surface

waters do not degrade water quality or the habitat for wetland dependent wildlife.

Office of the Florida Geological Survey (FGS)

The FGS specializes in geoscience research and assessments to provide objective quality data and

interpretations. Environmental, conservation and public-welfare issues are addressed through applied

field and laboratory investigations supported by our geologic sample and research libraries as well as

collaborative efforts within the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and with other

regulatory or policy-making entities.

Office of Environmental Education

The Office of Environmental Education seeks to promote and support environmental citizenship by

building awareness, understanding and appreciation of Florida's environment. Together with other

government agencies, non-profits, the academic and the private sector, the

Office contributes

structure and funding for environmental education in Florida.

Florida Coastal Office

The Florida Coastal Office (formerly: Office of Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas) manages more

than 4 million acres of the most valuable submerged lands and select coastal uplands. The Office

manages 41 aquatic preserves, including the Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve, and, in coordination

with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, three National Estuarine Research

Reserves and the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.

Florida Department of Health (FDOH)

The Florida Department of Health (FDOH) has responsibility and authority to prevent disease of

environmental origin. Environmental health activities focus on prevention, preparedness, and

education and are implemented through routine monitoring, education, surveillance and sampling of

facilities and conditions that may contribute to the occurrence or transmission of disease produced by

blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) are monitored by and under the purvue of the FDOH.

Onsite Sewage Program

Of particular relevance to springs protection is the role that FDOH has regarding the permitting and

inspection of onsite sewage treatment and disposal systems (OSTDS). The FDOH office in each county.

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Other related FDOH roles include septic waste collection and disposal (in conjunction with FDEP), and

solid waste control (secondary role).

Passive Nitrogen Reduction Study

In 2008 as part of the state wide effort to reduce nitrogen delivery to the environment, the legislature

directed the FDOH to conduct the Florida Onsite Sewage Nitrogen Reduction Strategies Project of life-

cycle costs and cost-effectiveness of passive nitrogen reduction treatment technologies in comparison

to more active technologies and to convention treatment systems; 2) characterization of nitrogen

removal from effluent in the soil underneath the drainfield and in shallow groundwater; and 3)

development of simple models to describe the fate and transport of nitrogen from onsite sewage

treatment and disposal systems. The project findings to date and completed tasks can be found at the

FDOH onsite sewage research website.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC)

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC) manages the wildlife and wildlife

habitats for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people and endangered species protection,

fishing activities, wildlife harvesting, and aquatic vegetation management are all conducted under

FFWCC rules and regulations. FFWCC Division of Law Enforcement is a lead agency in the enforcement

of environmental, fisheries, and wildlife laws.

Division of Habitat and Species Conservation

The Division of Habitat and Species Conservation (HSC) integrates scientific data with applied habitat

management to maintain stable or increasing populations of fish and wildlife. Integration efforts focus

on the ecosystem or landscape scale to provide the greatest benefits to the widest possible array of

fish and wildlife species through extensive collaboration and partnering with local, state and federal

agencies.

Aquatic Habitat Conservation and Restoration Section

This section uses a multidisciplinary approach to develop and implement comprehensive management

programs to improve the ecological health of freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats. Its primary

focus is identifying high-priority water bodies and implementing a variety of management treatments

to maintain quality habitat for wetland-dependent fish and wildlife. Working with other agencies and

user groups, this section builds cooperative relationships to address various issues affecting aquatic

resources, including nutrient enrichment, water-use policy, and protection of rare and imperiled fish

and wildlife.

Conservation Planning Services Section

Working with private and public sector landowners, this section develops and helps implement

comprehensive, habitat-based management plans and incentive programs for landowners.

Conservation Planning Services also provides managers of publicly owned lands with technical

assistance to implement land-use plans that reduce negative impacts on fish and wildlife. This section

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uses scientific data to review and comment on FFWCC-regulated activities that may affect wildlife

habitat.

Species Conservation Planning Section

Conserving Florida’s native wildlife diversity is the mission of this section. It develops and implements

high-priority conservation activities for native wildlife, with an emphasis on threatened species.

Partnerships with other governmental agencies (local, state and federal), nongovernmental

organizations and individuals help achieve conservation goals for wildlife. This section manages most

of the state’s threatened species and coordinates activities relating to Florida’s listing process and

permitting of human activities that may affect listed species.

Imperiled Species Management Section

This section is responsible for conservation of manatees, sea turtles, panthers and black bears through

implementation of federal recovery plans and state management plans. Other key section tasks include

development of rules and regulations that provide needed protections, providing technical assistance

to local governments and other state agencies for planning purposes and permit reviews, and

addressing human-wildlife conflicts. The section coordinates with the Fish and Wildlife Research

Institute’s researchers to identify information needs that will assist in making management decisions.

The section conducts outreach activities to encourage the public to become watchful stewards over

Florida’s threatened species.

Exotic Species Coordination Section

This section works with the FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement’s Captive Wildlife staff to prevent

nonnative species from harming native fish and wildlife and develop science-based regulations to

prevent the release and establishment of nonnative species. Partnerships with other local, state and

federal groups promote responsible pet ownership and increase awareness of the problems of

introduced species, while also managing nonnative species present in Florida.

Invasive Plant Management Section

This section is responsible for directing, coordinating and funding two statewide programs controlling

invasive upland plants on public conservation lands and invasive aquatic plants in public waterways.

This section regulates, through a permitting program, projects for control of aquatic plants that do not

meet the eligibility requirements for state funding. The FFWCC protects Florida’s native plant and

wildlife diversity with controls to manage invasive plants on public lands and waterways, dissemination

of information, public education efforts, contractual research, and surveillance of plant communities on

public lands and waterways. This section’s goal is to protect native fish and wildlife habitat by reducing

existing populations of invasive plants and preventing new invasive plant populations from becoming

established.

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Marion County

Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service

Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service is a cooperation between (and funded by both) the Marion

County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida. Extension agents who are

experts in their fields compose the staff and work to “extend” the research and resources of the

university to Marion County residents through educational programs and services.

Office of the County Engineer

The Marion County Office of the County Engineer (OCE) provides efficient, economical and quality

transportation and stormwater systems to satisfy diverse mobility needs, while ensuring the safety and

welfare of the general public and the preservation of the environment.

Office of Public Information

The Office of Public Information provides accurate, relevant and timely information to the public about

Marion County events, news, programs, projects and services. Public Information uses a multimedia

approach to disseminate information that includes electronic publications, media releases,

photography, printed handouts and publications, social media and video.

Parks and Recreation

The Parks and recreation Department serves Marion County residents and visitors by providing park

facilities, recreation services, park planning and protection of the counties natural resources.

Marion County Utilities

Marion County Utilities provides water and wastewater services to nearly 30,000 water customers in

Marion County.

City of Dunnellon

Community Development Department

The Community Development Department provides long-term strategies for the City's growth ensuring

compliance with the City's Comprehensive Plan, including preservation of our natural environment,

and the enhancement of neighborhoods and businesses through a Community Redevelopment

program.

Public Services Department

Department responsibilities include support of all citizens and departments related to animal control,

cemetery, fiber utility, parks and recreation, roads and streets, sanitation, stormwater, water,

wastewater, and utility billing.

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Levy County

Agriculture Center - Extension Office

The Agriculture Center Extension Service offers information and services vital to the commercial

agriculture producer as well as to the hobby farmer and homeowner relating to the culture of all plants

and domesticated farm animals. Services are provided by Extension Agents in partnerships with Levy

County and the UF/IFAS Extension Service.

Planning Department

The Planning Department maintains and administers the Levy County Comprehensive Plan. The

department conducts research and analysis to assess and promote, in the public interest, the best use

of the County’s natural and physical resources and to develop policies, plans and ordinances to that

end. The department also functions as a review agency to ensure that current development occurs in a

manner that is consistent with the county’s land use, economic and environmental policy.

Soil and Water Conservation Board

The Levy County Soil and Water Conservation Board’s mission is to deliver natural resources

conservation technology and education to local land users and to promote the best land use and

management practices that will conserve, improve, and sustain the natural environment of Levy

County. The Board also works with the schools throughout the county with various projects such as land

judging, speaking, and poster contests. The Soil and Water Conservation Board office is located in the

USDA Service Center in Bronson.

Water Utilities

The Water Utilities Department has annual water quality reports available for the four County waste

water treatment facilities. This department could be tasked with advancing waste water treatment,

providing reclaimed water for appropriate uses, and expanding service networks to existing septic

systems.

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority

The Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority (WRWSA or "Authority") is a multi-county special

district of the State of Florida charged with planning for and developing cost-efficient, high-quality

water supplies for its member governments. The Authority promotes environmental stewardship

through its water conservation programs and will develop alternative water sources when necessary

to augment traditional water supplies to meet the region’s long-term needs.

Marion Soil and Water Conservation District

The Marion SWCD is a local government agency that works to protect, enhance, and improve the

natural resources in Marion County through education, technical assistance and grants.

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Florida Farm Bureau

The Florida Farm Bureau Federation's mission is "to increase the net income of farmers and ranchers,

and to improve the quality of rural life." The vision of the FFBF is "Florida Farm Bureau will be the most

effective, influential and respected Farm Bureau in the nation. To truly be recognized as Florida's Voice

of Agriculture.

Audubon Florida

Audubon’s mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and

their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.

Rainbow River Conservation, Inc.

The mission of the Rainbow River Conservation, Inc. is to protect and preserve the water quality, the

natural beauty, the riverbed, and the flood plains of the Rainbow River through education,

conservation, stewardship, and advocacy.

The Howard T. Odom Florida Springs Institute, Inc.

The mission of the Florida Springs Institute is to provide a focal point for improving the understanding

of springs ecology and to foster the development of science-based education and management actions

needed to restore and protect springs throughout Florida.

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Appendix F: Draft Potential Projects and Initiatives to Support

Management Actions

Draft potential projects and initiatives were provided by members of the TWG for review by the

SCMC and SCSC. Tables 20, 21 and 22 list the projects and initiatives provided by members of the

TWG that were not approved by the SCMC or SCSC to be included as a priority project or initiative.

Water Quality

Table 20: Draft Potential Water Quality Projects and Initiatives

Septic Tanks

Florida Water Management Inventory

Lead Entity: FDOH

The goal of the Florida Water Management Inventory project is to provide a centralized tool, using a

data map, linking each built property in the state to information about the corresponding drinking water

source (Public Water or Private Well) and the wastewater treatment method (Central Sewer or Onsite

Septic). A comprehensive drinking water and wastewater inventory of the approximate 6.5 million

developed parcels in Florida will provide many benefits including:

• Enhanced customer service, permitting, development review, and planning activities for state

agencies, local government, utilities, citizens, and other interested parties through data

sharing. It will also identify redundancies and information gaps for future work.

• Improved disaster preparedness and response activities resulting in accurate estimates of

impacts on public health and infrastructure during disasters.

• Aggregated data resource that researchers can use to help evaluate connections between

various public health, environmental, or socio-economic factors.

• Enhanced resource for homeowners, home-buyers, realtors and other entities interested in

potable water and wastewater services.

Centralized web portal of maps and data, consolidated project results, all accessible to the public

Cost: $756,500 (statewide)

Status: Proposed

Wastewater Treatment Facilities

Upgrade of Rainbow Springs WWTP to AWT

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

This project will upgrade the existing Rainbow Springs WWTP to Advanced Wastewater Treatment

standards.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Upgrade of San Jose WWTP to AWT

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

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This project will upgrade the existing San Jose WWTP to Advanced Wastewater Treatment standards.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Septage

Collection Center for Septic System Pumpage

Lead Entity: Private Entity

Proposed project to construct a centralized collection center for septic tank pumpage in lieu of land

application which is the current practice. The collection center would process the pumpage and

discharge into a municipal collection system.

At the time this plan was printed, no municipal wastewater system was available to accept septage

therefore, an independent pre-treatment facility would also have to be constructed as part of the overall

design.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

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Water Quantity

Table 21: Draft Potential Water Quantity Projects and Initiatives

Alternative Water Supply

Rainbow Springs Reuse Project

Lead Entity: City of Dunnellon

This is a companion project to the upgrade of the Rainbow Springs WWTP and is contingent upon the

successful completion of the conversion of the Rainbow Springs WWTP to Advance Wastewater Treatment

(AWT). This project would provide up to 0.1 MGD of reuse water to the Rainbow Springs golf course.

Note: The Rainbow Springs Golf Club closed as of the first of the year and is looking for a buyer.

Cost: TBD

Status: Proposed

Natural Systems

Table 22: Draft Potential Natural Systems Projects and Initiatives

Habitat Restoration

Living Shorelines Habitat Enhancement Pilot Project

Lead Entity: FDEP Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve / SWFWMD

This is a pilot project that will provide opportunities for residents to participate in a living shoreline program

that will transform bare hardened seawalls into emergent vegetative habitat without the necessity to remove

the existing seawall.

There is a direct correlation between habitat disturbance and invasive species. This project will help restore

altered shorelines thus reducing disturbance through recreation and other human activities while enhancing

the ability of native vegetation to re-establish. Living shorelines can also provide significant water quality

benefit by capturing runoff from adjacent yards and removing nutrients that would otherwise flow directly

into the river.

Cost: $75,000

Status: Proposed

Invasive Species Management

Vacuum Method of Filamentous Algae Control Pilot Project

Lead Entity: FDEP Rainbow Springs Aquatic Preserve / SWFWMD

This project will test various methods of using a portable suction pump to vacuum filamentous algae off the

bottom as a means to control excessive algal growth in the lower river. Emphasis will be placed on algae

collection and removal methods.

Cost: $75,000

Status: Proposed

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Appendix G: Results of Project Identification Exercises at the

Technical Working Group Meetings

This appendix summarizes the results of the two Rainbow River Technical Working Group meetings.

These meetings were focused on developing projects for the Rainbow River SWIM plan. The projects

identified were considered for inclusion in the SWIM plan, in addition to other projects from

stakeholders.

(Remainder of this page left blank intentionally)

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Rainbow River Technical Working Group Meeting 1 Announcement

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Rainbow River Technical Working Group Meeting 1 Water Quality and

Water Quantity Project Suggestions, January 28, 2015

WATER QUALITY GROUP 1

BMP Improvement

Create Education Programs

BMP Monitoring

Expand IFAS Programs

Septic Tanks

Amendment 1 Funds – to get connection to sewers

Row Crop Fertilizer

Directly Support (Funding / Staff) Cost Sharing

Public Education for Anti-Microwave

Funding

Manage expectations long term investment

Cattle Horse Farm

Manure composting program – fund

Funding monitoring

Map nutrient loading hot spots

WATER QUALITY GROUP 2

Identify existing disposal sites (septic and sludge), quantify N load, assess effects of prohibition

Cattle & Horse Farms

FARMS Project-expand northern exposure, identify potential projects

Feasibility of regional manure disposal/recovery facility

Septic Tanks

FDOH Update inventory

FDOH Nitrogen study review

Develop WW master plan based on political boundaries (Marion County does have a program, needs

funding: Rainbow River Marion County Force Main project, east of river)

Develop cost share program for septic upgrades and/or sewer connections

Prioritize septic to sewer project in higher density areas

WATER QUALITY GROUP 3

WQ Monitoring

Encourage info sharing, nutrient source studies, expand continuous nutrient/NOR monitoring

Light/particulate export studies

Cattle & Horse Farms

Biofuel projects

BMP verification/evaluation develop advanced programs

Nutrient budgets

Septic Tanks

Nitrogen Study

Florida Water Management Inventory (Marion & Levy)-per parcel, where does drinking water come

from and where does waste water go.

Row Crops

BMPS Effectiveness and verification/advanced

Right crop/right place (education outreach)

Waste Water Treatment

Assess the I &I (infrastructure)

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WATER QUALITY GROUP 4

AG BMP implementation, cost share

Find use for animal waste and incentives

Hobby farms outreach

Pilot incentives for compost reuse

Sensitive areas first

Septic tanks

Sewer projects

FDOH study

Amendment 1 land acquisition (converting timberlands and row crops)Rainbow River ranch and cool

springs ranch

Control runoff along the river: swale and living shorelines along river

Fertilizer ordinance/education

WATER QUALITY GROUP 5

Land acquisition: near springhead

Fertilizer: incentive for slow release, additional research for crop benefit of slow release

Research nitrification inhibitors

Septic

Take offline, focus on west side of river

Mandate connections, needs state interest

Improve WWTP discharge standards(FDEP/local)

Pump Inspect program (FDOH)

Address Pump Out Disposal (FDEP)

Cattle Horse Farms

WQ monitoring on site to validate/verify effectiveness (FDACS)

Improve composting incentives (FDEP/FDACS)

Review Composting site regulations (FDEP)

Cover manure piles (FDACS/IFAS)

Staff farm outreach efforts, small hobby farms, having a rep (FDACS/IFAS)

WATER QUALITY GROUP 6

Cattle Farms/Horse Farms

Fertilizer

Education and more staff

Certification program for BMAP awareness and nitrogen issues (existing program) FDACS cost

sharing program

Septic Tanks

Marion County project (ongoing)

Soil amendments

Golf Courses

Verifying BMPs are used

WWTF

Get up to advanced standards

G-4

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 1

R&D

Monitoring – modeling conduits – code

Fund tracer tests to find conduits

Springshed boundary shifts – monitor

Effect of Inglis Lock / Withlacoochee dam on lower river

Voluntary Monitoring for domestic self-supply

Conservation

Education on Irrigation & other uses

Outreach for heavy water users

Utility coordination to send info out

Alternative Water Supply

Incentivize home irrigation alternatives

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 2

R&D

Evaluate Inglis lock/dam structure effects on flow and stage

Evaluate effects of forest management practices on aquifer recharge

Conservation

Ongoing programs: FL Water Star, toilet rebates, irrigation audits-continuing and expanding

Identify potential FARMS projects

Increased outreach and funding to implement BMPs

Meet the enhanced water conservation rule (per capita goals)

Establish regional water conservation program

Incentivize automatic meter readers (AMRs)

Identify residences that need improved water devices (pre 1994 structures)

Reclaimed Water

Ongoing: JB Ranch

Require stormwater harvesting for landscape irrigation for new developments

Lower Floridan aquifer potential assessment for Rainbow area

Set Rainbow MFL(2016)

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 3

R&D

Develop models/water budgets (water balance)

Update groundwater availability assessment/inventory

Conservation

Expand and promote incentives/rebates to reduce per capita use

Encourage automated smart sensor technology

REG/MFL

Expedite adoption

Feasibility of water reservations for springs (prairie creek)

Establish cap on ground water withdrawals

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 4

Conservation

Land Acquisition

Removing potential future withdrawals

Water Reuse Projects

Tie into mast plans

R&D

Determine well level nitrates prior to extraction (this is Water quality), allows you to adjust irrigation

rates

Require dual system at development land code

G-5

Water conservation

Enhance the new technology for water use, require flow monitoring

Soil Moisture Meter Use

Replace center pivot irrigation with drop head

Tiered rate structure, other conservation measures/education

Rain sensors, low flow toilets/showers

Florida friendly yards – utilize UF for free landscape service and yard plan, more demonstration

projects. Pilot projects in neighborhoods to show it.

MFLs

Encourage better regional ground water model

More effective monitoring of drawdowns for permitted users

Develop economic model and cultural of dollar values associated with water that results in the largest

use extraction fee associated with outside of the basin. (don’t give water away for free, i.e. bottled

water plant permit fee)-understand the economic model to understand the cost/benefit of ground water

extraction and use. A natural resource management plan. Determine an appropriate fee for water.

Surface water retention

Recharge enhancement

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 5

Conservation

Targeted land acquisition

Rebate programs (toilets, low flow)

Educate/incentivized landscape retrofits (St. Augustine)

Land regulations (new development)

Educate owners on BMP licensure requirements

AWS

Incentivize reclaim use on non-edible ag: storage/reservoir or expand pilot project/promote

Regional Water Supply-this group didn’t get to review this even though it pulls water from the Rainbow.

WATER QUANTITY GROUP 6

R&D

Models, more consistent

Conservation

Toilet rebate, WRWSA irrigation evaluation program, Florida water star

New Development requirement to have Florida Water Star

Tiered rate structures

Leak detection expanded program and collaborative between utilities

Ag: cost share for weather stations, reclaimed water

Commercial: leak detection, increase water storage

Golf course: co fund irrigation efficiency projects

Williston example, has no reuse just spray fields.

Expanding regional system.

G-6

Rainbow River Technical Working Group Meeting 2 Announcement

G-7

Rainbow River Technical Working Group Meeting 2 Natural Systems

Project Suggestions, February 27, 2015

NATURAL SYSTEMS GROUP 1

R&D

Study to map index velocities in relation to natural systems.

Habitat Conservation

Purchase lands identified by the Rainbow River Corridor project

-Rainbow River Ranch property

-Properties north of Hwy 40

-Properties north of headsprings

-Acquire Cool Springs Ranch for conservation

Purchase identified wildlife corridor gaps

Protect/create/enforce shoreline protection ordinance

-AP status exists for river – needs enforcement

-OFW

Habitat Restoration

Require living shorelines be planted for all docks

Restore historic vegetation types in springshed (long leaf pine/wiregrass)

Create a diversity of habitats (fish beds, etc.)

Invasive Plant Management

Condition individual aquatic plant control permits to require living shoreline replacement

Targeted mechanical removal of filamentous algae in mid/lower river

Recreation Management

Create mooring buoy sites (below preserve, at popular dive locations)

Create/enforce recreational management plant (zones-tubes, boats, all, none)

-Identify/designate lead entity (FDEP, County, City)

Education/Outreach (rec guide exists)-print more RRC guides

NATURAL SYSTEMS GROUP 2

• Evaluate historical plant management activity effects on changes to the native, exotic, and

macroalgae populations(p)

• Improve education and outreach to riparian homeowners (a)

o Land management, i.e. leaf blowing

o Ecology (native vs exotic species) benefits of wetland plants

o Homeowners associations (rules to protect river) – see Rainbow River Conservation

group for specific examples of current works

• Include species diversity in monitoring efforts for understanding trophic interactions/food webs

(a)

• Acquire land for wetland restoration and treatment wetlands (a)

• Blue Cove Restoration (p)

o Aerators

o Floating wetlands

o Partially fill (decrease residence time)

• Invasive animal control, i.e. armored catfish (a)

• Educate operators/rental outfits about best practices.(a)

o Permit program to require operator education(p)

• Evaluate effects of users (tubers, boats) at low water levels(p)

o Create restrictions at low water level threshold (big motor type)

• Assess the potential to restore to top-predators(p)

o Top-down effects on ecosystems

G-8

o Gar

• Evaluate potential to restore access by anadromous species (p)

o Mullet, sturgeon, manatees

NATURAL SYSTEMS GROUP 3-

R&D

• Encourage streamline permitting process (USACE) (a and p)

o Fed Legislation: nationwide 27 to include underwater habitat

• Statewide library/database: info sharing/website (p)

Habitat Conservation

• Develop criteria for Land Acquisition for SPGS Protection (p)

o Measurable benefit

• Habitat benefit for conservation easements (p)

o Nail down measurable benefit

• Purchase cool SPS and River Ranch (p)

• Develop Management & use plans for purchased lands(a)

Habitat Restoration

• Re-vegetation experiment/demo (p)

o Downstream: RS swim area

o State Park Tuber Exit

• ID Additional locations (p)

• Public education – develop living shoreline homeowner guide (determine interest)(p)

• ID a demo site for living shoreline(p)

• Determine impact/benefit of Blue Cove Restoration (p)

• ID muck/sediment removal locations in coordination with re-vegetation (p)

Invasive Aquatic Plant Management

• ID areas to test suction vacuum method for Lyngbya removal in coordination with re-vegetation

(p)

• One-stop shop for public info (website links)-where does the public go to find out if they need a

permit(p)

Recreation

• Promote unified approach to law enforcement presence (a)

•

Better manage/protect high use areas (a)

NATURAL SYSTEMS GROUP 4

R & D

Establish baseline for Flora & Fauna (p)

BMPs for management of Hydrilla (not eradication) (p)

Living Shorelines

- Survey of homeowner interest (p)

- Education / outreach program (p)

- Incentivize program (p) – Marion County Landscape Irrigation Retrofit Program

Develop Model Ordinances & Comp plans (p) – Marion County

Carrying Capacity

- Visitor experience survey (p)

Recreational Management

- Establish TWG tasked with establishing the resource impact from users (p) – state/county

coordinated effort to reduce/manage impact from users – Cumulative impact assessment with

strategies

- Establish MOA between State & County for Recreational Use facilities specific to tubing

Land Acquisition

G-9

- Prioritize Pieces to acquire & evaluate funding

- Rainbow River Ranch

- Property around headspring

Habitat Restoration

- Identify Funding sources for all management actions

- Implement a tiered finding match for CFI

- ID areas to use coconut fiber mats for restoration

Rainbow River Turtle brochure

- What to do to protect habitat

Species Specific evaluations to establish buffer widths

G-10