THE MISSING PIECES

TO FIXING THE CALOOSAHATCHEE

Jennifer Hecker,
Director of Natural
Resource Policy

Piecing Together Restoration

Fixing excess flows

more storage in C. basin

more flow south of Lake O,

removing impediments

Fixing inadequate flows

with more storage in C. basin

revising Lake O water distribution protocols

Fixing water quality

more treatment above Lake O

more treatment in C. basin

more treatment south of the Lake

C-43 Reservoir CERP Project to Address Low River Flows

C-43 Reservoir was one of the 60 projects

identified in the Comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Plan, which aimed to store 160,000
acre feet of water

C-43 will
address 70% of
Minimum Flow
& Level need,
as well as 38%
of Basin
storage need
(450,000 ac ft).

Water Quality Component must be Added

Project report notes that Water Quality was raised

in public comments and states Water quality of
reservoir(s) to be evaluated as to not cause or
contribute to water quality problems, also
addressed in later study.
Now that project authorized, funded and
underway, time to start planning adding the
missing water quality project.

Restoring More Flow South of Lake O

Funding and constructing all the

Comprehensive Everglades
Restoration Plan (CERP) projects

Acquiring more lands in the

Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA)
to store and treat more water

Funding the USEPA/DEP Water

Quality Plan to build additional
water quality treatment

EAA / US Sugar Land Purchase

In 2010, Governor Crist negotiated a deal to buy

72,500 ac of US Sugars land in EAA for $533 million
with an option to purchase the additional lands within
the next 10 years.

The State terminated a purchase option last year to

buy additional 46,500 at an estimated $350 M, which
would have taken 1 foot off lake - significantly
reducing high flows by 40-50%

A non-exclusive option still remains (until 2020) to

purchase up to 153,200 acres at Fair Market Value.
U.S. Sugar could sell all or a part of the option
property, with Right of First Refusal by the SFWMD.

April 2009 SFWMD map showing the U.S.

Sugar Corp. parcels that were of original
purchase (dark green) and lands in yellow
that now have option to purchase.

Fixing Water Quality Requires

Controlling Pollution at Its Source!

Numeric nutrient water quality standards for all flowing

waters, and downstream protective values
TMDLs for TN for freshwaters upstream of downstream
TN impaired waters (incl. TN TMDL for Lake O)
More water quality monitoring and enforcement to
ensure ag BMPs are implemented and effective
Updated stormwater standards for ERP permits of new
developments to ensure each adequately retaining and
treating its own runoff.
More water quality monitoring such that every assessed
waterbody area has sufficient data to assess whether it
is meeting applicable water quality standards

Bringing All Pieces of the Puzzle Together

Need to finish CERP projects and the Lake
Okeechobee Watershed Plan (to store more
water north of Lake O)
But also need to fill in the missing pieces to:

Add C-43 Water Quality Treatment Project

Additional lands acquired in EAA to store,

cleanse and move more water south
(relieving some of current drainage and
pollution as well)

Better pollution source control

What Can You Do?

Informed and Engaged Citizens Needed!
Go to gladesdeclaration.org and sign the Now or
Neverglades petition today
Write the Governor to ask he direct EAA Water Storage
Planning to start now
Ask your state legislators to support Senator Negrons
proposal for the state to fund buy 60,000 acres in the EAA
to create more water storage there

Map of Senator Negrons

2 options for EAA storage

How Can You Stay Involved?

Visit the Conservancys Action Center at
www.conservancy.org/our-work/policy/action

Follow us on

facebook.com/ConservancySWF

Because Florida
cant afford to not have
clean water.